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

Selia.
    She studied him. How did she know this man?
    “Hello, Selia,” he said quietly, blushing slightly as he gazed down at her. “It has been a long time.”
    Recognition dawned on her. “Naithi?” she said hesitantly.
    “Yes,” he replied with a smile.
    She turned to Ulfrik and Ainnileas. “I don’t understand.” Naithi had lived in Baile Á tha Cliath the last time she had seen him. Had he moved to Dubhlinn? Or had Ulfrik feared any blacksmith from the city might be in Gunnar’s employ, and so had gone to the Irish village to find an acceptable smith to remove the collar?
    “Grainne is married to Osgar,” Ainnileas explained. “Ulfrik said he needed a blacksmith who could be trusted, and I could think of none better than Osgar or Naithi.”
    Grainne had married Naithi’s father? I truly have been gone a long time. How had that odd match occurred? She would have to ask Ainnileas later.
    Selia took a step back, overwhelmed with it all. The last time she had seen Naithi, she had vomited at the skinny lad’s feet. Like her brother, Naithi was a boy no longer. And he was here to remove the slave collar her Finngall husband had put around her neck. Embarrassment again burned her cheeks.
    She touched the cold metal collar without looking at him. “Thank you, Naithi. I appreciate you coming. I’m very anxious to be rid of this.”
    He motioned her closer to the hearth and leaned over to examine the rivet. His calloused fingers brushed her skin and Selia froze. His large body, so close to hers, brought disturbing thoughts of Einarr to mind. She did her best to push the thoughts away. Naithi was a kind man, nothing like Einarr.
    The boys emerged from the bath as Naithi finished examining the collar. They approached Selia, eyeing the blacksmith with uncertainty. “Are you all right, Mamai ?” Geirr whispered. The boys had always been sensitive to her emotions, and could obviously feel her fear now.
    “Of course.” Selia attempted to smile. “I’m just nervous about him using his hammer and chisel so close to my head.”
    The boys didn’t appear to be fooled by her stab at levity.
    “My hand is steady,” Naithi assured Geirr and Faolan as he gently pressed her head to the table. “You have my word.”
    Selia tried not to panic. She closed her eyes tightly and held her breath, willing it to be over quickly.
    Naithi was correct. A single, swift movement from his hammer snapped the rivet, and the collar clattered to the table below. Selia expelled her breath as she stumbled away from the table, her head feeling very light. She rubbed her neck where the metal had been.
    A vision of Muirin arose in her mind, doing the same thing when Alrik had freed her. But the poor girl hadn’t lived long enough to enjoy her freedom.
    Ulfrik regarded her in the perceptive way Selia knew only too well. She gazed up at him, surprised to see a brief look of anger cross his features, and she flushed at the odd feeling of intimacy it garnered. An expression of true emotion occurred so rarely on Ulfrik’s face. Then it was gone, wiped clean as he arranged his features into his typical mask.
    “Come, my girl,” Eithne said, ushering Selia to one of the benches next to the hearth. The boys followed them and sat on the floor at Selia’s feet. “I have worried about you day and night since that Finngall stole you away. When Ainnileas returned from Norway without you . . .” She trailed off, studying Selia, then lowered her voice. “Did that heathen force you to stay? Did he threaten you? Ainnileas refused to speak of it.”
    Selia shook her head. “No. I loved him, Eithne. For a long time.”
    The familiar groove of worry settled into Eithne’s forehead. She was clearly discomfited by Selia’s response. “Well. You’re here now, with your fine young sons, all that matters. We will get you safely home and forget this unpleasantness. What do you say, boys?” Eithne smiled down at them.
    The hopeful expressions on her