“He was doing what I ordered him to do,” his father said, shocking Gray and Aria alike. “She’s a thief! I should have had her thrown into prison instead of listening to that old woman, Tessa Blagden! Where is she?”
Aria stared at Mrs. B.’s empty chair. She was looking at her old friend while the duke ranted on. And then, before Aria finished blinking her eyes, Mrs. B. was gone.
Aria took a moment before the guards grabbed her to wonder why Mrs. B. was allowed to jump around in time, but Gray’s mother had been punished for it.
She looked at him in time to see him turn his stoic expression on the men around her. And then, in an instant, fire lit his eyes. He drew his sword and hurried toward them. Most ran, some waited until he was almost upon them before they ran too. When Gray reached her, unhindered, he grabbed her hand and closed his eyes.
Aria had no idea what he was doing. His father shouted behind her. Harper joined her and Gray.
“Aria, tell me something about your mother. Quickly!” Gray held his blade out while he waited for her to answer.
“Um…ah…she’s a hard worker. She…it’s hard to think when all this was going on!
Gray opened his eyes briefly and gave her a caustic look.
Aria narrowed her eyes on him but focused her thoughts. “She has blonde hair and her eyes are blue like mine. Um, she’s five feet, six inches tall. She has a burn scar from two years ago on the back of her left arm, from her shoulder to her elbow. She…”
Aria’s words caught in her throat at the sight before her.
The air blurred, as if she were looking over the heat of flames. The western wall of the ballroom tore away. On the other side was…was her mother’s living room.
With his hand covering hers, Gray ran for the tear.
Home! It was home! Aria’s heart was ready to explode.
A pair of hands stopped her dead in her tracks, ripping her hand from Gray’s, then dragged her in the opposite direction.
She turned to look up, horrified at Harry Gable. “Let me go!” She tried to fight her way free.
“Aria!” Gray screamed her name. He was close to the blurry tear. “I can’t keep it open if I run back. Come to me!”
Aria tried to pull herself together and concentrate, then she snapped out her leg, but her captor merely shook his head and held on. Aria panicked, but a pair of hands grabbed Harry from behind, one arm coiled around his neck.
Aria saw that it was Will and kicked out. Finally, she broke free. She looked toward the rent in time. Gray was there, waiting for her.
A shot rang out. Sarah screamed. It was Will! Will had been shot! There was no time to even look back. Barely an instant for a shadow to rush by Aria as she took a flying, fearless leap into Gray’s arms. And the rent closed.
*
Gray held outhis arms when she leaped and caught her. He smiled as if it was the single most important thing he succeeded at in his life. It was.
Then he looked around. They were in a square room with odd candle stands giving off soft, golden light. There was a settee-type, thick-cushioned place for sitting, along with a chair, upholstered in the same cream-colored fabric.
He wanted to ask Aria if she saw the shadow shoot by them—seemingly going from this world to that one.
“Mom?”
Before he asked her, Aria’s voice broke through his thoughts.
Mom. They were in the future. It worked! He traveled through time!
A woman appeared from another room carrying a basket of clothing. “Aria? What are you doing home so early? Did you finish prac—”
The older woman’s words were swallowed up in a tight, tearful embrace. “Mom! Oh, Mom! I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
“Here for what?” Her mother gently pushed her out of her arms and gave her a careful looking over. “When did your hair get so long? And…what’s with the medieval clothes?”
“Regency,” Aria absently corrected. “Mom—”