He faltered for a moment. Then said, “You are bluffing.”
I nodded my agreement. “It does sound like me tae bluff. I hadna realized, but now ye mention it, whenever I am captured I do tend tae bluff... Och, the stories I tell! All tae extend the time I am living. It has always worked for me tae do so, ye ken.”
He grabbed me by the back of my hair, yankin’ my head back, exposin’ m’throat. “You are nothing but a dead man, a ghost. Living in other times, when you’re really supposed to have lived and died here, the year you’re about to end.”
I continued, “But hae ye wondered on it, usurper? Maybe I hae been captured by ye before. Maybe I hae been kneeling in front of ye, my eyes at the level of yer wee cock, takin’ the size of ye as it were, as ye stood above me layin’ out your malevolent plans, also verra wee. Possibly I hae collected so much insight intae yer weaknesses that I hae the upper-hand... maybe. Hae ye seen Lady Mairead lately?”
He yanked my hair back even farther. “Where is your mother?”
“She daena tell me anythin’.”
He shoved me intae the dirt and kicked my side, over and over losin’ himself in kickin’ me. He kicked me so hard that I rolled and twisted and tried tae scramble away, but he continued kickin’ me with the guards standing close, wishin’ they could kick me as well.
Finally he grew tired from the effort of tryin’ tae kill me. He leaned against a pole and wiped his brow with a handkerchief.
Twas nae matter in any of it, I had gone past the pain. Twas somethin’ I had learned in my years of battlin’, how tae breathe, how tae pick a spot afore m’eyes and focus my rage there, tae lose the pain and concentrate on regaining my feet.
“Your wife and your son, the king, are listening to you take this beating, I am sure they are ready to negotiate with me.”
I said, “Kaitlyn! Daena give him anythin’, daena.”
Roderick laughed.
I remained lyin’ in the dirt, focusin’ past the pain, decidin’ how tae stand back up and fight.
Twenty-four — Kaitlyn
Lady Mairead had an army: tanks, drones, helicopters. They pulled up, stationing themselves along the outer wall of the castle. There was a conversation at the gates. I watched from the walls, relieved she was here, but also, not sure she was there for good reasons.
But when her army pulled around the castle, the earth rumbled and shook. They ended in front of the walls, creating a barrier between us and the enemy. The men on the walls cheered. Somehow they weren’t afraid of the high tech weapons, because it was clear: they were weapons, the kind that could protect us from the other weapons, and they were necessary.
If Magnus hadn’t been in the enemy camp we could have just kicked their asses, but instead we had rumbled into a stalemate.
But at least it would not become a siege.
Lady Mairead swept up the stairs and barged onto the parapet, wearing a dress fashioned for this time, but luxuriously made from the fabrics of Magnus’s kingdom and adorned expensively as if she were a badass queen.
I stepped forward, Fraoch beside me, Hayley stepping behind me, because Lady Mairead was furious and that was the kind of drama that needed supportive friends. I imagined she had been furious for about five-hundred years that day, plenty of time to build it up into a real raging shitstorm.
“Where is Magnus?!”
“He’s turned himself in.”
“Tae Roderick?!” She huffed. “I had hoped tae get here afore it happened. Roderick will be crowing like a rooster, as if he has won tae hae a king bow before him. Magnus had better kill him after this, tis all I can say.” She looked around the parapet. “Where are the bairn?”
I gestured toward my bulging front. “Isla is here, um, Archie is in the nursery. Emma is watching him.”
She screeched, “Ye hae a bairn on the walls?! I hae never heard of such a thing!”
“I have just watched my husband walk across those fields. I am not leaving the walls until I know what is happening with him.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “Quentin, did ye ken he was turning himself in?”
“Yes, ma’am, we went and negotiated with Lord Philip Delapointe and this was the only arrange—”
“Sean, what hae ye done about it?”
Sean said, “I was raisin’ an army tae go fight tae bring him home.”
