Chapter 24
Magnus woke before dawn, his body tense and alert despite having barely slept.
Every sound in the keep had pulled him from the edge of rest. Footsteps in distant corridors, the change of the guard, the creak of settling stone.
Each time, his hand had moved instinctively to the knife he'd placed within reach on the bedside table, his eyes scanning the chamber for threats that weren't there.
Ada slept curled against his side, her head pillowed on his chest, one hand fisted in his shirt like even in sleep she feared he might disappear. Her breathing was steady now, deep and even, though she'd woken twice in the night from dreams she wouldn't speak about.
Magnus hadn't needed her to speak. He'd seen the terror in her eyes, felt the way she'd clung to him until her trembling stopped.
He should let her sleep longer. God knew she needed it after the previous night. But the gray light filtering through the shutters told him dawn was breaking, and with it came the demands of a keep under threat.
He had a prisoner in his dungeons who needed questioning. A castle full of people who might be traitors. And a father-in-law somewhere beyond his walls planning an attack that could destroy everything Magnus had built.
Carefully, slowly, Magnus extracted himself from Ada's grip. She murmured something unintelligible, her hand reaching for him even in sleep. He caught it gently, pressed a kiss to her knuckles, then tucked it back beneath the blankets.
The bruise on her jaw looked worse in the morning light. Dark purple spreading down toward her throat, the edges tinged with yellow. Her split lip had scabbed over during the night, but it would hurt when she tried to eat or speak.
Rage, cold and focused, settled in Magnus's chest as he stared at those marks.
Someone had done this to her. In his keep. Under his protection.
And whoever that someone was, they would pay for every bruise, every moment of fear they'd caused her.
Magnus dressed quickly, pulling on boots and buckling his belt with practiced efficiency. His movements were quiet, economical, honed by years of rising before his men to check defenses and plan the day's work.
But today felt different. Today, every action was weighted with urgency. With the knowledge that time was running out.
He paused at the door, looked back at Ada one more time. She'd rolled into the warm space he'd left, her golden hair spread across his pillow. Even bruised and exhausted, she was beautiful. Even after everything, she'd trusted him enough to fall asleep in his arms.
"I'll keep ye safe," Magnus whispered to her sleeping form. "Whatever it takes."
Then he slipped out into the corridor, closing the door as quietly as he could behind him.
Torvald was already waiting in the war room, along with Bjorn and two other trusted men. They looked as tired as Magnus felt. Clearly none of them had slept much either.
"Report," Magnus said without preamble, taking his seat at the head of the table.
Bjorn spoke first. "The fire's out. Damage to the storage room is extensive but contained. We lost some supplies. Oil, dried goods, a few barrels of salted fish. Could have been much worse."
"Casualties?"
"One guard with burns on his hands from fighting the flames. Mairi's tended him. He'll recover." Bjorn's scarred face was grim. "But the three guards at the postern gate have been moved to the chapel. Throats cut, all of them. Clean kills. Professional."
Magnus's jaw clenched. Three good men. Dead because he'd failed to see the threat inside his own walls.
"And the prisoner?" he asked.
Torvald shook his head. "Still unconscious. Ye hit him hard, Magnus. The wound tae his shoulder's deep, and he lost a good amount of blood before we got him to the dungeons. Mairi says it might be hours before he wakes. If he wakes."
"He'll wake." Magnus's voice was flat. Cold. "I need answers from him. Who sent him. How many others are inside the keep. What their plan is."
"We've been searchin'," Bjorn said. "Goin' through the men who came with Lady Ada from MacTavish lands, questionin' anyone who's acted suspiciously. But so far, nothin'. Either they're very good at hidin', or there's fewer of them than we thought."
"Or they're nae among the obvious suspects." Magnus leaned forward, his hands flat on the table. "Think about it. Who would we nae suspect? Who has access tae every part of this keep, kens the guard rotations, could move through the corridors at night without raisin' questions?"
The men exchanged uneasy glances.
"Ye're sayin' it could be anyone," Torvald said slowly. "Servants. Guards we've had fer years. Even men we trust."
"Even men we trust, aye." Magnus's expression was grim. "MacTavish is clever. He wouldnae send obvious spies. He'd send people who could blend in. Who we'd never think tae question."
Bjorn cursed under his breath. "That could be dozens of people. How dae we narrow it down?"
