Read Online Mirrored Time (A Time Archivist Novel Book 1) by J.D. Faulkner - Free Book Online
Authors: J.D. Faulkner
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spatial limitations of this building would permit.”
“But what are they? How do they work?” There was a definite whine in her voice. She bit her lip.
Alistair’s mouth turned up. “Patience. I was getting there.” He paused long enough for her to huff. An amused smile curled up the corner of his lips. “The mirrors, for all their apparent mystery, function as little more than doorways.” He pointed to the closed door. “Where would you go if you opened that door?” At Gwen’s raised eyebrow, his smile returned. “Humor me.”
“It leads to the bedroom.”
“Yet, while the door is closed, you can’t see the bedroom. How do you know it is there?”
This time her eyebrows furrowed. “Because I was there and … I just know?”
“You know the bedroom is there because, while you cannot see it, you’ve been inside that room, correct?”
“Yes.” She was beginning to anticipate his conclusion.
He continued. “How much different is the principle that the mirror is a gateway to a room you haven’t seen? Yes, the theory is more complicated. The room may be in a different time or place; still, the theory behind it is the same, yes?”
“So the mirror allows you to travel across spaces. Just instead of physical distances, we are talking about temporal distance?” It was too crazy to believe. Time travelers gifted with impossible powers by a mythical family? But it wasn’t crazy, was it? She had touched the mirror. She had gone to a place so far removed from her ordinary life that she was forced to recognize the truth in Alistair’s explanation.
“Exactly. And the Archives, in part, are a collection of gateways linked to important times. A network, if you will, allowing travelers to weave in and out of time.” He picked up a glinting object from the table, holding it so she couldn’t see what it was. “I know my brief explanation hardly answers all the questions you must have.” He nodded at the item in his hands. “However, the testing must be completed before we can go any further. It will be difficult, but I ask you to trust me. Do you think you can do that?”
A testing? Her stomach rolled. Alistair had never done anything to prove he was less than trustworthy. Still, the idea of trusting him was terrifying. Maggie’s words came back to her, and she rubbed her eyes. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. “I can do that.”
“Thank you.” The tolling of the clock echoed in the quiet room. Alistair looked startled by the noisy reminder of time and frowned down at his wristwatch. “Time has slipped away from me,” he laughed. “And yes, I understand the irony there. Shall we postpone this conversation until tomorrow?”
Gwen wanted to argue, but her growing headache convinced her otherwise. Part of her didn’t want to end the discussion, as if they stopped speaking, it would all become nothing more than a fantastic dream.
Alistair must have sensed her uncertainty. “I promise the answers will still be here in the morning. However, there is the test. It is required of all new travelers. And it is better met with a clearer head.” His expression dared her to argue.
Gwen doubted she would sleep with so many questions whirling through her head, but she knew the wiser course was to agree. She could use the sleep—and a familiar place to think through all this new information.
“You’re welcome to remain here.”
Gwen shook her head. She wanted her little apartment—a place to get away from all this new strangeness.
“I understand.” He gestured to her coat, dry and folded. “I took the liberty of cleaning your clothing. Your coat took a little longer to dry. While the lake is convenient, it is not the most forgiving mode of transportation.”
That reminded her. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but Alistair beat her to it.
“Before you ask, gateways to the time streams are not limited to the physical structure of a mirror. They can be created with many existing
“But what are they? How do they work?” There was a definite whine in her voice. She bit her lip.
Alistair’s mouth turned up. “Patience. I was getting there.” He paused long enough for her to huff. An amused smile curled up the corner of his lips. “The mirrors, for all their apparent mystery, function as little more than doorways.” He pointed to the closed door. “Where would you go if you opened that door?” At Gwen’s raised eyebrow, his smile returned. “Humor me.”
“It leads to the bedroom.”
“Yet, while the door is closed, you can’t see the bedroom. How do you know it is there?”
This time her eyebrows furrowed. “Because I was there and … I just know?”
“You know the bedroom is there because, while you cannot see it, you’ve been inside that room, correct?”
“Yes.” She was beginning to anticipate his conclusion.
He continued. “How much different is the principle that the mirror is a gateway to a room you haven’t seen? Yes, the theory is more complicated. The room may be in a different time or place; still, the theory behind it is the same, yes?”
“So the mirror allows you to travel across spaces. Just instead of physical distances, we are talking about temporal distance?” It was too crazy to believe. Time travelers gifted with impossible powers by a mythical family? But it wasn’t crazy, was it? She had touched the mirror. She had gone to a place so far removed from her ordinary life that she was forced to recognize the truth in Alistair’s explanation.
“Exactly. And the Archives, in part, are a collection of gateways linked to important times. A network, if you will, allowing travelers to weave in and out of time.” He picked up a glinting object from the table, holding it so she couldn’t see what it was. “I know my brief explanation hardly answers all the questions you must have.” He nodded at the item in his hands. “However, the testing must be completed before we can go any further. It will be difficult, but I ask you to trust me. Do you think you can do that?”
A testing? Her stomach rolled. Alistair had never done anything to prove he was less than trustworthy. Still, the idea of trusting him was terrifying. Maggie’s words came back to her, and she rubbed her eyes. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. “I can do that.”
“Thank you.” The tolling of the clock echoed in the quiet room. Alistair looked startled by the noisy reminder of time and frowned down at his wristwatch. “Time has slipped away from me,” he laughed. “And yes, I understand the irony there. Shall we postpone this conversation until tomorrow?”
Gwen wanted to argue, but her growing headache convinced her otherwise. Part of her didn’t want to end the discussion, as if they stopped speaking, it would all become nothing more than a fantastic dream.
Alistair must have sensed her uncertainty. “I promise the answers will still be here in the morning. However, there is the test. It is required of all new travelers. And it is better met with a clearer head.” His expression dared her to argue.
Gwen doubted she would sleep with so many questions whirling through her head, but she knew the wiser course was to agree. She could use the sleep—and a familiar place to think through all this new information.
“You’re welcome to remain here.”
Gwen shook her head. She wanted her little apartment—a place to get away from all this new strangeness.
“I understand.” He gestured to her coat, dry and folded. “I took the liberty of cleaning your clothing. Your coat took a little longer to dry. While the lake is convenient, it is not the most forgiving mode of transportation.”
That reminded her. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but Alistair beat her to it.
“Before you ask, gateways to the time streams are not limited to the physical structure of a mirror. They can be created with many existing
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