Page 112 of Alliance Bride
Heida’s mouth twitched, half grimace, half confession, and her eyes dropped.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Eadlyn assured her. “You couldn’t take on all three of them yourself.”
Heida sighed, and her shoulders slumped enough to betray the weight she carried. “I know. I just wish I’d seen it coming and could have prevented all this.” She looked at the sling around Eadlyn’s arm. “I should’ve been able to protect you. That’s why I was there.”
The words were quiet but carried iron. She felt she’d failed, but Eadlyn did not want her carrying that burden.
“It wasn’t about what you could or couldn’t do. I gave myself up to save Trygg. That was my decision. And I would make it again.”
For a moment, Heida said nothing, her jaw taut. Then her face softened. Though she’d never been as affectionate as Ranvi, Eadlyn saw how much she cared.
“That was very brave of you.”
Eadlyn shrugged her good shoulder. “That’s what family does. They sacrifice for each other.”
Heida smiled, and they turned toward the breakfast table together.
Their last meal in the longhouse was unhurried, the mood light despite the looming departure. They had come here on the edge of death and fear, and to leave now in peace was worth savoring. When they finished, the men busied themselves with supplies, while Jodis directed thralls to carry food and furs down to the river. Eadlyn reached for a bundle to help only to have Kian all but bat her hand away.
“Not you.” He wagged a finger at her. “Your only job is staying on your feet.”
Eadlyn laughed and shook her head at him.
Even Braan fussed, handing her a soft cloak he must have gotten from Jodis and muttering something about keeping warm while they were still so far north. Aevar said little, but she noticed how he lingered at her side, his body always angled protectively, even here where no danger lurked.
Belongings in tow, they gathered near the entrance of the longhouse. Here, Gudrik and his youngest son waited, packs slung over their shoulders. During Eadlyn’s time in Kjolur, Gudrik had been surprisingly gentle, offering not just quiet kindness but respect. He never hovered or coddled like the others, but he always made sure her needs were met. Now, however, the warrior brokethrough. Fierce, ready, and unmistakably dangerous as he faced Runar.
“Bard and Sven will remain here to guard the border and make sure Drocca stays where he belongs, but Viljar and I and some of my men will join you. If Staegar wants to fight, I mean to be there.”
His words fell heavily, stripping away the fragile peace of the moment. Despite Eadlyn’s rescue, the whole ordeal that had brought her here was not yet resolved. Staegar remained a threat that must be addressed. He had betrayed his king, tried to destroy the alliance with Essix by having her kidnapped, and sought to form his own connection with an enemy kingdom. On a political level, the offense could not be forgiven or allowed to go unpunished. Blood would be shed, and all Eadlyn could do was pray that only the guilty would suffer for his crimes.
One by one, they exchanged farewells with Gudrik’s family. Jodis hugged Eadlyn gently, and Heida’s brothers offered respectful nods, their expressions solemn but kind. Despite the pain that had brought them together, Eadlyn was grateful for them.
They made their way down the slope to the river. The air was crisp up here in the far mountains. Below them, the water glimmered under the morning sunlight. Aevar kept his hand pressed to her back on the way down as if he feared she might stumble, though the path was not steep.
At the docks, two ships waited, both long and sleek. A canopy stretched over the stern of one, sheltering a bed of furs Eadlyn guessed was meant for her. In the other vessel, Asfrid and Dagr sat bound near the bow. Their expressions were blank and unreadable. Eadlyn tried not to look too long. She didn’t know what she felttoward them. She was thankful for how they had protected her from Sig, but they had still handed her over to the Kalgorans.
Erik reached the gangplank first and turned to help Eadlyn across. Aevar was right behind her, keeping his hand at her elbow. As the rest of the party climbed aboard, the men settled at the oars, their movements fluid and practiced. With a call from Gudrik, the longships pushed off, the water parting beneath the hulls.
Eadlyn stood in the center of the ship, Aevar beside her. The wind tugged at her braid, and the fresh smell of river and pine filled her lungs. As the land slipped by with the rhythm of oars, she leaned into Aevar’s side and his arm curved around her. They were going home.
Chapter Forty-two
Eadlynbreatheddeeplyasthe fjord opened before them, its silver-blue surface rippling beneath the light of the late afternoon sun. Fjellheim came into view, the wood-and-thatch buildings nestled along the shore and silhouetted against the forest and hills beyond. The sight pulled a smile to her lips. After almost three weeks away, it soothed something deep inside her. Not even Kenwich had ever filled her heart with such joy and feelings of home.
Their longship glided toward the dock, the creak of timber mingling with the soft splash of oars and the distant cries of gulls overhead. As the ship slowed, ropes sailed through the air, caught by waiting hands along the dock. Once secured, Aevar took her hand and helped her out of the boat. When her feet touched solid ground again, a strange mix of relief and unreality washed over her. This was home, and yet she was no longer quite the woman who had left it.
The others came ashore, and a group of huskarls met them, greeting Eadlyn with warm welcomes.
One of them turned to Runar and bowed. “Jarl. We received your message about Oda.”
“And?” Runar asked, his voice clipped.
The huskarl shook his head. “Gone. When we went to arrest her, she was not at her house. Shortly after, her horse went missing. It seems she caught wind of our plans and fled the village.”
Braan’s face twisted in a scowl. “Ran to Staegar, no doubt.”
A knot tightened in Eadlyn’s stomach. The thought of Oda still out there, free and unrepentant, slithered through her mind like a snake.
