Zach said, “Or your vessel might be on the wrong timeline.”
Hayley said, “But he’s here!”
“Maybe we’re the axis of two different timelines.”
Emma said, “Jesus Christ, Zachary, you always say crazy stuff that is just a little but funny and also terrifying.”
He shrugged.
She checked her laptop, open on the coffee table. It took a moment, then she announced, “Ormr is king in three different time periods.”
I said, “What are ye talkin’ on, Madame Emma?”
“I thought you knew, Ormr is still king in three different time periods, Domnall in two.”
I leaned back on the couch with a groan.
Then I leaned forward and said, “But… ye ken I…” Then I leaned back again. “All that time and trouble tae become a king and what has it gotten me?”
Fraoch said, “A great deal more trouble.”
Zach said, “And likely an empty stomach. You haven’t been home in a long time, you hungry?”
“Verra.” I rubbed m’face, tryin’ tae get m’energy tae deal with this. “I daena understand what has gone wrong — we were alone on the timeline, the only actors. Now Ormr is a king?”
“He is a king many times over.” Fraoch added, “If ye think on it, ye are in a battle through history for kingdoms. Ye might need tae call for a ceasefire, possibly a treaty.”
“I winna sign a treaty with Ormr or Domnall, they are evil.”
Zach called from the kitchen. “Want me to reheat lasagna?”
“Och, would ye? But remind me tae eat slowly, m’stomach is half the size it once was.”
“I was going to mention you’ve lost weight, but so had Fraoch when he returned.”
I heard the microwave buzzin’ from the kitchen, a sound that had become familiar through the years. It meant I was about tae be fed, a verra fine thing.
Zach leaned on the door between the livin’ room and the kitchen, waitin’ for the food tae cook. “So whatelsedo we know?”
I said, “I ken with certainty that I hae tae return tae the thirteenth century. Perhaps I’ll arrive on the right timeline.”
Zach said, “But if you do, it doesn’t sound like it will be your kingdom.”
I slowly shook my head considering it —If I found Kaitlyn I would be on another timeline.
Emma said, “What I want to know is if the vessels are causing it — maybe Magnus’s vessel is taking him to a different time. We ought to trade your vessel with one of the extras.”
I nodded. “I will return tae the thirteenth century and test yer theory. Could I take the tracker with me? I will look for other vessels, it means ye will be without the protection of it.”
Zach said, “I’ll feel naked.” The microwave beeped and Zach ducked into the kitchen again.
I raised my voice so he could hear me from the other room. “I ken, I daena like the idea of leavin’ ye without it, but I need tae find out which vessels are in the thirteenth century.”
Zach called from the kitchen, “Who are you taking with you?”
“Nae one, I need ye and Fraoch tae remain here.”
Emma got out a notebook and a pen. “Let’s go through all the possibilities, everything that could go wrong, and come up with as many scenarios as we can.” She ripped out two pages. “What date in the thirteenth century?” She began to transcribe our thoughts.
