Son and Throne (Kaitlyn and the Highlander Book 11)

by Diana Knightley

  She said something, wringing her hands.

  “What? I don’t understand the word?”

  She repeated, “Droch-spiorad! Droch-spiorad!”

  I hadn’t heard the word before. I led Lady Fleming up the stairs, holding all her weight as she kept pretending to faint. The first words was a little like ‘dreich.’ She tried to struggle away.

  “Why are you fighting me?” I held tighter and managed to get her up the final stairs and though her door to her bedroom. She was screeching and pulling away from me so I pushed her onto her bed. She mumbled prayers, tears rolling down her face.

  “You’re having a fever.” I checked her forehead. It was cool. Mine was cool too, though the headache from the anxiety was overwhelming.

  I pulled the covers over her, dress and all, but she struggled against it. “Droch-spiorad!”

  And I heard it as — dark spirit.

  Oh.

  My mind raced, what do you do when your roommate thinks there are dark spirits about?

  I tried for soothing. “There there, Lady Fleming, there aren’t any dark spirits, see?” I waved my hand around and smiled. “See?” I didn’t know what I was proving, but it seemed sensible. I went to the window, and looked out. “It’s a beautiful day, no dark—”

  She raised a finger and pointed at me and screeched, “Droch-spiorad!”

  From behind me in the window — a cold breeze, a darkness, a shiver down my spine.

  I turned and looked — a motherfucking, gorgeous, beautiful, awesome, so unbelievably brutal and oh so welcome — storm.

  And I knew from my head to my toes that it was one of ours.

  My hands shook as I closed the window.

  She whimpered, “Droch-spiorad.”

  “I know, I know.” I had a weapon. I had to swallow down my desire to hold a knife to her throat and tell her to shut the fuck up, that the servants were listening, that she needed to stop calling me an evil spirit... but that was my headache talking. And from the look of her, that was her headache sounding too. I crossed back to the bed and said, “Do you need something to drink, Lady Fleming?”

  She shook her head.

  “Let me tuck you in, you need to rest.” I straightened the covers. I wished I had some strong painkillers for our headaches, but oh my god, there was a storm outside, a storm! I could barely think. I needed Magnus.

  She whimpered. “Droch-spiorad.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not. I’m the perfectly nice lady who lives with you and helps take care of you even when you’re being depressing as hell. Also, I’d like to point out, that you can’t do a damn thing about me, because you owe your life to Magnus and his money.”

  She glared like a petulant child with the covers up to her chin. I was sure she couldn’t understand most of what I was saying — plus there was a storm, a storm! I felt free, freer than I had in a long long time.

  “You know, Mary of Guise told me that Magnus was within his rights to send you off to live somewhere else, but he hasn’t, and he is too cool for that, but seriously, you need to get a grip. I have been perfectly pious enough. If you knew me in Florida you’d understand just how hard I’m working at this.”

  She looked terrified. I huffed. “I‘ll leave Mary in charge of you.”

  I put my hand on the door just as Magnus rushed it open. “Mo reul-iuil, there is a storm.”

  I threw my arms around him. “I know! I saw it!”

  “Is Lady Fleming a’right?”

  I glanced over my shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, she’s a moment away from starting a witch trial, but fuck that, there’s a storm!"

  “Aye, grab yer things. Twas centered over the woods behind Holyroodhouse.”

  We raced to our room and began shoving what we had left from our chest into our bags: Magnus’s weapons, the last of the lamps, the transmitter from our window sill. He put the last of the gold into a bag and put it inside the chest. “She’ll find it. I give her two days afore she is lookin’ through our things.”

  “Are we really going home? Really?”

  “Aye, either tis a friend or an enemy, but a vessel has carried them here and we are ridin’ it home if I hae tae kill them tae do it.”

  We rushed to the stables, mounted our horses, and we were off. Though we tried to be quick it had taken and hour to accomplish it and sadly the storm had dissipated. We followed the high road through town toward Holyroodhouse. Magnus was watching the sky, the road, the woods. “Och, I canna ken where they are.”

