A Break in Time

by Michelle Miles

  * * *

  Dane woke with a raging headache and wished to God he had a cigarette and a glass of whiskey. It was the only thing that would knock out the loud hammering in his skull. He grunted and flexed his fingers and found all ten functioning.

  That had to have been the worst jump yet. He felt as if he’d aged at least ten years. His stomach was in knots and he had rather large bump on the base of his skull. Gingerly, he touched it with his fingertips and groaned with the pain.

  Something cold and moist pressed into his back. He smelled damp earth. His eyes flickered open to darkness. With a moan, he rolled to his side and sat up. His head objected to the movement, as evidenced by the jackhammer drilling his brain. He pressed his palm into his forehead, wishing and willing the pain away.

  Everything else seemed to be intact. No broken bones, as far as he could tell. The darkness took shape. He was outside among broken trees and rolling hills. The land sloped below him and in the distance, standing against an inky night sky, were large stones the likes he had never seen. Clustered together, so that he could not make out where one ended and another one began.

  Stumbling over his own feet, he fell forward, caught himself on a tree limb and steadied his footing. He peered through the darkness, his heart doing a loud cadence in his chest. He heard nothing but the wind. Not even crickets chirped. Which felt strange. Foreign.

  Dane glanced around the landscape, looking for Skye. He couldn’t find her and it worried him. He expected her to be somewhere near him after landing, like all the other times they had jumped. The last he saw of her was a blurry image reaching for him, their hands colliding but never connecting.

  She was gone.

  He staggered down the slope toward the boulders on the horizon. He didn’t know what he expected to find, but he felt drawn to it. He had to go to that place, to see what was there. It was nothing more than silent stones against the backdrop.

  “Skye?”

  He tentatively called her name into the darkness. His voice reverberated off the landscape, echoing back to him.

  “Skye!”

  He shouted it to the heavens, as if she could hear him that way. He felt the panic rise up in his throat.

  “Where are you? Skye!”

  Still nothing. Only silence was his answer. He stood in the middle of the field, staring at the boulders, listening to his own breath and watching it crystallize in the thin cold air. Skye was nowhere to be found…and he had no idea where to look.

  * * *

  Skye sat bolt upright, clutching her chest. She had heard the shout in her mind, in her sleep. In her dreams. She saw Dane running across a field, shouting her name and looking for her. She could even feel his panic.

  She gulped in air, trying to calm herself. It was just a dream. That’s all. Only a dream.

  Glancing around, she took in her surroundings. She sat on a bed that was only a makeshift pallet. An animal’s fur provided warmth from the icy stone floor, as well as blanketed her. She flung it off.

  As far as animal skins for blankets and clothing went, she wasn’t a fan.

  Rising to her feet, she realized her mistake. Her bones didn’t want her moving so fast or so soon after her fall through time. She sat back down, hard, on the pallet and put her face in her hands. She pulled her fingers through her tangled hair and wished for a comb or a brush. Anything to get the knots out.

  Cold seeped into her then and she suddenly appreciated the animal fur. She reached for it, wrapped it around her thin frame, shuddering against the pelt.

  Where was Dane? It wasn’t normal for them to be separated during their leap through time. She felt certain she had heard his voice right next to her. Could she be imagining things?

  “Perhaps I hit my head harder than I thought,” she muttered, rubbing her sore temples.

  And then there was the matter of meeting the old man on the path. He had insisted on bringing her to the chieftain and when she refused… She couldn’t help but wonder what he’d done to her to make her want to fall asleep so quickly. He merely pressed his fingers to her forehead.

  Magic?

  And if so, then what kind of world was this?

  The sound of shuffling feet interrupted her thoughts. A tall thin man stood in the doorway, with onyx eyes and straight black hair reaching his waist. He wore a long white robe with a braided belt around his middle.

