Time Walker

Time Walker

Spirit Bound 1

of the Cascadian Chronicles

Meghan Ciana Doidge

Published by Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions

Vancouver, BC, Canada

www.oldmaninthecrosswalk.com

www.madebymeghan.ca

TIME WALKER

Copyright © 2012 Meghan Ciana Doidge

Published by Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions 2012

Second Edition January 2015

Vancouver, BC, Canada

www.oldmaninthecrosswalk.com

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be produced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, objects, and incidents herein are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual things, events, locales, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Library and Archives Canada

Doidge, Meghan Ciana, 1973 —

Time Walker/Meghan Ciana Doidge — SMASHWORDS EDITION

Cover image & design by Irene Langholm

ISBN 978-1-927850-19-0

Smashwords Edition

<<<<>>>>

Contents

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Beth was sneaky. No lock could hold her. No cage could confine her. No door could bar her way. But, when your adoptive mother is a Spirit Binder, and all your siblings are elementals, being sneaky doesn’t really rank.

That is until the devastation of a city draws her omniscient mother’s attention, and her siblings go missing one by one; then Beth’s sneakiness is the only thing standing between her, her loved ones, and the worst enemy she’ll ever face: herself.

CHAPTER ONE

Piles of trunks and other baggage filled the north side of the castle courtyard. The valets were still busy unloading each carriage as it arrived, and the unattended luggage had been placed out of the immediate way for sorting and delivery. They were lucky it hadn’t snowed today.

The large pile easily hid her from wandering eyes. She was kind of tiny, and normally she hated being so. But not today, not now. Now, as she caressed her fingers across the metal lip of the trunk lid and teased the lock, she breathed deep into the stillness that settled over her thoughts. Peace was right there within her grasp; at least that was what she thought might be waiting for her, there on the edge of her mind. She never had reached it.

It was too enticing a situation to pass up for Beth, who in seventeen years had never found a lock that could thwart her. Though perhaps she shouldn’t count her first eight years, because she didn’t remember having access to her gifts before she’d been adopted. People had been arriving at the castle by the dozens for the past two days, and surely one of them was powerful enough to construct a ward or a lock spell that could keep her out.

So, she snuck among the trunks, glancing warily about as she tested lids. Every one lifted easily under her small but dexterous hands. She didn’t even have to think about it. She grew more and more disappointed as she dug deeper into the pile. Her grandmother was almost as powerful as her adoptive mother; surely her luggage would be impossible to penetrate? She just didn’t know which pile belonged to the Apex of Cascadia —

What are you doing?

She actually jumped as she spun around to see who’d snuck up on her. No one had ever caught her in sneaking mode before. Of course, she usually didn’t do it in broad daylight.

A boy about her age stood behind her, shielding his eyes from the low winter sun and glaring at her. His hair was almost white, and he stood about six inches taller than her … but then, everyone was usually taller than her. His eyes were an unusual murky-green color. Some people would call him striking. Beth just found his interruption annoying.

What is it to you? she sneered. She backed away until she had a large trunk situated between them.

He dropped his hand from his brow and looked surprised. She liked the glare better. By his clothing, the boy probably wasn’t accustomed to being addressed impolitely, but even if he was the son of some noble, no one outranked her in her own home except her parents. Not that she blamed him for not recognizing her status; she didn’t exactly radiate power or beauty like her siblings did.

That’s my trunk. He indicated the trunk she’d just opened.

You should ward it better.

It’s not warded at all. I didn’t think petty theft was big at Hollyburn Castle.

By his accent and slight tan, he came from the Midlands, which was just one more thing to hold against him. He had probably never seen snow in his life, let alone been taught how to survive in the mountains.

I wasn’t stealing anything.

No? Well, I don’t suppose my clothes would fit you anyway.

He stepped forward to offer his arm for her to clasp, but there was no way she was going to touch someone who looked like him. He practically sparkled with Spirit, which was occasionally just called magic by anyone who didn’t worship it. He was shiny and new all over, while she was grubby from climbing around the trunks and luggage.

I’m Finn, he prompted, when she didn’t accept his arm clasp.

I don’t touch.

Fair enough. He dropped his hand with a shrug.

The all-but-invisible bond mark on her wrist prickled suddenly, and she rubbed it with her thumb. "Beth. Time to dress for the welcoming ceremony." Her mark always tingled right before her adoptive mother spoke to her, mind to mind.

