Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [175]
He sighed again, allowing his tulpa to repair while his consciousness gathered, keen to head off in another direction. He had a thing or two he wanted to discuss with the Caller and he knew just where to find her.
‘That went well,’ Shane said. He pulled the door closed and stretched his neck from side to side. He rubbed knots out of his shoulders. When he straightened, Selene was staring at him. The lines on her brow deeply creased. Even the candlelight didn’t soften the edge of her expression. ‘Is something wrong?’ he asked.
She let out her breath in a rush. ‘I’m sorry, Shane, but your idea of “things going well” isn’t the same as mine.’ She slipped out of her long cloak and tossed it towards her pack. ‘I mean, what are we doing here? This isn’t our world and these aren’t our people, or our problems, for that matter. We’ve been gone for who knows how long and I’m not even sure how to get back.’ She drew in more air. ‘We don’t belong here!’
‘Maybe, but we are here nonetheless.’ He took her hand and led her to a nest of cushions, easing her down.
‘I’ve been here long enough, Shane. I came with Jarrod, thinking he’d solve our problems on Tensar, but as far as I can tell he hasn’t even considered it.’ She talked over him when he started to answer. ‘I can’t imagine he has, with everything that’s been going on. What about Tensar? What’s happening there?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘That’s my point. We’ve no idea.’ She bent forward to unlace her boots, leaning back with a sigh before she could get the knot undone. ‘I’ve had it. I’m finding my way back tomorrow, and I don’t care who’s disembodied or trapped in time or in need of rescuing. I’m going home.’ She held up her hand. ‘I know there is something wrong with the portals. They’re going every which way but direct, but that’s an even stronger sign that we need to get back. The many-worlds are in danger when the portals stop running true. I’m first marshal of the border scouts. I need to do my job!’
He patted his thigh and nodded towards her boots. ‘Fair enough,’ he said.
She put her feet in his lap. ‘Pardon?’
‘I said, it sounds like a fair plan to me.’ He untied the knots and slipped off her boots. When he started massaging her feet, she didn’t pull away. She closed her eyes and smiled. Music floated up the stairs, the soft stringed instruments creating a melodic ambience.
‘I’m surprised you aren’t down there, with them,’ she said through a deep yawn.
‘I’m happy here.’
‘Happy?’
He nodded.
‘You haven’t said that word in a long time.’ She sighed. ‘Shane, we know where the portal is.’ She kept her eyes closed. ‘We’ve seen how it works, how they commune with the Entity—been through often enough now. What’s to stop us from going home?’
‘What indeed?’
She opened one eye. ‘You’re awfully agreeable this evening.’
He winked at her, about to answer. There was a knock at the door.
The apprentice had returned with a platter of food: flat bread and an assortment of dips and sprouts, goat cheese, dark purple grapes and roasted macadamia nuts. She also carried a pot of hot spiced wine. ‘This will have to do on short notice. All the meats have gone to the Lupins, you understand. Nobody wants them roaming around hungry!’
‘This is perfect,’ Shane said. ‘We don’t eat meat.’
She put the tray on the table and waved in two more apprentices. They carried a steaming kettle between them.
‘Don’t spill any of it. These are Gaelean rugs, you know.’ She rolled her eyes at Shane and Selene. ‘We can’t have water splashing about.’
Shane felt certain the warning was for him as well. He inhaled deeply. The aroma of orange blossom and cloves rose with the steam. The apprentices carried the kettle into the bathroom and poured the water into the large tub.
‘They’ll be back with