Trespass: A Tale of Mystery and Suspense Across Time (The Darkeningstone Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

courage. “Who are you?”
    The reply was whispered, urgent. “Burlic. It’s Tellan.”
    Burlic choked back his astonishment. Tellan was Scymrian’s younger brother. He had been beaten by his own brother-in-law.
    The voice continued. “I’m going to let you go now. But first, you must promise me something. You must promise that you won’t fight me. And that you’ll listen to what I have to say. Do you promise?”
    Burlic did not reply. With a roar, he pushed himself up, toppling his attacker. Tellan rolled over, tried to scrabble to his knees, but in one movement Burlic was on him. One hand ground Tellan’s face into the soil, the other pressed his knife against his throat.
    “Now,” he growled, “I’ll listen. And I hope you beg for mercy better than you fight.”

Chapter 7
    2010

    THE MG WAS BRITISH RACING GREEN —or had been once, but it didn’t have wire wheels. It didn’t have any wheels. Both doors had been wrenched off. There were no headlights, no wing mirrors, no chrome trim. Even the radiator was gone. And as I approached this skeleton of a car, the remains of its windscreen and windows caught the light—a million angular pieces, scattered among the grass. I sighed and shook my head, said, “Who would do such a thing?” Still, I had a photo to take. I knelt to get a good angle and fired off a couple of snaps. Then I stood and leaned against the bonnet, holding my phone at arm’s length to take a photo of myself with the car in the background. It didn’t come out too badly. I peered into the car’s interior. The seats were slashed, but frankly I was surprised they were still there. I wanted a shot of me sitting inside. I lowered myself onto the driving seat and held my phone out through the space where the windscreen had been. I was just about to take the shot when my phone vibrated and started ringing. I flipped it around to see the screen, hoping it was Matt. But the screen was going haywire—the background image was flickering like crazy. Random messages flashed up then disappeared, unknown number, no network, emergency calls only, no signal, no Wi-Fi. I jabbed and swiped hopelessly across the touchscreen, shouted the magic words, “Come on, you useless piece of junk!” And it stopped. The screen went blank. I stared at it for a second then tried the power button. Nothing. “Oh great,” I said. “It’s completely knack–”
    “Hey!” A woman’s voice ran through me like a knife. I jolted back against the car seat. I dropped my phone, heard it clatter into the footwell.
    “Jesus,” I breathed. “Who the hell’s that?”
    “Hey—where’s everyone gone?” The voice came from somewhere above. It didn’t sound like they’d seen me yet. I had to get out of there. I reached down, scrabbled for my phone. I couldn’t find it. I pressed my face against the dashboard and reached farther, groping through the rust and dirt. My fingers brushed against something smooth. That must be it. I grabbed for it. Yes. I sat up, hurriedly stuffing my phone back into my pocket while clambering awkwardly from the car. I looked up, hoping to see the coast was clear, hoping to see nothing but rocks and trees and trailing ivy. But instead I saw her. And she, very clearly, had seen me.
    “Oh,” she said. “Who are you?”

Chapter 8
    3,500 BC

    TELLAN CROUCHED, held both hands to his nose and tried to breathe slowly. The blood was stopping now, but the pain wasn’t. Burlic stood over him, breathing hard, and for the third time he growled the same question. “Why did you follow me?”
    Tellan took his hands away from his nose, looked up at Burlic. In the darkness, he seemed larger, more threatening. Tellan was beginning to wonder why he’d bothered. Surely Burlic could look after himself. But he knew the answer. “For my sister. For the village. And partly,” he paused to stand, “for your son.”
    “My son. My son is…” Burlic closed his eyes and shook his head. His mind whirled with