Page 133 of Edge of the Wild

She snorted. “No.” Another swallow, and, shit, her cup was empty. She stretched it out toward Bjorn in silent supplication. He rolled his eyes, but got up to get the flask.

“Go to bed, Revna. All of this can wait until the morning.”

She accepted her refill, and, as the room swayed a fraction, decided to cradle it in both hands rather than drink it just yet. It was there if she needed it, if the crick in her neck became too unbearable. “I know,” she said, sighing.

“Then why” – he dropped back down into his chair and gave her a pointed look – “are you sitting up all hours looking over the royal expenditure figures?”

She shrugged.

He stared.

Revna set the cup down and glanced away from him; he could read her too well, his gaze too intimate, too…everything. “I guess I didn’t feel like sleeping.”

It struck her as somehow inappropriate: talking about sleeping. Mentioning bed. Nothing untoward had been said, and even if it had, she wasn’t a blushing maiden. But talk ofbedwith Bjorn sent her imagination spinning out in dangerous directions.

“If going through the ledgers won’t put you to sleep, I don’t know that anything will.”

Oh,somethingwould. She suppressed a pleasant shiver at thought of it, and then forcibly thought of something else. Of the thing that had been bothering her to begin with.

Tired, without another confidante at hand, tongue loosened from the wine, she said, “You know, I always wanted a daughter.”

A beat passed, and Bjorn said, “No, I didn’t know that.” His tone was nearly wondrous, and she stared at the dying fire rather than see what that wonder looked like up close.

“I love my boys. Ido.” She shook her head, feeling like having to state the obvious out loud must therefore negate it. “They’re my entire world, and…gods, here I am defending myself. It’s just…I always thought it would be nice to have a girl. Amidst all you boys,” she added with a wave toward him. “Listen to me. I sound idiotic.”

“No, you don’t,” he said, fondly. “It’s a normal thing, wanting to share your experiences with someone who can understand them the same way you do.”

She rolled her eyes. “Anyway. Foolish as it is, I wanted a daughter.In addition, notinstead, I want to make that distinction very clear.”

“Of course.”

“Tessa seemed so shy and timid when she first came. To be honest, I thought Aeres would crush her. That she would only grow meeker. But look at her now – so much bolder than I gave her credit. She’s smart, and she’s kind, and she’s got a stubborn streak like her cousin. Here’s a daughter at last, one to be proud of – and I’ve mucked it all up.” She hated how maudlin she sounded, and blamed it on the wine.

“How did you muck it up?” Bjorn asked.

She made a face. “Just this morning, she saw me in the hallway and all but ran the other direction. She hates me now.”

Ugh. She shoved her full cup farther away on the desk.Fartoo maudlin. A truth proven by Bjorn’s soft chuckle.

She looked at him then, ready to protest, to defend herself out of reflex – but the fondness shining in his gaze left her swallowing instead; left her pulse tripping.

“She got embarrassed, Rev. She doesn’t hate you.”

“I could have handled things more delicately.”

“Since when do you do anything delicately, Frodesdottr? You’re as much a hacker and slasher as your oaf brother.”

“Look who’s throwing the wordoafaround.”

He shrugged, unbothered. “They’re children, and you’re their mother – Tessa’s too, while she’s here, without her own. Mothers have to be indelicate sometimes, when the truth is anything but.”

She blinked at him. “Bjorn. That sounded…wise.”

“I’m a man of many talents.”

She couldn’t help but smile at him, then, which only made his own smile warmer. “How do you think Leif will handle rejection?”

“As well as he handles most thing, I expect. He’s not madly in love with the girl, if that’s your worry.”

---