Isadora didn’t want him to get up and have another run at her. As he crumpled over from having smashed into a tree, she lifted her club and hit him three times, very heavily, across the back of the head.
He fell still.
She stood over him a moment, kicking at him, but he didn’t move. Convinced he wasn’t going to rise up and attack her again, she tossed the club aside and quickly rushed off as fast as her painful ankle would allow.
God, just let me make it to safety where others are,she prayed. She was doing an odd run-skipping thing, trying to put weight on the ankle. Soon enough, she was in the clearing near the warriors’ village and she could see Cam heading toward her.
She wanted to cry out to him.
Help me!
But she didn’t have to say a word; Cam was already heading in her direction, looking quite concerned.
“Isadora?” he said as he came near, reaching out to steady her. “What’s wrong?”
Now that she was safe, Isadora realized that she was close to tears. “I was attacked,” she said. “A man… He came out of the trees and grabbed me.”
The concern on Cam’s face turned to something else, something dark and dangerous. “Who dared touch ye?” he demanded. “Did he hurt ye? Is that why ye’re limping?”
Isadora shook her head, clutching him. “Nay,” she said. “He dinna hurt me. I hurt my ankle when I fell. But he pulled a dirk on me. He was going tae kill me.”
Cam growled low in his throat. “Where is he?”
She pointed back to the trees over to the northwest. “In the trees,” she said. “I hit him in the head with a club so I could get away.”
Cam’s expression was deadly. “Wait here.”
With that, he headed back into the trees, leaving Isadora standing there, wondering what he was going to do. His chivalry had not gone unnoticed; Isadora had spent her entire life defending herself and others, so to have someone stand up for her was both touching and strange.
But wholly wonderful.
Nervously, Isadora waited until Cam finally emerged from the trees. He was alone. Grabbing hold of her as he drew near, he turned her toward the village.
“With me, now,” he said in a low voice.
He was moving swiftly, pulling her along and finally putting a supporting arm around Isadora when she continued to limp. She had no idea why he should move so quickly, or so forcefully, and it was rather concerning. She thought that perhaps her victim had regained consciousness and Cam was trying to protect her, so she moved with him gladly.
They reached Cam’s cottage on the edge of the village compound and he quickly ushered her inside, shutting the door behind them and throwing the iron bolt. It was dark inside as he fumbled for a fire steel and stone.
“What is wrong?” Isadora’s curiosity had the better of her. “Is the man looking for me?”
Cam lit the oil lamp and a soft glow filled the tiny cottage. “Did anyone else see ye leave the trees? Anyone at all?”
Isadora shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “Whatis wrong?”
Cam turned for the brazier. There were still some coals in it and he stirred them a bit, bringing forth a tiny blaze.
“The man in the trees is dead,” he said after a moment. “I saw the club ye hit him with. How hard did ye hit him, Isadora?”
Isadora was torn between shock and fear. “Hard enough so he wouldna get back up and hurt me.”
“Did ye hit him more than once?”
“Aye. I couldna risk him getting up and using his dirk on me.”
Cam nodded. “I saw his weapon. Ye crushed his skull, lass.”
Isadora’s eyes widened as she realized what she’d done. “Had I not defended myself, he would have killed me!”
