“Ye look verra fine, mo leannan. Yer dress matches yer eyes.”
I smiled. “You look handsome and hot, my love. We kind of look like we’re fresh for this battle even though you fought it already, that seems good, fresh is good.”
He tugged at his earlobe again. “Aye, we are fresh, tis good, we hae tae take the moment seriously. We canna try this again, we hae one shot.”
“You’re okay?”
“Aye, and I daena want tae talk on it. I daena want tae worry Max.”
“Okay, of course.”
He put out an arm for me to take and I tried to smile confidently but I was concerned about his hearing. I could see he was really bothered by it and it seemed to be a poor way to start a war.
38
ALEXANDRIA
SEPTEMBER 16, 2185 - THE WAR ROOM ONCE MORE
Max was already in the war room, wearing the clean dark blue uniform that I remembered from the last time we did this. He said, “I am glad ye are ready, finally, we ken Uncle Ryan’s plan, but ye say ye hae a different one?”
Torin pulled a paper from inside his coat pocket and passed it to Max, “In case ye winna listen tae me, tis a letter tae yerself, I am the messenger.”
“Och nae, Torin, what are ye goin’ tae make me do?”
Torin shrugged and leaned on a table while Max read.
Then Max passed the message tae the uncles and they read too.
Uncle Charlie said, “Should you tell us what happens? My guess is someone dies.”
Torin nodded. “Nae one has died yet, but it has come close. I think all can be saved.”
Charlie said, “You won’t say who comes close?”
Torin said, “Nae, tis best not tae, but I will say, twas dire enough that I was moved tae come here and try tae stop it.”
Uncle Ryan said, “So what do we do?”
Torin looked thoughtful, he leaned on the table looking at the floor.
It took a moment of us looking at him before he said, “Och, did ye say something, Ryan?”
“What do we do?”
Torin ran his hand through his hair and shifted on his feet. He glanced at me, then admitted, “M’ears arna working right.”
Aenghus said, “What happened?”
“A group of men kidnapped the Princess, they set off an explosion tae slow me down.” He tugged at his ear again.
I said, “I killed them and got away.”
Max raised his brow, nodding approvingly.
Ryan asked, “That’s why you look sunburned... I see. Do you need a doctor?”
“Nae, twill be fine, we need tae get this done.”
