“I was flogged.” I pulled my shirt back tae rights.
“That must have been terrible. Who did it?” Her finger trailed as she came back to stand in front of me.
“Lady Mairead’s husband, Lord Delapointe.”
“Ah, you must be furious with her, that’s good.” She tucked a bit of hair behind my ear and seemed to change the subject. “I don’t know what will happen to me if you don’t survive, so go to the infirmary.”
I furrowed my brow.
She said, “Promise.”
“I daena like hospitals but I will go.”
“Good, that’s excellent.” She kissed me on the forehead then she returned tae the bed, climbed on it, and rolled up in the bedding. She was sprawled across all the pillows starin’ at the ceiling. “One more thing, My Magnus, make sure you tell everyone that you live with Bella now. Will you remember that?”
I watched her across the room. “What?”
“Say, to everyone, if they ask, that you live with Bella now. Just do.”
I said, “Fine, if I get injured I will go tae the infirmary. If I’m in the infirmary, I will tell them that I live with you.”
“Bella.”
“I live with Bella.”
She patted the bed beside her. “Want to come lie down, My Magnus?”
“Nae.”
“Okay, suit yourself.”
She continued runnin’ her fingers along the wrinkles of the fabric staring at it as if she was used to being imprisoned, wastin’ time, doin’ nothing.
Magnus
I finally laid down when I got too tired tae sit in the chair anymore. Bella kept tae herself again, a wide space down the middle of the bed, so it wasna the physical familiarity that was botherin’ me. It was that she was a part of my life, my house, and bed without any decision about it. I wasna settled with it.
I was thinkin’ on it when the guards burst in the door with Donnan behind them. Bella put her hand on my chest.
Donnan said, “I can see you’ve been enjoying my gift, Magnus. Bella is a wonder isn’t she?” His eyes had a look of violence that he tried tae mask with charm. I vowed right then I would kill him. Soon.
I got up from the bed and stretched out my right arm. My shoulder was verra sore.
“You have an injury, Son?”
“Nae, will be all right.”
“Good, because you fight today. Another son has arrived. He awaits in the arena.”
“I would be better able tae win if ye told me when I was expected tae fight. The surprise daena help my focus.”
“What makes you think I want you to win?” He swept from the room.
I glanced over at Bella. She was uncovered naked on the bed. I shook my head of the sight of it.
She said, “My Magnus, don’t forget to go to the infirmary when you’re injured.”
Magnus
A man’s voice said, “One, two, three, you fight, now,” and the blindin’ light of the overhead sun and deafenin’ noise of the crowd hit me like from a cannon.
At the far end of the floor was another man if I could call him that — he was younger than me by a couple of years. He looked strong and ready tae fight but nae battle ready. I couldna believe he would be ready tae die.
The audience was cheerin’ me, “Magnus, Magnus, Magnus!”
The man I was to fight shifted from one foot tae the other — light on his feet, excited, rarin’ tae go.
“I am Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell.” The crowd yelled my name in unison with me. I reminded myself tae smile, tae look as if I was comfortable here starin’ at a stranger I needed tae kill.
A large hammer awaited me against the wall. I yelled, “Brother, I have nae quarrel with ye, drop your weapon. We can stand together.”
“No, I think I prefer my odds in killing you.”
“Great! We should get along terribly then.” The crowd laughed.
I lifted the hammer. The weight of it was unwieldy. I swung and it changed direction — instead of arcin’ gracefully the head dipped lower than I expected. “Did ye pick these weapons because they suit ye, or because ye dinna ken they are useless for battle. A hammer such as this is only good for forming metal.”
I swung it again, whizzing it from left tae right. Its weight was already causin’ a sharp pain in my shoulder. I massaged the tender spot near the front. There had been too much fightin’ not enough living.
My brother called back. “I have been watching your fights. I sensed the hammer might be trouble for you so I’ve been training with it.” He spun the handle of the hammer in his hands eyein’ me the whole time.
“Ye ken a great deal more of me than I of you.” I spun the hammer trying to get used tae the feel. “What is your name?”
“You’ll know it when they’re chanting it as you die at my feet like a dog.”
I chuckled, more for the theater of it than for the humor. “You must come from a terrible place that dogs die at your feet. I prefer a place where dogs sit beside their masters and receive treats from the table. Want tae join me, Brother? I could offer ye a place in my court. Put aside our differences and—”
“I would rather die.”
“If ye prefer it.”
He charged toward me with his hammer raised. I swung mine in one hand and stepped forward tae meet him as he arced his towards my middle. Two steps and I hit him on the hip, stumblin’ him tae the side. I missed. I was aimin’ for his waist. He recovered easily.
We circled each other for a few steps. I thought I saw a ripple of movement from my left eye, so I swung but from the wrong direction. I was off balance when his hammer caught my side, knocking my breath from my chest. I stumbled three steps and was bent over when the hammer swung from my left and slammed into my sore shoulder knockin’ me the other way. I was bent over and badly injured.
I tightened my hold on the handle, straightened with a groan, and stepped back.
