The Heart's Warrior (27 page)

She clenched her hands and locked her jaw. Let them come. They’d beat her, but she’d make sure she hurt some of them, too.

They grew braver and Astrid’s husband pulled a

knife. Kerstin swallowed hard but she couldn’t give in.

Not with so much at stake.

“Lay one hand on Ota, and I’ll curse you all.” Her voice wobbled.

The people gasped and muttered with shock. Many

wore expressions of fear. Others showed hatred in their eyes. “What is this?” Jonas called as he ran up the path leading from the dock.

Jonas! Her heart gave a joyous leap. How happy she was to see him. Praise Freya! He would do something about this mob. Even when the king would have burned her, he spared her life.

But now he was home. Sudden doubt clouded her

mind. Would he come to her aid, or condemn her?

The people began to talk all at once, crowding

around, telling him their version of the story.

“Silence!” He raised his hands, his eyes blazing.

They clamped their mouths shut and stared at him.

He looked at Tovi. “Mother, what happened?”

“It was an accident,” Tovi said. “Ota was playing in the kitchen and knocked over the cauldron. It spilled boiling water all over her. Your wife has dunked the child in the watering trough to ease the burns. She seems much better.”

As Tovi explained, Kerstin returned to the watering trough. Letta still held Ota. The child whimpered, her eyes closed. Glancing over her shoulder, Kerstin saw Jonas’s heavy gaze resting on her.

Drawn by the shouting, the warriors had come up

from the quay until Jonas’s people filled the yard. Others came from the fields above the steading. Their horses neighed and stomped. One pawed the earth and blew dust from its nostrils.

Undoubtedly summoned by one of the men, Haki,

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Gudrid’s husband, came running from the forest carrying an ax. Gudrid fell into his arms, sobbing hysterically as she told him what had occurred. As Haki listened, he looked furious.

Beata, one of the women, waved an arm to get their attention. “Remember how the witch healed Jonas when he collapsed on their wedding night? Surely she can heal Ota, too.”

“Bah! She saved Jonas so the king wouldn’t order her death,” Orick said.

“She cast a spell to burn Ota,” Astrid yelled in a shrill voice.

“Nay!” Ragnhild pushed through the crowd to stand in front of Jonas, tears streaming down her face. “I am at fault. I set the cauldron carelessly and it tipped over.”

“The witch caused it,” Astrid insisted.

Kerstin’s spine stiffened. Why didn’t Jonas say

something? Now, she would find out if she could trust him. Jonas hardened his jaw. “My wife will tend Ota. You needn’t fear Kerstin will harm the child. My mother will watch to see that all is well.”

Kerstin’s tensed shoulders relaxed as a ripple of exclamations filled the air. The people didn’t like this decree but they accepted Jonas’s strong leadership.

“What should we believe?” Haki asked him. “Was

Ragnhild’s foolishness to blame or did the witch put a curse on my child?”

Kerstin pursed her lips and shook her head.

“Why does everything bad have to be someone’s

fault?” she asked. “It was an accident. It happened. It’s too easy to blame me for everything. I was nowhere near Ota when this occurred.”

Jonas’s brow furrowed with doubt. Did he also

suspect her of casting a spell on the child? He had accused her of casting a spell on him also. What hogwash! Foolish, suspicious man.

He gazed at Ota and pointed to the watering trough.

“She’s right. See how the water soothes Ota. It takes the pain from her burns.”

Kerstin breathed with relief.

Haki looked at his daughter. The child had calmed 183

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and gave a weak smile. With a firm set to his mouth, Haki nodded. After several moments passed, he turned his wife over to the care of Tovi and lifted little Ota from the water. The little girl closed her eyes, her breathing calm and even, her sodden dress molded to her thin body.

Haki carried Ota to a hut at the forest’s edge. As Kerstin followed, Jonas walked by her side, his presence something she could feel without knowing he was there.

The people trailed behind Kerstin, whispering

amongst themselves. She wished they would leave. This was none of their affair.

At the hut, they stopped and watched Haki carry Ota inside. Jonas lit candles in the dim room as Haki laid Ota on a cot. Gudrid joined her child there, crying softly as she cradled the girl in her arms.

