Lost in Time_Split-Second Time Travel Story 1

by Ken Johns

  A shopkeeper across the road propped open his wooden shutter, revealing a long table about chest height. He put a tray of horn cups next to a wooden jug and began pouring an amber liquid into them.

  Mila stopped walking and watched a line of people form next to the shop. The shopkeeper declared he was open, accepting coins with one hand while he passed out his cups with the other. Mila’s mouth watered even though she knew it was that stinky ale.

  Lady Evelyn’s voice came from the shadows. “I would not recommend patronizing that particular establishment.”

  “Why not?”

  Lady Evelyn lowered her hood. She was maybe the one person who could help her get back into the castle, and suddenly here she was.

  “Have you been following me?”

  “You have managed to find the worst tavern in the town.” Lady Evelyn continued to search the traffic. “We should keep moving. The roads are unusually dangerous this morning.”

  Mila noted that Lady Evelyn had ignored her question but let it slide and tried to follow her glances and see the danger for herself.

  “Surely, you should not be wasting your time on food and drink?” Lady Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

  “But I’m starving.”

  “Nonsense. Look at you. You are nowhere near starving.”

  Mila sneered. “I didn’t mean it literally.”

  Lady Evelyn touched the back of her elbow and slid her hand down into Mila’s. She started walking. “Whatever are you doing wandering the streets by yourself?”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Why have you abandoned your family?” asked Lady Evelyn.

  Mila thought of her father standing in the alley, bleeding, and of her mother rushing blindly into the night, trying to find her. But how could she face them? She knew her parents would say they loved her, but deep inside she knew they blamed her for Jess’s death. If she could save Jess, she would never have to deal with their lying. “I haven’t abandoned anybody. I just needed time to think.”

  “You cannot walk the streets alone. Everyone in the village knows you are a stranger, and most will have figured out by now that you are not a man.” Lady Evelyn reached up and tucked a strand of Mila’s hair back into her coif. “It is not safe.”

  Mila batted her hand away. She didn’t need another mother. Something was off. Lady Evelyn ignored Mila’s questions and peppered her with her own. “Why are you helping me?”

  “Because of what happened to your sister. It does not sit well with me.”

  That smelled like bullshit. Mila said, “In the dungeon, you told me to tell the truth. Why don’t you take your own advice?”

  “I do not know what to say.” Shock registered on Lady Evelyn’s face, but only for a fraction of a second. The silence stretched into the uncomfortable zone, but Mila refused to let her off the hook.

  “You are a wise woman,” Lady Evelyn said finally. “But we really should get off the street.”

  “Nice try,” Mila said as she folded her arms.

  Lady Evelyn smoothed the cloth on her sleeve and stared at the ground. When she raised her head she said, “Because you have been accused of being a witch. I know how that feels… I have also been accused of this, from time to time.”

  Mila smiled. “And are you?” She echoed Lady Evelyn’s words from the dungeon.

  “I have certain skills.” Lady Evelyn glanced up and down the street.

  “What?” Mila laughed. But Lady Evelyn did not. She showed no false modesty, as though she was simply stating a fact. And it sounded like an honest answer, not that Mila believed in magic or anything. Lady Evelyn was intelligent, and her natural beauty would be intimidating to anyone, especially the men in power. It made a kind of sense that they would brand her a witch out of fear.

  “So you’re helping me out of empathy and you want nothing in return?” Mila so wanted to believe her—she really needed Lady Evelyn’s help right now—but her inner alarm bells were deafening.

  “Perhaps a small compensation.” Lady Evelyn resumed walking.

  Mila walked beside her. This felt like progress. If Lady Evelyn needed something from Mila, they could start to build a relationship based on trust and mutual benefit. She hoped Lady Evelyn would ask for something she could actually provide. Mila stepped in front of Lady Evelyn and faced her. “Now we’re getting somewhere. I hope I can provide whatever it is that you need of me, but right now I need you to get me back into the castle.”

  Lady Evelyn just nodded with a hint of a smile.

  That was way too easy. Mila said, “Don’t you want to know why?”

  Lady Evelyn cupped Mila’s hands in her own. “I’m sure you will tell me when the time is right.”