  “We have the transmitter though, right?"

  “Aye, tis on and whoever tis will hae tae pass along this road. We will go see Mary of Guise.” He turned his horse and led me through the gates to the palace and to the stable. He talked the boy about putting my horse in the stall.

  “Are you coming inside, too?”

  “Nae, I’m going to go check the woods. Go inside, visit with Her Majesty. I will return verra soon.”

  “Magnus Campbell, don’t you dare leave me back here, okay? You promise?”

  “I am goin’ tae desert ye in the past?”

  “You might get so excited to go home that you forget me. I wouldn’t blame you, I am a huge pain in the ass. I’m kind of surprised we’ve lasted this long.”

  He chuckled and raised his brow. “Aye, the lady is surprised I am still her husband? Alas, it has been a good marriage but I hae decided tae forget her and return tae Florida without her...” His horse stamped to the left. “But if I did, Madame Campbell, who would shew me how tae fly in an airplane tae Scotland? Ye hae promised tae shew me.”

  “God, I think any number of women would be happy to show you, but please don’t.”

  “I winna. I hae promised God. We are stuck tae each other. Though I am verra excited tae be goin’ home. I winna forget tae take ye with me.”

  “I’m afraid we’re going to jinx it. We’re touchdown celebrating without knowing what the storm actually means.”

  He grinned. “Kaitlyn Campbell, ye are usually the one with the hope, and I am usually the one with m’heart full of worry, but I can see ten different ways tae get home from here.”

  “Ten?”

  “Aye, perhaps tis because I am on the horse.” He shaded his eyes and looked out over the woods. “Aye, ten different ways.” He added, “Check that the transmitter is set. I will return verra soon.”

  I was led upstairs to Mary of Guise’s quarters. She hadn’t expected me but was bored, so was happy to see me. She offered me a chair and told me all about a letter she had received from France. She had wanted one from her daughter, but instead this was from an advisor, sent to discuss affairs of state, so she was disappointed, but also reading and rereading trying to understand every detail of what it meant.

  She translated it for me, and then wanted my opinion. “Does not it seem, Lady Campbell, that it must mean she is not well? That he puts it like this?”

  “It might mean she is well though too, there are two meanings to the word, as you yourself just said.”

  I was anxious and excited, and too distracted for this kind of conversation: complex, foreign, trivial. I had to be patient. I had to wait for Magnus without letting it be known. Without jumping around excitedly. Without running the fuck out of here and headed into the woods. There was a storm!

  Eighty-four - Kaitlyn

  An hour later, they were announced, “Lord Campbell and the Lady Mairead.”

  My heart soared, not because she was here, but because: Oh my God, someone was here!

  Mary of Guise asked me, “Who is Lady Mairead?”

  “My mother-in-law.” We both stood to receive them.

  In Magnus’s expression I could see he was thrilled. He introduced the two women. We stood idly by while Lady Mairead and Mary of Guise spoke niceties to each other. I noticed Magnus’s foot tapping — we were so ready to get the hell out of here.

  But it took forever to quit the conversation once started — Lady Mairead expertly steered the conversation, sounding almost pleasant
. Breaking out a great deal of French. She was indifferent to anything but Mary, the queen mother, but I watched her — her eyes flitted from painting, to tapestry, to sculpture. Sizing up the room, pricing the antiquities, measuring the rugs.

  I wondered, if I had the patience, if it might be fun to watch, to see how long before she procured some art to take home. But I had no patience, I just wanted Isla, Archie, home, food.

  Finally, Magnus said, “Your Majesty, Lady Mairead has come tae call us away. We are expected tae be gone for some time.”

  Marie of Guise was terribly sad and held both my hands in hers. “Will you be able to see your children, Lady Kaitlyn?”

  I nodded. “I will, I am so excited.”

  “Good. I will miss your company, but it is a solace that you will no longer be separated from your children. May God protect you as you travel home to them, Lady Kaitlyn.”

  “Thank you, your highness.”

