She grinned. “Cool part is now you think playing in creeks is fun.”
“I never stopped liking that.”
“So how old is Fraoch?” I asked.
Hayley said, “We’d have to chop him down like a tree to count his rings.”
He asked, “Tis a thing?”
Magnus said, “Aye. Ye can count the rings of a tree tae see how auld they are. I learned of it from Kaitlyn. Ye wouldna believe how auld the trees can be.”
I looked up at the tree canopy. “There are likely to be some trees here that are still alive in my time, three hundred years on.”
“Och, tis wondrous,” said Magnus.
Fraoch said, “These trees would be in your time?”
Hayley said, “Yes, I mean, it might be hard to find the exact ones, but there are some. I’m sure of it.”
I said, “Like the castle.”
“The castle is still there in your time as well?”
I said, “Hayley and I have seen it with our own two eyes.”
“Ye hae been here in your time?”
“I have,” said Hayley, “I crossed the ocean in an airplane and came to this castle during a storm. It was incredibly brave of me.” She joked, “Quentin was there too.”
He joked, “If I remember correctly you were hungover and bellyaching the whole time.”
“Then Kaitlyn time-jumped and we don’t talk about that. You and I went to a pub and we were freaking out and went home the following day. It was all very exciting.”
I shuddered. “I do not like to think about it.”
Fraoch said, “How long did it take ye tae travel from Scotland tae Florida?”
Hayley looked at him seriously. “A few hours. And it’s not magic.”
Magnus said, “Aye, tis a carriage with wings that flies through the sky up among the clouds.”
Archie said, “Airplane! Airplane!”
“Hae ye been inside one, Og Maggy?”
“I haena but I have stood on the sand and watched them sail across the skies. I canna believe they can do it. I ken it sounds as if I am lyin’, but then I look up and hae tae believe m’eyes.”
I said, “Someday I want to take you on an airplane, Magnus, I truly do. Once this stops being death-defying.”
“If our lives are ever nae death-defyin’, ye want tae take me up intae the clouds?”
“Yes, one hundred percent.”
Fraoch looked up at the sky. “Would ye go, Og Maggy?”
Magnus glanced at Fraoch. “Aye, I will go intae the clouds.”
“Ye would?”
“Aye, I have been on a highway in a verra large ship on wheels, hurtlin’ at great speed tae the Disney World. I would go on an air ship if it were tae somewhere good.”
I said, “I can think of a million good places, but I think I would like to take you to Scotland in my day. To go as tourists. To rent a car and put baby car seats in the back and travel around looking at the highlands.”
Magnus said, “It sounds terrifying and beautiful and heart rendin’.”
“I guess it does now that I think of it — this beautiful place without the people we love in it.”
James walked up a moment later. “Sean said there’s movement in the woods. He’s sent scouts. He’s asking for you to come back. At least I think that’s what he said, I understood about two of the words.”
We picked up the wee’uns and returned to the castle even more attentive and guarded than before. Suddenly we all felt that danger was imminent.
Nine - Magnus
Our priority was sendin’ Chef Zach and his family home. We left Kaitlyn, Madame Hayley, and Madame Beaty with the children in the nursery and loaded Chef Zach and his family ontae an ATV. Fraoch and I were tae accompany them on horseback. Quentin and James were tae ride the other ATV.
Zach was nervous, as was Madame Emma, but Ben was nappin’ in her arms. The plan was for them tae travel while Ben was asleep tae keep him from the pain or worry of it.
The gates were raised and we drove from them, heading for the clearing. Quentin drove ahead, looping through the woods to make sure it was clear. We followed in a tight formation around Zach, and Emma, and Ben.
At the clearing, I gave a vessel tae James, as he would jump first, tae arrive a day earlier. His plan was land on his uncle’s property and find his way tae his truck.
Chef Zach said, “There is one thing I have to tell you, James. First, I used your truck to try and evacuate during the storm and um, there was a fucking mailbox that jumped out at me. I bludgeoned it with your truck. It was one of those kinds that was cemented down or something, stronger than you would think.”
“What the hell did you do that for?”
Chef Zach said, “I don’t know, the hurricane was throwing shit at me, I couldn’t see it.”
“Do you think you scratched the paint?”
Quentin said, “Definitely, paint scratched, big ass dent.”
James said, “Okay, at least tell me you broke the mailbox, at least give me that.”
“Sure, I crushed that fucking mailbox.”
“Okay, after I rescue your ass with your wife and kid, I’ll call your insurance company and we’ll work it out like civilized people.”
Chef Zach said, “Or we could just duel.”
James said, “Oh yeah? While you’ve been in the castle kitchens, I’ve been hanging out with Og Maggy’s big brother, Sean. I learned a thing or two about dueling.”
I asked, “What did ye learn? Because last I fought m’brother Sean, twas easy tae beat him.”
James joked, “Well, I’m not a hundred percent sure what I learned. I seriously can’t understand most of what he’s saying, but I learned how to stand like this.” He stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword in a manner that looked much like Sean Campbell and we all laughed.
Quentin said, “Gaelic is easy to pick up. When we’re all back home we’ll practice. I know enough to get by.”
James said, “It’s a deal.”
Quentin said, “Okay, you’re going to leave with only one storm. James, you’re arriving in Yulee a day early, you’ll be extra cautious. You’ll do some snooping about the security guard, make sure he’s okay, you’ll get your truck, maybe the records or computers, important things If it’s safe. If you can.”
“I can.”
“If you can’t, you’ll get another truck.”
“I might anyway, it would be better than driving around in one that lost a fight with a mailbox.”
“Then you’ll be waiting for Zach and fam and you’ll drive them to a new safe house.”
Chef Zach said, “Easy.’”
“Then, you’ll go dark.”
Emma said, “We have the secret accounts I set up, the financial bug-out-bag.”
Quentin said, “This plan is foolproof.”
James said, “And I’ll return here tomorrow, to give you the details on the new set-up.”
I said, “Nae, one week. Daena forget we hae tae hae one week between, for turnin’ around in time.”
Quentin said, “Yeah boss, okay. James, one week. See ya here on Saturday.”