Runa nods her head, but I can tell in her eyes that she is not convinced by my words. That is okay, we will convince her. “You will stay here, for me, and for your konungr,” I murmur.
“For you and my konungr?” she asks, completely confused by my wording.
“As a personal favor to me, and because I’ve demanded it,” I say, my lips turning up into a small smile.
Runa stands to her feet, I let my hands fall from hers as I watch her. “I will, but I will endeavor to be a better völva, I will dedicate my life to being the best in all of the world, Aaric.”
Nodding my head once, I grin at her. “I have no doubt that you will succeed.”
She turns and I watch her walk away, slipping into her room. As I stand to my feet, I hear a noise. Looking up, it’s Sylvi who stares back at me. Instead of walking to meet my naked wife, I lift my hand and motion for my sister to come over to me.
“I can’t do it,” she whispers. “I cannot take over in your stead.”
I am taken aback by her words. She is indeed ready for this. She is more prepared than any man could be. There is a moment of silence as my gaze searches hers.
“You say this because?” I ask.
She drops her head, looking down at her feet. “I could not have done what Liv did. She took control, she killed, and I cannot, Aaric.”
Smiling, I shake my head once. “You can if you need to, Sylvi. If Oili were in danger, if anyone you held dear to you was in danger, you could and you would defend them even if it meant death.”
She presses her lips together, shaking her head once as her watery eyes meet my own. “I could not, Aaric.”
Lifting my hand, I wrap my fingers around the side of her neck. “Kjeld and Sten are here for you. They will do whatever needs to be done in my absence. If it is up to me, you will never have to do what Liv did. If it was up to me, she would never have had to do what she did. Do not fret, Sylvi. You are stronger than you could ever know.”
“Why do you have such faith in me, Aaric?” she urges.
My lips twitch. “It is easy, Sylvi. I love you.”
“Aaric,” she says, her lips curving up into a huge smile.
Turning from her, I don’t wait for her to say anything else. Instead, I make my way toward my wife. I have an afternoon and evening to spend with her. To show her my appreciation for what she did for me, for our babe, for our country.
Tomorrow we will make our way toward Bunafi. Tonight, I cherish my brúõr as I should always cherish her. She is strong, she was made for me, fated to be mine and for good reason. I love her.
LIV
The water has started to turn cold by the time Aaric makes his grand entrance. Looking back over my shoulder, I watch as he bars the door, then strips out of his clothes before he turns to me. His lips turn up into a smile at the sight of me.
“If you would allow slaves to tend you, then your hair could already be washed,” he murmurs as he sinks down behind me in the tub.
“It could,” I agree. “But then you would not be the one to wash it, Konungr.”
He hums, touching his lips to the top of my head. “Já, Liv. That is true, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
We wash one another, it takes longer than it should. Aaric’s hands touch every inch of my body, but in the end, his palms cup my belly.
“It is changing,” he rasps. I don’t respond, unsure that I want to hear about how my body is basically getting fat. His mouth touches the side of my neck, tasting my skin there. “It is beautiful, Liv.”
Closing my eyes, I wonder if it is indeed beautiful or if he feels obligated to say it since it’s his baby growing inside of me? I don’t ask him that though, he wouldn’t tell me truthfully anyway. But then again, maybe he would. Aaric has never been one to give me sweet, sugary words.
“What happens when we find Sybilla and her husband?” I ask.
He hums. His hand moving softly against my belly. The water is cool, my hair is wet and I’m cold, but it doesn’t matter. Being wrapped in his arms is my most favorite place in the entire world, this one and my own.
“We will talk to them. See if they know anything about the prophecy. We will ensure that she has not been harmed by the man you just sent down to Wylo.”
Nodding once, I turn my head and touch my lips to the underside of his jaw. “You’re going to have to teach me about all of your gods, Aaric. I am completely lost,” I admit.
His hand leaves my belly, slowly sliding between my legs, his fingers begin to play and he lets out a grunt. Lifting my hips, I have no shame. I need his touch, need to feel what only he can make me feel.
My thighs tremble, lifting my hand, I wrap my fingers around the back of his neck as I accept the pleasure that he can give me. Letting out a shaky breath, I spread my legs wider, letting my calves and feet hang off the side.
“Liv,” he rumbles.
“Please,” I sigh through panting breaths.
He does what I’ve begged him to do. He touches me in just the way that I need, just the way that only he can and I come, hard. My entire body goes limp, I sink farther into the cool water and although it is cold, it still doesn’t bother me because this man is wrapped around me.
A few moments later, Aaric shifts behind me. He climbs out of the tub, then bends down and picks me up. Silently, both of us dripping, he carries me over to his bed of furs. I expect him to toss me on the furs, but he doesn’t. Instead, he tugs them backward, then slowly sets me down.
Sliding my hands through his beard, I look into his light blue eyes. “How did I get this lucky?”
“You didn’t,” he rasps. “I did.”
His head slants to the side, his lips touch mine and his tongue greedily invades me. Lifting my legs, I wrap them around his waist. He hums, reaching between us and repositions one of my legs so that my shin is pressed against the side of his ribcage. I do the same voluntarily with the other.
Immediately, he slowly sinks inside of me. His move is deliberate, slow, and when he finally roots himself deep inside of me, he lets out a sigh. “Liv,” he grunts, his lips touching mine.
Aaric surrounds me, his tongue invades me and slowly he moves within me. This is the man that I was meant to be with, the man who fills my body inside out with every emotion known to man.
He grunts against my lips, slowly breaking the kiss as he lifts his head slightly to look into my eyes. “I want to see it, Liv,” he rasps.
“See it?”
Aaric hums. “Já, víf. I want to see you ignite.”
It’s as if he has commanded my climax, it’s ripped from me. I come, my eyes focused on his. He grins, his hands gripping the bedding next to my head. The glowing starts. I see it start around his head, then it swirls around the room. His eyes turn black before they too start to glow.
It’s beautiful.
Just as he is.
He continues to move inside of me, his hips slamming against mine, harder and harder with each thrust. He doesn’t slow, he doesn’t stop, and the blue swirling light fills the entire room around us.
I sink my teeth into my bottom lip, my body climbing higher and higher until I come again and only then does something extraordinarily magical happen. We float. Our bodies lift into the air. Aaric doesn’t realize it at first, he’s chasing his own orgasm, but after he comes, his eyes widen and he looks around.