Balloch castle was amazing — old, big, awesome, and daunting. Towers jutted up beside a wide arched gate. The road carried many people all dressed much like Magnus usually. Except they were smartly bundled in layers of cloaks and wraps. There were many wooden carts, piled high with bundles, pulled by horses. A carriage had just entered the gates ahead of us.

“Keep your head down, Kaitlyn. I will ride fast tae get tae the interior before we are noticed.” I pulled the cloak over my face. The steady beat of the horse quickened as we hustled through the crowds, clip clopping over the brick road. We passed through a large gateway and turned right just within. We traveled along the interior wall, keeping to the edges of the wide, crowded courtyard until we came to a dark sheltered spot. Magnus slid off, tied our horse to an iron ring, and put out his arms so I could slide into them. He held me tightly around the shoulders as he hustled me through a series of doors into an even darker, colder interior.

We came to the top of steep winding stairs, rough hewn and uneven, with no railing, and he led me down into what must have been the castle’s kitchen. The ceilings were very low. At tables at the far end five women bustled around carrying bowls and pots. Nearby a fire blazed in a circular pit. Three small chickens raced by.

Magnus said, “Wait here,” and left my side for the far end of the room where the women worked. I kept the cloak over my head and stared at the ground trying to ignore a chicken that was clucking and scratching perilously close. It squawked and scattered as a small terrier rushed over and pawed my shins, sniffing my sneakers. I hurriedly arranged the cloak to drape, so it hid my shoes but the damn dog was drawing attention to my feet. Wait, now two more dogs joined in, sniffing and circling my legs.

Magnus returned a minute later with an older woman who shooed the dogs away.

Magnus said, “I’ll need tae go secure us a room. Madame Dougal has said for ye to wait in the wine cellar. You will be undetected.”

The older woman said something unrecognizable though it sounded a lot like scolding. She shook her head and spoke fast and loud with guttural noises that were quite frankly frightening. I suspected she was irritated by me. Perhaps my lack of clothes. My inability to speak the language. My sudden intrusion. Magnus led me with a firm hand on my lower back to a room at the opposite wall of the kitchen. Then through that room to an even larger room containing wooden racks stacked with dusty wine bottles and large casks and barrels. The room was darker still, gloomy, and very cold.

“I winna take long Kaitlyn. I will find a room and procure ye dressings. Then I will return for ye. Once you are in proper clothes twill be easier.”

“Okay. Come right back though, this is—“

“I know, tis verra hard, bright and loud and—“

“It’s not. It’s dark and foggy and everyone is faint. Except for my breathing, my heartbeat, I can hear it too loudly. It’s really…” I bit my lip. I had come uninvited. I couldn’t expect sympathy.

Magnus closed the front of my cloak. Nodded quietly. “I will hurry.”

He slipped away leaving me standing in the cold shadows of an ancient castle, somewhere in the world, somewhere lost in time.