Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
As Sven’s hands worked their magic on my tired muscles, he leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. “Tell me, Mary,” he said softly. “What did you see?”
I closed my eyes, trying to recall the vivid images that had flashed through my mind during the height of my pleasure. “I saw… I saw what seemed like endless ice,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. “It extended from a forested shore covered in snow.”
Sven’s hands stilled for a moment, and I could feel the weight of his attention. “Go on,” he encouraged.
I took a deep breath, the memories becoming clearer as I spoke. “On the shore, there was a structure. It was like… like a cathedral, but not made of stone. It was built of girders, metal beams reaching up into the sky.” I paused, remembering the strange juxtaposition of the modern structure against the ancient, frozen landscape.
“And in the ice?” Sven prompted, his voice tight with some emotion I couldn’t fully read—excitement, maybe?
“In the ice of the bay,” I continued, my voice growing stronger as the vision solidified in my mind, “I saw a longship. A Viking ship, frozen in time, preserved beneath the surface.”
My Herra’s hands stopped for a moment. He made a noise in his throat, a contemplative sort of sound, as if he were trying to puzzle something out. Then, suddenly, Mor Astrid’s voice rang out from the seat at the center, cutting through the haze of post-coital bliss that had settled over the chamber. “Overherra, the results of the trial are clear.”
I blinked, trying to focus on her words. There was something in her tone that made me pause—a note of surprise, perhaps even amazement. It was as if the outcome had defied her expectations, leaving her slightly off balance. I felt a flutter of nervous anticipation in my stomach.
Sven’s hands stilled again on my back, his warmth suddenly feeling more like a brand than a comfort. “Announce the results, Mor Astrid,” he said, his deep voice resonating through his chest and into my body where I was still pressed against him.
I heard a weight in his words, a kind of resignation that made my heart clench. It was as if he already knew what Astrid would say, and it wasn’t what he had hoped for. I held my breath, waiting for the pronouncement that would determine our fates.
Astrid cleared her throat, her voice taking on a formal cadence as she spoke. “The galvanic responses indicate that Mary’s power as a völva has come upon her very quickly. Her visions were extraordinarily clear and detailed, surpassing even our most optimistic projections.”
I felt Sven’s body tense behind me, his fingers digging slightly into my flesh. Astrid continued, her words sending shockwaves through the chamber.
“Furthermore, Camille has shown an unexpected aptitude for channeling the energies of Yggdrasil. Her rebellious nature, rather than hindering her progress, seems to have opened pathways we did not anticipate.”
Erik made a sound—half grunt, half sigh—that echoed my own conflicted emotions. Pride at being chosen warred with fear of the unknown, creating a maelstrom of feelings in my chest.
“Therefore,” Astrid’s voice grew stronger, more certain, “it is clear that Mary and Camille must be the operatives to go on the mission.”
A heavy silence fell over the chamber. I could hear my own heartbeat thundering in my ears, feel the trembling in my limbs that had nothing to do with physical exertion. Camille and I exchanged wide-eyed glances, a mixture of shock, fear, and determination passing between us.
Sven’s hands resumed their movement on my back, but now they felt different—possessive, almost desperate. I could sense the conflict within him—pride in my abilities warring with reluctance to send me into danger.
“Very well,” Sven said at last, his voice tight with emotion. “We will begin their specialized training this evening. The mission cannot wait.”
As the implications of Astrid’s announcement sank in, I felt a strange mix of emotions wash over me. Fear of the unknown, certainly, but also a thrill of excitement. We had been chosen, deemed worthy of this crucial task—whatever it might prove to be.
“Unbind these worthy steeds, my brothers,” Sven commanded. “Mor Astrid, please take them to the bath.”
Swiftly, my master freed me from the saddle, and picked me up from its back as if I weighed nothing at all. He placed me on my feet in front of him and gathered me into his arms. I felt tiny, helpless—but also protected.
“Mary, you amaze me,” he murmured, cradling my head against his muscular chest. Then, to my astonishment, he moved me gently away from him so he could bend down and kiss me deeply on the lips. I had thought my body too exhausted to respond, but I found myself yielding to the strong hands that roamed over my naked back and my sore bottom, clinging to the strength of Sven’s limbs. I whimpered up into my master’s mouth as he tightened his embrace for a moment, his tongue working against mine.