Asbjorn and his wife. No need to be jealous.
Look at me now. Look at us. Ari groans. He wants more of me. I slap my hands on his chest, leaning my weight on his broad frame.
My pulse aligns with his. Our eyes meet.
Time freezes—one second is everlasting.
The roots seeking water. Attached in the depths.
I close my eyes. A brief image flashes inside.
Freya. Tits out. Mouth agape. Eyes closed.
Ecstasy.
It dissipates in a flash of colors. A golden glow surrounds us when I open my eyes again. She has chosen me for this, chosen Ari.
I glide in circles along his length as I toss my head back in abandon. My body vibrates with every stroke. I know he feels it too. Freya has blessed us.
In this moment, we are one.
No one can stop us.
Our love will live forever.
We are the gods.
CHAPTER 68
The clank of metal wakes me up.
I breathe in Ari’s scent. It’s on the bed, in my hair, on my body. Last night, a blessed union. The tension. The heat. Release.
A golden glow dances on the edge of my vision. Remnant of Freya’s presence. Ari’s tender firmness with my body, with my mind. Caring power. Every woman’s dream.
Memories of last night dance in my head as I stretch my arms and back. I sit up and scratch my head.
“Oh shit,” says Ari. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
The possible consequences of my actions dawn on me, slapping me in the face like a cold fish leaping up to shame its catcher. I need to leave.
The shimmer dissipates, thinning to reveal the harsh, cold world again.
What have I done? Fuck… Fuck!
“Oh shit indeed.”
Back to reality. Naked in a strange man’s bed. Giving myself to the local skald. Such a trope. What will they think of me? They will point. They will laugh.
Where the fuck is my robe?
Ari senses my distress, laying a calming hand on my shoulder. Like he tried to do the first time I met him, in the hall. This time, I don’t pull back.
“Relax, Kilda,” he says. “Or should I say, Kilda the Wild.”
I snort. Last night had been so surreal, like we were threads in some grand tapestry. Kilda the Wild. Hearing him say it now is just ridiculous. How could I trust him like this? Trust him not only with my body, but also my title. My name.
“Easy for you to say. You will be congratulated for bedding the Volva.”
