The screamin’ was coming from the far side of the room. I pushed Bella protectively behind me and tried tae make sense of the sound as it echoed around the Great Hall.

I glanced over my shoulder at Bella — she was wide-eyed, scared. The sound went on, a wail of despair and fear, and it was echoin’, fillin’, shockin’ my ears.

Every person turned toward that end of the room.

Bella grabbed my arm and pleaded, “Magnus, let the guards take you to your room, please, it’s not safe for you, please.”

“What dost ye mean?” The screaming continued. I yanked free of Bella’s grip and began tae push my way through the crowds. “Excuse me. Excuse me. Pardon me.”

A woman at the far end of the crowded room was pleading — “Help me please, please someone, please help me.”

The rest of the hall was quiet, people backed away, bumpin’ intae me, making it hard tae get through the crowd tae see—

Kaitlyn

—covered in blood, wringin’ her hands and beggin’ for help. I pushed through and rushed tae where she stood. “Kaitlyn!” She was overwrought, her hair knotted and matted, blood everywhere, a jagged cut down her cheek, shakin’, barely clothed, but the most frightenin’ of all — she dinna see me.

Her eyes were open but she was starin’ at the air, holdin’ her bloodied hands before her, beggin’ us tae take pity on her, blank as if what she had seen — what frightened her this much, was still there — a ghost was terrifyin’ her.

I grasped her bloody forearms and tried tae see into her eyes. “Kaitlyn, tis me, Magnus. Kaitlyn!” I shook her tryin’ tae get through the fog of her mind. “Kaitlyn what are ye—”

Her wail was long and piteous.

“Kaitlyn when did ye — what happened? Ye are covered in blood.”

She sobbed, “I killed him.” Her eyes were wild, left and right, not focusin’.

“Who, who did you kill?”

“I killed Donnan.” The room erupted into mayhem behind me.

The crowd was closin’ in. I pulled her behind me and held ontae her with an arm. She clutched at my shirt but I dinna think she kent twas me.

A man’s voice said, “Guards arrest her.” I searched for the place it emanated from but found nobody tae argue with. The guards were advancing.

I spoke tae the crowd. “I need tae check Donnan’s rooms.”

Uncle Samuel stepped forward. “Give us the woman, Magnus. She has committed murder.”

I put up a stayin’ hand and tried tae sound imperious. “We daena ken, we daena ken what happened. We canna—”

Samuel pressed toward me. “Release her, Magnus, turn her over to the guards.”

“I winna. I am the heir of Donnan. I am the next king. This is my wife and I winna turn her over.”

Samuel stepped toward me, his hands out placatingly. “Magnus, calm down — your wife? You can see this will need to be investigated.“

I yelled, “Minister Donahue!” The war minister stepped forward from the crowd. “What is the protocol? I am the next king am I not? I order the—”

Samuel stepped forward again, closer, making tae grab for Kaitlyn. “You may be the son of Donnan, but I am his brother. You’re protecting his murderer. We will need to determine the true next-in-line.”

I pulled my gun and aimed it at him. Guests gasped and stepped back.

Without takin’ my eyes from him, I asked again, “Minister Donahue, am I not the next in line for the throne? And as such, tis within my rights tae tell the guard tae step back. I order ye, Uncle, take three steps back. There may come a day when ye fight for my throne, but today is nae the day.” Samuel put his hands up but stepped back into the crowd.

I waved the gun around the room. “Anyone want tae argue with me about my rightful throne?”

Kaitlyn was sinkin’ behind me, I strengthened my hold on her. “Anyone?” I began walkin’ backward tae the door. Kaitlyn clutched my shirt, cowering against me, yet stepping along in time.

I made it tae the door and pushed Kaitlyn through it. Lady Mairead ran up behind. “Go fast tae Donnan’s apartments, Magnus. I will meet ye there.”

I turned tae see her slip back through the door tae attempt tae calm the crowd. I grasped Kaitlyn around the waist and pulled her up the flights of stairs and down the long hall — a door was open, light spillin’ out, a handprint of blood smeared across the open door. I pulled tae a stop—

A stark room, a bed, Donnan naked on his back, dead in the middle of it. Everywhere a struggle. Blood all over.

Kaitlyn covered her mouth to stifle her cry. I wanted tae join her. The room told me the full story and hearin’ it made me want tae kill him anew.

I enfolded her under an arm and hustled her down the hall tryin’ the next door and the next. The last opened ontae an office. With a glance I saw my sword and its sheath across the desk. “Kaitlyn, stand here.” I crossed tae the desk for the sword.

I pushed the gun intae my belt at my waist.

Kaitlyn had gone thankfully quiet on the matter so I could think better.

Lady Mairead stormed in. “Kaitlyn has killed him. This is very complicated.”

I crossed tae stand in front of Kaitlyn again. I finished buckling the strap on my chest. “I ken.”

“And you didn’t kill Samuel. You should have when you had the chance.”

I asked, “Tell me, did ye ken Kaitlyn was here?”

She looked shocked. “What?”

“Did ye ken she was here, Lady Mairead, did ye?” I looked wildly around for one of the vessels.

“If ye must hear it, Bella told me. I was trying tae convince Donnan tae let me take her home.”

I stopped looking for the vessel. Fury beat my chest with fast breaths. “Bella told ye that Kaitlyn was here?”

“Yes, she saw Kaitlyn here. We were trying tae get her out before—”

“Before I found out, and ye were tryin’ tae get me tae go tae my room tonight. What would have happened tae her—” A cough broke my words. My ribs hurt so much I wanted tae fall tae the floor. I gasped for breath.

She said, “I wanted ye tae go tae your room because ye are nae well. You’re blue Magnus, you’re wheezing, and the doctors should see tae ye. I will take Kaitlyn tae Florida. Ye can stay here—”

“You winna touch her. I want all the vessels.”

She shook her head.

“Give them tae me now or I will kill ye tae get it.”

She pulled a vessel from a pocket within her dress. “Tis the only one I have and I hardly think this necessary tae—”

“Tis necessary. The fact that I haena killed ye yet is surprisin’ me. I have been verra merciful, but daena push me. I want all the other vessels. Where did Donnan keep them?”

“If ye are leaving, ye need tae go fast.”

“Give me the vessels!” I held my ribs riding a wave of pain.

She went to the desk, used a key tae unlock it, and pilfered through a drawer. “He kept one here, the rest are locked up in his vault. It will take too long tae get tae them.”

She handed me the second vessel. “You need tae be out of this castle tae travel. The place where I journey from is through a tunnel but it’s a long distance. Go fast, I will hold them off. Go tae Florida, see a doctor. Minister Donahue and Governor Georges and I will do our best tae hold the kingdom. But I think Samuel has an army of men who will be looking for ye. Go.”

I nodded and put the vessels in my sporran.

“Kaitlyn, can ye run?”