So she looked at Aella and said, “I mean no disrespect asking about something that’s likely none of my business, but Kjar seems upset. Is that something we need to be concerned about in relation to what we’re facing?”
“It is your business if you intend to become Queen,” Aella said. “Which I know you do. Therefore, it is wise of you to have asked.” Her gaze grew a little sterner. “However, what you will have to learn is appropriate timing. Ask what you will behind closed doors then share what is necessary with your people. As a general rule, a filtered truth is always best.”
Properly chastised but in a tasteful way, Cybil nodded. “Understood. My apologies. I’d like to speak with you and Kjar later.”
“Of course.” Aella’s eyes went to Heidrek. “I will speak with you both at the fortress.”
“Thank you, Aunt.”
Aella nodded and eyed Samantha, who was busy sipping from her skin and casting errant glances at the men. Tait and Matthew made sure to look right back. Bjorn, interestingly enough, kept his eyes trained on anything but Sam. Something about her unnerved him. Cybil felt it but couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Soon enough, her attention was drawn away when Aella said, “Now we must speak of something closer to your heart, Cybil.” Her eyes fell to the bear pendant. “And what you so recently learned.”
Determined to speak with Heidrek alone about it first, she implemented the wisdom Aella had so recently imparted. “I’ll share with everyone as soon as I’ve had a chance to speak alone with Heidrek. If I’m not mistaken, he deserves that at the very least.”
Clearly pleased by the response, Aella eyed Cybil for a moment before she nodded. “If that is what you wish.”
Cybil nodded.
“Before you make your way home, we must learn one more thing.” Aella’s eyes settled on Samantha. “Though some of it is clear, your dragon blood still holds many mysteries. Those hidden in your DNA by your forefathers…by those who loved all who would come after them very much. This means I can only see so much of what you see.” She cocked her head. “Tell me what you saw before you traveled back in time. Tell me what drew you?”
“The ash tree out front,” Samantha said. “But only because Sean told me about Cybil’s fascination with it so soon before she vanished.”
“And is that where you were when you traveled through time? Beside the ash?”
“Kinda sorta.” If Cybil wasn’t mistaken, Sam’s eyes flashed with guilt. “I was sitting on the end of the dock.”
“And?” Aella prompted when Samantha seemed reluctant to continue.
When Sam started tapping one finger at a time methodically on her lap, Cybil narrowed her eyes. Her sister only did that when she knew Cybil would be disappointed in her. But what would…then it occurred to her. “Oh no, you weren’t, Sam?”
Sam slumped a little and sighed. “Yeah, I was on the phone with Rick.” Then she straightened and notched her chin in defiance. “His uncle died, Cyb. What was I supposed to do? Ignore his calls?”
“Yes,” Cybil said. “Because I’d bet my life no such uncle died.”
“You don’t know that—” Samantha started before Aella intercepted.
“So you were on the phone with somebody you cared about?” she prompted.
“Yes, unfortunately,” Cybil cut in. “Her ex-husband.”
This got Bjorn’s attention. He might not have looked directly at Samantha, but his ears were perked.
“Anyway,” Sam said, moving the conversation along. “I was talking to Rick when the reception got really fuzzy. So I started up the dock to try and find a better signal.”
“And did you?” Aella asked.
“Maybe, I don’t know, I got too distracted by something carved into the ash’s tree roots.”
“A Yggdrasill?” Cybil asked. When Sam looked at her in confusion, she said, “Like the marking on the bottom corner of Heidrek’s picture?”
“No.” Samantha shook her head. “It was a symbol I’ve been dreaming about for months and…”
When her sister’s fingers started tapping again, Cybil narrowed her eyes. “And what, Sam?”
Sam sighed. “I decided to get the symbol out of my head.” She gave Cybil a sheepish grin. “And onto my body.”
When both Tait and Matthew made indiscernible sounds of approval, Cybil’s eyes narrowed on them. Tait shrugged, making no apologies. Matthew’s eyes remained on Sam’s face. Bjorn’s gaze, of all places, was locked firmly on Samantha’s hip region.
