The Quest of the Prodigy (The Alchemist of Time Book 1) Page 22

“How else do you get to know people unless you visit them regularly?” asked Bas and pulled Aimon into a side hug. Aimon didn’t look amused. “Oh come on, Aimon, lighten up. It’s a party!”

  “There should be dancing at a party!” Richie said, pulling Mimi into a dance.

  Mimi squealed, more from a sudden onslaught of nerves than excitement. Back home, she would often take Teagan to her dance lessons off Chambers Street and participate if they were short a student; but even with her few dance experiences, she was sure she would step on Richie’s toes. She had never danced with a boy.

  “Just relax,” Richie said, as if he could sense her stress. “Deep breaths. Like when you passed the ball of energy.”

  She inhaled deeply, and exhaled. Memories of their lessons together flooded her mind, relaxing her only a little bit. This is pathetic! Mimi admitted to herself. How can I measure up to Richie’s undying faith in me? I can’t even relax to have fun! Why can’t I hang onto this confidence for even a moment?

  Richie pulled her closer and she hid her face against his shoulder. The song abruptly changed, and a slow song came on. Relief filled her. The waltz was klutz-proof. One, two, three four. She sighed happily and nuzzled even closer to Richie. Time seemed to fade away.

  A couple of songs later, Mimi chuckled when she heard Richie’s stomach growl. “Sounds like someone’s hungry.”

  “Yeah, I always seem to be in a state of hunger,” he admitted.

  Mimi leaned up and kissed his cheek. She rested her hand on his square jaw and nodded. “Let’s eat then. It all looks wonderful!”

  “AND THEN I told Billy, that was my gun all along!”

  The group roared with laughter at the story Bas was telling about Billy the Kid, but Mimi was only half listening. His story was ridiculous, but given all she had seen, she was starting to believe his tales. She savored the happy moment with this new group of friends. Tomorrow her training would start, and reality would set in once more.

  “There’s dessert, right?” asked Albert. “There should always be dessert.”

  Mimi laughed. “Yeah, Albert. You know chocolate is my addiction.”

  “That’s why I suggested lemon cake,” Albert said with a snicker. “Because you’re probably on a diet now, Mimi, with your training.”

  “We didn’t have lemons,” said Aimon, “so we have fruit with sugar and ice cream.”

  Mimi had wanted chocolate, but knew fruit would probably be better for her aching body. She hoped she wouldn’t have to cut back too much for this training. Chocolate was a comfort food for her for any time of failure, even getting a B. She knew she put too much pressure on herself.

  As dessert finished, Aimon stood up to gain their attention, looking quite serious. He looked directly at Mimi, and the others turned to her as well. She hated being the center of attention.

  “My friends,” began Aimon, “I am not often pleased to admit to be wrong. But Mimi has proven me so. And as I saw them dance tonight, I can think of no greater teacher to instruct her in the ways of Alchemy than my good friend, Richie Stiles.”

  Richie beamed. “Really?” he asked, face turning red. “I thought you were going to teach her. You’re the champion at our school!”

  “I am the champion because I practice much and fight many duels. You focus on your studies and your friendships, and less on the duels. After seeing how much Mimi trusts you, Richie, I feel like there could be no other master better equipped to teach her.”

  Mimi couldn’t have felt happier with all the riches in the world. Richie, who believed in her, would teach her. He wanted her to succeed and he would see to it. She beamed at Aimon. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome,” Aimon said, sounding pleased.

  All during training Richie had primed her to impress Aimon, assuming he would be the one to teach her. She didn’t need to worry about proving herself now. She could focus on mastering the craft, with someone she would look forward to seeing every day.

  “As good as the fruit was, it’s still a party. And a party demands cake!” Bas said, looking around with disapproval as he changed the subject.

  “The kitchen is closed,” said Richie.

  “I have my sources,” said Bas with a wink. “Give me two ticks while you kids party on. I won’t be long!” He dashed out the door.

  “But really, where’s he going to get cake?” Richie asked as he looked at Mimi.

