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He emptied his cup and smiled, catching the eye of another passing server as he lifted the cup for a refill.

His back ached from the hours he’d stood this day, forcing his mind, bending his will to accomplish the next task, the one that would allow him to send not only his spirit but also his body traveling from one location to another through the Magical ether that surrounded everything.

He’d failed again, but he was close. He could feel it.

Deep inside, the beast stirred. The beast could feel how close he was to conquering the Magic, too.

To his left he caught sight of Halldor O’Donar. Though the big man watched the festivities in the hall, his eyes roamed, always on guard.

Torquil lifted his tankard once more, sparing a thought for how much he hoped that O’Donar was the brother who would become his new champion. He liked the look of that one.

He followed the direction of the big man’s gaze, straight to the woman who accompanied the minstrels. Her body moved with the beat of the drums, a slow, fluid extension of arm and leg as if time slowed down in some majestic battle.

Each time she looked up she looked directly at Torquil, with a brazen refusal to avert her gaze from his. No shy, coy maiden, that one.

What could she think to gain by such bold behavior? Surely one such as she didn’t imagine she might catch the laird’s eye. The thought required his amazing self-discipline to prevent his laughing out loud.

The very idea of a lowly woman such as she daring to hope to wed a man as powerful as he was beyond funny.

“No wedding in yer future,” he muttered into his cup, surprised to find it empty so soon.

He lifted his tankard once again, his humor fading as the dancer made her way across the floor in his direction.

No marriage, but a bedding, perhaps? She was a bit overly large for his tastes, but a coupling with one who moved as she did could be entertaining for a night.

She certainly seemed to have caught O’Donar’s eye. As she approached the head of the table where he sat, O’Donar rose to his feet and moved in their direction.

Yes, a bedding might be in order with this one.

Even the beast within stirred in interest. If she pleased him, and if it came to pass that the big warrior down the table was his new champion, he could gift her to the man.

Surely a move such as that would ensure O’Donar’s loyalty for a good, long time.

At least for as long as it took for Torquil to conquer the Magic.

Torquil chuckled aloud at the knowledge of his coming power. The woman moving closer obviously thought his mirth was directed at her, because her lips curved in a return smile.

Let her think what she wanted. A whole new set of thoughts would be running through that pretty head when he had her delivered to his chamber later tonight.

H ALLDOR DIDN’T LIKE the looks of this. Not one damn bit.

Though a seductive smile curved the lips of the woman who performed with the minstrels, it didn’t reach her eyes. The windows to her soul were filled with resolve and determination.

She moved with a grace that would give the warrior queen a run for her money, but this one still carried the blush of youth firm upon her cheeks.

As she danced her way closer to the head table, closer to the dangerous laird of the castle, Halldor continued moving his way through the throngs of men to track her movements. Whatever she planned to do, he would intercede. She was no match for the evil she confronted.

Especially not under these circumstances.

Torquil was well into his cups, not wise for a man who dabbled in the black arts as he obviously did. Whether anyone else noticed the periodic flashes of red in the laird’s eyes, Halldor couldn’t say. He knew only that he had seen them and knew their origin.

Torquil wasn’t the only being who waited for the warrior maiden at the head table.

In an act of singularly bad judgment, which Halldor could only attribute to the amount of ale the laird had imbibed, Torquil leaned across the table as the woman drew near, twining his hand in the length of her hair to drag her close.

Fool!

Halldor shoved people out of his way, frantic to reach the head table before it was too late.

Candlelight glinted off the wickedly sharp blade sliding from her bodice, and he knew his time was up. Dinnerware rattled to the floor as Torquil slammed her back down upon the table, leaning over her as he pinned her arms at her sides.

Halldor leaped upon the table and off the other side onto the floor, reaching the laird as he leaned in against the woman’s neck, his mouth opened wide.

“No!” Halldor yelled, hoping to catch the creature’s attention, for he knew it was the creature, not the laird, who sought to end the woman’s life.

Torquil’s head snapped up, his eyes glowing red as saliva dripped from his chin. Beneath him the woman lay unmoving, surprise and fear warring in her features.

“Wait.”

The glow receded, replaced by an icy blue that heralded the return of the laird.

“You’d stay my hand against my assailant?” Confusion shadowed Torquil’s face, clear evidence that only now did he realize it wasn’t his hand he’d been prepared to use against the woman.

“Apologies, my laird, but I fancy this one as I haven’t any for a long time. I’ll see to her punishment myself if you’ll do me the honor of gifting her to me.”

He hoped that the request would work, now that Torquil seemed more himself, due to what Ulfr had shared about their laird’s belief in his sister’s visions of the future. A future that somehow included either him or Chase in some important measure.

It was small comfort to rest upon, but it was all he had.

“Take her!” Torquil pushed away from the table to stand tall, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. “And when you’ve had yer fill of her, I’d have her head on a pike and her entrails spread on the wall walk.”

“When I’ve had my fill, aye,” Halldor agreed. “Thank you, Laird MacDowylt.”

He pulled the woman to her feet, clamping one large hand over her mouth to forestall her protests even as the crowd around them broke into lewd jeers.

“One thing,” he added, waiting for Torquil to turn. “Have you a place of privacy where I can take her? I’m not of a mood to share with the likes of these.” He tilted his head toward the laughing throng.

“Use Christiana’s tower if you like. It’s empty until her return.” This time it was Torquil’s grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “And none will be able to hear her screams from there.”