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Back The Beholder Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. Acknowledgments
  61. About the Author
  62. Books by Anna Bright
  63. Back Ad
  64. About the Publisher

“I don’t want her to run!” Torden groaned. “What do I do?”

“You need to make sure your father lets us celebrate Midsummer’s Eve,” Aleksei insisted.

Torden paused. “After last year? Are you sure that is a good idea? Pappa has hardly—”

“Come on,” Aleksei wheedled. “You’ll get cozy at a bonfire, we’ll split up into the woods, you can sneak some of the imported Bordeaux out of the cellar—”

My eyes went wide.

“All right, all right,” Torden said unevenly. “Aleksei, I’m getting to know her, not trying to trap her.” He sounded as nervous as I felt, and somehow, that calmed me.

“So? You arrange your circumstances.” I couldn’t see Aleksei’s face, but I was sure he was rolling his eyes. “Set the right scene, set the right things in motion, and everything will work out the way you want.”

Torden sighed. “You really don’t think it’s a bad idea? Things are just beginning to calm down.”

“No. Trust me, brother,” Aleksei said smugly. “I’m looking out for you.”

44

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Arranged or spontaneous, the next few days were bliss.

I felt at home walking the barley fields with the boys, comfortable by Torden’s side as he talked to the farmers and carefully checked the crop. And when he yanked off his shirt to straighten out a warped beam in a plow, I studied the grain below and the thatched houses all around with just as much care, my face heating as I caught glimpses of Torden’s fair, muscular back and straining arms.

Some days we rode or sailed. Cobie was never free, but Anya taught J.J. to walk and trot, and the Asgard boys taught me to fish for salmon and herring off Fredrik’s boat, Skídbladnir. I even found myself agreeing to come with Torden to watch the sun rise over the Bilröst. “It will be early, by necessity,” he said, baiting my hook and avoiding my eyes. “But it will be worth it.”

“I can make an exception,” I laughed, heart stuttering clumsily, feeling suddenly that I’d make any number of exceptions for his sake.

As he took my hand, I tried to ignore the need pressing against my skin, the worry about my father and the Imperiya whispering reminders of the consequences should I fail to secure his proposal.

And the more I let Torden’s words and his smile drown out that voice, the more I believed I could truly fall for him.

I knew I was changing as I spent time with Torden. But somehow, it didn’t feel like change under pressure. Or if it did, it was pressure like sunlight and rain and soil.

It felt like growth. It felt good.