He pulled his gun and checked it was loaded, then returned it to his holster. “He will, but we must always be ready for a chance of melee.”
I gulped. “Melee, huh?”
“Daena worry on it, Ash, grab m’arm.” He checked his watch, “Och nae, we hae been here a long time, we need tae go.”
He looked down on the vessel, he was about to twist it.
I didn’t want him to twist it.
I stepped away, shaking my head. “Nope. Don’t want to.”
Lochie said, “Och nae.”
“We could... I don’t know. Live here. Right? There’s a house, it’s called asafehouse, we could just... not go.”
“It inna what it means, Ash, ye ken?”
“I know, but it has a PlayStation, it has all we need.”
“I am takin’ the PlayStation with us...”
“I know, I get it, I just don’t want to get on the swooshy storm machine. Sometimes I need to talk myself into things. Sometimes I need to be bossy about it.”
“Ash, ye are the love of m’life and ye are also a pain in m’arse. Ye hae tae go because I said tis time tae go.”
I swung my good arm around in a circle, then I jogged in place. Looking at him the whole time.
He repeated himself, pretending to be stern, “Tis time to go.”
I said, continuing to jog. “You bossing me, Lochie?”
“Aye, ye are goin’ tae be m’wife, I am tellin’ ye tis time tae go.”
I kept jogging. “You’re telling me I have to put my hand on yer arm so that pain can shoot up my arm and drag me into the past?”
“Aye, right now, because I told ye ye hae tae.”
“Fine,” I swung my arm around in a circle while saying, “but only because I will, not because you’re being?—”
I put my hand on his arm. He put his arm around me with his chin on the top of my head, holding me in a big bear hug. And the ripping, searing pain began to fill me again.
CHAPTER 21 - MAGNUS
THE FIELD IN KING’S PARK - JUNE 17, 1291
Just afore midnight the wind began tae rise fast and brutal. I yelled over the roar, “Get tae the trees!” Fraoch, Chef Zach, and I grappled with horse reins, pullin’ them tae the side as the thunderclouds grew overhead. Wind whipped in a large circle. We found cover behind a large oak. Our headlamps were spotting the field with small beams that were nae match against the darkness of the storm. The branches were whipping. Chef Zach put his arms up tae block the wind.
“Wish I had brought the monitor, this better be Lochinvar.”
A thunderclap boomed. A gust overhead caused the branches tae crack dangerously.
Chef Zach yelled, “I don’t know whether to cover my head or watch in case something happens!”
Fraoch said, “I ken! We must be ready tae run!”
Lightning arced from the clouds to the ground and then as suddenly as it began, the storm began tae dissipate, gusts became erratic but lessening, and then we were able tae ascertain with our weak beams, two lumps in the field.
I made my way taeward them, tae see Lochinvar and Ash. I hit the button on my radio: “Mo reul-iuil, he and Ash arrived.”
