Gemma cradled his head against her shoulder and made soothing sounds.
“I want to go back there. I want my friends. And… and you would have Arne. We were safe there. It is better than running away.”
“Home? Home to Kirkjaster?”
Caelin gazed up her. “Is Kirkjaster not home?”
“We can’t stay in Kirkjaster anymore, Caelin.”
Caelin pushed her aside and looked questioningly at Arne. When he got no response, he turned back to his mother. “We can go back to Ir Ysgyn and visit Kirkjaster whenever we want.”
Gemma took him by the shoulders. “Uncle Rhun might not agree—”
“Why not? Those are my lands. You said—”
“We cannot trust him. We cannot trust anyone.”
Caelin pulled away from her. “We can trust Arne!”
She looked at Arne, but when he said nothing, she lowered her gaze to the floor. He had promised to protect them, but if Ulf was right and anyone found out what had happened between them, then they would both suffer. And what of the men who had come to Kirkjaster looking for her? Would they come back? If he had to choose between Gemma and Caelin, or his brothers and the settlement, which would he choose?
He cleared his throat, not wanting to say what he needed to, but knowing that the sooner their lives were resolved, the better. “Come, Caelin,” he said, holding out his hand. “You can ride in front of me and we’ll go back to Kirkjaster, then Jarl Tormod and your mother will decide what is best and you can set out to wherever you want to go.”
“Will Jarl Tormod not let us stay?”
“I don’t think so. Not anymore,” Gemma said.
“Will you come with us?”
“I will take you to the best place for you both. But then I must leave you there. My place is in Kirkjaster, or home in theNorselands.” He didn’t look at Gemma, but sensed her surprise at his mention of returning to his homeland.
“Then I want to go back to Ir Ysgyn. I want my room and a fire to keep Lycka and Loki warm. I want to go outside with them. We are always hiding. Why do we need to hide? I don’t want to do it anymore.” He started to cry.
Gemma held onto him, even though he tried to push her away.
“Caelin, first we must return to Kirkjaster. You can speak to Jarl Tormod. Tell him what it is you wish to do and he will decide what is best for everyone,” Arne said.
Gemma glared at him, but said nothing.
He continued, “We must leave the shieling as we found it for the shepherds in the summer. If we take the bed linens with us, I will have them washed and returned when the snow has gone.”
“I will do that,” Gemma replied. “The rest has been dealt with apart from the things we have used this morning. Once we have eaten, I will finish clearing up and you and Caelin can work out how to carry the cubs.”
Arne nodded briefly at her. She gave him a bowl of broth, careful not to touch him in any way, and he stepped outside to eat. The more distance between them before the others saw them together, the better.
“Well?” Ulf demanded as soon as the door closed behind Arne.
“Well, what?” Arne asked, blinking against the glare of the snow.
“What are we waiting for?”
“I must eat. Then we must set the shieling to rights. It will not take long.”
“It is cold and I want nothing more than to be sitting beside a warm fire with a horn of mead.”
“It might have been better for us all if you had done just that.”
“Yes, it might. I’m not sure whether I am glad that we found you or not,” Ulf said, shaking his head.
