Thinking of the Frey who had been mine for the last three days, my only thought was, how could that be?
Thinking of the Frey I had first met when I came to this world, I knew the answer.
I felt his presence hit the loft then I felt it hit the bed.
Then I heard his voice come at me softly, “Finnie, you’ve not changed.”
And that was when I felt his light touch pulling my hair off my shoulder.
So that was when I moved, swiftly rolling away from him and gaining my knees, I shuffled back to the end of the bed, pillow still held tight to my chest.
“I don’t… don’t…” I shook my head, “I don’t think I want you touching me, Frey.”
He was on his knees too, but settled back on his heels, and his eyes were on me.
He studied me for a moment before, still speaking softly, he asked, “What’s this, wee one?”
I didn’t delay in replying. “You killed two men tonight.”
He moved as if to come toward me and I shuffled back another foot, my feet clearing the edge of the bed and he stopped so I did too.
“Finnie –”
“You didn’t blink,” I cut him off. “You didn’t… you didn’t…” I shook my head and my throat clogged so I swallowed and whispered, “You didn’t even blink.”
“Wife –”
“No,” I shook my head again, then closed my eyes tight and looked away before opening them and looking back, “No. I… I don’t know what you’ve done to get enemies like that but I can guess, considering you killed them without hesitation and then rode away while their warm blood still melted the snow, and, I can’t say… I can’t even think… I don’t know… I don’t know but I don’t think I want anything to do with a life like that.”
“Finnie, come here,” he ordered, extending an arm to me.
“No,” I shook my head, “no way, Frey. I’m sorry but no freaking way.”
“Finnie, come here,” he repeated and I shook my head. He dropped his hand but held my eyes and said gently, “My winter bride, those weren’t my enemies.”
“And whose were they?” I fired back. “Thad’s?”
“No,” he replied carefully, “yours.”
My mouth dropped open and I felt my eyes get wide.
Then I breathed, “What?”
“Come here,” he ordered quietly.
I stayed still and unmoving.
“Love, come here.”
“They’re… they’re…” I stared in his face, “they’re mine?”
Oh God. If that was true, Sjofn totally left a lot out of her note. A lot.
“Fin –” he started but that was when I lost it.
And I lost it by throwing down the pillow and shrieking, “What did I do to make enemies who would come at me with knives?”
I barely got out the last word when Frey moved, his arm darting out, fingers wrapping around my wrist, he yanked me so I fell forward then he shifted, whipping an arm around my waist and one down my legs to haul them out in front of me, my bottom swung out, I landed in his lap and his arms were around me before I could even twitch.