The Valteran Ascension (A Paradox of Time Book 1) Read online

  Eric considered his next words carefully. He would’ve liked some help in hunting down the ‘something’ that got through, but he didn’t want to damage the timeline any further than he had to.

  “I’m tasked with sealing some of these ah… damaged areas. His Majesty doesn’t want to concern the populace, so I’m trying to go about it discreetly, and not always succeeding as you can see.”

  He didn’t express his greater concerns, but he knew now that something dangerous was out there. It had an instinct to kill, and not only would people die, but it was going to mess with the integrity of the timeline if he didn’t get to it soon. He didn’t want to spend all night talking to these people, but he knew he should try to convince them he wasn’t dangerous. He might need some help yet and he knew from experience that a reputation could be built in a day.

  “Who are you?” the second man asked.

  He was well-dressed but Eric couldn’t have said who or what he was. His hair was lighter than his friend’s; the colour reminiscent of sand, and he was lightly-bearded. For all Eric knew, he could’ve been out for the night.

  Eric’s shirt and trousers were simple and more modern; certainly not the same style as the others wore. He wore a basic brown leather jacket over them, which might’ve helped disguise their differences. He couldn’t have said how his clothes looked to others’ eyes. It was something he’d typically alter with the Holographic Matrix Projector, but right now that wasn’t an option.

  “My name’s Eric,” he said cautiously, leaving off a surname unless he was asked for it. “I’m an artificer.”

  “Ah, you have an interest in the sciences,” the first man commented.

  Eric was quick to nod in agreement. “Absolutely.”

  “My name is Gregory,” the first man replied, “and this is John.”

  “A pleasure to meet you both.”

  The third man who’d helped grab Eric backed up several paces.

  “I must go,” was all he said as he made a hasty retreat.

  Eric had a feeling that very soon half the town would know about his manner of arrival. He probably shouldn’t have spun the story about His Majesty in retrospect. If there was one way to make everyone interested in something, it was to call it a secret.

  John’s brow furrowed. “If I’m not out of line asking sir, how did you get wet?”

  Now that he mentioned it, Eric realised he was still wet to the knees.

  “There’s a very good reason for that,” he said, raking his memory for a possible explanation. “I’m afraid I had to wade through some water earlier.”

  It was the truth in a manner of speaking. Both men looked confused, but they seemed to accept his explanation, such as it was.

  “I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine,” John said. “His name is Doctor Farroway. He’s a learned man with a knowledge of theology, medicine and other scientific disciplines.”

  “I… I don’t know,” Eric replied, hesitating.

  He had places to be and a creature to hunt. He tried to ignore his own tiredness, but there was also the matter he didn’t know this town. It didn’t look like the place he’d intended to arrive. His TSAI would confirm his location and the date, but he couldn’t use it while others were watching. It also made him wonder why they wanted him to see a doctor. Did they have concerns for his health?

  Maybe they’d dismissed his lies as the ravings of a madman. As odd as it sounded, he hoped so. It would be a simple and convenient way out, but there was, of course, the corroborating evidence; namely the rift they’d seen.

  “I think I might just go on. I’ve got some things to do.”

  Eric pulled down his sleeve to properly cover his wrist device, but they might already have seen it.

  “We could speak to the authorities…” Gregory ventured, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

  “You wouldn’t?” Eric asked, feigning surprise. “Well I do in fact work for the authorities,” he clarified, releasing a deep breath.

  “Not these authorities,” John replied, giving him the slightest shrug. “I am certain our friend would be interested in hearing more of your story.”

  A small crowd of people had begun to gather further along the road, and one was pointing up at where the rift had been.

  “Now that you mention it, please… lead on,” Eric replied, against his better judgment.

  Gregory laughed as he led the way, and Eric thought he was a bit harsher than his friend, who nevertheless seemed quite willing to go along with him.

