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"Thank you very much, mother.I promise not to disappoint you," Ronin assured her, and she nodded in agreement. Hesmiled as she patted his shoulder before turning around and walking back to her bedchamber.
Ronin stood there watching her walk away, then quickly turned around and exited the corridor, returning to the great hall. He needed to catch up with the guards and ensure that the investigation was proceeding properly. His sole focus was on locating the murderer. As he marched inside, he noticed that the guards were still huddled together, looking solemn. He approached them, and they parted to give him room.
"I will also be involved in the investigation.Tell me what you have in mind and how you intend to proceed with this case," Ronin said, his tone authoritative and serious. He needed them to understand that he was not acting for show but was serious about resolving this matter. He was young, but he knew how to establish his authority in front of his subjects, andwas determined to do so. The guards listened intently to him and immediately began to explain.
“Of course, milaird. From the information we have with us right now, the murder happened beside the burn, and we were about tae investigate by the houses nearby. It is a fairly secluded area and not many people live there, but someone must have heard or seen something,” the first guard explained, and Ronin shook his head. He knew for a fact that the murder had not happened by the river for he was there when it had taken place.
"No, the murder did not take place near the river. It happened in the middle of the forest, and the body was dragged and disposed ofby the water. It could have been a ploy to mislead the investigation," Ronin explained, as the guards looked at him puzzledly.
“How dae ye ken that, milaird?” the second guard questioned; hesitation evident in his tone.
"I am entrusting this information to you three, and I am confident that you will not betray my confidence by disclosing it to anyone else.I was outside by the river when the murder occurred. The woman's scream came from somewhere in the middle of the forest. I immediately went in search of herand tried —unsuccessfully —to figure out who she was. When I found out the body had been discovered by the river in the morning, I realized what had happened. The murderer must have killed her somewhere else and then left her body nearby. I couldhave caught him red-handed last night," Ronin admitted openly to the guards. If he truly wanted to find the person who had done this, he had to make sure that all of the facts were laid out and thoroughly considered.
“Ye shouldn’t have been out in the forest at a time like this. Yer life was in danger too,” the third guard said and Ronin nodded; knowing he was right. All three of them were much older than him and probably worried for his safety since he held the future of the clan. Though, Ronin also knew that he was more than capable of protecting himself and did not need to worry.
“You are right, and I appreciate your concern. However, I am perfectly capable of making my own choices without having to answer to anyone. But that is not what matters right now. What matters is to discover where the murder happened exactly, so we can search the area for a weapon or investigate the surrounding houses,” Ronin said; sounding formal and curt.
“Yes, milaird. We can go to the forest now — it is possible we will find blood trails. 'Tis almost certain the killer left marks," the second guard said, disgusted at the mention of the body. Roninknew this was his only chance right now, and he was confident that this morning's search would be fruitful.
The four of them walked quickly out of the castle and towards the stables. Ronin mounted his horse, and the guards quickly followed. All hecould think about as they made their way to the forest was who could have been involved in such a barbaric act. He'd been gone for too long, and he'd forgotten about the people of his clan — their characters. However, he now felt that the situation was becoming extremely dangerous, and that anyone could be capable of doing so.
“You two go to the east, we will go to the west,” Ronin commanded as he went westwards with the second guard. They rode silently, their eyes fixed on the ground beneath them. Ronin was searching for any signs of blood, but all he found was brown and earthy mud.
They kept riding until they heard the sounds of a horse galloping, at which point they came to a halt and turned around. The first guard appeared in front of them shortly after.
“We have found something,” the guard shouted and they all quickly rode to the spot where he led them. Ronin's heart was racing in his chest, and he knew he was scared to find out what the guards had seen. To him, the situation seemed surreal. He'd only been home since yesterday, and a heinous murder had occurred the night before. He couldn't tell if this was linked to him or if he was simply overthinking the situation.
