She pointed at me. “You know she is a filthy witch. She has bewitched Magnus and is keeping him away from me and his son.”
“It’s not like that — I—”
“She is not allowed to touch him, ever!! Do you hear me? Ever!”
I wheeled around and shoved past Dr Franklin and one of the nurses standing in the doorway and stumbled down the hallway to the elevator. I frantically pushed buttons for the ground floor. I cried big, ugly tears while the elevator descended, clutching my stomach, my body wracked with sobs.
The doors slid open and I pushed out. Strangers stared at me as I passed. I pushed past guards, crying, barely able to see, and raced down the front steps of the castle and across the grand lawn toward the trees to the right side. Racing, I made it most of the way before I heard Magnus’s voice long behind me, “Kaitlyn!”
I made it to the woods. I didn’t know why but maybe I just wanted to hide there. It made sense to get behind something so no one could see my shame. I collapsed on the soggy dirt floor of the woods and rolled in a ball and sobbed in the dirt and muck of a Scottish forest.
“Kaitlyn!” Magnus caught up to me, dropped to a skidding halt beside me, and lifted the top half of me into his arms. “Kaitlyn, what has happened?” Behind him were two drones and three all-terrain vehicles, forming a circle around us, the drones hovering above, guarding.
I shoved him off. “You! You did this to me! You did it.” I scrambled to my feet. “I hate you so much.”
He stood. “You daena mean it, Kaitlyn.”
“I do.” I shoved him on the chest. “I fucking hate you. I hate you so much. You fucking killed me — you destroyed our life. My baby died and now this bitch is calling me—” I couldn’t even say it. I sobbed and shoved him again. “I hate you. You did this to me. You brought her into our life and she is talking to me like that?” I pushed my hair back from my face. “She’s calling me a murderer in front of all those people? She is such a fucking bitch. God, I hate her so much.”
I shoved his chest again. He didn’t move. I shoved him again. He just took it. I balled my fists and pummeled his chest and pushed him once more. “I hate everyone so much.” I devolved into tears, crying into my hands, desperate and so so so sad. He reached for me and I shoved him away. After a really long time after the tears had stopped coming, I added, “She doesn’t deserve you. She doesn’t deserve Archie, that sweet baby, she is so fucking mean.”
The look on Magnus’s face was dark and scary and my heart dropped. “I’m sorry.”
“You daena have tae be sorry.”
“I shouldn’t have said that, I didn’t mean it.” Tears welled up again, “I do sound terrible. Like a terrible person. Don’t be mad, please, I — I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it.” He took me in his arms and held me.
My tear covered face was pressed to his shoulder. “Please tell me you forgive me. Please, I’m scared. I don’t want to lose you.”
He held his lips against my forehead. “You arna losin’ me, mo reul-iuil.”
“I didn’t mean it about hating you.”
“I ken it.” He wrapped his arms tighter. “I am nae angry with ye.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Tis because ye are worried, ye have had a rage and now ye are scared.” He pulled me from his chest and pushed a bunch of matted wet hair from my face. “Fear follows rage, because ye have gone off your head and when it includes your family — one time Sean and I came tae blows in the Great Hall at Kilchurn and Baldie shoved us intae the courtyard. I wanted tae kill Sean. The men were laughin’ at me, and I had a great fury buildin’ in my chest. I drew my sword and challenged everyone, my uncle, anyone who wanted tae fight. I called them something like, maggot-headed sheep-hole muckwallers...” His smile was sad. “And when they stopped laughin’ they all walked away. Like I wasna important anymore and I remember the fear, mo reul-iuil, but ye daena need tae fear me. I am nae leavin’ ye.”
“What were you fighting with him over?”
“He said somethin’ about our dear mother.” He shook his head. “I was on the wrong side of it.”
“What are we going to do?”
“I was hopin’ ye would ken it.” The buzzing drone right over his shoulder was disconcerting while we stood in the woods somewhere in Scotland.
