When he came to the tale of finding Teresa in Sagalassos and following her, only to witness her eventual death, he found he had trouble breathing, as though he were reliving the moment all over again, watching it one more time from yet another rooftop. He described quickly and succinctly how Teresa had died. Before he could explain his plan to save her, the others interrupted.
“Gabriel.” Ohin’s deep voice reverberated with sadness, tears filling his eyes. “There is no way back from a death like this.”
“But there is.” Gabriel tried to remain calm. He needed to present his case as clearly as possible for them to believe his plan would work.
“Nothing can be done, boy.” Marcus rubbed his bald head in frustration, trying to hold back his emotions.
“You don’t understand.” Gabriel took a deep breath.
“Sometimes we must let go.” Tears stained Sema’s face.
“But we don’t have to.” Gabriel nearly laughed as he tried to contain his zeal. He knew he must look maniacal. “I’ve figured out a way.”
“There is no way that won’t create a new branch of time.” Ohin placed his hand on Gabriel’s arm.
“Gabriel saved me, why can’t we save her?” Ling wiped tears from her defiant eyes.
“She would never accept that.” Rajan stared blank-faced at a burning tree. His mind seemed unable to encompass the news of Teresa’s death.
“Stop.” Gabriel furrowed his brow, his voice passionate. “We don’t need to create a bifurcation to save Teresa. I’ve figured out a way to alter the timeline of the Primary Continuum slightly, just enough to allow us to extract Teresa at the moment of her death without creating a new branch of time.”
“Gabriel, what you suggest isn’t possible.” Ohin’s hand tightened on Gabriel’s arm, trying to convey the importance of his words. “The Primary Continuum cannot be changed. It might accept and incorporate small alterations over time, like Teresa gradually becoming part of the timeline, but not something like this.”
“No. It’s possible. I’ve thought it all out.” Gabriel had spent two days drawing diagrams and making lists of every moment leading up to Teresa’s death and the sequence of events they would need to alter in exactly the right order so as to change the timeline without breaking it.
“You can’t simply make one small change. It needs to be a series of tiny variations that result in a new outcome.”
“It sounds like madness,” Marcus said.
“It’s grief,” Sema said.
“If it can be done, we have to do it,” Ling said.
“Ling is right. We can’t abandon her if there is a chance, even a small chance, to save her,” Rajan said.
“A small chance that carries great risks,” Ohin said. “Even if what you say is possible, a miniscule mistake could be disastrous.”
“Not if we plan it out.” Gabriel’s excitement caused his voice to crack.
Ling and Rajan were convinced. He could see it on their faces. He had to convince Ohin. Sema and Marcus would follow his lead if Ohin believed Gabriel. He held out the roll of papers in his hand. “We have to be careful, but I watched it again and again and worked out everything. The key came to me in a dream where I was playing this strange board game with Vicaquirao.”
“You had a dream of Vicaquirao?” Sema looked at him, sudden concern filling her eyes.
“Yes.” Gabriel rushed on. “We kept playing this game where the board would change and you needed to place your pieces so they would be in the right spots at the right times. The dreams would change locations, but the game always remained the same.”
“You had more than one dream with Vicaquirao?” Sema stood up and placed her hands on Gabriel’s head. He tried to move away, but she clasped his skull tightly. “Did it never occur to you that Vicaquirao might be placing himself in your dreams?”
“No.” Gabriel felt confused by the question. For that to happen, Vicaquirao would have needed to be in the castle. He would have needed to follow Gabriel through time. That didn’t seem possible. The dreams were only dreams. “I’ve had dreams of Vicaquirao before. These dreams seemed the same.”
“I don’t sense anything.” Sema lowered her hands, but continued to hold Gabriel’s eyes with her own. “But that doesn’t mean he didn’t place the dreams in your mind.”
“For what bloody purpose?” Marcus asked.
“We may never know the purpose, but if Vicaquirao did give Gabriel these dreams, you can be certain there is a reason.” Ohin stroked his chin as he looked at Gabriel.