She looked around the walls. “These men? Ye were goin’ tae fight with these men tae rescue Magnus? Someone should hae come tae see me at the first sign of trouble.”
I said, “The vessels don’t work.”
“Yes! Of course they dinna! I turned them off so I could handle this all at one time and—”
“You can do that? How come we haven’t done that before...?”
“Because I am under no orders tae tell ye anythin’ about the vessels. Ye are tae use them with m’permission and my instructions only.“
While we were speaking, her drones rose into the air, forming a line across the fields, hovering above the tanks. She asked, “Is Chef Zach’s son, Ben still here?”
“Yes.”
She pulled a small twist of gold thread from a fur bag at her waist. “This is enough for three — daena lose them.” She tapped behind her ears and gestured along the base of her skull. “Ye will take the thread and stretch it from here tae here along the back of the bairn’s head.” I glimpsed a strip of thread on the back of her own neck.
“What does it do?”
“Twill protect them from the worst feelings of the jumps—”
“What the... are you serious?”
“Of course I am serious, Kaitlyn. Ye canna jump with bairn and expect everythin’ tae be—”
“I mean, are you serious — why have you never told us about this before?”
“Why would I tell you this?”
“Because your son almost died! Because every time we jump it’s the worst fucking thing ever! Because I want a piece of thread on the back of my own head if it will help!”
“I daena hae enough, and so it’s only for the bairn. Be reasonable for once and apply it tae their heads.”
I took the threads. I was so fucking completely irritated and hoped Magnus would live though this whole thing so that I could tell him about how she had this all along and never. Once. Fucking. Mentioned it.
“Now who else is here? Ye need tae send Zach and his family and yer own bairn away, verra fast.”
“Where?”
“Florida is fine now, ye can go there as long as yer security is up tae par. Quentin, is yer security goin’—”
I interrupted, “Magnus and I were thinking Maine.”
She turned back to me. “Why would ye want tae go there? Tis cold! Go tae Florida, ye hae yer home there.”
“Fine, when you see him, will you tell him, make sure he knows?”
“Of course.” She stalked away.
The drones began to amplify a voice, one I recognized as Hammond’s, loudly, “Release the King,” a pause and then repeating, “Release the king,” another pause, “Release the king.”
The enemy tanks opened fire, shooting at the walls.
I shrieked, clapped my hands over my ears and then clapped them over Isla’s ears, almost dropping the gold thread. Explosions, stone rubble flying up, the walls shacking. I cowered at the top of the stairs, pushed aside as men raced up and down. “Please, let me down, please!”
I saw an opening and dove in between two men as another explosion rocked the castle walls. “Fuck, fuck, fuck...” I tried to keep from falling down as the man behind me almost overtook me. Passing a window, I heard the drones again: “Release the king! Release the king!” I pressed against the wall so a man could barrel past me to join the fighting.
At the bottom step Quentin joined me and we raced to the nursery. “We got to get you out of here.” Zach and Emma were waiting just within the doors, holding Ben and Archie who were crying desperately. Zach and Emma were on the verge of panic, you could see it in their eyes.
Emma asked, “Is Magnus going to be okay?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know at all.” I added, “Hold Ben’s hair up. Like this.” She pulled up Ben’s hair. I peeled away a strand of the gold thread and pressed it across the base of his head like Lady Mairead’s had been.
“What is it?”
“Lady Mairead said it would help on the jump. I don’t know. I’m trusting her on it.”
Zach held up Archie’s hair. “It’s okay little man, it’s okay, this isn’t going to hurt.” Archie was sobbing, arching back, in full freak out for being manhandled.
I struggled to get it onto the back of his head, pressed down in the right place. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” Finished, I pulled Isla from my wrap and passed her to Beaty, pulled her little sweaty head forward to aim the last thread on the back of her head.
Archie reached for me in a total massive meltdown. I grabbed him, let him spider monkey my front and held the back of his head. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ve got you, it’s okay.”
Quentin said, “Follow me!”
