A Dangerous Legacy Pt. 16

"I swear so, on my life and line." I felt the magic shimmer at the vow, and they nodded.

"No time like the present." Francine rose and so did Nadine.

I wore a soft white sweater and jeans over hiking boots and they wore leather pants, Nadine in a white t-shirt, Francine in a leather vest over bare skin.

"First, we need summer clothes, it's going to be hot in six months."

I waved my magic and we all wore skirts and tank-tops with hiking sandals.

"I'm more a shorts kind of girl," Francine said, so I gave her denim cutoffs.

"Skort, please," Nadine said and I made her black skirt into a skort.

My own was floral and I found the softer shades suited the new Anna, and so I felt comfortable in my mint-green tank and the skirt.

They came around the table and we all joined hands, forming a circle. I felt a strange magic rise and there was no tunnel. One moment we were in the hotel conference rom, the next a strange bedroom. I recognized it as Diego's room in my new house.

"What do you feel?" Nadine asked, looking around.

Her slightly taller sister did the same, frowning. "I can hear you, close. You're talking to Pierre."

I closed my eyes and reached out to the feeling, that niggling of the timeline. Slowly...yes! There it was! I felt it and it was stronger.

"Where do we need to go, Anna?" Nadine asked.

"Hurry, someone is coming," Francine said impatiently.

"Another six months. Next March, take me to the next March!"

"Are you sure?" Nadine asked.

"Come on!" Francine grabbed our hands and Nadine and I locked fingers and then we arrived in the same room to the blast of central heat.

"Goddess, that is so smooth," I said.

"We aim to please," a relieved Francine said, blowing out a puff of air. "You're alone in your room. Go ahead, but be careful. I smell something else, something strange, but I can't place it."

Sniffing the air Nadine raised a dark eyebrow. "Dear gods, it's-"

"Nadine!" Francine said. Turning to me she gave me a solemn look. "There is a surprise in there. Know before going in that it could change everything you believe."

I gave her an equally stoic look. "If you knew me better you'd understand that's a red flag and I'm a bull. I'll be carefuil."

The niggling was louder but not screaming. Yet everything in my magic called me into the next room, told me that was where I had to go.

I went silently, marveling at the finished home. The last time I had been there it was missing walls, concrete had been exposed, and it felt more like an empty workspace. Now it seemed warm and inviting.

Slowly I opened the door, heart pounding, and then I opened it.

There, sitting on a massive bed, was me. I wore a robe, one side lowered so the babe the other me was clutching could nurse. The bottom of my stomach dropped to the floor.

"Hello Anna," the other me said.

I could say nothing.

"I've been expecting you. Come closer, please."

Slowly I did, feeling like Dr. Frankenstein's Monster trying to make undead legs work.

"You know this is not where it begins, nor exactly where it ends. It's just another piece of the puzzle, but you're on the right track."

"But...wh-who?" I pointed to the babe.

"Before I show you your son, you must know that you can never travel to the future again. Your journey will be a hard one, but you will learn it has to be that way."

"Why? Just tell me why!"

"All I can tell you is that everything I have done and you must do, the world needs us to do it. And you must tell them the truth. Tell them you saw me, you, at Chengzhou. Tell everyone at that hotel about my son. Now let me show your son and then you must go."

I nodded, trembling, mind racing. She pulled the babe from her breast and he made a fuss, but yawned as she turned him to me. Then she flicked her hand and I was in a tunnel, careening through, grasping at the thread. Felt a tug and holding onto me were the dragons, equally shocked.

We landed in the conference room in nearly a heap.

Once I untangled myself I checked the clock. "It's two minutes after we left."

"What happened?" Francine asked, stretching.

"I saw a baby. My baby."

"Who was the father?" Nadine asked sharply.

"I will tell all as soon as everyone meets. Lunch, we must all meet for lunch and I must tell everyone at once. Go tell Malachai, now, please. Noon, in the great hall."

Full of suspicions they walked out and Liv slipped in the door.

"Arte you all right?"

"I'm going to have a baby in one year. Oh, God, Liv!"

She held me as I trembled for a moment. "What? What is it?" She finally asked as I pulled back."

"Liv, it had Malachai's hair and..." It was too unfathomable to be real. It couldn't. I had just seen those eyes on another recently, but no babe could have two fathers, not by science or nature and surely not by magic...right?

"And?"

I squared my eyes at her. "And Kenneth's eyes."