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“Which is not true,” Kaspar said.
“I figured as much,” Kade said.
“What’s the real reason?” Samantha asked.
“The final straw,” Kaspar said, looking at Brodie, “was that your father bound a human.”
“The final straw?” Brodie asked.
Kaspar nodded. “He bound a human woman, which was seen as an immoral act because our lore says it’s impossible.” He smiled at Jesska. “We know now that it’s not. But it was when he attempted a coup, that my father took such severe action. Erik was stopped before he managed to get enough people together. Those people who had been part of the planning were sent with him to Scotland.”
“What do you mean, immoral act?” Pepper asked.
“It was a different time, and my father was defending himself against people who were hell-bent on destroying his allies at the time. When your father-in-law rose up against our clan, my father was done.”
“As king, shouldn’t Kade’s father have had immunity or something?” Samantha asked.
“He wasn’t king,” Kaspar answered.
Samantha gasped and looked at Kade. “What does that mean?”
“Honestly, it doesn’t mean much now,” Kaspar said. “The Gunnachs are royalty in Scotland, regardless of what happened in Iceland centuries ago. What it meant at the time, however, was that my father, who was king, exiled him. When he arrived in Scotland, he changed his name from Gunnar to Erik Gunnach, made himself king, and started his own empire, made up of the people who were exiled with him.”
“Tangled web,” Samantha said.
“Aye, love,” Kade agreed.
Kaspar nodded to Kade. “What I’m unclear about is how your mother fits in this. She would have had no motive to steal Ari’s children. Also, there’s no evidence she was in Iceland at the time.”
“She has reach,” Kade said. “But you’re right, there’s no glaring motive.”
The doorbell pealed, and Connall frowned. “Are we expecting anyone else?”
Jesska gasped. “Something’s wrong.”
“Babe?” Kaspar said, turning to her.
“Don’t answer the door,” she said. “Something’s not right.”
Kaspar pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Austri and Jóvin. There was no response. “My men aren’t answering.”
“Shite,” Kade snapped, and rose to his feet.
“Upstairs,” Connall demanded Pepper.
She took Callum from Samantha with a nod. “Ladies, if you’ll come with me.”
“Maybe we should stay,” Charlotte said. “The three of us together are impossible to beat.” She looked at Ari. “Right?”
Ari nodded. “Já, elskan, but—”
“Hell no,” Niall snapped. “You’re going upstairs where it’s safe.”
“But the three of us together are stronger than all of you, Nye,” Charlotte said.
“No,” Connall stressed. “I’m with Niall on this.”
“As am I,” Ari said.
