Page 86 of Only a Breath Away

“Nae, then I fought in the arena against Domnall and Ormr, they winna be bothering us anymore.”

Quentin said, “Sounds great, also sounds like there are a lot of war stories to tell. Let’s get you to the house and then you can fill us all in. You brought some ginger dude with you?”

“Aye, this is Lochinvar the Fearsome.”

Lochinvar struggled to get up.

Fraoch said, “He is pink as a newborn pig.”

Magnus said, “He daena look like much, but he joined me in the arena. He helped me kill Domnall and Ormr.”

Fraoch sized him up. “Really? He looks a scrawny as a spring peahen.”

Lochinvar moaned. “I am nae so wee, auld man.”

Fraoch’s eyes went wide and he laughed.

Magnus said, “He is also yetanotherbrother.”

Fraoch said, “Och, we canna throw a rock without hittin’ one.”

We walked to the house through the dark. Archie and Ben came running in their pajamas and Archie threw himself in my arms. I squeezed him tight. “I missed you so freaking much!”

Behind him was Isla, sleepy from waking up to see me. She pushed past her brother, knocked me backwards to my ass on the gravel driveway, climbed into my lap, and burst into tears. Magnus sat down beside us and held Archie. Everyone else walked on toward the house leaving us there in the dark of a summer Maine night, cool but beautiful, on the gravel drive, finally reunited with my bairns. They had missed me desperately.

I had been lost, had felt completely lost, and desperate as well. I was so grateful to be found by my husband, to have the world set right, and have a short rest in the kingdom before coming back home, because it was still so very emotional. I had been lost. I still felt raw. I cried, too.

Then I fished the Matchbox car from my pocket. “Look at this Archie, your car saved my life.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I dug through a door with it, I’m sorry it’s broken.”

“I don’t mind, that’s cool.”

“I was thinking whenever we jump we ought to keep a Matchbox car in our pocket in case of emergencies.”

Magnus chuckled. “Archie, tell yer Mum, we ought tae carry a proper weapon in our pocket, then we might hae far less emergencies.”

I laughed and hugged Archie and Isla and said, “This is true, but I’m going to make sure I have both.”

Finally Magnus stood up, lifted Isla from my lap, and carried her into the house, I held hands with Archie and we walked in together.

Magnus called to Lochinvar, who was standing on the dock alone, looking out over the lake, “Ye ought tae come inside and meet everyone.”

Lochinvar strode up the dock toward us. “Ye were right, King Magnus, Florida is verra braw!”

“This inna Florida, ye will see, this is Maine.”

“Is this yer kingdom as well?”

“Nae, this is the New World, Lochinvar, here we are not the sons of a king,” he held open the screen door for us, “here we are just men.”

CHAPTER 62 - KAITLYN

We all hugged and greeted each other and then sat around the dining room table, the one in front of the plate glass window. I said, “Wow, look how many of you there are.”

Zach joked, “Don’t I know it, so many mouths to feed.”

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