Just as I was falling asleep, I startled tae hear a whisper, one that seemed tae come from inside my head —I love you.
I said, “I love ye, mo reul-iuil.”
CHAPTER 12 - KAITLYN
Iheard it warm beside my ear.I love ye, mo reul-iuil.
I turned onto my back, looked up at the underside of the canopy, and began to speak. “Are you there?”
I paused.
“I don’t know what has happened, my love, but I am here and you are there. I think we are beside each other… Do you feel it too?”
I sighed. “Domnall has captured me. Apparently Ormr is king. James is in the dungeon. You aren’t here, you… I need you to come.”
I pulled the rough blanket over my nose to keep it warm.
“I don’t know what I mean by that, how you can be here andnothere, but maybe you’re on a different timeline? We need Zach to explain this to us. I don’t know what you should do, how we should solve it, but… will you please go check on the kids?”
CHAPTER 13 - MAGNUS
It came tae me, a certainty — I needed tae check on the bairns. But I wasna sure where everyone was and I dinna want tae risk loopin’ upon m’self. Everythin’ had been shiftin’ for so long that I was uncertain about m’best step. I decided tae jump tae the future and check with grown Archie. I said, in case whoever I was havin’ this moment with was listenin’, or could even hear me, “Aye.”
CHAPTER 14 - MAGNUS
Ilanded on the western lands about thirty miles away from my castle, the year 2405.
I roused myself, mounted m’horse, and began the ride tae the city. I kept tae the edges of the forest, and traveled through a mountain pass, doin’ my best tae be unnoticed. I dinna come across anyone, so I grew more courageous as I approached the Lots, a place with a great many industrial parks and warehouses. Everywhere was bereft of people. I stood on the edge of a wide empty parking lot and surveyed the area. It was like a town of ghosts.
I urged my horse into a brisk pace, passin’ through, headed toward the edge of the city.
A mile on I came across a lone store with a hangin’ sign: Lots Hardware and Goods. I tied my horse tae the post and crept tae a window tae peer inside. Twas dim and dusty and looked unused. I entered and found shelves of dusty food cans and drink bottles. In an office I found books and papers dated 2389, the year I had left, a poster on the wall for my battle, Magnus vs Domnall. I blew upon it, sendin’ dust flinging.
I searched for any sign of life, but twas as if there hadna been a soul here since that long ago year when the time had become fragmented.
I mounted my horse and continued on for miles, deep intae the city, checkin’ shops and restaurants and offices. All had that layer of dust, and were abandoned as if all at once. The final place I investigated had been a home, and inside, on a table, there was a lump of decomposed and disgustin’ glop inside a bowl with a spoon beside it. A spider had spun a web across the rim of the bowl. It looked verra much as if the occupant’s meal had been interrupted, tae never return.
I couldna understand what this meant — how was an entire city abandoned? How was my kingdom,Archie’skingdom, gone?
I sat in a shady spot under an awning tae rest my horse, pulling a hunk of bread from a leather saddlebag. I had meant tae interview someone about the kingdom, tae find out who was in charge, afore I entered the castle grounds. I wanted foreknowledge of who I would be meeting. I had assumed it would be Archie, but now I thought it might be Ormr, perhaps it was someone even more malevolent.
Once there, I had intended tae look through records for Kaitlyn and the rest of our family, but now I couldna access it.
M’only option was tae time-travel blindly intae Florida.
I chewed my bread and considered.Where was Lady Mairead?
I shook my head, wiped my hands of crumbs, led m’horse tae a wide part of the road, and began the jump that would take me home.
CHAPTER 15 - HAYLEY
We landed in a field with wildflowers growing high all around. I groaned from the pain of the jump and lay there for a bit, looking up at Fraoch who was already sitting up.
I pulled myself up and saw Zach running toward us.
“Hey! Phew, am I glad to see you!”
I asked, “Is everyone here? And why are we here?”
