Chapter 3: Chapter 3

KENDRA

I’d been walking for what felt like an eternity, my feet throbbing with each step. The trees blurred together in my mind, an endless sea of green. Would they ever end? The woman beside me seemed defeated, but I was determined to fight. I would resist with every fiber of my being. I dragged my feet, pulling on the rope that bound us, doing everything in my power to slow him down. Not that he seemed to notice.

The other men gradually stopped their chatter and sat for their water breaks. But this brute just kept marching on. We were a few yards ahead of the group before he, too, sat. We were isolated but not alone. If he shouted, the others would be on me before I could even think of escaping. I sat down, tugging on the rope to maintain some distance between us.

He turned to me, pulling out a piece of dried meat. He took a bite and then offered it to me. I glanced from the meat to his mouth and turned my head away.

“You’re a child,” he said, forcing the meat into my hand.

“How dare you?” I retorted, hurling the meat at him. I watched as it hit his chest and fell to the ground.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips before he crouched down in front of me. He took another piece from his bag, bit into it, and held it between his teeth. He gripped my hair, not as roughly as I’d expected, and tilted my head back. Then he pressed his mouth to mine.

Heat flooded my face. Was it anger? It had to be. He didn’t pull away until I took the bite from him. I reluctantly opened my mouth, tearing the meat from his. I had to admit it tasted good.

After a moment, I reached for the piece in his hand. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was. He untied me from his belt and took a few steps back. “Why did you take me?” I asked between bites.

He took a swig of water from a leather bottle, looking me up and down. I knew why, but I wanted to hear him say it. He replaced the wooden stopper and offered the bottle to me. As I took a drink, his husky voice drew my attention back to him. “I won’t hurt you if you don’t run. I won’t touch you unless you ask. And I’ll never let you starve.”

I choked on the water, turning to look at him. He lunged toward me but stopped himself. Coughing, I tried to process his words. “What?” I managed to croak out between coughs.

He leaned down, offering me a cloth to wipe my mouth. His eyes were filled with concern, as if he thought I might drop dead right there. “If you don’t want me to touch you, I won’t. But if I’d left you there, someone else would have.”

His words echoed in my ears. My stomach churned, and I felt sick. I knew he was most likely right. I’d seen the way the men he was with looked at me, but I hadn’t considered it. My only thoughts at the time were of getting away. Was he trying to trick me? He had to be.

After a while, my eyelids grew heavy. I pulled my knees to my chest and leaned against a fallen tree. The world around me gradually faded into the darkness of sleep.

I woke to the sound of the men talking and moving around. Something soft brushed against my cheek. Opening my eyes, I saw a fur blanket draped over me. I looked around and saw my captor talking to one of the men who had held me down earlier.

His thick brown hair fell to the middle of his back. His broad shoulders and muscular arms hung at his sides. A flash of his mouth against mine made my face flush again. I shook off the memory and took a deep breath. I noticed goosebumps on his exposed skin. Was it really that cold?

I watched him for a moment more. When he turned to look at me, his green eyes locked onto mine. I froze, unable to break his gaze. He slowly walked over to me. As I sat up, the fur blanket fell away, and a cold breeze made me shiver. He crouched down and pulled the fur back over me. “Did you have a good nap?”

I nodded, my eyes still locked with his. Why was he being so kind? He was a brute. A savage. The stuff of nightmares. Finally breaking his gaze, my eyes fell to his lips. My mouth felt dry, and I licked my lips. His eyes followed the movement, and his jaw tightened. I looked away, releasing a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Time to go,” he said. I looked around, wondering where we were going. It would be dark soon. I pulled the fur blanket off and held it out to him. I knew he was cold; I could see it. But he didn’t take it. He just smiled at me and turned to walk away.

I started to follow him when I noticed the rope dangling in front of me. I wasn’t tied to him or anything. His words from earlier echoed in my mind. ~“I won’t hurt you if you don’t run.”~ Did he mean it?

“Are you coming?” His voice broke through my thoughts. I watched as his hands reached for the rope. I braced myself for a slap or for him to yank me to the ground. I closed my eyes. I felt a few gentle tugs, and then the rope slipped off my wrists.

I opened my eyes to see his hand reaching out for me. His face looked worried. Should I run? I knew he’d hurt me. He’d probably beat me. I walked up to him and met his gaze. “You said you wouldn’t touch me,” I said.

“I said I wouldn’t touch you unless you asked,” he corrected.

“I will never ask you to touch me,” I declared.

“Very well,” he replied, turning to walk with the other men. Night fell quickly, and before I knew it, I was stumbling over rocks and tree stumps. My legs and hands ached from hitting the ground.

“If you asked, I’d carry you,” he said, a smug grin on his face and his arms crossed. I dusted myself off and stood up.

“No,” I retorted, pushing past him. I tripped again, landing hard on my knees.

“Just say the word, and I’ll carry you to camp,” he said, crouching in front of me, his face just inches from mine.

I huffed at him before standing up and taking a few more steps. I hit the ground again. I rolled over and sat there, fuming. “Why don’t you trip?”

He chuckled and smiled at me. “Because I watch where I’m going. Now all you have to do is ask.”

“Fine, Viking, carry me,” I said, crossing my arms.

“No,” he replied, standing up.

“But you said if I asked…”

“Viking is not my name, and you didn’t ask,” he said, grinning.

“What is your name?” I asked, standing up.

“Fjorn,” he said proudly.

“Okay, Fjorn, will you carry me?”

A wild look crossed his face, his eyes darkening as he licked his lips. “Say it again.”

I took a step back and repeated myself. “Will you carry me?”

“No. Not that. My name. Say my name again,” he said, taking a large step toward me, leaving almost no space between us.

I closed my eyes and said his name again. “Fjorn.”

I felt his arm slide under my knees and the other around my back. In one swift movement, I was pressed against his chest. His now-familiar scent filled my lungs. His strong arms held me effortlessly. I placed my hand on his chest to steady myself, and I felt his muscles tense.

I looked up at him. His eyes were glued to me, but I didn’t flinch or look away. It felt different somehow.