was listening to Olaf explain about the recent raid on the farmstead. As if aware of her gaze, the Norseman turned to her, looking directly into her eyes.
“I find it strange that a thrall eats at the table with her master,” Rannulf said to no one in particular.
“Reyna has earned her place at the table,” Thora was quick to explain. “She saved the lives of both Olaf and Wulf and treated the wounded after the Finns’ surprise raid.”
“Olaf has been telling me about the raid,” Rannulf said. “I had not heard about it until now. Obviously you sent them fleeing.”
“Aye.” Hagar grinned. “They will not bother us again any time soon.”
Rannulf’s intense blue eyes returned to Reyna. Their gazes collided in startling recollection. Rannulf’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and then an unexpected flush started at the base of the Norseman’s neck and traveled upward.
Reyna’s hand flew to her mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to erupt from her throat. It was as if a curtain had been lifted from her memory. This Norseman, this man named Rannulf, not Wulf the Ruthless as she’d wrongly assumed, had brutally ripped away her innocence and left her lying hurt and bleeding on the ground. Although Wulf had sold her into slavery, he had not physically harmed her.
Staggering to her feet, Reyna clung to the table’s edge, trying to find the strength to stumble away. Beside her, Wulf lurched upward, grasping her about the waist to steady her. Though Reyna felt everyone’s eyes on her, she saw no one save Rannulf.
Her conflicting feelings for Wulf, her desire for a man she should hate above all others, had plagued her. Nowthat she knew the truth, it was as if a weight had been lifted from her.
“Are you unwell, Reyna?”
Wulf’s voice released her from her shocked paralysis. She returned her gaze to the brutal Norseman sitting at the family table.
“I…want to leave,” Reyna gasped. She released her hold on the table and backed away. Unfortunately the shock had been too much for her, and she started a slow spiral to the floor. She heard Thora call her name and felt Wulf’s arms sweep her off her feet.
“What ails Reyna, son?” Thora asked, concern coloring her words.
“Do not worry, Mother. I will take care of her.”
“What is wrong with her?”
He sent a pointed look at Rannulf. “I will explain later.” Whirling on his heel, he headed out the door with Reyna resting securely in his arms.
Reyna regained her wits the moment the cold air hit her hot cheeks. She felt herself floating and opened her eyes. Relief swamped her when she saw Wulf’s face close to hers and realized she was in his arms. She lifted her own arms, slid them around his neck and turned her face into his hard chest.
“What happened?” she mumbled.
“What do you remember?”
“I…sweet Freya, it was Rannulf! Why did you not tell me?”
“I tried to tell you I did not do what you accused me of, but you refused to believe me.”
“What was I to think? You refused to supply the name of the man responsible.”
“Rannulf is Olga’s brother. I feared you might confront Olga about her brother’s depraved act and upsether. I worried that a confrontation might cause harm to my brother’s heir. Olga is a volatile woman.”
Wulf opened the door and carried Reyna inside the hall. Both Uma and Lorne came running up to them.
“Master, what is wrong with Reyna?” Uma asked.
“Reyna is fine, Uma. You and Lorne may take your ease in the volcanic pool; I have no further need of you to night.”
Uma sent a venomous look at Reyna. “Lorne can go; I will remain behind to assist you.”
Wulf brushed past her. “I do not need your help. Do as I say, Uma.”
Lorne grabbed Uma’s hand and dragged her out the door. Wulf proceeded to his sleeping alcove, placed Reyna on the bed and pulled the curtain shut behind him.
Wulf stood over her, gazing at her with an expression Reyna found difficult to
“I find it strange that a thrall eats at the table with her master,” Rannulf said to no one in particular.
“Reyna has earned her place at the table,” Thora was quick to explain. “She saved the lives of both Olaf and Wulf and treated the wounded after the Finns’ surprise raid.”
“Olaf has been telling me about the raid,” Rannulf said. “I had not heard about it until now. Obviously you sent them fleeing.”
“Aye.” Hagar grinned. “They will not bother us again any time soon.”
Rannulf’s intense blue eyes returned to Reyna. Their gazes collided in startling recollection. Rannulf’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and then an unexpected flush started at the base of the Norseman’s neck and traveled upward.
Reyna’s hand flew to her mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to erupt from her throat. It was as if a curtain had been lifted from her memory. This Norseman, this man named Rannulf, not Wulf the Ruthless as she’d wrongly assumed, had brutally ripped away her innocence and left her lying hurt and bleeding on the ground. Although Wulf had sold her into slavery, he had not physically harmed her.
Staggering to her feet, Reyna clung to the table’s edge, trying to find the strength to stumble away. Beside her, Wulf lurched upward, grasping her about the waist to steady her. Though Reyna felt everyone’s eyes on her, she saw no one save Rannulf.
Her conflicting feelings for Wulf, her desire for a man she should hate above all others, had plagued her. Nowthat she knew the truth, it was as if a weight had been lifted from her.
“Are you unwell, Reyna?”
Wulf’s voice released her from her shocked paralysis. She returned her gaze to the brutal Norseman sitting at the family table.
“I…want to leave,” Reyna gasped. She released her hold on the table and backed away. Unfortunately the shock had been too much for her, and she started a slow spiral to the floor. She heard Thora call her name and felt Wulf’s arms sweep her off her feet.
“What ails Reyna, son?” Thora asked, concern coloring her words.
“Do not worry, Mother. I will take care of her.”
“What is wrong with her?”
He sent a pointed look at Rannulf. “I will explain later.” Whirling on his heel, he headed out the door with Reyna resting securely in his arms.
Reyna regained her wits the moment the cold air hit her hot cheeks. She felt herself floating and opened her eyes. Relief swamped her when she saw Wulf’s face close to hers and realized she was in his arms. She lifted her own arms, slid them around his neck and turned her face into his hard chest.
“What happened?” she mumbled.
“What do you remember?”
“I…sweet Freya, it was Rannulf! Why did you not tell me?”
“I tried to tell you I did not do what you accused me of, but you refused to believe me.”
“What was I to think? You refused to supply the name of the man responsible.”
“Rannulf is Olga’s brother. I feared you might confront Olga about her brother’s depraved act and upsether. I worried that a confrontation might cause harm to my brother’s heir. Olga is a volatile woman.”
Wulf opened the door and carried Reyna inside the hall. Both Uma and Lorne came running up to them.
“Master, what is wrong with Reyna?” Uma asked.
“Reyna is fine, Uma. You and Lorne may take your ease in the volcanic pool; I have no further need of you to night.”
Uma sent a venomous look at Reyna. “Lorne can go; I will remain behind to assist you.”
Wulf brushed past her. “I do not need your help. Do as I say, Uma.”
Lorne grabbed Uma’s hand and dragged her out the door. Wulf proceeded to his sleeping alcove, placed Reyna on the bed and pulled the curtain shut behind him.
Wulf stood over her, gazing at her with an expression Reyna found difficult to
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