“What does it mean? All of the light?” I ask, when it doesn’t disappear right away.
Aaric gently rolls off of me and lies down next to me. “I don’t know, fagr. This is our magic, yours. I have no idea what it means, but it only happens when we’re together. Never when I’m without you.”
Pressing my lips together, I turn to my side facing him. Reaching out, I touch his chest. Like my touch alone is the sole reason this happens, the glowing light sucks back into his talisman. I screech, pulling my hand away as if it is on fire.
Aaric chuckles, reaching for me, and pulls me against his side. “That was so weird.”
He hums, touching his lips to mine. “You are magic. You need to hone it, control it, learn to accept it with Runa.”
“I guess,” I breathe.
“Let’s get in the water, let its warmth relax and soothe us. Tomorrow our travels begin and Bunafi is no short distance. It will be a rough journey.”
“Okay.”
I position my back against his front in the water. He extends his thighs, his hands wrapping around my waist. Laying my head back against his chest, I lift my hand and wrap my fingers around the side of his throat.
“Hvíla, Liv,” he rasps.
Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh as I curl against him. I try to relax, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep. I’m going to see my sister soon, I’m going to be on the sea again. But most importantly, I’m going to be with my husband, a man who truly does love me.
AARIC
There is a soft knock on the door. Looking down, I am glad to see that Liv is asleep. She slept in my arms in the hot springs last night. I picked her up and carried her home, leaving our garments there next to the water.
Slipping from beneath her body, I grab my hides from the floor, tugging them up my legs before I take the wooden block from the door and open it.
Runa stands on the other side, wearing her undergarment and thick warm fur wrapped around her. Shifting out of the room, I close the door behind me.
“What is it?” I demand on a harsh whisper.
She nods her head once, lifting her gaze to meet mine. “He is here. I can sense him,” she says.
“Who?” I demand.
She licks her lips, her gaze flicking to the side, then back to meet mine. “The völva. I haven’t seen him, but his presence, it woke me immediately.”
“What do I do?” I demand. “I will not have him harm my dróttning.”
Runa’s eyes flick up to meet mine. “He will not harm her. I have put a protective spell surrounding her and the babe. It is impenetrable. He is strong, but he took me off guard, I am stronger.”
“I want him. I want to end him. I want to send his soul to Wylo,” I growl, speaking of the God of the Underworld.
I know that he is probably angry with me for sending one of his demons back to him. This is the perfect opportunity to send him a fresh soul to torture.
Runa’s lips turn up into a grin. “He will use magic on you, at least he will try,” she warns. Then she laughs softly. “But I will not allow it. As long as I am near, he will not be able to kill you with his dark magic.”
“Assuredly?” I ask.
She nods. “I am not always good, Aaric. I do know some of the dark spells, that darkness lurks deep inside all of us. If I need to use it to protect you, Liv, and this kingdom, I will not hesitate.”
“You are a good woman, Runa,” I point out.
She dips her chin. “We must ready. He approaches soon.”
“Meet me right here immediately,” I demand.
Without a word, we turn from one another and go back into our perspective rooms. I quickly change and prepare for the battle. Liv is watching me by the time I strap my weapons to my hips.
“Aaric?” she asks sleepily.
“Do not worry,” I grind out.
She shakes her head as she slips from the bed. “Well, now I will without a doubt, tell me,” she demands.
It is a demand and yet it is still soft and sweet as is her way. She dresses quickly, turning her back to me to button up. She shifts her hair to the side, exposing her neck to me.
“You are not joining me,” I rasp as I hook her dress up the back. She hums as I lower my face and touch my lips to her still exposed neck. “You cannot,” I murmur against her skin.
Liv turns around, her green eyes blazing as she watches me. “Who is here?”
Pressing my lips together, I debate not telling her. My gaze flicks down to her belly and I soften as I think about the life growing inside of her, my heir. Clearing my throat, I shift my gaze back up to meet hers.
“It is the völva who attempted to hurt you,” I say.
Fear flashes in her eyes, but she quickly chases it away. I watch as she jerks her chin up, looking down her nose at me. “What happens now?” she asks.
Taking a step back, I shake my head once. “You stay in here. You are protected by Runa’s magic, you and the babe. If he breaches that door for whatever reason, you use the escape that I showed you.”
“Aaric,” she warns.
“Nei, víf,” I bark. “You will protect yourself, you will protect the babe. If he breaches that door you will run.”
Then, I do something that I should have done a long while ago. Walking over to the small trunk that I have kept for years, one that I have not dared to open, I take out three items. Turning around, I carry them over to my dróttning.
“These were my mother’s,” I explain as I set the metal and jewel-encrusted crown on top of her head. “I should have given it to you on our wedding day, I hadn’t thought much of it. My emotions being so up and down in the beginning of our affair.”
The jewels match her eyes. I should have remembered, I should have known that she was meant to be my queen without a doubt, another fated reason the gods sent her to me.
The handle of the dagger matches the crown. Slipping it into her hand, I also wrap the piece of leather around her waist and slip the dagger into the sheath.
Next, I tie a small leather pouch to her waistband as well. “The dagger and this pouch were also my mother’s. The dagger is for protection. I should have been teaching you how to use this all along. I apologize for that, but you must if you need to, Liv.”
“I will, Aaric,” she whispers.
I hum, knowing that she is not prepared for any of this, she may not kill a man if she is faced with the need. There are warriors who hesitate during their first battle—trained warriors. Liv is strong, but she has not been trained at all, and I don’t think that her world is the same as mine, in a lot of ways, but mostly in defending land and one’s self.
“The pouch is full of coin and jewels. If you need to run, run. Sten and Kjeld are trained trackers. They will find you, until then, find a village close by and pay for room, board, and food with this coin. Only use the jewels if you run out of coin.”
“Aaric,” she whimpers.
Lifting my eyes to meet hers, I see the tears streaming down her cheeks. The crack of lightning and thunder sound outside. She’s scared.
“If I need to leave, I will go to your spot at the beach. I will wait there for as long as I can.”
Lowering my head, I rest my forehead against her own. “Yes, fagr. Go there, I will come to you when this battle is won.”