Page 4

FOUR

H ekla tapped her metal fingers against the mead hall’s table, waiting as House Hakon’s warriors extracted themselves from the benches and made their way to the yard out back.

She itched to leave and join their morning sparring session, but Eyvind had asked her to stay behind.

Based on the condescending looks his warriors had sent her, she was fairly certain she was about to be scolded.

Slowly, the warriors cleared out of the mead hall, Konal lingering so long, she thought he would stay. Hekla couldn’t help but scowl at the man. Why in the eternal fucking fires did Eyvind Hakonsson need an advisor?

But Eyvind sent Konal a pointed look, and with a curt nod, the older man shuffled out back. And then they were alone. Hekla swiveled on the bench, folding her arms over her chest.

When first she’d discovered Eyvind’s identity, Hekla had been knocked off balance, but now, her feet were firmly planted on the ground.

The way he’d disregarded her opinions, not to mention his obvious favoritism of Loftur, made Hekla eager for his suffering.

She stared at Hakonsson expectantly, hoping to knock him askew—perhaps make him squirm a little.

But Eyvind did not have the good sense to look concerned in the least. He flopped onto the bench across from her and folded one leg over his knee. The gesture was maddeningly casual considering his treatment of her before his men. And then he had the audacity to smile. Smile!

“So,” he said.

Hekla’s glare intensified. “So... what ?” she burst out, then chastised herself for letting him get under her skin.

His hazel eyes roamed her face. “Why did you sneak out this morning?” he said, just as Hekla blurted, “ This is your second chance?”

A groove formed between his black brows, his gaze coming to rest on her mouth. Hekla’s gods-damned heart kicked up a beat.

“Mistake,” she muttered. “Last night was a mistake. Had I known who you were, I’d have put a stop to it.”

Eyvind blinked as her words landed. He ran a hand along the side of his head, where neat rows of braids gleamed under torchlight. “I do not regret it,” murmured Eyvind, meeting her gaze and holding it far too long for her liking. “How could I?”

“Spoken like a man,” huffed Hekla.

“There were two of us on that riverbank, Lynx ,” he said with a glint in his eye.

Hekla tried to ignore the roll of her stomach. “Of course you would not consider it,” she snapped. “What would your men think of me should they discover I took you to my furs?” How did she explain to a man who’d been handed everything in life how hard she’d had to fight to get where she was now?

Eyvind’s gaze grew distant as he pondered her words. “Aye, but you’re right.”

Shock bristled through her at this admission, but Hekla quickly schooled it from her expression.

“I can promise you, Hekla, I won’t speak a word of it.” Amusement was back, dancing in his eyes. “And as much as I’m tempted to repeat last night?—”

Images of scarred golden skin and a poorly drawn dragon tattoo skimmed through her mind, but Hekla shoved them sternly aside.

“—we cannot,” Eyvind concluded.

“That suits me just fine, Foxie,” said Hekla, frowning as his eyes brightened at her use of that name. “Best we forget it ever happened.”

“Yes,” he said, his cunning smile widening. “Though it did. Happen.”

Hekla pursed her lips, her insides heating through.

“Three? Four times?” prodded Eyvind, arrogant male pride shimmering in his gaze.

She scoffed, then looked away. “I suppose that’s squared,” Hekla muttered, making to stand.

“So we’re clear,” Eyvind said, and she could tell he was trying to rein himself in, “this job must go smoothly. It is a tremendous opportunity.”

“Opportunity,” repeated Hekla, all amusement draining from her. “For whom? Istré’s citizens, who are being slaughtered?”

Eyvind leaned forward, bracing elbows on his knees. “Listen, Lynx,” he said in that stern leader’s voice. She felt the name right down to her toes.

Let me see how deep I can get, Lynx.

Hekla exhaled shakily.

“You cannot speak to me like that. Not before my men and especially not before Loftur and Konal.”

