Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Did you let them get away, too?” Bjorn asked.
“I killed one; the other, I maimed his claws. He had Jurzed’s mark upon his chest. I used his net to contain him. I’m sure he has been retrieved by now.”
The Viking men stopped laughing.
“Wise decision, brother,” Thorsen approved. “King Jurzed won’t be pleased you killed one of his young, but if you were attacked first, then it will be excused. But if you killed one who belonged to his household, we would lose much time in our search for Xioarius.”
Skars made a disgusted face. “The computer hasn’t been able to track his whereabouts on the planet?”
“Neinn,” Thorsen said.
“Devil’s balls, I had hoped that you would have at least accomplished that during my absence.”
Thorsen’s expression grew fierce. “As did I. Thane was the only one who knew how to work the blasted machine. Erik is useless. Not only did the computer cause us to lose Xioarius and give him time to make it to Earth before the destruction, it did not warn us about the meteor shower, which hindered our kin from the chance to find their mates. And what valuables to be had, there isn’t much left.”
“I assumed as much,” Skars grumbled in irritation. “That explains why the others pulled back when we arrived. There was no use fighting over a dead carcass.”
Thorsen wasn’t ready to admit failure. “We will search for the female descendants we can find, and perhaps then we will be able to bargain with King Jurzed and the High Archuru for those females who weren’t tru-mated to any of their warriors. I will give that duty to you since you will be on the search for the wife you have claimed. I will search for Xioarius.”
Skars flinched at the cold tone in Thorsen’s voice as their enemy’s name passed his lips.
“I will accept the duty. You will make the seeress available to me? There will be no need of me transporting the women I find back to your ship if they aren’t tru-mates.”
“Agreed.” Thorsen gave him a fierce frown. “Reva’s safety rests in your hands.”
“I will keep her safe, or my life will be forfeited,” he swore.
Thorsen nodded.
“My wife planned to bring back others to help me. I will find her, and hopefully, there could be a tru-mate among them.” Skars tried to interject confidence in his words while, inwardly, he felt finding any potential tru-mates for his Viking brothers wasn’t likely.
If there were any tru-mates to be found on Earth, the Olggans or the Ferajorins would have already found them.
“I pray to the gods this is so.” Weariness and the responsibility for his clan showed on Thorsen’s face. “It is the only hope many of the men have left. Many of them are only holding out to find out what tru-mates can be found on Earth. I do not want to lose another clansman like I had to lose Thane.”
“Your wife won’t be happy if we take those within her group without their consent,” Njal warned. “You watched the movies, as I have. She will not understand our ways, nor will she understand if you take another wife.”
“I have no need to tell her if the circumstances do not occur. Which they will not. Reva’s visions are never wrong. She told me a Viking tru-mate was not in my future. I will be content with a wife who will give me daughters regardless of her ancestry. My daughters will be part Viking and with the God’s blessings one day become a tru-mate.”
“True, brother.” Thorsen nodded. “Perhaps it would be cautious not to tell your wife we look for tru-mates. Offer all who are with her my protection. Transport them to your ship that we shall send for your use. If Reva finds any of them are tru-mates, it will be easier to allay their fears once they are on our ship.”
Skars didn’t want to start his marriage off with a deception, but he could understand Thorsen’s reasoning. He also didn’t believe they would find any tru-mates. The Olggans and the Ferajorins wouldn’t have let any slip through their fingers.
“Thank you, Chieftain. I will assure her of their well-being.”
Thorsen slapped him on the shoulder. “Damn, I will miss having you as my deputy once I perform your marriage.”
This was what Skars had feared.
“I thought we could wait until we left Earth before the ceremony was performed.”
Thorsen laughed. “Which are you more afraid of missing out on? The pillaging or the opportunity of finding Xioarius yourself on your search for tru-mates for the clan?”
“I will need to build a home for my wife, as well as making it comfortable for her.”
“I see a problem with your reasoning.”
Skars raised a questioning brow at his brother.
“With your bride not being a tru-mate, you’re going to have to convince her the old-fashioned way.”