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

to consider it. Having Ronnoc’s son with him, would stop him from attacking. He did seem to truly love his son. On the other hand, Ronnoc could have planned this- if he wanted his son to spy. Tim glanced at his uncle. If his expression was real, he was completely surprised by Retep’s actions. Tim had a decision to make, quickly, since he apparently couldn’t freeze Retep, while he thought it through. Anna?

He asked her in her mind, not knowing if she could hear him, but it was the only option left to him. I’m in the room, Tim. Open the door and let’s get out of here.

Wait, did you hear Retep?

Yes. I want to try something.

The door swung open. “Let him come,” Anna said, out loud, standing in the doorway.

Retep started, just realizing Anna was there, and then stared at her in horror. “I- uh..”

Retep couldn’t seem to form a single clear sentence. Interesting. He’s really afraid of me for some reason!

Tim looked at Anna. She was amazed by Retep’s reactions to her, first, earlier when they’d first met, and now. He decided he’d use it to his advantage. “After you,” he said to his cousin, as Anna moved aside so Retep could enter the room.

Tim followed and closed the door behind them. “Go ahead, Goldie,” Anna called.

The room seemed to shift, and the door opened. In a brightly lit hallway, Goldie sat waiting. She stood as she saw Tim, her curly tail wagging slightly. Then she saw he and Anna were not alone. “It’s okay, Goldie. He wanted to come with us,” Tim said, before Goldie could say anything.

Goldie didn’t think the boy looked like he wanted to be there. He was quite pale and was visibly shaking. She kept her thoughts to herself and said, “Follow me. Everyone has gathered in the Queen’s old rooms.”

“Rooms? As in more than one?” Tim asked.

“Of course! The prince and princess each have a suite of rooms while at the Ymedaca. They would not be happy in a small room after living in the palace!”

Tim and Anna stopped short and stared at Retep. Tim had been surprised again that his cousin had spoken up. However, he couldn’t tell if Retep was just stating a fact well known in Snillotia, or if there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Before he could think about it more, Goldie stated, “He’s right, of course. We are here.”

They had stopped in front of a door that looked no different than any of the others, but when the door opened, Tim knew it was completely different. He walked into a large, beautifully furnished, room. The ceilings were quite high and natural light seemed to be streaming from them. There were couches and chairs clustered around a fireplace. Here is where the grandparents and Anna’s parents had sat waiting. They had all stopped talking and turned when the door opened. No one seemed surprised at all to see that Retep was with them. Tim, as always, must have looked confused. “I had a vision,” Grandma An, simply said.

Tim understood and nodded, wearily. He was mentally and physically exhausted. He sighed. There was one more thing he had to do before he could relax for a moment. He turned to Retep. “Give me your hands.”

Retep hesitated at first, then then held out his hands to Tim. Tim held them lightly and closed his eyes as thoughts and images that were not his own flitted through his head. He focused on the most recent ones. He needed to be sure Retep was not somehow in contact with Ronnoc before he could relax. It seemed Retep was trying very hard to keep something hidden in his mind. Tim pushed harder. Retep struggled more. Tim opened his eyes and stared right into his cousin’s. Retep relaxed slightly, and this allowed Tim, not to see what he was hiding, but to know whatever it was wasn’t about Ronnoc. It was about Anna.

He dropped Retep’s hands and released all the power he’d been holding on to. He sank into a nearby chair. Before anyone could even say a word, Tim was fast asleep. Anna watched Tim finally relax and the perception of his younger self disappear. She knew hers had as well. She went and sat by her parents. Grandma Aras gestured that Retep should come and sit with them. She smiled at him, warmly. “I’m glad you came.”

Retep nodded, slightly, and looked around. He was waiting for something to happen, but it seemed like everyone was content to just sit there and relax. It also seemed as if Tim was actually the one in charge and no one was going to do anything until he woke up.  He sat stiffly, aware that Anna was staring at him. Finally, she spoke. “Why weren’t you surprised that we look different?”

Her question had not been what he was expecting. Then he remembered that Anna hadn’t heard what he’d whispered to Tim. “I, uh, already knew. When, um, Tim froze everyone. He didn’t freeze me. I don’t freeze.”

Grandpa Cire stared at Retep. “What do you mean you don’t freeze?”

Retep shrugged. “My dad can’t freeze me. Everyone always assumed it was some quirk- that my big power is that I’m the opposite of my dad. He freezes people and no one can freeze me.”

Anna shook her head. “That’s different than what Tim does though. He freezes time, not people, like your dad.”

Retep shrugged again. Grandpa Cire had a thoughtful look on his face. He picked up a book that had been lying on a nearby table. Suddenly a copy of the book appeared and then landed with a thud on the floor in front of him. “Retep, can you pick that up for me?”

Confused, Retep knelt down to pick up the book. His hand went through it as though nothing was there. He felt his fingers brush the carpet. He looked at Grandpa Cire in surprise. Grandpa Cire nodded, as though he expected that to