It was a stairwell, she realized. They were on a landing in a stairwell. A curving staircase rose above them, and dipped down below. Morning sunlight slanted in through arched windows near each floor. Thomas led her quickly down two flights of stairs, and then pressed his ear against the door on the landing. Quinn heard him mutter something, but she couldn’t make it out; it almost sounded like an expletive.
“What?”
He looked abashed, “Sorry. It’s just that I hear some of my brothers and cousins in there, and I don’t think we want to run into them right now. Fortunately for you, I have a few more tricks up my sleeve than that.” He grinned and pulled her down the last flight of stairs, and through the door at the bottom.
Now they were standing in a long, curving hallway. The plain, stone floor here stood in sharp contrast to the polished marble of the upper floor, though it was swept and neat.
“Where are we?” she whispered to Thomas.
“Near the kitchens; these rooms are storage areas.” Thomas wasn’t whispering here. They walked along the corridor, and then through another wooden door into a room that must have been an enormous pantry. Cupboards and shelves lined the walls, filled with vegetables and sacks of flour and other grains. Thomas led her quickly through here, and paused by the large, swinging double doors at the end. He peeked through the crack in the doors, and Quinn saw him smile.
“Let’s go,” he took her hand and pulled her through.
She had assumed from his grin that they were entering an empty room, so her heart fell into her stomach when her eyes took in the woman standing at the counter, rolling out dough, staring at Thomas and Quinn with a raised eyebrow.
“‘Morning, Delores,” Thomas said with a wink, and his most charming grin, casually laying his arm across Quinn’s shoulders and quickly ushering her to the door at the other end of the kitchen.
Quinn thought she saw a bit of color light up the older woman’s cheeks as she and Thomas disappeared through the door.
9. A Conversation with Thomas
Quinn blinked in the bright sunlight outside the kitchen. They were standing on a gravel path that seemed to wind in several directions. Large hedges lined the walkways, obstructing her view. Thomas led her down the path to the right. After they had walked about twenty feet, they came to a break in the hedgerow, and she could see water bubbling from an enormous stone fountain, in the middle of a stone-paved courtyard.
Thomas led her through this courtyard, and past several large flowerbeds filled with every color of roses that she had ever seen, as well as some that she hadn’t. Other flowers were mixed in with the roses; she recognized chrysanthemums and tulips, but many of the other flowers were a mystery to her.
He kept going, far past the fountain, back into more gardens, until they reached a beautiful white gazebo. He climbed the steps, motioning for her to keep following. Once inside, he sat down on one of the cushioned benches that lined the perimeter. He patted the seat beside him.
“Now,” he said, “we’re somewhere we can talk.”
Thomas’ friendly company and the walk had calmed Quinn. She was no longer panicking, and she could feel the intense pull of her curiosity beginning to burn again.
“Do you do this often?” she asked.
He looked at her, surprise in his gray eyes, “Do what?”
“Sneak girls through the kitchen and out to the gazebo.”
He grinned. “Occasionally.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Your mood has improved. Not freaking out anymore? Decided you like it here and want to stay?” He winked.
She ignored him. “Okay, we’re outside. Can you please tell me what exactly is going on here? What did you mean when you said that I’m stuck? Stuck for how long?”
“Well...” Thomas stood up and walked to the entrance of the gazebo. He gazed out at the roses for a moment before turning around, leaning his broad shoulders against the post, and looking at her. “I don’t know the details exactly. I know that you followed William through the gate last night from your world into ours, just as the sun was setting, so the gate would have closed pretty much right behind you.”
“So the gate will be open again at sunset?” That sounded hopeful.
“No. Not today, anyway.”
“When?”
“In about ten days. The opening of the gate follows a rough cycle, usually around two weeks. It has something to do with our lunar cycles aligning. This time of year, it opens about every ten days.”
Quinn blinked, uncomprehending. Thomas stopped speaking, and sat down next to her on the bench.
After what was possibly the longest moment in her life, she brought her eyes back to meet his.