  Mimi had to laugh as she thought of JAB. “He really does have sources.”

  Bellator and Deatherage blundered into the year 3000 awkwardly, bumping to a landing just outside the back entrance of the Academy. The two Ambassadors made quick work of hiding the car just out of sight of the door and windows, covering it with brush. It had become the routine first step; if anything happened to the car they would be trapped.

  Their transport securely hidden, the Ambassadors faced the Academy of Alchemy that awaited them. Bellator was instantly uneasy; that blasted book about Alchemy had gotten her into trouble. Despite the King’s demand to acquire Barkley’s book, it felt dangerous to be near a forbidden practice.

  Deatherage wore a strained expression as well, and looked deep in thought. “Are you okay?” she asked him.

  He let out a grunt. The grunt created a wall between them; he might as well have told her to shut up. He looked at her, not seeming to really see her. He hadn’t been himself lately, now that she thought about it. It was hard to find her partner likeable when she never knew where they stood with each other.

  “Let’s split up,” he said.

  “What?” she asked. “Why?”

  “We’ll cover more ground looking for Barkley. He can’t get away this time.”

  “What’s gotten into you?” she inquired.

  He scoffed as he climbed out of the car. She sighed and shook her head. There was simply no talking to the stubborn man. She got out of the passenger seat and headed in the opposite direction. If he wanted to split up, fine. She was the one with the tracker arrow. If Deatherage had his own agenda, she couldn’t stop him.

  Bellator wasn’t convinced the tracker arrow would make it any easier to locate Bas. That man knew how to make himself invisible.

  To her surprise, she spotted him almost instantly, clutching a teacup in one hand and twirling a necklace with the other. She knew that shade of cranberry anywhere.

  She pulled her Photon Laser from its leather holster on her thigh, ignoring how it reminded her of their time together. She tried not to have distracting thoughts enter her mind, like how good his gentle hands felt against her bare skin. Those three days with him had been so perfect for Bellator, it was hard not to let those feelings cloud her judgement.

  “That coat is very dangerous, you know,” she whispered, pressing the laser against his back.

  “Dangerously good-looking?” he asked hopefully and squirmed against the Photon Laser.

  “Nah, dangerously bright. Spotted you a mile away. Lucky for you, Deatherage isn’t here with me.”

  Bas scoffed. “Not afraid of him.”

  “You were last time we saw you.”

  He scowled at that. “Not fair. He had a Tracker then. Anyone who spends their life running away would be afraid of a Tracker too.”

  “Speaking of, what did you do to it?”

  Bas gave her an innocent smile, showing off his perfect teeth. It wasn’t fair that he smiled. He knew she couldn’t resist how perfect his teeth were. One of the things that had attracted her to him, after his humor and charm. There wasn’t always a lot of wit with Bas, as he tended to speak before he thought, but he made up for that with charm.

  “Don’t know what you mean,” he said and held up the arm that Deatherage had shot the Tracker in. He pushed back the sleeve of his cranberry coat, and she frowned at the blinking red proof that the Tracker was still there.

  “You had to have done something to it.”

  “Must I have?” he asked and leaned closer to her. “How’s that?”

  “We could
n’t find you. You had to have tampered with it.”

  “Don’t worry, dear. You’ll always be able to find me if I wanted you to,” he said and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

  “Funny, considering I found you now.”

  “Maybe I wanted you to find me.”

  She couldn’t deny her curiosity. “Did you now?”

  “Yup,” he said and took a sip of his tea. “Thought I heard you lot here. You’re not very quiet, you know. Anyway, I wanted to show you around. Kids are off. So come with me.”

  Bellator laughed. “Show me around?”

  “Yes. You know, take you to dinner. There’s this charming restaurant called the Golden Volcano. They have great sushi and—”

  She cut him off with a cold laugh. He frowned, clearly not used to being turned down.

  “I’m serious!” he insisted. “I do feel bad about taking your Time Phone, you know.”

  “You, sir, are a thief.”

  “Your point?”