  Eric wondered if he might’ve just encountered the local bullies – the intellectual sort, not the kind who were all fists, but he also knew he could play that game… or he would if he could talk about half of the things he had seen.

  “So tell me about Doctor Farroway,” he asked, making light conversation as they walked as a trio down the road.

  “He’s a good man,” Gregory said. “An expert on all things physical and–” he whispered, “metaphysical.”

  Eric’s eyebrows rose. “Metaphysical, really?”

  He wondered if he had reason to be nervous. No, what really made him nervous was the time creature running loose in Shrewsbury. Animals had their instincts and this one was no different, only it had a different manner of feeding; one more disturbing than the usual, if such a thing was possible.

  “Oh yes, I’ve never met anyone like him,” John replied. “A philosopher, a scholar and an explorer, isn’t he?” he enquired of his friend.

  “That’s right. He’s travelled widely with his daughter and seen so much more than the common man has. That’s why you have to talk to him.”

  “Daughter? Tell me about her then,” Eric said.

  “She’s uh… she’s uh, I dare not say. You’ll see for yourself,” John replied.

  Eric was surprised to see a blush creeping up the bearded man’s cheeks. He was obviously sweet on the girl.

  “It’s just down here,” Gregory explained, as he led them to a house several doors away. It was on a single level like many of the houses around it and looked more or less the same as the other simple brick buildings in the area.

  John rapped on the door, and it was swiftly opened by a young woman in a grey dress.

  At first, Eric thought it must be the young woman John was speaking about, but he soon realised that she was, in fact, a maid.

  Eric met Cora a minute or so later. She had lively, curious green eyes and sleek auburn hair that she wore up and alas, covered by a cap. She looked just shy of twenty, with a fine figure that made Eric feel like a dirty old man. He was way older than he looked, on account of his alien heritage. She looked familiar to him, but he wasn’t quite sure how she could’ve been. He hadn’t visited this time frame before.

  Human genetics had a way of putting people together in ways that could result in a person looking much the same as one had before; it was just, he wasn’t sure that was it. He studied her for a moment until John spoke up.

  “Hello dear. I’m wondering if your father’s home. There’s a matter we would like to discuss with him and I’m afraid it can’t wait.”

  The young woman briefly raised her eyes to meet Eric’s gaze, and despite the fact he was used to eye contact, Eric glanced away.

  She turned back to John in a relaxed manner. “My father’s home and of course, he should be right out. May I show you to the sitting room and I’ll let him know you’re here?”

  “Thank you, Cora,” Gregory replied, nodding in a friendly gesture. “You have things well under control, I see. Elsie’s expecting me back. I oughtn’t keep her waiting or there will be hell to pay.”

  Eric couldn’t resist a subtle smile. Somehow he hoped there would be, but his attention quickly turned back to John and the lady, Cora.

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Eric,” he said, noticing the glance she gave him as he accompanied John through her home and to a small room with several wooden chairs. It was simple and didn’t look particularly comfortable, though
the workmanship of the furniture was nicer than any he’d owned. Eric still regretted having to leave his old home and his belongings behind. Maybe he’d return to it later when space-time was more stable.

  The truth was everything could be replaced, and he had all of his technologically-advanced possessions with him. Those he hadn’t lost some time ago, that was.

  He sat down in the chair indicated by the lady, and behaved himself, lest he get himself or her into trouble. Over time the pieces fell together; her voice, understated elegance and that figure. She reminded him of the woman in Tintagel who’d helped him by disabling the crossbowman. It was just – how could she be here over fifty years later looking as lovely as ever? She couldn’t be unless she was a time traveller or some kind of immortal. He couldn’t be sure they’d met and she acted as though he was a stranger to her. If time paradoxes weren’t complicated enough, not being sure about them took the cake.

  Eric lost snatches of conversation to his own musings, but she left the room shortly afterwards. Eric turned to John, who glanced back and waited for the maid to pass by.