  Magnus said, “I hae taken leave from Lord Châtellerault just this morn, but he winna ken that I will be gone long. Would ye explain my departure, your highness? Tis a circumstance most dire. Would ye offer him my apologies for leaving his company without word?”

  A smile spread across her face, “I will certainly pass along your message, Lord Magnus, but as it means I will know something he does not, I might hold on to it for a time, and tell him when it pleases me.”

  “Of course,” said Magnus.

  A few moments later we were bowing from the room.

  We bustled down the stairs to get our horses. “Is Isla okay? Is Archie?”

  Lady Mairead said, “Aye, they are thriving.”

  Then we were out the gates and down the lane to the woods. Magnus led the horses while we walked.

  Lady Mairead asked, “You could leave these horses here?”

  “Nae, I hae grown accustomed tae him, I canna leave him, and Kaitlyn learned tae ride her. We must add tae our stable.”

  “If you ask me tis ridiculous tae keep horses in Florida.”

  He inhaled and let out a low breath. “Until a few moments ago we were tae live out all of our days in sixteenth century Scotland. I canna think straight on this. I am takin’ m’horses.”

  As we closed in on the trees on the south side of Holyroodhouse, he said, “What took ye so long?”

  She shrugged. “Ye told me I had a year, I meant tae use the time.”

  Magnus’s face turned furious. “‘Twas nae fair tae do tae us, I will make ye pay for it.”

  She walked primly, her head held high, and huffed loudly. “Ye hae threatened me before. I daena think ye should threaten me now when I am in the middle of a rescue of ye.” She added, “Ye are m’son and ye arna tae be threatenin’ me.”

  “I am not only yer son, first of all I am yer king.” He stopped still in the road. “Ye must get down on yer knees.”

  “What dost ye mean?”

  “I command ye tae get down on yer knees and beg for my forgiveness, I am yer king.”

  I took a step back, to get out of their way. I honestly wondered if a fight might break out. But then, surprising the hell out of me, Lady Mairead pulled her skirt up a bit and demurely lowered down onto her knees in the dirt. Her head bowed, she said, “Your highness, I beg ye tae forgive me.”

  Magnus stood staring down at the bowed head of his mother. “Give me one reason why I shouldna hae ye brought up on charges for this. Ye would leave me in the past, tae teach me a lesson?”

  “Nae.”

  “Ye hae just said twas done on purpose. Were ye lyin’ tae the king?”

  “Nae, I—”

  “I am yer king, hae ye grown used tae believin’ I am tae obey ye? Dost ye think ye are above me?”

  “Nae, I believe ye are above me, my king.”

  “Explain what has happened, what took ye so long?”

  “Tae come this far has been verra difficult. I had tae make a bargain with some verra bad people, I hae brought danger tae the kingdom. I hae risked your bairn’s safety and security, all tae gain the machine. I just — I couldna manage it afore this.”

  Magnus stood in silence making her wait before he would speak, then he said, “Ye may rise.”

  She stood, brushing off the front of her skirts. “Thank ye.”

  “There is danger to the kingdom?”

  “Aye, I will tell ye of it when ye come.”

  “I am tae come on the same date?”

  “Aye, until then make sure tae hae good security around the bairn. I told Quentin already, he kens.”

  Magnus nodded.

  She pulled a vessel from a bag hanging from her waist. She twisted the ends. “The date you must go to is November 24.”

  I said, “Yay!” and clapped my hands.

  There was a gleam in her eye when she said, “The year 2021.”

  I blinked, “Wait, what?”

  She raised her brow.

  “I don’t understand, that’s a whole year! Why do we have to wait a year? We can go back any time, right?”

  “Nae.” She pulled another vessel from her bag. “Ye canna, Kaitlyn. Fraoch and Quentin were in grave danger tae make yer rescue happen. Ye canna loop back before the time it was accomplished. Ye ken this. Ye canna.” She held both vessels in her hands.

  I gulped. “But it’s been a whole year! Without Isla!”

  She continued, “Chef Zach and Emma hae welcomed another bairn. Ye canna loop back. Ye canna take a chance on the bairn’s life.”

