Through Time-Whiplash Read Online Free Page B

quite human,” the Royal Fae scoffed at her. “Now answer my question. J ust what are you? ”
    “Don’t you know? I thought Royal Fae were all-powerful, all-knowing … all-magical. You should know, but if you don’t, well, one up on ya, mister,” said Jazz, starting to walk off.
    He reached out and clasped her arm with one hand, gently stopping her. “You are going nowhere until you tell me what you are and why you were about to touch the dolmens. You should not even have been able to see them.”
    “Well, there you are— saw them , meant no harm, just curious, so that’s it. You go your way. I’ll go mine.”
    “Are you working with Pestale?” He glared at her.
    “Don’t know him, so, no , not working with him,” Jazz said, hoping she could find a way to make him let her go. Then he surprised her by bending to put his nose near her ear and taking a long whiff of air. He sucked it in deeply and then moved to repeat the action just under her chin.
    She had been so stunned that she had gone rigid, but she couldn’t deny the tingling sensation his nearness elicited from her. She looked up to find his deep russet-gold and alien eyes full with what appeared to be glitter. His gaze was hypnotically difficult to turn away from.
    They were Seelie Fae eyes but not coldly calculating as she had been told by her mother, who had been taught this by her mother. His eyes seemed to hold a fire in their depths. She formed a thought in that moment, a silent acknowledgement that what she had been taught might not be right. And that made her frown. She had never looked into the eyes of a Fae. She had never been close enough. Her mother had told her Fae were rigidly disciplined, without souls, without empathy— no heart . She had never doubted her mother, but … this Fae made her wonder.
    “You don’t smell of him,” said the Royal Fae. “However, that in itself means little. You have a choice—tell me who and what you are. Tell me your purpose here, or remain with me indefinitely until I can get to the bottom of—”
    Suddenly the earth beneath their feet began to rumble.
    The air began to swirl with dust and leaves all around them. A crack of thunder, deafeningly loud and with a power of its own, joined with the rumbling earth and created a deafening fissure right where they were standing!
    The earth beneath their feet began crumbling away.
    “What, by Danu?” the Royal Fae exclaimed and grabbed her, bringing her right up against his hard body.
    Swirling winds surrounded them, and Jazz thought a tornado had hit.
    Misty atmosphere invaded Jazz’s nostrils as earth fell away from her feet. They were going to be swallowed up by the ravine that was forming.
    Was this possible? Did Ireland get earthquakes and tornados?
    No time for clear thought as he held her tightly; she relied on him to somehow transport them out of danger. Odd that she should find herself relying on a Fae …
    She, however, did not have a choice. He seemed to have her in his arms, and the earth she had just been standing on was no longer there. Ha, no longer there , she said to herself, which meant … oh, yes, it meant he was holding her above the widening crack and together they were floating about in the air.
    Sure, why not, Jazz , she said in her mind. It fits with everything else you don’t understand.
    Blackness enveloped them, and she found herself holding tight to the Royal Fae with no intention of letting go.
    They were falling but not just straight down. They were being battered through what seemed like a wind tunnel, though she couldn’t see it through the blackness—she only felt the stickiness of walls as they bounced from side to side. She hoped he wouldn’t release her, because now he seemed the only thing standing between her and sure death.
    He shouted above the roar of the wind, “Don’t let go!”
    “Damn straight I won’t! What’s happening?” But she never got her answer, because just then the wind force managed to