The Time Seekers (The Soul Seekers Book 2) Read Free Page B

me.” He was so excited; those blue eyes really sparkled.
    “Okay.” I placed my fingers over his hand. A jolt snapped between us.
    “Emma! That was a big one! It’s really happening again.” He ushered me into the car before making his way around to the driver’s side with a happy stride. The door closed, and it was quiet for a moment. “It’s really happening,” he whispered, adding, “I thought it was gone.” He rested his head against the seat with a sigh of relief.
    “Why is it such a big deal?” I asked, trying not to sound annoyed. I’d have a smoke after he headed up to his office at home. When Will started a writing session, I ceased to exist for hours on end.
    “It opens up a new possibility.”
    “Of what?”
    “Of so many things.” His voice had turned gentle.
    Will touched me again and again with playful little taps of shock all along my wrist. I distractedly pulled away to rub at my temple. “You’re not well,” he said.
    “I’m fine. But I think I’m going to have to make an early night of it.”
    “Want me to crawl in bed with you?”
    “No,” I said, reaching for my seatbelt. “Not tonight, dear, I have a headache.”
    ¤ ¤ ¤
    At home I downed a few capsules at the kitchen sink with William behind in a state of worry. “Do you think it’s because I hit you this morning?”
    “You didn’t hit me.” Why did William always have to shadow me so much? I needed space, couldn’t he see that?
    With a delicate touch, he felt along the slightly bruised spot on my scalp and tsk-tsked to himself. “Elbowed. Hard. It’s as bad as hitting.”
    “No. That’s not what’s causing my headache.”
    “It must be, though. Dammitt, how could I have been so careless? Especially with your injury.”
    He was referring to the car accident I’d had back in Springvale over a year ago, which had stolen my memory for a few weeks, conveniently erasing all my thoughts of eclipses, Seekers and ghosts. For two weeks, I’d believed William to be an angel at my beck and call. In reality, he was making secret plans to get me out of town, and in the meantime, turn himself in to the cult. Jesse would be my means of escape.
    Jesse .
    My head throbbed again, much worse than before. I couldn’t figure out which was worse, the headaches, or having to block my thoughts so Will wouldn’t hear or see all the crazy stuff in my brain.
    A pair of arms slipped around my waist. I closed my eyes.
    “It’s just stress, that’s all,” I said.
    “Want to talk about it?”
    I hesitated; his embrace was so warm. But I couldn’t tell him about Jesse. Not yet. “It’s nothing. I mean, okay, today my art teacher gave me trouble about the quality of my work. At first I was mad, but he’s right. He’s absolutely right. I haven’t been doing my best. But that’s all going to change.” There, I’d switched the topic. I was good at that.
    “If you think so.”
    “I do. I’ve just got to try harder.”
    William kissed my head. He rubbed at my neck, brushing the hair away with a gentle hand. “Are you sure that’s all?”
    “Mm-hmm.”
    “Well,” he said, sounding like he wasn’t entirely convinced, “no one has to be rude to make a point.” A soft kiss, and he pulled away.
    I heard his stomach rumble.
    “Are you hungry?”
    “Oh, no, not really.”
    “Yes, you are,” I said, moving to the cabinet. Headache or not, I was someone’s wife, and dinner needed to be made. “I’ll heat you up a can of soup.” Something to keep me busy.
    “But you were going to bed.”
    “Some things can wait.”
    A few minutes later I was leaning against the stove, hovering over a pot of soup which was close to boiling over. A wooden spoon dangled from my hand, but I wasn’t stirring. My thoughts were somewhere else. I was somewhere else.
    William said from the table, “You’re so quiet.”
    I could tell I was being watched carefully. There had already been a few unspoken messages I hadn’t responded to. How could