Page 24 of Hungry Like a Wolf
Carmel was quick to provide it.
“And on the subject of you being here, when are you leaving?” Orm asked, skipping backward as the split log flew his way and crashed to the ground at his feet.
“Why? You don’t like my company?”
“There is a reason I left Drangar.” Orm shrugged.
“You left because of father as much as me.”
“That might be true.” Orm twiddled his thumbs in a fast, frantic movement. “But now you have taken his place as king.”
“So you would have stayed if Haakon had killed me and he’d become King of Drangar?”
Carmel watched as Orm rolled his eyes and twisted his mouth as though thinking intensely. The brothers had a very strange relationship and a history she didn’t understand.
“Er, maybe I would have and maybe I wouldn’t.” Orm shrugged. “You’ll never know.”
Ravn huffed and reached for another log. He balanced it then brought down the axe. A sheen of sweat sat between his shoulder blades and on the hair at his sternum.
“I will leave you,” Orm said. “You seem to enjoy the company of my thrall.” He cackled and said something in his native language then threw his hand in the air and turned.
“Fool,” Ravn muttered.
Carmel folded her arms, hugging herself, if Ravn had taken her as his thrall, life maybe wouldn’t have been so bad.
No!What was she thinking? She didn’t want to be a slave to either of the heathen brothers.
Chapter Seven
The days turnedinto weeks and then a month went by. The frost and snow melted and small, yellow flowers sprung up wherever there was space. Geese flew overhead, honking as they moved from one home to another. The sun woke earlier and set later, spreading long shadows on the growing crops.
Carmel was still a prisoner in Tillicoulty. She was a slave to Orm’s constant needs and her prayers remained unanswered.
“Carmel,” Anna said, rushing over to where Carmel sat weaving a basket with Fion—one of the older ladies in the village who seemed to have taken a shine to Carmel. “A meeting is being called in the Great House.”
“Today?” Fion asked, looking up and patting her graying bun as though checking for stray strands.
“Aye, and King Haakon says Carmel must attend.”
“Oh.” Carmel looked between the two women. “But…why me?” She was the lowest of the low—Orm told her that often enough. She had no voice in the village she’d sought to attack so viciously alongside her father.
“Come on.” Anna plucked the basket from Carmel’s hand and pulled her up. “They are waiting.”
“Who is waiting?” Carmel asked.
“Them. All of them…the Vikings.”
Carmel hoisted her pants up her lean hips—a gift from Anna when her gown had become unwearable—and straightened her tunic. She tucked her hair behind her ears—it was loose today, asshe’d just washed it with a jug of warm water and rosemary soap and was waiting for it to dry completely.
“But why must I be there?”
“Because the meeting is aboutyou.” Anna linked her hand through Carmel’s arm as they walked.
“Me?”
“Aye, you are a big problem, don’t you know?”
“How can I be a big problem?” Carmel shook her head. “I have done nothing other than obey Orm’s every command and speak only when spoken to.”
