Mirrored Time (A Time Archivist Novel Book 1) (10 page)

“Hey! Do you want to tell the story, or should I?”

She smiled. “Oh please. Do continue.”

“The Guardians think these small changes would lead to destruction. They think one change has the power to cause entire universes to crumble in on themselves. To them, time is nothing more than a house of cards. And even the smallest gust of wind can bring it tumbling down.” He flattened the blades of grass with a swipe of his hand. “It’s why the idea that we have choices, that time refracts instead of continues along in a steady path, is so dangerous to them. If we have a choice, how much more fragile does this house of cards become?”

“So how are these choices any different than the power to change—which we aren’t supposed to have.”

“You could allow a human to seize every opportunity and create new universes, but you can’t change your own past. So to go back to your idea of saving someone’s life, I couldn’t save that person in my universe. But, I could go to a different time and save them; they just wouldn’t be my version.”

She rubbed her temples. “So really, you can’t save them.”

He lifted one shoulder. “If you want to be specific, I guess not. Our interaction with human lives makes their lives unchangeable, to a point. We can’t prevent something that has happened to us. So if something happens to a person when they are around us, well, we can’t stop that either.”

“It seems so useless.”

All playfulness left his face. “This is why the Guardians have insisted on testing every single person who has access to the time streams. They want to make sure no one can change things that they think are meant to be. I’m not sure how they police it, although they are remarkably successful. It helps that, up until now, the Guardians had exclusive access to the testing room. Your test required a certain amount of secrecy—and more than a little skill at breaking into safes.”

“That’s why you stole the key!” Gwen’s voice was high.

“Well, not every day do I get the chance to thumb my nose at the establishment.” He sounded smug.

“Why do I doubt that?” She smiled at him. “Why so much control over the test? I had already entered the time streams. Couldn’t I do it the same way again?”

“Who knows their motives? Did I know I could make gateways from mirrors before I took the test? Not specifically. But I sure as hell knew the river outside my city was not ordinary.”

He rubbed his arm, as if remembering a long ago pain. “To the Guardians, uncontrolled entrance is dangerous, and a person with the power to change time is the most dangerous of all. The Guardians created the test to make sure no one else had that same power. Or, I guess, should they ever find that person, that they would be able to control them.” He shrugged. “I think they like being able to keep track of everyone, and that’s easy when they are the experts on interpreting people’s gifts.”

“I thought no one could ever have the power to change time again after the Archaic was defeated?”
Always talking in circles. Maybe time traveling should come with a User’s Guide, or a PhD in Physics.

Rafe shrugged. “They say there is an exception to every rule. I think the Guardians want to be sure it can never happen again.”

“Wonderful. So you’re telling me even in time travel, there is someone who wants me to stand in line to get my time traveler’s license?”

His laugh echoed through the temple. “Something like that. Alistair can handle them. He and the Guardians may not get along, but as keeper of the Archives, he plays an important enough role that the Guardians don’t have complete control over him.”

“And this all happens in the basement of my local courthouse.” Her voice was bland.

“Not quite. You have to think that because we can make gateways to anywhere else, any time else. There may be an entrance at the courthouse; however, the Archives exist in many varying places and times all at once.”

Gwen leaned her head back against the fallen wall, closing her eyes with a sigh. “Will this ever make any sense?”

“Patience, young grasshopper. You just learned about the Archives. It’s not going to all make sense overnight.”

She opened her eyes to see him standing, hand outstretched to help her up. When she clasped her fingers around his, he pulled her to her feet.

“Time is relative and all, but we should get back to Alistair. I can take us back to the Archives, and it shouldn’t be too long since we left. But this place exists with rules of its own. We could have been gone for minutes or hours.”

He laughed. “Part of its charm. I give it five stars.” He started digging through his pockets, pulling out another small mirror, less decorative than the one that had taken them to the temple.

Gwen touched his arm. “Thank you for taking me here. And thank you for not asking me what I saw in my test.”