  His gaze pierced her to the core, though why, she didn’t know. He held out a hand to her as an invitation. Despite her misgivings, Skye placed her cold hand in his warm one. His fingers closed around hers and he led her from the stone room.

  The frigid air pressed around her, causing her skin to prickle. She warded off a shudder. They traveled down a dank tunnel lined with torches blazing brightly. Glancing at the man next to her, the firelight flickered shadows off his gaunt face. He had a strong chin, thin lips and an aquiline nose. His dark eyes were hooded by bushy, dark brows, something she hadn’t noticed before.

  They entered a large, brightly lit chamber. A fire roared in a stone fireplace on one side of the room. Torches glowed on either side of a dais where a man sat in an oversized chair. Almost like a throne.

  Her escort paused, released her, and put his hand between her shoulder blades, giving her a nudge forward.

  A woman emerged from the shadows. Long white hair cascaded over her shoulders down to her waist. Her pale blue eyes were sharp and lively, making terror bubble up within Skye. The woman reached for her and Skye held her breath.

  Her gnarled hand fluttered through Skye’s tangled locks then the woman placed her palm on her abdomen.

  Skye flinched, tried to step away but her escort pressed his hand against her back, keeping her in place. The woman with the pale eyes looked from Skye to the man behind her, then removed her hand.

  “She is with child,” she announced.

  “What?” The word hissed out between Skye’s teeth and she stared wide-eyed at the woman.

  How could the woman tell that? A sickly feeling crept through Skye, sending her nerves prickling and her senses reeling. Skye pressed her hands against her womb, as if she, too, could feel the small life beating there.

  “Are you certain, Naise?” the man on the dais asked.

  “I could never be more certain, Lord Perron.”

  She was greatly disturbed this woman thought she was pregnant.

  Oh, dear. Skye thought back to the times she and Dane had been together. It was impossible to find out so soon. Not even the best early pregnancy tests would tell her she was pregnant when she hadn’t even missed a day yet.

  Still…the possibility existed. And one she would be keeping firmly to herself. She couldn’t tell Dane, not yet. Not until she knew if it was true. And even if it was, it didn’t mean she was ready to marry him or pick out curtains and move in together, for God’s sake. Even if they were stuck in the past. He was a thorn in her side, a pain in the ass, always with some sarcastic remark. And, oh, damn. He could kiss good, too.

  What was she going to do now?

  “What do you mean with child?” Skye asked, still reeling from the panic swirling inside her.

  “The female has not been asked to speak,” Perron, the man on the dais, said icily. His gaze went back to Naise. “I wonder, Naise, why he said nothing of the woman being with child. Unless you think the unborn babe is the one?”

  “No, Lord Perron. He spoke of the woman and the girl.” Naise circled her, looking her up and down. “He mentioned nothing of her being with child. Where is your daughter?”

  “I have no daughter.” Skye drew her brows together.

  Perron stood quickly and stepped off the dais, joining Naise. “If you have no daughter, then why are you here? Naise, he told us she would bring the girl.”

  But Naise ignored him. “There is a girl child, is there not?” she demanded. “Where is she now?”

  Skye searched her memory. She could only assume they spoke of Lara. She had told her a bad man came to get her and sh
e didn’t belong there in the desert.

  “I don’t…”

  “You are the mother, are you not?” Naise said.

  “Mother? No!” Fear knotted her stomach. “I have no daughter.” Should she mention Lara? And if she did…what would happen to her?

  “He lied to us. Find him at once,” Naise said. “I want him brought to me.”

  “Wait,” Skye began. “There was a girl…before.”

  The older woman fixed her with a stare and waited for her to continue. Her heart beat furiously as she tried to decide how to tell them.

  “She…told me she didn’t belong there. That a bad man was coming to get her.”

  “Where is she now?” Perron asked.

  “I don’t know. But when…” Skye paused, choosing her words. Lara had looked right at her just before they were sucked through the blinding light and whispered, it’s time. “There was a flash of light and we ended up here. The girl was with us.”

