Read Beyond the Sea Mist Online
Authors: Mary Gillgannon
Beyond the Sea Mist (37 page)
“You make me sound like a hero in a bard’s tale,” Ailinn said, blushing. Her hand in his hair stilled. “Does it ever bother you that I’ve killed two men?”
Magnus guffawed. “Only two? What about Croa? He might have survived for a time if you hadn’t pushed him overboard.”
“Nay, seriously. Brina once called me bloodthirsty. Is that the way you see me?”
“Well, you are very fierce sometimes. But only when you’re protecting yourself or those you care about. I can find no fault with that. Everything you’ve done, I would have done myself, if I were in those circumstances.” He sat up and looked her in the eyes. “I was a little unsettled by your bold nature in the beginning. But then I realized if you were a man, I would admire that quality. I decided there was no reason it wasn’t equally admirable in a woman.”
“And you don’t think of me as unfeminine?”
“You? Unfeminine?” Magnus chortled. “I think you’re the most dainty and lovely of women. Besides...” He reached to caress her face. “All I have to do is touch you, and you turn from a wild Valkerie into a little puff of swansdown. You always yield when I’m inside of you.”
His voice held the husky warmth that never failed to make her catch her breath. She gazed into his blue, blue eyes and wondered if they had time for another bout of loveplay before they had to go back.
He kissed her deeply, and she’d decided they did have time. The next moment, they heard someone calling out for Magnus.
“Sounds like Asgar,” she said.
“Aye, it does.” Magnus grimaced.
Ailinn rose and pulled her kirtle over her head, while Magnus donned his tunic and trews. By the time, Asgar appeared they were both decently attired.
He grinned at them. “Did I give you enough warning? I figured you’d been here for a while, so you’d had enough time to—”
“What is it?” Magnus broke in. “What do you want?”
“Good news,” Asgar answered, still grinning.
“Cairbre MacTighe’s been caught?” Ailinn asked. She still worried over that her enemy’s son would make trouble.
“Nay,” Asgar answered. “Better news than that. Orm and Brina are at Rath Culcumhan.”
Ailinn gasped and jumped up. “Brina is here?” She gave a shout of joy and clapped her hands.
Watching her, Magnus smiled. It was wonderful to see her act so happy and carefree. At this moment, she looked like a young girl, rather than an elegant queen. Then he thought of Orm and knew his own burst of pleasure.
They all talked excitedly as they walked back to the settlement that had once belonged to MacTighe. Aillin said they would live there only until Dun Carrig could be rebuilt. She wanted to return to the place she grew up and rule her lands from there.
“I can’t wait to see Brina!” Ailinn exclaimed. “I wonder if she’s changed.”
“Oh, she’s changed,” Asgar said, nodding his head. “You can be sure of that.”
“What do you mean?” Ailinn asked.
Asgar shrugged. “Her belly’s out to here now. They say the babe’s not due until late winter, but she looks big to me already.”
“A babe!” Ailinn exclaimed. “How wonderful!”
“You’re forgetting that the poor thing’s going to be cursed,” Magnus interjected.
“Cursed? Why’s that?” Ailinn asked.
“The red hair,” Magnus said. “The poor child’s going to end up with tresses as bright as raspberries.”
“You don’t like red hair?” Ailinn demanded, hands on hips.
“A touch of red is nice,” Magnus answered. “Truly.”
“Orm and Brina have more than a touch,” Asgar chortled. “And you’re right, the poor child is cursed.”
They all laughed.
They walked along, everyone in good humor. Then, abruptly, Ailinn halted. “If Orm and Brina are back, that means we have to fetch Niamb’s treasure and return it to her.”
Magnus shrugged. “After what we’ve accomplished already, I feel no challenge is too great.”
“But we’ll have to travel north,” Ailinn said. “I wonder if the fair weather will hold for a while longer, or if we’ll have to wait until next summer.”
“Next summer?” Magnus looked at her. “Why would we have to wait that long?”
Ailinn smiled smugly. “Because
our
babe is due in the spring, and I doubt that I’ll feel like traveling for a few weeks after it’s born.’
“Our babe?” Magnus suddenly felt like the ground beneath his feet had shifted. Was he ready to have a child?
She came to him and touched his arm, then gazed up into his face. “Aye, our babe. Do you hope it will be a boy or a girl?”
“I think I’d fancy daughter,” he said. “A little Irish princess.”
“She’ll be half Norse,” Ailinn reminded him.
“Nay. She’ll be born here, in this land, and her heart will belong to this place, as mine already does.”
“I thought your heart belonged to me,” Ailinn whispered.
“Aye. It does. It does.”
I am fascinated by history, as well as Celtic myth and legend. These interests inspire and enrich most of my books, both historical romance and historical fantasy. Raised in the Midwest, I currently live in Wyoming with my husband, four cats and a dog. Besides writing and working (I'm employed in a public library) I enjoy gardening, travel and reading, of course!
For more about my books and me, visit my website
www.marygillgannon.com
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