“Are you telling me that the gate won’t open for me to go home for ten days?”
He nodded, and she felt like the floor was falling out from under her.
They sat together on the bench for a long moment in complete silence, while she processed what Thomas had told her. She wouldn’t be able to get back to her home for ten days. She wasn’t going home today. She was stuck here. Questions flooded her brain. She waited for the panic attack.
That was probably what Thomas was waiting for, too. The show.
It didn’t come. She waited and waited, but all she could feel was an unnatural calm settling over her, maybe because there was a huge, glaring piece of missing information. Finally, she decided it was safe to speak.
“If the gate doesn’t open,” she tried to hold her voice steady, “for ten days, then how is William going to get back?”
Thomas’ brow furrowed. “Through the gate,” he spoke slowly, “when it opens again.” It was obvious that he didn’t understand Quinn’s question.
“How is it that he never misses school? Has he not come back here in years?” It didn’t fit with the scenario she’d been constructing in her mind. If he wasn’t coming here, where did William keep disappearing to?
The dizziness was coming back; the slow, terrifying feeling was beginning to form in the bottom of her stomach. Her mom.
She could tell when he’d registered the change in her eyes, because his words came out in a jumble. “No, it isn’t like that. When the gate opens again in our world, it will only be the next sunset in yours.”
She was stunned. “How does that work?”
“I don’t know how it works,” Thomas shrugged, “I only know that it does. William has been going back and forth through the gate for years. Nathaniel for longer than him. Others before them. We don’t know why or how. We just use it.”
“So how is it that Nathaniel isn’t gone when William is, then?”
Thomas blinked. “He is gone from your world when he comes here, the same as William. He isn’t able to come back every single time William does, though. He has a job there he has to keep up with. Sometimes he comes back on days when William has school, too, now that Will’s almost an adult. They’re not always together in either place.”
Quinn considered that. It answered some questions, but created so many more. She wasn’t sure she could think clearly enough even to begin asking what she wanted to know. Maybe this was all a dream. She was quiet for so long this time that she started to wonder if she was being rude, but Thomas continued to watch her with calm interest.
She still wasn’t freaking out the way she thought she should be. Maybe because she was finally getting an answer to the mystery that had puzzled her for weeks and the answer was amazing. William was from an entirely different world?
The news that she would probably be back before her mother reported her to the police was comforting. But what was she supposed to do here for ten days? Finally, she decided it was safe to speak.
“So now what?”
Thomas’ brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“What do I do here?”
Thomas shrugged and smiled at her, “Well, for now, you are our guest.”
“And that’s just okay with everyone? A strange girl shows up suddenly fr
om another world? Am I in some kind of trouble or something? Where is William, anyway?”
This time, Thomas did laugh out loud.
“No, you are not in trouble. We’ve shown up uninvited in your world quite often; it wouldn’t be quite fair to begrudge you for the same curiosity. Mind you, most people here have no idea about our secret passage. The servants all think William has brought you back from one of the nearby kingdoms he visits sometimes. As do the younger children who are not quite old enough to be discreet. Just keep your secret to yourself, though, please.”
As she processed Thomas’ words she guessed it made sense. “So where is William?”
Thomas sighed, “He took off on his horse somewhere this morning; I think he’s pretty upset with himself for letting you in on the secret.”
She blanched, “Is he really mad?”
Thomas was thoughtful, “He’s upset, but not at you, I don’t think. William can be very hard on himself. I’m sure he’s not thrilled with you right now, but he’ll come around when he settles down. He’ll probably be worried about your leg – he was upset last night that he didn’t put the stitches in when you first did it, even though Nathaniel told him you were fine.”
“You never did tell me how a seventeen-year-old, a senior in high school, could know so much about medicine, and be putting stitches in people.”
