Page 77 of The Outlaw Viking

She began to retrace her steps in the direction she’d just come.

“Me? Betrothed to Selik?” Tyra laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Rain asked, suddenly alert.

“You. Selik is like my brother, you dumb twit. ’Tis what you called me, is it not?”

But then Tyra’s words sunk in. Selik and Tyra are not engaged.

She looked at Selik.

He shrugged with an unapologetic grin.

“Stop teasing her, you lackwit,” Tyra retorted quickly. “You have no interest whatsoever in me that way and never have. In fact, you have bored me into a stupor these past two hours at the harbor whilst you did naught but talk of the beautiful wench from the future.”

Rain’s mouth dropped open, and she stared incredulously at the young woman—the wonderful young woman for whom she’d suddenly developed a great fondness—but her lapse in alertness gave Selik the opportunity to leap onto and over the tabletop. He grabbed her and pinned her body painfully against the wall, demanding, “Apologize.”

“I’m sorry I threw the apple at you.” Too bad I missed.

“Now Tyra.”

“What?”

“You will apologize to Tyra for your lack of graciousness. Do you forget you are a guest in her home?”

After a long pause, Rain said, “I’m sorry if I offended you, Tyra” If you believe that, there’s a bridge…

“Next time, think afore you react, wench,” Selik cautioned as he released her with a swat on the behind. “’Tis a lesson any warrior knows well.”

“You shouldn’t have locked me in my room.”

“Where you are not, incidentally. Who thwarted my orders by releasing you?”

“Gyda, but she assigned these two guards to watch my every move,” she said, pointing to the two men who sat at a nearby table watching the entire, ludicrous scene with interest. “I can’t even pee without them standing at the privy door counting every drop.”

Selik shook his head disbelievingly from side to side. “I am certainly pleased you shared that information with me.”

“I begin to see what you mean, Selik,” Tyra said. “She does spout some intriguing words. But I can hardly credit that she is a supporter of that nonviolent creed you mentioned—pac…pacifism. Why, she is surely more violent than any woman I have ever met.”

Rain groaned, beginning to think Tyra might be right.

“Will you still take the shrewish wench to the hospitium, as you had planned?” Tyra asked.

“Nay, methinks she regards herself too highly. ’Twas foolish of me to think a captive would appreciate such consideration.”

“You were going to take me to the hospitium?” she asked, totally surprised.

“Yea, ’twas a lackwit idea.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Yea, I have decided I do not care to share your shrewish company this morn. My head is aching.”

“I’ll give you an aspirin.”

“Praise the gods! You finally speak a truth.”

Rain furrowed her brow. “What truth?”