Page 45 of Astrid at Sea

When I felt him press a kiss to my forehead and begin to pull away, I tightened my arms around him, refusing to let go. I needed another moment.

“Don’t be too mad at him, okay?” I mumbled into his chest. “I know what Crosby did was terrible, and I could have died today–” I felt his heart skip a beat under my cheek. “–but there’s something wrong with him. He’s not in the right state of mind, and we’ll only make things worse if you hurt him.”

“I don’t care,” Viktor grumbled, a dark look in his eyes as he glared at Crosby from over my head. “Not only did he touch you against your will, but he also tried to drown you.”

“I don’t think that was his intent,” I tried to reason, but my argument wasn’t very strong. Even I wasn’t convinced.

“Did he help you out of the water when you asked for help?” He asked sharply, turning his dark, questioning gaze on me. His eyes softened, and I could sense he was trying to calm himself down for my sake, but the rage still lingered.

“No.” I shook my head. “No, he didn’t.”

“How can you expect me to let him off after what he did?”

Truthfully, I couldn’t.

Giving in with a sigh, I rose on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against the underside of his chin. Hopefully, after whatViktor had planned for him, Crosby would come out of it still able to walk and talk.

Viktor squeezed my hip and brushed his lips against my forehead before pulling away. He walked past me to join the crew who had formed a circle around Crosby. He was standing in the middle with his head bowed, and I couldn’t see his face.

“What should we do with him, Captain?” Laurence asked, a nasty snarl on his face as he glared at Crosby.

“I think we should make him walk the plank,” Roscoe grinned, looking rather excited at finally using the plank.

“We should drown him like how he tried to drown Astrid,” Jerrik suggested.

“What if we make him walk the plank and then drown him?” Dagfinn said, suggesting the perfect combination of the two.

“I’ve got something better in mind,” Viktor grinned sadistically. “But first…” He clenched his hand tightly into a fist and slammed it into Crosby’s face, striking his left cheek. Crosby fell to the floor, landing between Caspian and Odin, who disdainfully kicked him away.

It was sad that Crosby didn’t try to fight back or defend himself. He just curled himself into the foetal position and patiently awaited his fate.

“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” Garth grumbled, his lips pulled down in a deep scowl. When Crosby didn’t say anything, he exhaled in frustration. “Crosby? Crosby! Hello? Can you hear me?”

“I can hear you,” Crosby whimpered. He lay pathetically on the ground until Odin reached down to pull him up into a sitting position, and my lips parted in shock at the sight of blood dripping down his chin. I didn’t realise Viktor could pack such a mean punch.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Garth asked again.

“Nothing,” Crosby whispered, his head hung low, refusing eye contact with any of us.

“Nothing?” Garth questioned, looking both appalled and disgusted.

Crosby shook his head. “What are you going to do with me?” He asked in a shaky voice.

“I’m so tempted to make you walk the plank and then leave you to drown at sea for what you did to my wife,” Viktor spat, and the way he clenched his jaw told me that he was itching to throw another punch. I feared that if he did, Crosby would suffer so much more than just a bloody mouth and a loose tooth or two.

“I think he deserves more than that,” Gustav said, stepping forward. “The idea of walking the plank doesn’t seem to scare him. It’s like he doesn’t even care.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Viktor asked.

“Keep him prisoner on the ship and then when we return to Jorvik, his punishment will be decided and handed out in front of all his friends and family. I’m sure he’ll care then.”

“But it’ll be so much easier to make me walk the plank,” Crosby said quickly, only proving Gustav correct.

“I think that’s a good idea, Gustav,” Viktor voiced aloud. “Until we return to Jorvik, Crosby will be kept as a prisoner on the bottom deck.”

“What? No! You can’t do that!” Crosby whined, but fighting was no use.

Caspian and Hammond stepped forward to grab an arm each, restraining him.

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