The Heart's Warrior (38 page)

“My father was wounded that same day Tostig died.

Were you responsible for that as well?” she asked.

Elezer showed his nasty grin and the Bloodaxe

cackled with glee. She detested them both.

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With a nod, Elezer propped his foot against a fallen tree trunk. “I tried to finish Alrik then, but that hulking Knut was there to guard his back. My aim missed its mark and I barely escaped with my life. Luckily I was wearing a helmet and Knut didn’t recognize me.”

Inhaling deeply, Kerstin resolved herself to be

strong. She realized now that Elezer’s sins were many. He was a fiend and deserved to die.

“How unfortunate that Jonas spared your life.” Cold fury swept her and she resolved then to have her revenge.

Somehow, someway, she would kill Elezer. “What other crimes against our people have you committed?”

The Bloodaxe snorted with laughter and slapped his right thigh. “What a delight, Elezer. You didn’t tell me what a bloodthirsty woman she is.

“I told you she’s a witch,” Elezer quipped.

With a shrill cry, Kerstin lunged for Elezer, trying to gouge out his eyes with her bound hands. Her injured ankle made her clumsy. He sidestepped her and she sprawled in the dirt. The fall knocked the wind from her and she suffered many scrapes as her body struck the ground.

She lay there, panting, hurting, almost overcome by her anger. Think! She mustn’t let her hatred swallow her reasoning. She had time, if only she could escape.

“Now, Kerstin, you must behave yourself or I’ll be forced to beat you.” Elezer’s voice sounded patronizing. “I don’t want to scar your lovely flesh, but I’ll do what I must to control you.”

With a glare, she spat into the dirt at his feet. “I’ll watch you die before this is finished, traitor.”

He and the other men in camp laughed. How soon

they forgot her deadly aim with a bow and arrow.

“Once we’re married—”

“I already have a husband.”

Elezer’s brows lifted. “Not for long. You’re about to become a widow.”

“You and I will
never
wed,” she spoke low. “I’ll die before I give you that honor. I’d rather marry a

slobbering, three-eyed pig.”

Elezer hardened his jaw and his lips thinned. His breathing came in harsh huffs, his nostrils flared, his eyes 259

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crazed with rage. Stepping near, he drew back his arm and Kerstin lifted her bound hands, prepared to deflect his heavy fists.

Eirik grasped Elezer’s arm. “Don’t be foolish. One blow to the head could kill her, and we need her...for now.”

Elezer paused, running a shaking hand through his greasy hair. Slowly, he gained control, then shook a finger at her. “Do
not
make me angry, Kerstin. You’ll not like me much.”

“Why, Elezer,” she jibed in a sugary sweet tone, “I don’t like you now.”

His eyes hardened. Why did she bait him? If not for the Bloodaxe, Elezer would beat her, possibly kill her.

She struggled to her feet, swiping at the dirt covering her clothes.

Eirik snickered. Kerstin glared at him and he waved a hand at a large, burly man who stood close by. The left side of his face looked horribly scarred, from a fire or battle mace, she couldn’t tell.

“Clovis, make her comfortable, but don’t let her

escape,” Eirik said.

Nodding his head, Clovis came to clasp Kerstin’s arm with his meaty hand. His shoulders spread wider than Jonas’s and she stared at his cruel face. He pulled her to a log that lay before the fire and pushed her down to sit on it. “You’ve injured your leg.” His voice sounded like rolling thunder deep inside his chest. “Rest here.”

He disappeared for several moments. Elezer and the Bloodaxe joined her before the fire. As they talked of inconsequential things, Elezer picked up a twig and peeled the bark from it, then tossed it into the flames.

Kerstin glared at both men, looking about for a way to escape.

Clovis returned with plates of venison stew and

brown bread. At first, he offered her no eating utensil and Kerstin refused the plate. On the pretense of handing her a crust of bread, he leaned close and whispered for her ears alone. “Eat it all, mistress. You’ll need your strength.”

He then slipped her a knife. Her eyes widened, but she hid the weapon in the wide sleeve of her shirt with 260

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haste.

She didn’t know Clovis or why he would help her.

This could be a trap, but she longed to trust him. She remembered Jonas saying his father had a spy in the Eiriksson camp. It could be Clovis. If so, why hadn’t he warned Jonas of the ambush?

