The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,107

through it.” I gulped at the idea of James dying back there and not just losing a friend, but how would Fraoch have saved Magnus without James’s help?

“Don’t tell Quentin though, not sure I want him to know I hurt my shoulder falling off my horse.”

“Truth is, Quentin knows how hard that all is. I don’t think you have to worry about it, but I get it. I’ll keep it to myself.”

I went into the office for our important files. I opened the safe and grabbed out the stack of passports, birth certificates, and other documents. Then my eyes landed on a small framed embroidery, on one of the rows and rows of antique books, first editions most of them, a collection proudly situated on the floor to ceiling shelves. One of the first things I had done when we moved in.

The weird thing was — the embroidery was unfamiliar. I went over and picked it up. It was a Scottish thistle, and above it:

Your heart will always guide you home.

—For Katie, love Barb summer 1997

Oh. I clutched it to my chest. Oh.

I didn’t remember ever seeing it before and it felt a lot like a message that had come through time.

But how?

What was going on?

I placed it, with our important papers, in my backpack. And went downstairs passing James who was carrying two packed bags. I asked, “So where is he?”

“As we fled the scene, Magnus got quieter and quieter and then he started going unconscious. Fraoch got us to a safe place to set up camp. I know the river bank. I can get us back there.”

“He’s in a tent, good, he’s recovering, okay, got it.” I dropped the backpacks down on the pile and dusted my hands. “I’ve got enough gear for me and the kids and—”

Hayley dropped a sack down. “Me, I’m going.”

I nodded. “Sounds good, thank you.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Quentin said, “Beaty and I talked about it, we’re coming too. She’s going to leave Mookie at the stables.”

“Oh, cool, yeah, thank you, Quentin. I’m sure Magnus will be glad to see you, but who will guard over Zach and Emma?”

Zach came in the room with a big packed rucksack. “We’re coming too.”

“Really?”

“Hell yeah, camp-stove, check, cooler, check, knives, check. Magnus needs to recuperate, I’m in. This was Emma’s idea, you can’t talk her out of anything. If Mags needs us, we’re there.”

“This is like a whole other thing, though, we’re going to the sixteenth century.”

Zach said, “Fuck yeah. Quentin, you ever heard anything that bad ass?”

“Been there before, hate camping, but I do like strapping on the old sword, let’s do this.”

And so late at night, when the kids were all cranky and tired, we finally left the hotel, checked out, and drove down to the south end. Quentin, James, and Zach had been carrying loads out to the beach, including the body. Then they brought us all out to the beach.

There we sat, waiting, while Quentin drove the last truck back to the house and had one of the security guards drop him off near us. We had the vessels and monitors, gold thread on the backs of the kids’s heads, and maps and solar panels and so much food and drinks and tents and…

Quentin jogged up. “We ready?”

James passed me the vessel and told me the numbers. I said, my voice tremulous with fear and gratitude, “Thank you, everyone, for doing this with me. I love you all, just… thank you.”

Zach holding Ben, who was wearing footed pajamas, a parka and boots, said, “What did you think, we were going to let you do this fucking by yourself? We’re too committed for that.”

I looked down at Archie, holding my hand, wearing a parka over footed pajamas, his spindly striped legs jutting into warm boots.

And Isla on my hip, tucking her head to my shoulder. “Ready?” I asked, “We go get Da?”

“Go get Da!” said Isla.

Archie said, “Ready.”

And the storm built above us.

Sixty-two - Magnus

I had been up in the morn for a few moments, had a breakfast with Fraoch, and then climbed back intae the bedding tae rest when I heard the zipper sound on the door. “What…?”

Wee bairn plunged intae the tent and fell upon me. “Da! Da!” They were all over me and twas naething tae do but hold ontae them.

“Och, I am relieved tae see ye, bairn, but ye came so far, were ye scared? Did it hurt ye?”

Isla nodded. “Boo boo.” She pointed at her chin, where she had