Chapter 25
Magnus found Ada in the courtyard, speaking with Mairi near the herb garden.
The morning sun caught her hair, turning it to spun gold, and for a moment he just watched her. The way she gestured with her hands as she spoke. The small smile on her face despite the bruise marring her jaw. The strength in her bearing even after everything she'd recently endured.
She was remarkable. And he'd been a fool to keep her at arm's length for so long.
Mairi saw him first, her eyes meeting his with a knowing look. She said something to Ada, squeezed her hand, then made her exit with a pointed glance in his direction.
Ada turned, found him standing there. Something shifted in her expression. Uncertainty, maybe. Or wariness.
Magnus hated that he'd put that look there.
"Good mornin'," he said, closing the distance between them. "How are ye feelin'?"
"Sore. But I'll live." Ada touched her bruised jaw self-consciously. "Mairi says the swellin' should go down in a few days."
"Good." Magnus hesitated, then pushed forward with what he'd come to say. "I wanted tae ask ye somethin'. About last night."
Ada's expression shuttered slightly. "What?"
Magnus ran a hand through his hair, frustrated with his own inability to find the right words.
"Last night, when I found ye in the courtyard, ye were fightin'. Ye connected a good kick tae that bastard's shin. Drove yer elbow into his ribs."
"I was tryin' tae get away."
"Aye. And ye did well. Better than most would have in that situation." Magnus met her gaze steadily. "But I want tae teach ye tae dae better, like we’ve discussed. Would ye like that? Tae fight properly."
"Of course. That would be so much better than being locked in our chamber. Tae hide until this is over."
"I thought about it." Magnus's jaw tightened. "Believe me, every instinct I have is screamin' at me tae lock ye away somewhere safe. But ye're nae the kind of woman who tolerates that. And truth be told, I'd rather ye ken how to defend yerself than rely on others to always be there in time."
Because he might not be. That terrible truth sat between them, unspoken but understood.
"When dae we start?" Ada asked.
"Now, if ye're up fer it."
Ada glanced down at her gown. "I'm nae exactly dressed fer it."
"It'll dae fer today. We're just coverin' basics." Magnus gestured toward the training yard. "Come on. Before I change me mind and decide tae lock ye in a tower after all."
Ada's lips quirked slightly. "Ye dinnae have a tower."
"I'd build one if I thought it would keep ye safe."
Something in her expression softened at that. She followed him across the courtyard to the training yard, a space near the outer wall where his men practiced daily.
It was relatively empty that time of morning. Most of the guards were on duty or sleeping after night shifts. Just a few younger lads working through sword drills in the far corner.
"All right," Magnus said, stopping in the center of the yard. "First thing ye need to ken is if someone grabs ye from behind like they did last night, what's yer instinct?"
"Tae pull away. Tae try and break free."
"Aye. And that's exactly what they'll expect. Which is why it rarely works." Magnus moved behind her, careful to telegraph his intentions. "May I?"
Ada nodded, her body tensing slightly as he stepped closer.
"I'm goin' tae put me arm around yer waist," Magnus said. "Like they did. Tell me what ye feel."
He wrapped his arm around her, pulled her back against his chest. Not roughly, but firmly enough that she'd feel restrained. Her back pressed against him, her head just reaching his shoulder.
Magnus forced himself to focus on the lesson. Not on how perfectly she fit against him. Not on the scent of her hair or the rapid flutter of her pulse where his forearm rested near her ribs.
"What dae ye feel?" he asked, his voice rougher than intended.
"Yer arm. Strong. Holdin' me too tight to pull free." Ada's breathing had quickened slightly. "And ye're much taller than me. Much stronger."
"Aye. Which means pullin' away willnae work. So what dae ye dae instead?"
"I dinnae ken. Teach me."
Magnus smiled despite himself. "Ye go intae them.
Nae away." He loosened his hold slightly.
"Ye're small, which they think makes ye weak.
But small means fast. Agile. Hard tae hold if ye ken how tae move.
So ye drop yer weight suddenly." He demonstrated, letting his knees bend.
"Makes it harder fer them tae lift ye. Then ye drive yer elbow back, hard as ye can, right into their ribs or gut. "
"Like I did last night?"
"Aye. But with more force. More intention behind it. Try it now. I'll hold ye, ye break free."
Ada nodded. Magnus wrapped his arm around her waist again, and this time she didn't hesitate. Dropped her weight, drove her elbow back. It connected with his ribs, not hard enough to truly hurt but enough that he felt it.