What was up with that?
Cybil soon found out when she asked Sam exactly what she meant by “onto her body.”
“I got a little tat, Sis.” Samantha peeled down the top of her shorts just enough to reveal the black symbol etched on her hip bone. “See, no biggie.”
“I know that symbol,” Cybil murmured, studying it.
She not only felt Heidrek’s internal reaction to it but his family’s.
“That is the Gungnir,” Aella said. “The sword of Odin. It is a magical Dwarven weapon given to Odin by Loki. It never misses its mark, and always returns to Odin’s hand.”
“Um, okay.” Samantha rolled her shorts back up, her eyes skirting over the men and how serious they had become. “No offense, but to me, it’s just a tattoo of something I dreamt of. After I got the tat, the dreams stopped.” Her eyes went to Cybil as she shrugged and mouthed, “Mission accomplished. Out of my head and onto my body.”
Cybil knew her sister meant no disrespect and was only trying to wade through the things that were happening to her. Trying to better understand what she had learned.
“What happened then?” Aella continued. “When you saw the Gungnir engraved in the root of the ash…the Yggdrasill?”
“Strangely enough, I thought of Cybil’s photographs. More specifically, the one Mema Angie hung in my room.” Her eyes went to the fire as if she saw something nobody else could. “I barely slept a wink the night before staring at it.”
Cybil took her sister’s hand when she saw the conflict on her face. “Which one was it, Sam?”
When her sister didn’t respond, lost in the flames, she squeezed her hand and repeated, “Which one?”
“Vengeance, terrible vengeance,” Samantha whispered, her gaze still caught somewhere else, her words an echo. “Sought by a Viking King’s son over a broken heart.”
Chapter Fifteen
THOUGH HEIDREK SHOULD be paying close attention to the way Samantha stirred his kin’s blood, he couldn’t keep his eyes off Cybil. Content to leave her sister with Aella, she had opted to join him as he visited with his men. As expected, many praised her for her bravery. They already respected her from the ocean side battle, and now they almost seemed to revere her.
But then, Cybil made it easy.
Like some might act given the position of power she was quickly garnering in their tribe, she wasn’t haughty or distanced when she spoke. Cybil was genuinely concerned about their welfare while at the same time impressed by their fierceness. She asked about their families while she praised their battle skills. Who had taught them such? And had they taught it to their eldest son and daughter yet?
She handled and related to them in a way he never could have anticipated. Yes, some of it was in part because of her being inside his mind and learning from it, but most of what she said was just her.
Cybil.
His queen.
And if she would have him, their future queen too.
By the time they returned to Aella, Samantha had avid admirers in Tait and Matthew. Thank Odin, they seemed to be on their best behavior. Though he knew their dragons were rearing beneath the surface, his kin seemed in control.
“Where is Bjorn?” he asked his aunt, well aware of his friend’s overwhelming draw to Samantha. While Bjorn had certainly been drawn to Cybil, whatever he was going through now was different, more intense. Perhaps it only had to do with the fact he knew he couldn’t have Cybil, but Heidrek didn’t think so.
No, he was avoiding
Samantha for a very specific reason. But why? Because of what she said about the Viking King’s son seeking vengeance?
What did that mean anyway?
Unfortunately, Samantha had no idea because she had no recollection of saying anything about Bjorn seeking vengeance. Heidrek ignored the feeling of trepidation he’d been having ever since. If his King were truly in peril, he would have seen it. Cybil would have seen it. Would they have not?
“Your cousin is with my husband,” Aella answered Heidrek’s question, tearing him from thought.
When he tried to pass her, she touched his arm and shook her head. “Give him peace, for now, Nephew. I will redirect you and your men soon.” Her eyes flickered to Cybil. “Take a few moments alone with your woman first.” Aella’s gaze met his. “It will always be a way for you both to regenerate and make wise decisions before facing your people.”
Heidrek nodded then looked around. “Where has Svala gone? I have seen little of her since we arrived.”
“I’ve made sure she has stayed pre-occupied.” Aella gave him a knowing look. “Samantha did not need her presence any more than Cybil did.”
