Fault (Book 1 of the Vikings Series)

Chapter 27

Vern

I take one last glance at the ocean and follow the rest of our hunting party back to the village. Once we get inside, Elin and Kori disappear into their house and Welch and I sit by the fire. I try to shake off what Kori had said but it doesn’t work.
“What’s with you?” Welch asks.
“What do you mean?”
Welch scoffs. “Yeah, as if I don’t have a clue when you’re overthinking something. I’ve known you since we were two you idiot.”
I roll my eyes.
“Why do you think Kori hates us so much?”
Welch lets out a long cruel laugh.
“Ha, you think that I haven’t spent the past three months trying to figure that out?”
“Well I could give you a few reasons she’s ignoring you,” I grin. Welch’s eyes narrow and he punches me in the arm.
“You’re just lucky Elin is too nice to ditch you,” Welch replies.
Max runs up behind Welch and smacks his shoulders.
“Who’s ditching who? Well, besides you know who and well, you,” Max laughs. Welch moves away from him.
“I’m not doing it!”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard Welch say something so resolute.
“Not an option,” Max shakes his head. “It’s the game. You started it.”
Welch groans miserably.
“Don’t worry, I would tell you it could be worse, but frankly, it couldn’t be,” Max laughs.
Maverick and Kori appear seconds later.
“We need to get down to the village. Thorgar will be waiting,” Kori announces. She tosses Max a long bison horn.
“Get everybody down to the great hall. Thorgar wouldn’t want us down there if he didn’t have something important to tell us.”

I sit next to Elin in the great hall and get lost in the roar of voices. Almost all the warriors are jammed onto the long lines of tables as the feast is served. Everyone eats and drinks, all except one. Welch sits silent between Kori and Briar across the table. He hasn’t touched any of his food, nor spoken a word. Max sits on the other side of Briar and pokes Welch in the shoulder. He gives him a small nod.
“After the speech,” Max says.
Welch merely nods.
Almost as if on cue, Thorgar stands at the front of the room. Instantly, the room quiets.
“You have all spent months up on the mountain with the promise that when the ice melts, you will sail. The time has now come for the boats to leave. Within a week, the boats will leave the harbor and you will claim new riches for Antrapar. One last task stands between you and Raid. Each of you will speak to the seer. He will give you the position that the gods wish for you to fill. But tonight is a night of celebration. After months of training, you are ready.”
The room erupts into a chorus of cheers. Thorgar returns to his seat and the conversation begins once again. I pick up my drink and turn my attention back to the table. Suddenly, Welch stands up on the bench, pulling Kori up with him in the process. All the heads around me whirl to watch the spectacle. Elin clenches her fists beside me.
Welch wraps a hand around the shield maiden’s waist and pulls her close. He pauses for a split second, not giving Kori any time to react. Welch leans in and presses his lips against hers. Max claps and Maverick buries his head in his hands. I don’t know how to react and I get the feeling Kori feels the same way. She pulls away and just stares at Welch for a moment, eyes wide. Her glance suddenly turns to all the people watching and she pushes away from Welch, completely embarrassed. Kori hops off the bench and sprints away from the hall. Elin’s gone in a split second, already following her away from the great hall. Max slaps Welch on the back as soon as he sits back down. His expression is completely unreadable.
“Well done!”
Welch turns on Max, instantly furious.
“That wasn’t funny!”
“Oh come on, you can’t actually like my sister.”
Welch stands up.
“I don’t know, but the chances of her ever liking me just became nonexistent.”
My friend leaves the great hall in the direction the two girls had gone.