Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [91]
He touched the plasma field, focusing his intention on Kreshkali, on Earth. Hopefully, Rosette was headed there too, but the way the portals were shifting, he couldn’t be sure of any destination now. He needed to find Rosette and they both had to sit down with Kreshkali, or Nell, and get to the source of these missteps.
‘Where was that place?’ Selene asked.
‘Corsanon,’ Shane said before Jarrod could answer. He’d stopped shivering, his face now flushed.
‘You know it?’ Jarrod asked.
Selene crossed her arms, waiting for the answer.
‘I’ve been there, with Rosette. It was warm as summer, though, and…’
‘When?’ Both Jarrod and Selene asked at the same time. One was a question, the other an accusation.
‘Just before we met up with you,’ Shane said. ‘We’d escaped the Treeon guards and galloped east for three days.’ He turned to Selene. ‘We had two of the best horses I’ve ever seen. You’d love their gait, so smooth…’ His voice trailed off. ‘What’s wrong now?’
‘What are you talking about? Their gait so smooth? You can’t even ride.’
‘I can. Rosette and I had plenty of time for…’
‘Plenty of time for what?’ she asked.
Shane threw up his hands. ‘I would have thought you’d be happy we escaped.’ He kicked the ground and turned his back to her. ‘What could it possibly matter to you about me and Rosette anyway?’ He spun to face her. ‘You ignore any efforts I make to engage you. I don’t know why I bother any more.’
‘Ignore you, do I? And what overtures have you actually made? I don’t recall any at all.’
He cleared his throat. ‘I aim plenty of attention your way.’
‘Aim would be the proper word, wouldn’t it?’ she said, her eyes rolling.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘You don’t know? Let me explain.’ She pushed up her sleeves. ‘You detonate your energy, Shane, shooting it rapid-fire like I’m some kind of quarry you’re trying to run down. How’s that supposed to make me feel?’
‘It clearly doesn’t make you feel anything. Besides, the subtle approach doesn’t work.’
‘Subtle? Shane, there never was a subtle approach. How else can I respond but to rebuff you? I’m not a rabbit in the underbrush.’
Shane blinked his eyes. ‘I don’t think of you that way,’ he said.
‘How do you think of me, then?’ she asked. ‘I’d really like to know because you never…’
‘Excuse me.’ Jarrod interrupted them. ‘Can you two continue this later? We’re here.’ He extended his arm towards the entrance of the portal.
‘Where have you brought us this time?’ Selene asked. She hooded her eyes and strode past Jarrod, leaving Shane behind.
‘I’m not sure, but it’s definitely warmer.’ Jarrod took in the landscape as he followed her out. ‘I’d say we’re getting close now.’
‘Close to what?’ Selene snapped. ‘This doesn’t look near anything at all.’
‘Wrong spot?’ Shane asked, catching up.
‘Slightly!’ Selene pointed her finger at Jarrod. ‘I showed you an alternative portal on Tensar so we could solve a mystery on my world, and you take us gadding about on your little friend’s heels.’ She crossed her arms under her breasts, fingers gripping her biceps. ‘And here we are in another land clearly not anywhere in the vicinity of…’ She looked left and right. ‘A single thing I recognise.’
‘Selene?’ Shane edged towards her.
‘What?’ She turned on him, making him jump back. ‘I suppose you think this is fine. Can’t wait to see her again, can you?’
While their argument faded into the background, Jarrod looked the other way. The environment was lush, green and sultry, buzzing with honeybees, small birds—and something else. He closed his eyes. Something larger. There were two bleeps on his internal radar, dots in the distance, making their way towards him. Now we might be getting somewhere. He raised his hand to alert the others. They didn’t notice.
‘That’s what you say, but how do you explain the end results?’ Selene drove the query, her face inches from Shane’s.
‘I don’t have to explain anything to you, first marshal or not.’
‘Would it matter if you did?’ she asked. ‘I expect…’
‘Quiet.’ Shane suddenly hushed her. He stared into the distance. ‘Someone’s coming.’
‘So you’ve noticed?