  Mila thought the time was right now, but she saw movement from the shadows of a nearby alley. An ugly little man walked toward them. He carried more weapons than he could possibly wield: a sword at his side, a dagger in his belt, and a crossbow slung across his back. “There is a well-armed man approaching behind you. Is he the danger?”

  “Perhaps. I was wondering when the weasel might show himself.” Lady Evelyn raised her voice. “Good morning, Geoffrey.”

  “Good morning, Mother Abbess.” Geoffrey bowed his head. “I did not recognize you. Have you abandoned the—?”

  “Do not trouble yourself about my appearance, Geoffrey.” Lady Evelyn held out a hand, and Geoffrey reached out to take it.

  Mila assumed Lady Evelyn expected him to kiss the hand, but the man held it briefly, then released it and opened his own. She’d given him something.

  “Who has hired you to stalk my friend?” Lady Evelyn nodded toward Mila.

  “The bishop,” said Geoffrey. “Why are you with her?”

  Lady Evelyn cocked her head as she studied him. “Is that a question, Geoffrey? I am afraid you do not quite understand how this arrangement works. If you want information, you will have to return that coin.”

  Geoffrey leered at Mila. Lady Evelyn held out her hand. He tore his eyes off Mila and took it. When he released the hand, he again studied the contents of his own.

  “How many men did the bishop hire?” Lady Evelyn asked.

  Geoffrey started counting on his fingers then gave up. “I would say six.”

  “I see. He is a wealthy man.” She repeated the payment ritual. “What were the terms?”

  “Kill the man.” Geoffrey let his eyes stray to Mila. “Make the women… disappear.”

  “Excuse us, won’t you?” said Mila, motioning Lady Evelyn to follow her into the alley Geoffrey had emerged from. Mila nodded at Geoffrey, who stood watching them from the road. “Can I pay him to give up his contract on my family and hunt the other assassins?”

  Lady Evelyn smiled. “I like the way you think, but you could not afford it. The bishop’s wealth is infinite. He would simply outbid you.”

  “So, what do I do?”

  “Trust me.” Lady Evelyn’s beautiful eyes crinkled at the corners. “Have I not made good on my promises?”

  Trusting her was the last thing Mila could do. Lady Evelyn had proven, in the short time since they’d met, that she never said what she meant. Although she had helped Mila out of the castle and sent Raymond to keep her safe, the reason for this woman’s generosity remained a mystery. But Mila could only nod. “You have.”

  “Well then, let me take care of Geoffrey. And then we should rejoin your parents.”

  “What?” Mila stopped whispering. “You know where they are?”

  “Of course.”

  Mila stared at the Lady Evelyn. She didn’t look smug. She simply returned her gaze, as though she did this kind of thing every day. Damn, she was good. This woman thought nine moves ahead, like a chess master. “How do we ditch Geoffrey?”

  “Ditch?”

  “Lose, get rid of—we don’t want Geoffrey knowing where we are, right?”

  “Ah yes, do not worry about Geoffrey.” The Lady Evelyn beckoned the assassin to join them in the alley. Geoffrey wandered into the shad
ows and stood facing them, silhouetted against the light of the road.

  Lady Evelyn reached out her hand as if to repeat the payment ritual, but she only fluttered her fingers and said, “Goodbye, Geoffrey.”

  His silhouette grew as a larger man loomed behind him. A hand snaked around his mouth and his eyes bulged wide as he was thrust deeper into the alley. Mila recognized Sir Raymond as the man pushing Geoffrey. Geoffrey seemed to collapse at Raymond’s feet for no apparent reason, but Raymond wiped blood off his dagger with a white lace hanky. That could be the reason.

  Mila’s mouth fell open. Raymond and Lady Evelyn seemed unconcerned as Geoffrey died at their feet.

  “He was scum.” Lady Evelyn touched her arm. “Do not trouble yourself. It was a fate he earned a long time ago. With his current assignment, I am sure you will agree his death is of benefit to you and your family.”

  Mila stared. She was only now beginning to realize what this woman was capable of. Perhaps she wasn’t quite the ally Mila had been hoping for, but she had no choice.