  “Then she must be here. We have to find her at once.”

  * * *

  The stone circle before him seemed familiar, like he had seen it before. The shape and size of the boulders reminded him of something.

  He could clearly see a gentle slope surrounding the circle—more like a trench. Three boulders stood in a line, as if to usher visitors toward it. Two more boulders stood on either side of what could only be called an entrance and beyond that was the stone circle he had seen from afar.

  He approached it, standing in the entrance, with each massive boulder on either side of him. They dwarfed him, making him feel as though he were the size of a child. He took two steps and paused, standing inside the circle, gazing at the boulders. Five sets of boulders in an arc and he faced it.

  And then it hit him. Stonehenge. He stood in the shadow of Stonehenge when it was in its glory. Before it became a ruin. Before time and weather left but a few remaining boulders for the later generations of man to wonder about.

  His heart hammered his chest. The sheer size impressed him and he stared. Intense power hummed through him, making his veins sing. Stepping closer, he reached for the closest stone.

  “Careful, my son.”

  The sing-song female voice stopped him and he swiveled, looking for her. She stepped from behind one of the massive stones wearing a white gown that clung to her lithe, youthful body. She was beauty beyond compare—silvery white hair cascading over her shoulders to her waist in soft waves with eyes the color of moonlight. She had high cheekbones, perfectly arched blonde brows, a small pert nose. Her chin came to a point beneath perfect lips the color of the red rose. He couldn’t stop staring.

  “For the power of the Stones could be your undoing.” Her beautiful mouth curled in a small smile. “Do you know what you seek?”

  “Uh…I’m looking for someone.”

  “You will not find her here.”

  His brows drew together. How did she know? How could she know? She stepped closer to him and on the cold evening wind he could smell her faint scent of jasmine. Her delicate hand landed on his chest, dragging across him as she circled him. Something about her stirred him and could almost make him forget about Skye. Almost.

  He grasped her wrist and shoved her roughly away. She grinned approval.

  “You are a strong man. A powerful man.” She stepped from him and her footsteps were so fluid it seemed as though she glided through the air. “I am called Elwyn, daughter of the High Priest of Mooar.”

  It was an unusual thing for Dane to be struck mute. Usually he could come up with some witty comeback, but not this time. She gestured toward the stones.

  “Choose your Stone and see your future. For when you touch upon the surface, all will be revealed to you,” Elwyn said.

  “No, thanks,” Dane replied, finally finding his tongue. “I’ll take my chances with the unknown.”

  “Then you are a fool.”

  “You know, I get that a lot.” He gave her his best smile and he turned to head back the way he had come.

  “She will not be easy to find, Dane, son of Roderick.”

  He stopped mid-stride, looking at her over his shoulder. His heart had plummeted to his toes. How the hell did she know that?

  “If you truly wish to find her, see the chieftain on the hill.”

  “Just who do you think I’m looking for then?”

  “Your lady love.” Elwyn gave him a smug smile, as if she could read his thoughts easily. “Seek the chieftain and you will be one step closer to finding her.”

  “And if I don’t.”

  She paused, as if unsure of her answer. “Mayhap, Dane, you should have touched the Stones to learn your future.” She gave him a bow before turning and disappearing behind one of the stones.

  With his heart in his throat, Dane turned and sprinted away from Stonehenge.

  Chapter Eighteen: Unleash Hell

  “I go to the circle to find him,” Naise said, picking up her long skirts.

  “I will take her to a holding chamber.” Perron grasped Skye by the arm.

  Turning, Skye noticed a carved figurine by the doorway. She stared at it. She hadn’t seen it when she was brought to the chamber and recognized the face immediately. It was Lara.

  “My God…”

  “Come.” Perron tugged her through the door.

  “The statue of the girl…who is she?”

  “The next Guardian.”

  “Lara?”

  “Is that what she calls herself?” Perron asked.

