Page 135 of The Outlaw Viking

“Oh, Lord,” Selik groaned. “Isn’t there some miracle you have to perform somewhere—like Iceland?”

Selik knew Rain had returned to Northumbria the day after his rejection of her. Athelstan had delighted in telling him that he had sent his own armed guard to accompany her. Selik was sure he would be able to come to some agreement with King Athelstan allowing him to stay in Britain, especially if he bartered his soul to the bloody Saxon, but—

Not your soul, the voice interrupted, that precious commodity belongs to me.

Selik looked skyward and crossed his eyes in frustration. “I meant that if I pledged my loyalty to him and paid a wergild equal to a king’s ransom, he might allow me to live on my own land.” He immediately chastised himself for carrying on a conversation with an invisible being. Perhaps he was finally going totally insane.

Go to her.

“Rain must hate me now.”

She has good reason. If she does, convince her to love you again. You were e’er the master of seduction.

Selik grinned ruefully. Suddenly, another thought occurred to him. What about Steven of Gravely? He could not allow him to escape again without punishment for his crimes. Yea, he should first go after Steven of Gravely and wreak his final vengeance.

Vengeance is mine.

“Says who?” Selik snapped back, hands on hips, addressing the ceiling of his bedchamber.

Sayeth the Lord, you lackwit.

“What did ye say, master?” asked one of the servants who was bringing in two buckets full of hot water. The scruffy lad was looking curiously at the rafters to see whom Selik addressed.

“Never mind.”

Selik shook his head at his growing conversations with himself. He no longer knew where his conscience left off and the spirit voice began. But then he began to think about the voice’s advice. Mayhap it was indeed time to set aside his vendetta against Steven, to establish some greater priorities in his life. Like Rain. He could seek Steven later—next month, next year, whenever. But the most important thing now was to find Rain and tell her that he still loved her.

He thought he heard a great sigh of relief from above.

For the first time in days, Selik smiled, and it was like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

A devastated Rain arrived back at the farmstead finally. Not only was she crushed by the loss of Selik’s love, but she suspected he would go after Steven with deadly force now in his quest for vengeance. She felt that she had come full circle. All that time spent trying to heal Selik’s bitterness and persuade him to abandon his quest for revenge seemed fruitless if Selik was just going to pick up the self-destructive gauntlet again.

“The thickheaded bastard! How could he have thought you would consort with Steven willingly?” Ubbi exclaimed as he fussed over her many still-unhealed bruises.

“Steven is a handsome man, on the outside. And he can be very charming when he wants to be. He’s a consummate actor.”

“Well, still, Selik should have trusted in you.”

“Yes, he should have,” Rain said, her voice faltering. “He didn’t love me enough, apparently. If he did, he would have known I could never betray him. But my being with Steven blindsided him, placing one more brick in the wall of his hatred for Steven.”

Rain gathered Ubbi and the children to her. She needed to feel loved by someone.

King Athelstan had invited Rain to return to his court at a later date so he could talk to her more about the medical marvels of her country. Rain had promised she would, but she doubted she would ever see the “Scholar King” again. In parting, she had hugged Elgiva, who laughingly thanked her for specific details on the rhythm method of birth control. Not surprisingly, the king had refused her halfhearted offer of a vasectomy, especially when she’d mentioned the acupuncture needles she would need to use for a local anesthetic.

“The master will come back, my lady, once he comes to his senses,” Ubbi said, reaching over to pat her hand.

Rain wasn’t so sure, but a little part of her soul that hadn’t yet died hoped he was right. Inside, she prayed, Please, God, send him back to me.

Trust in Me.

Rain wasn’t sure she trusted anyone anymore.

Only Adam drew back from the excitement of her homecoming, silently wounded by Selik’s absence. She had explained to the children that the king had pardoned Selik on the condition that he leave the country, that he couldn’t come back to see them first.

Adam came up and put his hand in hers, sensing her pain, and whispered, “I will not leave you.” Then he went off to whittle on a piece of wood, staring ahead angrily. The wonderful little boy was like a grown man in a child’s body, far too perceptive for his age. Adela sat beside him on a bench near the hearth fire. Silently, with her thumb in her mouth, she laid her head against her brother’s arm in comfort.

The first few days, Rain remained hopeful that Selik would return for her. Her body grew stronger, and she tried not to think about the evil Steven and his friends.