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He chuckled, “See, ye are getting much better at it.”
“I think, Albannach, that if I call it your high pike, you approve, but if I say something like, I appreciated your shovel in my garden bed….?”
“See, ye arna doing it right again.”
I said, “So as long as I use the words high and big and mighty, I’m doing it right, but if not…”
He wiggled his hips so that his cock flopped around. “Ye ken the answer, Princess, mighty will do.”
I laughed. “Your ‘mighty pike’ it is, even when he’s tired.”
He grinned. “Och aye, the Princess has worn him out. The mighty pike is now restin’ between campaigns.”
“I will wake him later by showing him my balustrade.”
He shook his head. “Och, we are goin’ tae hae tae work on it, ye canna do it.”
“Balustrade isn’t right?”
“Nae, there is nothing sexy about yer balustrade. If ye want tae entice me ye will shew me yer gates, I will beg tae enter them, ye will allow it and…” He sighed. “I need tae stop talkin’ on it, I am thinking on yer gates again and we hae things tae do.”
“You are incorrigible.”
He rubbed his hands up and down on his face in the water of the second shower-head.
I said, “All showers should hae the two, this is perfect.”
He said, “Och, ye were just in a land without a shower for centuries and now ye want an abundance of them.”
I turned off the water and passed each of us a towel.
He was careful as he toweled off around his wound; I hadn’t had a lot of time to look at it. It was red and angry looking, the stitches marring his otherwise hot and handsome form.
His wounds gave me pause about why we were here. “Do you think Max is okay?”
He stopped toweling and looked right at me. “Nae, mo leannan. I believe he is verra dire. Tis why we hae come.”
“Yeah, me too. Let’s dress and go see him.”
45
ALEXANDRIA
THE ROYAL INFIRMARY - SEPTEMBER 23, 2185
We were wearing the clothes that had just happened to be in our bedroom. On Torin, a pair of dark blue slacks and a collared, button-down pale blue shirt. He looked very handsome, all cleaned up and smelled wonderful. I was wearing a midi-length wrap dress, with a pair of pumps. I suspected it had once belonged to my mom, and that gave me pause, but it did, in a small way, make me feel a little closer to her.
We wandered down the hall for a moment, and then Aunt Claray saw us. “Sweetie! I am so glad you’re back, welcome home!” She rushed into my arms, hugging me and kissing my face. “Ryan tells me you had your cat! I was so worried! He’s here?”
“Yes, he stowed-away to the past and has been with us for days. I don’t know where he is right now, he has the habit of exploring, first thing. My guess is he’s probably in the kitchens begging for food.”
She nodded. “I am sorry I dinna meet ye on the landing pad. I hae been at Max’s bedside and Charlie’s… Yer Uncle Charlie is recoverin’. He is much better now, but we are so worried on Max, och nae, we hae been worried. Are ye well? Ye werna injured?”
“I’m okay, but Torin was very injured, though he is feeling a lot better now, but… how is Max?”
“I will take ye tae him, right now.” She turned on her heel, dabbing at her eyes she led us briskly down the hall toward the infirmary.
I felt scared, there was something really, really wrong with Max and I didn’t want to know. As we neared, I slowed without meaning to. Torin stopped and said, “Tis alright, mo leannan…”
