“And m’laird.”
I chewed my lip. “And you’re from Scotland, somehow this ‘vessel’ carries you from Scotland to here — that… it doesn’t make sense, that’s impossible. It’s not an airplane, I can see that. You didn’t fly here.”
He scoffed.
“What?”
“Man canna fly, Mistress Lexi, tis impossible.”
My eyes went wide. I leaned back in the chair. “You’re from Scotland and Iguaranteethey have an airport.”
He looked confused.
“Wait, Torin — okay, I’m going to ask you something crazy, don’t think I’m weird or whatever... What year are you from?”
“The Year of our Lord, one thousand five hundred fifty-eight.”
“That’s impossible, Torin, man cannot time travel.”
“What year is this, Mistress Lexi?”
“You don’t know what year it is?”
“Nae, it looks far different from the time I am used tae.”
“Two thousand and four.”
“Och nae, the Year of our Lord, two thousand and four?” He looked around the room. “Tis averradifferent time.”
We sat quietly for a moment, while his attention was caught by the lamp on the table beside him. He ducked his head to look under the shade, then shook his head, as if removing the thought of it. He asked, “Ye canna time travel, tis not usual?”
“While there are stories, lots of lore and rumors, and many books and movies exploring the principle of it — no, it doesn’t happen. It’s impossible.”
His brow drew down even more. “I dinna understand, yer words are incomprehensible.”
I scoffed. “This is unbelievable. I don’t trust a thing you say?—”
“This is as true as the blood upon m’sword and the bruise on m’shoulder, ye ken, ye hae seen what happened — I attest, I am tellin’ the truth.”
“I don’t even know you?—”
“I assure ye, I am trustworthy. I swore tae protect m’laird, Max, and I hae never left his… side.”
I raised my brown. “You’re not there now.”
He nodded sadly, looking down at his hands. “Aye... we were bein’ chased. I had one thought, tae get him free from the harm, or lay down m’life tryin’, but then I was drawn away. I would never hae left him of m’own will.”
“...well, you don’t seem like someone who ispurposelytrying to bullshit me?—”
His head raised, one of his brows went up. “Bull shite?”
“Yes, to fool me, to lie.”
He chuckled. “Nae, I am nae full of shite.”
I continued, “But here’s the problem, Torin, time travel doesn’t exist. It’s unbelievable. Whereas you say that human flight is unbelievable?—”
“Tis. Ye say men in this time hae wings and take tae the skies like a bird?” He scoffed. “I hae seen men since I arrived and not one had grown wings.”
