Aventurine

  I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. I expected a clearer answer than that. It wasn’t every day I was whisked away and then someone tried to kill me. I barely even knew anyone in the past, and I had no clue why anyone would want to kill me. It was too surreal.

  “Guess,” I suggested.

  “An assassin,” Kye answered quickly enough to tell me it wasn’t a guess at all. “If I had to, I would think coming from your lovely cousin’s wife.”

  “Saska?” I asked in disbelief. I hardly knew the woman, why would she send an assassin after me?

  “It wouldn’t be the first time. I’ve heard she’s quite well known for that,” Kye replied, and shrugged like it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter now that the assassin was lying on the ground below not breathing, but it was still strange and even more surreal. “Quite the nasty woman.”

  “But why?” I asked. I really didn’t know that woman. I had no reason to be on her hit list.

  “Why?” Kye responded, like I should already know the answer. I shook my head no as I stood back up again, this time on my own. All my floating spots were gone out of my vision.

  “Yes, why?” I repeated.

  “For telling her husband what she did for starters,” Kye answered like it was obvious.

  Would she really send someone to kill me over telling the truth? It wasn’t like I could lie to the man. He had a way to tell if I was lying. Probably because I didn’t grow up here, I wasn’t that good at the game. I still didn’t get it. She’s the one that tried to give me away in the first place. I hated the messed up past. I belonged in the future and needed to go there now. I didn’t care what it would do to Logan and his position in the past. I thought of home and closed my eyes. I needed to be there. I needed away from the past and all the crazy people. I needed to go home now.

  “Didn’t work now, did it?” Kye asked, knowing perfectly well what I was doing.

  I opened my eyes and was stunned. Nothing had happened. This time there was no pressure, and I was concentrating fully. I should have been home or in some time close to home. Why wasn’t I? Did I forget how to travel? Was I doing something wrong? I turned to him, defeated. Kye was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as he watched me. It was a bit irritating to see him relaxed while I was freaking out. I mean, how could he be so calm after just killing a guy?

  “Guess they can’t be combined,” I replied, holding up my arm and shrugging. I desperately wanted to go home, but I wasn’t about to admit to Kye that I couldn’t travel under pressure, or that something was wrong.

  “Who says they can’t?” Kye asked, raising an eyebrow just like Logan would. He leaned against the wall and had Logan’s cocky pose down, like he knew something I didn’t. But unlike Logan there wasn’t anything but hope behind Kye’s eyes. How could he be so like Logan, yet so very different?

  “Just tried… remember?” I turned back to the city. It was dark, but lights around the city began to be lit and flickered in the pitch darkness of the night. I tried to glance down to where the assassin had to be on the ground, but I couldn’t see that far in the darkness. Nothing below us was lit.

  “And?” Kye asked from beside me. He had appeared next to me, and he didn’t make a sound when he had done it. He wasn’t dropping the issue.

  “If I tried and it didn’t work, I’d say that’s a good reason to say combining the stones doesn’t work now. Don’t you think?” It wasn’t rocket science. It made perfectly logical sense. I didn’t need to add the part about me being a newbie at all of it.

  “And I’d ask, is time travel so exact? Does it always work, even if you have the power to travel?” Kye replied. I thought for a moment. Kye watched me intently. “I may have been told that there are certain things I cannot say, but there’s nothing wrong if you figure it out for yourself.”

  Kye was trying to get me to understand something. He was helping me without disobeying Logan. I had to give him points there. He was becoming more trustworthy with every moment, but he was still Logan’s brother. Could I completely trust him?

  “Has there ever been a time that you couldn’t travel?” Kye asked innocently, like we were just having a normal conversation. But he was trying to get me to understand something.

  I thought back over my meager experience. I’d only traveled a couple dozen times. Even when I didn’t know how to do it, I could. My first time was completely unplanned, but it worked. The only time I couldn’t travel was when the lines were too low. If they really could be added together, then I should have been able to travel. I searched my memory again. Was there a time I couldn’t travel? It hit me. There was. I had completely forgotten about Ty’s room, and how you couldn’t travel into or out of it. That was it. I couldn’t travel out of the room.

