Read Online Vengeance Hammer (Viking Vengeance) by Jianne Carlo - Free Book Online
Authors: Jianne Carlo
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away a clump of brackish seaweed tangled around his soaked boot, and stomped to a halt in front of the two men.
“Why are you here? What is so amiss you risk the life of your wife and the child she carries?” Dráddør asked.
“Good Morn, brother. ’Tis many moons since we last broke bread together.” Nyssa leaned forward and pecked Dráddør’s cheek.
“He knows full well ’tis not a paltry visit, woman. Tell him the all of it,” Konáll growled.
“We came to help you,” Nyssa replied. “You have need of us.”
Dráddør shook his head. “Nay. All is in hand. I have claimed the title and wed and bedded the heiress to the lands. I have no need of either of you. What sent you here? Nyssa, you are full with child. Risk you your babe? For the Winterfylleth is nigh upon us and one storm can see you here for the season.”
“I have been asking those same questions of my wife,” Konáll snarled.
Nyssa sent her husband a petulant, narrow-eyed scowl. “And I have told you time and time again, Dráddør needs us. Mús said so.”
“My wife stowed away on the langskip. Sweetly pretended to see me off on the journey she insisted I make.” He glared at his wife. “I should tar your arse.” Konáll looked ready to howl in frustration.
“Mús said Dráddør needed my healing powers.” Nyssa’s mouth pursed.
“So you say. But I ne’er saw Mús. Mayhap you lie in that too,” Konáll snapped.
“I did not lie. Mayhap I had forgotten to mention some few piddling matters—”
“Piddling? You call our babe, piddling?” Konáll roared.
Dráddør could make no sense of anything either of them shouted.
“By Freya, you are a stubborn man. Would Mús send me on an ill-fated journey when I am so close to birthing your heir?” Nyssa smacked Konáll’s shoulder.
“I vow, I will ne’er allow any female to lead me by the cock,” Dráddør muttered in a low aside to Tighe.
“Think you because I carry a child I have lost my hearing, Dráddør?” Nyssa barked. “As for you, Konáll, put me down at once.”
Konáll glowered at Nyssa. “I should paddle your arse.”
Cheeks glowing, Nyssa pressed her lips together, and gave a defiant jerk of her chin. The piercing stare she threw Konáll fair bellowed for him to try. “I am the daughter of a goddess. Think you carrying a babe weakens me?”
Tighe cleared his throat. “Mayhap we could continue this…discussion in the great hall?”
Nyssa stabbed Konáll’s chest with her finger. “The highlander is the only one here who speaks any sense. Put me down.”
Konáll shifted Nyssa as if weighing her words. “You will walk at a slow pace. No running. No leaping o’er rocks or walls.”
Nyssa fluttered her lashes, and smiled. “Of course, husband. Do I not always obey your every command?”
Tighe made a strangled sound somewhere between a chortle and a cough.
“The tide rises. Either you return to your langskip or we must climb. ’Tis a steep path, safe only for one at a time.” Dráddør winced at Nyssa’s triumphant grin. He knew of Konáll’s penchant for carrying his wife since her pregnancy. A penchant she fought with every breath.
“Husband, I give you my oath. I will take every care on the journey to the keep.”
Dráddør stifled a snort. Nyssa’s demure tone fooled neither him nor Konáll who scowled, but slowly and carefully, slid his wife to the rocky strip that counted as a beach at low tide.
A whistling breeze sent Nyssa’s skirts flapping and the warriors’ cloaks flying.
“The storm fast approaches.” Tighe swept a glance at the dense carpet of clouds concealing the sky. “We must make haste.”
“Follow me.” Dráddør picked his way across the rocks. Before they arrived at the hidden steps carved into the cliff’s base, a rolling bank of charred clouds shrouded the sun. Deep shadows engulfed the tiny bay. Sudden powerful gusts whipped the foam from the white-capped waves thundering against fallen boulders.
They
“Why are you here? What is so amiss you risk the life of your wife and the child she carries?” Dráddør asked.
“Good Morn, brother. ’Tis many moons since we last broke bread together.” Nyssa leaned forward and pecked Dráddør’s cheek.
“He knows full well ’tis not a paltry visit, woman. Tell him the all of it,” Konáll growled.
“We came to help you,” Nyssa replied. “You have need of us.”
Dráddør shook his head. “Nay. All is in hand. I have claimed the title and wed and bedded the heiress to the lands. I have no need of either of you. What sent you here? Nyssa, you are full with child. Risk you your babe? For the Winterfylleth is nigh upon us and one storm can see you here for the season.”
“I have been asking those same questions of my wife,” Konáll snarled.
Nyssa sent her husband a petulant, narrow-eyed scowl. “And I have told you time and time again, Dráddør needs us. Mús said so.”
“My wife stowed away on the langskip. Sweetly pretended to see me off on the journey she insisted I make.” He glared at his wife. “I should tar your arse.” Konáll looked ready to howl in frustration.
“Mús said Dráddør needed my healing powers.” Nyssa’s mouth pursed.
“So you say. But I ne’er saw Mús. Mayhap you lie in that too,” Konáll snapped.
“I did not lie. Mayhap I had forgotten to mention some few piddling matters—”
“Piddling? You call our babe, piddling?” Konáll roared.
Dráddør could make no sense of anything either of them shouted.
“By Freya, you are a stubborn man. Would Mús send me on an ill-fated journey when I am so close to birthing your heir?” Nyssa smacked Konáll’s shoulder.
“I vow, I will ne’er allow any female to lead me by the cock,” Dráddør muttered in a low aside to Tighe.
“Think you because I carry a child I have lost my hearing, Dráddør?” Nyssa barked. “As for you, Konáll, put me down at once.”
Konáll glowered at Nyssa. “I should paddle your arse.”
Cheeks glowing, Nyssa pressed her lips together, and gave a defiant jerk of her chin. The piercing stare she threw Konáll fair bellowed for him to try. “I am the daughter of a goddess. Think you carrying a babe weakens me?”
Tighe cleared his throat. “Mayhap we could continue this…discussion in the great hall?”
Nyssa stabbed Konáll’s chest with her finger. “The highlander is the only one here who speaks any sense. Put me down.”
Konáll shifted Nyssa as if weighing her words. “You will walk at a slow pace. No running. No leaping o’er rocks or walls.”
Nyssa fluttered her lashes, and smiled. “Of course, husband. Do I not always obey your every command?”
Tighe made a strangled sound somewhere between a chortle and a cough.
“The tide rises. Either you return to your langskip or we must climb. ’Tis a steep path, safe only for one at a time.” Dráddør winced at Nyssa’s triumphant grin. He knew of Konáll’s penchant for carrying his wife since her pregnancy. A penchant she fought with every breath.
“Husband, I give you my oath. I will take every care on the journey to the keep.”
Dráddør stifled a snort. Nyssa’s demure tone fooled neither him nor Konáll who scowled, but slowly and carefully, slid his wife to the rocky strip that counted as a beach at low tide.
A whistling breeze sent Nyssa’s skirts flapping and the warriors’ cloaks flying.
“The storm fast approaches.” Tighe swept a glance at the dense carpet of clouds concealing the sky. “We must make haste.”
“Follow me.” Dráddør picked his way across the rocks. Before they arrived at the hidden steps carved into the cliff’s base, a rolling bank of charred clouds shrouded the sun. Deep shadows engulfed the tiny bay. Sudden powerful gusts whipped the foam from the white-capped waves thundering against fallen boulders.
They
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