Chapter 35 Freija #2
The light swept around Halvar’s wound and began to knit together the ripped skin until a puckered red line appeared.
Halvar budged slightly, and I tightened my grip on him.
He didn’t move again, though. Not even as the magic subsided and Laknar unstoppered a small flask, dipped a clean cloth in it, and swept the gold-hued, near clear, liquid across the wound.
“There.” He set aside the tincture and cloth, and clasped his hands. “That should be healed. As I’m sure you know, that scar will be tender for a week or so.”
“Isn’t my first scar,” Halvar said.
“No, I can see that.” Laknar’s stool scraped across the floorboards and he knelt to retrieve the bloody bandages and shredded shirt. Meanwhile, my gaze shifted to the arm still in my hands.
He was right. Upon closer inspection, Halvar’s arms were riddled with scars. Some more visible than others. They formed the lightest tapestry. It was as if the magic of the fae healers—or whatever that ointment was—made the scars near invisible.
I traced my finger across one on his forearm, following where it dipped around and down—
“Enjoying yourself?” a low voice rumbled, and I retracted my hands.
“Just… um…” My eyes drifted to his, and I immediately regretted it.
We were too close. Had been touching. Could be touching again if I leaned in and brought my hands to his chest. The air in the room swelled with heat, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of my neck. I batted it away, while still locked under his heady stare.
Laknar cleared his throat, mercifully breaking the spell between us before either of us did something foolish. “I’m going to take this mess for disposal and fetch Magnus. I’ll be right back. There is a fresh shirt in the second drawer beneath that bench.”
With a quick wave toward where the clothing was stored, he strolled out of the room, letting the door bump shut behind him, leaving me alone with Halvar.
I shouldn’t be left alone with him. Not with the thoughts that had been running through my mind and the amount of exposed torso and muscles. His back flexed as he retrieved a clean shirt.
Goodness gracious.
The movement wasn’t sexual in any way, and yet the way my body reacted, filling with heat and desire, was obscene. I needed to get out of here. Now.
Spinning from my spot, I ambled toward the door.
“Where are you going, princess?”
“Out… Fresh air. I need air.” I yanked on the door handle just as a wave knocked against the side of the vessel. A high-pitched yelp escaped from my lips as the ship pitched again and my foot met air, my back careening toward the floor—
Warm arms wrapped around my body, righting and drawing me against a firm chest. His chest.
I swallowed hard and looked up into the hooded eyes staring down at me. “Careful.”
That was what I was trying to do. Be careful and remove myself from landing in a situation such as this one, because every part of my body screamed at me to touch, to feel, to brush my lips against his and taste him again. My hands rested against his broad and bare chest, aching to explore further.
“Halvar.”
“Freija.” He swept a wayward strand of copper hair behind my ear and trailed his fingers across my jaw, tilting my face up to his. “Are you all right?”
Definitely not. “Yes.”
“Good.”
Someone knocked against the door, and we sprung apart faster than a pair of startled deer. Halvar threw on his clean shirt.
Magnus’s head poked around the door. “Ah, are you ready to head to your cabin for the night?”
I brushed my hands across my shirt before bringing them back to that perfected pose—clasped at my torso. “Yes, we are.”
We followed the short sailor back through the throng of hammocks, up another set of stairs, and around to the back of the ship again. Another trio of doors sat at the rear of this level.
“Is this where the captain sleeps?” I asked, trying to busy my mind with anything but the man walking behind me and catching me whenever the boat listed.
“No, Your Highness. His quarters are at the deck level, through the double doors. Though, I usually advise visitors to not step foot in there.”
“Oh, no, of course not.”
“Yet, considering your rank and title…”
“No, no,” I said with a shake of my head. “We won’t be making any visits.”
“Very well. This will be your chamber for the night.” Magnus motioned to the middle door. “We should be in Grim by morning.”
My breath caught and my brow furrowed. “Tomorrow? That soon?”
Magnus pulled at his collar and stared in fear over my shoulder. “The ship and its crew have some… special properties, ma’am. I mean, Your Highness.”
“What do you mean by that? Last we sailed with you, the ship took near a week to reach Egersund from Grim.”
“Henrik has some royal powers like you,” Halvar said, “and the crew are known for submerging the vessel.”
Submerging the vessel? My eyes widened in shock.
“It’s true.” Magnus shuffled on his feet like he shouldn’t be talking openly about the magic of the sailors. “Last time Captain knew we had other fae beings on board and would not be able to safely head under.”
I had so many questions.
“You will not do that now, will you?” Halvar asked.
Magnus shook his head. “No, sir. But we will use our powers to get you to Grim as quickly as possible… Captain is also hunting—I mean searching for something up— Never mind. Please enjoy your stay, Your Highness.”
With that, the rambling sailor scurried back up the nearby stairs for the main deck.
“Do you think we can trust them?” I asked, staring at where the wood steps rose toward a hatch.
“No.”
“Really?”
Halvar sighed and opened the door to the cabin. “Within reason. It sounds like Henrik is occupied with some hunt and we are a convenient way of earning more treasure while heading in the same direction.” He placed his hand against my lower back and gently nudged me through the doorway.
Cool air brushed across my heated cheeks as I entered. The room boasted thick wooden furniture that looked like it had been gathered from all corners of the north, a few candles which dripped wax into brass dishes, and at the back, beneath an open rectangular window made of sea-glass, a lone bed.
Oh no.