A crease appeared between Thomas’ eyebrows. He hesitated, watching Quinn’s expression closely before he began speaking, “Time doesn’t work exactly the same way in our worlds. Here in our world, people have longer life spans than in yours. Well, not really longer life spans, in a way, but growing a whole cycle older takes many more days. William is seventeen years old in your world, yes, but because of the time differences, that ‘seventeen years’ – or cycles, here, is a much longer period of time here. He has really lived much longer than people his age in your world.”
Quinn’s eyes felt like they might pop out of their sockets, “What?”
“William attends school in your world, to take advantage of your medical knowledge, and system of education. He reads all about the medicines and research there and tries to find equivalents here.
However, when he leaves to come back here, for what is only a weekend in your world, he has twenty or more days here. Time to study, to take the knowledge he has gained and put it into practice. He is not a full-fledged doctor yet, of course, but he has already been assisting Nathaniel as an apprentice for several cycles. Even in your world, he has worked past most of the courses that would be typical for a student his age. Nathaniel has assisted him in completing college classes, as well.”
“Why? I mean, why does a prince want to do all of that?”
“Medicine is my brother’s gift, Quinn. Along with an incredible passion for caring for people, for helping them. I honestly couldn’t imagine William without medicine. He breathes the stuff. Herbs, remedies, cures, anti-biomo-something, – he won’t shut up about the properties of mold. That and healing people are practically his whole life.”
Quinn was floored. Logically, what Thomas was telling her made no sense, and yet, it fit. Suddenly, all of the little clues she had been gathering about William were coming together to form a picture.
Abruptly, Thomas looked up and stood, seeing something behind her. She followed his gaze. On the path, walking toward the gazebo’s entrance was a beautiful woman. Dark hair flowed in curls down to the middle of her back, and her gray eyes stared at Quinn in wonder. Though she looked far too young to have two nearly-grown sons, Quinn immediately had no doubt about whom she must be.
“Good morning, Mother.” Thomas walked down the steps to greet her. He kissed her on the cheek, and then held out his hands to take the tiny bundle of white blankets cradled in her arms.
“Good morning, Thomas.” She leaned over and kissed the top of the baby’s head, hidden by the blankets and a white hat, before handing it to him.
Thomas pulled the baby close to his chest, holding it comfortably in one arm, and, with his other arm, led his mother up the gazebo steps toward Quinn. The woman looked so elegant it nearly took Quinn’s breath away. She was dressed simply, in a long, flowing white skirt and a lavender top with white lace along the collar and the ends of the short sleeves. Her hair was held back from her face with a delicate silver headband. Studying her more closely, Quinn realized that the elegance wasn’t in the woman’s appearance at all, but in the way she carried herself and the bright, knowing look on her face.
Quinn watched as they glided up the steps, and she suddenly felt self-conscious. She had never met a queen in person before and she had no idea what the proper etiquette might be. Did she shake hands with her? Curtsy? Unable to decide, Quinn just stood there, her face turning crimson.
A quick glance passed between mother and son, but the expression on the queen’s face only grew more tender.
“Quinn, I would like to introduce you to my mother, Charlotte, Queen of Eirentheos. Mother, this is Quinn.”
“Hello dear. Welcome.” Queen Charlotte’s smile was every bit as warm and friendly as her son’s.
“Thank you, um, Your Majesty?” Quinn had no idea how to address a queen in a strange world.
Thomas looked like he was going to laugh again, but Queen Charlotte’s gaze contained only warmth and concern. “Please just call me Charlotte, sweetheart. I am sure all of this is strange and overwhelming. How are you feeling? I heard you injured your leg last night.” Charlotte’s tone was motherly.
“I’m doing better, thank you. My leg isn’t hurting much at all this morning.” Quinn felt immediately comfortable with Charlotte, much the same way she had with Thomas the night before. She thought it was a bit odd though, how easily they were accepting her presence here.
Charlotte nodded. “Well, please let us know if it bothers you at all. Have you had breakfast?”
“Um...” Quinn realized now that she hadn’t even touched the tray Mia had brought for her, and she was growing hungry.
