Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 99206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
“But she is your tenant now and under your protection,” Reena said.
“But she is accused of stealing from one lord for the sake of another. That makes it another matter—the king’s matter, which Kilkern knew it would come down to in the end. I would present my map and wedding agreement to the king and my land would be returned to me. He approaches the king first with false accusations that allow him time to formulate a plan and produce a map that will dispute mine and in the end have Brigid for himself.”
“Where is Brigid now?” Reena asked.
“In the kitchen with Maura happily discussing food for our wedding,” Thomas said. “Two guards watch over her, though she does not know it. And all guards are on full alert to strangers or strange happenings.”
“Kilkern seems self-assured of victory,” Reena said with a brief shake of her head. “Almost as if he knows something we don’t.”
“He will prove himself a fool,” Magnus said with assurance.
“What of the king’s men?” Reena asked, worried.
“Kilkern will not allow it to go that far, for then Brigid would be useless to him after torture, and she will not be able to confess the location of the map, proving that no map ever existed. He wants us to snap at his bait so that he may hook his catch and feast off the victory.” Magnus grew silent a moment. “That will never happen. He will pay, pay as dearly as his father paid.”
“For now we wait?” Thomas asked.
“Why?” Reena said before Magnus could answer. “Waiting places Brigid in danger. Why not—”
Magnus turned angry eyes on her. “Do not say what I think you intend to say.”
“But I can end this simply by producing a map that in the end will be his downfall.”
“How is that?” Thomas asked.
“Do not encourage her,” Magnus said, his anger mounting.
Reena ignored him and explained. “Magnus remarked that his father’s map was crude, as it should be, since it was done many years ago. I would map as I map today, detailing the land that has changed since Magnus’s father possessed it. Once the two maps were shown to the king, he would realize the difference.”
Thomas turned to Magnus. “She makes sense.”
Magnus tempered his anger. “She would need to spend time alone with Kilkern.”
Reena was quick to interrupt. “Kilkern is not interested in me.”
“So say you,” Magnus said, “but I am not willing to take that chance.”
“I agree,” Thomas said. “Kilkern cannot be trusted.”
“Then we wait for what?” Reena asked, throwing her hands up in frustration.
“We wait for Kilkern to grow as impatient as you,” Magnus said with a playful tug of her hair. “Then he will make a mistake and I will be there to correct him.”
“You are certain?” she asked, his confidence truly that of a strong warrior.
“Aye, are you that certain?” Thomas asked. “I will not see her suffer in any way.”
“Nothing will happen to Brigid,” Magnus said adamantly.
“She needs to know,” Reena said. “This concerns her, and she has a right to know and be prepared for whatever may happen.”
Magnus turned to Thomas. “I will leave the decision to you. She is your woman, and the choice should be yours.”
“I will think on it.”
It was over an hour later that Reena finally returned to her room to map. Brigid had been busy with Maura, talking of her wedding celebration, and she had flung herself at Reena when she’d entered the kitchen. Reena had not seen Brigid that happy in a long time, and she thought about what Thomas had said. She realized he was right: Brigid should not be deprived of her happiness.
Reena made no mention of Magnus and her intention to wed; she did not feel it an appropriate time. She had much too much on her mind to spare talk on flowers, wedding finery and such, and she longed for the solitude of her bedchamber and the peace of mind she received from her mapping.
Unfortunately, her mind would not allow her peace. Her thoughts continued to drift to the secret room and the writing on the stone wall. Had she seen it clearly? Had she translated it correctly? But then with Magnus’s obvious hatred of the Kilkerns, he must know the truth.
Tormented by uncertainty, Reena decided the only way to settle it was to read the passage again. With torch in hand she climbed the stairs to the tower room and entered. Surprisingly, a fire was burning in the hearth, chasing the chill from the room. Reena shivered anyway, perhaps from the shadow of memories that haunted the place or from her own misgivings about what she had read.
She walked into the cell-sized room and kneeled on the wooden floor, positioning the torch so that the light was sufficient for her to read the troublesome passage. She brushed at the stone to make certain the lettering was clear, and she read the words etched there.