The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,29

tae make it through without being altered. We need tae keep it as a record.” She smoothed the front of her hair.

I said, “Ye winna answer me?”

“Nae, Magnus, I daena like being told what tae do. Ye need tae let me go. I told ye, I hae tae handle this.”

“I ken, ye will do as ye please, but now ye hae dragged me intae it. Ye are bringing a danger down on my family and…”

I watched her, her head held high, haughty and furious, but it was in that moment that I saw at her neck, under the scarf tied there, a flash of gold. I grabbed her by the neck and yanked the scarf down.

“Magnus! Nae!”

I had exposed a tight gold band adhered tae the skin of her neck.

“What is it?” I stepped back. “He has put this on yer neck?”

Her hand went tae it, reflexively.

“It means ye are being forced — ye are compromised, how long hae ye been under his power?”

“Since he gave me the Trailblazer, Magnus.”

“Och.” I took another step back. “When ye came tae Florida, yer neck was bare, ye dinna hae it on. Ye were from a different time.”

“I daena ken, I daena remember, Magnus—”

A flash in my mind, placing her under arrest, she was wearing... what had she been wearing? I couldna remember, but I thought her neck had been bare...

I took another step back. “We are in another timeline, things hae been changing, even since I was last in this room.”

She pulled the scarf up over her neck.

“Hae ye been following his orders? Have ye conspired against me, hae ye stolen from me?”

She shook her head. “Nae, but Magnus, ye see, I hae tae go. Please, show me mercy, ye canna imprison me. He will kill me and I am the only person who can keep our family safe.”

I stared down at her face, she wore a look in her eyes of fear and anguish. “I daena ken why ye winna trust me, I might be able tae help.”

Her hands were clasped, pleading. “Tis nae that I daena trust ye, tis that I am tryin’ tae protect ye.”

I nodded. “Gather yer things.”

“Thank ye, Your Highness.” She was demure and humbled, nodding and not meeting my eyes, cowering, a state I had rarely seen her in. Last time had been when she cowered in front of Donnan. I dinna like the comparison.

Eighteen - Magnus

I led her down the halls with Colonel Quentin and General Hammond behind us. “Ye will return on the morrow. I will need tae ken how yer meetin’ with Sir Paddy transpires.”

She said, “Daena forget ye hae a big dinner event tonight.” She looked at her watch. “There is only an hour afore ye are expected. Please trim your beard, ye still hae the look of a sixteenth century barbarian.”

We stopped in at her office. She pulled a ring of keys from her pocket, unlocked the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a stack of documents. She leafed through them. Some she returned to the drawer, others she passed tae me one by one. “A birth certificate and a passport for Archie.”

I looked through them. “Good, ye hae him as an American.”

“Yer bairn are growing up in Florida, whether I approve or nae. Here is your birth certificate and a passport.” Mine were British.

Then she passed me another stack of papers, tied with a ribbon. “I had his name officially changed tae Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell the second.”

“Thank ye.” I passed them all tae Hammond. “When ye go tae Florida, give these tae Kaitlyn.”

Lady Mairead said, “Tomorrow ye hae two meetings scheduled: One with the Minister of the Interior. The other with the city developer. They will be public meetings. Get some sleep ye will need tae look vigorous.”

Quentin chuckled.

Lady Mairead pointed at Quentin. “Quentin, ye see tae it he gets some sleep. I daena want him tae look poorly. He is too thin a’ready. His subjects will turn on him and the usurpers will be lining up tae battle him for the throne.”

Tae me she said, “Eat more dessert, ye need the padding in your shirt.”

Then I said goodbye and allowed her tae travel freely.

Nineteen - Magnus

After a long and boring dinner, when all of the important guests had left, Quentin leaned in and said, “So really, any of these men could be the ones stealing from you, right?”

“All of them, every man in the world. We daena hae control of the vessels, and the timeline is