"Good," Magnus said, releasing her. "Again. Harder this time. Dinnae worry about hurtin' me. I can take it."
They practiced the movement over and over. Each time, Ada grew more confident, her strikes landing with more force. Magnus coached her through it, adjusting her stance, showing her where to aim for maximum impact.
And with each repetition, each moment of contact between them, Magnus felt the tension building. The awareness of her body against his. The way she gasped slightly when his arm tightened around her waist. The heat of her even through layers of fabric.
This was supposed to be about teaching her to defend herself. About keeping her safe.
But God, it was becoming something else entirely.
"All right," Magnus said, his voice strained. "That's good. Now let's work on what tae dae if someone comes at ye from the front."
He faced her, held up his hands. "They're goin' tae reach fer ye. Try tae grab yer arms or shoulders. Yer instinct will be tae back away. But backin' away just gives them room tae advance. So, what dae ye dae?"
"Go forward?" Ada guessed.
"Close, aye. Ye step to the side. Makes their grab miss, puts ye in position tae strike.
" Magnus demonstrated, moving with the fluid grace of long practice.
"See? They reach, ye slip aside, and then ye've got options.
Knee tae the gut if they're bent over. Strike tae the throat if ye can reach it.
Or just run like hell if there's an opening. "
Ada tried it, her movements clumsy at first but improving with each attempt. Magnus corrected her stance, adjusted the angle of her steps, his hands on her shoulders and hips to guide her positioning.
Each touch felt charged. Electric.
By the time they'd been at it for half an hour, Magnus was acutely aware of every breath she took. Every flush on her cheeks. Every time her eyes met his and held just a moment too long.
"Ye're a fast learner," he said, stepping back to give himself some distance before he did something foolish. "Better than half me men were when they started."
"Maybe I just have a good teacher." Ada's smile was genuine, her eyes bright despite the bruise. "Thank ye, Magnus.
"Ye proved last night ye're resilient." Magnus's expression turned serious. "Ye're strong, Ada. Stronger than ye ken. I just want tae make sure ye stay alive long enough tae realize it."
Movement at the edge of the training yard caught his attention. Torvald, his expression grim.
Magnus's stomach dropped. That look meant bad news.
"Wait here," he told Ada, then crossed to meet his friend.
Torvald spoke low, his words for Magnus alone. "The prisoner. He's dead."
"What?" Magnus's voice came out sharp. Too loud. He forced it lower. "How?"
"The guard found him this mornin' when he went to check on him. Someone slit his throat during the night. Clean cut." Torvald's jaw was tight. "There's a spy in the keep, Magnus. Someone who had access to the dungeons. Someone we trust."
Rage flooded through Magnus, hot and immediate. He wanted to tear the keep apart stone by stone. Wanted to drag every person who'd been near those dungeons and demand answers.
But Ada was watching from across the yard, her expression worried. And he'd promised himself he wouldn't let his anger frighten her.
"Double the guard on the dungeons," Magnus said, his voice cold and controlled despite the fury burning in his chest. "And have Bjorn interview everyone who was on duty last night. I want names. I want tae ken who went where and when."
"Already done."
"Good." Magnus glanced back at Ada. "Dinnae tell her. Nae yet. She's had enough fear fer one day."
"Are ye sure that's wise? If there's someone inside workin' against us—"
"I'll tell her. Just nae right now." Magnus turned back to Torvald. "Go. Dae what needs daein'. I'll join ye soon."
Torvald nodded and left. Magnus took a moment to compose himself, to push down the rage and frustration before returning to Ada.
"Everythin' all right?" she asked as he approached.
"Aye. Just keep business." Magnus forced himself to smile. "Ready tae keep goin'?"
They worked through more techniques. How to break a wrist hold. How to use her smaller size as an advantage. How to read an attacker's body language for tells before they struck.
And slowly, other men began to drift toward the training yard. Drawn by curiosity, maybe. Or by the unusual sight of their laird teaching his lady wife to fight.
They kept respectful distance, but Magnus heard their murmurs. Saw them nudging each other, nodding with approval as Ada landed a particularly good strike.
"That's it, me lady!" one called out. "Show 'im what ye're made of!"
Ada's cheeks flushed at the attention, but she didn't stop. Just kept working, kept trying, her determination evident in every movement.
Magnus felt pride swell in his chest. His wife. Strong and brave and refusing to be broken by what had happened to her.
More men gathered. Their encouragement grew louder. And Ada, feeding off their support, pushed herself harder.