"Days. Maybe a week if the weather's bad." Magnus moved to the map, studied the distances. "Erik on Skye is closest. He could be here in two days if he pushes hard. Harald and Ragnar maybe three or four. Ivar's the farthest, but he has the fastest ships."
"A week." Bjorn shook his head. "That's a long time tae wait with an enemy camped on our doorstep."
"It's also time we can use tae prepare." Magnus's finger traced the keep's walls on the map. "We fortify. Double the guards. Check every well, every entrance, every weak point. We make this place impenetrable. And we watch Donnan. Every move he makes, every person he speaks tae."
"What about the prisoner in the dungeons?" Hamish asked. "The one we caught poisonin' the well?"
"Keep him locked up and isolated. Dinnae let Donnan anywhere near him." Magnus's expression hardened. "When this is over, and we've dealt with MacTavish, I'll get answers from that man one way or another."
"And if MacTavish attacks before our reinforcements arrive?" Callum's voice was worried. "What then?"
"Then we hold." Magnus's voice was iron. "We've held this keep against worse odds. We can dae it again."
"But me laird—" one of the other elders started.
"I ken what ye're goin' tae say." Magnus cut him off. "That we might be outnumbered. That we're weakened. That maybe we should consider negotiation." He paused. "But let me be clear. Conall MacTavish came tae our island in secret. Poisoned me wells. Tried tae abduct me wife. He's nae here tae negotiate. He's here tae take what's mine by force. And I'll be damned if I give it tae him without a fight."
The men murmured agreement, some nodding, others clenching their fists.
"Now." Magnus straightened. "Here's what we're goin' tae dae. Torvald, I want ye tae write the letters tae the other jarls. Tell them what's happenin'. Tell them we need them here as soon as they can manage. Send the fastest riders we have."
"Aye, me laird."
"Bjorn, start organizin' the defenses. I want every wall checked, every gate reinforced. If there's a weakness anywhere in this keep, I want tae ken about it."
"Aye."
"Hamish, double the guard rotations. And I want men watchin' Donnan specifically. Subtle, dinnae let him ken we're onto him. But I want tae ken everywhere he goes, everyone he talks tae because we need tae ken if he works with someone else and eliminate them."
"Consider it done."
"Fergus, Aldric, inventory our supplies. Food, weapons, water. I want tae ken exactly what we have and how long it'll last if we're under siege."
Both men nodded.
"And the villagers?" Callum asked. "Should we warn them? Have them come tae the keep fer protection?"
Magnus hesitated. "Nae yet. If we suddenly have hundreds of people flockin' tae the keep, Donnan will ken somethin's wrong. Better tae keep everythin' lookin' normal until our reinforcements arrive. But start quietly stockpilin' supplies near the villages. Blankets, food, water. If we need tae evacuate them quickly, I want tae be ready."
"Smart." Callum nodded approvingly.
Magnus looked around the table at his Council—those men who'd served him loyally, who'd stood by him through scandal and rumor and now genuine threat.
"I willnae lie tae ye," he said quietly. "The next few days are goin' tae be difficult. Dangerous. But I have faith in every one of ye. We've survived worse than this. And we'll survive this too. Taegether."
"Taegether," the men echoed.
"Now go. Get started. We dinnae have time tae waste." Magnus dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Torvald, stay a moment."
The others filed out, speaking in low, urgent voices. Only Torvald remained, along with Ada, who still stood near the door.
When they were alone, Magnus finally allowed himself to show the exhaustion pulling at him. He braced his hands on the table, his head dropping forward.
"Are ye all right?" Torvald asked quietly.
"I need tae be." Magnus looked up. "Too many people countin' on me tae be anythin' else."
"Magnus." Torvald moved closer. "Ye didnae cause this. Ye ken that, aye? This is MacTavish's daein'. His betrayal. Nae yers."
