“It’s not your choice,” he answered. “With your father dead, it’s Geir’s decision.”
The warriors restraining my brother dragged him forward, and he spat blood in the dirt before the jarl. “If Freya says no, it is no. I’ll not dishonor my sister by forcing her into another marriage she does not wish.”
“I think you should reconsider.” Snorri stepped over the spittle, moving to stand before my brother. “I demand loyalty from my warriors, most especially those who sail on my drakkar. This is not loyalty, boy.”
Geir clenched his teeth, and I watched his dreams go up in smoke.
My heart broke as Geir touched the iron ring on his arm, but then Vragi said loudly, “I heard Ingrid’s father is looking to make a good match for her.” He hefted the purse he’d been paid to betray me. “I think this would make a fair bride price.”
Geir’s face blanched even as my stomach plummeted, because we both knew Ingrid’s father would accept the gold no matter how Ingrid protested. I couldn’t let that happen. Couldn’t allow both my brother’s and my best friend’s lives to be ruined for the sake of my own. Especially when it had been my recklessness that had put us in this situation in the first place. “Fine.” My voice sounded strangled and strange. “I’ll marry you. On one condition. My brother keeps his ring and his place.”
Snorri scratched thoughtfully at his beard, then nodded. “Agreed.” His eyes flicked to Geir, who gave a tight nod, looking anywhere but at me. “Agreed.”
Snorri addressed the group. “You all bear witness? Freya has agreed to be my bride. Does anyone contest my right to take her?”
Everyone muttered their agreement. Everyone, that is, except Bjorn. His axe still blazed in his hand, his gaze fixed intently on me as he lifted his weapon, seeming on the verge of taking action. And for reasons I couldn’t quite articulate, instinct drove me to take a step back, my heart giving a rapid thump thump.
But he only lowered the weapon again, giving a slight shake of his head.
“Then it is done.” Snorri motioned for his warriors to pull Geir to his feet. “You will keep your ring and place, Geir, but we must address the matter of your loyalty. You knew I sought a daughter of Hlin but said nothing to me of your sister, despite knowing the goddess’s blood runs in her veins. For that, you must be punished.” He hefted the axe he held.
“No!” The shout tore from my lips, shrill with panic. “You gave your word!”
I moved to step between them, but Bjorn was faster. He caught me around the waist, hauling me backward so my shoulder blades pressed against his chest. “He won’t kill him,” he said in my ear, breath hot. “Once it is done, it will be done. Don’t get in the way.”
“Let me go!” I struggled and fought, trying to slam my heels down on his boots, but he only lifted me off my feet like a child. “Geir!”
My brother stood straight-backed with his chin up. Accepting his fate.
Snorri swung.
The flat of the blade struck my brother in the shin, the sound of cracking bone echoing through the trees. I screamed.
Geir did not.
My brother’s face turned deathly white, but he emitted not a sound as he dropped to the ground, his hands clenched into fists.
Snorri fastened his axe back at his waist. “You will rejoin me when you can walk, understood?”
“Yes, my lord,” Geir gasped out.
I clawed at Bjorn’s arms, trying to get to my brother. Needing to help him. But Bjorn would not let me go.
Snorri met my gaze, eyes boring into mine. “You are a sought-after woman, shield maiden. With Steinunn’s songs, word of you will swiftly spread and everyone will seek to possess you. Many may seek to strike at those you care about to harm you.” He paused. “My men will watch over your family to ensure nothing…unfortunate should befall them.”
His words stole the breath from my chest, my stomach plummeting. It was no promise to protect my family—it was a threat to ensure my compliance. Given what he’d just done to Geir, there was no doubt in my mind that this man was capable of far worse if he was crossed, so I gave a tight nod of understanding.
No one moved. No one spoke, the only sound my brother’s ragged breaths of pain.
“I’ll be off, then,” Vragi announced, breaking the silence. Going to his horse, he swiftly mounted. “Wouldn’t want Geir to beat me to a meeting with Ingrid’s father.” His laugh was cruel.
My fury burned hot, and I screamed, “Don’t you dare! You leave her be!”
“Ingrid will make a fine wife,” Vragi answered with a chuckle.
To my right, Geir was crawling after Vragi. Was begging for someone to lend him a horse. My brother, begging. “You have what you want,” he cried. “You are rid of Freya, paid with gold, you do not need Ingrid!”
I would not stand for this.
Slamming my head back, I caught Bjorn hard in the chin and he dropped me. The second my feet hit the ground, I closed my fingers over the fiery handle of his axe, ripping it from his hand. Agony lanced up my arm as the flames licked over my skin, burning my flesh, and I screamed as I raised it over my head, fire kissing my cheek.
And then I threw the weapon.
It flipped end-over-end as it arced through the air, sparks trailing in its wake.
Embedding with a meaty thunk in the back of Vragi’s skull.
I stared at the burning axe in the back of my husband’s head. Watched as he slowly crumpled and slid off the side of the horse to land with a thud on the ground. Only then did the axe vanish, leaving behind blotches of brightness across my vision.
“You fool!” Snorri shouted.
Bjorn stared at me, eyes full of shock and horror. “What were you thinking?”
“He deserved it,” I whispered. Vragi’s hair was burning, the smell acrid. “He’s a greedy, traitorous bastard the world is better off without.”
Not is. Was.
“How could you let that happen, Bjorn?” Snorri snarled, lunging at his son before drawing up short. “How could you let her disarm you?”
“I didn’t think she’d do it.” Bjorn gave a rapid shake of his head. “No one has ever tried it. No one is mad enough to touch Tyr’s fire!”
It occurred to me then that they weren’t angry I’d murdered Vragi. They were angry that—
The pain struck.
Agony like nothing I’d ever experienced lanced up my arm and I looked down to see my wrist and the back of my hand red and blistered, only my palm and fingers seeming exempt from the pain. I started to turn my hand over, but Bjorn’s fingers locked on my elbow. “You don’t want to look.” He caught my chin with his other hand, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Looking will make it worse.”
His eyes were such a lovely shade of green, the lashes around them dark, and though the pain grew with each throbbing pulse, the thought that filled my head was that it wasn’t fair for a man to have such long lashes. “Is it bad?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
I swayed on my feet as he said to Snorri, “If you wish your shield maiden to keep her hand, we must return to Halsar so Liv can help her.”
Snorri cursed, then a frown split his brow. “It was foretold her name would be born in fire. I’d believed that meant Tyr’s fire was forcing her to reveal her gift, but that would have been an act of fear. Whereas this…” He paused, eyes growing bright with zealotry, “this is an act of bravery that will give Steinunn a song to be sung by skalds for generations. This is an act the gods will reward.”
If this was the gods’ idea of a reward, I prayed I’d never feel the pain of punishment.
Snorri wasn’t through. “Lest the rest of you see the favor the gods show her as license for apathy, know that if she loses her hand, I’ll cut the fingers off every one of you myself!”
“An answer for everything,” Bjorn muttered under his breath before shouting, “Get the salve from my saddlebags.” His hand still gripped my chin, holding my face high so that I couldn’t look down.
“I’m sorry,” I said to him, a tremor running through me.