  I looked at Kye as I realized that I was still locked in the room. I was pretty sure he wasn’t about to let me walk around the palace after his orders were to keep me here. I looked at the pillars beside me. If Logan had made his rooms untravelable, then I needed to get out of it. I was two stories above the ground. I stuck my head out and looked at the walls of the palace. It didn’t look like there were any edges to climb, which made sense since it was the prince’s rooms and all, but I wished there had been.

  “What are you thinking now?” Kye asked, perplexed at my actions.

  “How to get out of this non-travel room without you getting in trouble,” I replied, looking again outside.

  “Non-travel room?” Kye asked, curious.

  “You know. This room is exactly like Ty’s room at the Sangre house. You can’t travel in or out,” I replied. He was the one that hinted at it, so I was confused why he looked perplexed now.

  “You can’t travel in or out of Ty’s room?” Kye asked. “That’s a new one for me.”

  I was taken aback. What did he mean? That was the only reason I could never travel in my limited experience.

  “Then…” I began, but didn’t finish my statement when I was interrupted.

  “Do you remember the only piece of advice I’ve given you since I’ve met you?” Kye asked. Guess we were back to the guessing game.

  “Not to take gifts from the prince. Luckily I have not,” I replied. I didn’t take the ring from him. Even then, Kye seemed more trustworthy than Logan. I had no idea what he was getting at.

  Kye walked over next to me and picked up my hand. The bracelets from my cousin jingled as they slid down my arm. Kye began to undo each bracelet, one at a time. When he got to the last, he stopped and pointed at it. I looked at it. There was no clasp like the others.

  “I didn’t take a gift from Logan. I refused the ring,” I argued at the stuck bracelet. I turned it over in circles in vain. There was no clasp.

  “Yet, you’re wearing this bracelet,” Kye replied.

  “He said it was from my cousin,” I answered. How could I’ve been that foolish? Even without knowing much about Kye, he was the one to trust, and his words were clear: accept no gift. I had done just that.

  “I warned you not to, even though I knew you would.” Kye sighed. He leaned against the railing. “You could try to climb to your death, but leaving the room won’t help. Logan has you trapped here by that little piece of metal alone. You’re not going anywhere unless he lets you.”

  I didn’t need Kye to explain more. I could feel it was true. There was no way to time travel. Reality set in. I was stuck. No matter how much I wanted to go home, or how much the lines grew back. I was at the mercy of Logan Jones. My history with him had taught me one thing--Logan never did anything without wanting something in return. In order to get home, I was going to have to do something. I just hoped his price wasn’t too high. I needed to get home to Seth. I needed to get back to the future, and I needed to be gone now.

  Chapter 3

  Broken Promises

  Kye slammed into the pillar next to me before hitting the ground. Logan had entered the room out of nowhere and was now standing angrily above Kye. It had only taken one unsuspecting pun
ch and Kye was on the ground. He didn’t move. I bent down to check on him, but Logan caught my arm to stop me.

  “Let go of me,” I ordered Logan, but his grip did not wane.

  “He deserves more than that,” Logan spat out, still fuming, as he loomed over Kye.

  I looked down at Kye. His eyes opened a slit. He wasn’t unconscious, but he wasn’t getting up either. I had a feeling there was more behind these brothers than either let on.

  “For what?” I asked. “Telling me the truth so that I didn’t try to climb out the second floor of a building? Or for getting rid of the man that was trying to kill me?”

  “What?” Logan looked alarmed. He began looking me over from head to toe. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, of course. I was okay enough to think I could leave the room the same way,” I answered, pointing to the open railing behind me.

  “You were going to do what?” Logan asked, confused. He released his grip on me, and I dropped to the floor.

  “Are you okay?” I asked Kye. Kye pushed himself into a seated position, but didn’t stand. He didn’t look back into my eyes, keeping his gaze on Logan.

