get busy unloading all of the equipment.
Can you go to Attleview and collect Runa and Seeress?
There is a moment of silence and I think that perhaps he hasn’t heard me, but I watch as the smoke pours from his nostrils.
Seeress, he says.
“Quest?” I ask aloud.
His head jerks and he looks down at me. You must pay for the job. For the protection, for the travel, and then again for the added protection of your wife and child until the demon is dealt with.
“You’ll stay and help fight?” I exhale.
He nods his head once. If you pay my fee.
“What is it?”
He lifts a brow, it arches high as he stares at me, his eyes turning electric blue. Seeress. I keep her.
Quest? How?
If the dragon could smile, he would. His mouth opens slightly and I swear he laughs. His long-forked tongue comes out, wetting his lips.
I have my ways, none of which you can see, Konungr. Seeress is mine or there is no deal.
I shake my head, looking down at my muddied boots, then I lift my gaze up to meet his own. “I do not speak for my people, Quest. You know this.”
She is not your people. She lives in your kingdom, on your land, but you do not control her and you do not own her. She is not your thrall.
Clearing my throat, I nod my head. He is correct. The seeress is not mine to possess. She is a free woman, never has been a slave. Her powers, her visions, they are invaluable to me. I knew my Liv was going to be waiting for me, a gift from the gods, thanks to her.
I cannot spare her.
Quest snorts. I will not keep her powers from you. If she has a vision, I will bring her to you. However, once the prophecy is set into motion, I feel as though you will not need her as much as you think you do.
I should not agree to this. I should tell him no. I should do a lot of things, but I don’t. Instead, I make the deal with him.
I agree. For the safety of my people, of my wife, and unborn child. You swear you will not harm the seeress?
Quest shakes his gigantic head. Never. He says it with such ferocity that I believe him, I truly believe him. I’m not sure that I should, but I do know that he is as trustworthy as any other man I know, so I have no choice.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
LIV
Gunnar doesn’t say anything, instead he stands right in front of me, watching me. The men move around him, setting up camp in the muddy area. I’m not sure why they don’t go farther inland, but I also don’t feel like this is the right time to ask them questions about it either.
Instead, I stand right in the place where Gunnar placed me and I silently watch him. Pressing my lips together, I wonder why we aren’t loading on the damn ships and getting the fuck outta dodge.
There is a rustling sound of leaves and Gunnar turns his back to me, holding one arm up while he unsheathes his sword with the other. There is more rustling, then Aaric appears from beneath the tree’s low limbs.
His eyes find mine, at the same time Gunnar lowers his weapon and slides it back in his belt. He grunts something to Aaric, who just jerks his chin toward him as a grin slowly appears on his lips. He murmurs something back to Gunnar and without a word, Gunnar slips from between us and walks away.
“Aaric?” I ask.
Aaric doesn’t move. He stays planted where he stands, his eyes roam over my face, then down my body before they lift back to meet my own. “You are okay?” he asks.
I don’t smile, or even attempt to. Instead, I nod my head once. “I am okay, your beast saved me,” I whisper. “Tell me, Aaric, what happened?”
“The dragon has told you?”
Licking my lips, I take a step toward him. My fingers itch to touch him, to feel his smooth warm skin, to have him wrap his strong arms around me.
“I want to hear it from your lips,” I breathe.
“What do you want to hear?” he snaps. “That my brother has been possessed by a demon. That he will die? That whoever kills him will then be possessed by the same demon? What do you want?”
“Aaric,” I murmur, taking a step toward him.
He reaches out for me, wrapping his fingers around my