Free Secrets of the Time Society by Alexandra Monir Page B

gown.
    “Before they depart this earth, Timekeepers always give the Key of the Nile to a family member,” Millicent said. “Every member of the Time Society is related by birth to another time traveler, and each family’s key is completely unique. That is why time travel is considered an inherited gift, like the Gift of Sight. What’s curious is that no one from your family has ever been in the Society—which would mean that whoever gave you your key must have lived their entire life as an undetected time traveler. Who was it?”
    I stole it
.
    “I—I don’t remember,” Rebecca lied, the key burning against her chest. “I think I’ve always had it—I only found it recently, in an old box of things I’d forgotten about.”
    “Is that so?” Millicent asked, a slight edge to her voice.
    “Yes,” Rebecca replied, drawing herself up to her full height. “It looked like just an ordinary key to me at first, so I cast it aside—until I discovered its power just this year.”
    To Rebecca’s relief, Millicent nodded. “I see. Still, it’s a shame. I am
so
interested to know the identity of the Timekeeper who came before you.”
    Before even thinking the question through, Rebecca blurted out, “If the key is what allows me to time travel, does that mean that if I hadn’t received it … I wouldn’t have this power?”
    “The power runs in your family’s blood, in the Time-Travel Gene,” Millicent said slowly, looking so intently at Rebecca that the girl was forced to avert her eyes. “That is why you were given your key. Now, the key is the traveling device; most Timekeepers cannot move through time without it. Yet there
are
a few extraordinary Timekeepers who have learned how.”
    As Millicent spoke, Rebecca felt the blood draining from her face and the cold weight of disappointment settling in her stomach. Millicent glanced at the mantel clock and stood. “I should be going now, but first, I’d like to invite you to attend the grand opening of our new Time Society headquarters next week. Nearly all of our members will be there, so it will be the ideal way to introduce you.”
    Rebecca paused. Could she still go through with this? But Millicent was watching her expectantly, so she nodded quickly. “Of course. Where is it?”
    “In San Diego, California.” Millicent chuckled at Rebecca’s wide-eyed expression. “Why, you’ve gone thirty years into the future! California will be a very short trip for you, especially if you follow the directions in your handbook.”
    Rebecca stared down at the book in wonder. As she walked Millicent to the door, she asked, “Why San Diego? What’s there?”
    “One of our members was involved in the building of the first luxury hotel in California, the Aura Hotel,” Millicent answered. “He is quite brilliant, and was able to design it so that it appears to the public as simply a grand hotel, but when registered Timekeepers enter, it transforms into our headquarters. It is like a train station from which we can depart one time period for another—but set in a seaside hotel.”
    As Millicent’s hand closed on the doorknob, Rebecca opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped herself just in time.
    “Goodbye, then,” Millicent said. “I’ll see you in California?”
    “Yes.” Rebecca nodded. “I’ll be there.”
    She watched Millicent leave the room and then sank back into her seat, staring angrily at the flames burning in the fireplace. So the gift of time travel wasn’t really hers. The thought was like a sickness.
    Rebecca hadn’t thought twice about snatching the key years ago, on the one day she had managed to escape her governess and secretly explore the household staff’s quarters. The Windsor family butler, Byron, had died suddenly, and Rebecca’s childhood infatuation with Byron’shandsome son—an infatuation that had grown into an obsession—had implanted in her the desperate need to explore his dead father’s room before the