Hearts Across Time (The Knights of Berwyck: A Quest Through Time Novel ~ Books 1 & 2) (14 page)

K
atherine felt
Riorden
give her hand a reassuring squeeze. She returned it in kind and gave him a hesitant smile. She could feel the rough calluses on his palm and fingers from years of training and holding a sword. From time to time throughout the evening, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing at its golden hilt where the blue, sapphire stone winked at her from the glow of the firelight. She could only imagine the continuous danger he had put himself in over the years that caused his need for constant training. To fight, to go to war, to kill without thought, or to survive. She shuddered at the peril he had endured and knew he surely thought nothing of it, since it was a part of his way of life. She would have to get used to it, as well, if it was to become a part of hers.

She supposed it spoke volumes he still sat next to her and hadn’t bolted. She surmised that the fact the other four medieval men remained seated, as well, listening to the unfathomable tale of time and fate she imparted, said the same of them. From their expressions, however, she wasn’t sure they weren’t actually ready to get on their horses and ride as fast and far as the wind would carry them to any other destination than their current location. At least Riorden already understood, at least as much as was humanly possible, the unbelievable miracle that had brought four women eight hundred years into the past. He had, after all, had a conversation with a ghost several times, a ghost that had become flesh and blood, so what was there not to believe? And yet, it was a lot to take in over dinner and a campfire.

She thought of how the men had all grimaced when they learned to what lengths the women had gone to ensure Tiernan’s escape. Aiden, in particular, had scowled at Emily ferociously, and it had appeared to take everything within his power to remain in control. Katherine wasn’t exactly sure if Aiden wouldn’t like to just grab a hold of her friend and turn her over his knee for a good old fashioned spanking. It was either that, or perhaps kiss her for her foolishness. Either one wouldn’t have gone over well with Emily, given, it was Katherine’s belief, that the only one Em wished to be kissing was Tiernan.

Telling Riorden of Tiernan’s escape was almost easier than she thought it would be, especially with her last dream still haunting her. Attempting to tell them of how they had gotten here, which to be honest was still a huge stretch of the imagination, was, in fact, more difficult. The women could hardly believe it themselves. What they held in their purses would be even more startling.

“I know it’s not easy to believe something like this can happen. I only know that it did. Call it fate. Call it God answering my prayers. Call it whatever you want…and yet, here we are, sitting with you fine gentlemen in a time not our own,” Katherine said quietly to the group. She looked up into Riorden’s handsome face and reached up to gently caress his cheek. He placed a kiss within her palm before clasping her hand again with his own. “I can’t say that I’m sorry, for obvious reasons.”

“Mayhap, ’twas faeries!” Patrick exclaimed excitedly. “I hear they can be most mischievous creatures, if they want to be.”

Aiden laughed at his brother’s words. “Maybe I shall go back to Bamburgh and see if these faeries will take me to your future. I can only imagine what wonders your modern times may hold!”

Riorden smirked at Aiden’s enthusiasm for time travel. “Do not even think of tempting Fate, my young friend. Besides...your sister would kill you,
and
me, if you attempt such a phenomenon. I would not wish to answer to Dristan, either, truth be told, of your disappearance.”

“Well…mayhap you have that aright,” Aiden said glumly, turning his attention to Katherine. “Perchance you have something you can show us instead?”

“Is that a good idea?” Danior questioned. “Too much information is sometimes not a good thing.”

The women exchanged knowing looks over the flames of the fire and laughed.

“It’s good to know, that even through time, some beliefs don’t change,” Brianna chimed in. At Gavin’s puzzled gaze, she continued. “We pretty much have the same thoughts in our day.”

Gavin nodded and reached out for her hand. She took it without hesitation. “Do you wish to go home? Go back to
your
time, I mean?” he asked, as if afraid of her answer.

Katherine observed Brie’s smile fade and could almost imagine her thoughts running amuck in her head as she gazed at Gavin. Handsome, strong, a living and breathing knight with chivalry ingrained into his very soul. He was someone Brianna could fall head over heels in love with, if the opportunity presented itself, or so Katherine thought. What was there not to like about the man who sat next to her friend, waiting with baited breath for Briana’s response to his question?

