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LOOOOL REY
“Do not get comfortable,” said Jonas, turning back to his carving. A coarse laugh fell from her lips. “Oh, but being bound to a tree and having my life threatened is such a comfort.” “Some women enjoy the rope.”
Bruh
I love him. I love him and will not leave. I love him and will doom you and your brother to this misery. This was love. It made a person selfish. It enthralled them. Made them walk to their own doom. He looked at his mother, his chest burning with hatred. Love was nothing but a weapon to be used against you. It was safer to be alone. Jonas’s heart hardened, and he made a silent vow to himself: This will never be you.
Jonas 😭
He glanced up. Hekla and Silla walked toward them, smiles painted broadly across their faces. As Silla tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, she stumbled over a rock. With a laugh, she turned back toward the rock. Jonas choked as he heard the word sorry leave her lips. “Malla’s tits,” muttered Rey, dragging a hand down his face. “Tell me she did not just apologize to a rock.”
With a shaky exhale, Silla took a sip of ale. “Where is Rey?” she asked to change the subject. “Meeting a friend,” said Jonas. “A friend?” laughed Silla. “What, is there a gate to the eternal fires somewhere nearby?”
🤣🤣🤣
“What?” “You fell apart. Did not even try to draw your dagger. All of that practice with Hekla, I thought you’d do better.” It took a moment for his words to sink in. “You watched it?” She stepped toward him, anger licking up her limbs, replacing the numbness with searing heat. “You watched it, and you did not kill that…that thing?” “I had my handaxe trained on it the whole time.” She was seething. “I thought I was going to die! I believed myself dead!” “The beast had followed us for three hours. I wanted to see what you could do on your own.” He shook his head. “Disappointing.” “You let it
...more
Rey was laughing. Eyes crinkled. White teeth. Dimples. Dimples. The combination was like a punch to her gut. Blood rushing around in her head, lips parted, she stared. Tried to comprehend what she was seeing. It made no sense. But when Rey was not scowling at her—when this man smiled—she could not look away.
Finally, Rey’s laughter halted, and he gripped her by the shoulders, drawing her gaze to his deep-brown eyes. Her heart thudded. She forgot how to breathe. “Next time, do that to the deer, you fool.” He pulled himself up and walked back toward Horse.
“Why did that assassin attack you?” Rey demanded. “Has this something to do with what happened at Skarstad? Does someone wish you dead?” Her mouth dropped open, her eyes widening. “Me?” she asked in a high voice. “I thought it quite clear it was you she attacked, Axe Eyes.”
Kitchen workers arrived and laid food upon the table—trenchers of spit-roasted boar, grilled trout, butter-roasted turnips and carrots, whole roasted chickens stuffed with wild herbs, sliced bread served with butter, soft cheeses, skyr, and honey, and, to Silla’s absolute delight, freshly baked sweet rolls.
Asger placed a hand on her shoulder, but Jonas swatted it away. “Don’t touch her.”
LOL
Jonas leaned back, his head thunking against the wall. “I made a mistake.” “Mistake?” “I’ve fought it for days, Silla. All night. I cannot stop.” Silla watched his throat bob, unsure of what to say. “Fought what?” she managed at last. “You’ve broken me…bewitched me…I know nothing except that I am miserable. All I can think of are your lips, the smell of your hair. How you felt in my arms, the way you made me feel so alive.”
Okay it’s sweet but nobody can “you’ve bewitched me” harder than Mr. Darcy okay
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You shouldn’t be with other men. You belong with me.” Her insides were unfurling with each word spoken, and at last, Silla let her eyes meet his. Blue, blue, blue. “What do you mean, ‘belong’?” she asked softly. “It means whatever you want it to.”
“I wanted to tell you”—she panted—“there are no pockets in my dress. It is quite impractical. I thought you’d approve.” “I’ve changed my mind about your dresses,” he said, lifting his head. “What?” He fingered the embroidery along her neckline. “Keep the dowdy dresses, Silla. I wanted to punch every man that looked upon you tonight.” His fingers grappled with the lacings. “Let us take it off now and throw it into the fire.”
🤣🤣🤣
“You frowned. What does that mean? Did he not please you?” “Oh, no. He pleased me…many times.” Silla clapped a hand over her mouth in regret. But Hekla doubled over with laughter, and it was contagious. Silla’s own laughter bubbled up, and soon the two of them were shaking. Gaze darting toward the fire, Silla found five sets of eyes looking their way.
