“I won’t be right by your side, but when you go centuries away it’s terrible, I have no idea where you are and what you are doing!”
I shook my head. “Nae, Alexandria, ye think ye can take care of yerself because ye shot four fools? I hae seen ye cry more than any woman in the history of Alba, it inna a battlefield for tears.”
She crossed her arms with a huff. “Ohgreat,now you’re using that against me. That makes me furious. I cry, yes, I cry a lot, but you should call meYour Highnesswhen you say something that mean, Albannach. I’m the Princess, show me some respect.”
“I will show ye respect, Princess, that demand is the most sensible thing ye hae ever said tae yer Torin, but I am also sworn tae protect ye.”
“If I am the princess, Ihaveto go. I ought to see the battle, to understand what we’re fighting for. If something happens to Max, I will be queen, the people should know that I have seen with my own eyes the gravity of the battle.”
I snorted, buckling the girth. “The people will think I am mad for takin’ their princess intae battle, nae, I will tell ye all about it when I return. Ye will stay safe with Claray. Tis the end of it.”
She stomped her foot, the flashlight bobbing. “The end of it! No, Torin, absolutely not!”
I said, “Och nae.”
“Och nae is right, you don’t get to decide. I’m not some fragile thing you tuck away to convenience yourself. I just killed four men!”
I shook my head, “I am covered with scars and each one is a reason why ye canna come.”
“I can handle this, Torin. I will listen to you, I will stay out of the way. I promise I will be helpful. And if we have to flee, or jump, I’ll be right there, with you. That’s the problem, you know, with the vessels. If we’re pulled apart, how do we get back to each other? If I hadn’t killed those guys they might have time jumped me away.”
“Tis not a good example, we were taegether when ye were taken. Ye would be safe on the military base.”
“Torin, what if I lose you, what if something happens to you, and I don’t know what or why? We have to stay together.Please.I can demand it, as your Princess, but I’m asking as your wife, don’t leave me behind, let me come.”
I paused, hands on the saddle horn, staring at her in the beam’s glow. She was right — against villains with the power of time travel we were weak and separation made it worse. Twas difficult tae override my mind, tellin’ me she was safer surrounded by guards, not on the edge of a battlefield. I would be weaker if I was worried about her, she might be used against me while I was tryin’ tae fight a war.
There were a hundred ways in which she was wrong
But she was right in one thing, separation brought on uncertainty. I couldna solve it if she were lost, if she were stolen— with all of time tae search, there was naething tae do but feed the cat and wonder how tae find her.
I said, “When I am in the past and ye are in the future, I ken ye are alive, that is a bit of a relief.”
“When I am in the future and you are in the past, I think you are dead. It breaks my heart. I really can’t bear it. I will do anything to not be separated from you again.”
I exhaled, long and defeated. “Och, ye drive a hard bargain, mo leannan. Aye… we go together. But ye stay behind the lines, and if I say run, ye run.”
She nodded, relief flooding her face. “Deal.” Then she cocked her head. “Are you mad at me? This was our biggest fight, do you forgive me?”
“Aye it has been our biggest fight, ye fought a war then came home and picked a battle with me.”
She scoffed. “I suppose I did.”
“But I daena mind, ye ought tae speak yer mind if we are goin’ tae survive this, but ye also must listen, mo leannan, sometimes. What ye ken of war can fit in yer pocket, with the gun ye dinna ken how tae shoot. What I ken of war can fortify the walls of a castle. And might, if people will just listen tae me, win a throne.”
“Yeah, I know, you’re right. Thank you for listening to me and taking my thoughts into account.”
I said, “And ye forgive me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Thank ye, I winna allow ye tae get taken again.” I picked up Dude and placed him in her arms and once we were all gathered and holding on, I twisted the vessel.
Pain filled my body, the storm rose around us, and swallowed us whole, carrying us tae Max and her uncles and the battle that beckoned.
36
ALEXANDRIA
