been one of the Guard’s great ones.
As I sit and contemplate what can never be, the identity of this third person gnaws at my brain. Just who could it be? Shaun? Or Jimmy maybe? It wouldn’t be Marcus Carter; more than likely he would be the one to replace me. ‘You said there were three of them. Ethan and Isabel are two. Who is this third?’
Resting her chin on her knees she appears to meditate. ‘I don’t know,’ she finally replies. ‘I can’t feel anything when I search for a connection. It’s as if his brain is sleeping.’
‘But you can reach Ethan and Isabel.’
‘Yes, but Ethan is vague and I get nothing out of it. The girl’s much more receptive.’
‘Can you connect with Isabel and find out through her who this third traveller is?’
She shrugs. ‘I don’t think so. We can’t talk to each other like we’re having a conversation.’
I think about this talent Sera has, a skill she’s worked hard at developing. She’s done well considering she’s had no formal training. It makes me wonder how Isabel is doing in developing her skill. I doubt she understands the potential for what it could become just yet. I wish I could be the one to teach her. But any level of psychic connection right now could be a tremendous advantage to the travelling trio. With Sera’s help, perhaps some dangers could be avoided. And maybe Sera’s dreams of release will finally come true. ‘Sera, tell me everything you see and feel when you connect with Isabel.’
‘Why?’ she asks in her child-like innocence.
I take her hand, telling her exactly what she needs to hear to make her want to work with me. ‘So that we can guide your brother straight to us.’
Chapter Twenty-three
Isabel
I hit the ground hard, my feet going out from under me. I pull myself to a sitting position on frozen dirt and take in a deep breath to settle my nerves. But a sudden sharp hissing sound makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. For a second I think someone – or something – is touching my shoulder. I jerk away, spinning around on the spot. ‘Who’s there?’
Silence, except for the biting wind pushing through trees somewhere nearby. I breathe again and quickly do some self-healing. Luckily there are no broken bones, just some nasty grazes on the arm and thigh that took most of the fall.
The healing complete I rummage around on all fours to find my backpack. I can’t believe I stupidly left my torch in it. This darkness is hard to take. I get to my feet feeling completely disoriented. Where can Ethan be? And of course Matt too? He surprised us both with his burst into the pyramid at the exact moment of projection.
A cold hand circles my leg and I scream.
‘Shhh, you’re going to wake the dead,’ Ethan says from the ground. I spin around so fast I lose my balance. Ethan tries to catch me before I fall on top of him. ‘Hey, watch my leg. I think it’s broken.’
I squat down beside him and try to stop shaking. He guides my hand to his leg, but misunderstands the reason for my shivering. ‘Cold, isn’t it?’
I feel his injured leg, assessing his injuries. ‘I sure could do with Lady Arabella’s cloak. But you know what? It’s not the cold chilling my bones.’
A mournful shriek overhead rends the air. It has the two of us gripping each other’s arms.
‘I know what you mean,’ Ethan hisses.
‘What do you suppose that was?’
‘Probably your brother,’ he says jokingly, aware of my terror. But his attempt at humour does nothing for me.
At my silence he says, ‘Hurry up and heal me, Isabel. I’ll feel better with two legs working.’
I have to work hard to concentrate; my heart is thumping like crazy with no natural rhythm. ‘Where do you think our packs ended up? Can you believe I left my torch in one of them?’
‘Well, yeah, so did I,’ he mutters.
Suddenly a torch lights up, revealing a vast rocky field covered in snow patches. I see Matt pointing the torch light down as he clambers over slippery boulders.
He reaches us and shines the torch on Ethan. ‘Hey, what happened to you?’
‘The fall broke his leg. Can you see our packs?’
He holds the torch directly over Ethan’s injury. ‘When you’re finished fixing him up, I’ll take a look around.’
I wave the torch away. ‘I don’t need that much light. But we do need some