  “She’s six years old,” she said. “She has an older sister and a brother and her father is the sheriff in an Indian territory. That’s what I know of her. What do you know?”

  “You cannot ask such questions.”

  “Why not? If you’re going to do something to her—”

  Perron turned to her and gripped her arms hard. “Nothing will happen to the girl. She belongs here with us, not them.”

  Fire flashed in his eyes. He released her and continued down the torch-lined corridor. Skye fell in step beside him.

  “What are you going to do to her? I’d like to know what’s going on here.”

  Perron didn’t answer. If it were any other time, and she didn’t already have feelings for Dane, she would find this man attractive. His dark hair curled over his forehead. His large gray eyes were haunting, yet the kind of eyes any woman could get lost in.

  “Perron—”

  “You will address me as lord,” he ordered.

  She pulled him to a stop in the corridor. “Lord Perron, then. Who is the man Naise said lied?” She had her suspicions, but she wanted Perron to confirm them.

  He looked thoughtful for a moment, his beautiful eyes gazing into hers. Perhaps he was deciding if he could trust her or not.

  “If the man is who I think, he’s dangerous,” she said. “I want to help.”

  “Like the way he promised to help us?” he scoffed. “He came to us a few days ago with that promise. He knew of our desperation to find the girl.”

  “He saw the statue, too?” she asked.

  “Yes. He recognized her, told us where we could find her far in the future. Naise allowed him to convince her to open the portal. I warned her not to trust him.”

  “And you were right to.”

  “The girl was to be born as the next powerful Guardian. She is gifted with foresight and knows things. But something happened in the moment her soul was to be born to us and she was lost.”

  And somehow placed into Lara. “And the man’s name?”

  “He calls himself Ridgewood.”

  She knew it. Still, though, hearing him confirm her suspicions worried her. She had to find Dane and now.

  There were still questions to be answered—like how the girl’s soul became lost. Perhaps the time bender had something to do with it. Somehow it had caused a rift that rippled across time and space, screwing everything up for Naise and Perron. And Ridgewood had enough knowledge of the past and future to concoct a wild scheme to get them all t
here.

  “Lord Perron,” she began. “I think I can help you. But to do that, I’ll need your help.”

  “I will do what I can.”

  “I traveled here with a man. I need you to help me find him.”

  “You didn’t travel here,” he said before she could continue. “You were brought here.”

  “You brought us here?”

  “Not me, Naise. She is the powerful one.”

  “Oh.” Skye paused, realization dawning. “That explains a lot.”

  “All we really want is the child.”

  “I’ve been trying to tell you. I believe the girl Naise is looking for could be with my friend.”

  “Come with me.”

  * * *

  Dane ran back down the hillside, away from the standing stones. He paused and turned back, looking at the mystical place. He’d swear he could still feel the power emanating from the boulders, even from this distance.

  Sweat dampened his neck and brow despite the cold air pressing around him. Could it be possible he stood in the shadow of Stonehenge? And if so, what the hell year was it?

  Clearly the time bender hadn’t brought them here. He had made sure of it. He had waited until Skye had ventured out of the house that morning and, knowing he’d trade away the device, he popped the back off the bender and removed the tiny chip. He reached into his pocket now and fingered the microchip he’d removed.

  You’re a damn fool, Fortune.

  Now he had to find Ben—if he were even there—and this chieftain fellow on the hill to get one step closer to Skye, according to Elwyn.

  It was going to be a very long three days. If he could even get the thing working again after popping out the chip.

  Dane wasn’t exactly sure which hill and which chieftain the girl spoke of. But seeing as how the place wasn’t overrun with chieftains and hills, he headed south away from the stones.

  He could be walking for days, so he had a need of some mode of transportation. He’d have to find a horse. And warmer clothes and soon. Perhaps he could bargain for the items he needed but he didn’t exactly have anything of value since he’d already given up the time bender.