“We will get there by nightfall. I have tae spend the morning helping the men get ready. They will be just behind us.” He tightened the top of my bodice’s laces.
“I have the flashlights. We’ll go in through the kitchen.” I adjusted my breasts in the bodice. “Man I’m hungry.”
“There should be food this morn, the men will be needin’ a bite afore they go.” He pulled the laces and tied them tight.
“You really think you can find your way to the prisons? You can find him?”
“I have a vague idea where they kept me. I can find it.”
I turned around and he wrapped the tartan around my shoulders. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
* * *
The day was boring after that. We ate but Magnus mostly had to talk with the gathering men. The food was filling though bland and dry. I was really excited about the chocolate chip bar I would eat on horseback in a few hours. Magnus’s conversations were boisterous and hard to figure out. The other men spoke loudly, sharply, and most of the time in words I didn’t understand. We all went down to the stables in twos and threes and then there was work involved in packing up the horses. Magnus had me sit to the side in a pile of hay. It was warm enough and I could watch the bustling activity without getting in the way.
I snuck my phone from the top of my bag and took two photos: One, the misty Scottish fields, ten men, and a couple of horses. Two, the activity of preparing to ride into battle.
Soon enough I was behind Magnus on his horse, holding on. My head rested on his strong back and we were headed to Talsworth with a small army behind us.
Chapter 20
The field was wet, dragging down my skirts as I raced across it. Magnus raced just behind, his breath coming in puffs. It was dark. We were using the cover to get to the door of the kitchen where dim light spilled into the kitchen garden. On our foreheads we wore headlamps but we had yet to turn them on waiting for the moment when we would be in the lower stairwells of the castle.
First, we had to barge into the kitchen and storm across the room for the stairs.
It worked.
We startled the women so much they stood still while Magnus yelling and apologizing for our intrusion tried to look startling yet warm and invited. He and I both raced through the room to a door — a stairwell — up or down? I paused for barely a moment. Magnus urged, “Down,” and I was descending as fast as I could go without falling. My heart raced in my ears.
It was very, very dark. I stumbled and put my hands out to the wall to stay on my feet.
Magnus’s voice: “Pull your knife.”
I pulled it from the sheath I wore at my waist and held it in front of me blindly. I couldn’t see anything at all.
“Keep going.”
When my feet hit the ground floor, Magnus rounded to my front. He held his arm out protectively and I pressed behind him against the wall. He shifted to the left and I knew to follow him close like we discussed. I was his shadow. If he moved left or right I moved with him, so close he could feel me.
We turned a corner and another. I paid attention to the route. We had discussed this thoroughly. When we escaped with Sean, we both had to remember how to get out. In case we were separated. I really, really, hoped we wouldn’t be separated.
We reached the end of a corridor. Magnus stopped, arm out protectively safeguarding, and peered around the corner.
He quickly pulled back and nodded. I fumbled in my bag for the keys gripping them in my right hand with my knife in my left. Magnus raised two fingers and then put his hand on his headlamp. We nodded together and blazed our lamps and ran. Magnus was in front, me behind, running down the hall toward the two shocked guards.
By the time I reached the door, Magnus was in a full blown sword fight behind me. Grunts and blows with clanging steel on steel. It echoed through the hallway while I fumbled with the key in the door’s lock. Now see, this might have been something to practice — Calm down. Stay calm. Get the key in the lock. Turn it. Right or left? I tried both.
A guard’s hand grabbed at my shoulder yanking my shawl. I turned in time to see Magnus yank the guard away and slam him against the wall.
I frantically turned the key — comeoncomeoncomeon — Finally, the lock clunked and I shoved my shoulder against the heavy door. It creaked and groaned open.
I raced into the room. “Sean? Sean?”
His voice emerged through the darkness. “Who is that?” My light blared on his face.