“It doesn’t matter what Vicaquirao’s purpose might be or if the dreams were real dreams, all that matters is whether Gabriel’s plan will work.” Ling nearly growled her words.
“Whatever we do, we need to do it quickly.” Rajan gestured toward the castle grounds. “We’ll be needed here whenever we come back.”
For the first time, Gabriel noticed that the expedition Akikane had led against the Apollyons to defend the Dresden outpost had returned. He had been so focused on the others and convincing them of his plan that he’d been oblivious to the additional wounded mages filling the Lower Ward courtyard.
“What happened to Akikane and the others?” Gabriel saw anger in the eyes of his teammates and knew the answer before it could be spoken.
“An ambush,” Ohin said.
“A massacre is more like it,” Marcus said.
“The whole thing was a trap,” Ling said.
“They drew away half our forces to make it easier to attack the castle,” Sema said.
“Akikane?” Gabriel made no attempt to control the pitch of his voice as emotion and concern broke through.
“He’s fine. Wounded, but he’ll recover.” Ohin’s face became harder with the strain of his words. “The castle will take longer to repair. And the Council. We have no idea what is left of our forces or who has survived.”
“And we’ve lost the notebook.” Gabriel looked up at Ohin. His words were meant for his mentor now, not the others. “We lost too much today. We can’t lose Teresa, as well. I can’t. I won’t. This plan will work. I know it will.”
Ohin stared at Gabriel for a moment, then looked up to the faces of the team. “If we fail, we fail twice. We’ll lose Teresa and create a bifurcation.”
“And if we don’t try?” Sema raised her eyebrows slightly with the question.
“We’ll never know.” Marcus turned to Ohin. “Can you imagine knowing we could have tried something but yet leaving the poor girl to die? How would we ever be able look at each other again?”
Ohin remained silent for so long, Gabriel feared he might not answer.
“Show me your plan.” Ohin reached for the rolled papers in Gabriel’s hand. “If it seems possible, we will make the attempt, but you must convince me it’s possible.”
“It is possible.” Gabriel handed Ohin the papers. “We’ll need someone else, though.”
“Who?” Ohin asked.
“Another Wind Mage. And someone who knows the time period.” Gabriel found himself smiling with excitement again. “I’ll explain. It’s part of the plan. And we’ll need someplace to prepare. Someplace safe.”
“I think I know somewhere we will be safe,” Ohin said.
“What about Elizabeth?” Marcus asked, his hands again resting gently on her forehead.
“She shouldn’t travel unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Sema said.
“I have an idea.” Gabriel’s gaze fell on a young mage across the yard. “I’ll be right back.”
Gabriel walked around the others and headed for one of the few trees not scorched by flames. As he crossed the magical barrier against sound, it dispersed. On the other side of the yard, Justine sat against the unblemished tree, her knees pulled up to her chest, tears streaking her soot-smeared face.
Gabriel knelt beside her and she turned to him, noticing him for the first time. Her eyes flared with surprise and she threw her arms around him.
“Oh, Gabriel, I thought you were dea
d. It’s so awful. All of it. Everyone dying. All the people dying. I know I should be helping, I tried to help, but I’m so new, and they were so powerful, I hid. And then it got quiet and I came out and then…” She seemed unable to go on.
“You did exactly the right thing, Justine.” Gabriel slowly pulled her arms from around him. “I need your help. There’s something only you can do.”
“Anything. Anything.” Justine’s eyes brightened slightly at the hope concealed in Gabriel’s words.
“Come with me.” Gabriel stood and offered Justine his hands. She accepted and he pulled her to her feet, guiding her back to the rest of the team gathered around the unconscious Elizabeth.
“Oh, no!” Justine gasped as she saw Elizabeth lying prone in the grass.
“It’s okay.” Gabriel patted her hand reassuringly. “She’s in a coma, but she’s not going to die. I need you to watch her for me.”
“We can’t leave her here in the open,” Sema said, looking confused at Gabriel’s suggestion.