  Mila shrugged and stepped toward Geoffrey’s corpse. She bent and took Geoffrey’s supply of crossbow bolts. She stood and placed them in her quiver. Raymond took a step toward her, reaching for his sword, but Lady Evelyn put her hand on his arm and led him away.

  “Do come along,” she said over her shoulder. “We should not keep your parents waiting.”

  What was that about? It was okay for Raymond to kill the assassin, but she had somehow crossed a line by stealing from his corpse? Men were so weird.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  April 29, 1341

  John sat with his back against the inside of the door, studying the beams and rafters that supported the thatching. The second-floor room at the Dover Dove inn was larger than the one they’d had at the Hanging Cock. Unfortunately, that gave Sandra more room to pace. She stopped at the window and searched the road for the twentieth time. Raymond had left them there and gone to get Mila and Lady Evelyn, saying he would return shortly. As soon as he got back with Mila, John planned to take his family and get them out of town. Margaret had said she would meet them at the Hanging Cock and take them to the next village, where her father lived. Anywhere would be better than here.

  Sandra spun from the window. “What if something happened to her?”

  “Don’t go there.”

  “I can’t help it.” She blew a hair off her face.

  “She’ll be fine,” he said, but he didn’t really believe it. He was as worried as Sandra, but sitting around waiting was something he had a lot of experience with. He knew how to stay in a constant state of readiness and stand down at a moment’s notice. Hurry up and wait was his normal.

  “You don’t know that,” she said bitterly. “Why aren’t you out looking for her?”

  “You heard what Raymond said.” He watched Sandra walk back toward him from the window.

  “That’s true. I did hear that.” Sandra put her fists on her hips and stopped in front of him. “What I didn’t hear was what you said to Mila in that alley.”

  What was she talking about? He replayed the alley conversation in his head. He’d had some pretty dark thoughts, but he hadn’t shared any of them with Mila. Sandra was probably digging for a fight. The stress of waiting was eating away at her, pushing her to lash out. “Babe, take a breath—”

  “Don’t manage me! God damn you, you arrogant fuck.”

  “I’m sorry.” He stood up and stepped toward her to pull her into a hug.

  She spun away and lifted one hand to ward him off.

  Mila followed Raymond and Lady Evelyn up the stairs at the Dover Dove. Raymond stopped at a door and stood to the side, while Lady Evelyn knocked.

  Sandra pulled the door open.

  “Mila!” She pushed past Lady Evelyn and wrapped Mila in a hug. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” Mila tried to extricate herself from the hug. “Can you let us in?”

  By the time she got Sandra turned around, Lady Evelyn had already gone inside.

  “You must be Raymond’s wife,” said John.

  “I am Lady Evelyn.” She touched his arm. “I am so sorry about Lady Jess.”

  John watched her without saying anything.

  Raymond was the last one in and he shut the door behind them.

  “Sandra, this is—”

  “Lady Evelyn.” She held a hand out to Sandra. “I have been trying to help your daughters.”

  “That’s kind of you. Why?” John asked.

  “John, leave her alone,” Mila snapped, but then she regretted it. Maybe John could get answers from Lady Evelyn.

  “You hardly know her,” John continued. “I just want to know why she’s helping us.”

  Lady Evelyn seemed undisturbed by his concern. She just stood there smiling pleasantly. Mila didn’t say anything, letting John have the floor. How far would he get?

  “John, stop it! I apologize for my husband.”

  “No apology is necessary. You have all been through a tragic ordeal.” Lady Evelyn lowered her eyes, bowing slightly.

  Since Sandra had put an end to John’s questions, Mila said, “I have asked Lady Evelyn to help me get back into the castle—”

  A knock at the door.

  “That will be Captain Henri,” said Lady Evelyn, “here to escort us to the castle.”

  John pulled Sandra behind him and went for his sword, but Raymond’s blade was at John’s throat before he found the hilt.

  “Sir Raymond!” Mila glared at him.

  Lady Evelyn put her hand on Raymond’s sword arm and pulled him away from John. “There is no need for violence.”

  “But you asked me to trust you,” Mila said.

