Page 45 of Torin and the Princess

I checked my watch. “It won’t take me long, I’ll be back in about twenty minutes?—”

“I ought tae go with ye, I think. I was bein’ chased, I daena ken if tis safe.”

I narrowed my eyes. “But they’re after you, if I’m not with you…”

He just looked at me.

I said, “Fine, yeah, if you want to go with me, you can.”

I started walking towards the car, then I looked back and he wasn’t following.

He asked, “Where are yer stables?”

“I don’t have stables?—”

“Nae horses? Then we are tae walk?”

“Nope, we’re going in the car. Come on.”

He followed me, his sword belt and the leather bag hanging from the front of his belt, rustling as he walked.

I reached the driver’s side first, but then realized he was standing, dumbly, beside the car. “Oh, right, you don’t know how to get in, have you ever been in a car before?”

“Nae, but I daena need tae, I will walk alongside.”

I stood with my hands on the roof. “I will go too fast.”

“I can run.”

“Still too fast.”

He screwed up his face. “I think I ought tae remain here. I will guard yer house.”

“You said you wanted to come, needed to come.”

“That was afore I kent ye wanted me tae ride somethin’ I hae never seen before, I hae had plenty of that already.”

“This doesn’t hurt, there is nothing to be afraid of, I’m a very good driver and I will go the speed limit.”

“I am nae afraid. I am never afraid of anything, I just daena want tae ride something when I canna see the horses that are draggin’ it.”

I sighed. “This is a car, it runs on energy, like the heat from a flame, right? We invented a way to capture that energy and ride it without needing horses.”

He narrowed his eyes at the car. “Tis on fire?”

“No, but it runs on combustion, like a controlled spark. If it helps, we call the power its horsepower. This car has about 300 horsepower. This is a BMW. I love this car. Imagine if there were hundreds of horses hitched up, right there.”

The corner of his mouth went up. “Tis a terrible thought, the amount of shite would be unbelievable.”

“Exactly. That’s why we invented the car.”

“Twas a Scotsman who invented it?”

“I have no idea, but maybe.” I drummed my hands on the top of the car. “You ready to go?”

“Aye, I will go because ye need the protection.”

I came around the car and opened the door. He leaned over and inspected inside.

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