He turned away to hide his smile. He hadn’t expected her to have so much fun with it as she clearly did. Leif was put a little more at ease when he glanced toward his uncle again to observe the disappointed expression on his face.
When they were still a distance from land, the winds began to blow west, and they were forced to take down the sails. Leif and Birger placed a set of oars in the oar ports at the bow and two sets at the stern, forcing all hands to row. It was slow going since the thralls without trunks had to stand. The sound of the keel brushing up against the rocky shore announced their arrival.
They all departed the vessel into the flooded tide pools and waded to higher ground. Eilish dropped into the water and sputtered loudly, drawing his uncle’s attention. Leif scanned the horizon for any signs of life and found none. “Rúni, you have the best hand at fishing. None can do better than you.”
Long ago he’d found that praising his uncle’s abilities benefited him in the end, and that it made for an easier trip. Rúni struck out his chest in pride and accepted the praise in silence.
“Who will help him?” Leif continued to assign tasks after the fair-haired Birger raised his hand to volunteer. “Fergus and Cormacc, scavenge the shore for firewood—and do not stray far. Aiden and myself will forage for veg.”
His uncle slapped Birger across the chest, sending him stumbling backward. “Thrall, show me where you stow your line. I hunger for some fresh fish tonight.”
Leif watched as they returned to the ship while the thralls began to wander down the rocky beach. When they were far enough away, he turned to Eilish and muttered, “You must be eager to bathe and to have time apart from your disguise, but it would not be safe on your own. I can offer protection, standing at a distance.”
He felt her blue eyes on him before she answered, “Thank you.”
They hiked along the grassy coastline in silence. He noticed she didn’t appear to be limping and wondered about her injury. “Does your leg still plague you?”
Her hand went to her calf as she walked. “Aye, it hurts, but no man will ever see me cry in pain.”
He looked at the mountains that rose away from the sea and the scrub, covering the land in the distance. He stole a quick glance at her, appreciating her tenacity. Survivors needed to be tough to be sure, but he suspected she had a softness that hadn’t been revealed yet, given the circumstances. For a stranger and foreigner, he found her surprisingly easy to relate to. The only person he could truly let his guard down with was Agnar. Since their departure from their homeland nearly a decade ago, he’d experienced few moments when he’d felt truly at ease.
“Is it all that bad?” she asked, rousing him from his thoughts.
He frowned and asked in confusion, “What?”
“Whatever it is you think about. Looks as though the weight of the world rests on your shoulders, so I wondered if there was any hope for the rest of us poor souls.”
He stopped mid-step to look at her. When he saw the corner of her lips twist into a grin, he realized he was being teased. “As long as my father breathes, we should all think of ourselves as ‘poor souls.’ But we did not walk all this way for mention of that man to ruin the day.”
Leif squinted ahead at the reefs that jutted into the waves, which led into a protected cove, the ideal place for Eilish to find privacy. He pointed in its direction. “That should make a good place to have a swim.”
Eilish pulled her brat closer around her shoulders. Her chin touched her chest as she shook her head. “I will not be having a swim. I can make do with a wash.”
“Is there something wrong with enjoying the waves?” he asked in confusion.
She shot him a warning look. “I was not born of the sea like you.”
It was true he was born from seafaring folk and that they relied on the ocean like nothing else. The quick-tempered, fickle waters usually provided them with a reliable source of food. It offered a means of travel so that they might find new lands to settle, and it provided avenues of untold wealth. He had revered the sea like he’d been brought up to do. Until, that is, the day Ragna had held him under when he had unsuccessfully changed shape into the sea monster, remaining part man. Taking the form of a creature so different from himself was beyond challenging, but his father didn’t seem to care.
He felt Eilish’s eyes on him and he knew he’d taken far longer to respond than he should have. “Do you think one must be born of the sea to respect it?”
“Oh, I respect it. I simply wish to respect it from afar.”
Leif held his hand out to help her down a rocky ledge toward the water. He observed the apprehension and fear on her face as she stared at the waves licking at the shore. “Do you really not know how to swim?”
Eilish glanced at him with furrowed brows. “Why should a healer from the hills know how to swim?”
She paused, holding onto his hand. Her fingers were soft and warm, not calloused and rough like his own. Just as he was beginning to appreciate her touch, she let go. He took a deep breath and stared at the watery horizon. “You are no longer a healer from the hills. It would be foolish not to learn now that you ride upon the waves. What if you fall overboard again?”
Eilish brushed the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her blue eyes squinted at the shore while she pinched her lips shut. He could see she was busy in thought while considering his question. After a few moments, she turned to him. “Your friend has told me of the lord of the sea. If such a god exists, what would it matter if I know how to swim if he wants to take me in his name?”
“Do you adorn yourself with precious gold?” Leif asked. He didn’t give her time to respond, for he knew the answer. “Ægir hungers for treasure. None of which you carry.”
Leif did not wish to tell her of the god’s wife, Ran, who was known for pulling sailors under. She was blamed for many men’s deaths. Her affinity for human souls was legend, but Eilish didn’t need to fear power beyond her control.
