“Brother?” he turned to Fin and held back his anxious thoughts.
“I thought I heard her,” Wolf explained quietly.
“I will wake the—”
Wolf grabbed his wrist, stopping him. “She haunts me, Fin.”
His younger brother stared at him, looking deeper than most, save for Camelee. “I know, Ulf. It is clear that you love her. But do you truly believe her story about coming from the future? Because, Brother, I must tell you, it is beyond good reason.”
“I cannot explain why, but I do. Just as I cannot explain why when I returned to the keep, Genevra had seemed afraid to speak to me. Does she know something and why would she not tell me?”
There had been no time to question her further before he’d left the keep. Maybe it was time to return and find out. Leofric would wait.
“She is loyal to Camelee, Wolf. I can assure you.”
Wolf nodded, staring at his brother defending Genevra. “I do not doubt that and as long as what she is keeping from me does not harm Camelee, I will hold nothing against her.”
“Very well,” Fin said, believing Wolf’s word. “What about our two prisoners.”
“Let them go in the morning,” Wolf answered. “Then gather the men. We are returning to the keep.”
“Why are we going back? Leofric will be long gone if we go back now.”
“I do not believe he has Camelee or Hild. I think they were brought back. I think they have gone into the future. I must figure out a way to get her back.” Wolf stopped and thought about it for a moment. “You go, Fin. Find him and bring me back his head.”
Fin grinned from ear to ear. It meant much when the chief sent you out to kill his enemy. It spoke of trust and that the chief thought you good enough to take his place. And this was an especially important enemy. “Yes, my brother. You will have it.”
“And…” Fin added reluctantly. “If he has her and the child?”
Wolf narrowed his eyes on him. “Whatever condition they are in, bring them back to me, Fin. Forget his head. Just bring them back.”
“Yes, Brother.”
Wolf didn’t wait for the morning to come but rode out with ten men. They headed west, toward Wessex.
Genevra was there, waiting for him at the gate when he returned. When she saw that he was alone, her expression faltered and did not recover.
“You did not find her.”
“Genevra.” He dismounted and went to her. “Two men saw her disappear into thin air. Her and Hild. I believe she went back to the twenty-first century.”
“The future,” she whispered as her eyes took on a glassy haze.
“Genevra!” He took her by the elbows. “Please tell me what you know of it. You must tell me. I intend to find her.”
“A few days ago, I knew nothing,” she said, going off into the distance again. “But now—we came from the past.”
“What? We?” Wolf balked. “What are you saying? Were you a part of this? What do you mean you came from the past?”
“From ancient times. Fifty-two AD.” She paused when he fell into the nearest chair. “We went to Ah—Ah—I cannot remember what ’twas called, but it smelled like apples, and we did not age.”
“Genevra,” he said, frustrated and impatient. “This is—do you know where Camelee is?”
“Aye, Chief. She is with him. The man my soul aches for. Her father.”
“You need sleep, Woman.” He began to rise from the chair, looking more defeated than ever.
“Wolf Kristiansen!” she shouted, stopping him.