This imagery is cracking me up 🤣
All night, sleep eluded her. By morning, the sky swirled, and she was falling…falling into a terrifyingly deep, dark abyss, where there was nothing…nothing to grab to slow her plummet, to ease this plunge. It was dark and empty and hollow, like her, because Silla was nothing but a vessel…a vessel for those damned leaves…an empty thing filled with lies.
Jonas pinned his brother with a murderous look. “Don’t be an arse, Il. The girl burns with fever, and all you can think of is your damned daymeal?” Ilías sent him a pointed look. “It was a joke, Jonas. Learn how to take one.” “I know how to take a joke. Learn how to tell one.”
Ah classic
“Dúlla. Tell me Jonas is not Asger. Oh, gods. He pleased me…many times.” Hekla dragged a hand down her face. “It makes sense now.” “In my defense, there was a man named Asger,” murmured Silla, guilt prickling her stomach. “Jonas threatened to smash his face in.” “Silla!” exclaimed Hekla, her eyes narrowing on her. “How could you keep all this from me on this boring road where nothing exciting ever happens? I thought us friends.”
I love Hekla 🤣
“So Jonas has been nailing our Hammer,” boomed Gunnar. Sigrún made a quick succession of hand gestures. Ilías interpreted. “Sigrún asks how many strokes of his axe did it take?” “Pawed by the Wolf, and yet you live,” Gunnar added. “Did he make you howl?” The Crew erupted in laughter.
GUNNAR 🤣🤣🤣
“Not killing you when I discovered you in our wagon will be a thing I regret until my last breath.”
REYYYYYY 😭😭😭😭😭 fucking gut punch bro
Selfless Silla. The name was a mockery. She’d kept the truth from him, even after he’d saved her in Skutur. She was a dishonest woman. A selfish woman. Jonas’s blood simmered. She had made a fool of him. Had shredded his dreams into tattered ribbons. She was Eisa Volsik. And Eisa Volsik was not his.
This is the most valid crashout honestly
He knew what it was just from the feel of it—grooves he’d carved himself into the smooth wooden surface. It was the talisman he’d given to Silla. The strap was not torn. She’d taken it off.
Oh fuck 😬
“You helped me through the grief of losing my father,” she said, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “Let me help you with yours.” She set the cloth aside and drew Jonas into the furs, curving her body against his. She whispered soothing things in his ear, caressed his chest with a soft, relaxing touch. But eventually, her movements stilled and her breaths fell to slow, rhythmic pulls. Jonas stared at her for a long time in the darkness. She sleeps without care while Ilías’s corpse rots. He wanted to wrap his hands around her neck, to squeeze the air from her lungs.
This is my first time reading lovers to enemies and I’m GRIPPED
A twinge of remorse wriggled in his chest. He’d let his anger get the best of him, had unfairly placed the blame on her shoulders. He could have been kinder, could have been softer. Could have told her that death was the risk a warrior takes. That Ilías had died with honor, that it was the best kind of death a warrior could hope for. Could have told her the blame rested on Rey’s shoulders more than her own.
Jonas’s brows furrowed. “Why did you not trust me, Silla? Why did you lie to me over and over? You could not even tell me your name?” His fingers dug into her shoulders, his eyes growing dark. “I told you everything. I bared my soul to you. You were mine, and you owed me the truth—to tell me everything. But you just lied.”
IT SUCKS BUT ITS SO VALID
“What, this?” asked Rey, flicking a wrist. In the blink of an eye, his smoke shattered into twenty-two tangled wisps that pulsed and thickened, embers snapping within. “This is death coming for you.”
WHAT THE HELL WHAT THE HELLL WHAAAAAAAT!
Her vision cleared, landing on the tapestries hung above the fireplace. From this angle, she could see them more clearly. Hair. They were woven from human hair. Reds, golds, browns, blacks—a multitude of samples twined together and mounted above the hearth like trophies. How
Holy crap this book can be so grim
His eyes fell upon her forearms. Taking her wrist gently in his hand, Rey turned it over to examine the light. She braced herself as his gaze slid up, holding hers for several anguished seconds. “You truly are filled with sunshine, aren’t you?” he said at last, an almost-smile twitching his lips.
*dies*
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“I know you’re trying to cheer me, Rey,” she said with quiet gratitude. “But if you are serious in this task, you should let me steer.” “Steer?” “Give me the reins. Let me direct Horse.” “Not a chance.” He glowered, grip tightening. “If your sense of direction is anything like your common sense, you’ll have us lost in an hour.” “We’re in a canyon!” she said, affronted. “There is only one path to take!” “No,” was his stern answer.
Annnnd back at it 🤣🤣
