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Ruby turned to Abbie. “I’m glad your friends can help your brother but, as a Grimm,” her voice lowered, “you should know it’s unsafe to trust witches.”
“You can trust those two,” Abbie reassured her.
“They’re our friends,” Mrs. Beckwith said, moving closer.
“He’s healed,” Granny Chan called out then, sitting back. She looked exhausted, poor woman. “He’ll wake soon.”
Lost for words, Judith hugged the elderly witch over a still supine Bran.
Abbie sent up a quiet, heartfelt prayer of thanks for this minor miracle and rushed up the slight slope to Bran’s side. All signs of his trauma were gone. Why were his eyes still closed?
Ruby followed Abbie to where he lay, with Mrs. Beckwith following her. “Bran, is it?”
“He’s waking up,” Judith cried out. “Bran, can you hear me? How do you feel?”
He blinked, appearing surprised to find so many people hovering. Then his gaze focused on Judith and, sitting up, he pulled her into his arms. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”
Judith held him as fiercely. “Makes two of us.”
“Jude,” he said, “I worried I’d lost my chance to say this. I love you.”
Judith leaned back, blushing. “I love you, too.” Then she kissed him.
Abbie’s heart squeezed with glee. These two had finally made up.
“Don’t mind us,” Ruby said, sardonically, and Mrs. Beckwith chuckled.
“Sorry,” Judith said, leaning back, releasing him.
Bran’s cheeks were pink, and he looked stunned.
“This is Ruby,” Abbie said. “Our grandmother.”
Instantly, Bran jumped up and then swayed alarmingly.
Judith scrambled up to support him. “Easy.”
“Slowly, son,” Granny Chan said with a tolerant smile as she, too, got to her feet with Abbie’s help. “You had a serious head wound.”
“I’m glad the witches could heal you,” Ruby said.
“Me, too,” Bran agreed with a lopsided grin.
“You look like my Dan,” Ruby said, her eyes misty. “I’m so relieved you’re all right.” Her glance then went to Judith. “But a witch in love with a member of our Grimm family. Will wonders never cease?”
Judith’s blush grew darker. “Sorry about earlier,” she said. “I was worried about him.”
Ruby nodded. “That’s why you’re still alive.”
That wiped the tentative smile from Judith’s face.
Bran hadn’t addressed Abbie yet, and she wondered if he was cross about her yanking him back as he went to help Judith. That discussion would have to wait, but not this. She moved in to give her beloved brother the tightest hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Me, too, Abbie-girl,” he replied, kissing her cheek.
“Now can we talk about why you are all here,” Ruby asked, “in my time?”
“We need your help to return home,” Abbie said, releasing Bran to approach her grandmother. “We’re hoping one of your Grimm artifacts can send us home. The one that brought us here broke during landing.”
“Why did you time travel at all?” Ruby asked.
“An accident unexpectedly threw me into the past,” Granny Chan said, with chagrin.
“We came to rescue her,” Abbie said. “Now that’s done, we need to use one of your two hourglasses to return.”
“Two?” Ruby said with surprise. “Grimms have never used our hourglass because we deemed it far too dangerous since we cannot direct where it will take us or return us home.”
“We know how to use it in a controlled fashion,” Abbie said. “Bran, show Ruby the hourglass you have.”
He reached into his pocket and then looked at her with a blank stare. “I don’t have it.”
“Oh, I have it, dear.” Mrs. Beckwith pulled it out of her purse. “I forgot to return it.”
Abbie took it from her. It only had a few dozen grains left. “Time’s running out,” she said in a panic. “We must hurry or we’ll be stuck here for good.”
Ruby took the hourglass. “Mine has white sand.”
“Why wouldn’t she have two?” Judith asked.
“Part of that time loop?” Granny Chan asked in an awed voice. “Your white-sand hourglass now has pink-sand. If you give it to your grandmother, you’ll have it to use later. We might be here to give it to her.”
“And to find out about the immortal’s involvement in Judith’s past,” Abbie said. “We’ve learned he plays a long game.”
“Immortal?” Ruby said, with a gasp.
Abbie glanced at her. “Do you know him?”
Ruby shook her head. “I’ve heard of such beings, of course, but never encountered one. Nor do I want to.” She gripped Abbie’s hand. “Do you realize what this means?”
“What?” Abbie asked.
Ruby looked as if she was about to say something and then clamped her lips tight. “This is only for a Grimm’s ears.”
“You can trust them,” Abbie said.
