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But on this day nae one had measured me,how was the fit so perfect?

It dinna feel up tae chance.

I had a vague feelin’ that I had been standin’ in front of this mirror before.

I grunted and pushed it from my mind, shakin’ my head. Twas battle nerves, naething more.

When I stepped intae the war-room the uncles were already bent over the map, voices low, but I heard Ryan say, “Third time’s the charm, eh, Aeng?—?”

He clipped the words and they straightened as one when I entered.

Ryan’s eyes flicked tae me and away again — too quickly, as if he hoped I hadna heard.

“Third time?”

Ryan said, “Turn of phrase, we are goin’ over the plans.”

I asked, “Has Max returned yet?”

Charlie said, “He’s still dressing.”

The door opened and Max entered, lookin’ like a prince in his uniform. “Torin! Ye look like a respectable military commander and not, as ye usually look, a rogue for hire.” He clapped my shoulder. “How dost our uniforms fit so well? We look like we were born intae them.”

I grunted. “Aye?—”

He moved tae the head of the table. “It gives me a good feelin’, this battle is goin’ tae go our way.” He drew his finger along the route on a map.

He seemed calm, but my misgivings were growin’.

Ryan began tae go over the battle, pointin’ tae where the men would be, I concentrated on the plan, but then noticed from the corner of m’eye that Aenghus wasna focused on the map, instead he drank from a mug and glanced at the clock, twas as if he were bored, as if he had been here before.

A servant enteredand asked if we needed food, Max asked for pizza and was told that it had already been served earlier in the week. He clenched his jaw and a flash of memory hit me.Did ye hear it, Torin...?

I took the moment tae whisper tae Max, “Daena it seem odd that our uniforms fit so well?”

“What…?” He looked down. “Och, I suppose it does.”

“You were here first, did you get fitted for yer coat?”

“Nae, I wasna here long enough.”

“Yet it fits ye — hae we been here before, has this happened already?”

He shook his head. “Nae…” He looked down. “Nae, we would remember, wouldna we?”

I shrugged. “I daena think so. But I hae a feelin’ we hae done this before.”

He straightened his back. “The only reason we would be doin’ this over is because we hae lost. I canna believe twould be true.”

I opened my mouth tae speak.

He said, “We ought not think on it, Torin, we will speak after the battle.”

“Aye, I agree?—”

Alexandria came in then,radiant in a pale blue dress, and for a moment the room belonged tae her. I forgot the wrongness of the moment before, that we were plannin’ a battle that was at once crucial and dangerous, while the expressions on the uncles’ faces had been of resignation. I pushed aside all thoughts of the perfectly fittin’ uniform — there was only her smile when she saw me, the blush on her cheeks, the way she said my name like an exhale of breath that was crossin’ lips I wanted tae kiss.

For a moment there was nae thought but her.