Page 99 of Promises to Keep

Magnus entered and sat in the chair opposite.

Lady Mairead said, “They hae taken everything from me! I lost everything!”

Sophie smoothed the back of her hair. “Were they terribly vile tae ye?”

Lady Mairead nodded. “They were evil, aye, but I can escape from evil, but they stole everything, the art, m’youth, the kingdom. Och nae, Hammond!” She sobbed.

Magnus said, “Lady Mairead, hae they taken the kingdom, ye are sure of it?”

I pushed forward a box of tissues. She took one and messily blew her nose. “If they turned Hammond they must hae.” She drew in a staggering breath. “Is he truly dead?”

Magnus nodded.

He looked weary, and very worried.

Isla padded into the room. She said, “Grandma Wady Maiwead, why are you crying?”

“Because the world is a cruel place, granddaughter, ye must be prepared tae accept that ye will hae a life of naething but unendin’ cruelty.”

Magnus said, “Mother, tis nae true, ye are goin’ tae scare Isla.”

“What is there for her, but a house hidin’ in the woods, in a godforsaken land? Hae ye seen the news of this time, Magnus, ye ought tae heed the warnin’!”

Magnus said, “I am nae heedin’ any warnings and I am nae livin’ in fear, this is a waystation while I consider m’options—”

“What options! There are nae options! They destroyed the art, Magnus! They destroyed me!” She began to sob again, very dramatically.

Magnus said, “Mother, do ye need a meal?”

“What is the point of it? I might as well die, old and unloved.”

“Och.” Magnus exhaled. “Mother, dost ye need a meal? And ye will call me a king.”

She raised her chin. “Aye, King Magnus, I need a meal.”

“Good, now I tell ye tae pull yerself taegether, I hae never kent ye, in the history of yer life, tae spend the night sobbin’ about what ye hae lost. I ken ye lost a great deal, but ye must gather yer strength.”

“I am auld! I am weak!”

Fraoch’s voice from the opposite side of the room. “Lady Mairead, dost ye want Agnie tae win?”

She shook her head. “She is a detestable witch.”

Isla climbed into my lap, giggling, and whispered, “Destble witch.”

Fraoch drew near and sat in a chair across from her. “Then ye must eat a meal, rest, and gather yer strength for the coming battle, ye canna allow her tae win.”

“She is too strong.”

Magnus said, “Nae, she is nae too strong. I hae been thinking on it while I rode Sunny tae the house and put him away in the stable. Agnie is verra weak, she is just malevolent, what is it ye said, Kaitlyn? Ye called it Chaotic Evil.”

I said, “Yep.”

Zach stuck his head through the door to the kitchen. “Exactly! Chaotic evil, that’s exactly what she is — and food is almost ready.”

Magnus continued, “She is focused on ye, so she seems strong, she has had one purpose, tae see ye pay.”

Her voice was small when she said, “She made me pay so much.”

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