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Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

F rode and the two other pirates who hung about whipped out some cards and gold to gamble with. The other five were tasked with keeping the crew in line while they were forced to dig up the treasure.

That meant there were five pirates for thirteen men and three for little old me. I wasn’t complaining, but the numbers didn’t make sense. However, I hoped it gave Viktor and the crew enough space and time to devise a plan to save us from this mess. It couldn’t take much for the thirteen of them to overpower the five pirates tasked with guarding them and then the three watching me.

“What’s wrong, Astrid of Jorvik? Cat got your tongue?” Frode laughed, taking a swig of our ale.

I pursed my lips and resisted every urge to roll my eyes. I had a feeling that wouldn’t go down so well. Instead, I kept my eyes on the small mountain of gold coins up for grabs as they played cards.

“Don’t ignore me when I’m talking to you,” Frode huffed, his lips tugging down in an offended frown. He seemed bothered by my not answering him immediately, but I knew it was really because he was losing so much money. But, of course, why take his frustrations out on his men when he could take it out on me?

“I’m not ignoring you,” I murmured, my eyes still trained on the game. I had never been interested in cards when my family and friends played the game, but I didn’t have anything better to do right now.

One of the other pirates snorted and said, “It sure seems like you are.”

Frode ignored him and put down his remaining cards. The game and his fellow pirates were forgotten as he turned his body to face me, giving me his sole attention.

“You’re not ignoring me, are you, Astrid of Jorvik?”

“No, of course not,” I insisted and held his gaze, refusing to be the first one to look away. He would take too much pleasure in that.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet. Something else we found on the ship.”

“What’s that?”

“A cat.”

My eyes widened at the mention of Kis, giving myself away. I had hoped that Kis would have remained hidden, taking care of herself like she always did, but she wouldn’t be safe if the pirates had gotten their hands on her.

“Don’t worry,” Frode chuckled. “We have no interest in your little furry friend.”

“What did you do with her?” I asked, trying to sound disinterested even though my heart was pounding rapidly at the thought of these horrid pirates hurting Kis.

Oh Lord, please let her be okay!

I would never forgive myself if these pirates did anything to hurt Kis!

“I already told you we have no interest in your furry friend. We locked her up in the bottom deck of your ship. She can die down there for all I care.”

Internally, I sighed in relief but outwardly refused to show any emotion because I didn’t want to give them any ideas of using Kis against me. Unlike Frode, I cared about Kis. I had left Jorvik with Kis and refused to return without her.

When I didn’t say anything, Frode tried another angle.

“You mentioned earlier that you were married to the Captain?” He asked, his intense gaze set on me.

I nodded, wary. “Yes.”

“What was his name again?”

“I don’t believe I mentioned his name to you before.”

“What was his name?” Frode repeated. His smile dimmed just slightly, and I gulped, thinking it better to be truthful than risk getting myself in more trouble.

There was something sinister about Frode underneath the surface that I suspected he usually hid, but he was giving me a glimpse of now.

“Viktor.”

“Viktor and Astrid of Jorvik,” Frode chuckled. “Those names sound good together.”

“That’s why I married him,” I replied dryly.

“You’re a funny one, Astrid of Jorvik,” he chuckled again, but I didn’t find any humour in his words. The other two pirates did.

I pursed my lips and bit my tongue. It wouldn’t do any of us any good if I were to insult Frode’s intelligence. Or lack thereof.

“How long have you two been married?”

This was starting to feel like an interrogation.

“About ten days before we set sail,” I repeated.

“And how long ago was that?”

“About a month,” I feigned nonchalance.

“So, you’ve been married a month and ten days?”

I shrugged. “Give or take a few days.”

“And do you love your husband? Do you love Viktor of Jorvik?” Frode asked, holding my gaze as he awaited my answer. I didn’t know why this pirate was asking me such weird questions, but I didn’t like it.

“What kind of question is that?” I snorted. “Of course, I love my husband! I wouldn’t have married him if I didn’t love him.”

Technically, I wasn’t lying. I may not have been in love with Viktor that day we married, but his love for me was enough to convince me that I would be happy and well-loved by him. Falling in love with Viktor felt inevitable, and he soon proved me right.

It may have taken me longer to fall in love with Viktor than it did for him to fall in love with me, but that didn’t diminish my love for my husband.

“Well, that’s too bad,” Frode chuckled lowly.

My lips curled down as I watched him. I didn’t like his sleazy grin one bit. It sent disgusted shivers down my spine.

“Is that how you look at your husband when he approaches you at night?”

My jaw dropped in shock at his sudden and utterly inappropriate question. How dare he have the nerve to ask me something so personal? And how dare his men laugh at me as if there was something remotely funny about this situation! There certainly wasn’t, but it appeared that I was the only one that felt that way.

“How dare you ask such a thing,” I scoffed, resisting the urge to spit at him since that was the only thing I could do in my restrained state.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I’m not going to.”

“We’ll see about that,” Frode grinned. Before I could call him out for being such a sleazy human being, he stood up and reached for me. He grabbed me from under my armpits and forced me onto my feet.

My eyes widened in panic as I stared up at him, but with my hands and feet still tied together, there wasn’t much that I could do.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked as Frode threw me over his shoulder once again. If I hadn’t been so worried about why we were heading away from the beach and his two fellow pirates, I would have complained about the whiplash, he would undoubtedly give me with the way he kept throwing me around.

“Since you refused to answer my question, I’ll have to find out the answer myself.”

“There’s no point,” I tried to deny, hoping he would stop whatever sinister thing he planned to do. “My husband would sooner rather die than answer that question.”

“Oh, you misunderstand me, Astrid of Jorvik,” Frode chuckled, and this time, his hand landed right on my ass as he smacked it. My face reddened, but not with embarrassment. “I don’t need to ask your husband. I’m going to find out for myself.”

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