But found nothing troubling in the front rooms.
I continued down the hall tae find the door tae the cellar standin’ open. Had I checked it tae make certain nae one was there?
I looked down the steps intae the gaping darkness but couldna remember how tae turn the light on.
I hadna checked.
This had been a terrible, shameful error.
I slowly climbed the stair tae the second floor lookin’ in all the rooms and found in her closet the signs of a struggle. Her belongings strewn about.
She had been taken — I had a vessel. I could follow her and rescue her, but I had nae idea where she was.
I was verra thirsty. I needed tae drink something while I thought this through.
I crossed tae the sink in the small garderobe and twisted it on. My hands shook from the near death blast. They were filthy, I rubbed them vigorously in the water, allowin’ the cold water tae go from muddy tae clear, then drank from my palms.
When I had quenched my thirst, I rested my palms on the edge of the sink, closed my eyes, and tried tae calm my breaths.
Och nae, what would I do?
I raised m’eyes tae look in the glass in the dim light, and what I saw there in m’face was unsettling — dark shadows and anguish under a thick layer of soot and dirt. I pulled a cloth off a bar on the wall, ran it under the water, and briskly toweled off m’face, until I could almost bear tae look m’self in the eyes.
I had lost Alexandria.
My wife was gone.
Taken by men, I dinna ken where.
I relieved m’self in the toilet and then Dude walked in and began tae meow. I heard him, faintly.
“Ye lookin’ for Alexandria? I am as well.”
I exhaled.
Twas fully night now. I needed tae consider where tae go. I returned downstairs and went out the back door tae check on the horses.
A light blazed on when I stepped from the house, and the horses approached when I drew close tae the fence as if they wanted my assurances that twould be alright. I spoke tae them in soothing tones. “I ken twas frightening, I am glad ye are well,I am sorry that ye were frightened,” and filled their trough with fresh water.
They seemed tae be forgetting the explosion from earlier. I petted Cathbarr. “Ye ken if ye can sleep, ye ought tae rest, we are headed tae a battle. Once I find Alexandria, we will go tae war.” The horse nuzzled against my cheek.
I left their tack piled so I could gather it easily when twas time tae go.
I slowly returnedtae the kitchen. There was a dim light burning, I couldna find another tae brighten the room the way Alexandria would. I slumped down intae a chair, pulled the vessel from m’pocket, and placed it on the table.
Twas working, but I couldna make out the numbers in the dim light.
I scrubbed my hands up and down on my face, I was havin’ trouble thinking clearly. I needed tae ken where tae go.
This was too dangerous.
Where had she been taken?
I had only seen the men in a flash, but they looked modern tae my eyes.
Dude jumped on the table, trilling, and lookin’ at me pointedly.
“Ye hungry, Dude?”
