by April White
“When were you?”
“April, 1554.”
“So she’s a prisoner, but she still has some power. And Lord John Brydges wouldn’t have allowed unfettered access to the queen’s sister.”
“Elizabeth has seen her own execution. She believes she’s going to die at the Tower.”
Now it was my mom’s turn to stare. “But she’s a Seer.”
“They’re not infallible, Mom. Seers think I stole the cuff, remember?”
“Well, isn’t that what you came back to do?”
“More or less. But that’s not what I mean.” What did I mean? The thought weighed heavily on me, and I finally said it out loud. “What if there’s been a time stream split? What if Wilder already changed things so much he caused a split before I got there, or … what if it was something I did?”
My mom did a classic British Lady thing to buy time before answering. “Do you want some tea?”
I sighed. There was no way around that particular stalling tactic. “Yeah, sure.” She got my favorite mug out, a giant one with a chicken on it, and she poured me a cup of tea. Then she went to her bookcase and pulled a small, cloth-bound book off the shelf. The cover might have been brocade or velvet once, but most of the fabric had worn down to something vaguely red. “I found this book at a London shop in 1886. The bookseller said it was one of the Katherine Parr translations of Prayers and Meditations.” She opened the fragile tie and held it out to me.
I turned the parchment pages carefully. They were brittle with extreme age, but not faded. There were notes in the margins in tight handwriting, but most of it was illegible. Just inside the front cover was an inscription to Elizabeth from Katherine.
“It was Elizabeth’s?”
“The bookseller thought it might have been from Katherine Parr’s household, but because of what’s painted in the back, they discounted the idea that it could have been Elizabeth Tudor’s, despite the fact that Katherine was Elizabeth’s last stepmother, and the one who took her in after Henry VIII died.”
Inside the back cover of the prayer book was a beautifully painted design inset with the initials ‘C’ and ‘E.’ I looked up at my mom in surprise. “Those are your initials.”
She smiled sadly. “I’ve always held on to the belief that the prayer book belonged to Elizabeth Tudor, and somehow she knew I would one day find it. She was so strong, and so … alone. I like to think she left me a sign that I could be strong in my aloneness too.”
“Mom … “ I traced the blue and gold letters with light fingers. What could I say that could make any of the last seventeen years less painful? She’d left the love of her life behind to save me.
“Elizabeth was alive when you left?” My mom’s voice was quiet.
I nodded mutely as I closed the book and handed it back to her.
“Time hasn’t yet been split then.”
“But Mr. Shaw and Ava said the Monger guy, Domenic Morgan, came from nowhere and has taken over. He’s related to Wilder through his sister.”
Mom shrugged. “That could be circumstantial; anything’s possible with Mongers, although Bob is certainly not prone to exaggeration or false concern.” I didn’t miss the note of pride in her voice when she talked about Mr. Shaw. “My understanding about time is that it takes something really big to actually split it.”
“You mean like ending the Tudor monarchy?”
She looked down at the book in her hands. “That would probably do it.”
“Well, an hour ago she was still breathing.”
My mother looked me straight in the eyes. “Then you might have to keep her that way.”
“No pressure.”
“Only the fate of the modern world. You’re up to it though, right?” She smiled, and I recognized my mom again. The young, vital one I remembered from before Wilder.
I put my mug down and hugged her again, hard. “Thank you, Mom.”
“I love you, Saira.”
“I love you too.” I kissed her cheek and straightened up. “Can I take a quick shower here before I go in search of Aislin’s cuff?”
She crinkled her nose. “I didn’t want to mention it…”
“But I stink. Yeah, I know. The sixteenth century can do that to a person. If I had time there’s a lot I’d do before I go back. But if Elizabeth can see the future where she lives, she might actually stand and fight. And if there’s one thing I’m learning it’s that people have to want to change their own fate for it to happen.”
“Some people go their whole lives without learning that lesson.”
“Yeah, well, some people haven’t tried to keep a princess alive through sheer force of will. And believe me, no one’s will is stronger than Elizabeth Tudor’s.”
“I wouldn’t mind meeting her.”
“You want to come with me?”
Her smile faded and I rushed on before she could say no. It bothered me more than I could admit that she still wouldn’t Clock. “Actually, never mind. This place needs all the good guys it can get to keep the bad guys at bay.”
She looked serious. “Be careful, Saira. There are those of us who forget who the real enemies are.”
I ticked off on my fingers. “Wilder. Mongers. Anyone who hunts mixed-bloods or Vampires just because. Anyone I’m missing?”
“As long as that cuff is missing, maybe the Armans? And I’m sure Millicent would put herself on that list if she got her hands on you. She’s been storming around Miss Simpson’s office fairly regularly since you left.”
I grimaced at the thought of running into the head of the Clocker Family. “It’s a pretty personal list though, huh? I bet if you asked Seth Walters who’s on his list of enemies it would be very different.”
“Something to keep in mind.”
Seers
After the world’s fastest shower, I slipped out of my mom’s rooms and down the hall. I was headed toward Mr. Shaw’s office, but had to change direction when voices came from that hallway.
“I’ll meet you in a few minutes. I need to see Shaw first.”