She appeared reflective before lifting her chin. “When you spoke to me last, you said I was in danger, and you have not yet proven yourself untrustworthy. I have thought about the risks I take in deceiving my master. I know there are many. If I can take away one threat by learning to swim, then I must to keep my promise to my father to remain safe.”
Eilish walked ahead of him to a sandy stretch of the beach. Her fingers went to the round broach that held her cloak in place. She lowered the woolen fabric to the ground, then sat to remove her leather shoes.
Leif caught himself watching and looked away. It wouldn’t be appropriate to be alone with a freewoman, but Eilish’s identity was safe at present—although he was very much aware of her gender, as it was becoming more and more challenging to ignore.
He knew it wouldn’t be easy for Eilish to learn to swim on her own. He recalled how his mother had taught him to float on his back in the fjord near their home before she showed him how to tread water like their hound. Her patience and kindness were the opposite of Ragna’s intolerance and malice.
“I can teach you if you wish.” Leif pointed to a high point. “Or I can stand on that hillock as a lookout.”
She dropped one of her shoes to the sand and answered matter-of-factly, “I do not relish the thought of coming so close to drowning again. I accept your offer to teach me.”
Leif’s cheeks flushed with heat. He faced the sea to avoid looking at her. He could do this, he told himself. It would be no different than swimming with his kin. Except for the fact that he was distracted by the knowledge of what hid beneath her clothing.
He reached for his belt to unfasten it, then set his sword on the ground, one of the few instances he would be caught apart from it. Leif raised his hands to pull his blue tunic from his back. He stood with it wadded in his hands. His cream undertunic remained. Its simple trim hung to his upper thigh.
Leif glanced at Eilish. He’d seen colorful plaid leggings like hers before on Gaelic men, although most people from her land didn
’t wear anything on their legs. Her linen tunic was belted, yet hung down to her knees. He was aware of the cloth binding around her chest that helped press her curves into a straight line.
He pulled off his thin undertunic and held it out to her. “You may wear this if you wish. Your layers will weigh you down in the water.”
She stepped closer to accept his clothing. Her eyes traced over his face, and he made an effort to keep his embarrassment hidden. He turned away, keeping his arms folded across his chest. A gentle sea breeze blew over the hills to the west, tousling his hair.
He waited until he heard movement. He glanced over to see her wading slowly into the water. His undertunic hung to her thighs, yet she still wore her leggings. Lengths of cloth made a pile on top of her tunic in the sand, and he realized her breasts were no longer bound.
Leif took a deep breath and followed her into the sea, quickly catching up. Sea birds called out from the shore to their kin, who swept across the skies above. Once Eilish stood waist-high in the water, she stopped. Her shoulders lifted, and she held her arms out of the gentle waves. He could see the decision to learn to swim had not erased her fear, nor would it just yet. He found her perseverance honorable.
She sucked in a quick breath and stepped closer to him. Her finger pointed to a dark rounded shape that bounced above the surf in the distance. “It’s a merrow—we are not safe here!”
He squinted at the object she was frightened of and tried to suppress his grin. “I do not know of merrow, but that is only a seal. Delicious to eat and fun to watch at play. It poses no danger to you.”
Eilish’s forehead wrinkled as she continued to stare at it. She nodded but didn’t seem entirely convinced. He tried again. “I vow I will not let anything happen to you.”
The words slipped from his lips as easy as anything, though his concern for her safety had been weighing heavy on his mind from the moment he discovered her secret identity. A vow was a promise, and he took it seriously. Though she might have heard him offer protection from the wildlife, it had been extended with wider intent.
She turned to him, appearing a little more at ease and waiting for instruction. He had no time to dwell on his promise, or why it’d been extended, so he cleared his throat and said, “You must first learn how to rest on the water without sinking. Lie back, flat as the ocean horizon, and I will keep you afloat.”
He positioned himself beside her, placing his hand at her back, helping to guide her into the surf. Her blue eyes widened as her arms reached sideways for support. Her hand touched his abdomen, and he waited for her to take a breath before he leaned down to cradle her legs, lifting them to the surface.
She let out a gasp, and he continued to give advice. “Breathe slowly. Keep your body relaxed and straight.”
“Do not let go of me,” she whispered. The water pulled her hair around her head like anemone tentacles in the current.
He lowered himself so he could cradle her back and legs more easily. “I will not.”
She nodded. He felt her ragged breathing begin to slow into a steady rhythm. Her fingers still clung to his chest. He wished she would let go so it was not such a distraction, but he was unwilling to say anything to draw attention to his discomfort in their closeness. It was clear she trusted him not to maul her like Rúni might if he were in Leif’s place.
Eilish’s body lifted in the water as she straightened out. The undertunic he’d lent her clung to her torso, revealing her shapely breasts. He forced himself to look away as he held his breath. His heart began to race while he imagined her naked form beneath the sheer clothing. Leif chastised himself. He thought little of his uncle’s arrangement with Màiri. He was unwilling to take a bed slave when he could have a wife instead.
Since the time he could marry, he had been trained by his father to become the monster that was needed for his lofty aspirations. When they fled their homeland with a stolen ship so Ragna could amass enough treasure to buy his way into Ægir’s halls at the bottom of the sea, Leif knew it would be no life to bring a woman into. Not with his hungry uncle so near.