Are you all right? the boy asked.

Stay out of my head.

He laughed. I’m not a mind mage. What were you looking for?

She’s testing the locks. It’s what she does, Bryan said, and Beth looked up to see her adoptive brother striding towards her. His voice seemed as if it was deepening every day now. She felt a smile spread across her face as he approached, as it always did when he was near.

Hey, sis. Finn greeted the girl walking beside Bryan, who Beth hadn’t even noticed. All she ever noticed when he was around was her adoptive brother. He was, after all, the Spirit Tamer, and she imagined he affected everyone similarly.

The girl hung off Bryan’s arm as if he belonged to her. She was breathtaking, all blond and creamy skinned. She looked so much like Finn that it was obvious they were twins, except she was perfectly feminine. Beth instantly hated her.

Bryan. Beth’s brother, Bryan said, as he held his arm for Finn to clasp.

Finn accepted the gesture. Finn. I see you’ve met my sister already. Calla, you selected your target rather quickly, are you sure you made the right choice?

Calla laughed, and Beth swore it sounded like bloody bells ringing. She’d never liked the sound of bells. Bryan laughed along with Calla. His dark hair fell forward across his brow. It always started to curl if it got too long.

Finn turned back to Beth and raised his eyebrow in a judgmental smirk. She glared at him. She was in no way interested in being allied with him against Bryan. But when she turned the glare on Calla and Bryan, her brother immediately looked her way. He had a thing for picking up negative energy, but at least he stopped staring at Calla for a second.

Hey, hey, Bryan said, as he held up his hands like he did when he soothed a wild horse. Beth felt his magic brush her, and she fought its calming effect by narrowing her eyes at him further. She wasn’t interested in being managed.

Mom wants us, he added.

Mom. The word rolled off Bryan’s tongue so easily. But then, everything seemed to come easily to Bryan, like he was Beth’s complete opposite. He wore his mark — the bond mark of the Spirit Binder — on his left cheek, while hers was hidden on the inside of her wrist. Given Beth’s particular set of gifts, the hidden aspect of the mark was ironically appropriate. She detested that type of irony.

Let’s go, then. She brushed by Finn and deliberately cut between Calla and Bryan, though she almost had to shove the other girl out of the way to do so.

Nice meeting you, Beth, Finn called, stressing her name, which she’d all but refused to give him earlier.

I don’t do friendly, she growled over her shoulder. But then, seeing the twins standing together in all their glorious beauty, she had a hard time looking away. She stumbled over her own feet, and Bryan had to grab her arm so she didn’t fall on her face.

I got that, Finn answered. Calla giggled beside him.

Beth walked away with Bryan at her side, moving as quickly as she could without running. They rounded the side of the castle and made their way toward the grand entrance, dodging servants, valets, and arriving dignitaries as they went. When Beth had first laid eyes on Hollyburn castle at age eight, she’d thought it gigantic, but now its high towers, walled keep, and sprawling grounds just felt like home. She liked living perched on the side of a mountain, surrounded by forest and craggy rock on three sides.

Bryan waved to people he knew. Beth ignored everyone, only glancing through her bangs if she needed to see what was ahead of her.

No one should be allowed to be that pretty, she muttered.

Liked him, did you? Bryan laughed.

Absolutely not! she retorted, but Bryan only laughed harder at her denial. Pretty is what pretty does, which is nothing.

Her brother raised his hand to greet someone else. Beth followed the movement involuntarily, raising her eyes just enough to see the sun glint off the gold in his brown hair. She tore her eyes away and placed them firmly on the ground before her. It was Bryan’s gift to make everyone love and obey him, or at least that’s how she saw it. And she wasn’t stupid enough to pine after her own brother, adopted or not.

She felt better — more settled and on firmer ground — as she stepped through the large entrance doors and into the castle. She always felt this way surrounded by stone. The tighter the space, the more comfortable she felt.

That prettiness, as you call it, isn’t their only gift, Bryan said. He matched Beth step for step as they mounted the grand staircase that would eventually take them to the family wing of the castle. Servants bustled about adjusting the woven tapestries, straightening the ceremonial carpet on the stairs, and dusting the relief sculpture of the banister.

You seemed pretty friendly with her. Calla. Like you know her?

Bryan shrugged. We met when I was thinking of doing some training in the Midlands.

