Magnus's expression was unreadable. "And now?"
"Now I ken ye didnae murder her. And ye're nae cruel. Ye're just—" Ada searched for the right word. "Guarded. Careful. Afraid tae trust anyone because someone broke that trust before."
"Ye sound very certain about that."
"Because I am." Ada's hand came up to rest against his chest, over his heart. "Ye've been waitin' fer me tae betray ye since the moment I arrived. Waitin' fer me tae prove I'm like her, like whoever hurt ye before. But I'm nae, Magnus. I'm just a woman who made a desperate choice a year ago, and now I'm tryin' tae make the best of an impossible situation."
Magnus was quiet for a long moment. His hand had stilled in her hair, but he hadn't pulled away.
"When ye kissed me at the festival," he said finally, "that was really the first time ye'd ever kissed anyone?"
"Aye."
"There werenae other men ye used the same way? Other times ye did the same thing?"
"Nay. Just ye." Ada's voice was firm. "I swear it, Magnus. Ye're the only man I've ever kissed. The only man I've ever—" She stopped, her face heating. "The only man I've ever wanted tae kiss."
Magnus's breath caught. "Ada."
"I ken ye dinnae trust easily. I ken ye have reasons fer that. But I need ye tae believe me about this, at least. I dinnae use men and discard them. I'm nae that kind of person." Ada met his gaze directly. "I was desperate that day at the festival. Terrified. So, I took a chance. And then I spent every day fer the next year wishin' I could find ye again. Wishin' I could explain. Wishin'—" She stopped. "Wishin' I could thank ye properly fer helpin' me, even if ye didnae ken ye were helpin' me."
Magnus's hand moved from her hair to cup her face. His thumb brushed across her cheekbone. "Ye really spent a year thinkin' about me?"
"Aye. Did ye—" Ada's voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Did ye ever think about me?"
"Every damn day." Magnus's voice was rough. "I told meself I was just curious. Wonderin' what had happened tae ye. Whether ye'd escaped. But it was more than that." His thumb traced her jaw. "I wanted tae find ye. Wanted tae ken yer name. Wanted…"
He stopped. Shook his head.
"Wanted what?" Ada prompted.
"Tae protect ye. Tae make sure ye were safe. Even though I didnae ken ye, even though ye'd used me and disappeared, I couldnae stop worryin' about what had happened tae ye." Magnus's expression turned rueful. "Torvald said I was obsessed. He wasnae wrong."
Ada's heart hammered against her ribs. "And now? Now that ye ken who I am? Now that ye're stuck with me whether ye want tae be or nae?"
"Now—" Magnus pulled her closer, until there was nae space between them at all. "Now I'm beginnin' tae think maybe gettin' stuck with ye isnae the worst thing that's ever happened tae me."
Ada smiled despite the tears still clinging to her lashes. "That's possibly the least romantic thing anyone's ever said tae me."
"I'm nae a romantic man."
"I've noticed."
"But I am—" Magnus hesitated. "I am glad ye're here. Glad ye're me wife. Even if it took a king's decree and a year of worryin' tae make it happen."
"So ye believe me? About the festival? About everythin'?"
"Aye." Magnus's voice was quiet but certain. "I believe ye."
Ada felt something tight in her chest finally loosen. "Thank ye."
"Fer what?"
"Fer listenin'. Fer nae judgin'. Fer holdin' me when I was scared."
"Ye're me wife. That's what husbands dae." Magnus shifted, pulling her down so they were both lying on their sides, facing each other. "Now get some sleep. Ye're exhausted."
"So are ye."