Despite his aunt’s best intentions, he scowled. “So she has been enjoying your male apprentices?”
Aella perked her brows, having nothing to do with his judgment. “She is a dragon with needs and old enough to fulfill them as she sees fit.” Her eyes went to Cybil. “Now see to your woman, Dragon Seer.”
He nodded, scowl still in place until his eyes returned to Cybil. She was chatting with Samantha and his kin as if they had known each other for centuries. Which made him wonder yet again, had their families known each other since the beginning of dragon-kind? If so, how close were they? Did they mate?
When Cybil had the vision of her family’s history, he didn’t sense his bloodline, but then he wasn’t paying as close attention as he should have been. He had been too focused on being her strength whether she knew he was there or not. His eyes met hers and he was about to speak within the mind when Aella and Kjar’s thoughts bombarded him.
Trouble brewed.
It was time to go home.
As they had long done, his aunt and uncle showed no outward distress but remained calm as they rallied the warriors and Aella spoke. “It is time for you to return to the fortress and protect your kin. All is well for now, but as you know and as you have seen, we are facing a new enemy. They are of old rival blood and should be taken more seriously than any other.”
When the men nodded their understanding, Kjar continued. “I can only take a few a special route. The rest will have to travel back the way we came. I suspect it will be even more dangerous than before. Are you up to the challenge?”
All nodded without hesitation.
“Very good,” Kjar said, proud. “Thank you for your bravery. May you be well served in Valhalla if you dine with Odin before us.”
As the men roared their approval, Kjar stemmed his thoughts into the minds of a select few and ordered them to follow. In the meantime, Heidrek took Cybil’s hand and urged her and Samantha to do the same.
“I wish to stay here, Uncle,” Bjorn said to Kjar as they walked to the cliff on which they had arrived. Wind blew harsh and cold, but his cousin was without his fur, his dragon blood stirred to an unnatural degree. “Let me travel back with the other men.” His eyes went to Heidrek. “Allow me to protect them.”
Far less uptight than before, Svala sauntered over, a hungry berserker gleam in her eyes as she scanned the horizon. “I will stay with Bjorn.” She had a wicked look on her face. “We will conquer together, Brother, yes?”
“No.” Bjorn shook his head, a heavy frown in place. “You will go with Kjar and protect the fortress.”
“I will do no such thing,” Svala began but was cut off by Aella.
“You will return to your parent’s side, Dragon.” His aunt’s voice had a bite to it he had never heard before. “You will set aside your selfishness and protect them with your dying breath.”
“Why should I—”
“No more,” Heidrek roared into Svala’s mind so intensely she staggered back a step and bowed her head. “You will do right by your father and mother, by your King and Queen, and come with us now.” When her chin quivered in defiance, and she clenched her fists, he said, “Do you understand, Dragon?”
She released a long, ragged breath before she nodded and spoke aloud. “I understand, Heidrek.”
He did not give her the benefit of a response but nodded at Kjar and Aella. “Whoever you wish to travel with you will.”
Kjar nodded as did Bjorn before his cousin turned away and said over his shoulder, “I will see the men travel well with me—”
“Stop, Bjorn,” Kjar said, cutting him off. Heidrek felt Bjorn’s turmoil as he turned and acknowledged their uncle with a silent, almost hesitant look.
“Aella has strong apprentices that will oversee the men traveling home through the Place of Seers,” Kjar said. “You will return with us to the fortress.”
Bjorn might respect Kjar a great deal, but it didn’t stop his eyes from going to Heidrek and shockingly enough, giving him seniority over their elders. “Is that what you wish, Cousin?”
Heidrek was taken aback by the moment. By the amount of respect the King’s son had just afforded him. It was telling in a way he could barely comprehend let alone respond to. Instead, he just stared at his best friend and battled the fear his cousin’s absolute devotion implied.
A fear that bespoke Heidrek was to become King far sooner than expected.
“It is,” Cybil said softly on behalf of Heidrek. “You should come with us if Kjar and Aella say so, Bjorn.” Her eyes were firm yet kind. “Please.”
