“Yes, you could pardon her after her arrest. There would need to be a semblance of propriety, a trial, but yes, you could pardon her.”
Magnus leaned forward. “You are sayin’ that as the king, my wife would be put on trial for murder? Most of the kings have taken the throne by killin’ the man that stood in their way — tis nae fair.”
“It’s different for the king, Magnus.”
“Well that is the first rule I will change then. How do I challenge Samuel?”
“He’s taken over the castle, and the running of the kingdom. He’s challenged your bloodline through the courts. The case will be heard two days from now. You have a great many people in the government on your side, but the challenge will need to be fought, as you know, in the arena.”
Lady Mairead asked, “Does it? A bit of poison perhaps, a tastefully done accident? Or a lowly prostitute could take him tae bed and kill him as Kaitlyn—”
Magnus jumped from his seat, crossed in a step, and yanked the arms of her chair to get her attention. He leaned over her eye to eye and growled, “Watch your tongue. I winna stand for another word of disrespect from ye. I am either a dead man or a king. Kaitlyn is either a widow or a queen. Ye best show us the respect we deserve.”
“I was only laying out our options.”
“You ken what ye were sayin’, daena lie, daena pretend tae be doin’ what ye are nae. Tis a deception I am growin’ weary of watchin’.”
He yanked her chair again and returned to his seat.
Lady Mairead smoothed her hair.
Minister Donahue said, “The only option Magnus has to rule as the legitimate king is to kill Samuel in the arena. Samuel has supporters and they will not accept Magnus’s rule without a show of force and power. I will tell you though, he is injured. He hurt his shoulder in a training exercise yesterday.”
Magnus met my eyes.
Yes.
Aye.
He said, “Then I challenge him tomorrow.”
Minister Donahue said, “You are ready to fight?”
“I am ready enough. Twill be by sword?”
“If you request it.”
Magnus nodded.
Minister Donahue said, “It’s done then. I’ll let Mairead know the details.” He straightened his coat. It was adorned with braids and fur and medals of some kind. He seemed pretentiously important, like a cartoon-character general, but I was so glad he was on our side. He seemed convinced he could get things done and that made me feel a little better about all of this.
He shook Magnus’s hand again, warmly. “I can’t wait to tell my Margaret about meeting you again, she has been all aflutter since you said ‘Aye’ to her at the Equinox Gala. What a lovely night that was... Until all the drama occurred, of course. But we are setting it to rights now. I will be very glad to see Samuel taken care of. Just between us, he is an evil man.”
He clasped Lady Mairead’s hand in both of his. “Always good to see you, Mairead. Thank you for bringing the king home.”
Then he left.
Magnus returned to his seat and gestured for me to come sit beside him. I did gratefully.
Lady Mairead sat back down across from us.
He squinted his eyes causing her to squirm under his gaze.
She asked, “You are sure ye are ready tae fight on the morrow?”
“Aye.” He watched her a moment more. “Answer me this, Lady Mairead, how many chairs do ye have in this apartment?”
She looked around at the furniture and artifacts. “Quite a few.”
“Next time ye invite me and Kaitlyn tae your home I would like a seat. Also, in all of this — what is this?”
“I think of it as my collection.”
“In all your collectin’ ye dinna have the forethought tae make sure Kaitlyn would have some clean clothes tae wear? Before ye invited Bella tae dinner?”
“I daena just have her size—”
“I am askin’ ye, as your son, tae show me and my wife respect. I apologize for losin’ my temper in front of Minister Donahue, but I canna continue tae allow ye tae treat her this way. You must do better and twill be easier tae practice doin’ it now than when I am king and I demand it.”
She said, “I meant nothing by it, I—”
“You have been schemin’ for so long ye have lost track of doin’ it. You should apply yourself tae rememberin’ that I deserve better treatment after all that ye have put me through.” He stood. “Kaitlyn and I are going tae our room tae rest for the morrow.”
