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

28. Chapter 28 - Kaitlyn

CHAPTER 28 - KAITLYN

OAKHURST INN - CHARLOTTESVILLE - 1775

M ost of the diners had rushed out when we entered. Asgall yelled, “Everyone out!” at the rest.

I tried to jerk my head toward Asgall, signaling we needed help. Please help, I tried to plead with my eyes as the last customers hurried away. If only they could call 911 — of course they couldn’t. Did they even have police in this time period?

Magnus was shoved against the wall, knocking over a table, spilling drinks and shattering glassware to the ground. The manager of the inn, Jacob Taylor, fled to the back room. Asgall banged Magnus against a chair as they passed.

Guards blocked the door, making sure no one returned.

Asgall shoved Magnus down into a chair at a table, and said to me, “Sit down, Kaitlyn.”

Magnus said, “What are ye doin’ here, Arse-wipe?” He was scanning Asgall and the room for any sign of weakness.

We needed something we could turn into a weapon. Our chairs? I could fling a chair at him, but it was heavy, I might not be strong enough, plus Asgall held a gun, pointed at Magnus.

Magnus said, “Let us go tae a place with privacy, we can talk this out?—”

Asgall leaned back in his chair, the gun pointed at Magnus. “We were in a private place, but ye escaped, therefore we are now here, in the middle of Charlottesville. Ye hae nae where tae go. I hae all the vessels turned off, yer family strewn tae the wind?—”

Magnus said, “Ye think ye are winnin’, but ye are makin’ a great many mistakes.”

“Oh really? And what might they be?”

Magnus raised his brow.

Asgall said, “Well…?”

Magnus said, “I am not one tae tell ye, just ken, I can see ye doing it. I am rejoicin’ in it.”

Asgall raised a hand and snapped. “Service, barkeep! Mistress! We need service, come!”

A maid emerged from the hall looking flushed and upset as she approached the table.

He said, “We want a round of drinks.”

He kept the gun down below the edge of the table, but I could see the heat crawling up her face. She looked as frightened as I felt.

“Yes, sire, what drinks would you like, sire?”

“Where did the barkeep go?”

“He wanted to give you some privacy, sire.”

He grunted. “How about something tae take the edge off, whisky for each of us.”

She nodded, bowed, and rushed out of the room. I thought I saw from the corner of my eye a man’s feet in the hallway. Someone else was there. Was it one of Asgall’s guards?

Asgall said, “I was waiting for yer ransom tae be paid when ye so rudely left. I told yer bitch of a mother that she was supposed tae give up yer kingdom and we had barely begun the?—”

I said, “She hasn’t answered you yet? Maybe you have the wrong number?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Maybe she daena care if ye live or die.”

Magnus shrugged. “She can be irascible, true. She does care, but is unlikely tae show it. Tis something I hae grown used tae, but I will warn ye, whether she cares or not, she inna likely tae submit tae ye. Especially not tae turn over the kingdom.”

While he spoke there was a bead of sweat rolling down his face, it was hot, suffocating in these thick clothes, and the situation was grim. Asgall had our gun, he had the upper hand in everything.

Asgall said, “Ye are too witless tae see how I hae won. Ye will never see yer bairns again, and I will let ye die here in the dirt of Colonial Virginia. Nae one will ken ye were here except Jefferson. Ye will be a side note in history.”

I threw my hands together and began to plead, “Please let us see our bairns. You could send us back there, that’s it, we just want to see them. You can go back to amassing all your land and power and we will stay in Florida, or Riaghalbane.” I saw Magnus wince, but I kept going, “We’ll stay there. You won’t hear from us again.”

He chuckled. “Ye see, now that I ken what a weak man ye are, Magnus, yer wife speaking for ye, yer heart guidin’ ye — ye would give up time travel for yer family tae be reunited? Och, ye are the weakest of men. How can I let ye rule? How can I allow ye tae exist when ye are so weak?”

“I will meet ye in the arena, ye will see.”

He raised his brow. “That’s better.”

“Winner takes all, as it has always been.”

“Why would I fight ye tae the death when I can just shoot ye now, be done with it, and get all?”

“Because only a coward would do such a thing.”

He chuckled.

I couldn’t help it, my hands were still folded in front of me and all I could think of was convincing him to let me see my bairns. “Please, I just want to see my?—”

He flicked his wrist and it sounded like a clap of thunder. I shrieked. Pain shot up the side of my thigh. Air had been sucked from the room. My chair tipped and I collapsed on the ground, banging my bruised cheek on the thin woven rug, holding the place in my skirt where it hurt, feeling a warm wetness flow down my leg.

I couldn’t tell what I felt, not really, just warm wet and total shock — that motherfucker shot me, he took my babies away and now he shot me.

From far away I could hear my husband yelling and Asgall diabolically laughing and…

There was a bloom of red spreading on my skirts. I pressed my hands to it, as I saw a man’s feet, delivering drinks to the table.

Magnus’s voice from far away, “Kaitlyn, ye well? Kaitlyn!”

I mumbled, “That motherfucker shot me, I think he shot me.”

I could hear glasses being placed on the table above me. I was shot, lying on the floor, and our whisky was being served? What was happening?

My mind spun, the patterns on the rug seemed to swirl and move — Was I going to die?

Asgall’s feet were splayed, he looked comfortable and relaxed, Magnus’s feet were jiggling, he was tense and agitated. This wasn’t good, Magnus had told me many times, the agitated guy was not usually the winning guy. He was probably desperately worried about me and it was likely making it hard to think.

I said, my voice barely projecting, “I’m okay, I’m going to get up…” I pushed myself up, leaning on my arm. I had a view of Master Taylor’s feet as he strode away, and caught a glimpse of another man in the shadows. Even with a powdered wig my heart recognized him — Archie.

He shook his head and gestured: quiet, still, stop.

I didn’t understand how he was here and what was going to happen, but it made sense to collapse and watch the moving patterns on the rug again. I folded my hands and prayed that somehow we would survive.