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I nodded.

Everyone’s voices stayed low.

I sipped my coffee.

Torin fidgeted with his silverware, his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought.

No one talked about how Max was. We were all waiting for news, so what was there to say? It didn’t look good, but the physician still held out hope, and he was one of the best.

As if reading my mind Uncle Aenghus said, staring at his table settings, “The doctor is doin’ everything he can….”

No one responded.

Food was being spooned onto plates and so I unfolded a napkin, weak with hunger, but also, not sure I could keep it down.

“We should eat,” I whispered to Torin but also to myself a bit.

Torin said. “Aye, we will need our strength for the night before us.” Then he asked Aenghus, “There is a chapel?”

“Aye, I will show ye where.”

“I will go after the meal tae pray.”

Then Torin asked, “What are the papers ye hae, Aenghus?”

“We are havin’ a succession crisis. There are cousins who hae a claim tae the throne, we need Max tae pull through.”

Charlie said, “But if he doesn’t, the throne is Alexandria’s, right?”

“Aye, it ought tae be, but without Maximillian there is likely tae be a war.”

Torin scowled. “He will pull through, he will be king. I daena want tae hear anymore about the succession. I regret asking.”

Uncle Aenghus said, “Aye, Torin, I agree, we winna discuss anything until we ken how Max is going to be…”

Meanwhile Dude jumped up on the table and was chasing a wadded up napkin that Uncle Charlie rolled across the table.

I said, “Dude, you will have to stop being on the tables, this is a terrible habit.”

Charlie said, “He’s a royal cat, I think he can go wherever he wants.”

I sighed. “I suppose you’re right. He’s beloved in every century.” Then I remembered to ask, “Where’s Artair?”

Uncle Aenghus said, “Och, the ginger fellow, I almost forgot.” He chewed some chicken off a bone. “He left an hour or more ago. He gave me a message for ye, in all the drama it went out of mind. He said tae tell ye goodbye, and that ye would understand, he canna be involved. He said he dinna want tae ‘change time’.”

I said, “Oh, then he just left?”

“Aye, he told me tae tell ye tae please understand and then he said for ye tae ken he would use the Bridge. Dost ye ken what it means?”

I nodded. “I do.”

“He said tae tell ye ‘fifteen fifty-seven’ and that twas a pleasure tae meet ye.”

I exhaled. “Well. Then we can’t go back.”

I looked at Torin. He was staring at the wall.

“What do you think?”