He raced from the nursery with us trailing behind, James bringing up the rear.
We made it to the gates as they were opening. Quentin stood to the side, “Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!” Past the guards, soldiers drew in behind us, and Quentin raced us out of the castle, down the slope, behind the stables, to the edge of the forest. Quentin said, “James and I are going first, we’ll be waiting for you.”
“Florida?”
“Lady Mairead told me Florida, that’s what we need to do.”
He twisted the ends of the vessel. To James he said, “Hold onto my arm.”
“I don’t like leaving a firefight.”
“Yeah, right. But as soon as we know it’s okay in Florida we can come back and get all Call of Duty on their asses.” The storm rose above them.
I held Archie tight and turned away so we wouldn’t get pummeled by the winds.
Once the storm dissipated, Zach and Emma met me and Beaty. I passed Archie to Zach. “Hold onto him sweetie, I’m twisting the—”
Hayley raced into the space. “She took him! They grabbed him and beat him and—”
“Who did — what?”
“Lady Mairead took Fraoch, they beat him and they’re dragging him away! Oh God, they’re going to kill him!”
“Shit, shit shit shit — Okay,” I kissed the back of Archie’s head. “Love you, love you baby. I’ll be right back.” I kissed Isla in Beaty’s arms and passed Beaty the diaper bag. “Hold her, keep her safe,” I said to Beaty. “I’ll be right there. Give me a minute to figure this out. I’ve got another vessel, I’ll be right there.”
I thrust the vessel into Zach’s hand. He twisted the ends and the storm built around them, crashing and rolling and lightning-flashing. Hayley and I rushed away.
Racing through the woods, I was on full adrenaline. “What is happening Hayley — what about Fraoch?”
She pulled to a stop, tears were rolling down her face, something I was not used to seeing.
“That bitch asked him his name. She had her guards seize him, they beat him and dragged him from the castle. She was taking him somewhere!”
“What in the world — Fraoch?”
Twenty-five - Magnus
“They are commandin’ ye tae release me.”
“I hear them,” Roderick growled.
“They sound irritated, ye might want tae consider...”
“Shut up.”
“I mean ye must hae kent they wouldna let ye take the king without tryin’ tae stop ye in your tracks and ye hae been losin’ tae the king over and over, what made ye think ye would win this time?”
“This time I hae Bella workin’ with me.”
“Och, Bella is a waste of yer time, and just so I am clear, she was workin’ with ye last time ye lost tae me. She is near the top of my list of yer weaknesses, under the headin’ of idiocies.”
He kicked me hard. I deserved it. But I overpowered the pain and dinna think on it much, twas naething but a wave, I just had tae endure it.
He told his commander, “Fire a volley at the walls.”
I shook m’head. “Tis yer grave.”
A voice repeating through the woods: “Release the king, release the king.” A soldier approached Roderick. “Sir, there’s a...” He glanced down at me and then whispered.
Roderick said, “Ah. Yes, I will meet her.” He straightened his uniform.
I said, “Did ye hire a designer tae make ye a uniform so ye would look less like a criminal?”
He stepped over me and purposely kicked me. “Your mother would like a word with me.”
“I imagine she would. I am nae sure I would want tae take yer place. She has a fury that could fell trees and that’s if ye cross her about somethin’ simple. I am certain she is verra upset ye hae captured her king.”
“Eh,” he said, “You’re just a man, layin’ in the dirt.”
I sighed over-dramatically. “Tis true, ye should give me the dignity of lettin’ me up tae m’feet afore I am killed.”
“Get him up.”
Two soldiers yanked me tae standing.
“Am I tae follow ye?”
“Nae, stay here.” He stalked from the tent with guards flankin’ him, leavin’ me, thankfully, nae guarded well enough.
I kent how tae remove m’wristbands. They had belonged tae my government, and I had seen them in use. There was a twist and release movement that would do it, but from inside the bindings it might take a few attempts. If my hands had been behind me, twould hae been easier tae hide m’gestures. I dinna want tae get caught, because this was the one chance I had of escape.
