“Yes, I haven’t found mine. And before you ask, no, I won’t be going through the ceremony with the other clans. As seeress, my loyalty will always remain with this clan.”
“But that’s not fair to you or him,” Raine protested. “What if he belongs—”
“Then the gods will intercede when the time is right. Do not worry; my tru-mate will come.”
From Reva’s grin, she didn’t seem concerned, and if she wasn’t, then Raine decided not to be, either. There were more important matters she needed to focus on, and one was getting through her marriage ceremony.
Reva brought them to a stop in front of a door. “They are waiting for you. Are you ready?” Her gaze told her to take her time.
Raine drew in a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
Soft, gentle music greeted her as she walked inside. The clan stood, all waiting for her, their eyes on her as she made her way toward where Skars and Thorsen were waiting. As she walked forward, she saw her friends and Lucas in the front row as she passed them to reach Skars’ waiting hand.
His red eyes were lit with a warmth she could feel in the core of her being. She would never know what it would feel like to be a tru-mate, but she couldn’t imagine it feeling better than this.
When Thorsen looked at her then Skars, she could tell he was going to start the ceremony.
Sending an apologetic glance to Skars, she raised his hand to stop him from starting the wedding. “We can’t start the wedding until Skars signs a contract that he said he would.”
Dumbfounded, Thorsen looked at them both again. “You can do this after the ceremony.”
Raine shook her head, her nervousness easing when she saw Skars smiling. “We could have done it before, but Reva said your clan has a custom where we’re not allowed to talk. I didn’t find regular paper and pencil in Skars’ ship, so I asked Silvia when she visited me yesterday if I could have a couple of pages from a notebook of hers and a pen.”
Raine turned toward Silvia. “Did you bring them?”
Giving an anxious look to Skars and Thorsen, she pulled out a folded paper and a pen from the pocket of her dress and gave them to her.
For a second, Raine thought Silvia was going to stroke out at the glare she was receiving from the Viking men.
“Thank you, Silvia.”
The elderly woman retreated to her seat.
Unfolding the paper, Raine poised the pen over it. “Are you still willing to promise I will be your only wife?”
“Já,” Skars immediately agreed.
Seeing the Viking males’ sympathy pointed at Skars didn’t stop her from writing the promise. When she finished, she looked up at him again. “In return, I promise not to divorce you.”
Raine nearly rolled her eyes at the Viking males’ approval now centered on Skars.
Neatly writing in her promise, her fingers started trembling at what she was about to do.
“I want a few more guarantees before I agree to marry Skars, and some from you, Chieftain.” Her voice might be coming out businesslike, but the paper she was holding in her hand was shaking.
Skars was no longer amused, and Thorsen was becoming angry.
“Chieftain, when humans marry on Earth,” Raine sought to explain, praying it wouldn’t end with Skars refusing to marry her, “the bride takes the groom’s family as her own, and the groom takes the bride’s family as his. When I marry Skars, I want your clan to become my family.”
“That is our wish.” Thorsen nodded.
“The problem is … I don’t want to leave Earth.”
“Raine, I told you staying on Earth isn’t an option for us.” Skars shook his head, already planning to deny her request outright.
Raine could see her soon-to-be hubby wasn’t the only one she was angering.
“I assumed you were a good trader, from the way you told me you managed to get the best deals from the planets you visited. You don’t seem much of a trader to me if you’re not willing to listen to my offer.”
“Did she just insult Skars?” From the side, Raine heard Trygve ask the question to Brinn.
“She did,” Brinn muttered.
Skars stiffened at the insult. Moving to Thorsen’s side to face her, he crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you offering, and what do you want in return?”
Raine wanted to cry. She didn’t want Skars angry with her on their wedding day.
Steeling her emotions, she accepted the cost of what she was going to pay to get the concessions she wanted.
“What I want is for your clan to make Earth your home. Why would we have to endanger ourselves to search for other planets when Earth has everything we need?”
“Except it doesn’t. Not anymore,” Thorsen said.
“But it could with your help.” Staring pleadingly at Skars, Raine tried to get him to budge from his way of thinking. If she could move one boulder, maybe the others could be easier to move. “When I was exploring your ship, I saw you had plants and trees that I recognize from Earth. Do the other ships in your clan have the same ones?” Raine stared questionably at Thorsen.