  “You understand,” John said simply.

  It took Eric a moment to remember his earlier comment – the one that had resulted in a blush, and he nodded. No explanation was needed.

  Life moved fast in his world, and he often wondered what it would be like to settle down in a nice place like this. A comfortable house somewhere in history with a partner like Cora Farroway. He liked her name; it held a sense of poetry.

  A much older man in his early sixties, at a guess, strode into the room from the corridor where Cora had left. His hair was grey, but he still walked easily and quickly. He approached, reaching out a hand to shake Eric’s, before doing the same with John.

  “So who can I thank for the surprise visit?” he asked, seemingly unbothered by their appearance late at night.

  “This gentleman here,” John replied, with a nod to Eric. “I’m not sure I’m the best one to explain what I witnessed. Thanks to him, I have quite the story to tell. One moment the street was empty, and the next he was there amidst lightning, smoke, and blinding light, and on His Majesty’s orders at that. So strange a sight was it that it might’ve been confused with heathenry, but Eric has explained to me that he’s an artificer and a scientist. I believe you might be interested to hear what happened.”

  Doctor Farroway sat down on a seat opposite Eric as he considered John’s explanation.

  “What do you have to say of this?” he asked Eric. “What manner of work have you undertaken for the Crown?”

  Eric glanced between the men sheepishly. “The kind best treated with discretion, if you have my understanding,” he said. “We have made advancements and discoveries, and we have been required to carry out tasks in the service of our duties. Suffice to say my work is justified and in the greater public interest. I’m not permitted to speak of it in detail, so I’m afraid I cannot.”

  The Doctor nodded. “That sounds entirely rational to me, and grounds for any man not to speak more deeply on matters of duty. Nevertheless, I’m most curious about what might have caused such an anomaly in a public place. I’ve never heard of its like, and to meet one connected with it intrigues me, I daresay.”

  Eric could understand Doctor Farroway’s feelings, but with every mention of what had happened, he could practically feel the timeline disintegrating more. It had to stop, and he’d fulfilled his promise to speak with the scientist, so he decided it might be time to slip away.

  “I think perhaps I should be on my way–”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” the Doctor declared. “You only just arrived and the night’s young.”

  It hadn’t seemed so to Eric, but it must’ve been earlier than it had been in Tintagel.

  “Why don’t you have a drink? I have a red wine that arrived from France only this morning.”

  “If I must,” he reluctantly agreed, flashing a smile so as not to offend.

  Another servant brought the wine and poured glasses for himself, Doctor Farroway and John.

  “Thank you, sir,” he replied, not wanting to offend his host, even though he desired to leave. He likewise nodded thanks to the servant.

  His mind was on the creature though. The entity. His people called them Chronopods, and it could be out there stalking prey, maiming and killing. Meanwhile, he was drinking wine.

  “How did such a man end up on my doorstep?” Doctor Farroway asked.

  “Oh I don’t know there’s much to tell,” Eric replied, trying not to grimace.

  Misdirection! That was the way to go.

  “Oh my goodness, what’s that?” Eric asked, glancing worriedly at the fireplace.

  It held a small, warming fire, certainly nothing out of place, but the others didn’t know that.

  “Why, what is it?” Doctor Farroway asked, growing concerned.

  He stood up and examined the fireplace carefully, and John soon did the same thing.

  That’s when he noticed Cora standing in the doorway grinning at him. She saw right through his ruse. How intriguing.

  “Well, I can’t see it. Whatever it was, it looks to be gone now. Some kind of insect I think. Huge. It had those things – what do you call them? Antennae?” Eric asked.

  John laughed, while Doctor Farroway shook his head. “I’m sorry sir, that such a thing should find its way into my house. It must’ve come down the chimney.”

  “It probably got burned up in the flames,” Cora replied as she made her way into the room.

  “The flames of nonsense,” she whispered to Eric, giving him cause to laugh.

