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Kara pinched the bridge of her nose. With a request like that how could she refuse? He’d be safer in the cart, but she wanted him with her. She held out her hand. ‘Come, then.’
Together they picked their way past the horses and scattered gear to where the battle had taken place. Bodies littered the blood-soaked ground. Kara gave a small cry and turned her face away as Rurik gripped her hand tighter.
‘I don’t like this, Mor.’
‘No one does.’ Kara steeled herself. If she had to, she’d turn over every corpse to find Ash. Then she’d go into Sand and get justice for Ash. Not to save the estate, but to make sure everyone understood what a good man Ash had been.
Over to her right, she could see the outlines of the hut where they had stopped that first night. Good ground for a battle. The memory of Ash’s words thudded through her. She hoped he’d been right and his luck had held.
‘Now to find your father.’
She forced her hand to turn over the first body. Breathed again. She didn’t recognise the man. ‘This warrior has gone to Valhalla, Rurik.’
Rurik’s face went white, but he didn’t cry. ‘We need to find my father.’
‘And Valdar.’
‘My father first.’
‘My thoughts precisely. Your father first, always.’ Silently she prayed that she’d figure out a way to keep Ash from fighting again.
The sound of male laughter floated on the air towards her. Someone was in the hut. Relief flooded through her. She started to run towards the sound.
‘Ash?’
The laughter instantly stopped.
‘Kara! I told you to stay in the cart.’
‘Since when do I do as you say?’ she asked, putting her hand on her hip, but keeping a restraining hold on Rurik, as well.
Ash sat on the ground outside the hut, resting Rurik’s sword on his knee, his face half-turned from her. Blood splattered his tunic and trousers. Valdar stood in the doorway with his helm off and his shoulder bandaged.
‘Ash, is there a problem?’
‘You should do as I asked.’ He resolutely kept his face from her. ‘And you should not have brought Rurik with you. It is far from safe. There might be a second wave of attacks. I...I can’t risk you both.’
‘Let me see you.’ She crossed the distance in two strides and stuffed her hand in her mouth. Ash now sported a wide gash on his face. If the blow had struck only a little differently, he’d be dead instead of sitting and joking with Valdar. ‘Ash!’
‘It looks worse than it is.’ His hand wiped away a trickle of blood. ‘There are others worse than me. I survived.’
‘I will be the judge of that.’ Kara reached into the pouch she always wore and withdrew a scrap of linen. She put it on Ash’s cheek, noting how close the sword had come to his eye. Ash was right. ‘It appears to be deep. Hold that there and I will be back with my healing supplies.’
‘I will go,’ Rurik piped up. ‘I know where it is. Trust me to get it.’
‘You are sure?’ Kara asked, hesitating. She should go, but she wanted to see how badly Ash was hurt, preferably without Rurik right there.
‘Yes! And I can run faster than you because you are wearing a skirt, Mor.’
‘Then go swiftly. I will watch you.’
‘Should you have allowed him to do that?’ Ash asked. ‘He is awfully young to be on a battlefield.’
‘He is capable of more than you or I think,’ Kara answered, shading her eyes with her hand. ‘You have shown me that. It will be good for him to have a little responsibility. He is old enough.’
Ash shook his head. ‘I do trust you.’
Rurik returned from the cart, dropping the small satchel at her feet. He placed his hands on his knees and panted from the exertion. ‘Did I go quick enough?’
‘Faster than the wind.’ Kara rapidly sorted the various supplies and found the herbs her mother had used.
‘These should work. They are good at stopping bleeding. When mixed with a little honey.’ She dabbed the mixture on his cheek, brushing the dirt from it. He winced as she worked. ‘The wound is clean. I don’t think there will be an infection, but you will sport a scar.’
‘You brought the right medicine, Kara—you and Rurik,’ he said, standing up. ‘I feel stronger already. I hope you don’t mind a scarred husband.’
‘I will take my husband however I can have him,’ she said, wrapping her hands about her waist. ‘But you should sit and rest. It looks as though you have lost a lot of blood.’
