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

He hadn’t meant to startle them but hearing someone’s voice in your mind when you’re not used to it is always going to be startling, he thought. Anna rolled her eyes and motioned for him to get on with it. He closed his eyes and concentrated again. Anna and I are here to bring you home. I know your confused. It’s a very long story, but we’ll tell you all about it later. I just wanted to warn you that we’re coming upstairs. If you can do anything to protect yourselves, do it. We don’t want you to get hurt when we surprise him.

He opened his eyes and started walking again. They reached the steps and started slowly climbing them, freezing with every creak and groan. Halfway up, Tim realized that there was nothing separating the top of the steps from the area the flickering light was coming from. Tim could see him sitting on a ratty old couch watching TV, of all things. Anna’s voice echoed in his head. Invisible?

Tim nodded and took her hand. They finished climbing the steps quickly, because even if a noise was heard, there was nothing to see. Tim wished he’d thought of it sooner. They entered the room and took in the scene. Anna’s parents were nowhere to be seen. That door over there must be a closet.

They went closer to the door. It’s locked.

Anna sounded defeated. We’ve got this. It’s almost over. Now, let’s finish this, but we could have some fun, too.

Fun?

We don’t want to give away our secrets all at once, but before we become visible we could always throw something at him and watch him panic when no one is there.

Tim could tell Anna was trying not to laugh at the image. Let’s just get this over with as quickly as possible.

They walked back towards the entrance of the room and Anna made them visible again. They were behind him, so he still didn’t notice them. Tim started to let go of Anna’s hand, but she shook her head and held on tight. “So, this is what you call family stuff, is it?”

Jason leapt up from the couch and spun around in surprise. “How did you…” his voice trailed off and his eyes narrowed.

Tim knew what was coming before it even came out of his mouth. “Nothing going on between you two? What is that, then?” he yelled, point towards their joined hands.

Anna raised her eyebrows as far as they could go. “Seriously? Seriously?”

She raised her and Tim’s joined hands and said, “This is none of your business you idiotic-”

Jason cut her off. “We’re done. I thought we could work things out, but if you’re going to cheat and throw it in my face, then it’s over.”

Tim thought Anna was going to fall over in disbelief. “Work things out? How stupid are you? You kidnapped my parents!”

Jason started to say something and then stopped. “What?”

Tim could see Jason’s thoughts as if they were visible in front of him. He was thinking very hard, trying to find a way out of this. His eyes kept darting to the locked closet door. Tim watched the moment happen, as Jason realized his charade was over. “My father disappeared, and I was told you two were at fault. So, I took your parents. I couldn’t take Tim’s since they’re- you know. Give me back my dad and you get yours back.”

Tim couldn’t remain calm. “My parents are dead because your father had them killed!”

Jason finally looked directly at Tim. “Why would my father do that? You don’t even know him.”

“I apparently knew him better than you. Please, enlighten us. What do you think happened to him?”

“My father was trying to save that world of yours from your families’ tyrannical rule. You captured him so you could take his throne.”

“His throne?”

Jason nodded. “When he left that world behind, he left that weird mustached man in charge.”

“Ronnoc?”

Jason nodded. “He’s the one who told me you two did something to my father.”

Tim nodded. Ronnoc had already told them that much. So far that was the only part of this whole conversation that made any sense. “Do you know Ronnoc is Tim’s uncle?”

Jason finally looked at Anna again. They could both see in his thoughts that he hadn’t known that, but he didn’t answer her question. Tim reached out and searched Jason’s head. It seemed he really believed what he was telling them. Aaron had told his son nothing but lies to make himself look like the hero. “Are you not going to talk to me now?” Anna asked him.

“Not until you tell me what happened to my father.”

“Let my parents go and I’ll tell you.”

He laughed. “Do I look that dumb?”

Anna and Tim exchanged a glance. “Fine,” Anna said, “Let me see my parents. I need to at least know they’re okay.”

Jason finally gave in. He went and unlocked the closed door and flug it open. Einna and Tre were inside. They weren’t even tied up. How in the world had Jason gotten them there? “There you see them. They’re fine. Where is my father?”

“I don’t know.”

Jason clenched his fists. “I’m telling you the truth. The last time I saw him, he grabbed my arm. I got scared and my power kicked in. The next thing I know he was gone.”

“Powers, yeah right.”

“Aaron didn’t tell you Snillotians have powers?” Tim asked.

Jason rolled his eyes. “Like I’d believe that. Another world was hard enough, but he took me there. Dad’s a little wacky.”

“A little wacky? Only a little?”

“Did he tell you to start dating me?” Anna asked, suddenly.

“Huh? No! He only realized who you were after that time we were supposed to go out to dinner with him so you could meet him. Remember when you got to the restaurant, I said he had a work thing and couldn’t make it? Well he was really there still. He saw you when you walked in and said you could never see his face and that he had to