The Empire and the Wolf King (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #21)

16. Chapter 16 – Archibald

CHAPTER 16 – ARCHIBALD

THE KINGDOM OF RIAGHALBANE - 2391

I came to, groggy and disoriented, the chill of stone beneath me seeping into my bones. For a moment, I forgot how I had come tae be here, the memory of the time jump jarring and incomplete.

I raised my head tae see Lady Mairead standin’ over me with her arms crossed. I hadna seen her in a decade, but I remembered that look of irritation.

I pushed myself up, groaning at the effort. “Where am I?”

“The palace of Magnus the First, in the kingdom of Riaghalbane, and ye are…my grandson?”

I closed my eyes and groaned. “Aye, Archibald.” My head throbbed, the lingering effects of the jump hitting me hard. I rubbed my temples.

She said, “I was waiting for ye… Ye are acting as if yer head hurts.”

“It does, I am not used tae it.”

“Ye arna used tae it! Ye are a Prince of the Kingdom, a royal time traveler! Ye must behave as if ye are used tae it, nae matter!”

I said, “Och, ye are being verra loud.”

“Och nae,” she said, “‘Ye are being loud’? This is the way ye speak tae yer elder, the Queen mother, yer Grandmother, Lady Mairead, who just summoned ye from the past? Tis how ye want tae behave, Archibald?”

I forced myself to my feet, swaying slightly before steadying. “Nae, tis not how I want tae behave.”

She eyed me critically. “At least ye look well enough. Enough of yer father in ye that I daena see much of yer mother, except that ye are darker by degrees. Not unpleasant, but different.”

I managed a faint smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment. But why hae ye summoned me? I was in the middle of a rescue, now I hae left Uncle Lochie behind.”

“A different vessel activated and so I retrieved it. I am as surprised as anyone tae see ye on the end of it. What happened tae the one I delivered tae ye?”

“It stopped working.”

“Och nae, and where was Lochinvar, was he with ye when the vessel activated?”

“Aye, right beside me.”

“Then tis not my fault he dinna grab hold of yer arm, everyone kens if ye want tae jump ye must grab hold of the vessel, tis not rocket science, even Lochinvar should be able tae figure it out. Now answer me — what have ye been doing? Ye seem tae be taking yer time?”

I exhaled slowly, trying to gather my thoughts. “I’ve been fightin’, runnin’, and rescuin’ ever since I received yer note, and it has only been one day. We hae been barely survivin’.”

“Surviving is nae enough.” She huffed. “But ye are well?”

I nodded. “I am wantin’ revenge. I want tae ride intae battle, I… Aye, well enough.”

“Then I am uncertain why ye are waking up from the time jump like a bear. I will advise ye, Prince Archibald, that if ye are competent, the people around ye will strive tae perform better. Yer father would expect more of ye.”

Her words hit a nerve, and I clenched my jaw.

“Now, what hae ye accomplished so far? I see ye hae the vessel from near the Croft Moraig stone circle.”

I blinked, still adjusting to the bright light. “How do ye ken about the vessel?”

Her gaze was sharp, unyielding. “I see ye before me and I saw the vessel with my monitor when ye activated it.”

I closed my eyes. “Tis too bright out here.”

“Och nae, ye are a grown man, but still a bairn. Fine, follow me.”

As I followed her I was astonished by the beauty of the palace. I swiveled my head, looking up and down and all around at everything. She yanked open a door and led me down a long hallway, then stopped and asked, “Why are ye gaping at everything?”

My brow drew down. “Because I haena seen anything like this afore.”

“Ye daena remember yer father’s palace?”

I shook m’head.

She took a deep breath. “Dost ye remember yer father?”

“A bit — not verra much, tae be truthful.”

“Why would ye say ‘a bit’ first and then amend it?”

“Because I am concerned ye are goin’ tae yell at me.”

She frowned. “Och nae, ye are a dismal story. Ye daena remember me at all? If ye remembered me ye would ken I am a wonderful person, and I winna yell unless ye deserve it. Dost ye deserve it?”

“Nae, not at all.”

She exhaled, long and irritated. “Good, ye seem like a fine man, and ye jumped intae action as soon as ye were called. Come intae my office, I want tae hear what has happened tae ye: I need explanations and I hae news.”

She stalked down the hall and I followed her intae a wee room, like a box, with doors that slid closed behind us.

I put m’hand on the rail, vaguely recallin’ that wee rooms like this would move. I remembered pressin’ the buttons with Ben and jumpin’ up and down tae make it bounce. “What is it called? I hae forgotten.”

“An elevator, or a conveyance.”

I planted my feet with my hands folded in front of me while it lifted.

She asked, “When was the last time ye were in an elevator?”

“Och, almost a decade of livin’ in drafty medieval castles, I dinna remember at first, but it has come back tae me now.”

She mused, “When I first time traveled I had never been in one, I thought I would faint away.”

I said, “Where, here?”

“Aye, when yer grandfather Donnan requested me tae come, I had never seen such riches before.”

The door slid open and Lady Mairead stalked down a grand hallway tae a door guarded by men. They bowed when she approached, and opened the door for her. I followed her in.