My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 510

Sera

Chief Thorne slammed his cup down and spoke loud enough to carry. "Kael's girl is ash, so where is Kael? Has anyone even looked for him?"

The hall quieted, table by table. I met Thorne's glare calmly, my fingers curled around my mead horn. "Kael was not in his house when Mina found Taya this morning. No one has seen him since. His whereabouts are being seen to."

"A man like Kael can not just vanish," Thorne growled, slamming his horn down on the table. "Not without a word, even to his brother." He swung his gaze to me. "And it seems strange that the Luna of this hold does not know what goes on beneath her own roof."

I met his eyes, my own expression unyielding. "I would sooner have answers than guesses, Thorne. If you have any, I would hear them. But I will not be swayed by reckless speculation."

Before Thorne could retort, Vidar stood, his cup raised. A few chuckles rippled through the hall at the gleam in his eye. "My brother will turn up," he said easily. "He has too many debts to settle, here and elsewhere. I mean to see to it myself, starting tomorrow. But for now, let us drink to Taya."

He raised his cup higher. "To a fierce heart and a truthful tongue, both lost to us too soon."

I rose with the rest of the hall. The horns clinked together as we drank.

I remained seated at the high table, my horn untouched beside me, as the hall settled back onto the benches. Hushed talk crept across the tables like a hesitant wind.

The doors crashed open and Rurik stumbled in, swaying on his feet. His eyes were red and his face wet. He lurched to the middle of the hall and stood there, glaring at us all.

"You all feast while she is barely cold," he said in a raw voice, jutting his chin at the cups in our hands. "Look at you!"

"Sit down, lad, or get out," growled a burly warrior from the benches where Vidar's men sat. Thorne set his cup down sharply on the oaken tabletop, fixed the stranger with a hard glare.

"I'll not sit while you drink to her bones!" Rurik snapped back at the warrior.

Vane rose from his bench, his steps heavy and measured as he went to his son. He put a hand on Rurik's shoulder. Rurik shoved it away.

Rurik's bloodshot eyes found Vidar Sarn. He jabbed a shaky finger at the Alpha. "You ride in today," Rurik slurred, his voice climbing, "and the very same day she's dead, and her father nowhere to be found, how mighty convenient." The accusation tumbled from his lips in one ragged breath.

The hall fell silent. Vane tried to pull Rurik back, but he shook him off and stumbled towards the high table. Vidar remained seated, his expression impassive.

"Where were you, boy?" Vidar asked quietly. "The last weeks of her life, when she needed someone?"

That broke Rurik. "You have no right!" He roared, jumping at Vidar and swung his fist.

"No!" I barked. "Amara!"

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