Page 97 of Storm of Desire
"Go on," he insisted. "Tell the queen what you toldme."
"I was paid," the man blurted. "To offer your daughter an emerald necklace as agift."
Stellan dragged the heavy web of emeralds from his pocket, and held the necklace out to show her. "Therewasa psychic scent on them, but all I can feel is Árdísnow."
"A gift?" Amadea swept her skirts aside as she settled upon her throne. The emeralds glittered, capturing her attention for one long moment, before she forced herself to blink. "From who? For whatpurpose?"
"I know not for what purpose," the man said, glancing furtively between all of them. "And a Norwegian man gave them to me, along with very strict instructions. He wanted me to tell her a gentleman had insisted upon them being a gift, and if she wished to know who, then he would be waiting for her at theViking."
A little flutter began in her abdomen. "Sirius mentioned she was there when he found her. Before she led him a chase throughReykjavik."
Stellan's smile stretched over his mouth. "So I questioned the innkeeper too. I have a name. And it's a very curiousname."
"Who?" she breathed. Norway. That country just kept popping up when it came toÁrdís.
"HaakonHaraldsson."
Amadea's breath caught. "I do not recognizeit."
"Nor do I." Stellan toyed with the emeralds, pouring them from one hand to the other. "But his men call him Dragonsbane. Haakon Dragonsbane. And the last time anyone saw Árdís, she was boarding hisship."
17
Dawn light brokeover the small village as they crested the rise the nextmorning.
Haakon's arms curled around Árdís, as she swayed in the saddle in front of him. She was still weak enough he didn't want her pitching off the back of Sleipnir before he could grab her. Occasionally her head would loll back against his chest, and he'd hear her breathing soften. He took an almost guilty pleasure in holding her while she slept, pressing his face to her hair to breathe in the scent ofher.
From the start he'd been holding her at bay, still mired in pain, but yesterday had changedeverything.
He'd wanted to hurt her when he traveled to Reykjavik, because she'd hurthim.
He'd wanted to lock his heart away, and not let her in ever again, but it was clear she'd never trulyleft.
She'd fled from him to save his life. She'd lovedhim.
And today, when they finally got her bracelet off, she'd leave him again. To save hislife.
He didn't want to let hergo.
But that was not his choice tomake.
"We made camp barely a mile away," Árdís muttered, waking with a sleepy yawn. "We could have been here lastnight."
"You needed therest."
And I wanted one last night withyou.
If he let himself, he'd want every single one ofthem.
He let Sleipnir pick his way down the slope, and they wended their way along the faint track through the grass he guessed the locals called aroad.
There were few locals around. Haakon found a small boy, and gestured for him to feed the horses and mind them while he and Árdís saw to theirbusiness.
"This way," Haakon muttered, taking Árdís by the hand, feeling dread twist his insides. She deserved to be free of the manacle, but he couldn't help feeling like he was losing her all overagain.
"We're nearly there," Árdís said breathlessly. "I can scarce believe it. A matter of moments and I will be free of this cursed manacle. Your debt to me is paid. And mine.... You know the truth now. I cannot give you back the ring, but I hope.... I hope the truth isenough."
He didn't know if she realized how her hand pressed restlessly against the empty space between her breasts, searching for her missing ring, even as she said thewords.
