Page 80 of The Empire and the Wolf King

I pulled my vessel out, and my list of notes given tae me by Lady Mairead and compared them, though m’sight was bleary. I rubbed my eyes and peered at it again. I checked the numbers and repeated them, twas right, I was certain twas right. It had tae be right.

I was wearin’ the wrong clothes, a powdered wig, and I was filthy and carried a stench. I had been through a lot since I got dressed, a long journey, a couple of murders, and days since I had slept, I was certain, as Ma would say, that I looked ‘like I’ve been through an ordeal.’

Och, I missed her already.

I wrapped the horse reins around m’arm. The bag across my shoulders, sat down on the stack of m’gear and supplies, and put my forearm under the strap lashin’ them taegether. I twisted the vessel and held on as the storm above me rose tae the heavens and dragged me through time tae an uncertain fate.

CHAPTER 37 - KAITLYN

CHARLOTTESVILLE - 1775

Magnus and I had spoken to the authorities, or rather, he had spoken. I had interjected once and gotten such a stern look from the main dude, total misogynist, that I bit my lip and let my husband speak.

It was for the best anyway, Magnus had built a complicated story that I might have screwed up by joining in. Most of it was bullshit, of course, as we couldn’t talk about time travel, or name Asgall, but the men who were dead on the floor of the inn had a reputation around this part of Virginia. They were known from their criminal activities at the brothel and not well-respected, so it was easy for the Sheriff to see that we were beset upon by scoundrels, especially compared to Magnus, who came across as commanding and confident. A Duke, no less.

Then after we promised we would be staying at the inn and were willing to speak to them the following day, the constable had left us, stating that he ‘hoped we could get some rest after our ordeal.’

We walked to the inn in the dark. Luckily it wasn’t far and after a few steps, Magnus carried me the rest of the way. When we arrived there was a small crowd of onlookers and still a bit of bustle around the dining room, as the servants cleaned the crime scene.

The top floor of the inn was shuttered and dark for the guests trying to sleep through the excitement. There was a rope stretched across the entrance, and a guard we had to talk our way past.

We walked down the hall, our footsteps echoing on the wood floor. There was a chair in front of the entrance to the dining room, and all the tables and chairs were shoved to one side. The rug was rolled up, and oil lamps illuminated pools of light for two servants who were on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor with rags.

The bodies had been removed, the air smelled like lye soap and strong vinegar.

Magnus carried me quietly up the stairs.

I was exhausted. My leg was sore.

Our room was pitch black, but Archie had left us a small flashlight. Magnus set it on the side table to shine a beam of light toward where I lay on the bed. We still had some of the first-aid kit, so I asked Magnus to check for a package with Tylenol in it. He opened the foil, handing two tablets to me. Then he passed me a cup of some cool water to wash them down. I lay back on the bed.

He commented, “M’lady, there is still blood upon yer skirts.”

“How many days until my new dress comes? Three?”

“Aye.”

“I might need tae buy something off the rack while we wait.” I rolled over onto my side. “Can you unfasten some of the pins? He tugged them free and then we pulled my apron away, the overdress off over my head, and then he helped me wiggle the skirts down and tossed them into a pile My shift had a large deep-red bloodstain, already dried on the edges.

“Dost ye want tae be naked?”

“Yes, this is gross, I’m going to need new… clothes first thing in the morning. And hopefully none of the do-over shenanigans requires me to have clothes on.” I put up my arms and he helped pull the chemise off and then I lay back and drew the sheets over me.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, “I am taking off m’boots, if the shannie-cans requires boots twill hae tae wait for me tae put them on again.”

“The shannie-cans?”

He joked, “Did I say it right?”

“Close enough, you’re too hot and the day has been too overly… too much, for me to complain. The shannie-cans are what we need to focus on now.”

He climbed in under the covers and patted his chest. I curled up beside him with my head on his chest, his arm around me. I pulled up the edge of the covers and looked underneath at the bandage. It had bled through, but looked like it had stopped. I dropped the covers over it and pulled them up to my shoulders.

“I know it’s late, we need to sleep.” I yawned right then, “But I don’t know about turning off the light, it kind of feels like a mistake. I’m superstitious.”

“I ken, too dark and mysterious tae sleep, what will happen tae us? We daena ken, tis right before midnight, will we wake up here?”

I kissed his chest. “It seems like bad luck to wait for the end to come, we’re supposed to live every moment.”

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