Charlotte's Law

As the week droned on, Camden's dark circles lessened. He and Landyn spent a lot of time on the roof, and when they weren't on the roof, they were sitting under the sun on the grounds with Finn, Alysson, and Kendall, and sometimes even Rachel. He felt like a normal kid again, even though he knew what was to come.

He was sad that he couldn't hang out with Kenn anymore. He almost felt like he'd lost another father, but he wouldn't dare risk going to see the man. Not after how he'd been behaving recently. It was almost as if Kenn had gone completely bonkers.

Camden really hoped and prayed that the operation wouldn't mess up his timeline, but a small seed of dread had planted itself in his brain and he had fallen back into the habit of overthinking things.

On Sunday morning, Camden joined the rest of his friends for an early breakfast before they left for church and he left for Kenn's office. They talked and everyone was kind enough not to bring up Kenn's private lessons. It was a somewhat touchy subject for Camden. Everyone was really okay with Camden and Landyn's new relationship, and they had grown even closer than before over the past five days.

"Your stomach is a black hole," Landyn teased as Camden filled his plate for the third time.

"Yeah, and me cholest'rol is bound to kill me 'fore I turn eighteen," Camden joked back, taking a large bite out of his egg. Alysson giggled and hid her face in her hands.

"What?" Landyn and Camden both asked, though Camden was a bit more incoherent with his mouthful of egg and toast.

"You two are just so adorable," she smiled. "Right, Kendall?"

"Yeah, sure," he grumbled, not really paying attention. Kendall had never been a very nice morning person. He really only dragged himself out of bed for church. No doubt he'd be back in bed, sound asleep, once church was over.

Camden was going to say something when the bell rang from the church tower, signaling the ten-minute warning. Camden bid his friends farewell as they left for church and then took the stairs to Kenn's office. He wasn't really sure of what would happen, but he didn't feel as if backing out were an option anymore.

Kenn waited at his desk, twirling the ring in his fingers fretfully and drawing his eyebrows together in a frown. Camden cleared his throat to get Kenn's attention and waited. Kenn finally sighed and looked up at Camden.

"Did you lock the door?" he asked.

"Yeah," Camden responded, his voice a touch shaky from nerves. "You 'aven't shaved."

"I haven't the time for such tedious tasks right now," Kenn waved it off in exasperation. "Here, take the ring. Save my brother. Just convince her that she shan't hang herself."

Kenn handed Camden the clothes he was to change into, and he slipped them on before sighing and taking the ring.

Camden slipped the ring on and looked back up at the crazed man in front of him. "And if she decides the word of a total stranger idn't worf anythin'?"

"I know my brother," Kenn shook his head. "She's very open-minded. She believes in angels and magic and fate. If you tell her not to hang herself, she'll listen. Just, be subtle about it."

Camden shrugged his shoulders and nodded. "I'll see you when I get back." Then spoke the ring's command, "Brand's Pub, January 8th, 1768!"

~~**~~

Camden appeared in the alley right next to the pub. It was a nice place, definitely more of a pub for the wealthy people. He peeked around the corner and saw her enter. She held a book in her hands, and she wore a pretty purple dress. She looked to be about a year or two older than Camden. She was alone, just as Kenn had said she'd be.