“Good,” she said when they stood where they had. “Brace yourself. Sometimes people don’t adjust well when things start moving again.”
The next moment, he was thrust back into the seat he was standing in front of, as if some invisible force had pushed him.
“What was that?” he asked with a frown.
“That,” she said as she took up her glass of wine and took a sip, “was your body feeling the Earth starting to rotate again.” She smiled.
CHAPTERELEVEN
When Selene woke from her short nap, Scott and Mia were in the kitchen, laughing as if they were old friends. Scott was stirring something at the stove, and Selene realized she was starving.
“Did you have a good nap?” Mia asked her.
“Yes, I suppose it was the car trip.” She shrugged, feeling stupid for needing a nap in the middle of the day. But the truth was, she’d been exhausted after the trip to the Beyond. She supposed it was because she’d brought Scott along, but in truth, she was also tired because she’d been up most of the night with Scott. Plus, she’d needed some time to herself to think about what her brother had told her the last time they’d spoken.
She wondered if he was still in New York. Or if he had really been there.
“What have the two of you been up to?” she asked, sitting beside Mia.
“Training,” Mia said. “Scott needs it just as bad as you do.”
“Training?” she asked with a frown.
“Mia has this place…”
“The Between,” Mia supplied.
“Yeah.” Scott nodded as he flipped what appeared like chicken in the pan. “Time stops and nothing can hurt you. So I tried to kick her butt and didn’t even touch her. Which is why I’m cooking dinner every night we’re here,” he added with a smile.
“Okay.” Selene tried to process everything Scott had just said.
“Mia is a black belt in judo, jujutsu, tae kwon do, and kick boxing,” Scott said without glancing back.
Selene looked at the small woman with a newfound appreciation.
“Not all of us are indestructible like you,” Mia shrugged. “It’s all part of the djinn training.”
“What else?” Selene walked over and poured herself a glass of wine from a bottle that was sitting on the countertop.
“Training?” Mia asked with a sigh. When Selene nodded, she continued. “All the basics. Weapons training, self-defense, driving, you name it. Anything my parents thought I needed to protect myself and the future.”
Selene had never thought of training herself. She’d been picked on plenty as a kid, but whenever a bully went to hit her, they’d pull away quicky enough and run in the opposite direction, never to come near her again. Besides, with her strength and the ability to never be hurt, she doubted she needed any training. But Scott…
He turned off the stove and turned towards her. Suddenly, images of him being hurt flooded her mind, memories of every time he’d been injured over the years.
The time he’d broken his wrist in basketball. When he’d twisted his ankle or taken a ball to the face and almost broken his perfect nose.
Her stomach lurched and she felt sick thinking of him getting hurt because she’d brought him along on the journey.
This was a very bad idea. He should go back home. Tonight.
She was quiet as they ate dinner. Mia and Scott acted more like brother and sister than they did. It was fun to see and even with the heaviness looming over her mind, she ended up laughing a few times.
After dinner, she and Mia did the dishes while Scott carried a few pieces of firewood in and started a fire in the fireplace.
They decided to watch a movie together, and Mia made a huge bowl of popcorn with extra butter on it.
After the movie, they all headed off to their rooms.