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

like my world was crumbling and I was that little boy again, being cast aside for my perfect sister.”

Einna tried to apologize. Ronnoc waived his hand, as if brushing it away. “As I said, I know now, it wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry if I sound angry. I’m just trying to explain what was going on at that time in my life. I wouldn’t talk to Arat or her brother. I stayed in my room, brooding all the time. It was in my anger that I took a step that changed everything. If I knew how everything would have played out back then, I never would have done what I did next, you must believe me,” he looked at Tim and Tim stared back, questioningly.

Ronnoc looked down at his hands. “I started looking for new friends, friends who wouldn’t fawn all over someone just because they happened to be born in the right family. I found a few. What I didn’t know then was that I had, inadvertently, put together the group of people who would later become the Rebels.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

There was stunned silence at first, then everyone started talking at once. Grandma Aras was as white as a sheet and had tears streaming down her face. Grandpa Mit was staring at Ronnoc, with rage in his eyes. Tim knew there was more Ronnoc hadn’t told him. He felt his uncle was being truthful, but something seemed to be missing from his remorse. Tim also knew that now wouldn’t be the time to find out. He needed to get everyone out of there before someone did something in their anger and confusion they’d regret later. He reached far inside his mind for a power he’d only used once before. Suddenly everything in front of him stopped. Everyone and everything was frozen in place. He let go of his and Anna’s younger perceptions and turned and tapped Anna on the shoulder. She turned and looked at him, as everyone else remained frozen in place. She had been watching the reaction from Ronnoc’s revelation in silence.

“They’re shocked. I know they were expecting to be told he had joined the Rebels, not that he started it! If your parents hadn’t been killed by the Rebels, they may have, at least, listened to the rest of Ronnoc’s story, but Grandpa Mit, especially looks ready to leap over the table and strangle him. But how can we leave without anyone doing anything stupid? How can we calm them down?” Anna questioned, frantically.

“I need to know what else Ronnoc is going to say, and I have a plan- sort of. They may not be ready to go to the backwards world right now, but that’s where they’re going. I’m explaining this to you first because you’re going with them, and I’m staying here until I have all the information I think Ronnoc is going to tell me. Then I’ll join you,” Tim paused, seeing her hesitation, and then continued, “I can go through on my own, as long as I find a way. I also still have the medallion in the walkie-talkie, if I need to call Goldie. I’ll be fine.”

Anna slowly nodded, but she was frowning as she did. “Why do we look like ourselves again?”

“I can’t use all my powers at once. As soon as I froze everything, I had to let those perceptions go. I’m going to unfreeze each of them, one at a time. I’ll explain that they need to calm down enough to tell Ronnoc that we’re leaving. No” he started, hearing her question in her mind, “we can’t just leave while he’s frozen. We don’t want him to know about my powers and he’ll definitely notice if everyone seems to just disappear into thin air!”

Anna nodded, knowing this was their only option. She watched as Tim unfroze and explained the plan to the grandparents, one at a time, as quickly as he could. Grandpa Mit was the last and the one Tim was the most worried about. However, after he was able to calm down, he saw that Tim’s plan was the only way. Tim took his place back at the table. Tim! The way we look!

I know. Don’t worry.

Tim turned and looked at Anna who once again appeared thirteen and gave her a slight smile. He reached down and took her hand and released the freeze. Ronnoc looked at everyone expectantly. He had fully expected yelling and screaming, but everyone sat staring at him in silence. Grandpa Cire, finally cleared his throat. “That was quite a revelation, son. You’ll have to forgive everyone for being speechless.”

Ronnoc nodded, sadly. He started to speak again, but Tim stopped him before the forced calm everyone is feeling was shattered by whatever was coming next. “So, Uncle Ron, thanks for the food and all, but we need to be going now.”

Ronnoc, glanced at Tim, in surprised. “Go? Go where?”

Tim gave him a slight smile. “Well, you said it yourself earlier. You knew we’d have questions. You have to realize we are trying to determine if we can trust you. After what you just said, would you be surprised to hear that trust isn’t what’s at the front of everyone’s minds at the moment?”

Ronnoc stared at Tim for a moment, then at his father, and finally at Grandpa Mit. He looked at Tim again, deflating a little. “I guess I do understand, but I have more to say.”

Tim nodded. “I realize that. I’m going to stay for a bit so we can chat, but everyone else is leaving. Right now.”

Tim’s hand had been on the walkie-talkie in his pocket as he’d been talking. He walked over to the door and opened it wide. Goldie came trotting out.

“It will be very crowded, but I suppose that doesn’t matter,” Goldie stated.

She barked once. “Come along everyone. It will be nice to have company again.”

“You’re going to the Y?” Ronnoc asked.

“Goldie can protect us,” Tim said.

Everyone filed into the empty