The Barbarian’s Tribute (Not-So-Savage Barbarians #1)

Fifteen

F inn was acting strangely. At first, I worried he may have found out my intention to ask him to be my bondmate. It was supposed to be a surprise, and he was terrible at keeping things from me. But he didn’t mention anything about it. If I knew him as well as I believed I did, he would not be able to keep it to himself. He seemed as eager as I was to keep each other, and I doubted he’d be able to handle not asking about it. Which left me at a loss as to why he was acting so strangely. I returned from my hunt and found him in the field where I had found him every day since I returned to hunting. He was brushing the mane of one of the stallions, humming to himself, but after I surprised him with a kiss, he wouldn’t stop blushing and he couldn’t look me in the eye.

The strangeness of his behavior only grew when we went to get our supper. He seemed almost anxious, glancing at me when he thought I wasn’t looking and bouncing his leg when he sat beside the fighter’s fire. I wanted to ask Godr, but my brother was conveniently busy in conversation whenever I sought him out. And when he caught me looking at him and I shot him a questioning look, he pressed his lips together like he was fighting laughter. What happened while I was gone?

After our meal was finished, I brought Finn back to our tent, hoping if we spoke privately, he’d feel more comfortable. If my brother upset him for some reason, I wanted to know so I could deal with him myself.