“What I have to say is only for you.” Ruby insisted and headed toward the drive, gesturing for Abbie to come along.
“Wait,” Judith called.
When Abbie stopped, her friend came over and repaired Abbie’s torn red dress and removed any sign of dried blood. “Don’t take too long,” Judith murmured as she worked.
Abbie nodded before following her grandmother to the drive below.
Ruby eyed her pretty dress and grudgingly murmured, “Witches can be useful, I suppose.” Once they reached the graveled landing and were out of earshot, Ruby turned to her. “Your presence means the prophecy is coming true.”
“What prophesy?” Abbie asked.
Ruby frowned. “Surely, your mum told you about it?”
“Is it written in Klaus?” Abbie asked with caution. At her gran’s blank stare, she clarified, “Is it written in our Grimm Tales book?”
“No, this is something that is only passed down from Grimm parent to Grimm child among all our families. We were told to never write it down lest the enemy discovers it.” She gave Abbie a worried look. “I would have told your mother and she should have told you.”
Abbie bit her lip. Ruby hadn’t lived long enough to tell her daughter anything.
Had Kali foreseen this moment? Was that why she’d specifically warned Abbie to be careful to not hinder Karma—the learning of lessons—that ruled how life developed?
Swallowing a painful lump—she was growing to like this forthright young woman and the thought of her dying so young was incredibly hard—Abbie said, “I’ve probably forgotten. Can you refresh my memory?”
“Legend says,” Ruby began slowly, “that a Grimm out of time would one day face an enemy bent on terrorizing our land. At that moment, every Grimm gift our family has received would come to life to assist in the battle.”
“You believe the immortal could be the enemy the prophecy mentions?” Abbie asked.
“Would explain why our artifacts seem to work differently with you,” Ruby said, head tilted, “than they have with other Grimms.” She held up the pink-sand hourglass. “This is why we treasure these items. In each Grimm generation, we’re always on the lookout for a blessed child born for that momentous task.” She turned to Abbie. “Why didn’t your mum tell you?”
“She’s likely waiting for the right moment,” Abbie said.
“It’s the first story we tell our children,” Ruby said.
“Abbie, time to go,” Judith called from up the lawn.
“Yes,” she said, gesturing for them to join her. Timely.
“How do you work the hourglass?” Ruby asked.
“The pink sand one acts as a homing beacon while the white sand hourglass opens a portal to the time we request. Our pink hourglass is in our time, waiting for us to trigger it to draw us home.”
Ruby nodded. “Makes sense. I’ll fetch my white one.”
Abbie stopped her with a touch. Time was running out. “Put the pink one away and call your white-sand one. It should come, if for no other reason than because I’m here and have triggered the awakening of our gifts.” She hoped so. “Try it.”
Ruby looked skeptical, but then slipped the pink hourglass into her pocket and held out her hand. “Hourglass.”
The one with white sand hourglass appeared on her palm and Ruby yelped in shock and then gave a shout of triumph. “I love it! This will come in so handy.” The newly arrived hourglass only had a few grains left to fall. “Abbie, this one’s turned, too.”
“When we trigger one,” Abbie said, “it must trigger all. We have to hurry.”
“Too bad we won’t have time for a tour of your lovely home,” Mrs. Beckwith said with a wistful sigh as she arrived at their side. “But I’m looking forward to going home, too.”
Ruby leaned closer to Abbie, bringing an inviting scent of lemon and irises. “When the time comes to face your enemy, be brave. You’ll have generations of Grimms at your back.”
Abbie’s grandmother then whispered something else, leaving Abbie teary-eyed. Ruby had given Abbie a message to give her baby. Had she guessed she wouldn’t be around to tell her daughter the Grimm legend? Abbie hoped that her slip wouldn’t alter their future.
She told Ruby what to picture in her head and the exact date and time, and to be sure to wish herself to remain in this timeline while Abbie and her friends traveled.
“Wait!” Bran said as Ruby raised the white-sand hourglass to turn over. “Comet, we’re going home.”
Judith’s broom came whizzing up the drive, with Mrs. Beckwith’s rolled-up rug resting on the handle.
“Oh, I’d forgotten about those,” Mrs. Beckwith cried in delight.
The broom zoomed up to Bran.
Ruby’s eyebrows rose.
“Consider yourself belonging to Judith again,” he said.
Judith grinned and tossed the rug to Mrs. Beckwith. She then elongated Comet so they could all fit on her handle, then thoughtfully equipped Comet with cushy seats.
Abbie groaned at riding that flighty broom again, but it was the swiftest way to travel.