They arrived at the location where the third guard stood, his face scrunched up in a scowl. As his gaze landed on the crimson ground beneath his feet, Ronin felt shock run through his entire body. He dismounted his horse, and the guards followed suit. They huddled around a pool of blood, and there was no doubt in their minds that the murder had occurred here. The sparse grass was splattered with red drops, and the ground was no longer pure and earthen. Ronin had no idea what to think after witnessing such a violent scene because he knew the woman who had been killed had suffered greatly.
“Search for the weapon,” Ronin ordered. The forest was dense, and the trees hung above them, shielding the ground from direct sunlight. The metallic scent of the blood infiltrated Ronin's nostrils, giving the impression that he was surrounded by a vicious rot. The situation was more complicated than he could have imagined, and he needed to know the intentions behind this atrocious act.
Nobody could be involved in such a barbaric killing without having serious and ulterior motives.
“Milaird!” the first guard shouted. He was standing next to a large bush, his gaze fixed on something hidden beneath it. Ronin dashed towards him, where he discovered a large dagger wedged between the branches. He sucked in a sharp breath as his gaze was drawn to the blood streaks covering the blade, confirming that itwas indeed the murder weapon. Heretrieveda handkerchief from his pocket and carefully picked up the dagger to inspect it.
He observed that it was indeed costly. The steel used to make the blade was pure, and the weapon appeared to be brand new. He handed the dagger to the first guard, who examined it as well.
“Milaird,” the guard said cautiously as he raised his eyes to stare at Ronin, “this dagger looks like something that would be owned by a guard of our clan.”
For a few seconds, Ronin couldn't believe his ears, but he knew the guard was correct. The expensive-looking weapon could not be owned by just anyone. If this was true, it meant that the murderer was someone close to his family, someone he might have known, and someone who the entire McKenzie clan trusted. This sent a chill down his spine.
CHAPTERNINE
The night was dark, as were the secrets lurking in the shadows. The air was humid, as if it were about to rain heavily. This was obviously the calm before the storm. That something would happen soon that would shake the entire clan and everyone who lived on itslands.
He was wrapped from head to toe in a black cloak. He knew he couldn't be seen, so he blended in perfectly with the darkness of the night. He couldn't risk being overheard, so he came barefoot and without a horse. He needed to remain hidden, to become as dark as the night, so that even his shadow was obscured..
“Where is the hut?” he whispered to himself as he walked silently on the deserted road; looking for the correct cottage. He needed to find where she lived and he needed to do it now. Time was running out, and he couldn’t let it slip any further out of his reach.
He had never intended to kill the healer the night before, but he had been forced to do so. The elderly lady appeared frail, but she was full of hidden energy and strength. She had not let him go and do whatever he wanted. Things would have been better if he could have followed her to her house quietly. But she had noticed him trailingher in the middle of the night and began screaming at the top of her lungs. If someone had found them there, he and his secret would have undoubtedly been discovered. That could never happen.
Even though he had never wanted to do it, slitting her throat was the only way to silence her. What surprised him the most was how hard she fought him when he pulled out the dagger. He wished she hadn't been so stubborn. She could have died easily if she had been weaker. Instead, she had forced him to stab her several times before he could pull the dagger across her neck and ensure that her soul had left her body. It wasn't in his nature to leave loose ends, and he wasn't about to start now.
His gaze was drawn to the cottage that had been described to him. He was certain it was a small, underdeveloped hut that had seen better days. He knew this was the woman's cottage, and all he had to do now was go inside and finish the job that had been left undone the day before. A single candle burned brightly inside, and his eyes weredrawn to the soft flare of the flame as it reached out onto the street through the open window. He knew the healer had a daughter, and he knew she was inside thatcottage right now.
“I’ll have to be careful,” he whispered to himself. “I do not want to commit another murder.”
He crept around the back of the cottage and climbed the small wall to enter the well-kept yard. The entire site was filled with plants and herbs that were blooming beautifully, indicating that the two women enjoyed gardening. He looked at them before moving to the back room window and climbing inside the house. Except for a muffled noise from the front, the house was quiet and completely empty.
