Viking Sword: A Fall of Yellow Fire: The Stranded One (Viking Brothers Saga Book 1) by Màiri Norris Read Free Book Online Page A

carefully refolded and laid aside. Taking her time, she moved about the room, collecting a number of small items. She placed them with the cyrtel in the middle of a wide sash of vibrant, dark blue linen that might have been a mantle or a voluminous headrail, then folded the sash into thirds with the items secured in the center. From a corner where it had been flung, she lifted a trampled syrce of fine, unadorned linen the same blue hue as the sash, shook it out and donned it over the brown cyrtel. Tying the folded sash about her rounded hips as one would a girdle, she left the ends to dangle in front.
    He suddenly realized she was packing, and saying farewell to the home where she had been happy. Did she hope to accompany them? His heart thudded faster. It was not possible, but the knowledge did not stop his whole body from tensing with the wish that it was.
    Why? She is of no value, and no use.
    Or was she? Certainly, he wanted her. But satisfying his lust was no justification for dragging her along on their trek.
    Sindre reached up to slap his cheek. “Pay attention, Músa!”
    He wrestled his unruly thoughts under control and dropped to his knees on one side of the treasure hole, Sindre on the other. His uncle had cleared away the dirt that covered the box. He lifted it from the earth, carried it into the outer room where the open door would provide more light, and pushed aside the edges to reveal an undecorated coffer of polished rosewood.
    Lissa came to stand beside them. She stared at the box, her face devoid of expression.
    “The key,” she said, extending her hand to Brandr. Her soft voice was as empty as her eyes.
    He set the key in the lock and lifted the lid to find more leather.
    Sindre scooped it from the box. The leather appeared to have been folded many times. His uncle began to unroll it, revealing a bulging pouch made in the form of a belt. Plainly wrought, but well crafted, it was soft, more flexible than the leather that had wrapped the box. The width of two of a man’s hands, and long enough to wrap at least thrice around his waist, it was cleverly designed to transport its contents on the body itself in such a way none would mark it. Sindre measured the belt’s heavy weight between his hands. Swallowing, he stretched it across the floor.
    A deep flap, the full width of the belt, folded over from the top and was secured with cords along the bottom seam. He untied the cords and opened the belt. He exhaled, long and slow. Inside was gold, much gold, as much as either of them had dared hoped to find—and that was only the top section.
    The belt had five more sections, each separated lengthwise by a strong, double-sewn seam, and each with its own individual, secured flap.
    Treasure. A fortune in gold.
    Brandr was shaken by the extent of the wealth. Sindre was worse. His mouth hung open, and the blue ice in his eyes was alive with a rapacious lust.
    “Sindre!”
    His uncle blinked and slowly raised an awed gaze.
    “Uncle, Father will take much of it. You know this. Do not let the hunger take control!”
    The avid light slowly faded from Sindre’s gaze. “Já.” He ran a trembling hand over his eyes. “Já, I know.” His jaw firmed and his expression hardened. “But I will have my share!”
    “You will. Father is greedy, but he is fair—most of the time. We will insist upon it. The whole family, já?”
    Sindre swallowed, slowly licked his lips and nodded. “Já.” He inhaled and sharply blew it out. His fingers fumbling a little, he began to make fast the cords that secured the top section, then folded the wide overflap closed, and tied it.
    Brandr peered at Lissa, hoping he did not look as dazzled as he felt.
    She met his look with a frank regard. “Will you leave now?”
    He raised a brow and inclined his head in query. “Have you somewhere to go, a place where you will be safe?”
    Some emotion flared in her eyes before she looked away. “I…not here.”
    “Where then?”
    “I had