“I’ll take them someplace safe,” Gabriel said, his voice still soothing as he turned to Justine. “I need to you watch over her for a few minutes. It won’t be long. You’re a very good Heart-Tree Mage, and she’ll be fine as long as you’re with her. Can you do that for me?”
Justine hesitated a moment and then nodded her head.
“Good.” Gabriel turned to Ohin. “I’ll be right back.”
A whirl of colorlessness and brilliance and Gabriel stood in the castle cellars, Justine at his side, Elizabeth at their feet. The children, Leah and Liam, yelped in surprise.
“Gabriel!” The children yelled in unison and leapt to him, clinging to his legs.
“We were so worried.” Leah’s big eyes stared up at him.
“We thought you forgot us.” Liam’s words were muffled from burying his head in the side of Gabriel’s thigh.
“I haven’t forgotten about you.” Gabriel bent down to one knee. “I have a special mission for you. Something I need you to help me with.”
“We can help.” Leah’s voice sounded far more certain than the look on her face.
“We’re good helpers.” Liam wiped his nose with the corner of his small tunic.
“Good. I need you to help Justine keep watch over Councilwoman Elizabeth.” The two children looked at Justine and then turned their stares to Elizabeth’s comatose body. Gabriel could read on their faces the thoughts beginning to form in their minds. “She’s in a very deep sleep, and she can’t wake herself up.”
“I need you to help me keep an eye on her.” Justine sat down beside Elizabeth and smiled at Leah and Liam. “Can you do that?”
“We can do that.” Leah sat down next to Elizabeth. “Did you see Mommy and Daddy?”
“Not yet.” Gabriel tried to keep his tone reassuring. “We can look for them together when I come back.”
“You promise to come back?” Liam stared upward as Gabriel stood.
“I’ll be back before you know it.” He looked to Justine, his voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you.”
Justine nodded silently as Gabriel vanished from the room, appearing in the Upper Ward courtyard. He looked around, scanning the destruction, searching through faces, trying to ignore the dead and wounded. They all needed saving, but Teresa needed him more. He saw a man help carry a wounded mage across the yard near the state apartments. Gabriel ran to the familiar face, a face he had seen so much of lately.
“Aurelius!” Gabriel called to the ex-emperor, now impromptu field medic, as he ran up.
“You’ve survived.” Aurelius helped place the wounded man on a bench that had become a makeshift triage station. He stared at Gabriel with weary eyes. “This was not the afterlife I had imagined. I’d hoped I’d be done with war.”
“I need your help.” Gabriel squinted as he looked up at Aurelius.
“Whatever you need.” Aurelius wiped his bloody hands on his pant legs.
“Good. I need your knowledge and your magic.” Gabriel jumped through space with Aurelius to rejoin his team in the Lower Ward.
“Aurelius?” Ohin looked at the man with surprise.
“We don’t have time to research the extraction point and he lived close enough to the date.” Gabriel looked around at the team, feeing his excitement grow. This would work. He would save Teresa. “And we need him for the extraction.”
“Extraction?” Aurelius looked confused. “Now?”
“I’ll explain,” Gabriel said.
“Where is Elizabeth?” Sema asked.
“Safe in the cellars,” Gabriel said.
“With Justine?” Marcus asked.
“Yes,” Gabriel answered. “We need someone we can trust. I trust Justine. Elizabeth will be safe with her until we return.”
“Where are we going?” Rajan asked.
“A place I prepared long ago for a time when I might need it,” Ohin said. “Near the day the Great Barrier divides time.”
“Well, let’s stop yammering about it and go already.” Ling spat into the grass, her patience exhausted.
“Agreed.” Ohin looked around at the team and paused for a moment. “Even if Gabriel is right, this may still end in disaster.”
No one said a word in reply.
Ohin reached into his pocket and removed a tarnished brass key. Then the black void of time swallowed them whole, and Windsor Castle vanished from sight.
