Read Online Odin's Shadow (Sons Of Odin Book 1) (9th Century Viking Romance) by Erin S. Riley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Erin S. Riley
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Adult, Historical Romance, Brothers, Ireland, secrets, Norway, Viking, 9th Century, Viking Ship, Hasty Marriage, Irish Bride, Viking Warlord Husband
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his meaning. But what if she guessed incorrectly? She didn’t want to do anything to bring his wrath upon her. And even more frustrating than not understanding much of what he said, was not having the words to explain herself to him.
Above the wind, she heard the Finngalls calling out to each other and she understood one word out of every three or four. She had to learn the language as quickly as possible. To do that she would need Ulfrik's help. Although a few of the other men also spoke Irish, he seemed to be the most fluent. He had already shown her a bit of kindness, and he didn't stare at her the way other men did.
Surely he would be willing to teach her. Whether or not her husband would allow it was the more important question. She would have to tread very carefully to ensure Alrik wouldn't think she had an ulterior interest in his brother.
Selia made her way toward them. She squeezed past the two horses that pawed at the deck with nervous hooves, keeping her gaze lowered as she passed the men. Ulfrik saw her first and motioned to Alrik, who turned as she approached.
His scowl looked like a thundercloud. "Didn't I tell you to stay out of the way?"
Selia ignored her impulse to run back to her tent. Instead she looked Alrik directly in the eye and forced herself to smile. It worked, surprisingly enough; his face relaxed and he chuckled. Eithne had been right about that after all.
Selia turned to Ulfrik. "Tell him I want to be a good wife to him, so I need to learn Norse. Ask him if it would be all right if you taught me."
Alrik smirked down at Selia as his brother translated. "You don't have to speak to be a good wife, little one."
Ulfrik appeared hesitant to translate this, but she understood Alrik's meaning from the way he was looking at her. She flushed. But then Alrik waved his hand, effectively dismissing them. "Teach her, brother. Just stay where I can see you."
Selia spent the remainder of the day with Ulfrik, on the deck in front of her little tent. Wary of his brother's jealousy, Ulfrik sat as far from her as he could while still being able to hear her over the wind.
He was a good choice of teachers, patient with her even when she lost focus, and Selia liked his dry sense of humor. She found she enjoyed his company. But it was impossible to tell if Ulfrik enjoyed the lessons himself or if he was indifferent, since he revealed very little emotion on his face. So unlike his brother.
The hours flew by as Selia willed herself to soak up every word he spoke. They had begun with simple things but moved on quickly to more complex thoughts and difficult sentence structures. It was as though Ulfrik also understood the urgency of her request to improve her Norse.
However, the more tired she became, the more her mind wandered away from the lessons, and for the third time she found herself snapping back to attention. Had he noticed? Feigning a headache, she closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed her temples. When she opened them again Ulfrik was watching her.
"We should stop for today," he said in Irish.
She shook her head. "Speak Norse to me," she reminded him. “I must learn.”
"Selia . . . how is it that you spoke some Norse already? You did not live close enough to Dubhlinn to have heard much of it."
"Ainnileas taught me. My brother," she explained. He had been a terrible teacher, nothing like Ulfrik. "He would go to Dubhlinn with our father and whenever he learned a new word he would teach me."
"But I spoke to your brother. I'm sure he did not know as much Norse as you do."
Selia made a face. "That's because he doesn't remember anything. I would make him tell me as soon as he came home because he would forget by the next day."
"But you would not?"
"No," she said in Norse. "I remember all."
"'Everything,’" he corrected. "'I remember everything.'" Ulfrik studied her as he continued in Irish. "What language was your brother speaking to you the night we came to your house? It did not sound like
Above the wind, she heard the Finngalls calling out to each other and she understood one word out of every three or four. She had to learn the language as quickly as possible. To do that she would need Ulfrik's help. Although a few of the other men also spoke Irish, he seemed to be the most fluent. He had already shown her a bit of kindness, and he didn't stare at her the way other men did.
Surely he would be willing to teach her. Whether or not her husband would allow it was the more important question. She would have to tread very carefully to ensure Alrik wouldn't think she had an ulterior interest in his brother.
Selia made her way toward them. She squeezed past the two horses that pawed at the deck with nervous hooves, keeping her gaze lowered as she passed the men. Ulfrik saw her first and motioned to Alrik, who turned as she approached.
His scowl looked like a thundercloud. "Didn't I tell you to stay out of the way?"
Selia ignored her impulse to run back to her tent. Instead she looked Alrik directly in the eye and forced herself to smile. It worked, surprisingly enough; his face relaxed and he chuckled. Eithne had been right about that after all.
Selia turned to Ulfrik. "Tell him I want to be a good wife to him, so I need to learn Norse. Ask him if it would be all right if you taught me."
Alrik smirked down at Selia as his brother translated. "You don't have to speak to be a good wife, little one."
Ulfrik appeared hesitant to translate this, but she understood Alrik's meaning from the way he was looking at her. She flushed. But then Alrik waved his hand, effectively dismissing them. "Teach her, brother. Just stay where I can see you."
Selia spent the remainder of the day with Ulfrik, on the deck in front of her little tent. Wary of his brother's jealousy, Ulfrik sat as far from her as he could while still being able to hear her over the wind.
He was a good choice of teachers, patient with her even when she lost focus, and Selia liked his dry sense of humor. She found she enjoyed his company. But it was impossible to tell if Ulfrik enjoyed the lessons himself or if he was indifferent, since he revealed very little emotion on his face. So unlike his brother.
The hours flew by as Selia willed herself to soak up every word he spoke. They had begun with simple things but moved on quickly to more complex thoughts and difficult sentence structures. It was as though Ulfrik also understood the urgency of her request to improve her Norse.
However, the more tired she became, the more her mind wandered away from the lessons, and for the third time she found herself snapping back to attention. Had he noticed? Feigning a headache, she closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed her temples. When she opened them again Ulfrik was watching her.
"We should stop for today," he said in Irish.
She shook her head. "Speak Norse to me," she reminded him. “I must learn.”
"Selia . . . how is it that you spoke some Norse already? You did not live close enough to Dubhlinn to have heard much of it."
"Ainnileas taught me. My brother," she explained. He had been a terrible teacher, nothing like Ulfrik. "He would go to Dubhlinn with our father and whenever he learned a new word he would teach me."
"But I spoke to your brother. I'm sure he did not know as much Norse as you do."
Selia made a face. "That's because he doesn't remember anything. I would make him tell me as soon as he came home because he would forget by the next day."
"But you would not?"
"No," she said in Norse. "I remember all."
"'Everything,’" he corrected. "'I remember everything.'" Ulfrik studied her as he continued in Irish. "What language was your brother speaking to you the night we came to your house? It did not sound like
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