indeed? At length he said, “You are part of my household now. What I own, I keep. You are mine, Reyna the Dane, whether either of us likes it or not. Besides, your healing skills are a valuable asset to the farmstead.”
Reyna glared up at Wulf. “You may have physical possession of me, but you don’t own my soul. You stole something irreplaceable from me and I will never forgive you. I don’t know why I didn’t let you die.”
“I told you before, you accuse me unjustly. It was not I who took your innocence.”
Reyna glared at him. “I know what I saw. Move aside, Wulf the Ruthless, I wish to leave. There are wounded who have need of my skill.”
Reyna all but leapt from the bed. Wulf blocked her way, feet spread wide apart, hands on hips. “Is that any way to speak to your master?”
Her chin rose defiantly. “Would you let your wounded die for lack of care? You can punish me later if that is your wish.”
Pushing Wulf aside, Reyna darted past him and through the curtain. She was relieved when he made no effort to stop her.
Punishing Reyna was the last thing on Wulf’s mind. He’d rather join her in bed, caress her creamy breasts and push himself inside her.
If Reyna believed he had ravished her, why had she saved his life while placing her own in danger? He had heard her explanation but didn’t believe it. She had stated clearly and often that she hated him. Any other woman in her position would have stood by and watched him die. Yet Reyna had killed a man who would have dispatched him to Valhalla with a single stroke of his sword.
Wulf followed Reyna out the door and into the yard, stopping to help an injured warrior into Hagar’s hall, where the wounded had gathered to have their injuries treated. Hagar met Wulf at the door and together they eased the bleeding warrior onto a bench.
“How many dead and wounded?” Wulf asked.
“Three dead and seven wounded. All those able to return home have already left. The Finns slain in battle are being buried as we speak. They managed to carry their wounded with them.”
“According to Olaf, the Finns took captives from the village. Were any of them rescued?”
Hagar grinned. “There were but six captives and they jumped from the dragonships and ran off when we surprised the Finns at the fjord. Setting up two lines of defense, one at the fjord and another at the farmstead, was a brilliant strategy,” Hagar remarked.
“Aye,” Wulf agreed. “They weren’t expecting to be met at the fjord by armed warriors hiding in the brush. And those that broke through our first line of defensewere handily defeated by the warriors awaiting them at the farmstead.”
Hagar regarded Wulf keenly. “What do you intend to do about Reyna? She saved your life, you know.”
Wulf glanced at Reyna, who was across the room. Head bent, she was stitching up a nasty cut on a man’s head. “What are you hinting at?”
“She deserves some consideration.”
“Such as?”
Hagar grinned. “I am sure you will find a suitable reward. Apparently she does not hate you as much as she would have us believe.”
“I carried Reyna off and sold her, remember? She has every reason to dislike me.”
Hagar waved Wulf’s words aside. “Apparently she came to no harm at the hands of her foreign master.”
A shadow turned Wulf’s eyes murky. “Reyna believes I raped her. I do not remember much about that raid, given my rage and frame of mind, but my mind was clear enough to know I did not ravage her. I know who did, however. It was Rannulf, Olga’s brother. Reyna refuses to believe I am not her abuser.”
Hagar clapped Wulf’s shoulder in commiseration. “Ah, now I understand.” A frown creased his forehead. “But if Reyna hates you, why did she save your life?”
“I have no idea.”
“Nevertheless, honor demands you reward her. Set her free or…” His words fell off as he beamed a smile at his brother.
“Or what, Hagar?”
“You are not dull-witted, brother. Can
Reyna glared up at Wulf. “You may have physical possession of me, but you don’t own my soul. You stole something irreplaceable from me and I will never forgive you. I don’t know why I didn’t let you die.”
“I told you before, you accuse me unjustly. It was not I who took your innocence.”
Reyna glared at him. “I know what I saw. Move aside, Wulf the Ruthless, I wish to leave. There are wounded who have need of my skill.”
Reyna all but leapt from the bed. Wulf blocked her way, feet spread wide apart, hands on hips. “Is that any way to speak to your master?”
Her chin rose defiantly. “Would you let your wounded die for lack of care? You can punish me later if that is your wish.”
Pushing Wulf aside, Reyna darted past him and through the curtain. She was relieved when he made no effort to stop her.
Punishing Reyna was the last thing on Wulf’s mind. He’d rather join her in bed, caress her creamy breasts and push himself inside her.
If Reyna believed he had ravished her, why had she saved his life while placing her own in danger? He had heard her explanation but didn’t believe it. She had stated clearly and often that she hated him. Any other woman in her position would have stood by and watched him die. Yet Reyna had killed a man who would have dispatched him to Valhalla with a single stroke of his sword.
Wulf followed Reyna out the door and into the yard, stopping to help an injured warrior into Hagar’s hall, where the wounded had gathered to have their injuries treated. Hagar met Wulf at the door and together they eased the bleeding warrior onto a bench.
“How many dead and wounded?” Wulf asked.
“Three dead and seven wounded. All those able to return home have already left. The Finns slain in battle are being buried as we speak. They managed to carry their wounded with them.”
“According to Olaf, the Finns took captives from the village. Were any of them rescued?”
Hagar grinned. “There were but six captives and they jumped from the dragonships and ran off when we surprised the Finns at the fjord. Setting up two lines of defense, one at the fjord and another at the farmstead, was a brilliant strategy,” Hagar remarked.
“Aye,” Wulf agreed. “They weren’t expecting to be met at the fjord by armed warriors hiding in the brush. And those that broke through our first line of defensewere handily defeated by the warriors awaiting them at the farmstead.”
Hagar regarded Wulf keenly. “What do you intend to do about Reyna? She saved your life, you know.”
Wulf glanced at Reyna, who was across the room. Head bent, she was stitching up a nasty cut on a man’s head. “What are you hinting at?”
“She deserves some consideration.”
“Such as?”
Hagar grinned. “I am sure you will find a suitable reward. Apparently she does not hate you as much as she would have us believe.”
“I carried Reyna off and sold her, remember? She has every reason to dislike me.”
Hagar waved Wulf’s words aside. “Apparently she came to no harm at the hands of her foreign master.”
A shadow turned Wulf’s eyes murky. “Reyna believes I raped her. I do not remember much about that raid, given my rage and frame of mind, but my mind was clear enough to know I did not ravage her. I know who did, however. It was Rannulf, Olga’s brother. Reyna refuses to believe I am not her abuser.”
Hagar clapped Wulf’s shoulder in commiseration. “Ah, now I understand.” A frown creased his forehead. “But if Reyna hates you, why did she save your life?”
“I have no idea.”
“Nevertheless, honor demands you reward her. Set her free or…” His words fell off as he beamed a smile at his brother.
“Or what, Hagar?”
“You are not dull-witted, brother. Can
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