it would only be a way of redirecting her brothers’ suspicions.
Instead, it had become something she’d never expected. Perhaps it was because it was forbidden to kiss a man already claimed by someone else. She’d mistakenly thought it would mean nothing at all to him.
Against his lips, she’d tasted his anger. The kiss had lashed back against her, almost brutal as he’d ravaged her mouth. But somehow, in the midst of it, she’d sensed a change in him. Her surrender had tamed the rising beast inside him, and though her heart had never ceased its pounding, she’d evoked a response from him.
She didn’t know what to think of that. Only that there was no sense in dwelling upon it. Soon enough, he would be gone from here, reunited with his wife.
And wasn’t that just her ill fortune? Every man that she’d come to care for had been in love with someone else.
Don’t think of him any more. He belongs to her and always will.
She wished that one day a man would love her for herself. And that he would never turn from her to choose another. Daring a glance at Styr, she closed off any feelings, knowing they could never be.
Another spray of water hit the boat, and now she was sitting in an icy pool. Gingerly, Caragh got to her knees, planning to sit on one of the benches. But without warning, a hard wave struck the vessel, and she lost her balance.
The world tipped on its rim, sending her flying backwards. She cried out and tried to grasp the edge of the boat, but she struck the waves, her mouth filling up with seawater. Darkness closed over her, the icy current submerging her beneath the depths.
Panic roiled inside her, and Caragh flailed her arms, struggling to break through the surface. Her gown was weighing her down, and she fought to reach the boat.
There was an enormous splash, and she saw Styr swimming towards her. He’d stripped off the chainmail corselet, his chest bare as he cut through the water. When he reached her, he seized hold of her waist. ‘Can you swim?’ he murmured against her ear.
‘I’m t-trying.’ Her limbs felt leaden from the cold, and he kept one arm around her, helping her back to the boat. When she gripped the side, he hoisted her up, and her brothers pulled her in. A moment later, he joined her.
Her teeth chattered and she shivered hard, in shock over what had just happened. The boat continued to toss in the wind, but this time, Styr held her steady.
Dimly, she heard something about moving inland, towards the shore, but her body was so cold, she hardly cared. Styr wrapped a blanket around her, but she couldn’t stop shaking.
‘Will you…hold me for a moment?’ she pleaded. It wasn’t merely the cold. It was the terror of slipping beneath the waves, being at the mercy of the sea. She could still taste the salt water, and the frigid water had nearly frozen the blood inside her veins.
Strong arms came around her, and she rested her face against Styr’s bare chest. Though he, too, was cold, the longer he held her, the warmer his skin became. She was acutely conscious of sitting in his lap, but he didn’t let go of her. He’d taken the blanket for himself, wrapping it around both of them.
‘Thank you for saving me,’ she said, her voice hoarse. The exhaustion of the day was dragging her down, her body so tired, she could hardly keep her eyes open.
Styr made no reply, but she hadn’t expected him to. As she closed her eyes, she couldn’t help but wonder why it had been him to jump in after her, instead of her brothers.
He hadn’t hesitated, stripping off his armour before plunging into the sea. And now, as her body was starting to warm, he wasn’t pushing her aside as she’d expected him to.
Don’t, she warned herself. It’s nothing.
But his heartbeat pulsed rapidly against her cheek. And his hand came up to touch her wet hair, smoothing it behind her ear. Like a caress.
Though she hated the thought of losing his warm embrace, she said, ‘I suppose you should help my brothers with the boat.’
It was an offer to release him, a way of letting him go. She’d made him uncomfortable before, when she’d kissed him, and this was just as bad.
‘Your brothers are fine.’ His voice was brusque, as if he had no intention of letting go of her. He wrapped the blanket around her, and the gesture evoked her own guilt. She’d begged him to hold her, and he’d obeyed.
Shame slid over her when she raised her head to look at Terence and Ronan. They were staring at her with an unreadable expression. They didn’t know about Styr’s marriage…and she didn’t want them to.
The winds had died down, and though the rain continued, she no longer felt as if the waves were going to drag her under again. Gently, she pulled away from Styr, trying to calm the pulsing of her heart.
‘Are you all right now?’ Terence called out to her.
She nodded. ‘I’m just cold.’
‘We’re bringing the boat in, and we’ll build you a fire to get warm,’ Ronan informed her. He sent a grateful look towards Styr. ‘Thank you for saving our sister.’
The Lochlannach only tightened his hold around her and said to Caragh, ‘You’ll be all right in the morning.’
‘But the journey to Áth Cliath—’
‘—can wait a few more hours,’ he said. ‘You need to get warm, after what happened to you.’
She didn’t argue, but adjusted the blanket around him. Styr let her remain there a moment longer before he gave it back and went to retrieve his tunic. Her brothers spoke a few words to him before he returned to her. She couldn’t hear what they’d said, and the quiet expression on Styr’s face revealed nothing at all.
‘We’ll be at the shore in less than an hour,’ he said.
‘What did my brothers say to you?’ she asked.
But he would give no answer.
It was near midnight, Styr guessed, by the time they had anchored the boat and made camp upon the shoreline. Ronan and Terence built a fire for Caragh, and though it helped, she was still soaking wet. After her eyes kept closing, Styr helped them set up a tent for her. She moved inside and he brought her another dry blanket.
‘You should be warm soon enough,’ he told her.
‘Styr,’ she whispered, touching his shoulder. Though she’d only meant to stop him from leaving the tent, the slight gesture made him grasp her hand.
‘Sleep,’ he bade her.
‘I’m sorry,’ she murmured.
‘It wasn’t your fault you were swept overboard,’ he argued. She was so light from the hunger she’d experienced, it had been all too easy for her to fall back.
‘That’s not what I meant,’ she said quietly. ‘I shouldn’t have kissed you. You’ve been nothing but honourable towards me, and I had no right.’
He stared
