“And what would leaving you behind have accomplished? I have plans. Trust me.” He pinched her cheek, then left her standing alone.
Chapter Five
Words
Rachelle’s rapid heartrate separated her from her dream. She stared overhead, the daylight muted by the white fabric that served as a roof. Days and nights blended together on this ship. They’d been at sea for seven. The only reason she knew was because Tyr informed her daily. Sleep should have brought relief. Instead, she felt muddleheaded. Stumbling to her feet, she pretended she was still wrapped in her mother’s protective embrace—a recurring dream she’d had since her parents died. Keeping their memories alive made life easier to face. Damp air chilled her. Why did she let Tyr Sigurdsson bring her here? A long agonizing moment passed as she relived the hours she’d spent scouring the fields for her uncle. The cries she’d heard from men she’d never see and all those bodies.
She had a right to change her mind. Maybe if she asked the Viking to drop her off in the nearest port she could pay passage back to England… Except, she had no money. No means to support herself. Damn it. Surely he’d understand. His brother’s death affected him the same way her fears about her uncle impacted her. The Norseman had been kind, before he’d tried to seduce her again. She reconsidered it. His personal feelings were secondary to her concern for family. Maybe he wouldn’t help, but she must try to convince him otherwise.
Shrouded in fur, she stepped outside the makeshift tent. It must be very early in the morning. The moon and sun were nearly aligned. Stars still dotted the horizon. She’d never seen anything so beautiful. Men were sleeping huddled together. She passed Onetooth, then Tyr’s abominable cousin. A few oarsmen were sitting on the benches, their conversations barely above a whisper. They paid no attention to her as she walked to the side of the boat and looked over the railing. The gray ocean water was eerily calm, almost silent. Magical, if she believed in such nonsense.
The vessel suddenly turned, gliding into a fjord. She had a panoramic view of snow-capped mountains and rocky ledges. On the highest peak, mantles of bluish-green ice cascaded down and disappeared under water. Across the inlet, a herd of red deer watched as the ship skated by. Rendered speechless by the sights, she visualized her future and wrung her hands. Natural splendor couldn’t conceal the villainous nature of these beasts. Vikings appeared as untamed as their lands. What if she’d had misjudged Tyr? She could easily be a prisoner of war. Maybe he’d charmed her just to get her onboard without incident. If only she had trusted her deeper instincts and run away. She covered her mouth. Wild thoughts circulated in her mind. Fear gave rise to paranoia.
A horrific rhyme from one of those childhood stories about Vikings popped into her mind.Crush your skull and grind your bones, drain you’re English blood until you’re dead. Offer up your Christian soul, to feed Odin’s great head…
“Enjoying the ride, sweetling?”
Rachelle turned abruptly to find Aaron McNally standing behind her.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“Aye, it is,” he said. “It’ll be the last time you see it.”
She knew she shouldn’t pay any attention to him, but—
“The last woman my cousin carried across the North Sea was sacrificed during the spring harvest festival. She admired the wilderness, too.”
“That can’t be true,” she cried. “Surely, human sacrifice is forbidden.”
Aaron laughed. “By who, their dead Christian king? The Trondelag is far away from the capital, milady. These brutes worship Allfather, not Christ. You’ll appease Odin’s bloodlust.”
Rachelle’s eyes widened with horror. Was she a prisoner of war? That didn’t seem beyond the realm of possibility. Turning back to the water, she considered the Scotsman’s words. Was it a warning? Hypnotized by the water, she shrugged off the fur.
“Are you lying to me?” She didn’t bother facing him.
“I wouldn’t joke about something so evil. I fear for your life.”
She struggled to think clearly. Refusing to be a sacrificial lamb for pagans, there was no other choice…
Rachelle jumped.
Frigid water enveloped her. A freezing kind of hell sucked all the breath out of her body. River Derwent never got this cold. She paddled vigorously, but every stroke sapped her strength. Within a minute, she started to sink. She flailed and kicked. Her legs got tangled in her skirt, then she sank. With what little strength she had left, she propelled upward and pulled in a long breath. It didn’t help. Swallowing a mouthful of water, her mind started played tricks. Her hands and feet grew numb. Worse ways to die existed. And time didn’t matter anymore.
Then her skin ignited with pain, it felt like a thousand pinpricks at once. She closed her eyes.Mother. Father. Soon it won’t hurt anymore.
Tyr heard adistinct splash. His eyes popped open. His gaze swept the deck, bow to stern and back. Aaron was staring over the railing. He stood, then bolted for the tent. Damn the gods.She wasn’t inside. Without thought, he ran toward his cousin, then dove overboard.
Thank Odin the ship was merely drifting and the river current wasn’t strong. If it were springtime, after the ice melted, Rachelle’s tiny body would have been swept away. Scanning the surface fervently, he didn’t see her. So, he plunged, feeling his way along the silty floor. Cold temperatures had little effect on him. He’d been conditioned for this environment, slowly building tolerance like calluses on a farmer’s hand. He resurfaced and sighted her bobbing above water.
He gestured, but she’d never see him. With lightning speed, he swam to her. “Whyelskede?Why risk your precious life?” He swept her into his arms.
Her eyes fluttered open. Her lips moved, but he couldn’t understand her whisper.
“Stay with me.” He swam for the north shore. Reaching it, he hauled her motionless form onto the muddy bank.
“Følg meg til stranden!” he shouted in the direction of his ship. The narrow strip of mud he stood on was too soft to support the weight of his vessel.
Lifting Rachelle again, he scaled the bank. He reached solid ground and stretched her out. She shivered violently and coughed. He knelt beside her, checking every inch of her body. No visible injuries. And she was breathing normally. All wonderful signs, praise the gods!