  “Why should I believe you feel bad for stealing my Time Phone? Do you know what I had to do to get another one? I had to ask Admiral Deatherage, my partner’s father, for a new one. He’s almost as bad as the King.” She felt treacherous admitting it.

  “I’m sorry,” Bas said. If she didn’t know him, she might have mistaken it for an honest apology. “I really didn’t mean to use you like that. I might be a thief, but I’m not a monster. C’mon, humor me. Let me take you out.”

  She knew it was stupid to agree, but how could she capture such a willing target? “Fine,” she said. His eyes lit up. “But for good measure….” she trailed off as she pulled laser handcuffs from her pocket, locking one around his wrist and the other around hers.

  Bas frowned as his hand dangled from hers, but then he pulled her closer. “I expect a kiss if you’re putting me in bondage.”

  She giggled, hating herself for doing so. “I forgot you’re such a charmer.”

  “C’mon, let’s go, you’ll love this place!” he said excitedly.

  Bellator followed him around the golden Academy, stunned by the beauty and giddiness she felt. Deatherage was off doing his own thing; why couldn’t she? She had Bas handcuffed and could turn him in to the King at any time. Might as well let the time traveler think he was winning, and maybe get a free meal out of it.

  Lightning lit the sky as they hurried toward the tiny main street and a towering building nearby. As thunder shook the sky, Bellator looked up and was amazed to see a giant dome protecting the tiny golden island from the storm. The weather was not putting a damper on anyone’s night. They ran down the street together, until Bellator crashed into Bas when he stopped without warning.

  A blue square on the ground was emitting a golden light. Bas stepped on top of it, planting both feet firmly in the middle of the square. He tugged on Bellator’s hand she mimicked him. Looking down at the square, her eyes widened when the square grew larger to accommodate them. A glass box began to stretch around them.

  Bas chuckled at the look on her face. “One, two, three!” Before he could finish, the glass box detached from the blue square and rose upward alongside the mall. “The Golden Volcano, please,” he requested.

  The glass box began to move, and she had to grip Bas’s arm to keep from falling. The box zoomed to the top floor of the mall and stopped. Bellator stared out at the view. It was incredible. The shining golden island was covered with a dome, and outside gray clouds, lightning and rain pelted the sky.

  Bas tugged her hand again, and Bellator followed him a pleasant restaurant. The walls were painted purple with sparkling gold paint at the base, giving the appearance of golden frames. Bas requested a window view, and Bellator found it hard to look away from the sky.

  The rain from pattered against the dome while the waiter took their order. Since Bas was paying, Bellator ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, the lobster tail, while Bas asked for a plate of Lava Sushi. They sat in silence while they waited for their food, enjoying each other’s company. They were such different people, it was funny to Bellator how content she felt. She had dimmed the laser handcuffs upon entering the restaurant, making them almost unnoticeable to an untrained eye. It was almost like a normal date.

  Bellator sipped white wine and sighed. “You know what the worst part of you taking my phone was?”

  “What’s that?” asked Bas.

  She paused. This probably didn’t mean as much to him as it did to her. She shouldn’t say anything. He had stolen from her and run away from her. But you were chasing him, she reminded herself. “Never mind.”

  Bas frowned and leaned backward, creating an awkward dead space between them. She felt him cross his leg to one side, and felt as though he had pulled away from her.

  “So when I told you earlier tonight I was sorry, you didn’t forgive me?” he asked.

  The food arrived and saved Bellator from answering. She didn’t know if she had forgiven him or not. What did it matter anyway? She’d have to present him to the King, and then Bas would most likely be killed.

  The lobster tail was rich and satisfying, drizzled with melted butter. Bas seemed pleased with his sushi, which looked like rolls of eel and white rice with eggs exploding from the top. An oriental purple flower garnished his plate. It was such a pretty night, and it was going to end so poorly.

  Bas grasped her hand and Bellator closed her eyes, pushing the thought away. His thumb started at her palm, and then kneaded toward her wrist in deep circular motions. He pressed harder on every strenuous muscle he came across. “Bellator,” he whispered and leaned closer.

