“No, not for weeks. They were journeying north and may be delayed time and again before they return. They knew nothing of the plans for our wedding before they left and have no reason to return home quickly.”
Knowing time was their enemy, she hastened to warn him. “The Dragon was badly damaged by the storm. It is Raktor’s pride and he will make haste to repair it. That will mean activity on his docks, as he will lose no time in restoring his largest vessel to full use. The summer is nearly here, and he never remains at home. Surely this year will be no exception.”
Mylan glanced at the lovely young woman, his expression filled with frustration. “If you think of any more problems, Celiese, I shall simply strangle you myself and swim home.”
Ignoring his threat, she continued, “I meant only that we have no time to waste waiting for others to come for us. Perhaps we should break into the house tonight, free your kinsmen and murder all of Raktor’s sons in their beds. Would you prefer that plan?”
“How can I devise any sort of plan when I have only a traitor to help me?” he responded bitterly.
Shocked by his cruel insult, she stood and backed away. “Had Raktor raised his sword against you rather than his foot, I would still have blocked his way, and you see a traitor when you look at me? I am better off in the sea than married to a husband such as you!”
“I am not your husband!” The handsome man shouted defiantly, his light eyes blazing with a furious gleam as he denied her again.
Celiese turned and walked into the water. Her dress was wet clear past her knees when Mylan realized she would not turn back. He leapt to his feet and overtook her swiftly, sweeping her up into his arms. “Fool! I will not let you drown, not when you are the only help I have. Now come back and tell me how we might enter Raktor’s house undetected.”
She rested her head against his broad chest as he carried her ashore. When he placed her feet on the sand she did not move from his embrace but stayed close. “If you will help me up the bluff I will go to Raktor and tell him you drowned. Tonight when everyone is sleeping I will unlock the side door on the north and let you in. We can free your kinsmen and capture Raktor and his sons before they know the house has been entered. Your men are few, but we will have the advantage of surprise on our side and with Raktor taken prisoner his warriors will not fight. They are all cowards, without any spirit of their own.”
Mylan’s searched her delicate features slowly as she outlined her plan, but he could detect no trace of deceit in her expression. She seemed serious and determined, but still he was unsure. “You expect me to trust you after the wrong you’ve done me?”
“You shall have to trust me, for there is no one else here to help you.” She could understand his hesitation. None of her story made any sense, no matter how true it might be. She waited; hoping only that he felt for her the deepening affection she could not deny she felt for him.
“What shall we do with Olgrethe? Is she truly as beautiful as all say?”
Celiese did not let her disappointment show in her eyes, but his question brought real pain, an anguish as deep as any she had ever known. “Yes, and since you insist we are not married perhaps you will decide to take her as your wife. She will not disappoint you as I have.”
With a rueful laugh he drew her close to his heart and hugged her warmly. “Disappointment does not begin to describe my torment, but we have no time to discuss emotions. If we are going to attempt this deed we must begin without delay.”
&nbs
p; “Yes, that is true.” She stepped back from his arms and smiled bravely. “You will have to help me climb to the top of the bluff.”
“You are not frightened?” He took her arm as they moved across the sand.
“Yes, I am terrified, but I will not fail you,” she vowed confidently.
“Celiese.” Mylan spoke her name in a hoarse whisper as he drew her back into his arms. This time his passion was no longer tender, but violent as he crushed her slender body against his own. His deep kiss left her shaking in his embrace, her lips bruised by the savage force of his kiss. “You dare not fail me again, or I will see you join Raktor upon his funeral pyre. Should you choose to serve him again rather than me you will continue to serve him in Valhalla!”
She shook her head, a sly smile coming to her lips. The Danes comprised only one group of the men known as Vikings, but she found his beliefs as well as his threat ridiculous. “Your custom of sacrificing the living to serve the dead is foolish, for I am Christian and would not willingly join Raktor in anything, most especially not your battle-filled vision of eternity. If you have so little faith in me, kill me now and be done with it. It will save me the pain of climbing this steep embankment, at least.” Her defiant gaze dared him to end her life as he had threatened, but she stood calmly, her fear of him obviously slight.
Mylan’s fiery gaze did not soften, for no matter how much he admired her bravery, he could not trust her. “I will not destroy the only help I have, no matter how little faith I might have in you. Now let us cease this argument and hurry. We will have time enough to talk after I have captured Raktor.”
She did not speak again until she called to the man standing guard. Her voice startled him so badly he wheeled, sword drawn, ready to strike her down. Then he recognized her and ran forward. “We thought you had drowned. How have you survived?”
“I awoke on the sand after the storm, but I was too weak to climb the cliff until I had rested. Help me reach the house please, for my step is still unsteady, and I must tell Raktor that Aldred’s son is dead.”
Seeing a chance to gain favor with the powerful Viking, the man left his post to escort Celiese to her home, and Mylan crossed the deserted terrain swiftly to find a vantage point hidden among the thick stand of trees on the north side of the dwelling. His wait would be a tedious one, but he hoped it would not be futile.
Raktor leapt to his feet as Celiese entered the drenched hall. “I thought we had lost you both.” He reached out and drew the trembling young woman near. “What of Mylan, do you have news of his fate?”
Her eyes filled with tears at the memory of their ordeal and what was yet to come. Her downcast expression was most convincing in its sorrow. “We were together for only a short while. When he could no longer cling to the piece of mast we had grabbed I tried to save him but could not. He is dead, drowned.”
Raktor nodded as she spoke, considering her narrative carefully before he summoned another of his warriors. “Take this woman and tie her up with the other prisoners. They will all leave for Kaupang at nightfall. You have returned just in time to meet your destiny, my beauty. I am selling you, for I can no longer trust you, not even to serve my daughter.”
“After I have been so loyal to her all these years?” Celiese shouted angrily, arguing heatedly with the hateful man. An overpowering fear clutched her heart. If she were gone Mylan would not know. He would come and find the door locked and think only that she had betrayed him! She screamed and tried to slip past the burly man who had been ordered to remove her, but he only laughed as he swung his fist into the side of her head, sending her sprawling across the stone floor. He scooped her up and tossed her limp body over his shoulder as if she were no more precious than a sack of grain.
Chapter 5
Celiese fought the man, biting and kicking fiercely as he bound her wrists and ankles, but he paid scant heed to her heated protests at the injustice of her treatment and tossed her roughly into the room with the other captives. They all were bound as firmly as she wasâ??to her advantage, as they turned hate-filled stares in her direction. Several complained loudly.