Page 33 of The Shipwreck
Silently cursing in frustration, he said in Tyr’s voice, “Wee lasses?But you’re not a wee lass.You’re Fenrir, son of Loki, son of Odin, the most powerful of all the gods.”
The little girl roared once, but then she came close and whispered in his ear.“Mama doesn’t even want Fenrir to touch her sword.”
Brandr sighed.Avril had her trained well, that was certain.But it didn’t matter.He could get free without the sword.
“Great Fenrir,” he intoned, “I wonder if you’re strong enough to escape this heavy collar.”
Kimbery gave a fierce growl of agreement.
“I’ll take it off my neck,” he said, “and you can put it around yours.”He made a show of trying to break free of the collar, twisting and straining.
She became Kimbery again for a moment, whispering, “I’ll unbuckle it, and then you can put it on me.”
“All right,” he whispered back.
As her tiny fingers worked on the strap, a feeling of misgiving weighed down his heart.He didn’t want to hurt the little girl.He didn’t want to betray her mother.But he saw no other way.He couldn’t endanger them.And he had to leave before Avril returned or she’d tempt him into staying.
The instant his neck was free, he bent forward to untie the ropes about his wrists with his teeth.
“Put it on me!”Kimbery impatiently demanded.
“I can’t until I loose my hands,” he explained.
“Hurry.”
He did.As soon as his wrists were free, he untied the rope around his middle, then moved aside so Kimbery could stand in his place.
He buckled the collar loosely around her neck so she wouldn’t be able to follow him or hurt herself.She bared her teeth in a snarl as he struggled to his feet on legs that had grown weak with sitting.
While Kimbery growled and twisted against the collar, Brandr glanced at the jeweled sword.
In the end, he found he couldn’t bring himself to take it.The blade was Avril’s hard-won prize, a gift from her father, and her only defense.
He straightened slowly, groaning at the strain of his stiff muscles.Kimbery quieted.She was eyeing him uneasily now.
“You’re Tyr,” she said.“You’re supposed to put your hand in my mouth.”
He meant to leave without a word and without a backward glance.It was best if Kimbery remembered him as a bad man.
But his betrayal must have been written on his face.Kimmie’s chin began to tremble.“Nay, Da.Don’t go.”
He gulped as a knot of emotion rose up to choke him.He wanted to kneel before her and take her in his arms one last time, to give her the farewell embrace he’d never been able to give his own daughter.But he couldn’t.He had to leave…now.
The words spilled out of him in a rush.“I have to, Kimmie.But I’ll never forget you.I promise.”
Then, before tears could engulf them both, he slipped out the cottage door, closing it behind him.He headed toward the sea, where Avril would never think to look for him.
Avril froze as she closed the pasture gate and noticed the distant figure limping along the shore.It took three heartbeats for her to recognize who it was and another two to realize the significance.
She dropped the bucket, and milk spilled across the ground.
Kimmie!
Fear sucked all the moisture out of her mouth as she hurtled toward the cottage.
When she threw open the door, she was relieved to find Kimbery relatively unhurt.Still, her hands shook as she rushed forward to unbuckle the collar around the little girl’s neck.
“He left, Mama,” Kimmie sobbed.“We were playing…and he left.”
