Magnus’s eyebrows rose at that but before he could ask questions, Kai said, “Did ye get Alfred back to the Order all right?”
“I did, but it wasnae easy. The bastard fought me every step of the way. I had to knock him out a few times to get him to keep quiet.” Magnus chuckled wickedly at the memory. “Seems he’s even more scared of the Order of the Osprey than he is of Leif Snarlsson.”
Kai leaned forward, his hands on his knees. “Did the Order get any information out of him?”
Magnus shook his head. “No more than we already knew. Seems he’s a low-ranking member of Snarlsson’s organization and doesnae know much. Laird Callum was able to discover some interesting information about Snarlsson himself though.”
He reached into a leather scrip that hung at his side, pulled out a rolled parchment, and handed it over. Kai unrolled it, scanned the contents, then whistled under his breath.
“Seems our friend has enemies in high places. Snarlsson is wanted by the king of Denmark and Norway.”
“Wanted for what?” Emeric asked, unstringing his bow and tucking it back into its case.
“It doesnae say.”
“Doesnae need to,” Oskar said. “If he’s wanted by royalty, he must have done something pretty bad. Ever get the feeling we’re walking into a bear pit?”
Kai grunted in agreement then folded the parchment and tucked it into his tunic. Unease settled in his stomach and he glanced over at the tent where Caitlin was sleeping.
He sighed and leaned back against a log. Snarlsson was no small-time criminal. He was a powerful man with connections and resources enough that he could import gunpowder all the way from the orient. But why? What was he planning? And who was helping him? He had to have allies in the Highlands to be able to pull this off.
Magnus noticed the look on Kai’s face and nudged him with his elbow. “Ye look like ye just found out yer wife’s been unfaithful. What’s troubling ye?”
Kai shook his head. “Nothing. Everything.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
Magnus snorted. “Aye, well, I’ll leave ye to yer brooding then. I’m going to bed.”
He lay on his back by the fire and closed his eyes. The others followed his example and they were all soon snoring again.
Kai stared into the smoldering embers of the fire. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was coming, something that would change everything.
And he wasn’t sure he was ready for it.