Crap. I thought I recognized the voice. Phillip Landers. Tom’s dad. Which meant he must be talking to Mr. or Mrs. Arman. In a moment of pure instinct, I slipped into an unlocked classroom.
Olivia looked up at me in surprise. “What are you doing here?” she hissed. She was reading at a table by the fireplace with a blanket around her shoulders.
“Hiding. What are you doing here?”
She looked worried. “The same.”
“What’s going on, Liv?” I locked the door and crossed the room to sit next to her. Our voices were barely above a whisper.
“They’ve sent the non-Family kids away. I’m still here because of my aunt, but Miss Simpson wants me to stay out of public view as much as possible, at least while the Seer head is here looking for you.”
I winced. “Why’d they send kids away?”
She shrugged. “Family politics. Call me crazy, but I’m actually here for the education.” She looked really worried. “You should go, Saira. They’re all looking for you, and it’s really serious.”
“Yeah, I heard. As soon as I find what I’m looking for, I’m out of here.”
“You need a Seer.” The irony wasn’t lost on either of us.
“Like a fricking hole in the head.”
She laughed, but there wasn’t a lot of humor in it. “Seriously. Go to Miss Simpson. She’s always been on your side.”
I gave her a quick hug. “Maybe I will. For the record, I didn’t do what they said I did.”
She smirked. “You’re guilty anyway as far as they’re concerned. You might as well do whatever it is and get the benefits.”
I grinned. “Say hi to the Wolf for me.”
The smile on her face told me volumes about how she felt about Connor, and I slipped out of the room with a little lightness in my heart.
Olivia was right about going to see Miss Simpson, but it was a big risk. She was a Seer and the headmistress of the school, whic
h could mean that she put the rules above the students, or it could mean the opposite. In my limited acquaintance with Miss Simpson, she had always been on my side.
Only the reading lights were on in the library, but the morning was gloomy outside so it felt dark and deserted. Miss Simpson was in her office, and so was someone else.
Someone on my list.
“I must insist that you detain her until I can come and take her home.” Millicent’s posh accent directly conflicted with the nastiness of her tone. I slunk back into the stacks, out of sight, but not out of earshot.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lady Elian. We do not detain students at St. Brigid’s. Saira is our student, her mother is her guardian, and this is not a conversation I need have with you again. Are we clear?”
Miss Simpson’s words and the way she stood up to Millicent struck me like a slap. And propelled me toward her office door. I knocked lightly.
“Come.”
Miss Simpson stood across the desk from Millicent, and both of them had expressions that would have worked in a boxing ring. She didn’t look surprised to see me, but Millicent did, despite the flat tone of her words. “You’re safe then.”
“For the moment.” I squared my shoulders and faced the woman who was the de facto head of our Family. “I appreciate your concern, Millicent, and I’m sorry if I’ve worried you. I’m only here for a short time though, and your presence will probably draw the Armans, whom I’d prefer to avoid. So if you don’t mind, I need a minute with Miss Simpson.”
The shock on her face was so filled with indignation it looked painful. “Saira—“
I tried Archer’s horse-whisperer trick and dropped my voice to something low and calm. I even added a polite smile. “I’ll come by Elian Manor when I get back, and I’ll tell you everything then.”
She opened her mouth again to speak, but no sound came out. If I hadn’t been so determined to keep the upper hand I’d have been shocked at my own audacity. She finally found her words as she swept from the office. “Plan to stay for dinner then. I expect it’ll be a long night.”
The door closed behind her with a controlled slam and I just barely resisted the urge to laugh. From the shine of her eyes, so did Miss Simpson. But reality came crashing in when I saw the lines of tension around her mouth.
“It wasn’t me. Aislin’s cuff. I didn’t take it.” She knew. I could see it on her face. She led me to a seat across from her. “Why are you letting them hunt me?”
A small sigh escaped her. “The best part of being a teacher is giving my students the tools to navigate their lives. The hardest part is then letting them do it. I haven’t had much influence in shaping you, Saira, so I will give you what I can. There is a knot tangling the threads of time and you alone have the skills to unpick the knot.”
She stood and locked the door. And when she turned back to me her expression was serious.
“The Dream remains for none to See,
And time of War is what shall be.
Unless the child, Death by her side,
Can choose the path to turn the tide.”
Miss Simpson’s voice had whispered into me, and her words felt imprinted on my soul. I shuddered and her voice returned to normal, but her expression was still grave.
“I don’t want to be the child.” My own voice sounded small and frightened and I cleared my throat. “What if every path I choose gets people hurt?”
“Accepting that your fate is your choice is a place to start, my dear.”
The irony smacked me upside the head. I hadn’t fully accepted that I could be the ‘child’ because I couldn’t imagine that my fate could ever be so big or important. But here I’d been demanding that Elizabeth choose a big life, and I hadn’t given myself the same mandate. If I chose the job of fulfilling the Prophecy of the Child, I might actually be able to pull it off. Maybe. If I was really lucky and a little bit crazy. The ramifications of choosing that fate were massive.
“If I find the cuff, may I please take it to Elizabeth?”