His face was solemn. “What the room gives you is more important than what the room shows you, but I still haven’t forgotten the things I saw. And I wish someone had taken me away from it all.”

There was a hidden pain in his eyes that Gwen wished she could soothe, but she just smiled. Alistair was safe. Rafe? She had a feeling Alistair’s words could be equally pertinent to him:
And now for another complication.
So she stayed quiet while he wrapped his hand around her arm and the temple around them faded into black.

C
HAPTER TWELVE

A
LISTAIR LOOKED UP
from his reading when they walked into the room. Carefully marking his place in the small leather book, he laid it on the table next to him.

“Feeling better?”

“She might be. The diner is probably in a mad dash trying to restock their ice cream.”

Gwen glared at Rafe, her cheeks pinking. Having Rafe tease her was one thing. Having her dignified boss know how much she could inhale in one sitting was a little embarrassing. “I do, thanks. Sorry about earlier.” She rubbed her thumb over the top of her compass. “It was still too fresh.”

Alistair inclined his head. “Again, I apologize for my earlier impatience. I should have respected your need for time away from all this.” He looked around the room as if seeing it for a first time. “The Archives can quickly become the sole focus of your life.” He blinked. “It’s best to remember there are other things outside these hallways—more important things.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Enough philosophy from an old man. I know you didn’t leave the test empty-handed.”

Gwen held out the compass.

“Of course. If you would give me just a moment, I would like to consult my books.” He disappeared without another word.

She stared at the closed door before giving Rafe a questioning glance.

He shrugged, collapsing into Alistair’s abandoned chair. “Who knows with that one?” Shifting in the seat, he folded his arms and closed his eyes.

Sitting next to him, she watched his face, hoping he would speak. Minutes passed and his eyelids didn’t so much as flutter. With a huff, she leaned back in her seat. Either he had the enviable talent of falling asleep in any position or he was faking it.

Gwen took the opportunity to study his face. He had a high forehead and thick dark eyebrows, often quirked at a teasing angle. His cheeks were rough with stubble, and the dark shadow made it easier to notice a thin scar running over the edge of his jaw. It was old enough to be almost invisible. In the flickering of the fire, it stood out with a silvery glint. He mumbled, and Gwen’s gaze jerked to the fire, afraid to be caught staring.

A quick peek showed his eyes were still closed. She continued her quiet contemplation. All of his features worked to make him handsome, although there was a roughness to his features that would prevent anyone from ever calling him pretty.

He reminded her of the Roman statues she had studied in her art history class. The artists had never been afraid to add a few flaws, lips that were too thin or a nose that was a little crooked. Still, it was definitely an interesting face.

A dark eye cracked open and peered at her. “Enjoying the view, or should I wake up now?”

Her face flamed, but she kept eye contact with him as he stretched his back in a bone-popping arch. His lips quirked.

“I didn’t have much else to look at.” She shrugged. “It passed the time.”

He clutched at his chest and fell back in his chair. “How shall I survive the pleasure of such honey-tongued compliments?”

Gwen was saved from answering when Alistair walked back in the room. A small form darted past his feet and jumped up onto her lap. She wrapped her arms around the fluff-ball of a cat, the animal rumbling and rubbing up against her arm.

“I see you’ve met the cat.” Alistair’s voice was dry.

“Does it have a name?” The purring increased as she rubbed its head.

“Not one I prefer to repeat.”

Rafe snorted, and Alistair’s expression became pained.

Gwen glanced back and forth between the two. “Is there some joke I’m not getting?”

Alistair sighed in defeat, and Gwen bit back a smile. “Cappuccino. The demon cat’s name is Cappuccino.”

She laughed in delight and turned her attention back to the cat, murmuring inane phrases in the language reserved for babies and cute animals. “Why give it a name you hate so much?”

Alistair sighed and moved farther into the room, dragging a chair closer to the fire when Rafe continue to sprawl in his customary seat. “It’s not my cat.” At Gwen’s curious look, he continued. “It comes with the Archives, if you will. There is a reason cats have been worshipped as religious creatures.”