Bjorn’s eyes went to hers and stayed there for a long moment before he nodded. “I will go wherever you and Heidrek wish me to, Cybil.”
Cybil nodded and squeezed Heidrek’s hand, snapping him out of the odd place he had fallen into. An area of trepidation that had no room in what he was to become.
“Thank you, Cousin.” He clasped Bjorn’s shoulder and met his eyes. “There can be no better man at our back.”
“So what’s going on?” Samantha murmured as her eyes went to Cybil. “Care to fill me in?”
“I’m not entirely sure yet.” Cybil took her sister’s hand. “What I do know is that we’re heading back to the Viking fortress.”
“All right.” Samantha eyed everything as they moved closer to the cliff’s edge. “Gotta just say, though.” She peered over the steep drop. “This is getting a little crazy.”
“I know.” Cybil met her sister’s eyes. “Just remember, you’re not alone. I’m right here.”
At that moment, Heidrek got a solid sense of the connection between the women not only because it was obvious but through the mind. Cybil had always felt closest to this sister and thought the feeling wasn’t reciprocated.
How wrong she was.
It became clear to him that her overwhelming need to protect her sisters had created a shroud against her truly sensing their emotions. Although Cybil thought she knew them, he suspected she would learn a great deal more as time went on.
Which made him wonder…was he as connected to his cousins and brother as he thought? Or was he shrouded to who they really were as well by his unending need to keep them safe?
“We travel across the Rainbow Bridge via the Place of Seers,” Kjar said, a warning in his voice as he began to summon power. “It will feel different…harsh.”
“Cybil,” Heidrek whispered and pulled her against him as power made the rock begin to vibrate. His eyes met Bjorn’s, and he spoke within the mind. “Help Samantha through this, Cousin.”
Where he might have thought before that Bjorn was trying to avoid Samantha, it was confirmed by the distressed look on his face. Yet when colors whipped around them, the wind grew harsher, and she staggered, his cousin yanked her into his arms and protected her.
Before she could worry, he assured Cybil her sister was saf
e. Bjorn had her. After that, he could barely speak within Cybil’s mind let alone keep hold of her as energy pulled the ground out from beneath them. Colors whipped around them. Every hue caught between Thor’s rain and Odin’s sunshine. Rainbow prisms made of the gods.
Kjar’s god Heimdall’s magic.
By the time everything settled, mist fell and fog shrouded their surroundings, making it impossible to see. But he knew where they were.
Home.
“It is so good to see you, my family,” Naðr’s voice unraveled through the fog before he appeared on the end of the dock, his eyes first on Bjorn before going to Heidrek. “You are safe.”
Heidrek nodded and turned his eyes to Samantha. “And we bring with us another time traveler.”
“I see that.” Naðr didn’t miss the way Bjorn stepped away when Samantha tried to take his hand. She did it for comfort, safety. Well understood given the circumstances. Yet Bjorn acted as though she had stung him.
When silence fell, and Bjorn did not introduce her as he should have, Aunt Megan stepped in. “I’m Megan, you may have heard of me.” She shook Samantha’s hand, and things started to go much smoother as they introduced themselves.
Megan had a way with people, and it showed now as she led Cybil’s sister down the dock, engaging her in conversation that would take her mind off of what had just happened.
“I should go with her,” Cybil started but Naðr shook his head and urged them to join him. “No, your sister will be well in my wife’s company. I promise you that. Please walk with me so that I might hear of your ventures.” His eyes trailed after his son, who strode ahead, his body posture stern even for Bjorn. “And why my son is so opposed to the beauty he arrived with?”
Cybil remained silent as Heidrek filled Naðr in on things the King likely already knew and some he did not, including the history of the original dragon families. By the time he finished speaking, they had reached the end of the dock and Heidrek was swamped by people grateful to see him home safely. Yet others were curious about their loved ones left behind.
So he turned to Cybil, took her hands and met her eyes. “Though I know you desire to stay by my side and comfort our people, I want you to go to your sister and make sure she is well, yes?”
Rise of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 1) Page 22