Cain had gone down like a ton of bricks. Lying sprawled out over the rocky hillside unconscious. It was funny that a creature one-twentieth his size could take him out. Zahra had cut the flesh around the wound and took some berries from her satchel. She chewed up the berries and then sealed her mouth around the wound and sucked. Her mouth filled with blood and poison. Zahra turned her head to spit, then sealed her mouth around the wound and sucked once more. She had to get the poison out of Cain’s system before it killed him.

It took a few minutes, but once Zahra was sure most of the poison was out, she chewed up a mouthful of red berries and spat the chewed-up mush into her hand. Carefully she rubbed the mashed-up berries into the wound to soak up what she could not get. Once she was confident, there was nothing more she could do she took the hem of her cloak and tore off a long thin strip, ruining her garment but creating a bandage to wrap the wound and keep it clean. She wrapped his leg and tied it tight.

When she was finished, she sat on the bolder next to Cain. Foolish man, she had told him to watch his step. Adders were not known for attacking unprovoked, but stepping on one would most certainly warrant an attack. Normally they were only found in the spring and summer, but the weather was still warm, and they had not yet slithered off into their holes to hibernate.

There was no telling how long Cain would be out for. Zahra went about her business, gathering herbs and roots of various plants. She stayed close, and as the sun began to set, she returned to Cain’s side, her task complete. He still had not woken, and they were losing the light. He was far too large for her to carry or even drag. She would have no choice but to stay with him until he woke.

Zahra knelt at Cain’s side and lightly tapped the side of his face attempting to rouse him. Slowly he came too. Shaking his head, Zahra helped him sit up. “What happened?”

“You stepped on an adder, and it bit you.”

“What is an adder?”

“A rather nasty snake.”

Cain looked down at his bandaged leg. “Did you do this?” She nodded. “It is a good field dressing. You would be handy in a battle.” He said awkwardly, trying to stand and swaying as he did.

“Easy, you are still weak.” She said, her hands out to help steady him.

Cain pushed her hands aside and glared at her. “I am never weak.”

Damn Nordic pride. “That is not what I meant.”

“Where is that blasted snake?”

“You sufficiently killed it. Though it was only defending itself since you stepped on it.”

He scoffed. “You have a soft spot for serpents?”

“I saved your life, did I not?”

“Are you comparing me to a serpent?”

“Why not the devil tempted Eve as a serpent.” She said, climbing down off the rocks.

“Who the blast is Eve?” Cain asked, carefully making his way down the rocks.

“Never mind, I am sure you know nothing about anything.”

She felt his hand close around her arm, and Cain forced her to face him. “Did you just call me ignorant?”

“Of course not.” She smiled sweetly. “I called you stupid.”

“Where do you get off calling me anything? In case you have forgotten, I am master here, and you are the servant.” He hissed.

“Well, were not for this servant, the master would be with the angels now.” She said proudly. “You owe me your life.”

He was looking at her like she had grown a second head. “What the hell is an angel? Another serpent?”

Zahra rolled her eyes and started back to the trees her satchel draped over her shoulder. “For a man of the world, you know very little about other cultures.”

“Like you know anything about mine.” He called after her as he limped behind her.

“I know all I wish to know about your kind.”

Cain was on her in a second his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to turn and look at him. “Really, and what do you know of us? Tell me, why do we sail? Why do we explore? Who do we worship? What do we hold dear?” She could not answer him. Cain scoffed at her silence. “You know nothing of me and my kind. Face it, Witch; you are as ignorant as you accuse me of being.” He pushed past her and limped ahead, using his broadsword to cut back the brush.

“Maybe I do know little about you, but it is not I who invaded your land. The least you could do is educate yourself in our ways.” She called after him. She rushed to keep up with Cain. It was dark, and the forest was all shadows now, but Cain, even with his limp, was still far out ahead of her. “Wait up.” She cried, quickening her pace.

She lost sight of Cain in the bush. Suddenly she was alone in the dark forest. Zahra stopped and looked around. It all looked the same in the dead of night. She was all turned around. Which way did she go? The sound of a wolf’s howl chilled her blood; it sounded close.

“Cain?” She whispered, hoping he was close enough to hear her. Zahra slowly started walking in the direction she thought the road was in. It was a thick brush and tall trees in every direction. She was starting to feel lost. “Cain?” She whispered again. Where had he gone? How could he limp so quickly?

Zahra paused; she heard voices in the distance. Male voices. Scottish voices. Did she run toward them or away? Who were they? Could they help her? Cain was nowhere to be seen; perhaps she should take this chance to escape. The voices grew closer. They were on the road. It was not far. Zahra ran toward the voices hoping her countrymen would help her.

She reached the edge of the road and saw six men standing around. She paused and stepped back into the shadows when she got a good look at them. She could tell from their kilts they were McCollum men. Given their clans’ blood feud, they were as likely to kill her as the Norse. Only these men would likely rape her first.

Zahra took a step back quietly. A hand clamped down hard over her mouth, and Zahra nearly screamed until she felt lips against her ear and someone whispered. “Make no sound, Sweet Siren.” Her heart was beating quickly. Cain slowly moved her back as they slinked farther into the trees.