“No, she hasn’t,” Thomas answered for her. “Mia brought her up a tray, but she wasn’t quite ready to eat at the time.”
“Mia? I thought she was off today?” Queen Charlotte’s facial expressions were startlingly similar to her son’s.
“So did I.” Quinn didn’t understand the look on Thomas’ face now, but it clearly held meaning for Charlotte, who nodded and turned back to Quinn.
“Surely you must be hungry by now, Quinn?” Charlotte didn’t wait for her hesitant nod before asking Thomas to fetch another breakfast tray for her. He handed the bundle of blankets back to his mother before quickly disappearing back in the direction of the kitchens, leaving Quinn alone with Charlotte and the tiny infant.
“Let’s go have a seat, dear. Thomas will be back in a moment.” Charlotte led her down the steps and back into a section of the garden where a few small tables dotted the stone walkway. Quinn settled into the soft cushion of a white wicker chair, and Charlotte sat down next to her, holding the baby so that Quinn could see its face.
“This is our newest arrival,” Charlotte said, pressing her cheek to the baby’s. “Thomas and William’s youngest sister.”
The baby girl’s eyes were open, showing deep gray ringed with long, dark eyelashes. “What’s her name?”
“She will receive her name in a few days, at her Naming Ceremony.” Queen Charlotte replied. As if in response, the tiny girl let out a squeak and waved her fist in the air, trying to get it near her mouth.
“I think she’s hungry, too,” Charlotte laughed, and unraveled some of the blankets from the baby. A moment later, when the baby was contentedly nursing, Charlotte studied Quinn’s face. She opened her mouth, looking as if she was going to say something, and then closed it again. Quinn wasn’t sure what to say, either.
Charlotte began again suddenly, “So, Quinn, how is William getting along in your world?”
Quinn’s head snapped up, surprised, “I beg your pardon, Your Majesty?”
“Oh, Quinn, re
ally. There is no need to be so formal with me, darling. Please call me Charlotte. I just thought … William is always away from me, from home, for so long, with only Nathaniel to keep him company and to let us know how he’s doing. It would be nice to hear it from someone who is in school with him, who perhaps knows him in a different way.”
Quinn swallowed hard, reminded just then of her own mom. “I … don’t know if I know William all that well...”
Charlotte’s face registered surprise, mingled with something else … concern? “Really? He seems to know you. He’s talked about you before.”
Quinn’s eyes opened wide. William had talked about her? To his family? She hadn’t been positive he knew her name, and he had been talking about her? “Well, I have seen him around a lot, ever since we were little. He kind of keeps to himself a lot, though. I’ve never really talked to him at home.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows, “Keeps to himself? Does he have friends?”
“I don’t know,” Quinn answered honestly. “I’ve never seen him with anybody.”
A deep line appeared in Charlotte’s forehead, Quinn guessed that hearing this made her sad, and she suddenly saw William Rose in an entirely new light. Where before she’d seen him as reclusive, wondering if he was plotting something, she could now see a lonely kid often separated from his loving family. His strange behaviors told a very different story now that she had a better idea of the truth. She wondered why he did it at all, but wasn’t sure that this was the right time to ask his mother that question.
“Does he do well in his classes?” Charlotte asked, changing the subject.
“Yes. Everyone knows that. William is smart and ahead in everything. He’s a year ahead of me, but I still know that.”
Charlotte smiled. “That’s good to hear. Thank you for sharing with me, sweetheart. I don’t mean to put you on the spot.”
“Of course she does! Isn’t that what mothers are for?” Thomas had returned, carrying a loaded tray. He set plates full of food in front of Quinn, and in a spot for himself. There were tall glasses of red juice for all three of them, and a glass bowl of freshly-cut fruit for Charlotte. “I know you’ve already eaten breakfast, Mother, but I thought you’d like a treat to help you keep up your strength for my little sister.” Charlotte smiled widely as Thomas kissed the top of her head before he sat down to eat.
Seeds of Discovery Page 9
