Beyond: Snillotia Trilogy Book One by Donna Wagner (books you have to read TXT) 📕

“It has been about two weeks since I left you in the palace. I was alone again for the first week. I was waiting for you to call to me. When I finally heard, it was not from you.”

“Who called you?” Tim asked.

“I’ll let them explain. Come, we cannot keep everyone waiting. They were very relieved when you finally called to me, Tim.”

Without waiting for a response, Goldie jumped from the chair and left the room. Tim started to follow, then realized Anna wasn’t following. “You can’t stay here, Anna. Don’t you want to see your parents?”

Anna was starting to cry again. Tim missed the brave girl she’d been when he first met her. “Yes. I want to see my parents, but, Tim, look at us. The first thing they’re going to notice is that we’re older! There’s a big difference between looking thirteen and looking sixteen. You’ve grown about 6 inches and you’ve really filled out. And I…”

Her voice trailed off. Tim knelt down in front of her and took her hands. “First of all, technically, we’re only fifteen, even though everyone thinks we’re a year older. Secondly, you’ve become beautiful, Anna. You were pretty when you were younger, but now you’re beautiful. They’ll see that. What we look like doesn’t matter.”

“But they’ll realize how much time has passed for us. They’ll want to know what we’ve been doing. They’re going to ask what happened to us that day. I can’t relive it, Tim. It scares me too much.”

Tim nodded, understanding. He thought for a moment. “Anna, there are a few other things I can do that I didn’t show you, not because I was keeping them from you,” he said quickly, before she could question him, “One power that can help us now isn’t something I could really show you. We won’t tell them how much time passed for us right away. We won’t tell them about all of my powers. Don’t worry. I told you I’d keep you safe and I meant it.”

He pulled Anna from the chair. “Look at your reflection in the window.”

Anna looked and gasped in shock. Her thirteen-year-old self was staring back at her. She turned to look at Tim and gasped again. Tim looked thirteen again. “I can change perceptions. I can make people see anything I want them to.”

“Anna, Tim, please come now!”

“Goldie’s seen us as we really are.”

“I think she’ll keep our secret for now. It’s just for a little while. As soon as we know what has been happening here and that it’s safe, we’ll let everyone know. This isn’t forever, Anna. It’s just to give you some time, okay?”

Anna nodded and together, they left the room to follow Goldie to wherever she was leading them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

They found Goldie waiting for them outside another door. “Whose room is this?” Anna asked.

Goldie didn’t answer her. “You look like you looked before, but I can still see what you look like now, as well. It is very strange.”

Anna looked at Tim, thinking their plan wasn’t going to work. “Why are you hiding that you’ve grown up?”

Tim quickly explained and Goldie nodded. “I understand. I will not tell what I see until you a ready. People will see what you wish. I can only see past the power because I am a magical creature, myself.”

Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn’t know why it was so important to her that no one know how much time had passed for them. The door in front of them opened. “Please, go in. It will only be a moment.”

Anna and Tim walked into a dark room. The walls were black, and Anna spied a few pictures of a girl with her face all scratched out lying on the floor by the far wall. Other than that, the room was basically empty. “I know it is not a very nice room, but it is how I was connected with your parents and grandparents again. It serves its purpose,” Goldie explained as the door closed behind her.

After only a few seconds the door opened again, and Tim could see they were no longer in Storage. “Come, follow me.”

As they followed Goldie, Tim made sure the door to the room did not close. He flicked his wrist and the table that was in the center of the room moved in front of the doorway. “Thank you, Tim.”

Anna looked at him. No powers. He heard her in his head. “I know. I know. That was the last time, I promise.”

The hallway ended in a comfortable looking room filled with people, all but three of whom jumped up when they walked in. Anna’s parents ran to her and she disappeared inside their arms. Tim could see she was hugging them back just as fiercely. After the grandparents had welcomed them as well, Tim knew the questions were coming next. He decided to start to give Anna a little more time. “Where are we?”

The man who’d saved them and frozen Aaron answered him. “You are in my home. Welcome.”

He smiled at Tim as he said it, and although the man seemed familiar, Tim did not feel welcome.

Tim held out his hand. As the man shook it, Tim introduced himself, although he was sure the man knew who he was. “I’m Tim. Thank you for helping us.”

“Of course, Tim. While helping you wasn’t my original plan, I’m glad I was there to do it.”

The man’s response seemed odd. It sounded nice, but felt ominous at the same time, like he was saying what he meant, but not how he meant it. Tim backed away from him and turned towards his grandparents. “You guys are alright?”

Grandpa Mit patted him on the back. “We’re fine, son.”

As Grandpa Mit’s hand fell away, he gave Tim a confused look. Tim let it pass. He knew Grandpa Mit noticed that Tim was taller than he was appearing to them. He looked towards Grandpa Cire and Grandma Aras.