As he settled into the chair, the cat gave a soft mew and jumped over to him. It curled up in his lap, smug, paying no attention to Alistair’s stiff posture. Regardless of the disdain on his face, Alistair made no move to disrupt the animal. “Cats have the ability to jump the streams. I’m not sure when or where this one comes from. I think it was sent to torture me.” Before Gwen could question him further, Alistair held out her compass. “I believe this belongs to you.”

Gwen cradled it in her palm. “So what does it do?”

At her question, Rafe straightened out from his sprawl.

“Although the labels are neither particularly demonstrative nor accurate, the compass represents your powers as a Locator.” Gwen pretended not to notice Alistair’s hand as it rubbed soothingly over the cat’s head. She could hear it purring from where she sat.

Rafe must have been satisfied with this answer because he settled back into his chair, closing his eyes as if he was bored with it all.

And the winner of the least helpful answer award goes to …
“And that means?”

Alistair smiled. “When most travelers enter the time streams, they do it blindly. The power does inherently protect a traveler, preventing them from arriving in the middle of a crowd or at the bottom of an ocean. Still, the traveler has no specific control over their destination.”

“Like jumping into a whirlwind and landing whenever it chooses to throw you out,” Rafe said, his eyes still closed.

Alistair nodded. “Just so. However, for those gifted with powers like yours, every destination is one of your choosing.”

“So I could go back and …” The possibilities were endless.

“Yes, to whatever and whenever you wished.” Alistair answered. “However, this is within reason, I will warn you. Like anything, the power is weak at first and needs to be developed. If you push yourself too hard, there would be physical consequences.”

Gwen pursed her lips. “Such as?”
Rules within rules within
rules.

Rafe had sat up again and waved his hands. “Don’t let old fussy boots worry you. Headaches, nosebleeds, at the worst maybe you don’t jump where you intended.”

“Fussy boots?” Alistair’s eyebrow arched to his hairline. “Charming.” He turned back to Gwen. “I would suggest you refrain from jumping alone the first few times. The sensation can be quite a shock. As unreliable as Rafe is in every other way,” he gave the younger man a pointed look, “he would be an adequate teacher should you be amiable.”

Rafe winked at Gwen before turning to Alistair. “You are too kind.”

A wicked idea popped into her mind. “So can we go on a jump tonight?” A smile started to curve her lips as she fought to sound casual and to keep her expression innocent.

Alistair’s eyebrows furrowed. Rafe responded first, untangling his long limbs to sit up straighter. “Why not? I really am the perfect teacher.”

Alistair still didn’t look convinced. “If you’re sure you aren’t too tired, Gwen. It has been a long day.”

“Well, that settles it.” Rafe didn’t wait for a response and jumped from his chair. “Where are we going, Gwendolyn?”

She smiled sweetly up at him and wrapped her hand around his wrist. “Oh, don’t worry. I know just the place.” Her smile turned into a satisfied smirk at the look of suspicion on Rafe’s face. Then everything went black.

The ground was unsteady under her feet, and she used it as an excuse to tumble into Rafe’s arms. He grabbed her in surprise but was distracted by their surroundings. “Why did you pick here—” With a mighty shove, Rafe toppled off the wooden dock and into the lake. He surfaced, spitting water from his mouth. “Well, I should have known.”

Gwen smiled from the rocking dock, reveling in the water dripping down his face. “You know what they say, revenge is a dish best served cold.” Laughing, she dodged the water he splashed in her direction. The lake was a pretty place, when one didn’t have angry guards chasing them.

“Well, now that we have that over with … Race you.” With a cheeky grin, he dove into the lake. Gwen grabbed her compass, focusing on the room in which she had first seen Rafe. She disappeared in a flash, her laugh echoing around the now deserted lake.

Gwen stood in a mirrored room of the Archives, shifting her weight from foot to foot. After his impromptu dip in the lake, Rafe had disappeared in the Archives to find a change of clothes, but not before he promised to practice jumping the streams with her.

