Free Rejar by Dara Joy Page B

he was on. Of course, she thought he had been joking at the time.
    “... on Disney World?” She looked meaningfully at the old wizard, silently signaling him. She rather liked the idea of finally having one up on Lorgin and wasn’t about to enlighten her overconfident husband any time soon.
    Yaniffs eyes twinkled with mirth. “As I say, on your world, Adeeann. But not your time.”
    “What do you mean not her time?” Lorgin seemed confused and faintly worried.
    “He resides within the framework of your past, Adeeann. In a place called Britain. I believe to reference it, you would say the year eighteen hundred and eleven.”
    “Regency England? Why, how fantastic!” She clasped her hands to her chest as her excitement grew. “Regency England! I’ve always wanted to—I’ve never dreamed I could see—”
    Her husband frowned down at her. “You are not going! It is too dangerous for the babe; I will not permit it.”
    Deana snorted at the ridiculous proclamation. Number one thousand and fifty-two. “Just try and stop me.”
    Lorgin threw his hands up in the air. “Does she never listen to me, Yaniff!” He turned back to his errant wife. “You are not going, Adeeann. And that is final.”
    Deana waved an irrepressible hand in the air. “Pfft!”
    Lorgin strutted back inside the trunk of the tree which served as their home. “No.” He threw the word at her over his shoulder.
    Yaniff bent down, speaking quietly. “If you should find yourself momentarily in such a place, child, you may view—but do not be seen.” He winked at her.
    Deana winked back. No way was she letting her husband traipse off to Regency England without her. No way.
    “Yaniff”—Lorgin stuck his head out a window—”do you not think it odd that in all the universe Rejar should find himself on Adeeann’s world? And this time shift, as well.”
    Yaniff stiffened slightly. Nothing escaped the sharp eye of this Lorgin ta’al Krue, he thought. In truth, his favorite of all students. A pity he was not the one. No, not the one; but close. Very close. Soon, Yaniff realized. Soon ...
    “Yes.” Yaniff spoke no further.
    “Strange ...” Lorgin donned his black cape, adjusting it about his broad shoulders; the golden symbols on the cloak marked him as a Knight of the Charl and a holder of the fourth power. “Once the line of connection was established by my link through the Tunnel, the temporal plane should have remained the same. Is that not so, Yaniff?”
    “I have learned over the years never to underestimate your acuity, Lorgin. Once again you do not disappoint me. What you say is true. There are some things you will need to tell Rejar. I will explain it to you at the Hall of Tunnels before you leave.”
    “Do you mind telling me what the two of you are talking about?” Deana waited impatiently, hands on hips.
    Lorgin glanced briefly at Yaniff before responding to his wife. He chose his words with care. “Once the link has been established—”
    “You mean like when you came to my world through that tunnel thing?”
    “That is correct; the temporal plane was established as well. All other linkages would proceed from that point forward.”
    “So time would go in a positive direction?” Deana wasn’t sure she was understanding this.
    “Yes. Even though the Matrix is capable of time shifts, such a Tunnel can be opened only under certain circumstances. This is to ensure the integrity of the temporal continuum.”
    “I see what you’re saying—so paradoxes aren’t created, right?”
    “Exactly, Adeeann. All of us here in this universe link in the same plane of contemporal existence, established when the first contact or link is made with that particular planet.”
    “So you are all moving forward, so to speak, together in time?”
    “Yes.” Lorgin nodded. “Even though a time phasing might have occurred during the initial contact.”
    “But you said the Matrix is capable of time shifts; is there a problem with Rejar