Page 47 of The Ranger

The Noghard king watched them a moment. “Do you need to be calmed?”

She sucked in a breath. “He has sent a newly joined couple with Markhel, the king’s ranger, to ensure he bonds and joins with a Maiden.”

“Markhel, yes, he has received the Call.” He lowered his head to her. “This troubles you?”

She might as well just say it. “Philip Brennan.”

Novhak drew his head up. “The corrupted Time Master?” he boomed. His head tilted off to one side. “He lives?”

“He, well, the timeline is screwed up.”

“Yes. So, I have heard. But Time Master Philip traveled a lot after Kwaku took over for him.”

Shona frowned. “So, with the disruption in the timeline, the chances of running into him are increased?”

“Yes, Princess. But I have long suspected that Time Master Philip is searching for something. But for what, I do not know.”

She leaned on one foot, thinking. “I wonder if what he’s looking for has anything to do with what that crazy doctor is doing.”

Kitty shook her head. “No, I think they’re looking for two different things.”

“How so?” she asked.

“Think about it. The crazy doctor dude attacked Tory Phelps before she was joined to Sir Aldrich. He wanted her blood. And when he tried to nab Makama, he saw Melvale, and went nuts. He wanted to get his hands on him pretty bad. If you ask me, that crackpot is after Muirarans.”

“Then what is Philip looking for?”

Kitty shrugged.

Agnus snorted in disgust. “So, yer saying Brennan is running around out there and that ye could run into him at any time?”

“The chances of that,” Novhak said. “Were always there, especially if Time Master Dallan were ever sent to a place where Time Master Philip frequented. Right now, he seems to be frequenting Clear Creek.”

“In the eighteen hundreds,” Shona added. “But... could he be looking for Cozette? We’re pretty sure he was there when Cozette and Duncan were bonding, and she was kidnapped along with some of the other women of Clear Creek.”

“Including Sadie and Mrs. Dunnigan,” Kitty reminded her.

Shona rubbed her temples. “This is so frustrating. I wish I could figure this out. Why would he keep going to Clear Creek at different times in the past? It doesn’t make sense.”

“I do not know, Princess. But does it not make it obvious why you and your mate are here, while a newly joined couple is aiding the king’s ranger?”

She sat on the ground, her heart sinking. She felt bad for Markhel. He was so different from other Muirarans. How was he ever going to woo and win Maida Comfort? What did an innocent young woman of the late eighteen hundreds know about aliens and other worlds? “I’m sorry, I’m just trying to puzzle this out.”

“Understood,” Novhak said. “Then you must also ask what would drive Time Master Philip to search out something throughout time?”

She looked up at him as she thought. “It must be something important to him, which means he either lost it, or it was taken.”

“Yes, Princess.” Novhak blew smoke out his nose. “Something he cares about.”

Kitty plopped down beside her. “Maybe he misplaced some of the children he stole.”

Shona leaned back, resting her weight on her hands. “Could be. He stole me, but at least kept track of where I was. But if someone else stole what he stole...”

“Precisely,” Novhak said. “He searches because he must.”

Shona nodded and watched Monah do a somersault and roll toward Angus. He chased her back toward Novhak, stopping short of one of his massive forelegs. “Weel, if ye asks me, that bloody villain is nothing but trouble. He should have stayed dead.”

Novhak raised a hand and gave Angus a gentle flick of his fingers, sending him forward. “Somewhere on the timeline, he is. And if by some miracle, he is not, then we will stop him. But remember, should you run into him one day, he did not always have a corrupted heart. He was a decent Time Master when he served and did not become corrupted until later.”

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