“I don’t. I don’t know how to be a queen and a stepmother and a wife. I want to go back to being Kaitlyn. Where I can just worry about whether you’re okay and whether our friends are okay.”
“Och aye, tis a great many things tae be worried on. What does grandma Barb say on it?”
“I don’t know.” I thought for a moment. “Maybe: I have nothing to fear only things to do?”
“We need ye tae make a list. What is the most important one?”
“Your son.”
“I would say, you.”
I chuckled. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” I smiled. “But thank you.”
“What is next on your list?”
“Having sex. It’s been over a week and, ” I cut my eyes at him. “It’s making me act like a just woke bear.”
He laughed. “That sounds like somethin’ I would say.”
“That’s why we’re perfect for each other.”
“Next?”
I sighed. “I miss our family in Florida.”
He said, “Bella will be released from the hospital in two days. I will send her home with a nurse. I will make sure my Board kens how tae direct the kingdom, Hammie is capable and will—”
“You called him Hammie.”
“Tis the perfect name for him. Then you and I will go tae Florida.”
“We can’t.”
“Nae, we can. I am the king if I say tis what I must do then tis what I will do.”
“God, I’m pretty hot for you right now.” I pretend sighed, “What about Archie?”
“We will have tae say goodbye tae him for a time.”
Tears welled up. “Well, that sucks.”
“Aye.” From the castle another vehicle headed toward us, fast.
It was Hammond. He pulled the vehicle right up to where we stood. “Your highness, I urge you to return to the castle. This area is not yet safe enough, you’re unprotected.”
Magnus agreed but refused to ride. We walked, the vehicles spinning to follow us, the drones hovering near our heads. The castle, the gigantic multi-storied palace of brick and glass loomed ahead of us, long lawns, a grand stair, stately columns. It reminded me a little of the Getty museum in Los Angeles, modern and commanding, but also big and stately. It seemed judgmental, like I wasn’t important enough to live there, not worthy.
“I’m so mortified, what do they all think of me?”
He took my hand in his. “Have you considered they might think ye are their new queen and they mayna have formed an opinion on ye yet? They might think ye are verra kind tae spend your time dotin’ on your husband’s son. They might think ye bore Bella’s rage with grace and humility. They might think ye have been gracious tae everyone ye have met so far. I wouldna worry on how they view ye, I think.”
“She said the rumor is I’ve bewitched you. Yet another time period thinking I’m a witch.”
“I have a minister of information. I was thinking I will have him release a report ye arna guilty of murderin’ Donnan. Twas self-defense, we will announce it.”
I grinned. “Now see, that’s the public relations I’m needing.”
“What are public relations?”
I kissed the back of his hand. “It’s unimportant. What’s important is we’re going to see our friends soon. I’ll come up with a plan tomorrow.”
Chapter 33
We returned to our apartments and I curled up with the book again while Magnus went to speak to Bella. I stared at the pages watching the letters spin on the page wishing I knew how to turn on Netflix in the future.
A while later Magnus returned for dinner.
I asked what he said to Bella and he replied,
“I told her tae never speak tae ye in that manner again. I also told her if you hear the bairn wailin’ without its ma, ye will pick the bairn up — tis your way. I told her tae keep the bairn in her room if she daena want it comforted. She was shocked and told me I was heartless. I told her the bairn was hers tae care for unless twas mine tae care for. If twas mine I would be includin’ my wife in it. There were a great many tears.”
“So you don’t get to see him anymore?”
“The nurse will bring him here tonight. Nae matter how angry she was, she wasna happy tae have tae be awake all night with a mewlin’ bairn.”
“Good,” I grinned happily. “We get to be awake all night with a mewling bairn. And now I’m so glad I didn’t start drinking in despair.”
* * *
Magnus invited Hammond to dinner and it was my first time seeing Hammond so well-rested, smiling, at ease. His red wavy hair combed, his beard trimmed, his uniform fresh.
