More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Jael had a fierce temper, and this was to be the ultimate humiliation of her, and, by extension, her whole family,
Um… she’s his niece so… wouldn’t this also humiliate him?
But Lothar had to say something or the moment would be lost to him. The Andalans sitting on their cold benches, looking up at their king would soon start to wonder what power he truly had over any of them.
Because he couldn’t goad his niece into losing her temper? That makes no sense.
Gisila glanced at her daughter. ‘Your brother will have something to say about this, I’m sure.’
So what if he has something to say? He let his uncle take his crown. What he has to say doesn’t matter.
Running her hands through her long dark hair, mostly tied up in messy braids,
So how is she running her hands through it if it’s mostly in braids? I hope this obvious discrepancy isn’t going to be a recurring theme…
‘You think you’d make a better husband than Eadmund the Drunkard?
Funny how she’s saying this to another drunk…
I’d hate for you to lose another member of your dwindling family.’
How is it dwindling when only her father is gone?
Jael spun around to see the door hanging open in his wake.
He left the door open like he pay the power bill up in there! What! Nope. It’s good that he’s been dumped, inadvertently.
‘You and Lothar are very friendly,’ Axl said, joining his sister. ‘Especially since Rinda died.’
Oh wow…
No, I do what I must to protect us all. It isn’t easy, but what choice do I have? What choice do any of us have?’
And that sounds like you’re doing more than you’re saying.
Jael could feel his wet cheeks and the damp bristles of his beard on her lips as she kissed him back.
Aw! 😢
Who knows, me on Oss might mean a way back to Brekka for all of us?’
Nope.i have the feeling poor Alek is about to be murdered…
Evaine Gallas swung around in a fit of madness and raced towards her father.
Must be the other woman. The one that’s actually in love with Eadmund.
‘So, have you heard Evaine sobbing, then?’ Thorgils grinned as they ambled down the narrow alley. ‘I imagine she’s crying and raging somewhere nearby.’ ‘Do you think she knows?’ Eadmund wondered, his eyes darting about.
So… he’s also stupid? Thorik basically just implied that she knows by saying she was crying!
You were one stroke away from being a one-armed man until I arrived and cut her down.’
Cut her down, yet she’s alive and well and your future bride…
He obviously didn’t want to be found.
He’s dead, boo. Or locked up somewhere until you leave.
Dressed in her dead brother’s tunic and trousers,
Ah, ok. So two deceased family members already. Diminishing though? They seem to have passed away with a reasonable enough time between them like normal.
‘He’s not missing!’ Jael snapped. ‘He’s gone off hunting, that’s all. That’s not missing. He’s coming back.’ She stopped, glaring at her brother. ‘He’ll come back in time. I know him.’
So everyone is facing the obvious except her then… missing.
Enough to know that the only place being saved for you in Vidar’s Hall is as one of his servants!’
Yeah, I was getting Viking/Nordic like vibes with these names and descriptions… guessing that’s what we’re supposed to envision of this world then. I like it.
And then she knew, and she rushed towards the man, who, looking up, saw her and dropped his hood. Aleksander.
Oh, well. Glad he’s not been killed. But now I want to know what her uncle had planned then, to ensure the wedding took place.
His eyes were red-rimmed and sunken, his lips scabbed, his fingernails bloody.
Please don’t tell me he’s going to end up being one of the bad guys over a lost love…
I couldn’t ask Edela to help me, and you wouldn’t tell me what she saw for us. Not all of it. I had to know what would happen myself.’
Yeah, I think he’s going to be a bad guy… that’s why granny didn’t like him for her.
His wild, painful dreams had been scarred by dark images; warnings of horrors to come. He didn’t understand most of them, but he knew that he had to keep them from Jael.
He kills the child.
‘Yes, a little girl,’ Aleksander said sadly. ‘Just like you. I saw you holding her hand. Introducing her to me.’
Something is wrong with the way he’s saying that…
She closed her eyes, imagining herself standing in the mucky gore of a battlefield, swinging her sword in a wild, blood-making fury.
But not envisioning who would be ruling Brekkas or anything more important and bigger than yourself. 27 years old, not a teenager. And a princess warrior.
