“I don’t understand.” Aunt Elsie shook her head. “How can he be doing both at once?”
“I have no idea.” Sensing him growing even closer, she homed in on the ash tree that doubled as a time-travel portal. “But he is.”
Moments later, right on time, Tor manifested next to the tree, looking even better than she remembered. While his tall, broad-shouldered, well-muscled build was the same as his cousins, he struck her as more Viking in appearance with his beard, numerous tattoos, and chiseled features. His pale blue eyes stood out against his thick dark hair and equally dark fur cloak, startling her with their intensity when they locked on her.
Not surprisingly, everyone tensed, unsure how this would go the second time.
“Are you all right, love?” Aunt Elsie placed a supportive hand on Raven’s arm. “Are you ready for this?”
She couldn’t respond. Not at first. There were too many emotions blowing through her. Fortunately for all involved, pure rage wasn’t one of them. Rather, the sun broke free from the clouds and warmed her face.
“I’d say she’s all right,” Maya murmured, sticking close, not about to take any chances. “I don’t think the weather has ever improved due to one of your moods, sis, but that’s why the sun is coming out, isn’t it?”
Tor cautiously glanced from the sun to Raven as though he sensed it too. As if he realized she didn’t intend to kill him this time.
“Why is that?” he rumbled in greeting, not coming any closer. “What makes this time so different, Raven?”
The way he said her name sent shivers of awareness up her spine. He made her feel as though danger and excitement were right around the corner. Sinful pleasure and wicked secrets. Because sunshine breaking free for him or not, she ran on the dark side. Craved it. Preferred it whether she was supposed to or not. Yet, by all appearances, while Tor was undoubtedly a ruthless warrior, he wasn't dark by nature despite his constant contact with the dead. Because, first and foremost, he was a talented medium.
“I don’t know what makes this time different,” Raven finally replied. Or did she? “Just that you didn’t....”
“Didn’t what?” Tor prompted when she trailed off.
She tried to reply, to form words, but her voice was suddenly lost. Not in a Tor-had-her-tongue-tied sort of way, but literally unable to create sound. Everything felt strange yet familiar, which made no sense.
Or did it? She had felt this way before, hadn’t she?
“What the...” Jade’s eyes rounded on Raven. “What’s happening to you?”
Whatwashappening to her? She looked down at her hands only to find them fading.
“Are you astral projecting?” Maya’s brows pinched, and the corners of her mouth tugged down. “I was under the impression you only did that when you slept?”
“I don’t know,” she tried to reply. “I don’t remember doing it myself, never mind helping Trinity do it.”
“She can’t respond yet,” Tor said, evidently catching what nobody else did. “She’s trying to but can’t.” He shook his head. “She doesn’t remember astral projecting or helping Trinity when they were younger.”
“How come we’re not catching your thoughts?” Maya’s frown deepened. “Why are you fading from my mind?”
“Same here,” Jade echoed, just as concerned.
“Because,” Tor replied, hesitating before he gave them all damning news.
