“I would do itagain.”
Fen was beside him in the water.Cai couldn’t remember him getting there.But here he was.Vengeance.You willhave it one day, knee-deep in water and blood…“What?”he asked stupidly,swaying.
“He was going to kill you.I would do it again.”
“He was your brother.I…Itried to tell you.”
“The madness of battle wason me.I could only see you.I would cut him down again,Cai.”
“I didn’t want that.”Caiknew that was a lie as soon as it came off his tongue.What elsehad he been asking Fen to do up on the rocks before this battle?Why else had he run off, stinging with betrayal, when Fen had seenthe Torleik sail and hidden his face?“Forgive me.I wanted you atmy side.But not to…”
“I have killed mybrother.”
Cai followed him back to theshore.He waited while Fen crouched once more by the fallen man.Fen straightened out Gunnar’s limbs, brushed back the thick hairfrom his face.In doing so he exposed the holeBlóðkraftrhad torn in Gunnar’s throat.Hetwisted away, retching as if he would tear up his heart by theroots.
Cai leaned over him, gripping hisshoulder, stroking back hair from a noble Viking face in his turn.He wondered at the strangeness of it—one dead, one alive, one hismortal enemy and the other so dear to him he could hardly breathe.The entire world was becoming strange to Cai, seeming to liftgently off its moorings, as the magical Druids of ancient times hadlifted the great stones for their monuments and sailed them away,riding serenely cross-legged on their backs.Had that been a storyof Theo’s?No, of Danan’s, and she’d told it as truth, not alegend.
Fen choked and moaned, and Caistruggled back to himself.“Fen.My Fenrir.”
“I am all right.”Fen satup.He used the sleeve of his cassock to wipe his eyes and hismouth.“Come on.We have to get back.”
“Why?It… It’s over, isn’tit?”
“No.”Fen raised anunsteady hand and pointed to the clifftop.Beyond it, a sullenlight was spreading across the sky.“They’re torching whatever’sleft standing up there.They’ll do it for vengeance even if there’snothing to take.If anyone’s still alive…”
“Oslaf.”
“What?”
“Benedict’s boy, the one Isent home.He came back to help us.And Hengist and theothers…”
“Come on, then.”
“And I have to let Aelfricgo.”
Fen pushed stiffly to his feet.“Areyou insane?”
“Perhaps.But I don’t wanthim trapped like a rat in there.I have to give him his chance,even if it’s just to run away.”
“Cai, are you all right?”Fen took gentle hold of him and surveyed him.“Did he hurtyou?”
“Who?”
“Gods’ sake… My brother.Isaw him strike at you.Where are you injured?”
“Nowhere.Nothing.Just myarm, I think.”
Fen rolled back his cassock sleeve.Only then did Cai realise that he was blood-daubed from elbow towrist, an axe-cut so deep across his forearm that bone gleamed inthe moonlight.The world drifted further still.“It isn’t botheringme.We have to go.”
“I can tourniquet and bindit.”
Cai smiled despite the wastelandaround them.“What the devil with?”
“I am girded with mysubligaculum.A Viking is trained not to soil himself in battle.Itis still clean.”
The smile became raw, sobbinglaughter.Cai closed his grip in the thick rope of hair at the backof Fen’s neck.It was long enough for him to tie it back again,like Gunnar’s, but finer, warm as lambskin.Cai turned him round,away from the sight of the brother he’d slain.Fen was calm again,back in his warrior’s skin, but tears were still carving whitetracks down the blood on his face.
“I love you,” Cai saidfiercely, still laughing.“I love that you would stand here and ripup your undergarments to bind my wounds.But we don’t have time.Wemust go.”