I flicked it off throwing us into pitch black nothingness. Over my shoulder Magnus’s light was still shining, lighting his battle with the last guard but then with a lunge forward Magnus’s dirk shoved into the man’s side. Magnus pulled it free by shoving the guard’s body away with his foot. He stepped into the prison cell.
I reminded him, “Turn off your light.”
Sean asked, “Magnus?” He sounded confused.
“Och aye, climb tae your feet brother, we are the rescue.” Sean didn’t have to be asked twice. He jumped to his feet.
Magnus picked up a knife lying beside one of the guards and passed it to Sean. Then we formed a line, Magnus in the front, me in the middle, Sean last. We raced back the way we came.
My heart was pounding. We stopped for a quick moment on the steps, half up and down, to try to settle our breathing. I wasn’t sure mine could calm. I held Magnus’s arm and counted slowly, trying to get on top of my coursing blood. Sean was focused and active. We had thought Magnus might need to carry him but he hadn’t been cruelly injured. I marveled that he cooperated so reflexively. He instinctively knew to face down the steps while we rested, and then when Magnus nodded, he dropped into line behind me while we ascended to the kitchen.
At the top door a woman accidentally collided into Magnus as we stepped into the kitchen. She screamed. Magnus began his loud apologizing but another woman screamed too and then another. They were definitely sounding the alarm. Shitshitshit. I fumbled with my headlamp’s power button. Once I turned it on, I leapt wildly, crazily, yelling like a banshee shining the bright light around their shocked faces. Women cowered against the wall, terrified of me.
Then the three of us raced through the room to the garden. As soon as we escaped the kitchen, the women began to loudly scream again calling for help.
Magnus yelled, “Go, go, go.”
And I raced to the trees as fast as my legs would move.
Chapter 21
We barreled through the underbrush probably where I entered these same woods months ago. Though in this timeline it had only been a few days. We didn’t follow my path around the castle though, instead we scrambled over rocks and around trees aiming for a predetermined place deep in the woods.
The Campbell men were coming up from the south and would meet us but this would have been a lot easier with a phone. Or a two-way radio. Magnus reached for my backpack, pulled it from my shoulders, and slung it on his own. And we ran. Sometimes I had to stop to walk catching my breath. Magnus would slow beside me but then he would wordlessly tug my hand, and we would run again.
Then the forest was so dark it was impossible for me to see anything. Magnus slowed and whistled like a bird. He listened. Sean listened. I couldn’t hear anything over my racingpoundingflooding insides. Magnus held out his arm and I wrapped around it so he could lead me because I was basically completely blind. He and Sean picked our path around trees winding our way through the deep woods. Somehow Magnus seemed able to sense where he was going. Again and again he stopped, whistled, and listened. Until finally when I was past the point of fear and worry and about to ask, “Are we lost?” An answering whistle sounded through the trees.
We turned course to the left. Eventually we came across one of our men, a horse and another man, and another. Relief washed over me. We were behind the line.
Chapter 22
Magnus, Sean, and I hiked farther away to rest. We leaned under a tree, Magnus offered me his side, and I collapsed across his lap. I laid there
in exhausted shock, too adrenaline pumped to sleep. Too exhausted to sit up. Plus, the sweat and the temperature worked against me and I froze numb. Magnus wrapped my tartan around me and his legs. He wrapped his own tartan around his shoulders and me.
I lay there in a stupor listening to Magnus and Sean talk. Their voices were thick, their words different, so I couldn’t understand much. It lasted for a while but soon their words sounded angry, short, clipped, and growling.
Then Sean uttered something in English. My ears pricked, alert and listening. “…because she is a witch.”
Was he talking about Lady Mairead — or me?
Magnus’s arm tightened on my shoulder. “She has saved your life.”
Me. Oh crap.
I tried to remain totally still, pretending to sleep under Magnus’s protective arm — Magnus’s body tensed. It made me feel scared. Sean’s reply was low and guttural, but I couldn’t make it out over the panic filling my ears.
