“Why were you traveling under a false name with a forged passport?”
“How the hell did you—”
“Believe me when I tell you that I have every possible resource available to me. By the end of the day, I’m going to know everything there is to know about you. Whoever you are.”
“I already told you who I am.”
“Why a refrigerated cargo plane?”
“What? Why not?” I asked, utterly confused by his question.
“Do you do a lot of work in the cold?”
“I live in Alaska, pal. What do you think?”
“So, the cold doesn’t bother you?”
“I prefer it, actually. It’s how I get a lot of my work back home. The winter weather just doesn’t seem to affect me as much as some guys.”
Alasdair’s phone buzzed again.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I need to take this. Stay put and we’ll continue this little chat.”
“I can’t wait,” I deadpanned.
Alasdair took his phone call to the other end of the library for some privacy but at one point I clearly heard him say, “Yes, your majesty.”
While waiting for him to finish up, I took another look at the ancient armor and sword at the center of the room. Now closer to the display, I could see a small chip on one side of the sword’s blade, and the more I looked at it, the deeper my focus was set on it. I couldn’t turn away. My only thought was that sword. Finally, like a moth drawn to a flame, my hand reached for it.
I couldn’t stop myself.
The moment my fingers touched the steel, the walls of the library disappeared, and I was alone in the middle of a snow-covered field. The sword was in my right hand and I was walking through waist-deep snow toward what looked like a camp of soldiers. I could hear horses and voices in the distance and could taste blood in my mouth. Unlike when I touched Isla Gunnach earlier, my thoughts were clear and focused, but I still felt as if my mind was locked somewhere in between a memory and a dream. I was an unwilling passenger inside someone else’s mind and memories, yet every detail was completely familiar to me. Violent images of hand-to-hand battle flooded my mind. The screams of men, the hacking of limbs, and blood covered snow as far as the eye could see.
“Mr. Mann!” a voice shouted. “Arric! Can you hear me?”
The sting against my cheek brought me back to reality and I found myself looking up at Kade Gunnach. It was then that I realized I was on the floor. I tried to get to my feet, but he placed his palm against my chest to slow me.
“Careful, sir!” Alasdair warned his boss as he touched me.
“Let’s just sit you up then,” Gunnach said warmly. “It appears as though you’ve had another episode.”
“Episode of the Twilight Zone,” I muttered, holding my throbbing head.
“I told him not to touch anything,” Alasdair growled.
“That’s extremely helpful. Thank you, Alasdair,” Gunnach replied wryly, turning his attention back to me. “Are you okay, lad?”
“I think I’m more than a couple of neighborhoods away from okay,” I replied.
“I can imagine this has all been quite challenging for you.”
“Challenging?” I snapped. “How about you try taking a guided tour of the Battle of Blood River and tell me how you fucking like it?”
“What did you just say?” Gunnach asked, his already fair complexion now turning white.
“I don’t know what happened, but when I touched that sword, I went somewhere else,” I said, terrified of the words coming out of my own mouth.
“Do you mean you saw a vision?”
