Page 50 of Lord of Fire and Ice

“What do you care if I am? A thrall is of no consequence,” he said with a snarl in his tone. “You may do what you wish with your own, and no one may gainsay you. Least of all, the thrall himself.”

Alarm bells jangled in her mind. His words sounded familiar.

Because they were hers.

“If I were in this chamber as a free man, I’d bear you to bed and lavish every finger-width of your skin with a lover’s touch.”

For the first time since he entered her room, she saw hunger on his features. But the longing was quickly replaced by a hard mask of disdain.

“But since you always make sure I know who’s the slave and who’s the master, I’ll wait for your direction.”

Somehow he’d overheard her conversation with Finn. She hadn’t meant those things. Not really. She just wanted to quiet her brother’s needling.

“So tell me what you want, mistress.” He took a step closer. “What would you have me do? Bend you over and rut you like a whore?”

She slapped him.

Cold fury burned in his eyes. If he weren’t her thrall and sworn to obey her, she’d fear him.

“Get out.”

“As you will, mistress.” He gave her the shallowest of bows. “As you will.”

Chapter 18

“Katla!”

She looked up from the rows of peas she was planting to see Einar and another fellow carrying a litter down the sheep track from the upper pasture. A body lay on the evergreen boughs that formed part of the litter. She held a hand to shield her eyes from the sun’s glare and squinted to try to make out who they were carting down the steep slope.

Haukon’s red hair blazed against the green pine. Katla lifted her skirt and ran.

Brandr came from out of nowhere to fall into step beside her. They hadn’t had a private moment since she threw him out of her chamber, and their public interaction had been limited to orders and curt nods. She was surprised to see him now.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he loped beside her.

“It’s Haukon,” she said between gasping breaths. “He must be hurt.”

When they drew near the conveyance, Katla ordered Einar and the other man to stop. The lad was conscious but white lipped with pain. Haukon cradled one arm, but even so, it was bent at an odd angle.

The bones of his forearm were obviously broken.

“How did this happen?” Katla knelt beside him and fingered the injured limb. His skin was swollen and hot under her touch. Haukon bit his lower lip, but otherwise he fought not to show his agony.

“The idiot was trying to teach me what he’d learned about swordplay,” Einar said. “He thought he’d show me how to attack from above. He leaped down from the top of a boulder and missed me.”

“You moved,” Haukon said through clenched teeth. “You said you wouldn’t.”

“Why should I let you fall on me?” Einar asked.

“We’ve been at peace on Tysnes for years. What were you doing playing at fighting in the first place?” Katla’s stomach balled in knots. Haukon could lose the use of his arm over this foolishness. If the injury went bad, she might even have to amputate. “Who put such notions into your head?”

“I did,” Brandr said. “Haukon asked me to teach him what I knew about handling a blade.” He put a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “You were doing well and showed promise.”

Quivering with rage, Katla turned on Brandr. If he wanted to hurt her, he should stick to insulting her in her bedchamber, not filling her little brother’s head with nonsense. “Why did you do this?”

“The lad wanted to defend what’s his,” Brandr said. “That’s a man’s right.”

“Ulfson didn’t tell me to leap from a boulder,” Haukon said, shooting a quick glare at his brother. “That was Einar’s idea.”