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“Then it seems the whole castle has been bewitched. We can trust nay one,” Murdina exclaimed, glancing at Kin.
“We must hurry,” he said, but at that moment, a sound came from the gallery–footsteps, and then the shout of men.
Murdina and Kin drew their swords, and Freya screamed as through the door burst a dozen soldiers, led by Murdoch and Iver, Murdina’s father hurrying behind.
“Stand down, tis’ nay point in fightin’–ye shall only find yerself on the end of a sword,” Murdoch said as the soldiers hurried to disarm them.
Murdina sighed, throwing down her sword, and she scowled as her father stepped forward.
“Thank God ye are safe, Murdina. I have been so worried about ye ever since this fiend abducted ye,” he said, turning to Kin and striking him across the face.
“He did nay such thing as abduct me,” Murdina replied, as Murdoch now gazed at her with a smug expression on his face.
“He is a traitor to our cause, a spy in our midst. Yer father is right, thank God ye are safe, lass,” he said, taking her by the arm.
“Leave go of me. Tis’ ye who are the traitor, both of ye,” she exclaimed, turning to Iver.
“She has been bewitched. I feared this would happen–turned by the man who spirited her away. But never mind, I am sure we can see to it she is brought back to the cause,” Iver said.
“Listen to yerselves. Father, dae ye nae see what has happened? These men are traitors,” Murdina exclaimed, but her father only shook his head.
“They are friends, Murdina, and they have been good to us all. We need all the friends we can get in these difficult days,” he said, glancing at Murdoch and Iver, who nodded.
“Take him to the dungeons, see he is locked up, and then we shall decide what to dae with him,” Murdoch said, gesturing to the guards.
“Leave him!” Murdina cried, but already they were dragging Kin away.
She turned to her father with an imploring look on her face. She was desperate to make him understand.
“But can ye nae see? Ye are the one who has been betrayed,” she cried out, but her words fell on deaf ears.
Kin was hauled away by the soldiers, and Murdina was left with her father, Freya, Murdoch, and Iver.
The latter two now turned to her with a smile on their faces, glancing at one another, even as Murdoch began to laugh.
“What a terrible thing this is. But ye must understand, Murdina–the man is a traitor. Ye have been taken in by his lies. All this nonsense about losin’ his memory and then rediscoverin’ it. Surely ye cannae believe that?” he said, and Murdina scowled at him.
“I believe it well enough–truly, I dae,” she replied, folding her arms defiantly.
“I told ye this would be the case, laird,” Iver said, shaking his head.
“They said… ye were traitors,” Freya said, her brow furrowed.
Iver turned and patted her on the arm.
“Daenae listen to such talk, Freya. Tis’ nothin’ but lies. The truth is, Kin Findlay is a master at manipulation. He has made a lifetime of it. Ye will find nay honesty in him or in his cause. I am only grateful that he was foolish enough to return here and bring Murdina with him. She is with her family now, and we shall celebrate the weddin’ together as such,” he said.
“Ye cannae let this go ahead, Father, ye cannae….” Murdina exclaimed, but her father caught her by the arm, an angry look on his face.
“I shall hear nay more of this nonsense, Murdina. Tis’ late, and we are all of us tired. Ye shall go to yer bed and wake up with more sense in ye, I hope,” he said, shaking his head.
The party now left Frey’s chambers, but not before Murdina had again implored her sister to listen to reason.
“Ye must believe me, Freya, ye must,” she said, but Freya shook her head.
“Ye must rest, sister. All will be clearer in the mornin’–I know it will,” she said, shaking her head as she closed the door behind her.
“Murdoch, will ye take Murdina to her chambers? I am tired, and the events of this night have disturbed me,” her father said.
