Relic - Jaid Black Page 0,11

keep humans from being able to hide any contraband. The doctor was passing her test so far.

“We were prisoners there too.” Octavia nodded toward James who had just pushed his hood off. “I never saw you before.” Of course, she hadn’t seen James either until the night they escaped, but she didn’t mention that part. She wanted the doctor to explain himself before she bothered freeing him. “How could that be?”

“They mostly kept me in the infirmary.”

Octavia’s eyebrows rose. She hadn’t been aware that any humans had received medical care in the camps. When she pointed that out, the doctor explained, “The traitors received care. It was my job to patch up the collaborators.”

Honesty. She liked that. His tone said he hadn’t found his job particularly rewarding, but like the rest of the prisoners he’d done what he had to in order to stay alive. That she could deal with. Respect it even.

The doctor went to talking in that gibberish language again. It quickly became apparent his giant of a cellmate wanted to know who she and James were and what was going on. She had no way of knowing what sort of answer the stoic man was being given.

“Don’t talk to him,” James ordered. “If you want out of here you talk to us.”

The doctor sighed. “I’m trying to appease everybody.” He shrugged his weary shoulders. “This man—” He pointed to the bigger of the two men. “—saved my life when I came through the portal. Because of me, he’s in this dungeon.”

Octavia glanced back to the giant in question, their gazes again clashing. She sensed that he’d never taken his eyes off her, which for some reason left her feeling unnerved. She wasn’t the type to easily unsettle so her reaction made no sense. She chose to ignore it—and him.

“Are the men who forced me into the portal coming for me?” the doctor whispered.

“No.”

“What happened to them?”

“I happened to them,” Octavia said. Again, she inclined her head toward James. “He took care of the Xenocanns who were trying to follow you.” She sighed. “One feeder made it through, though.”

The doctor visibly gulped. She ignored that—for now. They didn’t have all the time in the world. The three dead soldiers on the other side of the door would be noticed sooner rather than later, she supposed.

“Where are we?” Octavia flatly asked. “Or should I say when are we?”

The doctor slowly nodded. “We’re exactly where we were.” He nervously cleared his throat. “But the year is 1301 A.D.”

Octavia sighed as she briefly closed her eyes. She was afraid he was going to say something like that.

“We better get going,” James muttered. “We can process this shit later, somewhere safe.”

“Do you know where we can hide?” Octavia asked. “Assuming we let you out?”

The doctor shook his head. “I ended up in this prison almost immediately after I was shoved through the portal.” He pointed to the big man again. “But I’ve a feeling he knows where safety is.”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “He’s in a dungeon. I highly doubt—”

“—Because of me,” the doctor quickly reminded her. “I know he was planning to escape and I’m certain he would have. Look at him for the love of God!”

She permitted herself one brief glance. Again, that unnerving stare followed her every word.

“Ask him if he’ll hide us,” Octavia instructed the doctor before she changed her mind. “We need some place safe to talk. I’ve got a lot more questions. Starting with, how the fuck do you even know what your cellmate is saying?”

Angus kenned the wench was avoiding his stare a’purpose. He didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much he could do about it as things stood. Now when he was free…

“She wants to know,” Doctor translated, “if you can take us somewhere safe?”

One of the laird’s eyebrows rose. “Safe from the English?”

“Yes.”

It pleased him that she was looking to him for safety even if she was doing her damnedest to avoid looking at his person. “Aye. I can do that this verra moment. I but need my sword and my horse.”

“Do you know where they are? I mean to say, I saw where they put them, but I don’t know my way around here.”

Angus slowly inclined his head. “Aye. I ken exactly where the bluidy English put them both.”

“Okay,” Doctor said. He seemed pleased by the laird’s answer. “Then let’s get out of here.”

Angus looked to Colban and back to the bewitching beauty. “Aye. Let us be gone.”

Octavia made short work of picking