Judith hopped up front.
Her gran sat behind her, followed by Bran. Abbie took her seat next and Mrs. Beckwith sat behind her.
They all called out their goodbyes to Ruby.
Her grandmother waved and turned over the hourglass.
They waited, but nothing happened.
Ruby focused on the hourglass. “Take them home.”
Still, nothing happened.
Abbie hopped off the broom. “I might have to hold it.”
Ruby clutched the hourglass. Then, with a reluctant sigh, she handed it over.
Abbie was profoundly grateful and hopped back onto the broom. Holding up the hourglass, she pictured Granny Chan’s kitchen. The portal instantly opened, drawing them in. She grinned in immense relief. It was working!
As they crossed into the portal, Ruby held out her hand. “Hourglass, to me!”
The hourglass pulled out of Abbie’s grip and she shouted in fright, “No!”
Too late. The hourglass flew into Ruby’s hand and the portal shut, obscuring her grandmother’s triumphant grin.
In a blink, Abbie and her friends sped down another swirling, bright time tunnel. “Picture our destination,” Abbie shouted, terrified they might end up trapped in this tunnel without that hourglass. At least they were moving. That was a good sign. Wasn’t it?
She shut her eyes and imagined the kitchen with Robert, Yousef, and her children waiting for their return. The joyful notion of reuniting with them thrilled her.
A portal opened up before them to Granny Chan’s kitchen. They swooped in with more grace than they’d left it. The return journey also felt faster.
Until this moment, Abbie hadn’t been entirely certain they would return to their family and friends. Everything was heartwarming and real. Yousef, her kids, and Robert were there. And Talin! Abbie grinned as a wave of relief washed over her.
Her ire at her grandmother dissipated as she hopped off the broom. Ruby had both hourglasses now, as she was meant to, else they would never have been able to rescue Judith’s grandmother. They hadn’t altered the past after all, and yet, they had. A definite mind twist.
Nica and Jimi reacted first with screams of joy as they raced toward the travelers. Abbie embraced her children.
“Thank God, Bran’s with you!” Yousef sounded as happy as the kids.
“I witnessed him and that lady vanishing.” Robert hurried around the island, also profoundly relieved. “We were concerned we had lost both. Glad to see you all fit as a fiddle.”
“Sorry we worried you,” Bran said with a cheerful grin.
“This is Granny Chan,” Abbie said, as Comet lowered to allow the elderly witch to descend. Then she introduced Mrs. Beckwith. Everyone crowded around with questions.
Bran drew her aside. “By the way, thanks for saving Judith, Abbie-girl.”
“Welcome,” she said, deeply touched. “For a moment, I thought I’d killed you.”
He gave her a serious look. “If you ever do it to save Judith, I would have no regrets. I should have known I could trust you to take care of my best girl.” He held up her left hand and rubbed her ring with his thumb. “Tell Arthur that. Your priorities are correct.”
Her ring buzzed her, suggesting Arthur had heard Bran’s words and agreed.
She then squeezed Bran’s hand, bolstered by his vote of confidence. “That means a lot.”
Abbie sent her thanks to Arthur and Alfie, too. The ring warmed, pleased by her acknowledgment.
Her artifacts were coming to life, one by one. Were these signs of the prophecy approaching that Ruby warned her about? She shivered at that terrifying thought. She suddenly grew eager to hear what Talin had discovered on his London trip.
She extracted Talin and pulled him into the dining room for a chat. As they left, Judith picked up her mobile. Likely to report to Callum about their suspicions about Poppy.
“Sounds like you all had a grand adventure,” Talin said once they were alone. “What was it like? What an amazing feat. You hacked time itself.”
“Like stepping into your favorite vintage film,” Abbie said, appreciating his unique description. Typical Talin. “How about you? Did our informant show up?”
Talin nodded. “He believes a conglomerate that supports terrorists around the world ordered the London bus bombing. It will take research to verify if what he shared is credible. The fascinating bit is about who runs this company.” He handed her a piece of paper.
Abbie glanced at it and then at Talin in surprise and a shade of dread. “Could this be our immortal?”
“Who knows? Let me check it out first before we jump to conclusions. If he is behind this company, we may be incapable of bringing him down, Abbie. This one’s big cheese.”
The kitchen door opened then and Mrs. Beckwith hurried in, clutching her rolled-up rug. “Two constables are on their way to pick up Poppy. Also, Granny Chan’s coven has put a binding on Poppy, so she can’t use her magic to escape before the police arrive.”
