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Magnus said, “Och, I ken it, Kaitlyn, but he may be right in this. While I fight ye would be unprotected. Twould be far safer if ye traveled with Tyler, tomorrow, first thing⁠—”

I glared at Tyler for bringing it up. I said to Magnus, “I disagree. I won’t know anything, I’ll just be waiting for you again without⁠—”

“I will come the verra next day, ye winna have tae wait.”

“Unless you don’t, and I won’t ever know what⁠—”

Magnus said, “I have spoken on it. Tis decided.”

“What? Great, you guys are ganging up on me! Since when does Tyler have any say at all in anything, especially me? Thanks Tyler for sticking your nose in where it’s not wanted.”

He held his hands up. “I didn’t mean to start a whole thing, but seriously, what’s to keep Lady Mairead from having you ‘taken care of’ while Magnus is fighting? She was looking at you at dinner like she was making a list of the ways she would end you.”

“Magnus—”

He took a deep breath, his face clouded over. “I want tae spend our last few hours together without argument, Kaitlyn, and I have decided what ye will do on the morrow. You have decided our entire future, would ye nae let me decide something this simple, tae take ye from certain danger?”

I started to speak, but he interrupted, “—and tis nae Tyler decidin’ it, tis me, but ye are arguin’ against me in front of him. Tis how ye want tae carry on?”

I clamped my mouth shut, opened it again, then clamped it shut again. “No I guess not.”

“Good, and so when Tyler jumps tomorrow ye will accompany him. We can leave Lady Mairead from the task.”

I didn’t mean to say anything more, but I did because I was uncontrollable, apparently. “Will Bella get to be there to congratulate you when you win?”

Magnus’s jaw was set. He stood. “Tyler excuse us, we should head tae our room and leave ye from the rest of our discussion.” He opened the door. “Kaitlyn, come.”

“Fine.”

As I left I heard Tyler say, “Sorry m⁠—”

My tempter flared. “Sorry! What are you sorry to him for? I’m the one that deserves an apology because you’re messing around in my life with all your asinine opinions!”

“I was going to say, to you, ‘Sorry, my bad for involving myself, Katie.”

“Oh.”

Magnus gestured with his arm, ‘after you.’

I did my best impression of a flounce but my heart wasn’t in it. It was probably a lot more like a drag.

50 - KAITLYN

In our room Magnus spoke first. “What are ye thinkin’, Kaitlyn, with disagreeing with me in front of Tyler? And then bringin’ Bella intae it? Ye ken we wouldna have tae deal with her if⁠—”

“If what? Because of me? Because I chose to protect her baby? Well great, I’m seriously regretting that now — and what are you thinking about commanding me in front of him? Why does he bother you so much? He gets you all crazy, and you’ve never spoken to me like that before.”

“I canna explain it, I daena trust him, tis hard tae ken what tae do.”

“Well, you shouldn’t do this. You think you're keeping me safe but I don’t want to be safe if it means I’m not here while you’re fighting to the death. God, what if something happens to you and I’m not here to know about it?”

“Nothin’ will happen tae me.” He sat down on the bed.

“But—”

“And if somethin’ did happen tae me, twould be nothin’ ye could do on it. Tis only me that can fight.”

“You know what? Listen. You don’t get to do this. You promised. You promised me that we would be together and that we weren't going to keep doing this, separating from each other. Now, first thing, you’re sending me away.”