Her brother had been gone for three months this past fall. Beth had hated every day of it. He returned after deciding that warrior training wasn’t for him. He still practiced with his sword every day with the castle guard, but he wasn’t gifted with the strength, invulnerability, and speed that often came with wielder-powers. Of course, neither was she. Anytime she tried to pick up a sword, she managed to cut herself with it.

Strange, Beth thought. Bryan already knew Calla, but not Finn?

Finley is with the Elite Guard, so I didn’t train with him. In case you were curious.

I wasn’t. The Elite Guard consisted of the best of the best, warriors who were Cascadia’s first line of defense. Those who trained with this force were often chosen to guard the Apex, Spirit Binder, or other high-ranking individuals. Finn was young to already be in their ranks.

Bryan laughed quietly at her bluntness as they turned into the hall that held the family’s suites. Here, the decor was less ostentatious, and Beth always enjoyed the feel of the well-worn carpet underneath her feet. She liked the idea that she’d contributed to this lightly trodden path.

You know, he’d be lucky to draw your attention. Anyone would. You don’t have to be so serious all the time.

That’s not it at all.

No?

They stopped in front of Beth’s bedroom door, and Bryan peered down at her with his brow furrowed. He only ever looked at her and troublesome horses that way. You constantly underestimate yourself —

I’m not interested in you smoothing me out.

Fine.

Fine.

Beth would have liked to slam her door in his face, but Bryan had crossed over to enter his own room and slipped inside before she even thought to do so.

Brothers sucked. Her other one, Tyson, was almost as nosy and opinionated as Bryan, but at least he was younger than her. Bryan lorded his extra year over her like it made an actual difference.

They might only be one year apart, but he’d been adopted first, while she’d been adopted last. That was what made the real difference. At least that was how it seemed to Beth, as if even after eight years, she was still slightly on the outside. Always with a faintly felt distance between her and the others.

∞

A dress hung from the top of her plain canopy bed. She’d stripped the flowery purple curtain off the frame years ago, so that the dress looked a little lost hanging against bare wood.

Beth threw herself down on the quilted duvet and stared up at the dark burgundy silk gown. It was as close to black as a color could get without actually being black, and she begrudgingly admitted, if only to herself, that she liked it. It would probably fit her perfectly. She would probably look halfway decent in it, but it wouldn’t change how she felt about being paraded around in —

Someone knocked at the bedroom door, startling Beth out of her grumpy thoughts. She should learn to anticipate that more. It happened every time. The second that her thoughts began to drift to her adoptive mother, there was always a knock at her door, though she never entered unless Beth invited her.

"Come in." She was still unaccustomed to speaking in her head, even though they’d been practicing.

The door opened, and as happened every time Beth laid eyes on the Spirit Binder, time slowed. It almost seemed as if Theo was floating, even though Beth could clearly see her stepping on the stone tile as she crossed to the bed. Her face, which had shown concern as she entered, practically glowed as her lips stretched into a smile. Beth had never felt as loved as when her adoptive mother smiled at her. Theo’s artfully draped green and gold silk gown perfectly complimented her impossibly-red thick hair. This hair was a genetic marker of the Rudan bloodline; the color almost an exact match to the ruby embedded just above the cross-guard of Theo’s sword, which her mother wore slung across her hip.

Her mark tingled as if a light breeze had blown across her wrist, and she suddenly felt lighter, more at ease. This connection with Theo always grounded her, and not for the first time, she wished she had the ability to settle her own emotions as well as a visit from her adoptive mother did.

If she held out her arms, she knew she’d be pulled in for a hug. But she wasn’t eight anymore, so she kept them clamped at her side.

Theo reached out and brushed the hair back off Beth’s forehead, looking deep into her eyes. Not for the first time, Beth wished her own eyes were Theo’s blue-green rather than a gray so dark they looked mostly black. Also not for the first time, Beth wished Theo was her birth mother … and then she realized she had accepted the hug that Theo always offered, and that she’d pressed herself to her adoptive mother like a little child. She felt utterly stupid for doing so, but didn’t make any attempt to break away.

"Darling, her adoptive mother whispered in her head. I’m sorry. I know you don’t like crowds."

It’s for Rose, she muttered into Theo’s shoulder, preferring to speak out loud rather than strain to focus and project her thoughts.

I know you loathed your own Rite of Passage. Theo, who never pushed Beth further than she wanted to