He wanted to kiss her again. Wanted to pull her from that hall and carry her up to their chamber and?—
The music ended.
Magnus forced himself to step back, to release her. Ada looked up at him, her eyes dark and confused and full of want that mirrored his own.
"I need some air," she said suddenly. "It's too warm in here."
"I'll come with ye."
"Nay, I just, I need a moment alone." But her hand lingered in his for just a breath longer than necessary before she pulled away.
Magnus watched her go, weaving through the crowd, toward the doors. He should follow her. Should make sure she was all right.
But he needed a moment too. Needed to get his head straight before they retired to the chamber where Brian would inspect the sheets in the morning and make his report to the king.
Where Ada would become his wife in truth.
Magnus moved to the side of the hall, accepting a cup of ale from a passing servant. He drank deeply, trying to calm the want still burning through his veins.
"She's lovely."
Magnus turned. Claricia stood beside him, one hand on her swollen belly, her expression knowing.
"Aye," Magnus said.
"And ye're terrified of her."
"I'm nae."
"Ye are." Claricia smiled gently. "I recognize that look. Erik had the same one on our weddin' night."
Magnus was quiet for a moment. "How did ye… how did it work? Between ye and Erik?"
"Slowly. With a lot of arguin' and almost dyin' and finally realizin' that we were stronger taegether than apart." Claricia looked across the hall to where Erik stood with the other jarls. "But mostly? We had tae learn to trust each other. Truly trust. Nae just words, but actions."
"And if I cannae dae that? If I—" Magnus stopped.
"Then ye'll both be miserable, and the marriage will fail, and the Pact will crumble." Claricia's voice was matter-of-fact. "But I dinnae think ye will. Because I saw how ye looked at her when she walked down that aisle. And that's nae the look of a man who daesnae care."
She squeezed his arm once, then moved away to rejoin her husband.
Magnus stood alone, turning her words over in his mind.
God help him, she was right.
He cared about Ada. More than he'd thought possible after only a few days. More than was safe.
A commotion near the door caught his attention. Raised voices, one of them Ada's.
Magnus set down his cup and moved through the crowd, his instincts already on alert.
He found Ada near the entrance, her face pale, speaking with two women in servants' garb. When she saw Magnus approaching, something flickered across her expression, determination mixed with fear.
"Magnus," she said. "Could I have a word with ye? Privately?"
The two servants scattered immediately. Magnus studied Ada's face, saw the tension there.
"What's wrong?"
