Page 120 of The Outlaw Viking

He must be Eirik, Rain realized immediately. Her half brother from the past. Tykir’s brother.

“Eirik,” she called out hopefully, but he didn’t hear her. “Eirik!”

Still he ignored her. In a moment, he would have passed and all Rain’s prospects for release with him.

Okay, God, how about a little help here? Rain prayed frantically.

She shouted, “Eirik!” at the top of her kings. Just then a slight wind came up, carrying her scream, and Eirik turned toward the window, his dark brows furrowing in confusion.

“Eirik, over here!” she yelled.

He came closer, ignoring the complaints of his companion, who wanted to return to the castle hall. Hunkering down, he peered into the little window.

“Eirik, thank God you finally heard me. Hurry. You’ve got to get me out of here. I’m your sister—Oh, I know you’ve never heard of me, but I’ll explain everything later. Just have the guards release me. We have to help Selik—hurry!”

“I have no sister,” Eirik snapped and was about to stand.

“Yes, you do. I’m Rain—Thoraine Jordan. Ruby’s daughter. See,” she said, holding the brooch up for him to see.

“Let me see that,” he snarled, trying to grab the pin, but she pulled it out of his reach. Once she gave up the brooch, she might not have any proof of her identity. Funny, she’d never thought of the priceless heirloom as evidence before. She almost giggled hysterically.

Eirik squinted, trying to peer at her features through the window. “Bloody hell!” he said finally, then stood and walked away.

Stunned, she just stared after his departing back. He hadn’t believed her after all. She sank down to the bench and let the tears run down her cheeks in endless streams. She didn’t care so much about herself. It was Selik. She feared desperately for his life and what the damn Saxons had been doing to torture him the past week.

A grating of the door hinge jarred Rain to attention, and the huge door swung outward, allowing Eirik to enter.

Eirik ducked his head and entered the tiny room, dwarfing it by his size and magnificent clothing. He scrutinized her coldly. “Talk,” he finally ordered.

“Have a seat,” Rain offered, wiping at the wetness on her cheeks and waving to the bench on which she still sat. “Would you like some refreshments?” she asked with mock politeness.

“Your sarcasm is misplaced, wench,” Eirik snapped. “I know not who you are, but one thing is certain—you are not my sister.”

Rain stood and walked up to him, pushed beyond her endurance. She glared at him, hands on hips.

Eirik looked her over disdainfully, then had the nerve to say, “You are big…for a woman, that is.”

“Tall.”

“What?”

“Tall. I’m tall, not big, you Dark Age jerk.”

His lips twitched with a smile. “Jerk—that is a word I know. I learned it onct from—” He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening with understanding. Then he took her by the arm and pulled her toward the door. “Come. We will talk in my room.”

With little protest, the guard allowed Eirik to lead her from the prison. Apparently, Eirik held a position of some importance in King Athelstan’s court. In fact, she remembered Tykir saying something to that effect. Maybe he would be able to help Selik.

Eirik’s small but opulent room was in a far corridor of Winchester Castle, a favorite residence of the king. Now that they were alone, Rain couldn’t help herself. She launched herself against Eirik’s chest, hugging him tightly. “Oh, God, you have no idea how much you resemble my brother Eddie. I didn’t know how much I missed Eddie until I saw you. You could be his twin.”

“And where is this Eddie now?” Eirik asked hesitantly, putting Rain away from him.

“Dead,” Rain said, sniffing loudly. “Killed in Lebanon more than ten years ago. He served in the Marines and…” Her words trailed off as she realized that Eirik didn’t understand most of what she’d said and that he was staring at her with suspicion.

Rain bent her head, trying to gather strength, and noticed her fisted hand. She opened it and saw the dragon brooch—the precious pin her mother claimed was given to her by her husband Thork. Unable to think of anything to say that would convince Eirik, she merely handed him the brooch.

He motioned Rain to sit in the only chair while he sank down onto the bed, stretching out his long legs. He undid the brooch on his shoulder, letting the fur-lined mantle fall behind him on the mattress. For a long time, he just stared at the two pins in his large palms. Rain thought she saw flickers of pain and tightly held emotion in his pale blue eyes.

Finally, his eyes lifted and locked with hers. “Tell me,” he demanded hoarsely.