The Silken Cord by Leigh Bale

chains.
    Where was Ariana? Turning his head, he spied
her, standing beside the hut, bouncing Gara’s baby on her hip. The
little boy chortled as Ariana leaned her face close and kissed his
sweet face. Though Wulfgar couldn’t hear her words, he caught the
gentle tone of her voice and thought she’d make a lovely
mother.
    A bolt of yearning tore through his chest
and he licked his dry lips. So much had been taken from him. All
his holdings. His freedom. His future.
    He had no time to care about this woman now.
He must get off this island. Soon.
    As he approached Ariana, he noticed her
cheeks, nose, and arms were rosy with sunburn. Startled, she turned
her head, then relaxed when she saw him.
    His lips twitched with laughter. “I made
this for you.”
    He handed her a hat he’d constructed out of
long grass. With the baby balanced in one arm, Ariana took the hat,
pinching it between two fingers as she held it away from her. Her
nose crinkled with repugnance and she stared at it like it was a
dead rat.
    “What is it?”
    “A hat. Put it on your head, demoiselle . It’ll protect your pretty nose from the
sun.”
    From the frown creasing her forehead, he
could tell she didn’t like his offering, nor the way he spoke to
her. He supposed he didn’t speak like a slave should address his
mistress.
    She settled the hat on her head and breathed
a sigh of relief as the rim shaded her eyes from the bright sun.
“Thank you. Though I fear it wouldn’t be stylish at court, it does
serve a purpose on this island.”
    She was sensible and also kind with her
praise. The more he knew her, the more he liked her. And he didn’t
want to like this woman. He wanted to be free of her. She would
only hinder his plans. If his life weren’t in such a shambles,
things might be different between them. On the ship, he’d heard her
men speak of her father.
    “Where is your husband?” he asked.
    “I…I’m not married.” She pursed her lips
after speaking and he realized she wished she hadn’t responded so
quickly.
    Her news pleased him and he didn’t
understand why. He was already betrothed, but thought she might be
worth angering King Rhys by breaking their agreement. It didn’t
matter now. He had nothing to offer her. No home or title.
    No honor.
    Doubt filled his mind. What if he failed to
clear his name? The rest of his life’s happiness and his mother’s
wellbeing depended on his success. He must succeed.
    She took a deep breath and let it out with
exasperation. “I’m from a small, inconsequential clan.”
    Definitely Welsh. Because they were his
enemy, he had made it his business to know most of the clans and
who their rulers were. Why had she traveled all the way to Hedeby
to buy him? He sensed desperation in her, some specific reason she
needed him. Jenkin had offered him freedom if he would comply. So
many questions swirled around Wulfgar’s mind. Could he get her
talking and hope she’d let down her guard and speak freely to give
him clues?
    “You didn’t buy me to work in the fields,
nor to fight for you.”
    Her gaze met his. In her eyes, he saw
anxiety and fear.
    He answered for her. “You need me.”
    She turned away, but didn’t deny his
words.
    “Why is it a secret?” he persisted.
    She bit her bottom lip. “There’s much at
stake. I want my men here before I disclose my plan to you.”
    “So they can force me to do your
bidding?”
    Her head jerked up and a guilty blush spread
across her face, mottling her sunburned cheeks.
    He snorted. “Is the chore so detestable that
your men must force me to submit?”
    They could try. He would never do something
unless he wanted to.
    She paced in front of him, rocking the baby.
“There is great danger.”
    “Then, tell me what you want and have done
with it.”
    She shrugged one slender shoulder. “It
doesn’t matter until my men find us. We’re stuck here.”
    Wulfgar sat down and began to pluck feathers
from two ducks Callum had snared earlier. To fight off