Magnus said, his voice barely audible, “I canna explain these flames, brother, but she is nae a witch. The part of the world she comes from has these lights. Tis nae magic, tis a flame from the New World. I will give ye one, ye will see—”
“I daena want one.”
Magnus’s voice was whispered but firm. “I promise ye, tis different from the spells of our mother. Lady Mairead is a witch, I will agree, but Kaitlyn, your sister, tis nae. You must believe it.”
Sean grunted.
“I promise ye, when ye talk tae her in good fun over dinner, ye will see. She has much the bearing of Lizbeth, the same kind of humor. And I think ye will find in her the piety of Maggie, your wife. But Kaitlyn is nae from here, I need your help protectin' her.”
Sean said something I couldn’t understand.
“I need your word on your dirk that ye will protect her if I canna. You will remember well what happened to Auld Sib, Lizbeth’s midwife. Twas nae fair to try her. You ken this, we talked of it at the time. You have tae protect Kaitlyn, same as I would protect Maggie. I would protect her with everything I have. Promise ye will speak for Kaitlyn as family. She has saved your life.”
Sean sat for a long dreadful moment. Then he said, “Och Magnus, aye, ye have my word.”
“Good.”
They sat quietly for a moment.
Magnus asked, “You daena want one of the lights?”
Sean chuckled. “Ye should hide them, tis too hard tae explain.”
Magnus chuckled, his hand relaxed on my shoulder and stroked up and down on the linen of my shirt. Calming me, letting me know the danger had passed. Warming my skin.
He and Sean talked of Ewan and the coming battle, their mother, and whether Lord Delapointe had survived. Slowly I fell asleep.
Chapter 23
Magnus nudged me awake in the still middle of the night. He whispered, “We need tae be up, the fight will begin at dawn.” The soft rustling surrounded us of men waking, rising, horses whinnying, and the near frozen ground crunching underfoot.
“Why don’t we just return to Balloch; we have Sean?”
Magnus’s voice was quiet though he spoke strongly as if it was for the benefit of a listening cousin instead of me. “We canna allow the death of Ewan tae stand. And we must meet them at their own gates instead of allowing them tae follow us to our own.”
“But you and I could go, right? We got Sean out. We can return to Florida?”
He spoke very quietly. “I canna leave before the fight. Sean heard some of the men questioning my role in Ewan’s death. I must stand with them today.”
“What — but it’s dangerous, what if something happens — what about me?” I held the tartan tight around my shoulders, and I had to pee. It was hard to concentrate.
“I will keep ye nearby, hidden, and safe. I have never lost a fight yet.”
It was dark, really dark and this whole idea was insane. “I have to go to the bathroom.”
He led me about three feet away and turned his back while I pulled all my skirts up, shoved down my long underwear, and somehow managed to clutch them all around under my arms while I peed. I kind of needed to poop too. I also really needed a good cry. I was hungry, cold, and exhausted.
I was done with this whole errand. But also, I did this, I was doing this. We were just still in the middle of it. I had to keep my spirits up and my focus sharp. I only had to wait a few more hours for this to be done-done. Then Magnus and I would go home because this was just a thing to finish.
I dropped my skirts and stood. “Okay, what next?”
Magnus looked over the two spots on my body where I carried blades to make sure they were easily accessible. Our horse was on the other side of the woods where we left it earlier, but there were two extra horses here for Sean and Magnus to ride. He slung my backpack to my back and unzipped it to check its contents. He fished out a protein bar for me, one for him, and passed one to Sean.
“What’s this?”
“Food from the New World.”
Magnus showed his older brother how to open the foil wrapper and peel it away from the bar. Also how to eat it in bites.
His brother’s eyes opened wide at the taste. “Tis good!”
I laughed to myself. Sugar and salt must be an intense experience when someone so rarely if ever ate it.
I asked, “Should I pass them to everyone? I mean, I only have a few but...”