  “An assassin,” Kye told Logan. Anger laced his face as Logan paced the room. “And he has been taken care of. Next time, ask Saska to send a present a bit more fitting, preferably one that won’t start a war.” Kye spoke, and Logan finally stopped and nodded.

  “Was she really looking to climb outside?” Logan asked Kye. The fact that he was so wrapped up in my planning to jump down from the balcony was confusing to me. Wasn’t Logan concerned at all about the assassin?

  “Yes, because for some reason, she thought her lack of travel was connected to the room,” Kye added, still not standing. Both of them were just glazing over the fact that someone had tried to kill me. Yep, the past wasn’t for me if casual murder was a regular occurrence in this time.

  “To the room?” Logan asked, still confused. They were both more baffled by my idea that the room was untravelable than anything.

  “Like the pool house at the Sangre estate in Chicago,” I answered for Kye.

  “The pool house?” Logan repeated.

  “Yes. Ty and I found that you can’t travel in or out of the pool house,” I explained. “So I figured, when I couldn’t leave, it was the same here. Yes, I was going to climb down there and try again.”

  “Why didn’t you just walk outside the room?” Logan asked, finally offering a hand to Kye. Kye took it and stood.

  “Outside the room? I got the distinct feeling I wasn’t to leave the room, and was sure Kye would have stopped me,” I replied.

  “So you thought you’d go out the window?” Logan was trying to follow my train of thought.

  I shrugged. No, it didn’t make complete sense, but at least I had the defense that someone had just tried to kill me by choking me. I probably wasn’t thinking rationally. There was no way I was going to be able to climb down two stories on a good day.

  “I never heard of a room not being able to travel into,” Kye told Logan.

  “Neither have I,” Logan replied. Both seemed to be in awe of the idea.

  “But a bracelet can stop you?” I asked. Now they weren’t making sense to me.

  They looked at each other.

  “Of course,” they both replied in unison. Yep, they were related. That much couldn’t be hidden, and how no one else saw it was beyond me.

  I rolled my eyes. Neither idea made sense, but I wasn’t about to argue it. I was tired, and wanted to sleep after the botched attempt on my life.

  “Where can I sleep?” I asked. The exhaustion hit me immediately now that the threat was gone. In the presence of both Logan and Kye, I felt completely safe.

  “Kye will show you to your rooms,” Logan replied, finally leaning over the edge to look at the body hidden below in the shadows.

  “Can’t you just take me home to my time?” I asked. I really needed my own bed.

  “No,” Logan replied, still trying to see the assassin below.

  “No?” I repeated. I had to have heard him wrong. I hoped that I could still just view him as a friend; a friend would have taken me home. I had no clue why he put the bracelet on me, but I still held onto hope that it was just his way to protect me. This was not protecting me.

  “Correct. No.” Logan was serious. “Kye will show you to your room, and we can talk about this in the morning.” Logan moved in close to kiss my forehead again. I pulled back before he could.

  My eyes shot open. All sleepiness was gone. I was going to forgive him for the stupid time-travel-stopping bracelet once he took me home. Hearing him say no halted any thoughts of forgiveness.

  “No,” I said to him. “We’ll talk about this right now.” I was ready to argue with him.

  Logan shook his head and motioned for Kye. Kye came to stand beside me.

  “Please, Mari, drop it,” Kye begged. I looked to him, staring daggers. How could Kye be on his side? Wasn’t the reason Kye was in the past to help me?

  “I won’t drop it,” I replied to both of them and stepped back from Kye.

  “Please,” Kye repeated. “Another day here won’t make a difference. You’ll still return to the same time and place there whether you leave right now or tomorrow.”

  That was true, but it was the principle of the thing. Why did Logan get to boss me around? Yes, he was the prince, but he wasn’t my prince. He was my ex-boyfriend. He really didn’t get a say in anything. And why did he put the stupid bracelet on me? He wasn’t even explaining that much, or offering to take it off. It seemed like he intentionally had me trapped, and I really wasn’t in the mood to play Logan’s games.

