I plowed m’shoulder intae him, knockin’ him tae the ground. I stood over him with my sword pointed at his throat.
I was out of breath, havin’ trouble holdin’ m’ fury. “Ye are weak.”
“Good, Magnus,” said Lady Mairead, “you have saved me a great deal of trouble in your handling of this, well-done. Don’t finish him quite yet though, something remains tae be discussed.”
I groaned. “I mean tae end this now.”
Roderick struggled.
I warned him, “Daena move.”
Two of Lady Mairead’s soldiers arrived. I drew my eyes from Roderick tae see who they were dragging — Fraoch, his face bloodied. They dropped him to the ground beside her.
“Why—?”
Roderick took m’distraction as a chance tae shove m’blade away. It fell in m’surprise, but I dove ontae him and beat him until I had him pinned again. I rose, standing over him, now with a gun aimed at his face.
Keeping my eyes on Roderick, I asked Lady Mairead, “Why hae ye Fraoch? He is m’friend.”
Lady Mairead ignored me. “Roderick, dost ye recognize him?”
Roderick raised his head and glanced at the pile of man who was Fraoch.
“What do you mean?” I bellowed at Lady Mairead.
Lady Mairead leaned over and pulled Fraoch’s head up by his hair. “Dost ye recognize him, Roderick?”
Roderick moaned.
“Explain it!” My hands were shaking as rage roiled up through me. “Who is he? What is he tae you?”
Roderick said, “He is your brother. He is one of Donnan’s sons.”
I bellowed, frustrations and fury, “FRAOCH! What means this?”
Fraoch moaned.
“Fraoch, explain yerself! Ye are m’brother? Ye are after m’throne?”
Lady Mairead said, “He is in line, a competitor, Magnus, after your—”
I roared and pointed m’gun at Fraoch, “Explain it tae me!”
Fraoch said, “I dinna ken.”
I pointed my gun back at Roderick. “You kent he was m’brother? Were ye plannin’ against me, conspirin’ with him?”
Roderick would nae answer.
“Answer me!”
Tae Fraoch I said, “Ye are a liar!”
Roderick said, “Let us all calm down, Magnus, we need to talk.”
“Nae! I winna calm down! Fraoch, ye are the son of Donnan, a time traveler?”
“I dinna ken, Og Maggy—‘
“Daena call me that.”
“I thought m’father tae be dead.”
“Explain yerself, Lady Mairead.”
“I knew about this man. Donnan assured me he would never claim him as his son. He promised me! Then I discovered Donnan’s illegitimate son had ingratiated himself intae yer life, intae our family, Magnus. How could it be? I investigated and found that Roderick hired Fraoch tae kill ye in St. Augustine. He has conspired tae usurp your throne. I kent ye would want tae hear it as soon as I arrived.”
“Fraoch, ye were hired tae kill me?”
“Aye, but I dinna, Og Maggy, I saved yer life.”
I growled in fury.
“Ye are a son of Donnan! Ye hae conspired against me — hae ye time traveled afore?”
“Nae, but my father, m’true father shewed me one once.”
I directed my rage on Roderick. “Ye conspired with m’brother tae murder me?”
Roderick said, “I hired him, but as you are still alive it is proof he is just as incompetent as all sons of Donnan—”
I shot him.
I shot a bullet right intae his chest and turned on Fraoch tae kill him as well.
“I will kill ye for lyin’ tae me, for conspirin’ against the crown, against me—”
A storm rose at the south edge of the field, big and terrifying, it pummeled and beat us. It was hard to stay on m’feet.
Fraoch begged, “I haena done anything, Og Mag—”
I tried tae keep m’arm steady against the wind, tae keep it aimed at him. “Ye are a conspiring, murderous brother, yer life means nothin’ tae me. Yer life is a threat tae me, tae my son.”
Lady Mairead had a gleam in her eye. Her hair whipping around her face,
I turned the gun on her. “There is naethin’ funny here, naethin’ tae gloat about. Ye are a wicked woman and I should kill ye for this.”
She said, “Why? I did nothing. I simply told ye that someone ye trusted was nae trustworthy, ye shouldna kill me for telling ye of it.”
I swung m’gun back tae Fraoch. “Why hae ye been lying?”
Hayley ran up then, from the direction of the storm, shrieking, a guard asked, “Should we let her through?”
Twas too late, she threw herself on Fraoch. “Please Magnus, please don’t kill him, please.”
She was blockin’ m’shot.
“Don’t kill him, he didn’t mean to, we talked about it. He doesn’t know anything.”
“What are ye sayin’ Hayley?”
“He remembers seeing a vessel. His father had one after his mother died. He didn’t know why, he—”