Page 129 of Promises to Keep

“Aye, it’s uncanny how it happened so fast.”

Beaty kissed the baby’s forehead and looked softly into the baby’s eyes, it was like she didn’t hear a word we were saying.

I slapped my hands on my knees. “Well, this is my cue to go where there’s less baby adoration going on. See you on the flip side.”

I left the room, looking back to see Quentin kissing Beaty’s hand.

* * *

I stopped at the grocery store and filled bags with coffee, chocolate, candy for the kids, so many cookies, and presents for everyone… then I stood at the checkout and thought about it — I could go to the past, deliver presents, tell the gang that Quentin had a baby.OrI could go to the future-future and try to help Fraoch.

He was… he needed me. Maybe Magnus needed my advice, maybe he wasn’t considering Fraoch, if Fraoch was still not recovered, maybe he was dead, maybe I needed to…

But I kept thinking about the lesson I had learned, Fraoch saying to me,Quentin is workin’ verra hard tae keep us all safe, he daena sleep, he strategizes, and he needs tae ken where people are. He takes good care of us, of the bairns, and we owe it tae him nae tae let him down.

I put everything into shopping bags, and got a ride to the edge of the next town over, walked out into a field, and set the vessel for jump, headed to the eighteenth century clearing.

I didn’t like jumping alone, but I did it anyway.

CHAPTER 62 - KAITLYN

The excitement of the presents was over — the imported, modern-day coffee was gone, the candy hadn’t lasted a day, and the chocolate was barely remembered. We knew a baby had been born, Noah, but we hadn’t met him yet. And I was big as a house and irritated.

The only bright spot in this whole thing, Magnus had sent a note to Quentin. Hayley had reported that it said:I canna wait…

We took that to mean he would see us soon.

Hayley and I sat in my sitting room in the chairs, a fire going because I was cold even though it was July, a gloomy gray July, rain outside, a chill through the castle.

She said, “We’re lucky we camethisyear, because last year was the coldest year in the history of cold years, like in the history of cold, it was the coldest. That’s why it’s still colder than any sane person would want, even though it’s July—”

“That’s the hundredth time you’ve told me that fact.” I shifted my ass, worn out from sitting on a poorly padded chair.

“Fine, I told you already, but don’t tell Quentin about it, I was standing in the checkout line at the grocery story and looked down at my phone, next thing I knew I was seeing that statistic, like I scrolled by accident, but I caught myself, then I turned off my phone, because that was not good—”

“You’ve said that now, a hundred and four times. Nothing about this is lucky.” I pulled my fur tighter around my shoulders. “Besides Lizbeth said this has been a really lean year at the market, she’s worried about food. So yeah…” I stared off into space. “We are not lucky at all. But a reminder, if we are found, it’s because you accidentally scrolled.”

“God you’re grumpy, and I know it was a risk, and I would feel like shit, luckily that hasn’t happened — when the hell are you having that baby? I can’t take your mood.”

I frowned. “Who can tell? I think soon. I think any day now. Emma remembers. She works the calendar. I just grow babies and pine for my husband. Let’s talk about something else, how were the French fries?”

“I barely remember, it was weeks ago.”

I pretended to cry.

She chuckled. “They were epic, I dipped them in a milkshake.”

“I hate you. Tell me about the Big Mac.”

“It was so big, so mac, but actually made my stomach hurt.”

I sighed. “Do you think Magnus is alive?”

“Yep, a letter, remember?”

“What about Fraoch?”

“I have no idea.”

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