  “Please, just hear me out in the morning,” Logan added. I could hear the pleading in his voice as he rubbed his forehead. “It’s been a long day, and you deserve a proper explanation for all of this. I promise I’m not holding you here prisoner. I just needed you to be able to understand what I’m doing. I needed time to explain it all to you. I know, back home, you wouldn’t give me the time of day, but here I figured you can make a moment for me. For an old friend.” Logan held up his hands in surrender. “Just let’s get some sleep, and I’ll explain it all tomorrow. Everything.”

  Hearing both of their pleas, my anger lessened, and I agreed. I was as tired as they were. While I wanted my own bed, I’d make do overnight with one from Logan. I didn’t know what there was to explain, and yes, I was his prisoner, but I had to let him clarify this entire situation. Part of me was curious why he would go to such an extent to trap me. What was that important for me to see?

  “You promise first thing in the morning you’ll explain?” I demanded. Logan nodded.

  “I’ll have you back to the future by lunch if you let me,” Logan replied, placing his hand over his chest. “Scout’s honor.”

  “Promise?” I asked, hoping for once he’d keep his word.

  “Promise,” he replied.

  I really didn’t know why I trusted him. Logan had a record of breaking promises, yet here I was again getting his assurances. I hoped he wouldn’t disappoint on this one. I wanted to see my family. I also needed to be sure my mother was safe and hadn’t been sent back to the past again. They needed to be in my present, and happy. I wanted my happily ever after.

  “This way,” Kye said from next to me, making me break my eye contact with Logan.

  I nodded to Logan and followed Kye out of the big open room. Kye paused and waited for me in the hallway. I nodded to keep him walking, and followed him down the narrower corridor. I didn’t have to talk to him, even if I was doing what he and Logan asked of me. Something about the brothers told me Kye was the one to trust, but it sucked that he was on the same side as Logan with this argument. I really did want to go home.

  “This is made up for you.” Kye stopped at a doorway and pointed into the room. “This one is yours.”

  Torches were already lit around the chamber, giving a nice yellow glow to show off the lavishly decorated apartment. I co
uld tell by the jewels and ornate fabrics that it was certainly decorated for a girl, and it was a bit disturbing to hear Kye call it my room. It was as if Logan planned for me staying longer than he promised.

  I looked down and tugged on the bracelet. It didn’t break, and left a red line on my wrist. If the stupid thing was gone, I’d already be home.

  “Just give him a chance to explain tomorrow,” Kye said, watching my motions, but not stopping me.

  “An explanation and then he’ll take me home,” I replied. If Kye was Logan’s brother, and could see the lines of the stones on my arm, then Kye had to have time travel abilities also. When I said I wanted to go home, I really didn’t care how I got there. Taking off the stupid bracelet, or just hauling me back were both fine with me. Either way, I just wanted to go home.

  Kye didn’t reply.

  “That’s all that it will take, right?” I asked. Kye’s lack of a response worried me. He seemed to know Logan well, and I was afraid something more was hidden behind his response.

  “I hope for your sake, but I highly doubt it,” Kye added, turning to leave.

  “Wait,” I called to him. “What do you mean?”

  “When was Logan ever satisfied with just explaining things?” Kye replied, he was back to speaking cryptically. “I’ll be in the room right next door. If you need anything, just holler.”

  Kye left me alone in the room before I could reply. Just holler… Like when I was being strangled. It was kind of hard to yell then. I shivered as I looked around the room. Fortunately it was well lit, and there was no one in it aside from me. I shook my head at the thought. I needed out of the past. This wasn’t my world, nor did I want it to be.

  I walked over to the deep red- or plum-colored bed, it was hard to tell in the dark, and lay down. Sleep first and then home. No matter what Logan said in the morning, I planned to be home by lunch. I wasn’t staying longer than that. There was nothing Logan could say to change my mind. This place wasn’t home. I belonged next to Seth, and I couldn’t wait to get there. As I closed my eyes, I thought of Seth, and went to sleep with images of him in my head.