Back to the Fuchsia by Melanie James

Author:Melanie James [James, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Book Boutiques
Published: 2016-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The Devil’s Arse

“The Devil’s Arse, wow. Such a charming name,” Randy said.

“Not my decision, ask the local yokels. Spend a few days here, go ahead. Devil’s Arse is a compliment compared to what you’ll be calling it.”

I saw what Cosmos meant. Most caves are damp, cold, and dreary, and the Devil’s Arse took no exception. To make it creepier, it snaked down into the earth. Distant sounds of running water echoed through hidden chambers.

“Good hiding place. Not even outlaws have the balls to come here.” Cosmos lifted his glowing magic staff, projecting an eerie blue light on the rocky walls.

“Around the first corner are my living quarters and lab. There’s plenty of room for all of you. Whatever you do, don’t go any further back than this.”

I gripped Brad’s hand, held Darcy a little closer, and nervously peered into the vast darkness beyond Cosmos’ cozy corner.

“Why? What’s back there?” I asked with trepidation. “Meow,” Darcy seconded it.

He only shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? I sure as hell am not going to find out. Neither should you. Gather around, pull up a rock.”

He leveled his staff at a pile of stones, firing a stream of orange light until they burst into a flaming campfire. “Now, where were we?”

“About a mile from the manor house,” Jessica replied.

“I agree. Might have been further, but a mile sounds close,” I added.

“No, Einstein and Edison! I meant, what were we talking about before we came here?”

“You were going to tell us how you knew I was coming to the king’s court and more about time travel,” Brad replied.

Cosmos smacked Brad’s head, exclaiming, “Ah! So there is a little bit of brains left among you.”

He leaned on his staff as he told us of his own time travel experience. “I have arrived at this time and place the same way all of you did. Since we fell through the time travel portal at different times, we arrived here at different times. And it wasn’t in order. In my case, I’d been here for months, then you all showed up.”

“I get it, you were here before us, even though you left the future after us,” I said.

“Exactly, here’s where things might get confusing for you imbeciles. The events you experienced earlier tonight happened once before. The only difference between then and now is that you all were captured and imprisoned for being witches the first time around. I had to think of a way to save you. God only knows why.” Cosmos shook his head.

“Because you’re a good wizard, despite what Randy says about you,” I replied.

“Humph! Anyway, while you were awaiting trial and your certain execution, I went to work. I scavenged through every scrap of paper in every alchemist’s lab I could find. I came up with some time travel magic of my own. Unfortunately, it didn’t send us all back to the future. It only sent me backwards in time one year. Backwards! Ach!”

Cosmos tapped his crinkled old wizard’s hat. “But I’m a genius.

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