Free Sands of Time (Out of Time #6) by Monique Martin Page B

watch.”
    “Mason was quite paranoid on the train,” Simon agreed. “And that fellow who lost the watch in the first place, his simply disappearing without a trace does complicate things immeasurably.”
    Elizabeth tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “I understand why Mason was so cagey with the details of what he found out, the fewer people who know and all that, but it does make our job a lot harder.”
    Simon ran his hand down her arm. “At least we know he thought it was here. Now.”
    “Maybe it’s in a collection somewhere or mixed up in a museum archive?”
    “Possibly,” Simon said and then brought them to a halt near a large gnarled sycamore tree. “There’s something else that makes our job more difficult. We mustn’t write off Mason’s paranoia as simply paranoia. If what Travers says about the Shadow Council is true, there may well be other operatives here right now.”
    “Operatives?” Elizabeth said as she turned and slipped her arms around his waist. “That sounds so…Bondish.”
    “Elizabeth—”
    “I know,” she said before he could. “This is serious.” She put one hand on his chest. “I’m not taking any of this lightly, Simon. I understand what’s at stake.”
    Simon took hold of her hand and kissed it.
    “At least Travers bought us some time. I’d always kind of wondered why the Council didn’t come and try to take your watch away,” she said.
    Whatever his reasons, Elizabeth was grateful for Travers running interference for them. He’d known the details of each of their last adventures, and yet, the Council hadn’t come for the watch. For reasons she wasn’t quite sure she believed, he’d hidden their presence and destroyed any trace of their involvement as the Shadow Council grew in power.
    Whatever mechanism the Council had used to keep tabs on the watches, Travers had destroyed as well. Without it, the watches and their owners were basically wiped off the grid, untraceable. It had been a difficult choice, he’d said. But they had to do everything they could to keep the watches out of the hands of the Shadows, even if in the process it made it nearly impossible for the good guys to find the watches as well. It bought them time, and in their business time was everything.
    Simon had been reluctant to believe Travers, but he had protected them. Although, she knew their anonymity would not last forever.
    Simon’s forehead wrinkled in worry and she knew he was sharing her train of thought.
    Elizabeth reached up and cupped his cheek. “We can do this. Together.”
    Simon covered her hand with his own and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were filled with an emotion she couldn’t name.
    “What is it?”
    He let out a deep breath and stepped away from her. “I can’t get last night out of my head.”
    Elizabeth shook her head. “What do you mean? It was scary, but it all worked out.”
    Simon shook his head. “But what if it hadn’t? I spent all night in that tent wondering what was happening, what they were…doing to you, and—”
    Elizabeth closed the distance between them. “But nothing happened.”
    “But it could have, Elizabeth. The not knowing…” Simon said, his voice rough.
    Elizabeth’s heart dropped. She’d never stopped to consider what it must have been like from his perspective. She felt like such a fool. The men had treated her well, but Simon had no way of knowing that. She’d been so busy trying to save the world, she’d ignored the one part of it that meant the most to her.
    “I’m sorry.” Elizabeth said as she shook her head and sighed. She took hold of his hand and traced the contours of his palm. “If you want to go home,” she said and then looked up into his eyes. “We’ll go.”
    He shook his head and took a firm grasp of her hand. “You’re right to want to stay. I just—”
    “Worry. I know. I didn’t think…” Elizabeth’s eye filled with concern. “Why didn’t you tell me how you felt?”
    Simon