  This time she leaned in and accepted the kiss, closing her eyes. He tasted of sushi and wine. His lips were soft and made hers tingle, creating a delightful spark. The kiss filled Bellator with a golden glow that fit perfectly with this world. She opened her eyes, her heart completely melted, and gaped. He was gone.

  She slammed the table with her fist and yelled, “Sebastian!”

  “DEATHERAGE, COME in Deatherage!” Bellator cried into her communications device.

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “Check the school, he should be by the front now.”

  “Who?” asked Deatherage.

  Bellator rolled her eyes. “Barkley!” she hissed as she dodged into the elevator. She didn’t know the local currency and had no idea how to pay for dinner, or time to figure it out. No one at the restaurant seemed to mind as she took her leave. It was a much more relaxed world.

  It took a couple of minutes to return to the school, and by the time she found Deatherage, Barkley had a strong grip on him. The chase was over.

  “How did you get out of these?” she asked and held up the cuffs.

  “Handcuffs? Really? You think that’s enough to stop the Incredible Bas?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Where is the girl with your book? She was the last to have it. Lead us to them.” She trained her Photon Laser on him and allowed it to charge. Bas stopped struggling.

  “You broke my heart, twice, so I will shoot.”

  Bas hung his head low. “Follow me.”

  The two Ambassadors of Time followed the strange Brit in his red coat through the maze of golden halls of the school. There was a hiss of steam as a door opened, and they entered a room to find a party going on, complete with music and a big spread of food.

  Bellator smiled. “Sorry to crash the party without an RSVP, but we need the Diary.”

  Stepping out of the clear pod of the REP after traveling through the Atlantic Ocean at hyper speed was the strangest of sensations for Captain Donnan. He felt nauseous as he looked around the room. The moon was shining through a glass ceiling, and industrial lightbulbs illuminated the room and the bookcases covering the walls. Tucked between two was a cork board covered in paper advertisements, the most colorful one featuring a brown-haired man in a red coat, smiling slyly. The ad said he was wanted for theft and treason. Not such a dangerous place after all, thought Donnan with a wry smile.

 
“Who are you?” a man with an American accent inquired.

  Donnan jumped as he noticed the sandy-haired man with broad shoulders watching him. “I’ve just been transferred from Scotland,” he said, excusing his accent before it could cause concern, “by the King for a special mission. Captain James Donnan at your service.”

  The American flipped quickly through a clipboard before shaking his head. “You’re not on the list.”

  “Special mission, remember? They don’t put you on a roster for that,” chuckled Donnan.

  The American frowned. “The King trusts me.” His eyes grew wider. “Or, I thought he did!”

  “Now come on, mate, I’m sure it’s nothing you did. What’s your name?”

  “Lieutenant Keith Pitts,” said Pitts.

  Donnan offered his hand for a shake as he said, “Well, Pitts, it looks like you’re doing a fine job keeping track of the voyages.”

  “Yes. I never had a surprise one before.” He sighed. “Well luckily, my shift just ended. Someone else can deal with this.”

  Donnan nodded in understanding. “I just traveled from Scotland. I too am shattered. Is there a place for lodging I can stay?”

  “No finer place in this region than the Wise Oak Inn,” said Pitts, putting away his list. “I was actually just on my way over there for a drink.”

  “Well then,” said Donnan with a smile, “let’s ride.”

  HE HADN’T meant they should share the horse. Unfortunately Keith Pitts only had one on hand, and so Captain Donnan awkwardly wrapped his arms around the man’s waist. The Queen’s Court would never have believed this sight of their respected Captain sharing a horse.

  Donning the night vision goggles Pitt offered, Donnan wished the Queen’s Court could afford such equipment, but her funds were nearly extinguished. She could barely afford to feed her army. He felt a pain of guilt to already think life was better on the King’s side. He couldn’t let such luxuries tempt him. He hated the King. Donnan looked hungrily at the full pack of food strapped to the horse. The stomach knew no loyalty.