Page 32 of Torin and His Oath (Torin and the Princess #2)

“I have no idea! Prostitution? That’s all I would ever be good at. I couldn’t even understand what they were saying most of the time.”

She said, “You know what you would do: go to a library or find a newspaper or something, get a story done on you, written down, and then we would be able to find you.”

“It’s the year 1558, Jen, don’t think that there are reporters looking for their next story?—”

“Oh right, when was the press invented, anyway?”

“You should know this, teacher. The Gutenberg press was invented in like, mid-fifteenth century, then there was a printing revolution. We learned it in school. But just because there were books printed, doesn’t mean there’s a way to get my name in one.

Besides, even if I could get a message to you, what are you going to do about it?

Do you have a vessel hidden around here? ”

“Nope, you’re right, dumb idea.”

“Yeah. So I was terrified. And you know, I knew he couldn’t be beside me twenty-four seven, but knowing that and being reasonable is not easy when you’re thinking you might die alone in medieval Scotland. So I wasn’t always reasonable.”

She nodded sagely. “Of course not. No one could be reasonable about that, and he’s a monster to have left you.”

“Yeah… he is. And then he left me here, and now he’s gone. Do you think he’ll come back?”

She shrugged and chewed her lip.

“I mean, what did he say?”

“He told us to take care of you, get you to a hospital, to protect you, and um, that he wasn’t coming back.”

I exhaled. “Yeah, and Torin means to be a man of his word. That means he won’t, probably.”

She said, “Oh, and he also said something about ‘farewell, molanan’. What does that mean?”

I raised my brow. “Really, he said that?”

She nodded.

“Mo leannan, means… It’s just his pet name for me.”

She said, “I don’t know if he’s coming back, it didn’t sound like it, but it did sound like you meant a great deal to him.”

“Cooper said he sounded pissed, that he was gone for good.”

She shook her head. “He sounded really scared about you, and like his heart would break. He was desperate, that’s the word I would use. But he had to leave, desperate but forced to go, that’s how he seemed.”

I nodded. “Thanks, that helps. That makes me feel a teeny weeny bit better. He did still leave me, even if he had reasons, even if he’s got important things to do, and he didn’t say goodbye.”

She held out the bag of cookies.

I shook my head.

She said, “I watched my friend get kidnapped and it was freaky. I still can’t get it out of my mind. I’m at school today thinking, ‘I watched my bestie get kidnapped and time travel is real’ — how do I deal with this information?”

“Yeah, how are we the only people in the world who know it’s real?”

She said, “I don’t know, it makes no sense. Now I’ve got a new thing to freak out about, you really saw Torin murder people?”

“I didn’t actually see it, he just told me about it. He killed some of the most murderous asswipes in the history of the world and we are all better off. Does that help?”

“Yeah, it does help. Do you forgive me for not calling the police when you were kidnapped? I couldn’t figure out what they would do because of the whole time travel thing.

I was so worried you wouldn’t come back and then they would ask, ‘why didn’t you call the authorities?

’ And I would have to say, like, ‘because time travel,’ and they would be like, ‘that’s not an excuse, dumb-ass. ’ You’re not mad, right?”

“Nah, I’m not mad, I don’t know how you would explain it.”

“Good.”

She looked at me seriously, then asked, “So where did you two kids sleep? You’re saying inns, and so I can imagine that those have quaint rooms, with rules about unmarried people.

So I assume you had your own bedroom, because of a relationship, that we must talk about next.

And in my imagination the room looks like something out of Pride and Prejudice, maybe with a canopy and a beautiful bowl to wash your face…

Then the dashing Torin stops by your room in the ‘morn’ and knocks twice and calls in, ‘Mistress Lexi, are you up?’ And you say, ‘Yes, coming!’ And then he gives you his arm and… ”

Her voice trailed off. “Close?”

“No, not at all, except the bowl, maybe.”

She whispered, “You s lept together? Was it so hot?”

“No, we didn’t, it wasn’t like that, but we shared rooms. When we slept in the first inn, he slept on the floor beside the bed, and he um… he held my hand so I wouldn’t be frightened.”

“Oh my , that might be even hotter.”

“The next night, we stayed in a wayside, and it was cold and all of our clothes were wet, so we were basically naked. He was totally naked…”

She fanned herself. “Torin was totally naked, near you, you could see him?”

“It wasn’t the first time. The first time he undressed on the side of the river and strode in to bathe. I saw all of his, you know, his everything.”

“Holy cannoli.”

“Yep, absolutely, it’s pretty breathtaking.”

