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“Well, he’s the one that wanted you to come the first time. And the second time, it sure would have been helpful if you could have saved both of us.”
She spun in a circle, facing backward, though her head twisted all the way around to look at me. “Oops.”
I glared. “That’s it?”
“It’s time to go,” she said, snapping her fingers, causing Atlas to lurch forward and wake. She gave him one second to look at her distorted form before snapping again, magic yanking us to another place.
We stood in a home I’d never seen. The massive sitting room warmed, thanks to a crackling fireplace, and printed rugs matched the heavy drapes covering the windows. When I noted our reflection in the mirror on the mantle, I could see only Atlas and I, though Present hovered beside me.
“Why try to save my life if you’re going to scare me to death?” he asked her.
“Entertainment, of course.”
He gave the room a once over, trying and failing to lift a book from a sideboard before returning to my side. “Why does she look like me?”
I lifted a brow. “She looks like you? I see me. It must be magic.”
“And you wonder why I hate magic. Tell me that’s not creepy.”
Before I could, the door to the home opened. I’d nearly forgotten my worry for Atlas through this experience, but as my eyes landed on Torryn, worry flooded me. And I was sure this was going to hurt.
Torryn moved to stand in front of the mirror, pulling the hat from his head. “Will you…” He placed a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat. “Andrew, I wondered if you would… no.” He spun, pacing as he swept a hand forward. “I wondered if you would like to go to dinner. There. It’s easy,” he told himself.
When Atlas huffed a laugh beside me, I jabbed him with an elbow. “Don’t laugh. He’s clearly nervous.”
“Andrew’s a weirdo.”
I rolled my eyes. “This is present day, and it seems like Torryn likes him, so have an open mind.”
“So bossy,” he said with a smirk as a knock sounded on the door.
Torryn checked himself one more time in the mirror, adjusting the long twists of hair that fell over his shoulders. Setting his face, he crossed the room and pulled the door open.
“Hi. Uh, hello.”
“Hey, Tor,” the man said, stepping into the home. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer. I have to head to guard duty, but I got your message.”
“Would you like to go to dinner with me?” Torryn blurted out to Atlas’ utter delight.
He covered his hand over his mouth to keep the laughter silent.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that,” Andrew said, running thin fingers through strawberry blond hair as he smiled kindly.
“Bit nervous,” Torryn said with a chuckle. “What I mean to ask is, would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow?”
The man stepped forward, his eyes lit with happiness, and he rested his hands on Torryn’s shoulders. “I would love to. Just tell me when and where.”
“My place? Uh, here? I’ll cook you dinner. Let’s say seven-thirty?”
The men faded away as the door opened, and Present gestured for us to go outside. As we stood on the road just outside of the home, the day zipped by in a breeze. The moon trekked across the sky, the sun rose, people hurried up and down the streets, trudging through a growing blizzard. And then time slowed again as we landed in the evening. Andrew hustled up the walk toward the home, holding a bottle of something tucked under his arm.
He knocked, bouncing on his toes as he waited for Torryn to open the door. No answer. He leaned to the side, looking into a window before pulling a watch from his pocket. Again, he knocked. After the third time, he hung his head and left the house.
“See?” Atlas asked, leaning against a nearby tree. “Torryn stood him up anyway.”
I shook my head. “Why would he do that? He seemed so excited.”
“Changed his mind. Realized the guy’s a tool.”
