“Da …”
But he stood so abruptly that the chair nearly toppled over. “I’m going for a walk,” he said and stomped out the door.
The room fell silent until Asherton cupped his hand over Magdala’s. “I’m sorry, Mags.”
“I knew he wouldn’t come around,” she said. Her voice broke. Afraid she might cry, Magdala got up and marched into the kitchen, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. “I’m making camfe. Who would like a cup?” she barked.
Asherton watched her with concern, ignoring Zephyr as he sat down in Magdala’s vacated chair and lifted Asherton’s arm. “Give him time. Parents don’t like secret marriages,” Zephyr said gruffly, sliding the splint into place and binding it with the leather straps.
Asherton winced. “Sorry, Zeph.”
“I must have mislaid my invitation,” he grumbled.
“It was a very private affair.”
Zephyr cleared his throat. “Well, at least let’s have a nice dinner when we get home.”
“Of course,” Asherton said. “You can pick the menu.”
“Fish?” Magdala asked.
Zephyr glared at her. “You’re not amusing, Magdala.”
Magdala let out a long sigh. “I should follow Da and see where he’s going. You stay here and rest.”
Asherton caught her hand as she passed. “Stay. Zeph can go.”
“After nearly drowning half the village? I think not.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”
Magdala couldn’t walk brazenly through town, so she took back alleys and side streets, searching for her father. But Seamus wasn’t in the tavern, or the grocer, or the bookshop. When she couldn’t find him at any of his usual haunts, Magdala returned to the cottage.
She found her father sitting at the kitchen table, staring at his hands.
“Da,” she said warily, “where is Ash?”
Seamus opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Ice spread through Magdala’s veins. “Da?”
The bedroom door burst open, and Huxley strode into the room.
“Where are they?” Huxley demanded.
The sight of Huxley made Madala sick. She drew her knives and lunged at him, screaming, “Where is he? What have you done to him?”
Huxley ducked. Footsteps clattered on the stairs, hands clamped on Magdala’s arms, and two burly royalists dragged her back, her heels scraping on the floor.
“DA!” Magdala cried. “What have you done?”
Seamus sat like a stone statue, his hands folded before him, his eyes squeezed shut. “I gave him medicine. I let him rest. But I could not keep him here forever. The kingdom is at risk.”
The front door creaked, and a handful of royalists swarmed in.
“What did you do to him?” Magdala snarled.
Huxley ignored her. “You said they would be here, Seamus. Where are they?”
Seamus would not look at Magdala. “They left. I tried to stop them, but I could not.”
