Page 104 of Tears of the Wolf
“You can go,” Cenric said, voice low. “I will bank the fire.”
A figure rose from beside the hearth. Brynn realized one of the house girls had been watching the fire while she slept. The girl bowed to Cenric as she slipped out the door past him.
The longhouse had gone quiet. Cenric took his time to ease the door closed. He sat on the chest at the foot of the bed to pull off his boots and remove his woolen leg wraps. He undressed stealthily, carefully, trying not to wake her.
Guin yipped at the sight of Snapper, hopping to the edge of the bed.
“Shh,” Cenric whispered. He scooped up Guin and she growled at him.
Guin was still holding a grudge against him, it seemed. Nonetheless, the moment he set her down, she scampered over to Snapper and the older dog dropped to her level. He rolledonto his back, letting Guin pounce on top of him. Snapper let off a playful growl as the puppy tried to pin him to the rug.
While the dogs wrestled in front of the hearth, Cenric removed his belt. His tunic came next.
The fire outlined muscular shoulders and a toned back. Cenric cracked his neck to one side and then the other, sending ripples through the lines of muscle. He usually slept beside her bare chested, though his trousers had stayed on. All the same, the sight of him now made heat pool in her low belly, and it was suddenly hard to sit still.
“Cenric?”
At his name, he shifted, facing her. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Brynn pushed herself up onto her elbow. “It’s fine.”
Cenric rose, leaving his clothes on top of the chest. He sat on his side of the bed, stripped down to his trousers. The mattress shifted under his weight as he settled beside her, watching the flames.
As distracting as his body was, Brynn noticed the crease in his brow. “Is something wrong?”
“I had a foretelling.”
“A foretelling?”
“Of you.” Cenric looked at her wrists, not making eye contact. “Your hands bound and…you drowned in the sea.”
Brynn hesitated. “Does that mean I’m going to die?”
“No,” Cenric said the word with a ferocity that left no room for argument. “It means we need to be careful, probably for the next few days. Stay close to me, alright?”
Brynn tried take heart in his confidence. “Alright.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Brynn.” Cenric spoke the words like a vow.
“I believe you.” And she did. Cenric would protect her, if nothing else. That was one promise she didn’t doubt from him.
Cenric exhaled another long breath, watching the flames in the fireplace.
“Is there something else?”
“Ielda…” He hesitated, looking back at her. “The mercenary who attacked Glasney. Who led the longship Svendi sailed for.”
Brynn braced herself for the grief to well up again, but instead of rising, this time it remained steady. The sadness was still there, a massive lake in her mind, but its waters were calm for now. “Yes?”
“He said they were paid to kill Paega.”
Brynn straightened at that. “Paid?”
“Yes.” Cenric brushed something off his eye. “He didn’t mention being paid to kill your son. Just Paega.”
Brynn frowned, trying to think. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“It doesn’t, does it?” Cenric agreed.
