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Preview: The Ticking of the Clock
The next book in The Powers Trilogy
“You huge idiot,” Crysta reprimanded softly, “you better be ok. I swear you will regret it if you don’t wake up soon.” She tried not to recall the first time Hugo had passed out while having a vision; he'd been out for nearly four days and no one had had any idea what was going on. She’d healed him over and over and over again and nothing had happened. She had felt so powerless. She wouldn’t do that this time. He would be fine in a few hours… couple days… maybe a bit longer, but he would be fine.
What would she tell the kids? Crysta let out a little gasp, then slipped off the bed to open the bedroom door a crack. She listened for any sounds of movement, but heard none, so she quietly made her way down the hall, peaking into Anya and Dylan’s bedrooms. They were both sound asleep. What would she tell her children if their father didn’t wake up by morning? What would she tell them about what happened to Thoth and Maggie's son, Elijah? Crysta went back to her bedroom and crawled on the bed again, feeling a sting in her eyes.
“You have to wake up, you have to,” she insisted quietly, kissing her husband on the forehead. His skin was clammy, but not dangerously so. She gently touched the side of his face, but resisted the urge to try and heal him.
She stayed up with him all night, holding his limp body protectively. At four am, just as she was starting to drift off despite herself, Hugo groaned, dark eyes slowly opening. Crysta bolted into a sitting position and then helped her husband up.
“How long was I out?” He asked groggily, touching his hand to his forehead. Crysta took that as her cue to heal his headache. He smiled faintly, “Thanks.”
“A few hours,” Crysta answered, trying to sound as casual as possible.
Hugo frowned, taking her hand, “I’m so sorry. I know I shouldn't have pushed myself that hard, but I had to find their son. I couldn't just-”
“You idiot!” She suddenly burst out, throwing her arms around him, “You could have seriously hurt yourself! What was I going to tell the kids if you didn’t wake up? You big, stupid, idiot!”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Hugo murmured into her hair, easily hearing her soft hiccups.
A little while later they pulled apart and Crysta wiped at her eyes. She took a deep, steadying breath, “What did you see?”
“Elijah. He was in a building I didn’t recognize, and he went into this room…." Hugo's brow furrowed, "there was a person in it. Another young man, brown skin and hair, peculiar silver eyes, looked to be heavily drugged; a strong mixture of sedative, a version of the inhibitor I don't think exists yet, and anti-depressants. Elijah looked really surprised, and then he unhooked the other young man from all of the machines and wheeled him out of the building," he chewed on his lip for a moment, "But then…a…girl…showed up…”
“What girl?” Crysta asked, eyes widening.
Hugo reflexively reached for Crysta's hand, “She…looked a little like Anya, but older, maybe 15 or 16.”
“Our Anya?”
“Elijah referred to her as Anya too, but it’s not our daughter. Still... she could open portals…like…me…” Hugo paused, looking away.
“Possibly a granddaughter?” Crysta mused, putting a hand to her lips. “You mean Anya has children?” Crysta couldn’t keep the delight out of her voice. But then her shoulders slumped again when she recalled the situation, “But doesn’t that mean Elijah is at least 20 years in the future? Heaven forbid Anya have a child at 16, though.”
Hugo nodded slightly, “At the very least. But I’d estimate closer to 60 or 70.”
Crysta sucked in a sharp breath, “Oh no, what are we going to do?”
He stared at their join hands for several seconds, calculating their options. His frown deepened; he clearly didn't like his options. "Perfect the Substance to hopefully give Nigel the ability to jump forward through time."
Crysta sucked in another deep breath, "But the Substance drove all of the original test subjects insane. If Nigel..." She shook her head.
It took him several seconds, but when he answered, Hugo's voice was resolute , "I'm going to perfect it... somehow. They'll get their son back."
The Sound of Wind Page 118