  “But—”

  “Daena argue with me, Kaitlyn!” She gestured with a vessel. “Twas verra difficult tae accomplish. Ye owe all of us a debt of gratitude for bothering tae rescue ye at all.”

  Magnus said, “Lady Mairead ye lower yer tone. I demand more respect when ye are speakin’ tae Kaitlyn.” He shook his head. “Ye hae dropped tae yer knee and convinced me of yer fealty, but if ye continue tae harangue the queen I will hae ye charged with a crime. Ye waited tae rescue us tae make us suffer, ye did this tae be cruel. What am I tae do, stand for yer cruelty?”

  “Son! You think so poorly of me? I came as quickly as was possible.”

  “I am nae yer son, I am yer king, and I will think highly on ye, unless I am tested. Dost ye want tae test me? I haena had a proper meal in a year and I am in a foul mood about it. Dost ye want tae test me?”

  “Nae.”

  She added, “I canna change the laws of time, they are immutable. Ye must ken that tae be true. Ye hae tae follow the rules, ye must go after the work was done tae rescue ye.”

  He nodded. “I ken the rules.”

  She handed Magnus one of the vessels.

  She twisted the ends of her own and we backed away as the storm grew around her, wind and swaying trees and dark clouds and cracking lightning. Her hair wild, her skirts flying, she could barely stay on her feet as she was buffeted by the wind. We moved into the trees to get away and she called after us, “Tis rather poetic though, if ye think on it, Magnus, that though I tried in haste tae rescue ye, twas only possible tae take the full year tae do it!”

  Eighty-five - Kaitlyn

  She was gone.

  Magnus and I were left standing there, vessel in hand, stunned into silence.

  Finally I said, “A whole year.”

  “I ken.”

  “I won’t even recognize her.”

  He nodded.

  I folded into his arms. Standing in the shadows of a sixteenth century woods, our feet in the leaves and muck of a forest floor.

  “I’ve sacrificed so—” I shook my head against his chest. “We have — we have sacrificed.”

  “Aye, we hae lost a great deal of time.”

  I nodded, and clutched his shoulders, holding him close. “What are we going to do?”

  He squeezed me. “We are goin’ tae do our best. We will need tae hug them close and tell them we are sorry tae hae been gone.”

  “I promised Archie I would never leave him.”

  “Ye will hae tae beg his forgiveness. He has lost his mother,
he will need ye even more.”

  “I killed her.”

  “Aye.”

  “He can’t ever know.”

  “We canna hide it from him. He is too young but we canna hide it from him. One day he will be a king and a time traveler. He must ken his history. Tis hard enough tae trust when ye hae this much power. We canna lie tae him.”

  “True. Yeah, I can see that. But what about Isla? She won’t know me at all.”

  “Ye will need tae be ready for that. And ye will need tae be prepared tae fight for her love again.”

  “How can I bear it?”

  “Ye can, ye are the motherfuckin’ matriarch, ye can do anythin’.” He smoothed back my hair and kissed me.

  “Thanks. I would like to add, since this is about to get even more emotional and complicated and there might be moments that are sad and rough and probably a lot of regret, definitely regret — I want you to know that I loved this time with you. As awful as the circumstances were, you and I, we lived through it, and I really like you, still. Even the sixteenth century version of you.”

  He chuckled, “I hae nae taken a bath in a verra long time.”

  I groaned. “And I am pretty sure there are bugs all up in my hair, I just...” I scratched all my head un-loosening strands from the updo. “God it feels good to scratch.”

  “We should go home.”

  “Yes.”

  He set our vessel to jump.

  Eighty-six - Kaitlyn

  We woke in the dunes — so freaking bright. Sun shining so hard, brutally hard. I shielded my eyes and peeked to see a ring of faces, Fraoch, Quentin, Hayley, Zach, and above them the two horses. A snuffling right by my ear. I glanced to see Mookie, much bigger, inspecting me with his snout. I glanced over at Magnus’s hand, then at his face. His cheek pressed into the sand. He flipped to his back with a groan and looked up at the faces looking down at him.