I tried tae catch my breath. His eyes were focused, sharp, and hungry for blood. I hadna time yet tae see his swing and was too winded already tae take more blows.
I got into a defensive position, holdin’ my hammer, nae smiling anymore. Twas nae time, he raised and swung.
I tried tae jump but miscalculated the speed of his swing. It hit me full in the ribs. The pain was blindin’ — and you have been whipped. Aye, I have been whipped — my vision blurred. The glow of the lights and the pain in my ribs and the loss of air, made me — get tae your feet, Magnus, he will kill ye.
I forced my eyes tae focus. I was on my hands and knees. Air rasped into my chest with a wheeze. I wouldna win this fight, twas nae possible.
But I dinna want tae die — nae yet.
Nae without a chance tae—
I climbed tae my feet.
He hadna finished me which was goin’ tae be a mistake. His biggest. He bragged, “I didn’t want to kill you yet, Brother, our audience wants a good long fight.”
I tried tae stay above my fury. My air was coming in bursts. I had tae calm myself. Unnnggghhhhhh, unnnggghhhhhh. I dinna take my eyes off his face, but kept my vision wide tae take in his movements.
He was good at distractin’ me with false moves. I had tae anticipate the true one.
I watched his arm raise and swing. The arc was fast, but I caught his hammer with my own. His weight shifted. His arm swung wide. It took a yell that forced all the air from my chest tae change my movement tae the other direction. I swung back and caught his abdomen, a glancin’ blow but enough tae wind him. I stepped right, and though the pain was about tae drop me, swung a third time. I hit him in the shoulder and knocked him tae the ground.
The crowd chanted, “Magnus, Magnus, Magnus!”
He yelled, “Argh!” and dropped tae a knee but was up fast. He swung back at me, missing at first but forcin’ me tae stumble back. The next swing hit my ribs on the other side and dropped me flat on my arse.
I dinna ken if I could get up. The roof looked a great distance away and was all light and
noise and nae — Kaitlyn’s voice, thick and sexy, can you see me? — Aye, I see you — What do you see? — my Kaitlyn —
My brother swung down on me.
I blocked my face with my forearms, leaving my hammer tae the side, and tried tae roll out from under him.
His hammer hit my left arm and the pain was brutal but it knocked me back tae focus.
He had gone off balance.
In one movement I reached for my hammer, scrambled tae my feet and charged him. I was barely able tae breathe, and in so much pain — I lifted the hammer and brought it down square on his lower back, knockin’ him stumblin’ tae the ground.
I bellowed tae stay on top of my feet. I swung the hammer back and swung it down on him again, a crunch of bone, again and again and again, til he was on the ground, again and again, til he was barely movin’ and again and again til he was nae movin’ anymore.
I dropped my hammer and collapsed tae the ground beside him flat on my back starin’ at the ceiling. A clamor of noise around me and my vision was gone.
The chant, “Magnus, Magnus Magnus!” filled my head. The voice beside my ear said, “Your name is Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell. You are the heir to the throne of Donnan,”
I whispered the words, “My name is Magnus Archibald Caehlin—” Just before I blacked out from the pain.
* * *
A face swam intae focus above me.
I croaked out, “I live with Bella.”
“Good,” said the face and then I drowned under the pain again.
* * *
Kaitlyn holding her tartan under her throat, yellin’ up at me, “My husband would know what to do. He would rescue me and hold me and apologize for all the asinine men of the world and he would never ever ever ever leave me.”
Her eyes were focused on my chest, speaking tae my heart, nae lookin’ up though I tried to lift her chin. “Please Kaitlyn, look up. Please.”
“My husband would know what to do.”
“Please, I beg of you.”
“He would know.”
“Please.”
Magnus
Bella was waiting for me, sitting on the edge of my bed, when I limped intae my room.
“Welcome home, My Magnus.” She looked intae my eyes and told me she missed me. Her hands ran down my shoulders and she pressed against my front.
“Ouch.”
The guards, still standing at the door chuckled maliciously.
Without looking at them I said, “Donnan winna be king forever.”
“He has many more sons.” They left the room and the doors locked me in behind them.
Bella perched on one of our chairs. “First, you fought superbly, Magnus, really. I knew I was picking the right son. Very well done.”
I grunted. I couldna move — standin’, talkin’, sittin’, everything hurt.
“Would you like to lie down?”
“Aye, verra much, but—” I limped toward the bed.
She jumped up tae allow me tae lean on her arm and held me steady while I dropped tae the bed with a groan. She knelt before me and lifted my feet tae the bed. The pain was intense in every part of my body. It took a moment of settling, allowing my body tae drop tae a lower position, before I could breathe again.
Bella climbed beside me on the bed and looked down on me. “So there are a few things I need to explain. We don’t have much time.”
“You look in a hurry, I winna be goin’ anyplace soon. The doctor said I would be in bed for a couple of days.”
“When I told you to get injured, I didn’t mean quite so injured.”
“You dinna tell me tae get injured — what are ye talkin’ of?”
“Magnus I don’t want to upset you, but you’re a part of the resistance now.”
“The resistance tae what?”
