Maidensong Read Online Free Page B

forearm.
    Bjorn’s crew guffawed and congratulated each other on the drinking prowess of their leader. Rika stood quietly, a combination of irritation and dread curling her lip as she waited to see what it was she needed protection from.
    Other than him, of course.
    “You had a successful raid?” Gunnar asked.
    “ We retrieved every head that was taken from us.” Bjorn glanced at Rika. “And picked up a few other things as well.”
    The whole crew marched the length of the hall until they came before the jarl’s great carved chair. Entwined serpents writhed in bas-relief up the pillars on each side of the jarl . Rika noticed the same double- serpent motif embossed on the shields hanging on the walls. The Jarl of Sogna’s device, no doubt.
    At first glance, Rika thought the two brothers couldn’t be more different. Gunnar’s coloring—white- blond hair and pale gray eyes—marked him as the exact opposite of Bjorn the Black. But when she looked more closely, Rika saw a resemblance in the brothers’ strong features. But while Bjorn’s mouth was full- lipped and smacked of sensuality, Gunnar’s thin one had a cruel twist to it.
    Jorand dropped the bale of cloth he’d balanced on his broad shoulders. Another member of Bjorn’s crew spilled out the contents of a leather bag. Pewter house ware, silver brooches and armbands, along with a goodly quantity of hack silver clattered to the stone floor. Another bag filled with carved amber was eased to the ground. Six fur bales joined the rest of the spoils. The jarl’s eyes glinted with calculating avarice.
    “And new thralls, I see.” Gunnar’s gaze slid over Rika and Ketil and the handful of other unfortunates Bjorn and his men had captured. His pale eyes returned to Rika and his tongue flicked out to wet his bottom lip as he studied her from head to toe. “You’ve done well, little brother.”
    The slight twitch of Bjorn’s shoulders told Rika he didn’t much care for that appellation.
    “How shall I reward you?” Gunnar asked.
    “I’ll take those two for my own.” Bjorn pointed at Rika and Ketil. “For my men, we’ll take half the spoils here.”
    “Agreed. None of the livestock?” Gunnar asked.
    “We returned the livestock to the karls they belonged to on the way in,” Bjorn explained. “They were stolen property and couldn’t be counted as spoils.”
    A muscle ticked in Gunnar’s left cheek. “I’ll be the judge of that in the future.” His gaze flitted back to Rika. “Now that I think on it, your reward seems over- generous. You can have one thrall.”
    Bjorn looked at Rika and Ketil as if considering which of them would profit him most. “Then, I'll take the girl.” He arched a brow at her. “I’ve need of a bed warmer.”
    “You can have that anytime just by crooking your finger at the serving girls,” Gunnar said.
    “Not in my house, you won’t.” A woman’s voice came from behind them. The group of men parted to allow the jarl’s wife to enter the circle. “Some here may wish to forget it, but this is a respectable jarlhof.” Rika shifted uneasily as the woman, who could only be the dragon Bjorn had mentioned, skewered her hus band with a sizzling glare.
    Lady Astryd was dressed in a kirtle and tunic of rich blue and yellow. Her honey-blond hair fell in heavy braids to her thickening waist, and her head was cov ered discretely with a fine kerchief. The keys of her of fice dangled from the gilt chain above her distended belly. The woman’s complexion glowed with her preg nancy. At least something in Sogna was fruitful, Rika thought.
    Astryd stopped in front of Rika and gazed at her mud-spattered clothes. “My girls are cleaner than this one, I’ll grant you,” she said, turning to give Rika her back. “Why don’t you just let her work for me, and your brother will find you a wife to warm your bed,” she said to Bjorn. “There are plenty of houses that wish to ally themselves with Sogna, even through a second