Page 96 of Promises to Keep

CHAPTER 46 - KAITLYN

Zach and I were standing guard at the gate across the driveway, while Hayley and Lochinvar drove to pick up the returning warriors. The kids were all in one place, inside the house, until we gave them the all-clear. Their lives these days were so full of running around like little banshees that it was hard to get them to stay inside, we made promises of treats.

A loud clash came from in the house, and Zach laughed. “Man, I’m afraid if they stay inside much longer they’re going to break a wall.”

“Did you see Ben climbing yesterday? He made it to the ceiling!”

He said, “The timbers make great footholds. It’s tempting.”

The truck came barreling down the road with dust billowing up behind it. Zach and I hurriedly swung open the gate and Hayley continued on, waving her arm for us to follow.

Zach closed the gate while saying, “Go ahead!” So I ran after the truck, catching up to it as they pulled up on the gravel in front of the house and whipped onto the lawn. James and Fraoch jumped out. “Quentin’s hurt!”

“Shit!” Emma and Beaty rushed from the house, kids came out too, though they weren’t supposed to. We all stood on the porch as Fraoch carried Quentin up the steps.

Emma walked alongside, with her fingers on his neck, checking his pulse.

My heart sank. “James, where’s Magnus?”

“Not sure, sorry, we were separated, last thing he said on the radio was that he had Lady Mairead and was headed here.” He dropped his bullet proof vest and helmet on the porch.

“What’s happening with Quentin?”

Fraoch said, “I found him unconscious, och, I hope he is well, he has blood here.” He placed Quentin down on the rug in the living room and Emma looked all around to see where the blood was coming from. “Get scissors!”

Fraoch pulled out his dirk and began cutting away at Quentin’s shirt. We found that his shoulder had been grazed.

Beaty got down on her knees beside his face. “Wake up Quennie, wake up!”

I ran to get the first aid kit and put it beside Emma who shoved Quentin on his side and pressed a clean cloth down on his shoulder.

Quentin moaned and then gasped and startled awake.

“What the... where am I?”

Fraoch said, “Ye’re in the compound, ye hae an injury.”

“Who is sitting on me?”

“That would be me,” said Emma.

“I wondered if it was Mookie.”

“She is savin’ yer life, Quennie. Mookie is watching ye, he is worried on ye.”

Quentin smiled, his face pressed into the rug, he entwined her fingers in his.

Emma said, “Well, your shoulder might match Magnus’s, you’ll be twinsies...” She peeled back the cloth and glanced.

I was chewing my fingers. “How long until Magnus gets back you think...?”

Everyone was very quiet in answer.

Then Lochie ran in from outside, “I just got the horses to the stable, and there’s another storm!”

Zach looked at the monitor, “That’s Magnus’s vessel.”

Lochinvar glanced around, then reminded us, “I canna drive!”

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