The Thirteenth World (The Corridor Series, Book 2) by A.N. Willis

Author:A.N. Willis
Language: dan
Format: mobi, epub, azw
Published: 2015-09-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

The Rocky Mountain Home for the Permanently Disabled was a brick Victorian mansion, surrounded by old trees. Their branches twisted around the building, like curved bars around a cage. Behind a tall wrought iron fence, residents milled around the gardens in pinstriped robes. A few orderlies leaned up against the brick, looking bored.

Our highspeed train had ended up at Union Station in downtown Denver, and we’d taken a local lightrail to Golden, a bustling town nestled into the foothills where the home was located.

A dark-haired woman looked up from a stone bench as we passed. She was on the other side of the fence, and her robe hung open at the neckline, revealing a yellowed lace camisole. Her gaze followed us all the way up the steps of the wraparound porch.

Inside, white and black tiles paved the entryway. Two staircases with ornate banisters curved around either side of the room, and an antique reception desk sat right in front of them.

I stepped up to the desk. “We’re here to see Dawn Alaster, please.”

The receptionist looked up from her book. Her smile was polite, and didn’t falter when she said, “I’m sorry, that’s not possible. No visitors.” She went back to her reading.

I put my palms facedown on the desk. I’d figured there would be questions, and that maybe we’d have to make an appointment for later or something. She couldn’t really be turning us away that easily. “But what about—”

“No exceptions.” She shook her head without looking up.

I swore under my breath.

“I’m sure you can see yourself out?” she added in a cheery voice. A muscular orderly took a step toward us from the corner, emphasizing the point.

I looked to Cohl, and he shrugged. We had no choice but to turn around, and go back outside. When we’d cleared the porch steps, Cohl pulled me aside. “I have an idea. You can port to the Barrens and then port back here, except inside the building! Then grab a robe and pretend you’re a patient until you find her.”

“That’s completely ridiculous.” Still, I was kind of considering it.

“Wait,” someone said. It was that dark-haired woman from earlier, with the lace camisole. She pressed up against the fence, holding onto the bars on either side of her face. “You came here for me, didn’t you?”

I glanced at the building’s entrance. Nobody was watching us. “Maybe. Are you—”

Cohl held his hand up, telling me to stop. “Let her tell us herself. What’s your name?”

“Well he’s pushy, isn’t he?” She glared disapprovingly at Cohl before answering. “I’m Dawn. And you’re Estele.”

I swayed on my feet, and caught one of the bars of the fence to steady myself. She had a bump on her nose like mine, and familiar eyes—but the rest of her was so changed. And how did she know my name?

“You are. I knew it.” She smiled, and I was staring right into the face of my mother. “I knew you’d come,” she said. “I’ve been expecting you.”

• • •

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