“I don’t know if that’s even possible,” Brianna whispered, with a small catch to her voice.

“But if it were, would you want to go back?”

Katherine’s breath caught at the look that quickly passed between the couple, for it was almost as if she had eavesdropped on a private conversation between two souls.

“I think I’d rather stay here with you,” Brianna declared, letting her answer linger between them. It apparently pleased him, since he placed a kiss on the back of her hand, and she sighed at such a lovely gesture of gallantry.

It appeared as if Danior and Juliana were having the exact same dilemma racing through their hearts, especially given the stolen glances they continually gave one another. Katherine watched as Danior finally gave in to the battle within him and opened his arms to Jewels. She didn’t hesitate and rushed into his embrace. Silence surrounded them. At least, Jewels wasn’t embarrassing herself by laughing at something only she found amusing.

Juliana placed her hand over his heart and Danior covered it with his own. Katherine strained to hear her softly spoken words. “I’m so afraid for you, Danior.”

“Have no fear, my lady. All will be well,” he replied, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

She lifted her gaze to his with tear filled eyes. “But, the king…”

He smiled and leaned forward. “Let me worry about the king, Lady Juliana.” He kissed her. Juliana didn’t seem to mind, her contented sigh told Katherine.

Emily, on the other hand, was looking around at all the happy couples with a frown on her face. Katherine knew Emily was feeling left out. But then she saw Em make the mistake of casting a quick look at Aiden, who gazed on her as if he too thought she might favor his attentions. His brow rose up in a silent question that anyone with common sense could understand perfectly well. Emily shook her head no. Aiden ignored her and did the unthinkable. Before Emily knew what Aiden intended, he leaned forward and placed his lips on hers.

The moment their mouths made contact, their eyes flew wide open in shock and they froze in place, lip-locked and staring at one another with dismay. Then they quickly drew apart. Emily’s chest was heaving, and Katherine could tell, just by looking at her, that Em was not happy, at all. In fact, she looked completely grossed out. Her mouth formed a grim line and her eyes narrowed to meet his. He, too, had almost the same appalled expression.

“Yuck...that was disgusting! Don’t ever do that again,” Emily threatened, poking him in the chest with her finger at each word to ensure she got her point across.

His features showed the same amount of horror from their encounter. “My apologies, Lady Emily,” Aiden replied awkwardly, with a small nod of his head. “I cannot explain it or even fathom the idea that as I kissed you…well…I felt as if…I fear as if…’twas, as if I kissed my own sister. Please, take no offense, but ’twas most unpleasant.”

“None taken,” she said shortly. “Maybe there’s a reason why you and I come to blows and annoy each other so much. You remind me a little too much of my own older brother. My most obnoxious older brother, I should add.”

“Then, I shall take over the duties of an older brother and watch over you, if you would grant me such an honor,” Aiden said sincerely.

“I would like that,” she replied and held out her hand for him to shake. He gave her another unusual expression, so she took a hold of his hand herself, began to shake it up and down, and they sealed their bargain between them. Both promptly began to laugh.

“Such a strange girl,” Aiden muttered.

“Mister, you don’t know the half of it!” Emily laughed and thumped him on the back like an old time friend, or now a long lost brother, until she threw herself into his arms. “Thank you, Aiden. I don’t feel so alone now,” she said softly.

Silence descended upon the group as each person seemed to be caught up with their own confused thoughts as to what the future would hold. Katherine fingered her jeans and could only think of the horror that would befall her, unless she found new clothing, and soon. Again, her hand was squeezed, and Riorden smiled at her. She had the feeling he knew where her thoughts were leading.

“We should reach the village on the morrow. Perhaps, ‘twould be prudent that we procure the women a change of clothing suitable to our time, clothing that would be more in line with remaining unobtrusive,” Riorden said calmly.

“What about our search?” Danior asked. “I must continue on, whether you aide me or not.”

“It might be best if we split up in order that we cover more ground,” Gavin suggested.

“’Tis not something I had not already considered. My main concern is for the safety of the women,” Riorden replied carefully. “I will not take the chance of them being injured, if we must engage Irish rebels.”