Glaring from one corner, Astrid mumbled about

devils and witches and curses. “I don’t want the witch in my home.”

“Mother, please let her help.” Gudrid’s bottom lip trembled.

Kerstin froze. Astrid was Gudrid’s mother and Ota’s grandmother. How could Astrid treat her own family so cruelly?

Haki turned to look at Jonas. He was a tall, solid-built man with light blue eyes and a blunt nose. At that moment, his expression looked wilted. “I’m one of your oath-men, Jonas, but I don’t want the witch to tend my daughter.”

Jonas glanced at Kerstin. “I give you my word no

harm will befall Ota. Tovi will stay close by to see that all is well.”

Haki’s brows drew together in a troubled frown. “The witch killed Bjorn. You have more reason than I to hate her, yet you seem to trust her.”

Doubt filled Jonas’s eyes and then, Kerstin knew. He didn’t trust her at all. He tolerated her. Because of the king. Sadness enveloped her, bringing a rush of stinging tears. She swallowed them back, unwilling to let him see how deep he hurt her.

“I trust her healing powers,” Jonas finally said. “We’ll watch her carefully to ensure she casts no spells.”

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Spells! Kerstin longed to scream at him. How she

wished she knew a spell to make his man parts fall off.

That would teach him a good lesson.

“So be it.” With a nod, Haki stood aside and allowed Kerstin to go to Ota.

With a sigh of disgust, Kerstin spoke to no one in particular. “I’ll need my herb satchel.”

Jonas stepped outside the hut and she heard him tell someone to go and retrieve her bag from her trunk.

While she waited for the herbs, Kerstin stirred up the fire, added more fuel, set a cauldron of water to boil then washed her hands.

Minutes passed and Ota began to cry from the pain.

Kerstin soothed her. How long could it take to run to the hall and get her satchel? She gnashed her teeth with impatience and breathed with relief when Letta returned with the herbs. Grabbing up the satchel, Kerstin opened it and pulled out a variety of carefully wrapped packages.

First, she administered an infinitely small dose of deadly nightshade to relieve Ota’s pain. The child soon slept and Kerstin cleansed her burns with the leaves and flowers of the rosemary plant before she applied a poultice of comfrey.

Tovi assisted Kerstin without comment, handing her bandages, scissors, whatever Kerstin asked for. Kerstin paid her little mind as she labored over Ota. She had Jonas send a boy out to the pastures to collect dandelion.

Then, she made a tea for Gudrid. The air filled with the pungent scent of herbs. Sweat poured off Kerstin from the heat of the fire. Tendrils of hair plastered to her cheeks and forehead until she tied the mass out of her way with a strip of leather.

“Will you use the aloe on Ota’s burns?” Jonas asked from the doorway.

Kerstin heard the sympathy in his tone and looked up from her chore. He of all people understood how painful Ota’s burns were.

“I don’t have enough,” Kerstin said. “I’ll have to use arnica instead.”

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comment. Leaning against the wall, he crossed his ankles 185

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and watched as she tended Ota. She knew what was best for the child and he prayed she didn’t fail. Kerstin had no reason to help girl, other than kindness. His people waited for word of Ota’s recovery. If she died or became crippled while in Kerstin’s care, Jonas would lose all credibility and didn’t know what his people might do to Kerstin.

When he’d come up from the quay and found his

people surrounding her, he thought they had killed her. A lance of fear had tied his gut into knots. He didn’t want her dead. The thought of not seeing her again pierced his heart like a dagger. Yet, he mulled over how to protect her from them.

When he found her defending Ota like a she-bear

protecting her cub, he almost laughed. How could he protect
them
from
her
?

He must leave soon, to join his father in battle. If Ota died, would his people demand Kerstin be burned? He could never order the death of his wife. Not Kerstin. The idea made his thoughts stumble. By Odin’s toes, he prayed Kerstin made Ota well again.

Why did he care? She was just a woman, after all. A bride forced on him by his king.

Yet, he felt empty inside when he thought of losing her. Sharp talons of jealousy had raked his heart when he heard her speak Elezer’s name.

