Odin's Shadow (Sons Of Odin Book 1) (9th Century Viking Romance) by Erin S. Riley Page A

home. Selia kept herself occupied learning Norse from Ulfrik during the day, and learning the intricacies of intimate expression from Alrik at night. Just a short time ago she would have been shocked and repulsed at the various ways two people could join their bodies. How quickly Alrik had changed her opinion on the unavoidable necessity of bedding one's husband.
    Selia had made a vital discovery as well; Alrik's desire for her gave her a surprising power over him. Her marriage had made her the property of her husband. But she learned she could bring the big man to his knees with just a word or a touch. Selia took a wicked satisfaction in it.
    Her lessons in Norse were also coming along well, and she now understood most of the conversations she heard aboard the ship. As a consequence of spending so much time together, Ulfrik's Irish had also greatly improved. They had fallen into an easy and unexpected friendship, and Selia looked forward to the time she spent with her husband’s brother. The other men were still uncomfortable around her, however. Most of them wouldn't even look at her, much less speak to her.
    On the morning she had wandered off to bathe, Alrik had gone into a jealous rage, convinced one of the men had taken her into the woods. Ulfrik had calmed his brother down, but not before Alrik threatened to kill any man who so much as looked at his wife. The Finngalls took this threat seriously, and they now avoided Selia at all cost. But they couldn't stop the wind from carrying their words to her ears.
    She learned quite a bit about her new husband and his brother from these snippets of conversations.
    From the way the men talked, it was clear Alrik’s jealous behavior made them uneasy. They thought he was besotted with his wife, which she could only conclude was not befitting a man of his standing. There seemed to be more to it than that though, from the way they spoke in hushed whispers of Alrik's father, Ragnarr.
    She also heard the word 'curse' mentioned more than once. She didn't know what this word meant but had a strong suspicion it wasn't a compliment. She didn't dare ask Ulfrik about it, in case he took offense at the disparagement of his and Alrik's father, if indeed it was meant as such.
    Ulfrik seemed to be genuinely well liked among the men, although the nickname they called him, ‘Ulfrik Child Lover,’ gave her pause. It was always said behind his back, and always with a slight snicker. Many of the men had a nickname, and she was not surprised to learn Alrik's was ‘Blood Axe.’ Most of the nicknames had to do with either the person's prowess in battle, or a unique physical characteristic.
    Except for Ulfrik.
    At first, Selia worried the men had the wrong idea about her Norse lessons with Ulfrik, but after hearing the nickname several times in reference to things other than her, she decided it must be related to something else. Again she was hesitant to ask Ulfrik about it directly, as it appeared to be an insult. How exasperating that the only source of her information was also the subject of the gossip she wanted to ask about.
    She found Ulfrik to be an interesting person. During battle he had been as much a bloodthirsty Finngall as the other men, yet otherwise he seemed slightly removed from them. Different, although she couldn't put her finger on the reason. He worked beside them, he slept beside them, and he killed beside them. He made jokes with them and laughed at theirs. Why couldn't she shake the suspicion that Ulfrik felt like an outsider?
    "Selia. Do you want to stop?"
    She blinked at him. How long had her mind been wandering? "No," she said. "I'm sorry, I was . . ." She trailed off, not knowing the correct Norse word.
    "Daydreaming," he offered. "Wool gathering."
    She turned away, laughing, and out of the corner of her eye saw Mani Nefbjornson picking his nose. Selia nudged Ulfrik with her foot, eager to change the subject. "Mani Nose-Picker," she whispered.
    His gaze was dispassionate