My heart had started to thump faster the moment she mentioned that night, but now it raced, realizing she had a greater agenda here than simply biding her time. I didn’t care if she killed my father as long as she wasn’t killed in the process, but dread lurked in my stomach because I was sure she meant something more.
I tried to sound calm. “How would you avenge him?”
The silence that hung between us spoke volumes.
“Maybe I’ll drug the banquet tomorrow and slay them all. Wouldn’t that be poetic?”
She didn’t mean it. I was sure she didn’t mean it. But what did I really know about her to make me sure? Was my infatuation clouding my judgment?
Even if she did, she couldn’t do it yet. Unless she already knew Layla was secure and was simply playing with me.
“Were you there?” she bit out suddenly.
There was no point in lying. She’d learn the truth eventually. “Yes.” I let out a shuddering breath. “I’d been told there was a fleet of Vikings hiding on the island, ready to ambush us. It wasn’t until we landed that we discovered it was an island of people who didn’t hold allegiance to either kingdom. As soon as I learned the truth, I tried to stop it, but I wasn’t in command yet. We didn’t learn until later that my father had a spy on the island who’d drugged the ale. I refused to take part, Sigrid, wouldn’t ambush innocents we had no quarrel with. But I still saw the massacre from the boat I took, and it was…horrific. I never returned to court after that, rejected my title and left for Atlantis. Sailed as a pirate for five years until this. I never wanted to come back.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” she snapped. “You’re the prince of the realm, and you stood there and let it happen, then took the coward’s way out, fleeing.”
As though I hadn’t berated myself for it over and over since then, hadn’t wondered if I could’ve tried harder to stop it, even though I knew I couldn’t have. Not without killing my father. He’d been too well protected then.
But I hadn’t been the only one who’d run away instead of facing a tyrant.
“Like you stayed and fought the Viking king?”
She sat up angrily. “You don’t know a fucking thing about my father. My brothers and I openly defied him when we madea refuge for people from both kingdoms on Ocracoke. While you were off playing pirate and hiding from who you are, Ibuilt somethingthat matters.”
Guilt and shame twisted in my stomach. I’d abandoned my people and left my father unchecked. That she was willing to shame me for it only made me respect her more.
But I was done running from the responsibilities of my crown. “There are good people here, Sigrid. Innocent people. Take whatever revenge you want on my father. He was the one who planned that ambush. But if you try to take it out on innocents, I’ll stop you.”
A bubbling laugh rolled out of her. “Will you, now? You’re reminding me why I need to kill you and be done with it.”
“Then I’ll have to keep reminding you why you want me alive.”
CHAPTER SIX
BASTIAN
“What new horrors does the day hold?” Sigrid strode from the dressing room into the bedroom and actually took my breath away. She’d twisted a braid of her dark hair atop her head like a crown, leaving her neck bare, letting the tattoos that disappeared beneath the neck of her dress serve as tendrils of temptation. She was a vision in a blue gown that hugged her waist, but she could’ve been wearing a filthy sack and had that impact on me.
It was justher. The focus of her gaze. The knowledge she wasmy wife.
She cocked an eyebrow when I stood staring at her instead of answering her inquiry. What did the day hold? A precarious balancing act of convincing my wife not to slaughter my people when I hadn’t yet seemed to convince her not to murder me.
“A banquet in our honor to start the day. Then I’ll train with my men while you’re introduced to the royal ladies.”
Laughter bubbled from her. “Absolutely not. Saxon women seem to be fragile creatures—tell them some Saxon-lady malady has befallen me.”
Was she simply saying that so she could ambush everyone? She watched me from beneath her lashes, waiting to see my reaction.
“Think of Layla.” I watched her closely in return, wondering if I’d be able to tell whether she already knew Layla was safe.
She rolled her eyes. “Iamthinking of Layla. If I cut a Saxon’s throat at breakfast, she’ll be executed. I can only be expected to tolerate so much.” She huffed. “Besides, I’ve bought my brother days to get his mate back. If he can’t retrieve her in that time, he doesn’t deserve to call himself a berserker.”
Even if she hadn’t opened up about her fears the night before, I would’ve been able to tell from the line of worry in her brow that she didn’t mean it.
I gently placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping to soothe her concerns, but she jerked away from my touch with a vicious glare. “Last night changes nothing.”
It changedeverything. The stakes couldn’t have been higher. I had to convince her that not all Saxons deserved to be punished in order for her to avenge Axel. But if I’d learned anything about her, it was that I’d get nowhere by trying to force her hand.
