Page 85 of The Empire and the Wolf King

I breathed in deeply, enjoying the thrill of the moment, until I said, “We ought tae leave, there is the smell of death. I need tae go tae my office.”

The commander gave me a towel and I wrapped all of my devices in it and held it against my chest, placing my other hand on Wilfrey’s sleeve with my head held high in victory.

We returned tae the castle.

CHAPTER 40 - LADY MAIREAD

THE KINGDOM OF RIAGHALBANE - 2391

As we came tae my office I ordered a bottle of champagne tae celebrate and sent everyone else away. I collapsed in my chair behind my desk, placing the scrap of cloth that declared Asgall’s death on the blotter in front of me. Reading it once more I said, “Och, twas verra emotional.”

I put the bundle of devices tae the side. I wasna ready tae go through it yet. I wanted tae enjoy the moment afore I counted my spoils.

He said, “Yes, it was.”

I said, simply, “Thank ye.”

“For what?”

“Your arm, in the moment, and your suit now.”

“You are welcome, Mairead.”

I asked him tae pull up a chair in front of my desk and we had the bottle of champagne between us, a bowl of my favorite exquisite chocolates each wrapped in gold paper, and a platter of cheese from my meeting earlier. I shoved the platter farther away, and told Wilfrey, “The general has eaten from it and I suspect he daena wash as much as he ought.”

“Fair warned.” He unwrapped a chocolate and popped it in his mouth. “So now we have seen the dead body, we are celebrating?”

“Aye! Tis our moment of glory! We hae won.” I sat back in the chair. “If ye werna here I would be celebrating alone.”

“I am here, so…” He picked up the bottle and began pulling out the cork. “Mairead, this is all related to time travel?”

“Aye, the body was sent tae me by my grandson.”

“Prince Archibald?”

“Aye.”

He stopped working on the cork tae say, “He killed that man on the roof?”

“Aye, he has killed the most villainous monstrous horrible evil arse-gall man — open the bottle!”

“I thought Prince Archibald was… isn’t he eight years old?” The cork loudly popped and flew across the room and nearly hit one of Pablo’s paintings.

I said, “Och nae, Wilfrey, that is worth a great deal.”

“My apologies, Mairead, I know, it’s a Picasso.”

“Ye ken Picasso’s work?”

“Yes, ever since you spoke of him — remember at the movie opening? I have been studying his artworks.”

I tilted my head. “Ye studied the art I told ye about? What other art do ye—? Never mind, daena answer, ye are attempting tae woo me and I need tae concentrate on the matter at hand. We hae won, tis time tae crow and brag.”

“Seriously, Mairead, I was certain the prince was eight years old.”

“Nae, Wilfrey, he is eighteen from the time where he has been living in a medieval age.ThatArchibald has killed the villain, a man who fashioned himself an emperor.ThatArchibald has saved us all.”

He filled two champagne flutes and we raised them to each other.

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