“They’re not here now, Hakonsson,” she said roughly. “So I think I’ll speak my piece. You want this job to go smoothly? It won’t happen if you follow Loftur’s deranged plan. We must visit the site of the first attack, and we must venture into the woods.”

He shook his head. “Ever impatient, aren’t you?” he murmured, and she made the mistake of locking eyes with the man.

No, Lynx, don’t come for me yet .

To her great irritation, Hekla found her cheeks warming, and she forced her gaze away.

“Our orders are to appease Loftur. He’s not the sort of man we can plow over.”

“Orders?” said Hekla, with mock innocence. “Has there been a missive from Axe Eyes? I should like to see it.”

Eyvind’s gaze slid away as a muscle in his jaw feathered. “What I’m saying,” he continued, “is that we must find a way to work with Loftur.”

“I’ve tried working with him for weeks , Hakonsson,” snapped Hekla. “The man’s skull is filled with rocks!”

Those hazel eyes narrowed on her, and she felt him weighing this new version of her against the one he’d met last night. Combative and headstrong. Intolerant of fools.

“Try to exercise some self-restraint, Hekla.” The man’s commanding voice was threaded with amusement—a fact which made her blood simmer. “Give me a few days. See if I might soften Loftur to the idea of visiting the site of the first attack.”

His words gave her pause. Perhaps Eyvind Hakonsson had some brains in his skull, because it sounded to Hekla like the meeting she’d just witnessed had been meant to appease Loftur.

And yet, Eyvind was clearly the kind of man who enjoyed games of politics—who would use other people as pieces on his game board.

Instinct urged Hekla to fight back against such games, but what she’d been doing for weeks had gotten her nowhere. Perhaps it was best to keep an eye on Eyvind Hakonsson and see if he could gain any traction.

“Fine.”

The corners of Eyvind’s lips twitched. “That was hard for you, wasn’t it?”

She sent him an irritated look.

“No more disrespect before my men.”

Her brows lifted. “And alone?”

Eyvind fought against a smile. “If you must. ”

“Oh, I must.”

He ran a large hand down his face in a poor attempt to conceal his glee. “You’re going to make this difficult for me, aren’t you?” At her casual shrug, he sighed. “I ought to have known you were the Hekla Rey wrote of?—”

“What, precisely, did Axe Eyes say?” asked Hekla, spine stiffening.

“Only that you’re one of the most competent warriors he’s ever led.”

“Not competent enough to lead this job, apparently.”

His gaze grew contemplative. “Rey sent for me because he needed someone who could...understand Loftur. Who can appease and flatter him, and”—Eyvind lost the battle to his smile—“I can see your talents are better suited for the battlefield.”

“More likely, I do not have the right equipment ,” quipped Hekla, jerking her head toward his groin. “I wager if I had one of those, Loftur would have listened to me now. The mist would probably already be vanquished.”

“But you don’t,” said Eyvind, his smile deepening. “I know that for certain.”

Her stomach rolled, and she cursed those gods-damned oatcakes for not sitting well.

“I can see you do not agree with my methods, Hekla. And I know you’ve weathered much in the past month. But we shall not accomplish anything if you continue to butt heads with Loftur. Join the team. Play your part. And eventually, we will sort out this mess.”

With a pained sigh, Hekla nodded. At least she now knew Eyvind agreed with her assessment; the first steading needed to be examined, and they must scour the woods for clues.

“And,” said Eyvind, “now that I know the damage our dalliance might do to your reputation, I’d like to assure you that I won’t speak a word of it.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but the door cracked open, Konal filling the frame.

“Eyvind,” he said, his voice gruff. “I need a moment. Alone.”

Ignoring the old warrior’s hard gaze, Hekla pushed to her feet. “Well, Hakonsson, I suppose I shall go integrate myself into your retinue.” She couldn’t keep the cocky smirk from her face. “A shame I’ll have to find myself a new sparring partner.”

Eyvind’s smile was back, those mischievous eyes like a hook in her belly, luring her in. Hekla hastily turned on her heel and strode from the hall as quickly as she could.