"We start with who was near the kitchens last night. Who had opportunity." Magnus stood, began pacing. His mind worked through the problem, analyzing angles like he would a battlefield. "The attack was planned. They kent Ada would leave the chamber. Kent she'd go tae the kitchens. How?"
"Someone was watchin' her," Torvald suggested. "Waitin' fer the chance."
"Or someone told them where she'd be." Magnus stopped pacing. "Think back. Who kent about the emergency meeting? Who kent I'd be occupied in the war room?"
"The council members," Bjorn said. "The scout. The guards who were on duty when he arrived."
"Make a list. Every person who kent I'd be away from the chamber last night and who could have passed that information to someone else." Magnus's voice was hard. "And start watchin' them. Carefully. I want tae ken everywhere they go, everyone they speak tae."
"Aye, me laird."
"What about Donnan?" Torvald asked. "He came with Lady Ada's escort. He's been overly attentive tae her since she arrived. Always hoverin' near, askin' questions."
Magnus had noticed that too. "Where was he last night?"
"Claims he was in the barracks when the alarm rang. Says he came runnin' with the others tae fight the fire." Torvald's expression was skeptical. "But I didnae see him there. And several guards say they didnae remember seein' him either."
"Bring him in fer questionin'. Quietly. I dinnae want tae spook anyone else if he is involved." Magnus moved to the window, looked out over the courtyard where men were already moving about their morning duties. Everything looked normal. Peaceful. "What about the other man? The one who escaped?"
"Nay sign of him. We searched the walls, the village, everywhere within a mile of the keep." Bjorn shook his head. "It's like he vanished into smoke."
"Ada thinks she recognized him as one of the guards her faither sent with her. He knew where tae escape and hide." Magnus turned back to his men. "Which means he's probably still close. Waitin' fer another chance."
The thought made his blood run cold. Ada wasn't safe. Not until they rooted out every last one of MacTavish's people.
"Double the guard on our chamber," Magnus said. "I want men posted outside the door at all times. And send word tae the other jarls. Erik, Halvard, the rest. Tell them what's happened. I want them on alert in case MacTavish is plannin' somethin' larger."
"Ye think this is the start of an attack?"
"I think this was a test. Tae see if they could get tae Ada. Tae see how we'd respond, tae test our weakness." Magnus's hands curled into fists. "And now they ken we're vulnerable. That our defenses have gaps. They'll be back. The only question is when."
The men nodded grimly, understanding the implications.
"What about Lady Ada?" Bjorn asked. "Should she be moved somewhere safer? One of the other keeps, maybe, until this is resolved?"
"Nay." The word came out sharper than Magnus intended. "She stays here. Where I can protect her."
"Magnus," Torvald started.
"She stays, Torvald. That's final." Magnus met his friend's gaze steadily. "I willnae send her away. Willnae put her on a ship where MacTavish could intercept her. She's safest here, with me."
Or maybe that was just what he needed to believe. That keeping her close was about her safety and not about the fact that he couldn't bear to let her out of his sight.
Not after the night before. Not after coming so close to losing her.
Torvald studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "All right. She stays. But we need to be smarter about protectin' her. Nae just guards outside the door. Someone with her at all times when ye're nae there."
"I'll assign someone trustworthy," Bjorn said. "Someone we ken fer certain isnae compromised."
"Make sure it's someone she'll nae mind havin' shadow her." Magnus moved back to the table, planted his hands on its surface. "Ada's independent. Stubborn. She'll fight havin' a constant guard."
"Then make her understand it's necessary." Torvald's voice was gentle. "She nearly died last night, Magnus. She kens the danger is real."
Aye. She knew. Magnus had seen it in her eyes when she'd clung to him, felt it in the way she'd trembled in his arms.
But Ada was also brave. Foolishly, dangerously brave. The kind of brave that made her go to the kitchens alone in the middle of the night because she thought someone might need healing.
The kind of brave that would make her resist being locked away like a prisoner for her own protection.
"I'll speak with her," Magnus said finally. "But first we need that prisoner awake and talkin'. And I want Donall and the other two guards that came with Ada gone, there’s nay need fer them tae stay any longer.”
The men rose, moved toward the door to carry out their orders. Torvald lingered behind, his expression troubled.
"What?" Magnus asked.
"How is she? Really?"