  “And so you should.” Lady Evelyn smiled. “You said you wanted to return to the castle, and this I have arranged.”

  Mila hadn’t seen Lady Evelyn speak to anybody but Raymond since they had left Geoffrey in the alley. And Raymond had not left her side. So this meeting with Henri had to have been arranged before Mila had told Lady Evelyn what she wanted. Trust was dead. At least until she could figure out what Lady Evelyn was up to.

  “Why do you want to go to the castle?” John asked Mila, keeping his eyes glued on Raymond.

  “This is not the time.” There was no way she was discussing her plans in front of Lady Evelyn.

  “Fair enough,” said John. “You can tell me later.” He focused on Lady Evelyn. “Why do you want us to come to the castle?”

  Lady Evelyn opened her mouth to speak, but there was another knock at the door. She touched Raymond’s hand. “Would you ask the captain to wait at the bottom of the stairs?”

  Raymond bowed, sheathed his weapon, and left the room.

  Lady Evelyn returned her attention to John. “My brother, Baron Reginald, wishes to speak with you. I know not why. He had been raising an even larger company of armed men to seek you out. I suggested to him that there would be far less bloodshed if I simply asked you to meet with him, as his guests.”

  It all sounded logical to Mila, but this was Lady Evelyn. There had to be more to it.

  “That sounds a bit too simple,” said John. “What else?”

  “You would like to go to the castle, yes?” Lady Evelyn ignored his question.

  “Yes,” John said. “You said guests, right?”

  “I did.”

  “So we can keep our weapons?”

  “Of course.”

  “Can you give us a minute?” John said. Lady Evelyn looked confused.

  Mila pointed to the door. “Can you leave us alone so we can discuss it?”

  “Certainly.” Lady Evelyn stepped from the room.

  It was clear that she had wanted them in the castle long before Mila had asked for her help. But why did she want them armed in the presence of the baron when she could have easily forced them to give up their weapons?

  John stood staring at the back of the closed door.

  “John.” Sandra poked his arm. “Are we going to
discuss it, or are you back to your one-man show?”

  “Sorry. There’s something off about this little visit to the castle.”

  “Ya think?” Mila rolled her eyes. John smelled it too, and she was glad he was on her side.

  “But still, the best way to get information about the guide might be to talk directly to the man in charge.”

  “I can’t believe you’re even considering this.” Sandra said. “He’s the man who executed Jess.”

  “I know, but the only other option is to fight our way out of this room. That means getting past Lady Evelyn and her swordsman, and then the captain and his posse. If we can manage to do all that—and I’m not saying we can—we’re back at square one: on the run, and no closer to going home.”

  “So we don’t have a choice?”

  “Not really,” said John. “What do you think?”

  “I had a different idea.” Mila glared at him. “I wanted to go to the castle, but not as a prisoner. I thought Lady Evelyn would sneak me in.”

  “Well, we can’t expect to get an audience with the baron if we sneak in first.”

  “I never wanted an audience with the baron.” Mila stopped talking. Lady Evelyn had said she might ask for a ‘small compensation’ in return for her help. Did she want John armed in front of the baron? So he could—what? Assassinate him? It felt more and more like she’d been played. This was just Lady Evelyn capturing all three of them without spilling a drop of blood. Mila’s deal was probably off the table, long since forgotten.

  The door opened, and there she was, Lady Evelyn, flanked by Captain Henri and Sir Raymond. “Shall we?”

  Mila followed her parents down the stairs and out to the road. Lady Evelyn introduced them to Captain Henri. Sandra glared at him, and John refused to offer his hand. That was understandable. Henri had stood on the platform barring John’s advance toward Jess, sending wave after wave of guards to stop him.

  Henri and his two knights led the way up the hill toward the castle, Henri occasionally glancing over his shoulder to check on his charges. John and Sandra stayed a couple of meters behind him, and he seemed satisfied with that.

  Mila walked behind her parents, and Evelyn stayed close to Raymond, whispering as the two of them walked hand in hand behind Mila. Mila shook her head. If she wanted to get back to the twenty-first century, she needed to stay focused. She stepped up close to her parents and nudged her way between them.