In the Time of Kings by N. Gemini Sasson Read Free Book Online

leans against the hood of our car. “Or taking in the view?”
    “Both.” I curl an arm around her and go to kiss her, but her mouth is firmly closed. She’s chewing something.
    “Crisps?”
    “Huh?”
    She crinkles a foil bag between us. “Potato chips.”
    I dig my fingers in and pull out the last two, then pop them in my mouth. “Is that all?”
    “Sorry, I was starving. All this globe trekking is making me hungry lately. How far to the next town?”
    The road goes on as far as I can see, a black ribbon twisting over stony mountains bare of trees. Granite crags embrace purple swaths of heather and feathery clouds whisk across a crystalline sky. Thank goodness I’ve brought a map along, because the GPS doesn’t work out here. “Hours.”
    “Oh. Then I’m really sorry, because I ate yours, too.”
    She’s not, but it’s hardly worth arguing about. “We’ll have to skip the castle stay.”
    “It’s all right, Ross. We’ve seen so many already I think I’m having castle-saturation. So what’s next?”
    “Balmoral. We can take a long walk in the gardens, stretch our legs a bit.”
    “Do you think we’ll see the Queen?”
    “Absolutely. I sent her our itinerary well ahead of time so she could clear her schedule.”
    “Good. I hope Prince William tags along. I’m still mad he hooked up with Kate.” She winks at me. Prince William is her royal celebrity crush. “And after that?”
    “The Drumtochty Highland Games. Sword dancing, caber tossing, kilted pipers. Plenty of photo opps. After that, I want to swing by Berwick to speak with that retired cleric about my family tree. Then we have a day and a half to shop in Edinburgh before heading back to the airport in Glasgow.”
    “Fabulous!”
    “I knew you’d think so.” I retrieve two water bottles from the car and hand her one. “So, are you having fun? I mean, given the rigorous schedule I planned out and everything?”
    She hugs me tight. “It’s perfect, Ross. You’re here. I’m here. I’ll never forget a day of this trip. It couldn’t be more perfect.”
    “It just got more perfect.”
    “Huh?”
    I point to a place halfway up the mountain closest to us. There, next to a narrow rock-strewn stream, is the biggest red stag I’ve ever seen. I can’t count the number of prongs to his antlers from here, they’re so many. He dips his great rack as he drinks from the water, then lifts his head to stare at us with sorrowful dark eyes. And then, it gets even more interesting. A doe appears over the rise and joins him. Her hide is a touch redder than his, less brown, but I’m guessing from the dull patches in his fur that he’s still shedding his winter coat. They stay like that for a long time — watching us watching them.
    Finally, Claire breaks the silence. “I thought the males were solitary.”
    “Usually they are, but those two look like a pair. Like they’ve always been together.”
    “Like us. There’s something about this moment. It feels like ... like it could go on forever.” She tucks her cheek against my chest and murmurs over my heart, “Remember it, Ross. Remember how it feels.”
    “I will.” I hook a finger under her chin and kiss her gently, her breath mingling with mine, our hearts beating in unison. “Believe me, I will.”
    ––––––––
    Near Berwick, Scotland — 2013
    S prawling for acres and acres, Balmoral Castle is opulent beyond imagination. While standing in the ballroom — which is the only place inside the castle the public is allowed — I remark, “How many rooms does one person really need?”
    Meanwhile, Claire spins in a circle, alternately making an ugly face at the stags’ heads mounted up high and then ogling the artwork hung on the walls, her mouth open in awe as she utters, “Wow, oh wow, just ... wow.” I patiently follow her around while she reads the plaques next to the clothing displays. When her hour is up, I drag her outside to visit the gardens. She’s exceedingly