Page 7 of Hungry Like a Wolf (Vikings Rock #3)

She glanced at him with big, scared eyes and squeezed past him to fling the water outside.

For the first time in his life, Ravn wished he weren’t so big and intimidating or his voice so gruff. It was clear she was terrified of him and waiting for him to hurt her.

Which he had no intention of doing.

She bustled back in and set about refilling the bowl with warm water from over the fire.

Orm sat on a small chair with a sigh. He held up his dirty, bare feet. “Wash these, thrall. And make sure you get between every toe.” He wriggled them. “And if you don’t, you’ll be trimming my toenails with your teeth.”

“Orm.” Ravn frowned and sat on another chair. “Why do you have to be like that? She is a princess.”

“ Ja , my princess thrall.”

“What is your name?” Ravn asked her.

She didn’t answer. Instead, she knelt before Orm and lathered her hands with soap.

“Speak to me,” Ravn said, studying the small cross that hung from her earring. “What is your name?”

“Princess Carmel, daughter of King Athol of the Westlands and daughter of Queen Elspeth the Pious.”

“Princess Carmel,” he repeated, leaning forward. “And where is this Westland?”

“West of here.” She held his gaze for a second and a twitch caught her nostril.

She thought him foolish.

He laughed. “I suppose that makes sense.”

She didn’t answer and set to her task washing his brother’s feet.

Ravn turned his head away, not wanting to see her small, dainty fingers on Orm’s big, hairy toes.

The door flung open again, a draft coming with it. “I bid you good morn. May the Lord be with us all on this fine day.”

A village woman with long, brown hair stood there, cheeks nipped pink by the cold. Her gown was clean and dark blue and she had a cross hanging from her neck. When she spotted Ravn, she stilled.

“Anna!” Orm held up his hands as if in greeting. “You have come to see me. I am so pleased.”

“You are?” She tore her attention from Ravn and set a freshly baked loaf on the table.

“ Ja , because I have a question.”

She walked up to Carmel and gently touched her shoulder as if in greeting, then sat beside Orm. Her attention went to him. “Ask away.”

“I have seen a bird, a small one with a red chest.” He rubbed his chest and frowned. “I have never seen it before, and I wonder, was it injured and bleeding or are its feathers that color always?”

“Ah, it is a robin. A cheerful, little bird, always singing, quite brave.”

“ Ja , ja , he was singing right next to me.” Orm beamed. “I am pleased he is not injured.”

“You do not get robins in the northlands?” Anna asked.

“No.” Orm looked at Ravn. “Have you ever seen such a thing?”

“No.” Ravn shook his head and watched as Carmel moved the water aside and then struggled to reach a towel with her legs bound. He shifted to help her.

She took the towel without comment and set to drying his brother’s feet.

“You need to take her ankle chains off.” Ravn gestured to them.

“What? Why?”

“How can she serve you with them on?” He gritted his teeth, wanting to say more.

“So far, so good.” Orm shrugged and reached for the scarf Anna had around her neck. He studied the pattern.

“You need to take them off,” Ravn said, a bit firmer.

Orm scowled at him.

“The fort walls are high, the entrance is secure, and even if she did get out, the cold would kill her or the wolves would.” He nodded at Carmel. “You know that, right?”

She nodded, just a little.

“I want to know she is with me,” Orm said with a scowl.

“Why?” Ravn tipped his head, studying his brother. They’d had a thrall growing up, Joseph, and Orm had never showed any interest in him after his initial curiosity.

“Because she is a princess.”

“Ah.” Ravn pointed at him. “My point exactly.”

“What do you mean?”

“A princess has a brain. She is clever—she knows that there is no point trying to escape. It would be a death wish for certain.” He touched her slender shoulder and the delicateness of her flesh and bones shot an arrow of protectiveness through him. “I am right, huh?”

She nodded. “Aye, I would not try to escape. I would not survive.”

He smiled. “See, take the chains off, Orm. She will be much more efficient in all the jobs you need her to do.”

Orm chewed on his bottom lip. He looked at Anna.

“Aye, take the hog tie off. She is not a horse.” Anna nudged him with her elbow.

“You think I should?” he asked her.

Anna glanced at Carmel.

Ravn again sensed a tenuous friendship, or at least respect between the two women.

“I think you should,” Anna said. “I think it would show you have compassion in your heart, a very fine quality.” She pressed her hand over her breast.

“Mmm.” Orm looked from her to Ravn and then to Carmel. “I suppose…”

“I suppose it is up to you. You are her master.” Ravn sat back and folded his arms. He didn’t like the words that had come from his lips, but he knew Orm would like them and it was a means to an end.

“Oh, do it.” He flung up his arms. “The shuffling is annoying me, anyway.” He dug into his pocket and found a key. Then he flung it to the floor beside Carmel and it buried itself in the straw.

Quickly, she found it and held it up.

“Here.” Ravn took it. “Let me.”

Her eyes were wide as he sank to his knees and pushed at the hem of her skirt. Within a few seconds, he’d released the locks on her ankles and removed the heavy iron cuffs.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“A princess should not be hog-tied,” Ravn said, looking up into her green eyes. “But you must promise not to run away. That would make me look a fool for saying you wouldn’t.”

“I won’t.” Her bottom lips trembled slightly. “I know I would not make the journey home alone.”

He studied the slant of her nose and the tilt of her chin.

Her mother, the Queen of the Westlands, would want her back.

Men would be searching, an army on the way.

Likely, there’d be a hefty reward for her safe return.

A beautiful, important woman like this couldn’t just be held captive without repercussions.

“We should go and collect eggs,” Orm said suddenly jumping up. “Anna, come with me.”

“I have not been to my coop yet,” she said, standing and smoothing down her gown. “We should be in luck.”

Orm shoved his feet into his boots, without his socks, then tore of a hunk off bread. He bit into it and grinned as he chewed. “Stay here, thrall, and tidy my home.” He flicked his hand at the bed, spreading crumbs. “Make sure that is clean for me later when I am tired.”

She nodded and clasped her hands on her lap. She was still kneeling.

Anna and Orm slipped out, the sealskin that covered the wooden door falling into place and keeping out both the draft and any harsh light.

“Tell me,” Ravn said, his voice tense, though he tried not to let it sound that way. “Did my brother touch you last night?”