Page 52 of Entangled With You

“Well that, my husband, is literally the same thing. If he’s a danger to one of us, it’s to both of us. I’ll be careful. You be careful. But we need to get ourselves out of the cold. And him out of the cold. He has a mother and a father back in 2019, he can’t disappear here, imagine what that would do to his family?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “So now I am responsible for Quentin and Tyler and⁠—”

“We are responsible. Plus he might be helpful. He was military. He could drive one of the machines, help us get them out of here.”

“Och, aye. I will accept your word on it. Do you think he can ride a horse?”

“I hope so because we aren’t all fitting on one.”

25 - KAITLYN

Ireturned to speak to Tyler.

I explained to him we would get him back to Florida very quickly, but, and he agreed, we couldn’t do it yet because that shit hurt. And we needed to get out of the cold. I mentioned that we were here to pick up Quentin. I spoke fast and sure and managed to convince him that he didn't have any more questions.

Frankly it was like he was in shock.

Much like how I felt after every time jump.

Magnus assigned us jobs and Tyler went straight to being argumentative about the ‘how’ of packing up our gear but overall he was helpful. Magnus ignored him mostly and I had to be the go-between. We unpacked the saddlebags on the horses once they were subdued enough from the pain of time-jumping and kept everything that looked expensive or important. My guess is that the men had been from the past. Their clothes seemed like it, but then again they were well fed, good teeth, clean. I couldn’t place them in any part of history.

We packed our stuff onto the horses. Tyler did luckily know how to ride.

Magnus made Tyler follow, but said, “I will have my back on ye, but also, Kaitlyn is on my horse. I am trustin’ ye nae tae try anythin’ dangerous while she is close.”

Tyler scowled. “I won’t try anything.”

We, Magnus and me on one horse, a horse full of our supplies, and Tyler in the rear, headed in the direction of Balloch Castle.

It wasn’t far.

But near the end of the trail, Magnus slowed our horse.

“What’s happening?”

“Shhh. I am listenin’.”

I listened too, but it was all very very quiet. Nothing to actually listen to. Magnus looked left and right and around and behind us. He said, quietly, “Move from the trail.” He turned our horse toward the woods and Tyler expertly moved his horse from the trail as well.

We all went still in the midst of the trees. Listening. Waiting.

Finally Magnus gestured with his head away from the castle, and he silently moved our horses the opposite way we came. I held on with my arms around his back. Scared by his silence. Waiting for what would come next.

“What happened back there?”

Magnus said, “The castle has been captured.”

My voice went quiet. “How did you know?”

“Twas verra quiet. Without the sounds of the usual day.”

Tyler said, “That’s the way it sounds right before an ambush.”

Magnus said, “Och, aye.” We rode quietly for a moment. “We will go to the village, see if my family has gone there, find out what has happened. Twill be a cold ride. Can ye accomplish it, Tyler?”

“Yeah. I can do it.”

Magnus urged the horses and their pace quickened.