The Barbarian's Stolen Bride (Northmen Barbarians 1)

And I was trapped in this room—the only exit between him and me were those double glass doors. I heard muted voices filling the corridor, and I watched as he looked over his shoulder. He faced me once more, his grin widening before he turned and left.

My knees gave out, and I sat down on the bench that circled the fountain, the breath leaving me harshly. I’d never had such a reaction to another person before, and over the years there’d been plenty of unsavory men in the village, men who looked at women like they were to be owned, a commodity. They looked upon me with lust in their eyes and intent in their expressions.

But that man had been different.

All I felt was… evilness pouring off him.

A part of me instantly wanted to go to Fen and tell him the sensations and feeling in me, but that seemed foolish, knowing the man had done nothing but look at me. What was I supposed to say, that I had a “feeling,” a prickling sensation about him that said he wasn’t good? It sounded silly and ridiculous even to my own mind.

And although it went against everything in me to dismiss this as anything more than what it felt like, I also knew I didn’t want to start trouble as soon as I’d arrived.

Being known as the Queen of Kaldir who threw accusations at people purely on a “feeling” probably wouldn’t go over well with many, if any at all.

15

Fen

I could hear the steady, heavy footfalls approaching the great hall. It was the only thing that drew my thoughts off Prima and what I’d done to her last night… and before the sun rose.

I shifted on my chair, trying to ease my stiff cock. I didn’t even care who saw me adjust myself.

Marric stood beside me, his ever-present scowl covering his face. He didn’t like visitors, especially not rulers from neighboring kingdoms. But meeting with Audun and Manning was a necessary evil if peace was to stay in place.

As I looked at my lifelong friend, I knew he waged his own internal battle. And even if I didn’t know all the horrors Marric had endured as a lad, I knew servitude to a cruel king was one of them.

All I wanted to do was go back to my Prima, but the sooner I got this done, the sooner I could be selfish and spend time with her.

That’s what I kept telling myself over and over again as I waited for Audun and Manning to come through the great hall doors. They were early, almost a whole day, but that worked out better. The sooner they were here, the sooner they would leave. I was territorial of Prima, not wanting any of these other males around her. Hell, I didn’t even want Marric in the same vicinity as her, and I trusted him with my life.

But Prima meant more to me than my life.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, feeling weary and my age in that moment. I dropped my hand to my lap and shifted on my throne, and a moment later I saw Audun and Manning step through the doors. Two equally large men were behind them, and I recognized the one with Manning, but the one who stood a foot behind Audun was foreign to me.

I remembered Marric telling me that the male was Audun’s second-in-command and owed the warlord a debt.

Audun might trust him, or maybe he didn’t—I didn’t know or care much, as long as he stayed in line. I’d have to make sure he was watched. I’d assign one of my men to him for the duration of their stay within Kaldir.

And the truth was, I barely tolerated Audun and Manning on the best of days. It was the treaty we had and peaceful resolution and prosperity that each of our kingdoms needed that made working with them tolerable. The last thing I needed or wanted was to be at war with the two other rulers. They were just as fierce and brutal as I was, and it would certainly be a bloody battle to the very end.

Audun was the first to have a full-on grin, but Manning’s expression was a little more placid, reserved, how he was anytime I saw him.

“Ah, Fenrir the Destroyer!” Audun roared out boisterously. “I hear congratulations are in order for taking on a wife.”

I stood as they made their way into the great hall, and then walked down the few steps from the podium where my throne sat. I greeted the rulers with clasped forearms, words of welcome being muttered.

“Aye, I did.”

“I hear she is a delicate, beautiful little thing.” Manning, ever the cool and calm composure, clapped me on the back.

I bristled, my muscles tightening and my rage rising swiftly and violently.