“Why do you not just engage them?” She whispered as he took his hand from her mouth. “Mighty warrior cowers in the shadows.” She mocked.

“You wish to engage them, be my guest.” He whispered back, offering his sword.

“I thought you were scared of nothing.”

“There is being brave, and there is being stupid. I am outnumbered and wounded.” He reminded her, gesturing to his leg. “I think I can take the four on the right if you can take the two on the left.” He teased. “Otherwise, I think it wiser to keep to the shadows and let them pass by.”

She could not fault his logic. She would rather not tangle with the McCollums either. They were vicious brutes and thieves. She had no doubt they were the ones robbing travellers on the road. Cain lifted his finger to his lips for her to be silent and then gestured for her to watch. “I have heard that ships have been seen off the coastline.” One of the men said.

“Aye barbarian ships.” Another added. “Yet its crew is conveniently absent.”

“You think they abandoned the ships?” One asked. “Where would they go?”

They were talking about the Norse ship, she was sure. “Wherever they are, they best not be coming ’round these parts.” The first one laughed. “Or we will show them what for.”

“Send them to their heathen Gods.” Another snickered.

Zahra looked over at Cain, whose grip was tight on his sword. The look in his eye was murderous. She could tell it was all he could do not to try and kill them. He wanted to, and it made her wonder if he were capable. He certainly was a big man, muscled and strong. She would never really seen a man like him. But she supposed he was not all that different from her clansmen. He had the same long scruffy hair only when they had raven locks Cain had a golden mane. She noticed a lot of his men had beards, some very long. Though he was not exactly clean-shaven, he looked as though he had seen a blade within the last week. His jaw was shadowed but close to the skin. It was kind of rugged.

What was she thinking? He was not to be admired; he was to be feared and hated. He was a horrible person. So why did she like him so much? Zahra looked back at the men on the road. They had not moved, and they did not look like they were going anywhere anytime soon. They looked like they were settling in for the night and making camp.

Zahra sighed. They were going to be here for a while. “What do we do now?” She asked in a whisper.

“We wait until they fall asleep, and then we sneak past.”

“And if they wake?”

Cain grinned and lifted his sword. “There is always plan B.” Hopefully, it would not come to that. They sat in silence for what felt like forever listening and watching the men as they talked and dined on dried meat from their packs. They seemed to go on and on, never showing any signs of weariness. The moon was high in the night sky before they lay down, and it was another hour before Cain stood up.

“They are asleep. Let us go and be quiet.” He said, emerging from the bushes. Zahra came to her feet and followed close behind him. They crept past the men on the ground with carefully placed footing. They were almost in the clear when Zahra stepped on a fallen leaf and crushed it beneath her slipper. The crackling sound it made seemed to echo. Both she and Cain came to an immediate stop looking back to see if the sound had woken anyone.

Zahra held her breath as one of the men rolled over, but he did not seem to wake. Cain glared at her silently as if to scold her for not being as careful as she should have been. She gave him an apologetic look, and they continued, moving quickly to put some distance between them and the McCollum boys.

Safely away, they rushed back to the castle; the sentries on the wall opened the gate as they reached it. Once inside, Cain escorted Zahra to her chambers. Zahra opened the door and paused, looking back at Cain. If not for him, she may have never gotten back unscratched. “Thank you for your escort.”

He offered her a little half-smile. “Thank you for not letting me die.” Zahra turned to go into her chambers when Cain spoke again. “May I ask you something?”

“By all means.” She said, turning around to face him.

“Why did you not run? When I was down, you could have fled. You could have been free.”

She was not sure how to answer him. In truth, at the moment, the thought had not occurred to her. All she could think about was how he would die without her help. “I could not have a man’s death on my conscience.”

Cain looked away for a moment and then turned to leave her. “Good-night.” She watched as he entered his father’s chambers, leaving her alone.

***

Cain shut the door to his father’s chambers. Her answer surprised him. She could have run. She could have let him die. She could have been free, but instead, Zahra stayed at his side and extracted the poison from his blood. He did not understand. Had it been him, he would have run.

Erik rose from his bed quickly out of respect for his superior. His father, however, was sleeping. “How has he been?” Cain asked, coming to the bed to check Regin’s temperature with the back of his hand.

“Sleeping most of the day. He was awake a bit in the afternoon, but not for long.” Erik explained.

“What was he like when he woke? Was he well, did the fever affect him?”

Erik looked like he did not want to answer. “He was… disoriented.” Erik looked at Regin. “I fear he is getting worse.”

Cain took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Whatever the witch had planned, she had best do it fast. He was not sure just how much longer his father could hold on. “He will not die in this bed.”

“He may-”

“He WILL NOT die in this bed!” He was adamant about that fact. Cain would not let his father suffer that disgrace. There was no fate worse than dying an older man in his bed. His father was a great warrior, and he deserved a warrior’s death. Cain would move heaven and earth to see he got it. “He will recover.” He said quietly, perhaps more to convince himself than Erik. The witch would save him. He had to believe that.