My eyes darted around the area. If I jumped the soldier tae m’right I might hae his gun in enough time tae shoot the soldier on the left, but I would hae tae go fast as the shots would call more soldiers in.
Lord Philip stood tae m’far right. I faced down at m’hands but looked furtively around. If I got him tae draw closer and if I was fast enough tae get his sword afore he could raise it. If I could swing it on the soldiers afore they were the wiser — if I could swing, for I had gotten a good beatin’ a’ready.
I asked the soldier closest tae me, “Are ye from the kingdom? I daena recognize ye, but ye must ken, I am yer king if ye are.”
“No, I am not.”
“Where are ye from then, what time?” While I spoke tae him I kept my eyes on Lord Philip.
“I’m from the year 2082. Most of these men are.”
“Och, did ye hae wealth? Was it a time of peace? How did Roderick get ye tae fight on his side?”
“He pays well.”
I nodded. Tae Lord Philip I said, “Tis your answer as well, aye? Ye are in it for the riches?”
He grunted.
I said, “Ye ken your mother, Lady Mairead, will be—”
“My step-mother.”
“True, she daena hae a blood connection and will kill ye for yer actions. I look forward tae watchin’ it.”
“You are weak to let a woman fight for you.”
I shrugged. “She is formidable, weak or nae, I daena think tis wise tae cross her, especially when ye are such a wee, witless—” Loud voices rose from the field.
Lord Philip and the soldiers turned their attention there. I asked, “What did they say?” I pretended tae look while working frantically on m’bindings.
I tried twice tae get the binding off. I glanced up tae see Lord Philip and the soldiers were once again talkin’ tae each other. I took a deep breath.
A storm from far off, lightnin’ cracked, a loud rumble of thunder — Lord Philip winced from the sound. The soldier beside me chuckled. They turned their attention away. I twisted my wrists, pressed them together, and pulled until my arms were free. I looked around, nae one had noticed.
I glanced at Lord Philip’s sword, slung casually at his hip, mere feet away. “Lord Philip, when we signed the treaty, did ye mean tae break it at once, against yer word, or did ye
take yer time afore ye decided tae?”
He glared at me.
The voice again, projecting, in unison: “Release the king! Release the king!”
“Och, they sound upset. Are ye wondering right now if ye will live through the night?”
He dove toward me. “Be quiet! I have had e—!”
I yanked his sword from his hilt, grabbed him, an arm around his neck — a split second consideration: Tae hold him, tae use his death as a bargain. But nae, he was sure tae be reviled. Nae one would negotiate for him.
I stabbed the sword through him and dropped him on the ground. I kicked m’blade free of Lord Philip’s gravely injured body and swung against the soldier tae m’right killing him straightaway. Then I stabbed the soldier on m’left.
Overridin’ the pain, I strode from the tent, and fought another soldier, a clean swing, cuttin’ through him. Then I pushed down another and stabbed down through him tae the earth. I grabbed a gun from his belt and shot another soldier who was blockin’ m’way.
I charged from the tree line straight for Roderick, standin’ in the middle of the field convenin’ with Lady Mairead.
“Roderick!!”
He was so astonished he fumbled drawin’ his gun which gave m’mother a chance tae draw her own.
I plowed m’shoulder intae him, knockin’ him tae the ground. I stood over him with my sword pointed at his throat.
I was out of breath, havin’ trouble holdin’ m’ fury. “Ye are weak.”
“Good, Magnus,” said Lady Mairead, “you have saved me a great deal of trouble in your handling of this, well-done. Don’t finish him quite yet though, something remains tae be discussed.”
I groaned. “I mean tae end this now.”
Roderick struggled.
I warned him, “Daena move.”
Two of Lady Mairead’s soldiers arrived. I drew my eyes from Roderick tae see who they were dragging — Fraoch, his face bloodied. They dropped him to the ground beside her.
Son and Throne (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 11) Page 10
