Chapter 17
Seventeen
SIMON
I n the end, Maman was no help. Feigrind came to find us and confirmed he would be joining the trading group, and no amount of arguing or glaring would change that or get him to take me with him. I stormed away from him so he knew how I felt about the whole thing, but I knew better than to think he’d let me wander far alone. Maybe Maman had a point about him hovering too much.
“Stop following me!” I snapped.
He didn’t reply, just followed me steadily through the tents and away from everyone else. I contemplated going to the forest just to piss him off, but that would just put me at risk, and I didn’t want that terrifying barbarian to grab me again. Instead, I went back to Feigrind’s tent, wishing it had a door I could slam in his face instead of a stupid flap. This whole place was irritating me. How the hell was I supposed to work off my irritation if I couldn’t do what I normally did?
“Simon,” Feigrind said pleadingly, catching my elbow. “Had I any other choice, I would stay with you. I cannot abandon my duties.”
Jerking my elbow free, I glared at the tent wall, my arms crossed over my chest. Deep down, I knew that. I saw how unhappy he was about having to go. But I was still angry. I wasn’t allowed to go home, I wasn’t allowed to go with him, so what the hell was I going to do while he was gone?
He moved closer, and I felt his warmth against my back. He didn’t touch, he never did without my permission, but he was close enough that I could tell he wanted to. Despite my better judgment, I took a step back, resting my back against his chest. His big arms wrapped around me, and he leaned over me, surrounding me with his scent.
Was it wrong to be annoyed that he smelled good even without all the fancy products the men in town normally used?
“Tell me how I can make this better. I do not wish you to be unhappy while I’m gone,” he murmured.
I bit back the urge to demand again that he take me with him. He wouldn’t, his clan leader had already said it wasn’t allowed, and I was tired of trying to argue my point. My eyes drifted to the bed, where I slept soundly as long as he was beside me. I didn’t think I’d be getting much sleep without him there.
“My daggers would be nice,” I finally said.
He tipped his head, turning me enough to look me in the eye. “You have weapons?”
I shrugged. “I did. They took them from me when they kidnapped me. I’m not sure where they are anymore.”
Probably sold off by that asshole guard who took them from me. Bastard. I’d saved for weeks for those daggers. I got them before I was popular and could barely afford to eat. I valued my safety more than a hot meal.
“You know how to use them?” He didn’t sound judgmental, only curious, but it still irritated me.
“Of course I know how to use them!” I growled. “Had those stupid guards not taken me by surprise, I wouldn’t be here right now. They’d be dead, and Tomas would be torn to pieces.”
His frown said he wanted to ask more questions about that, but he must have decided it was for the best not to push because he straightened and took my hand instead.
“Come with me.”
Like I had any other choice. I grumbled as I followed him back out of the tent and past the fire Maman had taken me to that morning. We weaved through the tents for a while before stopping in front of one set off a little from the rest with a big fire in front of it. Feigrind cleared his throat, calling out to whoever was inside.
“Brother? A moment of your time?”
He was being surprisingly formal, and I frowned up at him in question, but he didn’t need to explain once the man in the tent came out to join us. I took a step back automatically, trying to put as much distance as I could between myself and the terrifying, scarred barbarian who’d rescued me. I swung to face Feigrind, incredulous.
“What? You’re punishing me because I asked for a weapon? You’re such an asshole!”
Feigrind tightened his grip when I tried to pull away, refusing to let me leave. He didn’t acknowledge my outburst, instead speaking to the dangerous barbarian who watched us both with narrowed eyes.
“Simon says he’s proficient with blades. I need to go on a journey with Uttin. We would both feel safer if he was armed while I’m away.”
Stunned, I froze. I’d thrown out the dagger thing because I didn’t have any other ideas on what to demand. He wouldn’t take me with him, so nothing else was good enough. But I wasn’t lying when I said the daggers would make me feel better. I’d already been attacked once while here. I didn't want to be defenseless again without him there to protect me.
The dangerous barbarian turned his focus to me, and I felt my spine stiffen. I really didn’t like having his attention. He was creepy, and whenever he looked at me, it felt like he was a predator and I was prey.
“Prove it,” he said.
My brows snapped together. “What?”
“I will not give you anything without proof that you know how to use it. You already cause trouble here often. You want weapons, prove you are capable of handling them safely.”
Oh, this asshole. I glared back at him. “Fine.” I looked back at Feigrind, who looked concerned, but still curious. I really loved his curiosity. It had gotten him into bed with me.
“Care to spar?” I asked innocently. I wouldn’t hurt him, but I did hope to tease him a little. If he was going to be gone for who knew how long, I wanted more sex before he left to tide me over.
“No,” the other barbarian interrupted before Feigrind could answer. “You will go against me.”
FEIGRIND
My stomach dropped when Einar said that Simon must go up against him. He probably assumed I’d go easy on him, and he was unwilling to compromise on the matter. He wasn’t wrong; I had no interest in hurting Simon, but I didn’t like the idea of the smaller man going up against Einar. He was dangerous. Simon didn’t know what he was getting himself into.
