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Radiant. Light blossomed across every surface like a slow-motion explosion. It was a sweet, pure light, like a star - a star which was going supernova all around him. Images streamed across Jamie’s consciousness: a man with a long grey beard, bent before a simmering cauldron; a hooded figure moving through a wide, cobbled street; a dungeon, heavily barred; a lonely tower rising out of thick trees.
They passed too fast for Jamie to register any details, and then he was dissolving, particles of light glimmering around him as if refracted from some unseen prism. All he was aware of was Lottie’s hand, tight around his own. Until the blinding light dimmed, revealing…
Looming over them, a castle. Built sturdy and tall, the fortress was grey stone and dark secrets. Imposing spires pierced the sky like steely blades. A sense of dread permeated everything, a foreboding he couldn’t shake. Then came the sound, a rush of clattering and clanging, the sounds of toil and domestic life. But then, unusually, came touch and smell - one bringing the tickle of a gentle breeze and the pressure of his sister’s fingers, the other providing the pungency of grime and dirt. That was highly unusual. His daydreams didn’t usually have an olfactory-
“Jamie,” Lottie whispered, “are you seeing this?”
That was even stranger. He and his sister shared their dreams, but not literally-
“Jamie!” Her voice came, sharply, “Jamie, this isn't a dream. I think… it might be real.”
“But that would mean…” he trailed off, neither of them wanting to be the first one to say it. So they chorused; “we time travelled.”
Before either could fully react to this startling revelation, a gruff voice interrupted them. "Show yourselves!"
Nervously, they stepped into the sunlight filtering past the castle gates, into view of a grizzled guard. He was perhaps forty years of age, with a wiry build and greying beard, and his unusual garb made Jamie self-consciously glance down at his own clothing. The fact that he had left his harness and helmet on would make him stand out even in his own time period...
The thought made him woozy, and as he shoved it aside he finally became aware of the guard's reaction. The man's face had drained of all colour before his eyes narrowed. Then, he reached out and grabbed them in a viselike grip.
"You're coming with me." Lottie opened her mouth to object, but the man silenced her, urgently hissing, "The law has been changed. Time-slipping is no longer seen as beneficial here at Tintagel. So unless you want to spend the rest of your lives in the dungeons, you'd better come with me."
The twins exchanged a look. There was no knowing if they could trust this man, but... they were rapidly running out of options.
Their decision was made for them when the man's gravelly voice slipped into a whisper, and he murmured, "You're Aurelia's children aren't you." He barked a disbelieving laugh. "She always believed that one day you'd come and find her..."
They passed too fast for Jamie to register any details, and then he was dissolving, particles of light glimmering around him as if refracted from some unseen prism. All he was aware of was Lottie’s hand, tight around his own. Until the blinding light dimmed, revealing…
Looming over them, a castle. Built sturdy and tall, the fortress was grey stone and dark secrets. Imposing spires pierced the sky like steely blades. A sense of dread permeated everything, a foreboding he couldn’t shake. Then came the sound, a rush of clattering and clanging, the sounds of toil and domestic life. But then, unusually, came touch and smell - one bringing the tickle of a gentle breeze and the pressure of his sister’s fingers, the other providing the pungency of grime and dirt. That was highly unusual. His daydreams didn’t usually have an olfactory-
“Jamie,” Lottie whispered, “are you seeing this?”
That was even stranger. He and his sister shared their dreams, but not literally-
“Jamie!” Her voice came, sharply, “Jamie, this isn't a dream. I think… it might be real.”
“But that would mean…” he trailed off, neither of them wanting to be the first one to say it. So they chorused; “we time travelled.”
Before either could fully react to this startling revelation, a gruff voice interrupted them. "Show yourselves!"
Nervously, they stepped into the sunlight filtering past the castle gates, into view of a grizzled guard. He was perhaps forty years of age, with a wiry build and greying beard, and his unusual garb made Jamie self-consciously glance down at his own clothing. The fact that he had left his harness and helmet on would make him stand out even in his own time period...
The thought made him woozy, and as he shoved it aside he finally became aware of the guard's reaction. The man's face had drained of all colour before his eyes narrowed. Then, he reached out and grabbed them in a viselike grip.
"You're coming with me." Lottie opened her mouth to object, but the man silenced her, urgently hissing, "The law has been changed. Time-slipping is no longer seen as beneficial here at Tintagel. So unless you want to spend the rest of your lives in the dungeons, you'd better come with me."
The twins exchanged a look. There was no knowing if they could trust this man, but... they were rapidly running out of options.
Their decision was made for them when the man's gravelly voice slipped into a whisper, and he murmured, "You're Aurelia's children aren't you." He barked a disbelieving laugh. "She always believed that one day you'd come and find her..."