She said, “Let Tyler ken that I will arrange tae have someone accompany him tae Florida tomorrow afternoon.”
“See, ye can be helpful, thank ye.”
Magnus and I swept from the room. It was fun to be the one doing it for once. Leaving Lady Mairead alone to think about what we just said. Mostly Magnus, but it was all for me.
Chapter 49
We took a bottle of wine into Tyler’s room to tell him about the plan for tomorrow. He sat on his bed with a glass in his hand. Magnus sat in a chair. I slumped on the floor, bottle in my lap. I kind of thought I should drink a lot, I also didn’t really want to, but holding it felt good. Like maybe in a safer time I could drink the anguish away.
Tyler asked a lot of questions.
The biggest one was, “What the hell are you thinking? You’re going to fight to the death tomorrow?”
Magnus answered, “Och, aye.”
“Why would you fight someone for a throne you don’t want?”
“I will let Kaitlyn tell ye on it.”
I said, “My thinking is that any king that isn’t Magnus is going to chase us through time. And our children through time. Forever. But if Magnus is king, he keeps his children safe.”
“Even if they're from another woman?”
“Even then. I can’t ask Magnus to choose between me and one of his children, so yeah, we’ll protect his son. Even if his mom is a total bitch and I want to smack her stupid bitch face with her stupid fucking bitch smile.”
He joked, “You seem pretty chill Katie.”
“Considering I just met the woman who is having Magnus’s child, yeah, I was surprisingly chill. I may have had a small stroke.” I took a swig of wine. Then decided I didn’t want to drink anymore and pushed the bottle away.
“That was like a reality tv show, I was expecting chairs to fly.”
Magnus joked, “I wanted tae throw a chair but Lady Mairead daena have enough tae use as weapons.”
I said, “God when you called her out about it, and when you shook her chair and growled at her — I was so impressed.”
“Tis all it takes tae impress ye?” He shook his head. “She has been playing games with us for so long, she daena ken she is doin’ it.”
“I almost feel sorry for her. I mean, beyond the whole she has been trying to kill me part of it. She’s been surviving here, thriving actually, and the one thing she wants is to be a—”
“Mother of a king.”
“And she keeps getting so close.” I dropped my head back to the wall, with a moan. “Bella is so beautiful. I can’t believe I’m going to have to live with that knowledge now.”
Magnus started to speak, but Tyler said, “I don’t know about that, I mean she’s pretty, but I don’t think she is prettier than you.”
I blushed and glanced at Magnus.
He was leaned back in the arm chair, his mouth leaned on his fingers, his brow drawn down, squinting at Tyler.
Tyler raised his glass to Magnus, “I mean no offense, I assume you tell Kaitlyn that she’s beautiful all the time, I just thought hearing it from someone else might help.”
Magnus nodded then said, low and slow. “She deserves tae hear it.” Then he said, “I think I need tae head tae bed.”
Tyler said, “I have one more question about tomorrow. When you go to battle in the arena what will happen to Katie? What if you don’t survive it?”
Magnus and I both looked at him without speaking.
“It is possi
ble. I know you’ve won every fight you’ve ever fought, but it might happen. Why doesn't Katie come back to Florida with me?”
I shook my head. “Nah, I wouldn’t know what’s happening.” Then I glanced at Magnus’s face — he was nodding. “Wait, Magnus, I won’t know if you survive it or not.”
Magnus said, “Och, I ken it, Kaitlyn, but he may be right in this. While I fight ye would be unprotected. Twould be far safer if ye traveled with Tyler, tomorrow, first thing—”
I glared at Tyler for bringing it up. I said to Magnus, “I disagree. I won’t know anything, I’ll just be waiting for you again without—”
“I will come the verra next day, ye winna have tae wait.”
“Unless you don’t, and I won’t ever know what—”
Magnus said, “I have spoken on it. Tis decided.”
“What? Great, you guys are ganging up on me! Since when does Tyler have any say at all in anything, especially me? Thanks Tyler for sticking your nose in where it’s not wanted.”