“But you didn’t make any moves, and he didn’t, either?”

“He didn’t. He just had to hold me to keep me warm, and we just happened to be nude. He held me, and it was… good. I’m just not sure he likes me that way.”

She scoffed. “Of c ourse he likes you that way, you’re a beauty, how could he not? And it sounds like you were the perfect combination of lovely and… and I’ve seen how he looks at you. God, you’re so dumb sometimes.”

“Thanks, that’s helpful.”

She laughed quietly. “And then you got sick?”

“Yep, any attraction he felt for me was likely gone when he watched me expel demons from both ends into a bowl in our medieval bedroom.”

She winced. “Oh dear, that’s not good.”

“Yep. There was a woman from the inn who stayed in the room with us. She helped with a lot of my disgusting needs. I was crawling to the bowl, crawling back to bed, missing the bowl, just trying to survive. Torin was witness to all of it. It was totally foul. He’s probably never going to come back. ”

“I’m sorry.” She pouted. “What did he do while you were sick?”

“He held me, he offered me drinks, he held my cup for me, he was shaking, he seemed really worried, he prayed over me, he even went to the church one day. I don’t know if anyone has ever gone to a church to pray over me before.”

“A medieval church, too.”

“Yeah. That gives it some weight, I think.”

“He really likes you, huh?”

I was quiet for a moment then I said, “I thought he did.”

“And you really really like him too.”

My chin trembled.

“Ah, honey.”

I said, “That’s how you started this conversation.”

“Yeah, I know, not sure what to say. Do you love him?”

“I don’t know how to answer that. My idea of love has always been to find a nice guy, to want to sleep with him, to share things, to cook together, to build a life. Start a family. You know?”

She nodded.

“But with Torin it’s trying to survive, and having him be heroic, and almost dying, while he makes oaths, and swears his fealty.”

“And his voice, so deep.”

“Yeah, exactly, it’s impossible to keep my wits about me. It’s my heart more than my head, way more. It’s like I surrendered.”

She said, “Yeah, but what would it look like if you had a relationship with that man? Where would you live? Would you have a family, kids? Would he get a job or would you move back there and live in a world that’s pre-antibiotics?”

I said, simply, “Exactly.”

She chuckled. “You’re right, you’re not keeping your head straight. This is crazy talk.”

I said, “Yeah, Coop tells me that he’s never coming back.”

“Likely not.”

“And if he does, it will cause more trouble than it solves. Torin said, ‘This is goin’ tae cause trouble for ye.’ He’s right.”

She nodded, slowly.

Then said, “Yeah, but his knees .”

“Exactly. Again. It’s like you get me.”

“That’s why we’re besties.” She frowned again. “So you’ve broken it off with Coop and he’s just going to live out there in your back-shack?”

“Apparently.”

“He loves you a lot, you should know that. I know he doesn’t make big dramatic statements about his love for you, but he does love you.

He’s been your boyfriend since forever. And I think if you wanted to have a nice normal life with a husband and kids and someone who’s your friend, you’d be a fool to ignore that he’s right now moving into your back-shack so he can stay close enough to protect you. ”

“Yeah. When you put it that way, it does seem crazy. But also, remember, before Torin arrived, I was already thinking about leaving him. This is true. I already believed we weren’t working, my reasons were valid, and just because he’s now jealous of Torin, and I will remind you, we didn’t actually do anything, but just because of that, Coop’s going to start being more attentive and romantic? ”

“Yeah, he should have had his act together long ago. You’re right, but still, think about what he offers: stability. If you spend the weekend with him you won’t have to go to the hospital in an ambulance for a sickness that could have been solved with over-the-counter drugs.”

I said, “He does love hiking, that could kill me.”

“Ugh, men and their dumb hobbies.” Then she sarcastically asked, “Poor Lexi, you gotta choose between hikes or kidnappings, sword fights, and murders, whatever will you choose?”

“Very funny. When you put it that way… but also, have you seen his knees?”

“I have. I get it. Do you think he might come back today? He’s been back every day before this, but the day is almost gone, right?”

“I don’t know, but I miss him. I wish he were here, and I wish I knew if he’s okay. He will also make this all very complicated.”

She asked, “So what does ‘molanan’ mean?”

I sighed and put my head back. “It doesn’t matter.”

She clapped her hand down on my leg. “Well, I need to go figure out what to serve you for dinner, whatcha want?”

“Not sure, can it be more cookies?”

She grinned. “How about soup and cookies?”

“Perfect.”