He tried to think of the chores necessary to accomplish before nightfall—anything besides the beautiful woman lying in the water beside him.
“How am I doing?” he heard her ask.
Leif looked down at her face while she squinted up at him. “You do well. Are you courageous enough to let me lower my arms to see if you float on your own?”
She seemed worried but answered, “Aye.”
Her brows knit in determination before he let his arms drift downward. Her body sank no more than a hand’s width deeper. She lifted her chin higher and sucked in a quick breath. She steadied herself and held herself straight.
After a few moments of floating on her own, she squealed in pride. Her abdomen buckled and she went under. Her arms flailed, but as soon as her feet found the bottom, she stood up. Her hands wiped the water from her eyes and nose. She let out a cough.
Leif put his hand on her shoulder and leaned closer. “Are you well?”
He was surprised to find a smile on her face while she sputtered. “I did it!”
“Já,” he said. “You did.”
“Will you teach me more?” she asked. Her bright eyes searched for an answer.
He thought they’d been gone long enough if they were to look for any vegetation to eat before they returned. Plus, he’d had enough temptation for the day. As much as he liked feeling her touch, he thought it best to gain some distance from her.
Leif let his hand drop away from her shoulder and answered, “Tomorrow I will show you more. You have proven yourself for now.”
He waded back to the beach with her, thinking of his promise. It was a vow that would be hard to keep. There were dangers all around them, and he was certain it was only a matter of time before her true gender was discovered. Plus, there was the concern of his father’s ritualistic sacrifice of thralls to Ægir at the end of the season upon his return.
If he were to keep her safe, it would require much thought. At present, he had few weeks to make a plan. If he could set her free in Cymru, the beaches they stood upon, and know she would be safe, he would. But if she set out alone, it would likely mean her death, and he needed all hands on deck to return home. He would never again flee his father, especially not without Agnar by his side. And he knew the fury Ragna would unleash on the few he cared for. He had no idea how he would make it work, but foolish or not, he’d committed himself.
Dressed and armed, Leif stood with his back to Eilish as she bound her chest and put on her clothing. He said few words to her as they left the inlet. His shoulders felt the weight of the responsibility of those who depended on him. He could not let himself get distracted by her hidden beauty. It would only complicate things if he got attached to her, he reminded himself. It would cloud his mind if he grew enchanted by a woman.
Eilish was invigorated by her experience. She had expected injury to befall her, but instead she had learned to float on the waves like a wooden ship that was made for such things. A sense of pride filled her chest. Though her fears of the merrow and sea gods hadn’t abated, her wariness of swimming had changed.
It hadn’t gone unnoticed that Leif hadn’t taken advantage of the situation, either. He hadn’t touched her in a way that was improper, and as far as she could tell, he hadn’t watched her undress. As a result, her trust in him had grown. If her father could see her now, he might have been shocked at the kindness of the barbarian, for Normanni were not known for such things.
They were, however, known for their good looks. Bathing and beard trimming seemed to improve their rugged appearance. It was against her better judgment to observe Leif’s muscular chest, which she’d found herself clinging to in her efforts to stay afloat. Likewise, she tried not to notice his watchful green eyes.
Given the circumstances, it might have been wise for a slave such as she was to use her feminine charms to put herself in his favor in exchange for companionship and protecti
on, but it seemed clear that he had already assumed the mantle of guardian without requiring more from her. While they walked through the grass, heading back toward the ship, she combed her fingers through her hair, putting it back in place covering her face. “You make your wife proud.”
She wasn’t sure if he’d heard her at first, for he didn’t answer right away. His jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed as he stared at the horizon. “It is best I am not married, for I would bring shame to our family.”
Eilish had only intended to compliment him and was unsure how to answer without bringing embarrassment to them both. He seemed to realize the awkward position he’d put her in and continued to speak. “I have not sought a wife, because as long as I do my father’s bidding, I cannot find pride in my actions.”
She had not traveled the world as this seafarer had. Maybe that was why she found his existence so baffling. She had known of people who were free and highborn, or even monks in the church, who had to answer to their superiors. Even she listened to her father’s wishes and followed them to the best of her ability. But from the start, before she’d heard any words spoken of his struggle to obey Ragna’s command, she could see Leif was no freer than herself. He might not hold the label of slave, but he was just as unfree.
“If I could take the shape of a bird like you,” she said with a sigh, “I would fly far away from here.”
“It is not that easy,” he answered with a leaden voice.
The dampness of her cloak chafed her neck, so she adjusted it onto her tunic. “No?”
Leif shook his head. “Neinn. I cannot stray without Ragna following my shadow. But you are not me. Where would you go with feathered wings?”
Without hesitation she said, “To find my father.”
“If you could fly,” Leif responded, “I would send you straight to him.”
Eilish slowed to a stop. “Do you know where he is?”
He had already walked past her when he noticed she’d stopped. He turned and lifted an eyebrow. “I know where I would start looking.”
Tides (Time of Myths: Shapeshifter Sagas Book 3) Page 11