The war was still raging but he was growing confident that we would win so we relaxed a bit and I asked him important pressing questions like, “How do you get the news of the day?”
He spoke to the computer showing me how to manage our room projections but all the sample news stories were freaking terrifying.
That brought me to an even more pressing question, “How do you watch a movie? Or better, and more necessary, mindless entertainment?” He promised to send us a list of the year’s best movies and shows.
Then I thought to ask, “Can I get a book translated?” I pushed my now empty plate away, retrieved the book, and placed it in front of me.
He had no idea who could translate it for me, but we started talking about the history of the time vessels. He explained what I mostly knew already: one of the kings, Donnan’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, fought aliens, and won the vessels. Then, wielding epic power, he came to the future and took over.
“Could it have been Johnne Cambel?”
“No, never, the first king was Normond.”
“Weird.”
“The founder of our glorious kingdom, King Normond the First in 2167. We learn it in school. What we don’t learn in school is that King Normond came from the late 1600s because most people don’t know about the time travel vessels, only rumors. You have to be in the upper levels of government or in the king’s inner circle to know the truth.”
“The late 1600s? Not earlier?”
“I was told they came from the 1600s, I’m certain. 1686 or something.”
I looked at the intricate detailing of the cover. “I thought this was the origin story of the vessels. I was sure of it.” I took a sip of my wine.
Hammond asked the computer for the history of King Normond and we listened to a synopsis while large photos on the wall showed us his kingly portraits. The story began from his rule, in 2167, and there was no mention of how the vessels came to be. Or time travel. Or definitely nothing about the original battle or the aliens.
Hammond said, “The Tempus Omegas like I said aren’t common knowledge, but they’re anecdotally talked about, rumors and stuff. Donnan made the rumors worse by spreading one about how, unless you had royal blood, they would burn your skin if you touched them. It was effective in keeping people from wanting to.”
“They do burn every cell you have with a hot poker when you use them, but then again I don’t have royal blood.”
Magnus said, “I do and tis much like havin’ your skin seared off.”
Hammond grimaced.
Magnus asked, “How did you ken of them?”
For the first time that evening Hammond looked as if he was guarding his words. “I was Lady Mairead’s advisor for a time. She told me.”
I leaned in. “You were her advisor? Do tell, everything you know.”
Magnus poured him a whisky.
“I think you probably know more than I do, as you’ve used them.”
I laughed. “I meant, do tell us everything about Lady Mairead.”
“Oh. There isn’t much to tell. She confided in me when she first arrived at the castle but that was a long time ago. She was lonely and thought Donnan brought her here to be his wife. He proved that he didn’t.”
My eyes went wide. “That’s so sad.”
“I don’t know, she was better off without marrying him. He was an evil man.” His face flushed as he spoke.
“How did your relationship as her advisor end?”
“She grew tired of having no power and wanted me to kill Donnan so Magnus could rule.”
He spoke to Magnus, “You would have been quite young. She wanted to be regent and rule on your behalf.”
Magnus said, “It sounds like her.”
“When I refused she had me exiled. I came back under Samuel but learned quickly he was a worse ruler than Donnan. Donnan was malicious, but smart. Samuel was brutal and stupid.”
He said to Magnus, “My apologies, Your Highness.”
Magnus scowled. “My wife and I have killed the men ye speak of and twas because we had tae. I daena mean tae raise my glass tae murder, but tae winnin’ a war I will, and twas a war that I and Kaitlyn Campbell fought and won.” He raised his glass. Hammond and I raised our glasses too.
I asked, “So the other day, when you moved us here for the coronation, that was the first time you’ve seen her?”
He chuckled, “Yes, it was awkward to be serving Magnus when that was all she ever wanted.”
“She must have been very surprised.”
Hammond said, “Everything about the last few weeks has been surprising.”
I said, “That’s what happens when the world is one big shitstorm.”
He chuckled. “I haven’t heard that turn of phrase before.”
