Oath Breaker (Sons of Odin Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

closest thing she’d had to a mother for most of her childhood. The day Alrik had taken Selia away she had despaired of ever seeing Eithne again.
    “My girl . . . my girl . . .” Eithne crooned in Irish. Selia’s head covering fell away as the woman gripped her. Eithne gasped, rubbing her hand over Selia’s bristly head. “What did he do to you?”
    Ainnileas approached as well, throwing strong arms around both of them. “Selia,” he murmured in her ear. “I’ve missed you so.” His voice was deep, his body solid and masculine as he held her, nothing like the skinny boy of her memory.
    Selia’s tears fell freely as she pulled away to look at them. Eithne seemed very much the same—a bit more gray, a few extra lines, but otherwise unchanged. Ainnileas’ appearance, however, was a shock. Taller, broad shouldered, he seemed more a dashing stranger than the carefree brother she remembered. His black curls, always so unruly, were tied firmly at his nape. He wore a full beard, neatly trimmed, and his clothing and boots were of high quality. Apparently he had done very well for himself since he returned to Ireland.
    But his eyes were the same. Their silvery depths glittered with unshed tears as he gazed down at her. He fingered the slave collar around her neck. “I will kill that Finngall bastard,” he muttered. Ainnileas locked his gaze with Ulfrik’s over Selia’s head. “This cannot go unpunished.”
    “Agreed.” Ulfrik nodded.
    “ Stop ,” Selia cried, pulling away. “Neither of you will risk your lives by going after Alrik. I won’t stand for it. I am here now, and safe. It is over.”
    Ainnileas and Ulfrik exchanged a glance that Selia understood all too well. They would continue this conversation when she wasn’t present to hear it.
    The sound of footsteps made them all turn to the staircase. Eydis stood at the bottom, gazing uncertainly at the handsome Irishman in front of her, then over to her mother. The child, appearing even paler than usual, looked as though she were about to faint.
    Ainnileas and Eithne gaped at the little girl, and Eithne crossed herself. The child resembled Ainnileas to such a degree it was uncanny; a tiny doppelganger with red hair. ”You couldn’t deny that one, my boy,” Eithne murmured.
    Ingrid strode over and took her daughter’s hand, pulling her in front of Ainnileas.
    “Are you my father?” Eydis asked in a small, shy voice.
    Ainnileas knelt to look her in the eye, speaking in broken Norse. “Yes. My name is Ainnileas Ó Murchú . And you are Eydis?”
    The child drew her brows together. “My mother said your name was Ainnileas Niallsson.”
    Ainnileas flashed his most charming smile, and the little girl couldn’t help but return a smile of her own. “That is what the Finngalls say,” he explained. “My name in Irish is Ó Murchú . It means ‘of the sea.’ I have a ship. Do you like to sail?”
    Eydis shuddered. “No,” she said emphatically. “I hate to sail. I hate it more than anything.”
    Ainnileas chuckled as he rose. “She looks like you, Selia,” he said in Irish. “And just as stubborn, I see.”
    “I believe she gets that from Ingrid,” Selia retorted dryly.
    Ingrid frowned when she heard her name mentioned. She sidled closer to Ainnileas and took his hand. With a start, Selia realized the two were now the same height. Ainnileas had indeed grown considerably since she had seen him last.
    “Speak Norse, Ainnileas,” Ingrid purred. “I don’t know what you’re saying.”
    Ainnileas smiled and whispered something in Ingrid’s ear, making her giggle. Selia scowled at them both. By the way the two were behaving, it was as though the past seven years had been but a blink of the eye.
    There was a knock at the door. Ulfrik motioned for everyone to be quiet. He strode over, sliding the latch of the eye hole to peek out, then threw the door open. A man hurried in, carrying a bag on his burly shoulder. He seemed strangely familiar to