Page 6

“Him?” she asked.

“This is Varrik,” Emmel said. “Believe me, he and I had our differences, but if we can work them out, then I’m sure that ye will be able tae get over yer doubts as well. Varrik haes pledged himself tae live a good life, and he will lead the men who join ye.”

“Is this what ye want?” Laird Callan asked Varrik. The man was tall, so much so that even Fiona had to tilt her head back to look up at him, and she was tall enough to meet most men’s eyes. But then, Highlander men were often shorter in stature than Vikings. Varrik also had a long mane of golden hair that stretched down, framing his face like a veil. His chin was strong, and a full beard flowed from it, as golden as his hair. He was broad and muscular, and he radiated strength. His face might have been stern were it not for his eyes. They were the final things Fiona looked at, and when she looked at them, she gasped in surprise, for she did not find in them what she expected.

She assumed they would be as hard as stone and just as cold, implacable, and distant. In those eyes, she thought she would see death and anger and all the darkness she assumed would be in the heart of this Viking, but instead, she saw guilt and shame. The eyes were as blue as the ocean, and she could sense the depths of them as well, as though they led to something as deep and wild as the sea. It was enough to frighten her, forcing her to avert her gaze in case she should become lost in them.

“It is,” Varrik replied to Laird Callan’s questions in a deep voice. Despite living in the Highlands, he stilled retained the Norse accent. “Emmel was kind enough to grant me and the others a second chance. I do not intend to waste it. I know that our association with Rune Dolph grants us a poor reputation, and I also know that I have acted shamefully. I want the gods to look upon me kindly. I will be happy to help make your clan strong and to prove that I can be trusted. I know the rest of the men feel the same way as well,” he said.

Laird Callan nodded and seemed satisfied. They were indeed good words, Fiona thought, but they were just words.

“I hae a question for the man if ye dinnae mind?” Fiona asked, looking to her father and Emmel for permission. Emmel deferred to Laird Callan’s judgment, and he allowed his daughter to indulge herself, although not without shooting her a warning glance.

Fiona turned her attention back to the imposing Viking, who seemed to fill the room with his vast stature. She spoke coolly, wanting to show him that she wasn’t intimidated by him at all, although her heart fluttered and her mind grew hazy when she was around him.

“Before we agree tae let ye live with us, I’d like tae know why ye agreed tae live with Rune Dolph. It’s all well and good for ye tae say that ye want tae change for the better, but the fact is ye lived with him for a long time. How can we be sure that what ye say is nae just a lie because Rune was defeated?”

To his credit, Varrik didn’t seem offended by the question, nor did he get angry. “I can’t speak for every man who is coming to live with you. I can only speak for myself. When I was a child, I followed my father. I learned from him and listened to everything he tried to teach me. Then, on a hunting trip, he was killed. I was left alone to fend for myself. I wish that I had been strong enough to flourish, but I missed my father, and I wanted someone to teach me more, to show me the way I should live. Rune happened to come across me and brought me into his world. He was the one who taught me, and I did not question his lessons. I realize now that I should have. I make no apologies for what happened before because I know I was wrong. I just want to be better. I have no plans to cause any trouble between your clans. I only want to help, and I know that the other Vikings feel the same way. We just want a new beginning. I know you see me as a villain, but I’m more than that, and I hope that in time you will see it too.”

Fiona nodded, annoyed that she couldn’t find fault with his answer. Laird Callan clapped his hands together and seemed satisfied. He told Varrik to go and prepare the other men to get ready to travel back to the Highlands, and then he thanked Emmel once again. Fiona let her gaze linger on Varrik for a few moments longer, still unsure whether he could be trusted. She supposed that only time would tell, but she wasn’t going to let him out of her sight until she could be sure.