39
ALEXANDRIA
1308 - TORIN’S TRY
Ishook with fear.
Also my stomach hurt because of stress. I was a wreck and then my eyes settled on Torin, stoic, staring at the wall.
I went and sat down on the bench beside him. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m just needing to be close. No talking. Promise.”
He looked me in the face while I spoke and then nodded.
I had been seeing him do this, instead of listening he was watching people when they spoke. It was unsettling, it proved his hearing was worse than even the occasional ‘what?’
I was very concerned but had just that moment promised not to talk.
So I couldn’t say anything, instead I just breathed, the edge of my shoulder against his, the energy between us a hum. Behind us the other men in the room, talking discussing planning. We just sat.
I often talked too much when I was nervous, and I was desperately afraid, but instead, thankfully, I was chill: quiet, still.
We sat there for a long time. Then finally Ryan said, “Torin, we need you here for some last details before we go.”
He nodded quietly, then leaned over and pressed his forehead to my cheek and kissed my shoulder, a long press of his lips there. “Thank ye.”
I said, “You’re welcome.”
He stood up, put his hand on my shoulder, squeezed, and then went to speak to everyone else.
I was left wondering what the hell I was supposed to do. I refused to stay, I demanded I go, and with good reason, but… honestly why? How would I help?
Charlie called me over. “I’m going to be running the drones, I want you to be my spotter.” He passed me a pair of binoculars and pointed at the castle. “This is East Tower, this is West Tower?—”
Torin said, “He will be below the East Tower.”
Charlie said, “Good, that’s good to know, so, Alexandria?—”
“Call me Lexi, only um… Max and Torin call me Alexandria.”
He chuckled. “I think I have to call you the full name, it’s kind of tradition…” He continued pointing at the castle and telling me their names. “I’ll have a screen on the drone, but you’ll be watching for trouble…”
Finally,it was time to go.
I huggedAunt Claray goodbye and climbed on board an ATV to ride to the jumping place. Torin rode his horse, “For good fortune,” he said.
We needed a lot more than simple good fortune, I thought, we were screwing around with time, looping in and out of known physics. I kinda thought we needed divine intervention.
Out of nowhere, in the cool darkness, Torin rode up beside me on his horse, and said quietly, “When we get there, tis goin’ tae go fast, we winna hae much time tae speak.”
He was up above me, high in his saddle.
“It’s okay, we said goodbye, if we find a moment it will be good, if we don’t that’s fine.”
“Twas enough?”
“I don’t really want to say I’ve had enough, but it’s been good, Torin, I love you.”
“I love ye too.” He urged his horse forward and went to the head of our train of vehicles to ride alongside Ryan.