He held his hands up. “I didn’t mean to start a whole thing, but seriously, what’s to keep Lady Mairead from having you ‘taken care of’ while Magnus is fighting? She was looking at you at dinner like she was making a list of the ways she would end you.”
“Magnus—”
He took a deep breath, his face clouded over. “I want tae spend our last few hours together without argument, Kaitlyn, and I have decided what ye will do on the morrow. You have decided our entire future, would ye nae let me decide something this simple, tae take ye from certain danger?”
I started to speak, but he interrupted, “—and tis nae Tyler decidin’ it, tis me, but ye are arguin’ against me in front of him. Tis how ye want tae carry on?”
I clamped my mouth shut, opened it again, then clamped it shut again. “No I guess not.”
“Good, and so when Tyler jumps tomorrow ye will accompany him. We can leave Lady Mairead from the task.”
I didn’t mean to say anything more, but I did because I was uncontrollable, apparently. “Will Bella get to be there to congratulate you when you win?”
Magnus’s jaw was set. He stood. “Tyler excuse us, we should head tae our room and leave ye from the rest of our discussion.” He opened the door. “Kaitlyn, come.”
“Fine.”
As I left I heard Tyler say, “Sorry m—”
My tempter flared. “Sorry! What are you sorry to him for? I’m the one that deserves an apology because you’re messing around in my life with all your asinine opinions!”
“I was going to say, to you, ‘Sorry, my bad for involving myself, Katie.”
“Oh.”
Magnus gestured with his arm, ‘after you.’
I did my best impression of a flounce but my heart wasn’t in it. It was probably a lot more like a drag.
Chapter 50
In our room Magnus spoke first. “What are you thinkin’, Kaitlyn, with disagreeing with me in front of Tyler? And then bringin’ Bella intae it? Ye ken we wouldna have tae deal with her if—”
“If what? Because of me? Because I chose to protect her baby? Well great, I’m seriously regretting that now — and what are you thinking about commanding me in front of him? Why does he bother you so much? He gets you all crazy, and you’ve never spoken to me like that before.”
“I canna explain it, I daena trust him, tis hard tae ken what tae do.”
“Well, you shouldn’t do this. You think you're keeping me safe but I don’t want to be safe if it means I’m not here while you’re fighting to the death. God, what if something happens to you and I’m not here to know about it?”
“Nothin’ will happen tae me.” He sat down on the bed.
“But—”
“And if somethin’ did happen tae me, twould be nothin’ ye could do on it. Tis only me that can fight.”
“You know what? Listen. You don’t get to do this. You promised. You promised me that we would be together and that we weren't going to keep doing this, separating from each other. Now, first thing, you’re sending me away.”
“When Minister Donahue was talking about it, he said there has tae be a trial. Even if I am king, I canna keep ye from it because there are rules — I realized I winna be able tae protect ye. The government wants ye tae stand trial. I daena think I can stop them from acting on it. And while I am in the arena would be when they would take ye.”
“I don’t care. Let them arrest me. I killed the king. You’ll fight in the arena and you’ll be the next king and then you’ll pardon me. And if you die in the arena, I’ll know. And it will be bleak and awful and possibly the end for me, but I would know, Magnus.”
“I want tae protect ye—”
“See, that’s your big burly man-muscles talking. I killed a man—”
“It very nearly destroyed ye.”
“But it didn’t. I put on my bodice, too tight by the way, and I went to the 18th century and I freaking stitched up my sister-in-law’s hooha after watching a baby come through it and guess what? I want to have a baby now. I’m the bravest fucking girl in the world. Maybe in all time. I have shared a meal with Lady Mairead and just now I said I felt sorry for her. You are not giving me enough credit for how fucking awesome I am. I’m a terrible terrible terrible arse.” I grinned. “And I’m not leaving. You’ll have to change your mind and you’ll have to tell Tyler that you changed your mind on it. You two can commiserate with each other about how hard it is to manage me.”
