Chapter 5
Caitlin picked herway tentatively down the stairs. They were narrow and rickety and she was wary about putting her hand against the wall to steady herself as it might go straight through it. The lathe and plaster did not look particularly durable although the beams that held the place together were thick and black with age.
I’m in a medieval inn, she thought incredulously as she trod carefully onto each step.A real medieval inn!
Just thinking about it made her head spin. She still wasn’t sure if she believed it. The logical, rational part of her said it was impossible. Utterly impossible. But the same rational, logical part of her couldn’t quite reject the evidence of her own eyes either. What other explanation could there be? That she’d somehow fallen in with a bunch of madmen who insisted on living like medieval warriors? That this was all some sort of elaborate hoax?
No. It didn’t fit. It was all too real for that and the illogical, irrational part of her whispered that it was all true, every word Kai had told her. And the way he had held her earlier...
Aargh. She pushed the memory away. She would most definitelynotgo down that road.
“Caitlin? Everything all right?”
She looked up. A man was standing on the stairs a few steps below her. At first Caitlin thought it was Kai and her heart did a funny little wobble but then she realized it was the sandy-haired archer. What was his name? Emeric?
“Um. Hi. Yes, fine. Just trying not to break my neck in this stupid dress. Where did Kai get it from, anyway?”
True to his word, Kai had provided her with some medieval style clothes. He hadn’t brought them up himself but instead had sent a young lad. She hadn’t seen Kai since their discussion in her room.
Emeric shrugged. “I havenae a clue. Come, I’ll escort ye to a table. Dinner has just been served.”
With a nod of thanks, Caitlin took Emeric’s offered arm and allowed him to help her down the rest of the stairs. She’d donned the ridiculously heavy dress but kept her own boots and also her gloves. She was grateful for that decision now as she stepped onto the dirt floor of the inn’s common room. The place was dimly lit with flickering candles and smelled of smoke and sweat, but she could see that it was full of people. Men and women sat at rough-hewn tables, talking and laughing, while others leaned against the bar, drinking ale from wooden cups. Caitlin felt a stab of nervousness as eyes flicked in her direction.
It was a bizarre feeling, walking around in medieval clothing, in a medieval inn, surrounded by people whose lives were so utterly different to her own. It was like she’d stepped into a different world entirely, a world that she didn’t belong in.
Emeric led her to a small table in the corner, nodding at a woman who bustled over to them with a plate of food.
“Rosa, this is Caitlin,” Emeric said in a low voice.
The woman, who was tall, with a full figure and twinkling eyes, smiled at Caitlin. “Welcome, lass.” Her words were heavily accented and from her dark hair and olive skin, Caitlin guessed she wasn’t Scottish. Spanish, perhaps?
“You know Kai and the others?” Caitlin asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Rosa nodded. “I do. Let’s just say we’ve helped each other out of scrapes in the past.” She gave Caitlin a knowing smile. “Kai has told me all about you and your...predicament. You can trust these lads,” she said firmly, patting Caitlin’s hand reassuringly. “They will keep you safe.”
Caitlin smiled tentatively back at her. What did Rosa mean by ‘your predicament’? Surely Kai hadn’t told her about her being a time-traveler?
Rosa set down the plate of food then bustled away before Caitlin could thank her for it. It was a simple meal—a stew made of root vegetables and chunks of meat—but Caitlin’s stomach was growling so loudly she could hardly hear herself think. She dug in, the flavors bland but the food filling, all the while looking around for Kai.
There was no sign of him, or of Conall or Oskar either. Emeric sat opposite her, tucking into his own meal. The archer was silent and there was something about his dour demeanor that precluded conversation.
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Caitlin decided to break the ice. “So,” she said, nervously pushing a strand of hair out of her face. “You’re an archer, right?”
Emeric looked up, his expression unreadable but his lips set in a grim line. He was younger than Caitlin had first assumed, with startling green eyes and full lips.
“Aye,” he said, his tone clipped. “Kai asked me to keep an eye on ye.”
She flushed with irritation. That was annoying. She narrowed her eyes at him, challenging him to explain what he meant but he remained stoically silent.
“Thanks,” she said, trying not to sound too sarcastic. “I appreciate the help.”
Emeric nodded noncommittally, then looked away again as if his willingness to talk had been spent. Caitlin sighed inwardly and went back to eating her meal in silence.
