Page 129 of The Dawn

Asgall’s voice:

He was easy tae convince. He does like his toys. I usually am not one tae move objects through time, I prefer tae keep the historical record intact, butultimately, I wanted tae get the upper hand on Mag Mòr… as ye remember, ye destroyed m’compound and stole m’wife?—

I pushed the button and said, “She was not yer wife, she is my sister-in-law, married tae Young Lochinvar.”

It sounded as if he chuckled, then said:

She married me first, Mag Mòr, the marriage tae Lochinvar is fraudulent.

I pressed the button again. “I will repeat, why hae ye brought the English King tae m’walls?”

His voice:

Mag Mòr, from my perspective ye daena hae any walls.

Fraoch was turning in all directions. He whispered, “Where is he? I am goin’ tae kill him.”

Zach said, “Get in line, we all want him dead.”

The radio squawked and Asgall said:

Tell Wallace he is a deserter and I will see him drawn and quartered.

I glanced at Wallace, he set his jaw.

I asked, “What is yer plan, Arsegall?”

There was a moment of silence, then he said:

Edward wants ye off the throne. He plans tae place his own man upon it, someone beholden tae himself. Ye ken, Mag Mòr, that ye are illegitimate because ye are not of this time?—

“I ken nae such thing. I was crowned at Scone, I am the legitimate King of Scotland — who does he want tae replace me, John Balliol, Toom Tabard?” I scoffed, turning around, lookin’ out over the destruction.Where was he?“I want tae ken what side of the castle ye are on.”

His voice was low:

I might not even be there, Mag Mòr, I might beanywhereelse, but yet… I ken right where ye are.

From behind me I heard the thunderous clap, the whistle and screech, and before I could fully turn around, a missile blasted against the stone wall beside me. The wall exploded, the blast threw me ontae the ground, and then the rubble of my stone walls rained down on me.

My ears rang from the shock and I couldna see from the smoke.

I came to as stones were lifted.

Pain coursed through my body as I was freed from the rocks, pinnin’ me down. My face was wet. There was a sharp pain in m’knee. Once m’arm was free, I wiped m’face and saw a large swath of blood. “Och nae.” Fraoch put out a hand and hefted me tae my feet. I staggered and swayed.

The radio, lyin’ on the ground, squawked.

Fraoch scooped it up and yelled intae it. “Tell me where ye are, I am going tae kill ye!”

Asgall’s voice said:

Tell Mag Mòr I want him tae surrender.

Fraoch said, “Never!”

Both the tanks fired from different directions. Their report rang off my cliffs, echoing throughout the valley. I clamped my hands tae my ears, the whistlin’ screech sounded, and then themissiles exploded on the Keep. Smoke and fire billowed out, obliterating the view. I watched the top floor, willin’ it tae stand, havin’ trouble catching my breath.

But then the smoke cleared, the top had collapsed, the upper rooms were exposed tae the sky.

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