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From the waistband of his pants he pulled a vessel.

“I won’t go! No! No! I don’t want to go.”

He dropped onto me, his knee on my stomach, pinning me down. I flailed against him trying to rip the vessel from his hands.

“What are you going to do? Storm the castle by yourself? I already did that, he’s captured, now stop struggling and—” He twisted the ends of the vessel and started reciting numbers.

I gave up fighting and tried for pleading. “Please don’t,” I begged. “You have to save him, we can’t — no, please.”

Tyler reached the end of his litany of numbers and the pain of the jump-through-time smacked into me, clenched around every single particle of my body, and ripped me away.

55 - MAGNUS

Putting on my shirt was painful. I had tae stretch out my shoulder tae prepare. I winced when it pulled down over my arms and had to take deep breaths as I pulled up the kilt and buckled it around my waist. It was slow and methodical. I placed the clothes out, put them on slowly. I hadn’t much to do except this and the battle beyond.

I was nervous about the battle. My form had been good until the guards roughed me up, now I was in terrible condition. I wasn’t ready and Samuel kent it. He was plannin’ on it. He wanted a big battle, lots of attention, and he wanted me tae die.

I couldna blame him.

My door slammed open early, I turned to meet it and Lady Mairead was shoved in with an irritated huff. “Daena push me!”

She smoothed her dress and stood spine straight in the middle of my room while the guards slammed the door behind her.

“Samuel has allowed me tae see ye before your battle.”

“How did ye persuade him?”

“I promised him something if ye lose. Tis nae matter, I daena expect tae have tae make good on it.”

I took in a breath. “I haena lost one yet.”

“Exactly. Though ye look terrible.”

“The guards beat me with their boots, there arna many places on my body that daena feel broken. But I plan tae win. Kaitlyn wanted me tae, so I will.”

“The guards told me she escaped arrest?”

“Tyler rescued her. He has taken her tae Florida.”

She peered at me with an inquisitive look. “I assume ye ken what happens next?”

I ran a hand through my hair. “I have seen it.” I shook my head. “I ken they have a bairn together. I ken she will be happy. I learned it a while ago, but when I asked again last night, twas the same. A bit of the story was different, the timin’, but the bit about Kaitlyn becomin’ a mother tae Tyler’s bairn — tis still true. I am learnin’ there is nae changin’ it. It has been written.”

Lady Mairead pursed her lips. “Hmmm, well... I ken tis small comfort but she has always been difficult tae manage. When I picked her⁠—”

“Ye dinna pick her, I did.”

“When ye picked her I saw nae difficulties in the alliance because she was so spirited. But it dinna take long before I learned of the great many demerits of her character, not the least of which is her desire tae take every man tae bed⁠—”

I clenched my jaw. “Daena say another word.”

“Fine, but I am sure ye see she has been a complication tae your rise in power. If ye would forget her tae her history, allow her tae live out her days, happily, I might add, as a mother and a wife tae Tyler Wilson, I think ye would be doin’ your best by her.”

She smoothed the top of my shirt across my chest. “Finally. Because tae be truthful, Magnus, being married tae ye canna have been easy. You owe her the kindness of allowin’ her tae be free of this danger and tae have a normal life. She was verra brave when she chose that ye would fight for your throne. I was impressed with her decision. I think in many ways twas her decidin’ tae let ye be, tae live in your own future, with your kingdom, tae take care of your son. I think she was ready tae let go and finally live a normal life.”

I nodded starin’ at the wall, tryin’ tae stay on top of my grief. “Have ye gone tae our future, seen what is comin’?”

“Nae. I only visit the past, tis commonplace tae visit what has already happened. I like dropping intae a story, as it has been told, and changing it in small parts, but going tae my own future is verra like playing God. I did it only once. I couldna sleep or eat for wanting tae change what would happen.”