“So, exactly how do you propose we travel back in time?” Damien asked, as they followed Celine down the hall.
“Through a time portal,” Celine said, trying to sound as matter-of-fact to them as possible.
“Oh, yeah, right, a time portal. What was I thinking? That was on an episode of Star Trek,” Damien said.
Celine glanced back, rolling her eyes at him. Michael added, “Of course! So do you have a key? Is there a special door?”
“She’s not a normal person like you,” Gray said, following behind them. “None of us are. This isn’t a joke. Celine has the ability to open a time portal.”
“How does anyone have that ability?” Damien said, stopping dead in the hall they were walking down.
“I told you,” Gray said, stopping and facing him, “she’s not a normal person like you.”
“So, what is she?” he asked Gray.
“She’s a woman with unique and exceptional skills,” Gray answered.
“Unique and exceptional skills?” Damien asked, “what does that even mean?”
Celine returned to him, Michael following her. “I think the layperson’s term would be a ‘witch,’” Celine said to Damien. “Now, come on.”
“Witch? WITCH? Are you kidding me, Jos?” he said, following her as she continued down the hall and stairway. “Do you fly on broomsticks and have a black cat? I’ve never seen you boiling any potions in cauldrons.”
“It’s not like that. I can’t explain it and we don’t have time,” she said, as they reached the living room where Alexander was waiting. “Please, just trust me. You’ll understand soon enough. Then we’ll talk.”
“If this isn’t legit, it’s one hell of a prank, I guess,” Michael said, clapping Damien on the shoulder.
“Oh, it’s no prank,” Gray said.
“Ok, I’ll open the time portal, when I do, go through it. Immediately! Gray, make sure they do. I won’t be able to hold this open for more than a few moments. Any longer and Marcus will discover what we are doing.”
“Don’t worry, Celine,” Alexander said, “I’ll cover you as best I can so any disturbance he senses won’t give us away.”
“Thanks,” she said, nodding to him, “ready?”
“Ready,” he responded.
“Okay, here we go,” Celine said, placing both of her hands straight out in front of her. She spread her fingers out, closing her eyes. Her brows knit and she squeezed her lips together, holding her breath. At first, it appeared as though nothing was happening. Then Damien felt a slight breeze circle around him, as though a window was open.
He glanced around the room, noting all the windows were closed. He also regarded Alexander in a similar stance, facing one of the windows. Within seconds, the slight breeze became a windstorm. There was a shimmer in front of him that drew his eye. Thunder crashed overhead, and the windows blew open. Wind whipped through the room from the outside, joining the gale forces that were blowing inside the room. Books and papers blew around in circles. The shimmer in front of them grew stronger until it was a large oval obscuring the wall behind it.
“That’s it, the portal is open, go!” Gray yelled over the wind, shoving them both forward.
Damien and Michael glanced at each other, afraid to move. “GO!” Gray yelled, shoving them again.
They moved forward and stepped into the shimmer. Within an instant they disappeared. Gray placed his hand on Celine’s shoulder. She collapsed to the floor, out of breath with the effort. “Did they go?” she asked between gulps of air.
“Yes, they went.” Gray answered, as Alexander joined them, helping Gray get Celine to her feet.
Looking between Gray and Alexander, Celine said, “Now we wait.”
Chapter 25
1786, Martinique
Michael and Damien stepped through the shimmer into blackness. Within an instant, the scene transformed from pitch black to a blinding bright light. Shielding his face, he squinted his eyes open, blinking several times. “Michael,” he exclaimed, “Michael, look!”
“Yeah, yeah, I see. I don’t believe it, but I see it.”
The pair looked around. It was broad daylight, the bright sun shone overhead. They were standing on a dirt alleyway near a building. In front of them, another dirt road crossed. Horses and carriages traversed the street. People dressed in clothing from another century bustled about. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this,” Damien began, swallowing hard before continuing, “but I think we just traveled back in time.”
Michael didn’t answer, trying to take everything in and make sense of it. After a moment, he became cognizant of the letters he held in his hand. “Maybe we should look for the big white house on the edge of town,” he said, trying to focus on the mission at hand rather than the incredulousness of what had just happened to them.
“Yeah, I mean, yes, we should say yes not yeah. Okay, lead the way,” Damien said.
The pair walked out of the alley toward the main road. Various small buildings lined the street. They looked right and left. “There!” Damien said, pointing to the left. “That huge white house there has to be it.”
“Well, I guess we’ll head there,” Michael answered, moving toward it. Damien followed him. It took them only a few minutes to walk to the property. They approached the front door. Michael swallowed hard. “Here goes nothing,” he said, using the doorknocker.
A maid opened the door. “Michael and Damien Carlyle to see Marquis Devereaux,” Michael said, as formally as he could muster.
“Oui, monsieur, s'il vous plaît,” she said, standing aside and motioning into the house. The two stepped inside, marveling at the grandeur of the house. The maid disappeared down the hall. Within a few minutes, she returned and motioned for them to follow her. She led them to an office down the hall. A rotund man sat behind a desk reviewing paperwork. As they entered, she introduced them and he stood to greet them. “I am Marquis Devereaux. You asked to see me?”
“Yes,” Michael said. “I’m Michael Carlyle, and this is my brother, Damien. We’ve traveled from America, er, the States. I have a letter of