“Tis verra kind of ye tae offer, but some of these men daena deserve your kindness, Kaitlyn. There are mercenaries here, ruffians, ye must be careful nae tae show them the contents of your bag. And keep it on ye verra close.”
“Oh, okay.”
“You can trust Sean. Daena trust anyone else, ever.”
The men taking care to be quiet led the horses to the edge of the woods. We remained just within the tree-line facing the fields in front of Talsworth castle.
I whispered, “What are we waiting for?”
“The castle guards will head this way with the first streaks of dawn.”
It was still very dark but the grey hue of morning was beginning to brighten the landscape bit by bit. The surrounding men climbed on their horses. Men loaded rudimentary guns. Magnus pulled me behind a tree. “I must be quick. The guard is comin’. You are safe here, daena move—”
I felt seriously panicked. “How will you find me?”
“Tis a Yew, the only one in this part of the forest. Twill be easy tae find. The field is right there.” He pointed toward the castle. “You will be able tae see me, but ye must stay hidden.”
“Oh. Yeah, okay.”
“I winna be long.” He swung up on his horse and rode away meeting the other men and with a, "Ha!” they thundered from the trees to the field beyond.
From my place behind the trunk of a tree I saw the Talsworth guard riding from the castle meeting them at full speed. Dawn had barely arrived. The air was chilled cold and still. Hundreds of horse hooves thundered across the near frozen grass and the yells of men filled the air. They were pushing their horses and forcing themselves forward. And then a couple of football field lengths away from where I stood the two armies met in the field and I begged the universe to keep him alive.
Chapter 24
I watched what I could. Blades were swinging. Loud clanks and clangs had my nerves on edge and then shots were fired. I shrieked and clapped my hands to my ears, terrified. If I watched I panicked until I convinced myself it was just like a movie. Like Captain America but on horses in historical Scotland. That body on the ground would get up once the director called, “Scene!” But that game of pretend only worked for like two minutes.
The battling mass of men shifted closer to where I stood hidden in the trees. What if they had to retreat? What if the battle was fought through these trees? I needed to be ready, watching, and alert.
I kept my bag on my back. I sat but changed my position to a crouch as the men came closer still. Clouds of dust surrounded them. The sounds of battle filled the morning: clanging swords, guns firing, yelling, an
d wailing from the ground. Horses trampled over bodies on the field.
I couldn’t see Magnus.
I searched the battle, raising on tiptoes, and alternately ducking behind the tree. It was so hard to find him across the wide distance and through the crazed activity.
I found him at the far edge. He was off his horse swinging his broadsword, in a full — oh god, he was almost hit from behind. I bent over holding the tree to steady myself with my eyes clamped shut. I talked myself out of running to protect him with my tiny blades clutched in my hands.
I swore to God right then and there that I would practice fighting when I got home, really. I would become a badass woman warrior. I liked running and that kickboxing class I took had been really fun.
Then again, who was I kidding? Even with the skills, there wasn’t anyway to kickbox in this dress. Next time I would come to the past all badass, and I would need to wear pants.
If there would ever have to be a next time.
Magnus stumbled, then rose yelling. He charged the man he was fighting. Please please please let him be okay, please. He swung his sword and the man fell to his back. Magnus jumped over another body, leapt through the air, and entered a melee on the other side of the field. I couldn’t watch anyone else. I hoped Sean was okay, but I couldn’t scan the fight for him. I could only concentrate on Magnus as if my eyes kept him alive.
Plus it was difficult to tell who was on the opposing side. Who was on our side? There wasn’t a uniform. A man stumbled from the group, dropped his sword, and lurched toward the forest. He was holding his shoulder. Dragging his foot. He sprawled to the ground only fifteen feet from where I hunched cowering behind the tree.
Lizbeth’s husband, Rory.
I raced from the woods and slid to my knees beside him. Blood spread in a red bloom on his shoulder. I peeled back his shirt — a deep wound. His eyes were shut, his lips muttering, and his skin pale.
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