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

30. Chapter 30 - Magnus

CHAPTER 30 - MAGNUS

OAKHURST INN - CHARLOTTESVILLE - 1775

A sgall fired his gun and I leapt from m’chair. “Nae!” Everythin’ went red in my fury.

He leveled the gun at me, “Sit down.”

“Ye let me see tae her, ye let me attend tae my wife!”

“I said sit down!”

I sat down.

“Good boy.”

I growled and asked, “Kaitlyn, ye well? Kaitlyn!”

She mumbled something I couldn’t hear. Och nae, would she survive?

Time stood still. I was frantically running through m’mind how I would beat him without a weapon.

I lifted the edge of the tablecloth but could only see Kaitlyn’s feet.

Asgall was speakin’ about how much trouble he was goin’ tae cause for me.

I glanced at the front door, there was a guard there. Another near the stair. There were men outside. I wasna certain how many.

I had tae get the gun, shoot Asgall, pick up Kaitlyn, and escape.

I came tae the thought that I would stand and throw m’chair at Asgall tae disarm him. But I needed a distraction — Master Taylor, the manager of the inn, emerged from the back room, carryin’ a tray with three copper shot glasses.

He looked verra nervous. His hands shook. He kept his eyes averted.

Asgall glared menacingly.

He placed a glass directly in front of Asgall and then one at the edge of the table as if it were for Kaitlyn, who lay on the ground, moaning. Then he put one beside me, tae my right hand. He bowed and for a brief second met my eyes — I took it tae mean he saw what was happening and would lend a hand if the moment and capability arose.

Then he backed out of the room.

Asgall sneered. “Dost ye see, Mag Mòr? He is too afraid tae remain out here, now that is a weak, frightened man, but I do like tae see men sweat. Do ye?”

I picked up m’glass. “Do I what ?”

“Enjoy making men suffer in front of ye?”

“Nae, I am too honorable for it.”

“Are ye now…?” His smile grew slithery. “I see though that ye hae the honor of a barbarian. Ye would drink yer whisky without asking yer wife tae join us at the table tae celebrate?”

“She has been injured, ye insufferable pustulating bawbag, what are we celebratin’?”

“That I won . Surely ye canna let her lie there like my worn-out whore when a celebration is happening.”

“Och nae. I just want ye tae understand that those are goin’ tae be yer last words.”

He said, “Kaitlyn, bitch, get up and hae a drink.”

She moaned.

He added, “See, those weren’t my last words, I am still goin’.”

I raised m’glass. “Here’s tae Arse-gall, the emperor of time, a cheat, a liar, a creep, and a dishonorable cowardly fool.”

I drank my shot of whisky.

He drank his shot.

I thought tae myself. Jump up, grab my chair, swing?—

But he immediately began tae grab at his throat, then he dropped the gun, clawing at his collar, his mouth beginning tae drool with foam.

I watched in shock as Asgall’s face turned red, then purple. He raked at his throat, gasping and sputtering. His eyes bulged as he struggled tae breathe.

I grabbed the edge of the table and flipped it at him, sending glasses crashing tae the floor. As he tipped back in his chair, choking and gasping, I lunged forward and tackled him tae the ground.

Behind me I heard a gun fire, and then another blast and another.

Kaitlyn shrieked.

We grappled on the floor, Asgall still clawing at his throat with one hand while tryin’ tae fend me off with the other.

I held Asgall in a chokehold as I fumbled around on the rug for the gun, when from the corner of my eye, I saw a young man, wearing a colonial coat and a powdered wig, carryin’ a modern rifle. He killed another of Asgall’s guards as he stalked toward us.

Twas Archibald, grown, savin’ us from death. He was straight and tall and commandin’. I was verra proud watchin’ him dish out retribution on our enemy — twas a glorious sight.

Then he stood over me. “Da, move!” I rolled tae the side. There was a deafening bang as he shot Asgall in the head, killin’ him for good.

More armed guards rushed in. I jumped tae my feet and Archibald and I overturned the table in front of Kaitlyn. We crouched behind it and fired, but soon I was out of ammunition. He pushed his bag toward me. I rifled through it, papers, folders, a vessel and guns. I grabbed one tae fire again, as Archibald killed another of the guards.

Then the rest turned and fled. We waited, but nae more were coming. The dining room was littered with four bodies, the air thick with gunpowder and smoke, and that eerie silence that came with m’ringing ears after a war.

I jumped up and grabbed Kaitlyn. “Are ye well?”

Archibald was beside Asgall digging through his pockets, then he stood, grabbed Asgall by the arms, and began draggin’ his body tae the hall.

He yelled, frantically, “Is Ma okay, will she survive it?”

“I think so?—”

She was noddin’. “Yes, Archie, I’m...” Then she groaned and put her head back down.

Archibald yelled, “I hae tae get him out of here, she needs a doctor, is she goin’ tae be okay?”

I tried tae pull her skirt up tae see the damage.

Archie was draggin’ the body down the hall — “We hae tae get out of here, men are comin’ tae investigate!”

Kaitlyn mumbled, “Where are my babies?” She looked tae be out of her mind with shock.

I scooped her up in my arms, her skirts heavy with blood. “Tis Archie here, all grown up, ye are goin’ tae see yer babies soon.”

He dragged Asgall’s body in front of us, leaving a long streak of blood down the hall.

“Aye, tis me, Ma — tis Archie, please daena die. We hae tae get away.”

The staff of the inn cowered behind the doors.

We rushed down a hall past the kitchen, past a wide-eyed maid and Master Taylor who pressed themselves against the wall.

Archibald said, “Thank ye, sire, for yer help,” as we passed.

Master Taylor nodded grimly.

Archibald said, “Tell them twas us, tell them twas Archibald Campbell who did it, ye had nothing tae do with it. They were bandits!”

Then, yellin’ from excitement and fear, he slammed himself against the door and dragged the body down the steps outside. “Ma! Hold on!”