Amanda Bonilla: Blood Before Sunrise

After a moment, Moira stood. “Brakae, Reaver’s glass must be returned. Things are still too volatile here for my peace of mind.”

“I agree,” Brakae said, and I suddenly felt like an outsider in a private conversation. “Go with my blessings.”

Moira handed over Brakae’s half of the glass and bowed her head before looking to me. “See you on the other side.”

She held out her hand, and I clasped it. “Count on it.”

“Brakae,” Moira said, turning to leave, “I shall see you soon.”

She nodded and raised her hand to gesture her off. “Good-bye, Moira.”

A ripple of energy stirred the air, sending the snowflakes swirling, and then Moira was gone. “Will it always be like this?” I asked, feeling centuries old. “Constant threats and me here fighting while time flies by at home?”

“No.” Was it my imagination that she actually sounded disappointed? “You won’t be often called upon. So few know of the hourglass, of me, of O Anel . It is nothing but legend now, and besides Moira, you have the only other key. That is what you’re meant to protect.”

She was lonely. Bitter. I knew that tone well. I’d been alone for almost a century, hiding away at Azriel’s command. I could only imagine how bad it was for her, here in this place where her deep connection to time aged her at a whim and in any direction. “I’ll come visit when I can. And I’ll bring Raif too.”

She pulled me into her arms and squeezed me-hard. My ribs wanted to crack under her fierce display of affection, but I totally didn’t mind. I put my arms around her as well, to let her know she wouldn’t feel so separated from the world she’d once known now that I had something to say about it.

“Now, you go home,” Brakae said. Was it my imagination that her voice sounded younger, more childlike?

“Just click my heels together?”

Brakae pulled away, gave me a strange, innocent look. “No, just use the Key. Why would you click your heels together?”

Wouldn’t she get a dose of culture shock if she came home with me. “Right, use the Key. Honestly, I’m not sure how.”

“Just concentrate. The Key will do the rest.”

My heart pounded a staccato against my ribs, and my stomach twisted like a pretzel. Christ, was returning to the mortal world so hard to face? I wanted to go home. I needed to see Tyler, but I was so afraid to face him, I didn’t know if I could bring myself to leave.

“Go with my blessings, Guardian.” Brakae’s voice calmed me, slowing my racing heart. “And I will see you soon.”

My gaze swept past Raif’s long-lost daughter one more time to the place where Faolán’s body lay. Hourglass in hand, she turned away from me, toward her dead lover, and left me where I stood.

“I’ll be back sooner than you think.” She didn’t acknowledge me, but I knew she’d heard. I left her to grieve and dangled the emerald pendulum before me. Just concentrate. Okay. I pushed my fear and anxiety aside and stared into the glowing green depths of the gem as I had so many times before, allowing infinite green to consume me. I want to go home, I thought, Tyler’s face looming in my mind. Time to go .

A chill breeze blew my hair back from my face, stealing my breath. And a dark, cold, cloudless sky welcomed me, stars blinking in the inky blackness of a new moon.

Ruins.

In the mortal world this place was nothing but weathered granite with stones leaning and pieces missing, but the feeling of power was no less strong for its decrepit age. My body hummed with power, my bones singing under my skin. The energy here was unmistakable, but somehow I didn’t feel the magnetic pull of the stones the way I had in O Anel . Time once again ticked within my soul, seconds passing like a dual heartbeat, and I welcomed it. I was finally home, where I belonged. My knees buckled from sheer exhaustion, and I sank down on one of the toppled slabs of cold stone, rested my head in the crook of my arm, and allowed my eyes to close for the first time in what felt like forever. God, I was so…fucking…tired…

“Oi! What do you think you’re doin’ out there?”

My head scraped against stone as I cracked my eyes open. Shards of sunlight pierced my vision like a thousand daggers digging their way into my brain. Turning my head toward the sound of shouting, I shielded my face with my hand. Two security guards ran across the expanse of short-clipped green grass, nightsticks drawn and at the ready. Not what I needed, considering I didn’t have a passport or ID, not to mention that I wasn’t exactly human. The faint glow of my eyes would raise more than just suspicion if they got a good look at me. I couldn’t lie here like a dazed disaster victim any longer.

“Charlie!” the security guard shouted to his partner. “Call it in! What the bloody hell does she think she’s doin’?”

The last thing I wanted to do was move. But being arrested wasn’t going to help me out at all . I rolled to the side, off the slab of granite I’d fallen asleep on, and became one with the light. Ghosting past the charging guards, I barely avoided the one in the lead as he skidded to a stop. Eyes bulging in disbelief, he pointed to the stone where I’d been lying a few moments before, mouth agape. His partner nearly crashed into him as they exchanged amazed expressions. I doubted seeing a woman’s phantom form disappear before their eyes was the strangest thing they’d ever witnessed here. This was Stonehenge, after all. The magical energy was palpable.

Careful to remain hidden in bright sunlight, I wound my way along the footpath, avoiding the crowds of tourists. It took longer than I expected; I didn’t have my usual energetic pluck. I managed to break away from the masses and put the ancient ring of stones behind me as I left the viewing area and passed through the main entrance into the parking lot. I had one thing on my mind: Find a phone. Meandering through the rows of parked cars, I finally came across an empty tour bus, the door left wide open by the driver. A cell phone rested on the dash. Thank God. I had no idea how much an international phone call would cost the poor guy, but I only needed a few minutes of his airtime. I wasn’t thrilled about stealing anything ever again. But hell, I’d already stolen time itself-pretty hard to top that act of thievery. Besides, the owner could dispute the charges later. I ducked behind one of the seats with the phone and stared at the blank screen.

I left my coat behind .

I didn’t think about dialing, or the fact that I’d scared the shit out of two security guards and stolen some poor guy’s cell. No. My only thought was that I’d left my fucking duster in that hotel room in Spokane.

I stretched my neck from side to side, lowered my legs from their drawn-up position against the back of the bus seat, and pushed myself upright. Stiff didn’t begin to describe how I felt. More like frozen in joint-locked agony. I felt through the tears in my shirt finding nothing but smooth, unmarred skin. Just like a comic book superhero, I’d healed during the night. I breathed a sigh of relief. It made me feel just a little less fallible to be my not so easily wounded self again. If only all of my troubles could be solved so easily.

Hands shaking, I flipped open the phone and dialed. A burst of nervous energy set my feet to bouncing as the call connected. I waited as the phone rang, and rang, and rang to the point that I almost gave up hope he’d answer. Just pick up . Answer, damn it. Please .

“Hello?”

Tears sprang to my eyes at the sound of his voice. I’d had no way of knowing for sure if he’d survived the attack at the hotel; it was only at this moment that I realized I’d been making myself believe he was okay. Knowing it for sure made my limbs weak with relief.