state they both were, the outcome could not have been anything else. Gudbrand and Olek were both berserkers. Do you know what that means?”
“Fierce warriors?”
“They were trained to enter a trance-like fury on the battlefield, but a strong enough trigger could cause them to slip into that state at other times as well.”
“What happened?”
“Olek’s wife died in childbirth while Gudbrand was with me. He came charging in and demanded that I return her to him.”
“Was he insane with grief?”
“I am sure he was. But there was more to it than that. Everyone believed that I was a powerful priestess of Frella, and when he saw me glow, he was convinced that I was a demoness and could pull his wife from the great beyond. Needless to say, he was disappointed when I told him that I did not have her.”
“He attacked you?”
“Yes, and Gudbrand jumped to my defense, not because he wanted to save me, but because he wanted to kill me himself and spare Olek from Frella’s fury. At least that was what he said to his brother.”
“Why did he want to kill you?”
“I will never know. Olek surprised us while we were in the throes of passion, and the sudden intrusion broke my hold on Gudbrand’s mind. They both saw my glow and thought that I was a demoness. I couldn’t regain control of Gudbrand, and I was only able to thrall Olek.”
Sari shook her head. The man David was now would have never reacted like that, and she had a hard time believing that he had been capable of killing a defenseless woman, a woman to whom he had just made love, even then. “I get it that primitive people were extremely superstitious and feared everything that was different, but he was your lover. He knew that you were a good person. Was your glowing skin enough of a reason for him to want to kill you?”
As much as it bothered her to know that David’s prior incarnation had been her mother’s lover, his actions bothered her even more. Perhaps it had been a mistake to let herself fall for him so quickly. She didn’t really know David, and apparently, under the civilized and compassionate outer layer lay something dark and dangerous.
“He was not thinking straight while in the berserker mode. To this day, I wonder what went through his mind and why he turned on me. Gudbrand might have believed that I had somehow caused Astrid's death, or he could have felt guilty for not being there for his brother in his time of need, or perhaps he just feared me. He also might have been bluffing to get Olek to stand down. Since I could not enter his mind in the state he was in, I will never know the real reason. Long story short, Gudbrand was older and stronger, but Olek delivered the killing blow.”
Even after all the years that had passed, Annani’s eyes were full of pain as she told her story.
Was it guilt? Or had she loved Gudbrand?
“Did you love him?”
“Khiann was the only man I ever loved, but I was fond of Gudbrand despite his shortcomings. He was strong, smart, and the future chieftain of his clan. I wanted him to father my child. Instead, I got him killed and ruined his brother’s life. Olek never got over the guilt of killing Gudbrand.”
“Did he become the chieftain?”
“If he did not get himself killed, then I am sure he did. I did not stay around to find out. I took my Odus and moved on.”
37
David
David found it strange and disconcerting to return to his body. After floating above it, talking with Jonah, and seeing and hearing everything that went on, the darkness and silence felt like being in a grave.
Is that what you want for me, Jonah?
Was he even alive?
Yeah, otherwise, he would be floating toward the light instead of being trapped in darkness.
Finally, he had proof of near-death experience being real, but he couldn’t share it with anyone. The good part was that he no longer feared death. The bad part was that he craved it.
If not for Sari, he would have never agreed to go back to his body. Her love for him and his concern for her kept him tethered to this world.
He missed her so much. If he could at least hear her voice, it would brighten the horrible darkness he was in.
As if someone had heard his prayer, he suddenly heard her say, “David is not Gudbrand.”
It