Page 21 of Wolf Alliance

“Mother never sat with us to eat in the great hall either,” Johnne said.

“After we break our fast, she will fight us with swords.” Hendrie sounded excited.

Thorfinn eyes widened. “Fighting? With real swords?”

“With wooden. Where did you sleep last night?” Johnne asked him.

“In Da’s chamber.”

“No’ in the dungeon?” Johnne looked like he couldn’t believe it.

“He took a bath,” Hendrie said, “so he didn’t have to go to the dungeon, right?”

“Aye,” Accalia said.

“What did Da say about you sleeping with him?” Hendrie asked Thorfinn.

“I was asleep in a trundle bed. I never saw him come or go. You are going to fight us with swords?” Thorfinn asked Accalia.

She thought he was ready to get even with her over forcing him to bathe.

“Aye. If no one throws food at the table or tosses food to the dogs.” She ate some of her eggs and was surprised Erik didn’t make her sit with him. Maybe he thought this was a better place for her since she seemed to be getting along with the boys—even Thorfinn.

They grinned at each other but when she frowned, they all lost their smiles and nodded in agreement. The dogs waited, hungrily anticipating morsels of food from the boys but were sorely disappointed.

After everyone finished seating, Erik joined her at their table and spoke with her. “Lads, you’re dismissed.”

They looked disillusioned.

“I’ll join you to fight you in a few minutes. Get swords ready for all of us,” she said, not about to break her promise to them.

The boys yelled, “Yahoo!” and took off running, the wolfhounds taking chase.

“Swords?” Erik asked.

“To practice sword fighting.” Of course.

“Why was Thorfinn in my chamber last night?”

“He’s the alpha of the boys and he was stubbornly refusing to take a bath, influencing Johnne and Hendrie, who were fine with taking a bath and going to bed. I didna want him disrupting his brothers’ sleep.” She brushed some breadcrumbs off her gown.

“And you?”

She smiled. “The lads wanted me to stay with them. I’m making progress with them, so I did.”

Erik was frowning at her. “You’re not to be their nanny.”

“Better than their enemy.”

He let out his breath and folded his arms across his broad chest.

She knew where Thorfinn got that mannerism from now.

“Thorfinn is no’ to sleep in my chamber any further.”

“Aye. I believe he will be fine with sleeping with his brothers and not be up to mischief this time,” she said.

“So you’ll be sleeping in your bedchamber.”

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