I don’t know why I felt I needed Miss Simpson’s permission, but the seriousness lifted from her face and she smiled in a way that dropped about fifty years. She was beautiful. “Yes, dear. You may.”
She unlocked the door and turned to me as I stood to go. “I’m sorry that there’s fear, and that fear has taught intolerance. But it can change. You can change it.”
Cryptic words, but they sounded kind of like a blessing, so I took them. “I don’t suppose you know where it might be, do you?”
“It will find you, Saira. But knowledge of a path doesn’t make the path any easier to choose.”
Well, that was good to know, even if it was couched in a warning. I hugged Miss Simpson goodbye and slipped out of her office. I was late to meet the twins, and I hoped Ava had somehow gotten a message to Mr. Shaw that I needed to see him. My hand was throbbing, and despite finally getting clean, I was afraid it would infect with some sixteenth century bacteria I had no immunity to.
Finally, there were kids in the halls to dodge and I had to take the long way to the Seer Tower. The secret entrance behind the bookcase moved freely again. Someone must have fixed it since Mr. Shaw forced his way through it a few months ago.
Adam and Ava were already in the old headmaster’s office in the Seer Tower, but I was surprised to see Tom there too. The bandage was off his head and the cut above his eye was healing well. The scar would probably look good on him when it faded. “Hey, guys.”
A big grin split across Adam’s face, and he buried me in a huge hug. “You’re back.”
“Not for long.”
“Ava told us. Obviously the cuff is missing and everyone thinks you took it. But now I can see you didn’t. Not yet anyway.”
Tom came in for a quick hug too, which surprised me. He’d always been so reserved. I caught a really quick flash of something off him. Like part of a vision. Of the cuff. And me holding it. I stared at Tom in shock. “That’s what people see?”
He looked guilty. “You caught that? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to …”
“Does that happen often? That flashy vision-thing?”
He shrugged. “You learn to deal.”
“I’ve seen enough Seer visions to know I’m really glad not to be one of you guys.”
Adam groaned. “I’ll take my visions over your time travel any day.”
“Yeah, you don’t do so well with Clocking, do you, big guy? Finally, something the great Adam Arman sucks at.”
“Oh, the places my imagination could go with that statement.”
I hit him. Not hard, just hard enough to remind him I could hit. “Practice restraint.”
He grinned. “That’s not what Alex says.”
“TMI, Adam. Seriously.” Ava was laughing and it felt really good to be with my friends.
“Tell her I said hi. I missed you guys.”
“Spill everything. You know you want to.” I really did. I liked this ‘having friends’ thing. A lot. So I gave them the abbreviated version of the last ten days. Ava’s mouth hung open.
“You really think Elizabeth doesn’t have Aislin’s cuff?” It was back to the cuff. Never mind about the death threat scheduled for sundown tonight. But I guess they’d been living and breathing Aislin’s cuff since it had disappeared.
I included all three of them in my gaze. “I’ve been thinking about this. What if I’m the reason she gets it in the first place? What if she never had it until I brought it to her?”
“Doing a little timey-wimey thing, huh?”
I leveled a gaze on Adam. “Doctor Who breaks all time-travel rules, and you know it. I’m serious about this. Your family is freaked out because they think I stole the family relic that once belonged to Queen Elizabeth I. Except I’m telling you, she doesn’t have it. What if the whole reason it’s gone now is so she can get it? Because without that cuff and what it can show her, she’s going to walk passively to her death.”
“It’s not like she’s going to
step in front of a car or throw herself off a bridge, right? Why can’t you save her?” Trust Adam to put me on the hot seat.
“Who am I, the guardian angel of time? Believe it or not, I’ve been trying to change what she sees. But all you Seers seem to think what you see is what’s written in stone. And no matter how hard I try, the only fate I’ve had any luck changing is my own.”
“And you think the cuff will show her a different fate?” Adam sounded skeptical, but Ava saved me from making stuff up.
“Aislin’s cuff shows the wearer every possible fate, not just the one we would normally see.”
“You mean ‘make this choice and that happens?’ Like a ‘choose your ending’ kids’ book?” She nodded and I could see the shock on Adam’s face. “How come I didn’t know that?”
“Only the heads know, and they’ve always kept it pretty secret. Otherwise people would be wanting to See with the cuff all the time.”
“Well, why shouldn’t they? Because if there really are a whole bunch of different outcomes possible, then the visions we usually See are just b.s.” Adam was really bothered by this, and I knew he took the whole fate and vision thing seriously.
“I don’t think they’re b.s.” I held his eyes with mine. “I think they’re like guides. If you know an outcome, you can choose the steps to get there. Kind of like when you’re free-running. You can See the way that’ll get you where you want to go. But if the outcome you See isn’t what you want, I do believe you can change it. Make different choices. Go another way.” Adam looked like a lost little boy. He was usually so completely confident that everything was the way it was. And when things happened to shake that certainty up, it took him time to get his balance again.
Tom had been silent since he’d given me the quick hug hello, and he looked like he was finally going to say something when voices from just outside the office carried through the door.
“Crap! It’s the parentals,” Adam whispered, and the panic on his face told me he wasn’t expecting them. “You have to hide.”
