Falling For Her Viking Captive

The memory was too painful to share with anyone. Instead, she said, ‘Perhaps he has come to exact vengeance on anyone involved. He would likely think Wilfrid was involved because that idiot Gael insisted on calling me by that name. It is possible that someone heard it and made the connection.’

She had disguised herself and had even contrived a new name, but the Gael had surprised her by using the name Wilfrid. It was as if he had delighted in using Wilfrid’s name in front of others. Perhaps he had wanted this to happen all along. If someone came for the group of assassins, they would seek a man named Wilfrid because he would be easier to find. Had she been smarter, she would have made certain that everyone knew the Gael’s name. She was not smart. She was not even strong.

‘Is it possible that the assassins have been found and betrayed you?’

‘Anything is possible, but the Norseman asks for Wilfrid.’

Cedric nodded and hung his head in a look that suspiciously resembled defeat. It tore at her heart.

‘I am sorry, Cedric. I have led us to this fate and I will accept responsibility. Wilfrid need never know that the Norseman is here.’

Cedric stared down at her, all kindness wiped from his features, but his voice was not harsh when he said, ‘Wilfrid paid them and he agreed to be a part of the first assassination attempt, so he bears the brunt of the responsibility.’

‘It is kind of you to say so, but if anything, we share responsibility. The Norseman would not be here now had I not gone to Maerr.’

‘He paid the assassin. It is possible the Gael would have used Wilfrid’s name while there.’

Annis inclined her head in acknowledgement. That was true; there was no telling how the assassin might have betrayed them. However, it did not relieve her of any responsibility for her own actions. She had chosen to go. She would have to face the consequences of that decision.

‘We have to kill him.’ Cedric’s words were so abrupt and unexpected that Annis jolted with them.

‘We will not!’

‘We have no choice. He cannot be allowed to let others know where we are.’

Her mind raced with some way to convince Cedric that he was wrong. Killing the Norseman would not be the right course of action. Her heart would not allow her to be responsible for another death. ‘They will know already. He claims that he has men out there. That he arrived with some and they will even now be wondering where he is. Perhaps they even know that he was taken.’

‘Do you believe his claim?’ he asked.

‘I have doubts. I have had the men looking all night and they found no one.’

‘Good,’ he said. ‘Then no one is here. Even if men do come later, they can prove nothing without the Norseman’s corpse.’

It was Cedric’s duty to evaluate threats and snuff them out. Perhaps that was the best thing to do in this case, but she could not allow it to happen.

‘Cedric, I cannot have another death on my head. Besides, I am certain he must have told someone—perhaps his brothers—where he was heading. Someone knows he is here.’

Cedric paused. He turned from his pacing where he had possibly been playing out ways to kill the Norseman and dispose of his corpse in secret.

‘Another death?’ he finally asked. She was so concerned with the Norseman’s fate that she had not realised what she had said.

She gave him a jerky nod, but found that she could not tell him about the Norsewoman’s death. It had been too horrific, too painful. There was no way that she could speak of it. ‘It was chaos. We had to fight our way out.’

Cedric raised a brow, but he did not ask again. ‘We cannot keep him down there indefinitely.’

‘I know.’ The words came so softly that she did not know if he had heard her until she felt his warm hand on her back.

‘I wish you would have confided in me earlier. I would have forbidden you to go to Maerr and none of this would have happened.’

She forced a smile in an attempt to return to normal. ‘You would have forbidden me to go and I would have left anyway.’ She had been so determined to avenge Grim, and so lost in grief for the child that was never to be, that nothing could have stopped her.

He gave a mirthless chuckle and put his arm around her shoulders. Warmth spread through her chest. Despite the heartache of her past, she was very lucky to have Cedric and Wilfrid in her life. The men had both filled the role of father for her in very different ways. Cedric was the one who listened and guided, while Wilfrid had always been the playful one. The one who had urged her to learn to fight and hold a dagger.

‘Death is the only way to end this, but since this is your mistake, you get to decide. But decide quickly what is to be done,’ he said after a moment. ‘We do not have much time.’

The thought sobered her instantly. Death was not something she would consider, but what other option was there? The Norseman was here and she did not foresee him leaving until his vengeance was satisfied. What could she offer him instead that would gratify him?

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