Magnus shook his head and sort of smiled. “Och, tis hard tae be married tae a terrible arse.”
“Well you married me. Of your own volition without any input from anyone else. That’s what you’ll have to live with forever.” I folded my arms across my chest. “There are worse things.”
“Okay, I winna send ye away.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“And I daena ken if Bella will be in the arena or watching on a screen. I canna worry about it. I have tae fight.”
“You know what, I said that in anger. I don’t give a shit where she is. I’m ten-to-one a better woman. And you know it.” I chuckled. “I can see it in your eyes.”
“Aye, mo reul-iuil, ye are.” He shook his head. “But ye will be arrested.”
“Yep, and when you win, you’ll rescue me. You better win.”
“Ye ken I will win Kaitlyn, this is nae the end of us.”
I plopped down on the bed beside him.
He put his hand on my thigh. “And when I win I will be crowned king and I will pardon ye and ye will live here as my queen.”
“We will vacation in Florida. Do you think Zach would come here to cook for us?”
“He would have tae or the whole plan is awful.”
“Agreed.”
Magnus and I both laid back on the bed. Shoulder to shoulder heads turned toward each other. “And we will make many princes—”
I half-smiled. “Or princesses.”
“Or princesses, tae carry on my bloodline.”
“I don’t really care about that part. Bella’s baby can have the throne after you. I want our baby to have a normal life with Mommy and Me playgroups and riding a bike through the neighborhood and friends...”
“Aye, me as well, Kaitlyn. Tis wondrous that our bairn could live his whole life without drawin’ a sword. Or fightin’ a battle at the castle walls. I wish that for my son, the chance tae ken peace.”
We turned toward each other. I wriggled up to him chest to chest and wrapped around him.
He added, “I like tae think on a future with ye.”
“Me too.” I kissed his collarbone. “I’m sorry I created a scene in front of Tyler.”
“Aye. I shouldna have been so forceful on it with ye, but I daena ken his purpose, what he is about bein’ here. He has become involved and I have tae trust him because of it, but he may still be an adversary. We daena ken the truth of him. Tyler Wilson has caused me a great deal of worry and I am sorry I spoke tae ye so harshly.”
I hiked my s
kirt covered leg up to his waist and pressed against him. “Thank you for apologizing. I’m sorry that I argued in front of him, it was bad form.”
His hands hiked up my bunches of skirts in the back and squeezed my ass and growled happily into my shoulder. “You, mo reul-iuil are the best of forms. From your perfect arse tae your little flower garden...” His pinky finger slid between my legs and wiggled there.
I giggled into his neck. “My flower garden?”
“Och aye, the garden planted round your castle, I have discussed this afore.” He chuckled into my ear as his fingers played around inside me. “Do you want me tae tell ye all about it again?”
“No, I remember the whole thing, castle walls, your big cannon...” I nibbled his ear. “Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
“Aye, ye have watered your garden for me, tis like a dew covered morn—”
A fist pounded on our door. Lady Mairead’s voice, “Magnus! Something’s happened. Oh no. Something — hurry!”
My eyes wide I asked, “What do you—?
But Magnus was already up headed for the door.
Chapter 51
The room was blaring, tear-inducing white. The news story was projected large on the far wall of the living room. A live-video: a dead body in the grass with the police milling around. There were smaller projections down the side: One a desolate parking garage. One a door. One a stairwell. A voice was explaining that this was Minister Donahue shot dead on the steps of his home. But I didn’t need to be told, I recognized his uniform, the coat with the medals and the fur trim. He hadn’t made it home from our meeting.
Then another smaller feed started in the bottom left corner, his wife, dead in the hallway of their home.
I clutched Magnus’s arm.
Then another live stream, a dead man slumped over in a car.
Lady Mairead was frantic. “I have a vessel. We could leave, but then we would never be able tae come back... what tae do?” She wasn’t talking to anyone in particular, just herself. “We need tae go tae the roof.”
He asked, “How long do you think we have?”
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