He had given her a quick once-over, scanning the wrinkled clothing she had worn for the test.
Jeans and a t-shirt, a far cry from her normal business professional.
He had told her that as much as he liked her legs in the skirts she usually wore to work, to lose her day-to-day professional getup and wear more outdoor appropriate clothing. She told herself she didn’t care whether he approved or not of the long wool coat and scuffed leather boots. They were warm and comfortable.
And that’s all I care about.

Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she tried to dispel the excitement coursing through her body. Her night had been free of nightmares, and she was full of energy. Her one jump to the lake had filled her with exhilaration, and she was desperate to try it again. Now if only Rafe would show up and they could start practicing.

By the time he arrived, Gwen was leaning against the wall, arms folded and foot tapping out an impatient beat on the floor.

“A little anxious?” He rubbed his hands together and surveyed the mirrors in the room. “I thought we could practice by having a bit of a contest.”

Gwen raised her eyebrow. She deliberately stilled the nervous movement of her foot and studied Rafe with an air of bored indifference. “I’m listening.”

He laughed. “That’s my girl!” He pointed to the plainest of the mirrors. “This is the one. My first move, we could say.”

She refused to move. “Your first move of what?”

“A little game of showmanship. I go first; you go second; and we see who can take the other to the most interesting place.”

“That’s not fair. You’ve been doing this a lot longer than I have.”
Why don’t you just stomp your foot to complete the
picture?

“You chicken?” His smirk was pure arrogance.

“Not on your life.” Gwen marched over to him with a smile, taking his hand and following him through the mirror without hesitation.

Her first glance of the fluorescent-lit bathroom was less than awe-inspiring, and she turned to Rafe. “Really?”

“Patience. Close your eyes.”

“Yeah, like I’m falling for that one.”

Rafe sighed. “God give me strength. Close your eyes. I obviously didn’t mean to show you a toilet.”

She eyed him before following his directions.
Somewhat reluctantly.
Obeying his whispered directions, it wasn’t long before he told her to open her eyes and look up.

Curious, she opened them, giving a gasp when a huge shark swam by her head. They were in a long tunnel illuminated by a rippling blue light. Sharks and stingrays swam above and around her. Their sleek bodies sliced through the water. They were beautiful—and deadly.

“Where are we?”

“Aquarium of Western Australia, located in the lovely Perth,” Rafe whispered in a perfect Australian accent.

She managed to tear her gaze away from the gliding shapes. “Where is everyone?”

“Relax, mate. The Aussies sleep at night too.” They stood in quiet harmony for a while, watching the shapes in the water, before Rafe touched her shoulder. “Your turn.”

Gwen’s brow furrowed in thought. She grinned when she picked her first destination. The compass in her hand warmed. And after the strange feeling of being weightless, a refreshing breeze blew across her face.

They stood above a sprawling city of ruins half obscured by mist. Around the city rose towering mountain peaks, green with vegetation. Smiling, she took in every detail of a place she thought she would never see. “Machu Picchu, Peru. Lost City of the Incas.”

Rafe whistled. “Well, you can do where, I’ll give you that. Can you do when?” With a flash, they were back in the Archives, running down a hall into a new room and through a different mirror.

The heat was intense and the sun so blinding Gwen shielded her eyes. When they adjusted to the glare coming off the pale white sand, she stared unblinking at the partly constructed pyramids in front of her. Rafe and her stood a distance away, hidden from view. Gwen could still make out the small shapes milling around the giant structure.

“Great Pyramid of Giza. Egypt. 2560 BCE.” He put particular emphasis on the date, and she could tell he was enjoying this as much as she was.

She watched as a group of struggling men pulled a giant piece of shining limestone across the sand, rolling it on logs placed in its path. Watching the amazing feat of construction unfold in front of her, it brought to mind other fantastic creations.

“Close your eyes.”

Rafe gave her a speculating look but shrugged his shoulders with good humor and followed her order.