Star of Daylight (Book Two of the Viking Series)

CHAPTER FIVE - Vander

 As I sat there waiting for Cael to bring the witch, I felt a certain satisfaction. The hall was empty except for the remnants of the morning’s fast. Gnawing on a bone, I thought back to the barmaid who had run from me. After I left the inn, I had slipped around the back of the building to wait and see if she would come out. I could not believe my luck when I saw her heading to shore loaded down with a basket of bedding for washing. A rush of adrenalin shot through me at the sight of her.

As quietly as I could, I stalked my prey. The best part of the game was the chase. She had no inkling that I was behind her. Avoiding stray sticks that would make a noise loud enough for her to hear, I stayed a good distance behind her, going from tree to tree. She was humming a tune softly, caressing each note of a melody I recalled from my boyhood, unsuspecting and docile in her security. Her golden locks bounced on her supple back, and her hips swayed side to side, tantalizing me.

I had a feeling I would enjoy subduing her more than all the others. I could envision my Kata in her features. She was just about her height and if I did not look into her blue eyes, I could replace them in my mind with Kata’s brown ones. A thrill shot through me, vibrating to my core. I knew I had to have her; not because she rejected me, but because through her I could master my sister. I was training for the prize after all.

She joined a group of women doing the same chores, and I hung back by the edge of the trees watching her. She was a bit too feminine, doing woman’s work as she was, but I watched her and imagined Kata on the battlefield that day. In comparison, this silly girl would not be much of a challenge, but she would react to me the way I wished Kata would. I would make her, and then break her.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking. Too lazy to get up and answer the door, I simply hollered, “Enter!” Cael walked into the room with an old woman in tow. She looked like she had seen better days. Her green cloak was in tatters and her hair was stone gray and wild. Her eyes, when they met mine, were piercing and as green as the first grass of spring, but her weathered face appeared incongruous with those knowing shards.

“Milord, this is the woman I told you about.” Cael wasted no time in informing me. “Her name is Madhbh.” (Maeve)

I rose to my feet, something telling me I must act delicately with the old hag. Rather than take her hand, I bowed to her. I figured respect would ingratiate me to her faster than my usual bellows. I needed her help, and I knew it. She smiled at me, and the toothless gap produced was rather comical and I smiled at her in return.

“Thank you for agreeing to see me, Madhbh.” I gestured for her to sit, but she just shook her head.

“Och weel, ‘tis time for us ta get on wi’ it. We mus’ be off, laddie.” With that, she walked down the hall and all I could do was trail behind her. It rankled, her calling me boy, but I held a tight rein on my temper. There was time enough to kill her when this was all over. I had a feeling that killing her would bore me, but her disrespect was enough to push me forward.

She shuffled rather than walked, but she was headed in the right direction. It gave me chills when she stopped in front of Kata’s room, but her comment had my heart racing. “Ye’ll find them in here, laddie.”

I wanted to cross the threshold, but fear still held me back, though I would never admit it to the witch. She probably knew anyway. Looking her way, I found her eyes upon me. Much sharper than I intended, I barked out, “What!”

She just shrugged at me and said, “She is no’ in there, laddie. She is wi’ ye.”

“What do you mean?” The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Kata haunted my dreams and almost all of my waking thoughts. It made me angry to think she was the one tormenting me. I could not believe that she would have the courage to face me again, running away like she did.