Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [193]
‘Oh, such metaphors.’ She splashed him, but as he wiped his eyes, she smiled. ‘I didn’t make it easy for you, did I?’
He pulled her into an embrace. ‘You never did.’ He kissed her. ‘How are you feeling about it now?’
‘I’m thinking more than feeling, to be honest. Keeping it light.’ She buried her face in his neck.
He stroked her wet hair, then slipped her whole body into his lap and cradled her like a child. ‘Grayson?’ he asked, his voice barely audible.
‘We’re going separate ways.’
‘Are you okay with that?’
She slid from his arms and swam away, doing a lap underwater before she returned to him. ‘There was never any commitment.’
‘Doesn’t really answer the question, Rosette.’
She sighed. ‘I hadn’t seen him in a long time. And I hadn’t thought about it much. I’ve had more urgent things on my mind.’ She leaned her head back, her hair floating over her breasts, her legs stretched out in front of her.
‘Did you tell him?’ Jarrod asked.
She rolled onto her belly, tracing the turquoise-veined tiles with a fingertip. ‘I didn’t get the chance to say anything.’
‘You mean you didn’t take the chance.’
She splashed him again. ‘The thing is, Jarrod, I’m not even completely sure it’s his.’ She looked away.
‘Really?’
‘I’m missing some pieces, as it were.’
‘How so?’
‘I’ve been gone a year of his time, no idea how long of mine. Unless I’m gestating an elephant, it doesn’t add up.’
‘Shane?’
‘I don’t think so. I don’t remember anything like it, but we were in a strange time loop. I don’t remember everything that happened.’
‘Selene reacted strongly to you.’
‘Most women do.’
He chuckled.
‘Does it matter, in any case?’ she asked.
‘You mean genetically?’
She nodded, swishing her hand through the water to make small waves.
‘The Richter-Paree blood dominates. It doesn’t really matter too much who the father is in that sense, as long as there is genetic compatibility.’
‘The Richter line is from Earth, but my father’s Gaelean. That seemed to work fine for me.’ She rolled over, frowning. ‘Where is he?’
‘Who?’
‘An’ Lawrence, of course.
‘An’ Lawrence?’
‘Jarrod, stop repeating. Where is the Sword Master of Treeon Temple and Temple Los Loma? Why isn’t he here?’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
‘Nothing, really.’
‘Then tell me where he is!’
Jarrod swallowed. ‘There was some confusion in the corridors between Nell of another world and Kali.’
She sat on the steps, crossing her arms. ‘Are you purposely trying to keep me in the dark?’
‘Not at all.’ He explained An’ Lawrence’s sudden departure.
‘So he dashed back into the portal when he realised Nell was not our Nell?’
‘Apparently.’
‘But Teg found Kali. Rescued her from a very different Treeon, and some falconer who thought to add her to his bevy. He told me about it today.’ She pulled her hair back from her face, wringing it out and twisting it on top of her head. ‘Can you imagine that? Kali on some hunter’s forearm?’
Jarrod shook his head.
‘Finish the story.’ She smiled. ‘Where’s An’ Lawrence now?’ She stood, pulling him up with her. ‘Hopefully he’s in the kitchens, cooking up a feast. I’m longing for Avan-chak.’
He gripped her hand and followed her out of the pool. ‘We don’t know,’ he said.
‘What?’
‘That is, we aren’t sure.’
‘You’re saying he went through the portal and hasn’t returned?’
‘He hasn’t returned yet.’
She dropped his hand, swiping water from her arms and chest. ‘We have to find him.’ She shook out her leggings and stepped into them.
‘Kali and I are going in the morning. We’re just settling things here first.’
‘I’m coming too.’ She continued to dress.
‘That’s not a good idea.’
‘Why not?’
He looked at her flat belly, about to speak.
‘I’m pregnant, Jarrod, not disabled. I can wield a blade and cast a spell as sharp as ever. Maybe even better. What’s the problem?’
‘You’ve been in such a long time-flux, there’s no way of telling what stage you’ll be in when the portal spits us out into a new world. The corridors aren’t running true—something we need to discuss as