KENDRA
Why couldnât I trust him? I yearned to, especially when he held me tenderly, but something inside me was screaming to flee. To put as much distance between him and me as possible.
We lay there, his head resting on my chest, my fingers playing with his hair until he drifted off to sleep. Carefully, I slid out from under him, picked up my dress, and slipped it over my head before sneaking out of the tent.
The camp was quiet. Most of the men were asleep. I glanced around at the flickering campfires. It seemed like an awful lot of men for a simple hunting trip. I shrugged it off, continuing to walk. The air was cool, a welcome relief from the stifling heat of the tent. I paused, considering waking Fjorn to tell him I was going for a walk. But he was exhausted, and if I needed help, I could always scream.
With each step, the thought of fleeing solidified. Fjorn was not the man he claimed to be. There was something dark within him, and it terrified me. He swore he would never raise his hand to me in anger, but I knew it was only a matter of time. And after what my brother did, I refused to let another man treat me so horribly.
Once more, I quickly scanned the camp, taking in every detail with my restless eyes. This was not my life. These were not my people. My heart ached for my old life, for the comfort and simplicity of my small hut.
The emptiness of the surroundings made me realize that I could easily disappear into the distance without a single soul noticing my absence. I bit my lip, turning back to look at the tent in which Fjorn slept. I knew he wouldnât take it well. I loved him, but the voice in my head was screaming so loudly that I had to try. I gathered up the hem of my dress and started to run.
The glow from the campfires gradually faded, and darkness enveloped me. My bare feet stung with every rock and twig I stepped on, but I didnât care. I kept running. After a while, I had to stop. My lungs were burning. I sat down against a tree, panting.
My thoughts kept whirling back and forth. What was I doing? Fjorn had never hurt me or forced me to do anything I didnât want to. Why was I running? But then I thought of his actions when he was teaching me how to ride, the chilling coldness of his voice when he told me to stay out of his business, the unsettling glances he gave me that sent shivers of trepidation down my spine.
Suddenly, I heard yelling behind me, and panic surged through me. He knew I was gone. I jumped up and started running again. The yelling continued, growing louder and closer. I scrambled over fallen trees, trying to escape.
The rhythmic thudding of hooves echoed behind me. As I threw a glance back, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of him riding his dark horse straight toward me. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind as I watched the distance between us shrink.
In no time, Oden skidded to a halt. I could see nothing but pure rage in Fjornâs eyes as he dismounted. His nostrils flared with each breath he took. He rushed toward me, gripping my throat and lifting me off the ground, slamming me into a tree. I gasped for air, clawing at his hand. My eyes watered. I kicked and swung at him, trying to break free, but my efforts were useless against his strength and anger.
âWhere would you have gone?â he finally asked.
I gagged and choked, trying to respond. He released me, and I fell to the ground, gasping for air and clutching my throat where his hand had left my skin tender. Tears streamed down my face, my lips trembling. All I could do was stare up at him looming over me.
âMaybe Iâve given you too much freedom. Or maybe you never truly planned to stay,â he said, leaning down and brushing hair from my face. âHmm?â He gripped my chin hard in his hand, forcing me to look at him. âYou will never leave me!â
I sobbed uncontrollably, letting all my emotions pour out. My body shook as I sat there. I didnât dare speak or move. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet. I followed him back to Oden, where he pulled a rope from a bag, tying my wrists together tightly before mounting his horse.
âYou ran this far, you can walk back,â he said, giving the horse a gentle kick and tugging me forward. We didnât speak on the way back to camp, and he didnât stopânot even when I fell a few times along the way.
Once we arrived, I saw Ulf and Sten standing by Fjornâs tent. Ulf lunged toward me, but Sten held him back. I shot Ulf a pleading look. Fjorn dismounted, pulling me close behind him. I dragged my feet, causing me to trip and fall onto my stomach.
Ulf rushed to my side, ripping the rope from Fjornâs hand. âEnough!â he yelled, cutting my hands free. He wrapped his arms around me, helping me to my feet.
âLeave her!â Fjorn yelled, rushing toward us. Ulf pushed past him, leading me to the tent.
I was shaking, terrified of what Fjorn might do to Ulf, but Ulf rubbed my arm as he lifted the flap of the tent, helping me inside. As he gently lowered it, he gave me a reassuring smile. I curled up, sobbing.