and thicker too. I take a close look at his face – unbelievable! His nose is fatter while that cute chin has grown markedly square. The look is not good. ‘What happened to you?’
He shrugs and laughs at his newly acquired square look, then lifts a hand to the ringlets draping my shoulder. ‘The Citadel gives us a new identity. Remember, your mortal body is still in your own bed in your own time. But who you are – your soul – is here.’ He taps the area over his heart, then points to his eyes. ‘And here too.’
‘I think I get it. These bodies are kind of a temporary loan until we complete the mission.’
‘Right, ensuring our true identities remain secure.’
I glance again in the mirror at the stranger staring back. But I don’t feel any different. I still feel like myself, and of course my eyes haven’t changed at all. I give a little shrug. ‘It’s like playing dress-ups, except this time we actually get to go on a real-life adventure. This kind of dress-up I could get used to.’
Ethan checks that his sword is securely in place, then takes my hand. ‘Don’t get too excited! We’re not finished yet.’
He leads me to the middle of the room, where we stand close together directly under a high central point. We’re supposed to have some sort of shower. But Ethan has an amused look on his new face so I’m not taking his meaning literally. After all, we’re already dressed. He gives a barely perceptible nod and both of us are suddenly covered in a sprinkling of brilliantly coloured dust.
‘What is it?’ I ask.
Ethan gives a shake and helps me clear away the excess dust from my shoulders and hair. It disappears at our touch. ‘It’s everything you need to know so you don’t look or sound like an idiot while in the past and give yourself away.’
‘Thanks.’
‘You’re welcome. Now what’s your name? And where are you from?’
‘I’m Lady Madeline from Dartmouth, a coastal village sitting right on the English Channel.’ I take a breath. ‘Where did that come from?’
‘It’s your new identity. And I’m your cousin Hugo, Earl Monteblain’s son. Now let’s get out of here. We’ve wasted enough time.’
‘Well, sorry, but you really could have told me all these things before now. You are supposed to be my Trainer.’
He gives me a sharp look of annoyance. ‘They only gave me two weeks, remember.’
I don’t reply. I was only kidding, and if he couldn’t tell, then that’s his problem. Guys can be so thick.
We take another stairway, which seems to disappear beneath our feet faster than we can possibly climb the narrow steps. At the top there’s a small square platform. ‘What took you so long getting here?’ Ethan asks again, leading me into another room. This one is modest and quiet-looking, with simple furnishings that create an atmosphere of calm, the centre-piece a lounge suite that forms a square around a softly glowing fireplace.
‘I couldn’t get to sleep.’
We cross the room quickly and Ethan leads me to anopen doorway on the opposite side. Beyond its edges I see only darkness and a swirling mist.
‘Was it the dream that kept you awake?’
I vaguely nod, trying to make out some form in the dark mist.
‘We haven’t the time now but you have to tell me about it later. OK? Now let’s go.’
He means for me to step out into that vast nothingness at our feet. I tug him backwards a step to where I feel marginally safer. ‘Wait a minute.’
He looks surprised, then his face softens. ‘I didn’t explain this part either, did I? Damn Arkarian! How can the Tribunal do this to me? Two weeks!’
The answer is obvious to me. ‘Because they think you can.’
He scoffs. ‘If anything, they’re testing me.’
Glancing around the room, I see that the door we entered by has now disappeared. So there’s only one way out – the doorway with nothing but mist beyond it. ‘Where is this place exactly?’
‘The Citadel?’ He shrugs. ‘It’s neither
He shrugs and laughs at his newly acquired square look, then lifts a hand to the ringlets draping my shoulder. ‘The Citadel gives us a new identity. Remember, your mortal body is still in your own bed in your own time. But who you are – your soul – is here.’ He taps the area over his heart, then points to his eyes. ‘And here too.’
‘I think I get it. These bodies are kind of a temporary loan until we complete the mission.’
‘Right, ensuring our true identities remain secure.’
I glance again in the mirror at the stranger staring back. But I don’t feel any different. I still feel like myself, and of course my eyes haven’t changed at all. I give a little shrug. ‘It’s like playing dress-ups, except this time we actually get to go on a real-life adventure. This kind of dress-up I could get used to.’
Ethan checks that his sword is securely in place, then takes my hand. ‘Don’t get too excited! We’re not finished yet.’
He leads me to the middle of the room, where we stand close together directly under a high central point. We’re supposed to have some sort of shower. But Ethan has an amused look on his new face so I’m not taking his meaning literally. After all, we’re already dressed. He gives a barely perceptible nod and both of us are suddenly covered in a sprinkling of brilliantly coloured dust.
‘What is it?’ I ask.
Ethan gives a shake and helps me clear away the excess dust from my shoulders and hair. It disappears at our touch. ‘It’s everything you need to know so you don’t look or sound like an idiot while in the past and give yourself away.’
‘Thanks.’
‘You’re welcome. Now what’s your name? And where are you from?’
‘I’m Lady Madeline from Dartmouth, a coastal village sitting right on the English Channel.’ I take a breath. ‘Where did that come from?’
‘It’s your new identity. And I’m your cousin Hugo, Earl Monteblain’s son. Now let’s get out of here. We’ve wasted enough time.’
‘Well, sorry, but you really could have told me all these things before now. You are supposed to be my Trainer.’
He gives me a sharp look of annoyance. ‘They only gave me two weeks, remember.’
I don’t reply. I was only kidding, and if he couldn’t tell, then that’s his problem. Guys can be so thick.
We take another stairway, which seems to disappear beneath our feet faster than we can possibly climb the narrow steps. At the top there’s a small square platform. ‘What took you so long getting here?’ Ethan asks again, leading me into another room. This one is modest and quiet-looking, with simple furnishings that create an atmosphere of calm, the centre-piece a lounge suite that forms a square around a softly glowing fireplace.
‘I couldn’t get to sleep.’
We cross the room quickly and Ethan leads me to anopen doorway on the opposite side. Beyond its edges I see only darkness and a swirling mist.
‘Was it the dream that kept you awake?’
I vaguely nod, trying to make out some form in the dark mist.
‘We haven’t the time now but you have to tell me about it later. OK? Now let’s go.’
He means for me to step out into that vast nothingness at our feet. I tug him backwards a step to where I feel marginally safer. ‘Wait a minute.’
He looks surprised, then his face softens. ‘I didn’t explain this part either, did I? Damn Arkarian! How can the Tribunal do this to me? Two weeks!’
The answer is obvious to me. ‘Because they think you can.’
He scoffs. ‘If anything, they’re testing me.’
Glancing around the room, I see that the door we entered by has now disappeared. So there’s only one way out – the doorway with nothing but mist beyond it. ‘Where is this place exactly?’
‘The Citadel?’ He shrugs. ‘It’s neither
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