She tried not to stare at him as he served the other men. Using her fingers and the crust of bread, Kerstin scooped up mouthfuls of stew and ate all she could. The cold, thin blade of the knife gave her comfort and she silently praised Einar for teaching her how to use it in self-defense.

Elezer and the Bloodaxe paid her little heed while they gobbled their food. Several times, a servant filled their drinking horns with sweet wine or ale. They guzzled it down, wiping their dripping beards on their sleeves.

Elezer’s lips were mottled with grease as he chewed with open mouth. She looked away with repulsion. How had she ever found him attractive?

The Bloodaxe set his drinking horn aside and turned to pick up a stick. With swift strokes, he etched his battle plan in the dirt. Kerstin pretended disinterest. Out of the corner of her eye, she studied the drawing, trying not to appear obvious.

“My bastard brother’s army sits here beside the

river.” Eirik tapped the ground. “Alrik’s men are there, and Jonas Sigurdsson is here. Our armies are there, here, and here.” Again he tapped the ground with the stick, drawing a circle to indicate their position.

Kerstin inwardly cringed. They’d surrounded

Hakon’s armies, an excellent strategy. They would destroy their enemy by cutting them off from retreat and any hope of reinforcements. Her cheeks burned. They were doomed—because Elezer betrayed them and gave Eirik their exact location.

Eirik smiled with satisfaction. “In three hours, just before dawn, we’ll attack. You should get some rest, Elezer. I think you might find the battle interesting. You can watch from a safe distance on the hill. I know how squeamish you are of fighting.”

Kerstin detected a note of disdain in Eirik’s voice.

She glanced at Elezer and smirked. “Most cowards are 261

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squeamish. Elezer the Traitor is no different.”

Elezer narrowed his eyes on her. The fire popped and a geyser of flame sprayed into the air. “Be careful, Kerstin. Once you’re my wife, I’ll make you very sorry.”

His words brought a blaze of trepidation to her heart, but she couldn’t let him know she feared him. Tilting her head, she smiled and answered in a sweet voice. “You’ve already made me sorry, Traitor. Sorry I ever met you.

Sorry for the stench of you. Sorry you were ever born.”

He leaped to his feet with a roar. “Witch!”

His eyes blazed, his hands raised as if he would

throttle her. She scooted back, her hand fondling the hilt of the knife tucked within her sleeve.

“Sit down!” Eirik called with impatience. “You’ll have plenty of time to beat her later. Right now, we have more important matters to attend to. I need her alive should we fail to defeat her husband. I can use her as bait.”

Kerstin shook her head as sadness engulfed her. “It won’t work. Jonas hates me. He would be glad to be rid of me.” “I’m afraid it’s true,” Elezer said.

Eirik stared at her, his eyes narrowed as he

considered her words. “We shall see. If Jonas is the man I think he is, I believe he’ll come for his wife—especially a woman as beautiful as you.”

Kerstin doubted it but kept her silence.

Eirik called for one of his captains, then glanced at Elezer. “I’m going to get what rest I can before we move out. I suggest you do the same.”

With a smile, Eirik stepped up to Kerstin and

grasped her hand. He pressed a moist kiss below her wrist. She jerked back and his eyes twinkled with amusement and he spoke low. “It’s a shame I promised to give you to Elezer. I may change my mind. I’d leave you in his care tonight, but I suspect you’re more cunning than he is and I can’t allow you to escape. Too much depends upon me winning the day. Clovis will watch so you stay where you should for tonight.”

Eirik bowed before her. His gray eyes seemed so cold.

“I’ll admit your beauty is enchanting, but don’t

misunderstand, my dear. If you give me cause, I’ll have you killed.”

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His vow sent shivers down her spine. She heard the call of a screech owl as it flew off in search of prey. It was late, the deepest part of cold night, but Kerstin felt enough hot anger to keep her warm.

Eirik turned and walked away, his gray cloak

sweeping out behind him like giant wings of a malevolent creature. He disappeared into the stand of timber and Clovis took her arm to lead her away.

“Wait!” Elezer called, reaching for her.

She jerked free, unable to stand his touch. “Let me go, Traitor. I can’t abide you.”

