“Reynevan!” she screamed horrifyingly. “Reynevan! Come here! Quickly!”

“Oh, Jesus Christ!” said Tybald, also looking in and then retreating. “Oh, Jesus Christ…”

Scharley and Samson came running up. Reynevan was quicker. He rushed inside, pushing the goliard away and almost knocking Rixa over.

Lying inside on the straw was…

“Jutta!”

He rushed over to her and fell to his knees. Caught her by the shoulders.

What he first sensed was wet heat. She was so feverish as to be almost on fire. Her eyes were closed and she was trembling, shaking in shivers.

“Jutta! It’s me. I’m here! Jutta!”

“Reynevan…” she said, opening her eyes. “Reynevan?”

He hugged her. And then felt the dreadful icy cold of her hands. He looked and went numb. The skin of her hands was blue, becoming indigo towards her fingers, and her fingers themselves were a deep shade of crimson.

With trembling fingers, he opened her blouse. And though he tried, was unable to suppress a groan of desperation.

Jutta’s arms, breasts and belly were blue and densely covered in blisters and pustules. New ones were erupting almost in front of his very eyes. Some had already burst and blood was dripping from them. Jutta began to tremble and shake spasmodically. Reynevan covered her and wrapped her in a cloak. She looked at him vacantly.

“Reynevan… I’m cold…”

He covered her with another cloak that Samson handed him. Jutta gripped his hand tightly. She tried to say something, but almost choked on blood. He tilted her head so she could spit it out.

“What’s the matter with her?” Scharley asked softly. “What ails her? What’s that dreadful blue colour?”

Reynevan bit his lips and pointed to the girl’s neck, to the cuts, the parallel cuts, already swollen and suppurating. He stood up and drew Scharley and Samson to one side.

“They wounded her,” he uttered. “And infected her. Infecting her with—”

“With what?”

“It’s…” His voice was stuck in his throat. “I think it’s… They’ve poisoned her blood magically. Infecting her blood and making it fester… According to Avicenna… The Salernitans call it sepsis… The blue colouration comes from internal effusions. Her blood is seeping through her veins and forming clots… And it’s spreading through her body… Purulent abscesses are forming… She now has symptoms of gangrene…”

“A remedy?”

“There is no remedy for blood poisoning… Not that anyone knows—”

“Don’t say that, dammit. You’re a physician. Try something!”

First the fever, he thought, kneeling down, I have to reduce the fever… Then a strong antidote will be necessary… Something to suppress the infection…