Page 23 of Heart of Fire
Benedikt’s hand curled around Hanna’s bridle, and Hanna winced at the restriction. “You have met my Freyja?” he asked Haakon. “But I assure you she is of little assistance. Nobody enters Krafla and returnsunscathed.”
“I am not‘your Freyja,’” shemuttered.
“That’s not precisely my understanding,” Haakon countered, ignoring her words, and Freyja suddenly found herself the recipient of a pair of stares—one cool and considering, and one dark with thwarted rage. “I met Mistress Helgasdottir in Akureyri, where she was concluding some business. She claimed to have entered the dragon’slair.”
Benedict shot her a shocked look. “You enteredKrafla?”
Freyja rolled her eyes. “Let go of the harness. And yes, I entered thedreki’slair. He stole my ram and ate it, thanks to your cursedmeddling.”
“Why did you not tellme?”
Hanna jerked her harness out of his grip, startled by Benedikt’s tone, and Freyja collected her calmly. “Because it had little to do withyou.”
“Everything around here has to do with me,” he snapped. “Or myfather.”
“So some wouldthink.”
They glared at each other. Benedikt cursed under his breath, and backed away. “One day you’re going to regret the way you speak tome.”
As he turned and stalked across the grass, she pursed her lips. One day she was going to spear him with a stab of lightning and watch his boots smolder, and feel nothing butsatisfaction.
As if the sky heard her, a distant rumble of thunder shook thehorizon.
Haakon patted Hanna’s flank, his lips quirking in an almost smile. “I see your winning touch extends to the gentlemen of your village,mistress.”
“I see no gentlemenhere.”
“Touché.” He didn’t bother to plead his innocence. “There’s been no sign of the twodragons.”
“Dreki,” she corrected, almost absently, and for a second she heard Rurik’s voice in her mind. “Perhaps they flew south, over the glaciers? There’s nothing for themhere.”
“Nothing but death andcarnage.”
She didn’t like the way that sounded. “Thedrekiis dangerous and powerful, but he causes us little grief, Haakon. If you do this, you might only stir his rage. There are people here who cannot fight againstthat.”
“I don’t intend to fail,” he replied. “And you seem rather sympathetic toward amonster.”
“Maybe I know what is like to be an outcast,” she murmured. “All he wants is something to eat once a week. He’s never caused us any other trouble. I see no monsterthere.”
“Not everyone feels that way. Tell me, what was itlike?”
“He was curious, more than anything. And he laughed at me, as though he considered me little threat. I don’t think he ever intended to truly hurt me. But he could if he so chose.” Freyja shivered, recalling the enormous teeth and the impenetrable scales. “He looked like he was covered in gilded armor, and the weight of his power nearly crushed mylungs....”
“I have iron and steel, Freyja. I will pierce hishide.”
She shivered at the tone of inevitability in his voice. “Then we are done here. I will not help you, nor will I accept any blame for your deaths because I refuse to aid you. You’ve been warned, and you will not accept that.” She gathered up Hanna’s reins, easing the mare away from him. “I hope it is worth it, when thedrekiis picking his teeth with your bones. Come, Hanna.” She cracked the reins on the mare’s shaggyhide.
Hanna leapt forward, and Haakon stepped out of theway.
“Be careful, Mistress Helgasdottir,” Haakon called, patting Hanna’s shaggy flank with a parting pat. “One might suspect your sympathies lie with the wrong partyhere.”
A shiver ran down her spine. She didn’t think Haakon would hurt her, but then she’d thought the same about Benedikt when they were younger and he’d first set his sights on her. It was only once she’d said no the ugly side of his natureemerged.
I am not without my defenses, she told herself again as she droveoff.
Even if her powers set her apart and left her standing in a world alone, at least she could never be forced into something she didn’twant.
* * *
