Free Time Travel Romances Boxed Set by Claire Delacroix Page A

Five

    Aurelia waited a few moments, then
surreptitiously checked the door. She fully expected it to be
secured from the outside.
    But it was unlocked.
    To Aurelia’s further amazement, the corridor
outside was empty. The distant sounds of hammering carried to her
ears, but no guard was posted watchfully outside.
    Ha! They must think her witless, after all!
She propped open the door with her toe and slid Julian’s magic
square into the slot, exactly as he had done.
    Nothing happened.
    But there had been a light when Julian did
it. Perhaps she did not know the proper incantation. Who knew what
Julian might have muttered under his breath, or whispered in his
mind? She stepped out into the corridor, trying to examine the slot
in better light.
    The door closed with a resolute click.
    Aurelia turned the handle, but the door was
locked against her! She was trapped in the corridor, of all
foolishness! What kind of malicious magic was this?
    In desperation, Aurelia shoved Julian’s card
into the slot once more, but this time, a red dot glowed
thrice.
    It was a sign. Three was a powerful number,
that much was certain, and red, a color of protection for ages
past.
    It must be safe to enter the chamber once
more.
    Aurelia cautiously tried the handle again,
and magically, the door was now unlocked. She darted inside,
fingering the card, and marveled at Julian’s power. Aurelia fought
to make sense of Julian giving her the ability to lock herself
outside of the room and could not.
    Perhaps his spell had twisted itself
backwards. Such things happened when magic was wrought in
haste.
    Or perhaps Julian was less powerful than
Aurelia had feared. Now that was an encouraging thought! Aurelia
grinned with satisfaction and her mind worked furiously. What
should she do? At any moment, Julian could repair his spell and
trap her inside the chamber.
    This might be her only opportunity to find
her sire without observation.
    Clearly, her father was either dead or
imprisoned. And if Aurelia were in Bard’s place, intending to let
Hekod be forgotten, where would she have imprisoned the deposed
king? The answer was simple beyond all.
    In the sea caves.
    Aurelia clutched Julian’s magical talisman,
scanned the corridor once more, then abandoned her room. She darted
down the corridor in the opposite direction of the great reception
hall. When Aurelia opened the last door at the end of the corridor,
she found a flight of stairs markedly less ornate than those she
and the priest had climbed.
    No one was behind her. Aurelia lunged down
the stairs. There was only one door at the bottom, red letters
above it declaring: FIRE EXIT.
    On the door itself, a sign read: For
Emergency Exit Only. If Door Is Opened, Alarm Will Sound.
    Aurelia hesitated, then frowned. Who would
sound this alarm, if no one saw her open the door? She looked over
her shoulder, but she was definitely alone.
    Ha! More lies! Aurelia was developing a very
low opinion of Bard’s household security. She shoved open the door
and a shrill ringing suddenly filled her ears.
    Oh no! Julian had laid a spell on the
door!
    Aurelia muttered something unladylike under
her breath. Her heart thundering in her ears, she fled Bard’s hall
as fast as she could. Hopefully there was no witchery left to
discern her path.

    *

    Baird’s head snapped up from the travertine
marble samples when the fire alarm went off. “Is this another test?
I thought they were done yesterday.”
    “ They were,” the job
foreman confirmed, then looked worried. “It might be a real fire,
sir.”
    The intensity of Baird’s response surprised
him. He wouldn’t let Dunhelm burn under any terms. He scanned the
hall anxiously but, to his relief, saw no flames.
    “ Well, better safe than
sorry.” Baird’s tone was calmly authoritative despite his fears.
People immediately turned to do his bidding. “Everybody outside -
get all your team out - we’ll meet on the lawn in front of the main
entrance and have a head