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Varrik glanced around at the surrounding area.

“Is it safe in here?” he asked, looking at the weapon racks.

“Aye, it’s safe. I hae already haed the lecture from friends and family tae keep away from the storm, but I’m nae listening. Varrik…how did ye get free? I’m sae sorry for what happened,” Fiona said, turning around to face him and fling her arms around him. She held him tightly, as though if she let go, he was in danger of disappearing.

“The gods helped me,” he said, sliding the dagger back into his belt.

Fiona pressed her head against his chest. “How did ye get out of the pit?” she asked.

Varrik smirked a little. She felt the rise of his chest and the small rumble of laughter emanating from him.

“It was the gods, lass. The gods took mercy on me, and they saved me. I’m worthy of them. I’m worthy of their love.”

“The gods?” Fiona gasped, drawing back with a look of disbelief on her face. Varrik wore a stupid grin, and his eyes were glazed over, as though he was in a trance.

“Aye, Fiona, they sent the storm. They sent the thunder and lightning and they broke me free from my prison because they see that I’m worthy! I am their warrior, and I’m going to earn my place in Valhalla with my deeds here, in the realm they call Midgard.”

He could tell that Fiona didn’t believe him. She probably thought he was mad, what with all this talk of gods. Maybe he was, but it didn’t change the belief within his heart.

“I’m sae glad ye are well. I never wanted this tae happen, Varrik, please believe me. I tried tae get them tae stop, but they would nae listen. I tried tae tell them what really happened, but they kept saying that I was confused and trying tae make things better for myself. I wanted…oh, Varrik…” She could no longer contain the feelings that rose within her heart. After having their intimate moment stolen from them so cruelly, she wanted to pick up where they left off, especially because she didn’t know how long they had left together. After all, being here didn’t change the fact that she was still betrothed to Alec.

Every moment was precious, and she did not want to waste a single one. She tilted her head back and gazed up into his eyes, wanting to be close to him, wanting to feel him. Her emotions overpowered her, and as the rain continued to pour down and the storm continued to rage, a flurry of emotions surged through her. Her hands rose up to curl around his neck and she leaned into him. He didn’t need any insistence to bring himself down, and their lips met in a deep, longing kiss. In a reflection of what they had done before, Fiona pressed him against a wall and kissed him ardently. Her skin was on fire, and all she wanted was to free herself of her clothes and give herself to this man in every way she knew how.

Varrik could feel the fire stirring within him. The gods hadn’t only freed him from the prison; they had also given him the strength and the vigor to let his desire for this woman flow through him. Being with her again was like being intoxicated. It was as though he had been flung into a lake of icy water. Everything within him was alert and alive, his senses honed and focused on her. With every breath, he caught her scent; with every glance, he took in another beautiful sight of her body; with every touch, he fell more deeply into her.

He followed a single drop of water that trickled down the hollow of her throat, nestling on soft skin. He was entranced, as though a spell had been cast upon him, and he began to lose all thought of what was important. There was her, only her, as though she was the only thing in the world. She whimpered a little as his hands dug into her, a loving sound that was so soft, and yet it might as well have trembled like thunder.

He pressed her against the wall. A rack of swords rattled as they were pushed to the floor. He grabbed her thigh, pulling her leg around him, pressing himself into her so that she could feel all his aching desire. She kissed him back with firm ardor, with fire on her lips. His hand drifted across the feminine curves of her body, loving the way the breaths shuddered out of her. It would have been so easy to fall into her then, to forget everything else about the world and surrender to the bliss her love promised.

But Varrik couldn’t allow himself to be so weak. The gods had freed him for a purpose, and that wasn’t to indulge his selfish desires. He was their weapon now, a conduit for their glory to flow upon the world. What he wanted would have to wait, for there were other things that needed to be achieved first.

Varrik pulled her close into him for a final kiss, and then he pushed her away. He had a stern look on his face. She yearned for him, aching to kiss him again, but he twisted his face away from her, depriving her of the tenderness of his lips. Was he mad at her? Did he somehow blame her for what happened? Her heart was plunged into turmoil.

“Varrik, please dinnae turn away from me. I thought I lost ye,” she said, reaching out to grab his hand. “If this is about what’s happened, then let me tell ye…I dinnae care. If ye want, we can run away in the storm and leave this place behind. I dinnae want tae marry Alec. I dinnae want tae be a laird’s daughter any longer. I just want tae be with ye. Please, dinnae turn away from me.”

“I have to be strong. Your words are sweet, and as much as I would love to run away from all of this, I can’t. It would not be the honorable thing to do. There is something I must tell you,” he said. “Laird Fletcher is not as he seems. This whole thing is some kind of trick. They’re planning to attack the clan on the wedding day. They want to take this village for themselves and have their clan be the one in power. They have no desire to share their resources. They’re going to attack when nobody expects it, and the Callan clan is not going to stand a chance. We have to stay and help defend your clan.”

Fiona staggered back as though she had been slapped. She knew that Laird Fletcher had not been the most trustworthy person, but to do something as cunning as this was awful!

“No wonder why he insisted on the Vikings tae stay away from the wedding. This was all the perfect cover. He will be able tae take what he wants, and nobody will be able tae stop him.”

“I know. And this clan will never be the same. I get the feeling that once he gets power, he is not the type of man to let it go,” Varrik said.

Fiona’s stomach swam with nerves. “I wonder if Lotta knew about this,” she muttered under her breath before she turned to Varrik. There was still an element of shock in her eyes. “After all that’s happened, after the way ye hae been treated, ye would still dae this for my clan?” she asked.

Varrik nodded solemnly. “I told you that I wanted to prove to you I am a good man. I cannot stand by and let this villain have his way. Although I must admit that I am not acting with entirely selfless motives. There is the matter of my feelings towards you as well. The thought of you being married to someone like Alec Fletcher brings me no end of unease,” he said, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

Fiona smiled sweetly, and a rosy shade bloomed upon her cheeks. She wished that she could give herself to Varrik now, but there was so much that needed to be done.

“I assume ye hae a plan in mind?” Fiona asked.

“I do. Given that the Vikings are not allowed to attend the ceremony, I thought I could gather them and prepare them to make a counterattack. In the meantime, you should try and talk to people you trust and warn them to be ready.”

“At the moment, trust is something that is sorely lacking. Even if I told my da, he would likely gae and speak tae Laird Fletcher directly. The only people I can trust are the ones I share my blade with. They will nae forsake me in this,” she said solemnly.

She and Varrik nodded at each other. Her throat tightened. There were so many things she wanted to say to him.