“Brother—”
“You’re that desperate to get your ass kicked by someone smaller than you, then be my guest. But I get to choose the weapon. Show me what you have,” Simon demanded.
Damn it. I should have spoken to Einar privately first. Simon’s mouth was going to get him into trouble.
Einar didn’t take the bait of Simon’s snark, instead tipping his head toward his tent and leading the way inside. If Simon had a talent with daggers, I would obtain some for him as a gift, but Einar was the only one I knew who had an abundance of weapons and wouldn’t miss one for the short time I was gone. His tent was filled with them, and he always had at least half a dozen on his person. Simon eyed the weapons with interest, picking up a few and testing their weight before putting them back down.
Given his temperament, I expected him to take something large, given the option. I would have steered him away from that if I could. Not that I thought Simon would listen. I’d need to be clever to make him choose something else without him realizing I was steering him in another direction. But I needn’t have worried. When he finally chose, he settled on a pair of daggers no bigger than the size of my palm. He tested the weight, spinning them in his hand with the ease of practice, before giving a decisive nod.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
Unease tightened my gut as I followed them both out of Einar’s tent to an open area nearby used for sparring. There were a few of my brothers there who looked up curiously when Simon stalked past, but none who might be willing to step in and argue with Einar’s decision. He didn’t care that Simon was a tribute. He only cared that Simon knew his weapon well before giving him something to protect himself. Perhaps I should have given up my dagger instead. I would probably not need it.
“No bloodshed,” Einar said, drawing my focus back to the pair now facing each other. When I saw the blade Einar intended to use, I protested immediately.
“You’ll hurt him!” I snarled.
Einar gave me a blank look. “If he wishes to protect himself, it will be against someone who will carry something similar. It would be better for him to surrender if he can’t handle facing off against a bigger blade.”
Simon scoffed, giving Einar a dirty look. “Over my dead body would I ever surrender to anyone. Feigrind, stop butting in. I don’t need you to protect me.”
He’d said this more than once, but it was my job, and I took his care and comfort very seriously. I wanted to call off the whole thing, but I knew by the stubborn look on Simon’s face, he would only wait for me to leave before trying again. At least if I was here to watch him, I could step in before he truly got hurt.
“What’s going on?” Uttin asked as he came to join us, frowning at the standoff. “Did Simon piss Einar off? Does he have a death wish?”
“Go fuck yourself, Uttin,” Simon snapped, shooting him a glare.
Einar used Simon’s distraction to his advantage, lunging forward. I let out a shout in warning, but I didn’t need to. Simon moved before Einar could get close, ducking and twisting, so he ended up beside Einar with his blade against the larger man’s throat.
“Woah,” Uttin breathed.
I was just as stunned. Simon was quick and knew what he was doing. He backed off, jerking his chin at Einar, and they started again. I was no less anxious the second time, though curiosity peaked when Einar spun to stop Simon from going for his neck, and Simon ducked and put his blade to Einar’s thigh instead. Too close to his cock for anyone’s comfort. Several of my brothers sucked in a breath, and Einar was smart enough to surrender before Simon did anything drastic.
“Did you know he was this skilled?” Uttin asked in a low tone, as we both watched Simon and Einar spar. I shook my head.
Einar learned from his mistakes, and Simon had to work harder to stay out of range of his blade. Not only was he good with the blades, he dodged and twisted like a dance, avoiding lunges that could have seriously injured him had he been anyone else. The more he countered Einar’s moves, the more Einar tried to hurt him. He never succeeded.
It was fatigue that got to Simon, making him just sluggish enough for Einar to get the upper hand. He knocked my tribute to the ground, pointing his blade at Simon’s neck, and I felt my breath stutter in my lungs. I wasn’t the only one. The men who had been watching, jeering and egging Simon on the longer he stood his own against Einar, all fell silent. Einar’s expression was dark, deadly, and I worried perhaps he wasn’t in his right mind anymore. There were rumors that he lost himself to the battle and injured his own brothers in the past. I couldn’t let him do that to Simon.
As I took a step forward, Simon released his blades, letting them clatter to the ground. It was what Einar wanted, and he stepped back, offering him a hand to help him to his feet.
“You are skilled,” he said to Simon, the dark look clearing to something akin to respect. “Your stamina needs work, though.”
Simon scoffed, snatching the blades off the ground. “Ask Feigrind about my stamina. I’m sure he’ll say something different.”
My cheeks burned a little as a few of my brothers jeered at me, but my focus was on Einar, who gave Simon a dry look. “I’ll decline. You can keep the blades for now. I trust you can use them well. Use them on anyone in the clan, and I’ll remove your hands.”
Simon ignored the threat with a roll of his eyes before turning and heading to me. He leaned his back against my chest, accepting my embrace while keeping the blades away from me. I’d have to get him sheathes so he could carry them around. I wasn’t stupid enough to ask Einar for any more favors.
Tipping his head back to look up at me, Simon said, “I’m always horny after a fight. Wanna fuck?”
A smirk pulled at my lips. “I suppose you’ve earned a reward.”