Jael burst into tears, feeling a loss of control for the first time since her father had died. The pain was overwhelming. ‘I’m coming back,’ she whispered, more to herself than Aleksander. ‘I’m coming back. If I have to kill the lot of them, I’m coming back to you.’
And she’s the dummy for not going to ask Edela about that coming back shit.
He knew that he would see Jael again, but what would happen between now and then would change them both forever.
Evil. I knew it.
She thought about revealing Aleksander’s visit to the Widow but changed her mind, deciding that it was best to keep that information to herself; hoping that his visions would prove more accurate than her grandmother’s.
Idiot. She’s your blood. He’s not. Nor is the widow. So loyalties should have been obvious here.
How had it ended up there? Who had placed it in front of him?
Exactly!
The mead bucket passed by again and the girl, smiling at Eadmund, lifted up the ladle, just as he reached out his cup.
Someone should punish her…
‘Yes, he is,’ Edela agreed. ‘Much worse. But now he has you, and you can help him.’ Jael snorted. ‘And why would I want to do that?’
Because he’ll be your husband and his behavior will reflect upon you?
‘He made us go around the ice lake, you see, whereas I wanted to go across it. I was reckless, excitable, looking for adventure.
Please don’t tell me he’s going to died saving her…
brother had dragged me out and thrown me onto the ice, but the cold took his limbs, and he drowned before they could reach him.’
I knew it! Bad ass hard headed ass kids! Always causing trouble. RIP big brother. You did right by your bad ass little sister.
She glanced around, looking for something to drink, swallowing repeatedly, a burning sensation in her throat.
Did Biddy put something in her milk?
She shivered into the main room, searching for her cloak and boots. Thankfully, Biddy had them warming by the fire, and Jael sat down on a stool to put them on.
So Biddy should have also put some clothes out…
‘You must listen to Aleksander.
I don’t think that’s a good idea…
Talk of patience, of hiding in the shadows, did nothing to quell his desire for vengeance and victory against Lothar. He admired, even loved his sister, but she was no longer part of Brekka’s future so he would not be dictated to by her or Aleksander.
Oh, he’s going to die soon.
She’d always thought that it was her job to protect him, but she was wrong.
Didn’t he himself say something along the lines of them having no one to protect them when she left?
She was wrapped in a white cloak, which flapped angrily about her like the wings of a gull.
Elaine? Why wouldn’t she warn her granddaughter about her?
From the bottom of the hill, Jael watched the struggle to get her grandmother into the ship. She looked ill and frightened, desperately turning back to shore in the hope that she could remain. Jael closed her eyes, calling on Eseld, Goddess of Travellers, to keep them all safe.
Oh, she’s just an idiot then. There is no way in held her actions could have been misconstrued like that and dismissed by Jael, especially after just saying how observant she was with Evaine.
spying Evaine standing on the hill.
Yep. Thought so with the white cloak.
They needed to keep Eirik happy, and Evaine did not seem to understand the importance of her role in that. The older she got, the harder she was to control.
Oh, so they are both evil.
‘Our alliance depends upon this marriage, so ensure that your daughter has no part in it or she’ll be gone. Understood?’
All this is being said right now front of Jael?
‘Well, hopefully, I’ll only have to look at her in the dark,’ Eadmund laughed, struggling to his feet. He frowned, then, overcome with the need to sit back down.
Is she doing this to him?
We’ll need to find ways to keep them ready for battle, otherwise, they’ll just spend the winter drinking and humping and be little use come spring.’ Morac’s eyes drifted towards Eadmund. Eirik frowned, noticing. ‘Well, I’ve come up with an idea for that.’
Yeah, have Jael training them. Lol
So, there you go, a very good reason for Ivaar to grow up hating Eadmund.’ ‘Indeed, who could blame him?’
No it’s not! He had nothing to do with anything!
and his daughter came to Oss with him. Melaena.’ He rolled his big blue eyes.
So she wasn’t even all that?
‘And they were married,’ Thorgils said sadly. ‘And Melaena died that very same night.’
So why is he acting like they were together for a long ass time!
‘Poisoned wine.’ ‘So, everyone assumed that Ivaar had done it?’
Probably Evaine…
‘There’s hot food!’ Thorgils smiled,
Take that boys food in the damn winter.
Thorgils took the bowls and started ladling in the steaming stew.
Why left him do it? He’s going to take too much! And I thought I would like Thorgils…