  Weren’t 18th Century women supposed to be submissive and well-behaved?

  Eric realised that whoever had said that probably hadn’t known any 18th Century women first-hand. He could already tell; this one was trouble.

  He tried not to offend her father or John for that matter, who’d taken a shine to the girl. He behaved in as gentlemanly a manner as he knew how to act, and certainly kept his hands to himself. It was always a good idea, he decided, except for those rare but wonderful occasions when it wasn’t. He drank his wine, while Doctor Farroway and John spoke of politics and work, and he avoided speaking of himself. He thought they were starting to catch on, and he was growing more tired, as it would’ve been close to dawn now in his last time frame.

  His thoughts turned to the creature and how best to deal with it. He’d have even less chance of finding it in the dark than he would in the day unless there were screams to follow. It was eerie because he was actually listening out for them, though he suspected there was little he could do to save someone from an attack. There was one certain way he knew of to deal with such a beast and that was to return it through a rift.

  If he was going to do that, he wanted to be well away from people and buildings, and work unnoticed. He vaguely remembered seeing woods in the distance, so that’s where he’d set his trap. There had to be a way to lure the creature to him in the least dangerous way possible. His thoughts turned to his wrist device. He could have it emit a pulse that mimicked rift emissions, possibly lure the beast in and bam… open it! He couldn’t leave a rift sitting open for long in case this happened again. When he opened one, he’d have to close it again quickly.

  It made him wonder why he’d never encountered these creatures when he passed through the rifts. Was it the technology he wore or was he just lucky? The thought made him feel somewhat less comfortable with time travel than he had been before, but once he got his ship back, it wouldn’t be an issue.

  His tiredness was beginning to weigh on him. He knew the best thing he could do was get some rest and set out at first light. He needed his wits about him when the time came.

  “Could you gentleman perhaps recommend a good tavern where I could rent a room? I’m afraid my tiredness is catching up with me.”

  Cora glanced at her father, and he spoke up immediately.

  “There’s no need to rent a room. You’re more than welcome to stay her
e.”

  It warmed Eric’s heart that they’d offered, even though he had no intention of accepting. He didn’t want to have to sneak out early.

  “I couldn’t possibly–” he said, meaning it more literally than they knew.

  “Of course you can,” Cora replied. “Please, allow our servant to show you to your room.”

  Her eyes glittered with amusement. She could tell he was trying to slip away and wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

  He knew if he pushed hard enough he could leave. Just as he could go out into the woods tired and try hunting the creature now, but he knew better. At least he was somewhere presumably safe, and proper rest and some time to think would put him in the best stead for tomorrow.

  “Thank you for your generosity,” he said to his hosts and nodded to John as well.

  Without further word, he followed their maid from the room.

  Cora hadn’t been privy to the whole conversation, but she’d heard enough to have figured out something was going on. Eric feared that now she wouldn’t leave him alone until she riddled out the reason. In fact, her father mightn’t either.

  “It’s just through here,” the maid informed him.

  The maid had a spring in her step as she showed him to a room with a small bed, a wardrobe, and a desk and chair in the corner. There wasn’t a lot else, other than a blanket folded on the bed, but it would give him a comfortable place to rest.

  Sometime later, when Eric was alone, he heard a soft knock on his door.

  He opened it and was somewhat surprised to see Cora. Wouldn’t her father have a problem with that?

  “I know you’re up to something and I want in on it,” she whispered, a childlike grin curving her lips.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied, giving her a steady if tired smile.

  “Is that so?” she asked, not believing him but unprepared to directly question his word. “You arrived here in Shrewsbury under mysterious circumstances. You’ve wanted to leave from the moment you arrived and something out there has you worried; I can tell. You kept glancing at the window and acting like you expected trouble out there. I know something’s happening… and that it’s happening here, and that you’re a part of it. If it’s in my town and going on around here, that makes it my business. I wish to know what’s going on.”