“What, shitstorm? It fits: Wars, battles, rogue time-traveling generals, bitchy mother-in-laws, it’s a full-blown tornado of poop.”
Hammond laughed. “Yep, it’s apt.”
I remembered to say, “One more thing, Hammond. Magnus promised to introduce you to a singer for helping me, what was her name — it was a one-name name, she’s very well known?”
He said, “Shona.”
“Yes!” I turned to Magnus. “Your future-self promised, so you have to fulfill that promise and introduce them.”
Hammond chuckled. “I’ll take that promise, she’s gorgeous.”
Magnus said, “I haena any idea who she is but I will figure out how tae make it happen after we return from Florida.”
Hammond asked, “When will you leave?”
“Day after the morrow.”
I said, “If I can figure out how to get us there. The General Reyes guy has a way of knowing we’re jumping into Florida.”
Hammond said, “You don’t know how he monitors you?”
“No.”
“It might be a locational, like a sensing tripwire, one situated over an area. Usually they cover about fifty miles but this could be much bigger. You could travel to another place and move along the ground to get there, but you should leave the vessels somewhere safe while you test it. You don’t know if it’s your body or the vessels ‘tripping the wire’. Then you need to look for the tech and dismantle it. I’ll do some research on it tonight.” He spun his whisky glass. “I wish I could go with you. You need the protection.”
Magnus said, “I need ye here, watching over the kingdom. I have a man named Quentin there, who I am goin’ for. But if ye are wantin’ tae time-jump I will take ye sometime.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” He stood. “I must say it’s been a better dinner than I ever had with Donnan. You haven’t once clocked me with something you had on hand.”
Magnus winced. “He hit me with the sticks, what are they called, the ones with the game…?”
Hammond said, “Billiards?”
“Aye, he hit me with those.”
I said, “Ugh. That guy was such a creep. I can’t believe we have to live in his house.” I put my hand on Magnus’s. “And I’m sorry about the whole hitting you with stick
s.”
Hammond said, “It’s your house now.”
I said, “I can not get used to it. It’s like living in someone’s parent’s house, and not a cool parent, a psychopathic abusive parent. I need a hazmat suit and a therapist just to go into the closets.”
* * *
After Hammond left, Magnus asked, “What are ye thinkin’ of?”
“The origin story of the vessels, but also…” I took a deep breath before saying it. “Your origin story — Hammond said Donnan didn’t marry Lady Mairead. Did you know this?”
Magnus shook his head slowly. “I dinna…” He adjusted the dirty silverware on his plate. “Come tae find out I am a bastard, Lady Mairead has never thought tae mention it.”
“That complicates things, right? About your crown?”
“Everythin’ about my crown is complicated. But aye, twill complicate it more. Donnan did choose me as his heir though and I have been crowned already the king—”
The sound of a baby crying filled the apartment, then a nurse wheeled in a bassinet with a screaming baby inside.
Magnus joked, “Och, tis a joyful sound.”
It wasn’t. Archie was positively ballistic. Magnus scooped him up into the crook of his arm and seemed oblivious to the noise, while I bounced from one foot to the other with anxiety. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“Aye, listen tae the lungs on him, he’s remindin’ us tae make room. He be too small tae take the space he needs, so he’s doin’ it with his voice.”
Magnus and I traded off the baby: walking, rocking, dancing, feeding, singing, teasing, brushing our own teeth and getting ready for bed. We were hopeful we would get some sleep tonight though it was looking very bleak, until finally almost suddenly he wound down. Magnus said, “I am verra tired, mo reul-iuil.”
“Me too.” I pulled the bassinet to the bed with the side down, and I lay on the bed beside it and held his little sleeping hand. Magnus cozied up behind me his arm draped over my side. He raised his head to look past me to the baby in the soft darkness of our master bedroom. “Och, he makes a loud noise for a bairn that can sleep so sweetly.”
Magnus and a Love Beyond Words Page 12
