Torin put out his hands and stopped them before they could start. “Afore everyone pretends tae meet each other for the first time, I want ye tae ken, we hae already done this, more than once. We fought the battle, we lost, and now finally I hae grown wise tae it. I hae taken it upon m’self, with the aid of the princess, tae go around tae change the outcome.”
Uncle Ryan’s eyes went wide. “Does itallgo to hell?”
“Aye, I daena ken if twas the worst, but twas hellish, we need tae do it all again. Lives depend on it.”
The uncles all groaned.
Torin pulled the neck of his shirt away. “See m’bandages? I am bearin’ the scars of the day.”
“How did everyone else fare?”
Torin shook his head. “Tis best not tae say, I think.”
Aenghus and Ryan met eyes.
Charlie said, “You’re wearing a t-shirt that says, ‘I’ll be back’. Is that to be ironic?”
I said, “Yeah, that’s why I loaned it to him.”
Torin asked, “How many times would ye say ye hae set the day back in its course?”
Uncle Ryan said, “I don’t know, three times?”
“Och nae. Either ye are lying or ye canna remember. Both are troublin’.”
“I may have lost track.”
Max’s eyes went wide. “This is not the first time? I am the prince, I wasna told?”
Torin said, “Aenghus, tell the prince tis not the first time.”
Uncle Aenghus said, “Nephew, we dinna win the day so we began it anew.”
Torin said, “How many times dost ye think, Aenghus?”
“At least three times around the wheel.”
Torin nodded. “By my accounting, aye, at least three times, and not only the battle, ye hae written over many moments inthe royal family’s pasts, tryin’ tae draw the hour back intae the glass. Ye tried tae bring the king and queen back from?—”
Aenghus said, “We hae been doin’ what we thought best!”
“I ken, but ye are playin’ at gods, and still the grave keeps what it has been given.”
Aenghus shook his head sadly.
Max said, “We lost the battle three times?”
Torin clapped Max on the shoulder. “Tis alright, m’laird, I am fixin’ it.”
To Uncle Ryan he asked, “Is this the first time I hae arrived and told ye this?”
Ryan said, “Aye. This is the first time.”
Torin rubbed his hands together. “Good, then the plan is goin’ perfect so far!”
Ryan shook his head sadly. “We ought to go to the Barn, discuss it there. Want to ride in the ATV? I can send someone back for the horses?”
Torin said, “Alexandria and I will ride the horses back, want tae ride with us, Max?”