Aye, he was cursed to care for a woman who hated

him and brooded for another man. Her spell wheedled into his heart until he could no longer fight it. When she looked at his scarred body, he expected to see loathing and disgust. Instead, her eyes filled with compassion or desire. He could almost believe her passion was real. For so many years, he had longed for a woman—any woman—

to see beyond his scars and look deep within his soul at the man dwelling inside. If only he could believe her lack of horror was real.

If only she loved him instead of Elezer.

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Throughout the remainder of the day and night, Kerstin stayed by Ota’s side, caring for her and Gudrid.

By early morning, Gudrid seemed rested, her appetite returned, her color less pale. Ota awakened and

complained of pain. Kerstin gave her a single drop of nightshade mixed with water to ease the discomfort.

Gudrid cried with bitterness. “Who will marry my

daughter? No one will want her. She’ll be a scarred monster.”

A vision of Jonas’s muscled body flitted through

Kerstin’s mind. People called him a beast, yet she could never think of him as anything other than a strong and capable man.

“Hush, don’t say such things.” Kerstin placed a gentle hand on Gudrid’s arm. “It’s only the front of her chest that’s badly burned. Her pretty face is still lovely and she can bear children. Jonas will find her a good man to wed.”

She hoped what she said was true.

Gudrid reached out and clutched Kerstin’s hand in her own. With tears of gratitude, she thanked Kerstin for saving her daughter’s life. “You’ve also saved my unborn babe. I feel better today than I have in months. Thank you.” Joy pierced Kerstin’s heart. She hadn’t planned on such praise. She glanced at Tovi, who sat at the table slicing carrots. Her eyes widened at Gudrid’s words, her lips pursed tight. When she looked away, Kerstin

wondered if she disapproved of Gudrid’s gratitude.

Kerstin couldn’t help feeling as though she had made some small progress in finding a friend. She urged Gudrid to rest.

Later that day, Astrid returned and grabbed Gudrid’s arm, shaking her awake. “Get out of that bed now and stop being lazy. There’s work to be done.”

Kerstin’s mouth dropped open and fury pounded in

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her blood. “Get out! Get out of here and stay out until I say Gudrid and Ota are well again.”

Kerstin advanced and Astrid backed out of the hut, her eyes round with terror. Kerstin closed the door in the woman’s face and secured the latch. Then, she returned to the fire where she stirred the broth she had set to simmer over the coals. Her strokes were so angry and brisk, the broth threatened to slosh over the rim of the cauldron and she calmed her movements.

How could Astrid be so harsh with her own

daughter? These people called Kerstin a witch when Astrid acted so terrible with her own family.

“I should help with the chores. My mother will be furious if she has to do my chores, too.” Gudrid sat up next to her slumbering daughter and fingered the woolen blanket covering them both.

Kerstin’s gaze rested on Tovi, who sat before the fire mending holey socks. Tovi didn’t speak but watched them, as if waiting to see what Kerstin would do. It unnerved her, having the woman scrutinize her every move.

Patting Gudrid’s shoulder, Kerstin pressed her back on the pallet and smiled. “You’ll lose your babe if you get up. Lie down and rest. There’ll be plenty of time to work once the babe is born healthy. For now, your job is to take care of your two children.”

Gudrid looked at Tovi, as if seeking her approval. It was obvious Gudrid was timid and used to taking orders.

With an overbearing mother like Astrid, Kerstin

understood why.

“Do as Kerstin says,” Tovi said. “You must stay in bed until the birth of your babe. Perhaps you’ll give Haki a son this time.”

Kerstin stilled. Tovi’s support and kind words left her speechless. The woman could make her life miserable, yet she seemed to suspend judgment. As Gudrid laid back and closed her eyes, Kerstin felt a sudden desire to please Tovi. To prove she hadn’t killed Bjorn.

How could she prove her innocence? No ideas came to her and frustration clogged Kerstin’s mind.

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while later when he came to check on Ota. The child and 188

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her mother slept side-by-side in the small cot set along one wall. They seemed completely content.

“Aye, she is better.” Tovi’s eyes crinkled with thought as she glanced at Kerstin, who was slumped in a hard chair.

Jonas smiled at the tendrils of red hair that escaped Kerstin’s braid. Her brow furrowed even in sleep, her hands resting in her lap. Her wrinkled clothes needed cleaning and a smear of soot ran the length of her chin.