Viking's Love by Karolyn Cairns Page B

her
ropes.
    “ You get your wish today, Allisande of
Lockwraithe. You get to kill another Viking, if luck is with you.”
Grogan pulled her along behind him, leaving the
enclosure.
    Allisande balked at the ropes, eyeing him in
uncertainty as he pushed her to the gangplank off the ship. “What
do you mean?”
    “ Ivar has decided to let Hagar’s widow
choose a champion to fight you to the death.”
    Allisande would probably have to fight a man
three times her size and weight. The Viking leader was giving her a
way to live and allow himself to save face with his people, nothing
more. She’d not squander it with self doubt. She was relieved to
know she still had a chance, even if such odds weren’t
favorable.
    “ The fight will be short one.”
Allisande saw Grogan carried her sword in his belt. “Aye, this
pleases me well to kill another of you, I think.”
    “ You seem sure you will
win.”
    Allisande gazed up at Grogan and shrugged. “I
have nothing left to lose, Viking. You have taken all else from me.
What is left to me but my life?”
    Grogan eyed the raven-haired beauty with
grudging respect. “Hakon isn’t much with a sword, but he fights
dirty. Be on your guard for his tricks.”
    Allisande was surprised the Viking sought to
help her with his admission and gave little sign she appreciated
his gesture of support. “If I win, do I get to go home?”
    “ If you win, you get to live,” Grogan
snapped back and shook his head at her fierce scowl. “You forget
what you have done. Danik was Wulfstan’s brother, who is also a son
of Ivar’s. He is being lenient only to appease Joran, nothing more.
If not for my Chieftain being Ivar’s favorite, you would be dead
already, Wench!”
    “ I think you Vikings have a strange way
of showing mercy.”
    “ We don’t show mercy to our enemies,”
Grogan said harshly. “This is merely a way for Ivar to pacify all
of those involved.”
    “ Lead on, Viking, I’d rather bandy
swords than tongues with you.” Allisande smirked at Grogan’s
disgusted look as she was led off the Viking ship to a nearby
wagon. Sarne and Grogan put her in the back and ignored her while
they made their way back to Ivar’s residence.
    She took her mind off the upcoming battle by
looking about the bustling city of Oslo. The Viking city was much
like an English one, except for their attire and the design of
their homes. She fought against the trembling inside herself to
think of what was to come.
    Allisande was disappointed she couldn’t win
her freedom, but promised she would escape if she managed to live
to see the end of this day. Shivers of fear filled her but she
resolved to go down swinging her sword until her last breath.

Chapter Four
    Joran was looking daggers at Wulfstan when
Grogan arrived back with Sarne. Allisande was tied to the chair at
their table until they were ready to commence with the
entertainment. Hakon was so sure of himself; he was well into his
cups now, bragging loudly from nearby.
    Joran glowered at the pleased expression on
Allisande’s face. She was unafraid. Her stoic acceptance annoyed
him, making him feel respect for the dainty Englishwoman who would
die by day’s end.
    She appeared to be gloating. He sat across
from her and snatched the sword from Grogan’s belt and sawed
through her bindings. She rubbed her chaffed wrists and claimed her
sword from him, her hand stroking the hilt confidently as she eyed
her opponent.
    “ Is that the one I am allowed to kill?”
She laughed outright, her full lips curving into a smile of
pleasure. Her perfect teeth all showed to see the man stagger,
obviously drunk.
    “ Do you a favor and at least appear
afraid for your own sake, Girl. My father is known to be
unpredictable when it amuses him. Don’t force him to show you how
cruel he can be.”
    “ I’m not afraid to die, Viking. Mayhap
you are afraid to watch it, eh? It is you who have brought me to
this!”
    Joran glared at her, not trying to defend
himself there.