“Quick action,” Abbie said, impressed.
Mrs. Beckwith came closer and whispered, “She might have done it because she’s still upset about Mr. Brown.”
“It’s the standard punishment for a witch who murders a human,” Talin said. At Abbie’s raised eyebrow, he shrugged. “After Judith confessed she was a witch, I looked up the local covens in town and checked out their codes of conduct.”
By hacking into a coven’s computer system? Good thing he was on their side.
All of this was good news, but instead of being relieved, Mrs. Beckwith seemed nervous.
“What’s bothering you, Mrs. Beckwith?” Abbie asked.
“My husband will wonder where I’ve been. I don’t know what to tell him.”
Abbie nodded. “Since he seems inordinately concerned about my kids’ welfare, you could tell him you helped watch over them because I was called away to fetch Granny Chan.”
“Oh, what a grand idea,” she said, oblivious that Abbie had been speaking sarcastically. “I’ll do that. Judith said it should be safe for me to go home now, so I’m off. Goodbye.”
“Wait, Mrs. Beckwith,” Abbie said, running after her into the foyer. “Before you leave, I wanted to say how grateful I am for all your help in getting us home safely from this adventure.”
The lady’s eyes crinkled with a smile and then she rushed in for a hug. When she pulled back, she said, “I won’t say a word, not even to my husband, about everything I’ve seen. He wouldn’t believe me, anyway. Also, after our experience with the stinky air in our past, I plan to speak about legislation he’s opposing on clean air. That should keep him busy.”
Abbie grinned in glee. Served him right. “Good luck.”
As the lady hurried away, Abbie returned to the dining room and found it empty. She detected the dining room energies had shifted, though. A change she recognized. Abbie located her visitor close to the ceiling, reposing on a golden throne.
She bowed to the goddess. “Did we do well?”
“You learned much,” Kali whispered in her ear and Abbie swung around, startled to find the goddess now behind her. “Your success has angered your enemy and deprived him of one of his most valuable assets.”
“Poppy?” Abbie asked. “Too bad.”
Flashing a vindictive smile that matched Abbie’s current mood, Kali added, “Shabash.”
Her cord translated that to, “Well done.”
“Is our enemy the one Talin investigates?”
“Your enemy will not be easy to locate, child,” Kali cautioned. “He hides within sight behind veils of distortion. Be wary, for he does not care to lose.” Kali then vanished.
The kitchen door opened and Nica ran in and stopped, disappointed. “She’s gone.”
Abbie nodded and hugged her.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” Nica whispered in her ear.
“Me, too,” Abbie said, pulling back, though she didn’t want to let go of this little girl. Ever. “I missed you.”
“Kali promised you’d return, but that’s not the same as having you back.”
“Life is full of uncertainties, Nica,” Abbie whispered. “Doesn’t mean we should fear it.”
“I know,” Nica said and leaned back. “I came to tell you that Granny Chan wants to come over to our place tomorrow. Is that okay?”
Abbie didn’t know if she was more thrilled by that news or of Nica calling their cottage at St. Michael’s our place. “Monday is a school day. So, it will have to be an evening visit. After you get your homework done. All right?”
“Promise,” Nica said, happy and squirming to leave.
Abbie released her. “Did she say why she’s coming?”
“Yes,” Nica called in an excited tone as she raced to the kitchen door. “She’s going to teach us how to cook a curry.”
Abbie watched her leave, content to see her little girl so excited about food.
As she held that warm feeling close, words and phrases describing their recent adventure swirled in her mind. This week’s podcast would be amazing.
She was about to follow her daughter into the kitchen when she heard music. She turned and spotted a radio on a side table. It was playing the song, What a Difference a Day Makes. A distinctly vintage tune.
As the music ended, the announcer came on and said, “That was a special request from an old friend to Abbie, who has just returned from a long journey.”
The hairs on Abbie’s nape stood on end, and she shivered.
THE END
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CRAVE MORE OF THE STANDARD Bearers’ adventures? In Book 4, Death Swipes Right, Abbie’s friend Talin is heartbroken when his beloved auntie is murdered. In his enormous grief, his electromagnetic talent becomes untethered and affects all of Kent, resulting in a wide-ranging blackout throughout the region. If Abbie and her friends don’t teach Talin how to control his power and find the one who murdered his auntie, not only might Talin’s secret ability be uncovered, but the killer will carry on killing with impunity. You can find information on all 8 books in this fun Grimm Guardian series here: https://www.shereenvedam.com/urban-fantasy-mystery
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