Elezer’s face mottled red with fury as he spoke to Clovis. “Don’t trouble yourself with her. I can manage.”

He tried to pull her toward him, but Clovis

interceded. “The Bloodaxe said she’s to stay with me.”

The dear man. Kerstin didn’t trust Clovis. His

loyalties seemed to rest with the Bloodaxe, yet he had given her a knife. She didn’t understand, but she preferred him to Elezer.

Clovis stood taller than Elezer, built with ham-sized arms that could rip a man apart. Shaking his head, he wrenched the traitor’s hand away from Kerstin and led her off into the trees.

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Over her shoulder, Kerstin saw that Elezer watched them with loathing as they moved through the forest. She hobbled after Clovis and breathed in relief, trying not to trip over rocks and tree roots as she picked her way through the dark. Soon, it would be morning and these hills would clang with the sounds of battle.

Clovis led her to a secluded spot where he made a soft bed out of leaves and grass. He tied her hands to a long rope and wrapped the end of it around his left hand.

“Lie down, mistress. You must rest.”

Kerstin frowned. “But I thought—?”

He gave a jerk of his head, his expression warning her to be silent. Perhaps it was the subtle way his eyes flared, or the slight inclination of his chin. Kerstin looked past his shoulders to where Elezer had stood. She saw no one, but the traitor could be close by, listening.

Clamping her mouth shut, she lay down on the

makeshift bed and squirmed about until comfortable. She closed her eyes but couldn’t sleep. She rested, hoping the swelling in her ankle would go down enough for her to run if she got the chance.

Clovis sat on the ground and leaned back against the sturdy trunk of a birch tree. He crossed his arms over his chest but his eyes never seemed to close. He remained so still that Kerstin knew a man would have to be close by to see he wasn’t asleep.

With a sigh of resignation, she felt the smooth hilt of the knife against her palm. Why had Clovis given it to her? For protection? Little good it would do her.

He lifted a finger to his lips. She remained silent as he stood quietly and waved to her. Her heart sped up and she got to her feet. Clovis took the knife from her and sliced through the rope binding her hands. Relief filled her when he returned the knife and she clasped it tight.

He looked into the darkness, listening, searching.

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Eirik’s men were huddled down for the night, with animal furs thrown over them to keep them warm. Soft snores filled the air; none of them moved. Within the hour, they would awaken and ready themselves to

ambush Jonas and the king.

Clovis nodded at her and turned. As she followed, she had difficulty moving her stiff body. When she put weight on her injured ankle, she almost cried out. But she vowed to ignore the pain and run.

He must have read the urgency in her wide eyes for he shook his head. Taking her hand, he led her deeper into the forest. She stumbled behind Clovis as they snuck away. A rustling sounded behind her and she glanced over her shoulder.

“Jonas!”

He pulled her into his arms and clasped her to his chest. His chain mail pressed against her. In his eyes, she saw relief. Where had he come from? How happy she was to see him.

“You’re safe. I feared for you.” His confession sounded hoarse with emotion and he kissed her brow, then her lips, his hand cupping her head as he pulled her close.

“Jonas, I—”

“Go with Clovis. He’ll keep you safe.” Jonas pushed her toward the giant man.

She clung to Jonas’s arm. “But I want to stay with you.” “There isn’t time,” he whispered harshly. “Go now. I can’t fight when I’m worried about you.”

“Elezer—he’s the traitor,” she told him, rippling with disgust.

Jonas’s brow darkened, his eyes hooded with fury. “I suspected as much, yet I couldn’t prove it.”

Clovis took her by the arm and pulled her away. She longed for more time with Jonas. She might never get the chance to tell him she loved him. Jonas turned away and she saw the dark shapes of his men advancing through the trees.

There would be an ambush. On the Bloodaxe and his men! “Come,” Clovis spoke low.

She followed, hobbling fast on her injured ankle.

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Dawn hadn’t yet broken the new day. Soon, it would be light. A man’s form loomed in front of her and she saw the glint of metal as a sword lifted high, ready to stab Clovis in the back.

Kerstin lunged, knocking the man’s arm so the blow fell harmlessly to the side. The assailant grunted and turned on her. Kerstin saw the flash of his cruel smile and her breath froze in her throat.