Castaways in Time (The After Cilmeri Series) Read Online Free PDF

on purpose, I assure you,” David said.
“If prior experience is anything to go by, this is September 2017,
but I don’t recognize our location. What do you think?” He studied
the stretch of land half a mile away and wondered if they could
swim the distance if the cog decided within the next minute or two
to sink to the bottom. “At least it’s green.”
    “I know where we are. That’s the Pennarth
head, near Cardiff.” Callum made this comment without any
inflection in his voice.
    The shape of the bluff, now that David had a
chance to study it, was definitely familiar. They’d sailed out of
Cardiff harbor not twelve hours ago, so David had seen it then. But
the adjacent pier and the six-to-ten story buildings lining the
esplanade were not familiar. There was no mistaking that they
weren’t in the Middle Ages any more.
    Now that his initial laughter had faded, a
heavy weight came to rest on David’s heart. He glanced at his
friends, sensing that they weren’t feeling exhilaration either. For
all that both Cassie and Callum had confessed more than once the
desire to return to the modern world, actually returning was
something else entirely. Now that they were here, they seemed more
stunned than anything, and neither smiled. For David’s part, he was
disgusted. He really didn’t have time for this.
    “I know that we’ve been here for two
minutes, and it’s probably too early to make any decisions or even
think about the logistics of getting back, but you have to know
that I’m already thinking about it. I’m giving myself two days
here, and then we’re gone—or I’m gone, if you don’t want to come. I
don’t think I have to tell you that my preference would be for you
to stay with me—to return with me—but you’ll have to make your own
decision when the time comes.”
    When neither Cassie nor Callum responded
immediately, David added, “Not to be overly formal, Callum, but as
of this moment, I release you from my service.”
    “That’s not—” Callum cut himself off with a
glance at Cassie, who swung her gaze away from the shoreline to
look at David.
    “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course we’re coming
back with you.” Cassie brushed her hands together and stood up.
    David pushed to his feet too, clutching at
the mast as he found himself swaying—not from the motion of the
cog, but from the lack of motion. His body had grown used to the
rise and fall of the ship, and the current calmness of the Bristol
Channel was confusing his inner ear. “I’m really sorry about this,
guys.”
    Cassie looked up at him. The sun was shining
above his head, so she put up a hand to block the light. “What are
you sorry for?”
    “Not giving you fair warning,” David said.
“I tied that rope around you and didn’t say I think we’re about
to be transported to the modern world. Let me know if you don’t
want to come. It was selfish of me, but I didn’t want to end up
here alone. So I made it so you’d come with me if I did.”
    “If the choice was between drowning and—”
Cassie broke off again, swallowing hard.
    “I can’t say I’m sorry either, given that
alternative.” Callum took the hand Cassie offered him and got
laboriously to his feet, rubbing at his right hip as if it
hurt.
    David gazed beyond the ship, which seemed to
be making its slow way into shore on its own, since the pier looked
a little bit closer than before. Perhaps the tide was going in. The
three of them stood side-by-side on the slowly sinking cog and
thought about what to do next.
    “We’ll be all right, Callum,” Cassie
said.
    “I know we will.” Callum wrapped his arms
around her, and they held on for a few seconds before parting with
a kiss that David tried not to see. They continued to hold hands,
and David felt awkward standing beside them during their marital
moment. He cleared his throat, but Callum spoke before David could
think of something to say. “Why do we have only two days?”
    “Gilbert de Clare will