“We could divide and meet back at Berwyck. ’Tis not that great a distance, once we reach the next village,” Aiden offered. “They would be safe with Amiria and Dristan.”

“You can’t split us apart!” Juliana and Briana called out in unison.

“Be at ease ladies. ’Twould not be for more than a few days, at most,” Riorden said reassuringly.

Katherine protested. “There must be another way, Riorden. We have to stay together.”

“We have already delayed longer than we should, and the trail grows colder with each passing moment,” Riorden answered.

Brianna held back a sob, turning toward Gavin. “I can’t lose you now that I just found you!”

“Time is of the essence, my lady,” Gavin added, taking a hold of Brianna’s hand.

“Aye, Danior replied. “I must needs return to Bamburgh bearing my wayward prisoner in irons with all due haste. Else, I sacrifice more than just my lands forfeited over to an angry king…much more than I care to part with.”

Juliana sobbed. “I won’t have Danior’s life be at stake just because we don’t want to be apart.”

Emily huffed. “Just like Jewel’s to be the voice of reason. Wouldn’t we be stronger in numbers? Isn’t that how stuff like this goes?”

Patrick tossed a stick into the fire. “We cannot ride as fast as we would like, if we have the women slowing us down. We could leave them at the inn and come back for them,” he suggested.

“Enough, Patrick,” Riorden said with blazing eyes. “I will hear no more of such talk. You do the ladies a disservice by suggesting such an idea.”

“My apologies, my ladies and my lord,” Patrick mumbled, clearly embarrassed he had spoken his thoughts aloud.

“Well, I, for one, go nowhere without the Lady Emily,” Aiden said, putting a brotherly arm around her shoulder. “I did, after all, just now swear to protect her.”

“Enough!” Riorden replied, holding his hand up to halt any further conversation. “We shall decide who goes with who once we have rested at the inn come the morrow.”

“But, Riorden─” Katherine began.

“Nay, Katherine, I will hear no more of this discussion,” Riorden interjected, taking her hand and giving it a quick kiss. “My mind is set. Trust me.”

Katherine nodded, knowing Riorden would look out for their best interests, but she was still uncertain if splitting up was such a good idea. Gazing at her friends, each of them had a look of pure misery at the thought of not being together. She was sure her own reflection looked much the same. She was trying to figure out how to bring the group back to a more pleasant conversation, when Patrick edged slightly closer to her. She grinned as she looked into his youthful face.

“My lady?” he asked with all the curiosity of the young at heart.

“Yes, Patrick?” Katherine asked, trying not to broaden her smile. She just knew where this conversation was going.

“Could you not show us something in your satchel from this future of yours? Something to prove you are not from this time?”

She stole a glance at Riorden, who nodded his consent. There were so many options between the four of them, it was hard to know where to start. “We must be careful, Patrick, and keep this only between us. Do you understand?”

“Aye, milady!” Patrick replied eagerly.

“Well, ladies, what should it be?” Katherine asked her friends. “Shall we break it to them gently, or hit them…how did that song go? Hit me with your best shot, was it?” They all laughed.

“A magazine?” Emily supplied.

“Pens and Paper?” was Juliana’s contribution.

“Music!” Brianna sighed.

“Music? From the lute, or did you have something electronic in mind?” Katherine smirked, causing Emily and Juliana to laugh aloud.

“Cell phones! Definitely get your phone out, Katherine” Brie said excitedly. “Wait until you hear this, Gavin. It’s going to freak you out.”

Gavin had a moment of doubt cross his face. “Do I wish to be…freaked out, Brianna?”

She laughed, again. “Sure! Why not?”

Five medieval heads drew slightly closer and watched intently as Katherine began digging around in her purse for her phone, which was buried at the bottom of everything she carried. She felt a candy wrapper and knew what she would bring out next. Pulling out the purple plastic, she saw she had their undivided attention as she placed it on her lap. She had been keeping the power turned off to conserve what energy she could.

She pushed the power button, and the white apple lit up on the screen. Patrick began to ooh and ah, much to Katherine’s amusement.

“Is there a faerie living in the box, Lady Katherine?” Patrick asked in awe and began to cross himself.