Page 29 of Heart of the Wolf
As long as she wanted him, he would drink from her like she was a purifying spring, cleansing his tainted soul.
“I keep my promises. I will always come home to you.”
Chapter eight
Brielle
As he promised, Leif returned just before nightfall. She refused to cry, allowing him to lift her in his arms and carry her to bed. Still complaining that she needed to eat more, he fed her nuts until she fell asleep curled on his chest, unbothered by the bloodstains in his beard.
The next morning, he was gone before the sun rose, called away again by Amund, but his warmth still clung to the furs.
Over the next two weeks, Leif spent most of his time dealing with restlessness in the outlying clans. Regardless of how busy his days were, he came home to her every night. Always a little more worn down than he had been the day before.
With him gone during the day, Brielle spent her time with Astrid. Her patience and optimism were boundless. A light shone deep within her, shining brighter than anyone else. Her kindness attracted many people, drawing them in. Astrid reminded Brielle a bit of her mother, making flowers bloom around the deadened tree of her grief.
Every day, without fail, Astrid woke Brielle by crawling into the spot Leif had vacated.
“Morning. Eat. Then, I will show you how to manage this,” she said, tugging on Brielle’s curls.
Braiding her hair wasn’t as difficult as she first thought. After Astrid showed her a few times, Brielle easily tamed the strands into thick braids that cascaded down her back.
When Brielle refused to wear the nice things Leif gave her, Astrid didn’t back down.
“What is that?” she asked, eyeing Brielle’s tattered cloak. “Enough.”
The worn leather was coarse beneath her fingertips as she clung to her old cloak. Almost too comfortable in Leif’s space, Astrid plucked a handful of garments from their homes.
“Off,” she said.
“Maybe you shouldn’t riffle through Leif’s things,” Brielle mumbled, hoping to stave off the inevitable.
“His space is my space,” she said, pushing the old garment off Brielle’s slender shoulders. “Leif is my kin. My older brother.”
Too stunned to stop her, Brielle allowed Astrid to continue undressing her until her bare nipples pebbled in the air. Blush colored the swell of her breasts as her fingers flexed at her sides. Astrid nodded in approval before pulling the soft linen underdress over Brielle’s head.
“Do you have any other siblings?” Brielle asked when words found her again.
Now that she was paying attention, she saw it. Both shared the same, kissed by moonlight hair. Whereas Leif’s eyes were more silver, Astrid’s were an icy crystal, each reminiscent of winter waters.
One calm.
One stormy.
“No. Only us.”
Sparks spit in the hearth, punctuating Astrid’s rough handling of her as she finished dressing Brielle in far too much finery.
For such a tiny thing, she had the strength of any man. It was unlikely that anyone questioned that petite woman when she was determined.
“Now you look like Úlfr’s kona,” she said, admiring her work.
“What’s a kona?”
“It means many things,” Astrid said, waving her off. “We should enjoy the sun before it gets too cold. Come.”
The sun sat high in the cloudless sky. Weeks ago, it appeared winter would be upon them earlier than usual. Yet, it seemed to stay its hand, the final dredges of autumn hanging on.
In the early mornings, frost stuck to the grass, melting away by midday. Brielle hummed as the sun heated her face, deciding not to pry more for now.