Chapter 16: House at the Edge of Time
Gabriel blinked his eyes, shadows clouding his vision. He stood with the others in the middle of a large, dimly lit room. He looked around. A long, dust-caked table told him they stood in a dining room. Heavy red velvet curtains partially covered three large bay windows with cracked glass.
Ohin slipped the key back into his pocket and pulled the curtains wide to let sunlight into the room. Dark wood panels covered the walls. A chandelier of curved glass hung above the table. Ten chairs sat scattered around the room.
“Where are we?” Rajan sneezed at the dust, covering his nose.
“The middle of a forest in Maine in August of two thousand-twelve, right before the Great Barrier arrives.” Ohin gestured to the room and the house. “This house has been abandoned for years and remains empty until the Great Barrier begins two months from now. I thought we might need a safe house no one else knew about. As long as we stay in the house and near the grounds, no one should notice us.”
Ohin’s foresight and planning impressed Gabriel. An abandoned house near the point where the Great Barrier divided time on October 28, 2012, would make it much easier to avoid accidentally creating a bifurcation.
“Not the cleanest hideout we’ve ever had.” Sema wiped her finger through the dust on the dining table.
“Not the worst, either.” Marcus opened the door to the kitchen. “At least there’s a table to sit at.”
“The amenities are unfortunately Spartan,” Ohin said. “There is no electricity. However, there is an old hand pump out back for water. I also laid in several weeks of supplies. There are crates of canned goods in the kitchen. And you’ll be happy to know, I took the time to hunt down some mattresses for the beds. There are linens in the first room at the top of the stairs. I suggest you all take a little time to clean this place up a bit. We’ll be here a few days while we review Gabriel’s plan and prepare for the extraction.”
“Rajan and I can deal with the dust.” Ling began to use Wind Magic to push the dust coating the table into a pile. Rajan joined her, using Stone Magic to keep the dust from floating into the air.
“And I’ll deal with our house guests.” Marcus pointed to a small, brown field mouse running along the baseboard beneath the window before it ducked into a crack in the wall.
“I suppose I’ll unpack the food and see what I can prepare for dinner.” Sema headed for the kitchen. She stopped at the door and turned back to look at Ling and Rajan. “Maybe you two should start in the kitchen. It’s…disgusting.”
Rajan and Ling laughed and followed Se
ma into the kitchen.
“I’ll give you a hand.” Marcus walked after the other three. “I wouldn’t want you to accidentally toss out the beer if Ohin had the foresight to provide some.”
“You might find a case under the sink.” Ohin watched with amusement as Marcus quickened his pace.
“What can I do to assist?” Aurelius looked between Gabriel and Ohin. “I’m not even certain why I’m here.”
“When we perform an extraction, like the one we did for you, we try to learn as much as we can about the location and the period of history.” Ohin took Gabriel’s rolled papers and began to spread them out on the now dustless table.
“We’ll also need you to help with some magic before the extraction.” Gabriel helped Ohin flatten his drawings and notes.
“I see.” Aurelius looked down and the sheets of paper covering the table. “Who are we extracting?”
“Our teammate, Teresa.” Gabriel looked up from the papers to Ohin’s face.
“Assuming you can convince me your plan will work,” Ohin said.
“I’m confused.” Aurelius pulled a chair to the table and sat down. A small cloud of dust erupted from beneath him. “How can she be a member of your team already if we need to extract her?”
“It’s complicated.” Gabriel grabbed the nearest sheet of paper, a hand drawing of the street in Sagalassos where Teresa died, and turned it to Ohin and Aurelius. “Let me show you what happened and how we can change it.”
Gabriel’s time spent creating the maps, drawings, and notes of the accident proved invaluable, not only in convincing Ohin of the feasibility of the plan but also in preparing for it. While the rest of the team spent the remainder of the day cleaning the house, making beds, and cooking dinner, Gabriel and Ohin refined the plan. They peppered Aurelius with questions about the construction of chariots and wagons, and gathered any small details that might influence the outcome of the alterations they intended to make to the Primary Continuum.
The Wizard of Time Trilogy (A Fantasy Time Travel Series) Page 47