“To Donnan.”
I tried tae read her face. “I daena think ye should be speakin’ of—”
“When you were in the infirmary, you told the doctor that you lived with Bella, so he removed your patch. He replaced it with one being fed into our own network.”
“The metal behind my ear?”
“Yes, if you hear a voice now, it’s someone working for us. No one is listening to us anymore.”
“Donnan will know, when I am nae respondin’, they will know I altered it.”
“Probably, but we have spies on the inside. We think we can hold them for about five days. It is unfortunate that you will be injured for two.”
“I will be injured for longer than two. I am tae remain in bed for two. Then recoverin’ for many days after — I winna be ready tae fight or… what are ye expectin’ me tae do?”
“To kill Donnan, to kill him and take the crown.”
I looked her in the eye. “If he discovers I have done this, that I am planning this, he will take it out on Kaitlyn. Twas nae right tae involve me without askin’ me.”
She glared down at me. “You are the next king and yet you lie here fretting over a 300-year-old girl? Magnus, a lot of scheming has gone into this. We have many lives at stake.”
The pain was threatenin’ tae pull me under. I took as deep a breath as I could. “I need another dose of the medicine and tae sleep. We can discuss this further in the morning.”
Kaitlyn
Zach opened the door. “Katie! What are you — need something?”
“Nah, I was just — think I could come in? I was wondering if you could do something for me…”
“Sure, of course.” He let me through the door. It had been a while since I had been here. A month since my anniversary. And then before that my visits were very rare.
That had been one of the good things about celebrating my anniversary with all of them, they left me alone more. Stopped being as worried about me. I guess in some ways I stopped being as worried too, but it was replaced with — what next?
A lot of nothing.
Ben’s basket of toys was in the middle of the floor and some spilled over and across the rug. “Is Emma here?”
“She took Ben out for the afternoon. He has a Mommy and Me playgroup and then they were going to shop for dinner. Did you need her?”
“Nah.” I sat at one of the bar stools at their kitchen island. It was a little depressing thinking about all the amazing food Zach made out of this little kitchen. He deserved the bigger one of our last house. He squinted his eyes at me then offered some cookies and milk.
I said, “As long as there’s alcohol in my glass I’ll take anything.”
“Sure.” He looked through the fridge and then through his liquor cabinet. “How ‘bout Bailey’s? I think that will go with chocolate chip cookies.”
“Perfect.” A moment later I had a plate of cookies and a glass in front of me.
Then he leaned on the kitchen counter and waited.
I chewed and then I drank.
Then I said, “I keep thinking about something you said the other day, that you Googled Magnus. I was wondering if you could tell me what you found?”
He nodded slowly. “Not much, Katie. I don’t know if that’s good news or not…”
“Can you show me? I can look myself but kind of think I need someone to do it with me, maybe to slam the laptop closed if I find something too… you know.”
Zach’s laptop was always open on the counter anyway so he swung it around and sat beside me on the next bar stool. He ran his hand through his hair. “What I found so far is not much — let’s see, the Earl of Breadalbane.”
“I met him.”
“That is the weirdest crazy shit ever.”
“It’ll probably get weirder, maybe we should be high for this.”
“No way, it might blow my mind so much I don’t recover.” He chuckled. “Okay, so here. Here’s the Earl’s family tree…”
“I don’t know much, except Lizbeth, his niece.”
“Could this be her, Elizabeth, wait, yes, her brother Sean, and this is her mother, Mairead.”
“Whoa. So Magnus should�
��”
He turned the laptop to show me — Magnus. His birth year listed as 1681, then a dash — and blank. “It’s blank.”
I said, “It is. That’s good news I think, right?”
“I have no idea. But here, Mairead is blank too.”
“Okay, that means that… I have no idea. There should be a record.”
“Though it says here that if there isn’t a record it’s simply because someone hasn’t researched it yet.”
I nodded. “Yeah, so it needs to be researched.”
“That’s why I was thinking we might want to go to Scotland. We could research it.”
I gave him a sad smile. “I’d really like that. It’s on my list to do when I become a bit better at this.”
“You’re doing really great.”
“Thanks Zach, you have to say that, I’m your boss. What about Lizbeth, what does her…? I can’t say it. Just tell me.”
“She was married to Rory It looks like she had two children with him.”
“What does it say about his death?”
“Just 1702.”
“That’s when I was there.”
“Then she had a second husband, Liam. She married him in 1703.”
I grinned, “Nice. She wanted him and she got him. Good for her.”
“Except, I’m sorry Katie, she died later that year.”
“Oh.”
“And she had a son, four days before she died. In December 1703.”
“Oh no.”
Zach patted the back of my hand. “Have another cookie.”
“What was her son’s name?” I accidentally sprayed crumbs on his laptop. “Sorry. I’m not functioning very well.”
“Her son’s name was, Ainsley.”
“Poor kid, to have your mom die when you’re born. Did he at least have a long life, children?”
“Nope, he died when he was…” Zach counted on his fingers. “About two.”
I sighed. “I didn’t know Lizbeth long, but I really liked her.”
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