Free Chrysocolla by B. Kristin McMichael Page A

wedding to get back to himself? Wasn’t he part of this? Couldn’t Kye bug him? And what about Seth? He wasn’t helping either. Why was I the one being forced to do something I couldn’t? I wanted to blame Dee because he wasn’t there, but I knew in reality it was all on me. I had to figure it out. I just needed a break from all the work. It was getting to be too much for one time.
    I looked across the garden to where Seth was lounging by one of the ponds as he took a nap in the sun. It was obvious that he was happy to be at home. He was relaxed now. I thought he fit in perfect in the future, but now I saw that this was truly his home. I was foolish to think he would stay in the future with me. He belonged here. I guess I did also, but it was still hard. Until a few months ago, I didn’t even know I came from the past. I had no idea how my mother kept that from me. Why didn’t I suspect anything?
    Seth was sprawled out, and I examined him. His eyes were closed so there was no chance he could catch me eyeing him over. His perfect abs rose and fell with each breath, and I greatly appreciated the dress of Egyptian males at that moment.
    “While that’s good concentration, I’m guessing that you aren’t focused on finding the stone,” Kye told me as he stepped in front of me, blocking my view.
    Oops. I was caught, but you couldn’t blame me. Seth lying around half-naked was much more fun than to try to do something that I didn’t even know where to start. I had no clue how to concentrate on a stone, or anything like that.
    “Come on, Mari. You can do this.” Kye was now trying to pep talk me. Nope. That wasn’t going to help either.
    I tried not to look across the garden and instead shut my eyes. I looked for any feeling I could feel. My mother and father were across the palace in their rooms. Kye was feet away from me, but I already knew that. And Seth wasn’t much further. I peeked out of my eyelashes a bit, making it seem like my eyes were still closed when they actually weren’t. I really didn’t feel anything else, but I didn’t want to be scolded again.
    “I thought you understood this stuff a bit more,” Kye said as he stopped his pacing and sat beside me.
    “Know what? No one trained me. The goddess made sure I was unprepared for all of this.” I opened my eyes and stared at him. He knew that much.
    I couldn’t help but be a bit bitter about it. From everything Logan and Kye had told me, I was the only one that she didn’t train. It wasn’t fair. How was someone supposed to figure it all out without the slightest clue about anything?
    “Was time traveling like this?” Kye asked Ty.
    Ty shrugged. “It was more like an accident. And then with a little bit from Logan, she was able to do it perfectly. Just a little knowledge is all Mari needs, but I can’t imagine how she is supposed to figure this all out on her own.”
    I smiled at Ty. At least he had my back.
    “But she still figured out how to travel on her own,” Kye pointed out.
    It was just a coincidence more than anything, yet Kye didn’t want to believe that. I was the perfect mother in his eyes. I wasn’t just frustrating him right now; I was crushing his image of me.
    “How do other people find the stones?” I asked, a little less grumpy. “Like when they want to time travel. Do the stones just drop into their lap? How do they do it?” I looked at Ty, and he shrugged.
    “I didn’t find the stones; Seti did,” he explained.
    I glanced across the garden to the sleeping Seth. Time to wake sleeping beauty. I stood up and put my fingers to my lips to shush Ty and Kye before making my way across the garden as silently as I could. Upon reaching Seth, I dipped my hands ever so quietly in the water and cupped a bowl full of the cool liquid. I moved carefully, trying to not spill a drop as I positioned my hands to over Seth.
    “You know that isn’t the kindest thing to do to your future husband,” Seth said without opening his