BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (books to read in your 30s TXT) 📗

thinks he can tell us what's what! Like he's our better!"Peter's dark eyes narrowed, big teeth clenched as he grated out, "He hasno idea what he is!"

"That's enough," Horton reprimanded.

Peter seethed. Flared nostrils inhaled and exhaled. "Whydon't you tell him, Father?" Fury raged in his eyes.

"I said that's enough, Peter. He's already taken two of yourfingers, for crying out loud—faster than you could blink! Why provoke himfurther?" Horton snickered to himself."You behave now, or I'll think twice about growing replacements for thosemissing digits."

"If you don't tell him, I will," Peter rumbled, eyeswide. "He must be put in his place!"

Cade bowed without lowering his gaze. "I do not presume tooverstep—"

"A little late for that," Paul muttered.

Mary giggled again.

"The welfare of Mrs. Muldoon is my only priority. Of course,it will be her decision to leave, when the time comes. I am but her humbleservant. And yours, Mr. Horton." Cade bowed again.

Horton returned the gesture amicably. "Of course. You seethat, Peter? Everything's fine and dandy. You don't have to get all excited.He's got a personal space bubble is all. You know what that is? Personal space?I bet you do now." He chuckled. "Be careful, my son. Who knows whathe'll slice off next time!"

Peter growled again, so deep he may not have known it was audibleto those around him. He ripped off a swath of cloth from the hem of his shirtand bound his wound, his fierce eyes neverleaving Cade.

"Has it ever bothered you the way your past is so dark?Unclear? The way you cannot remember even being a child?" Peter spoke asquietly as his voice could couch itself. He leaned toward Cade without takinganother step toward him.

"No, Peter," Horton reprimanded again, as if he werespeaking to a child or a pet. His eyes flashed a warning.

It went unheeded.

"Do you know why you have this single purpose in life:to protect Irena Muldoon?" Peter laughed now for the first time,rumbling forth like derisive thunder. "Do you know why it has neveroccurred to you that you are a living paradox? A sword-wielding holy man?You go about your life without ever questioning it!"

"It is my purpose," Cade said. "I do not questionit because I do not need to."

"There is your answer, Peter," Horton said. "Thatshould satisfy you. Cade is our guest, and I will not have him interrogated byyou or anyone else while he's here with us."

"You would have him do your bidding, Father," Peter retorted."Yet you will not allow him to know his true nature."

"There's no need for such talk." Horton stooped toretrieve the wristwatch from the floor. He stared at its face for a moment, asif he were seeing the face of his son-in-law behind the dull plastic. Then heheld it out to Cade. "Please. Go back. Keep Harry from making his terriblemistakes. Find him, and stop him. Irena need never know. As far as she's concerned, he's goneforever anyway. Ten years is a long time. She's learned to live without him."He shook the watch. "Please. Protect us from him."

Cade focused his gaze on the wristwatch extended toward him.

It is not real. It cannot be.

"He could force you," Peter murmured. "He has it inhis power—over all of us."

"Do you really think I can't hear you? I'm standing righthere!" Horton cursed, shaking his head and squeezing his forehead infrustration. "You know what? Fine. You're right, Peter. Maybe I shouldjust exercise my executive powers and force our dear Mr. Cade to do exactly whatI want. You like the sound of that? Really crush his personal space—as well ashis self-image, mind you—and see where that gets us. Excellent idea: keepharassing the sword-wielding monk!" He scowled. "For crying out loud.What's wrong with you?"

His scorn landed on deaf ears.

"If you do not agree willingly, he will make you doit. He can. He has done it before." Peter nodded, meeting the astoundedgaze of his creator as he spoke to Cade. "You cannot fight him. He is ourfather."

He is not mine. Cade clenched his fist.

"Peter," Horton said with obvious resignation.

"Yes, Father?"

"Shut up."

Peter did not utter another word.

Horton turned his gaze to Cade. He said something, but Cade didnot understand the words. More of his peculiar verbiage, perhaps? Or was it acommand of some sort?

"Now Cade, I'm going to slip this watch on your wrist andshow you how it works. It's fairly simple, when you come right down to it. I'msure you'll have no trouble picking it up. Not like you have much of a choice,right? Good, I'm glad we understand each other."

He stepped into Cade's personal space and fastened the blackplastic watch. Cade found himself unable to resist.

"You know, Peter can be hot-headed at times, but in the end he's often right. Maybe I shouldhave told you from the start, I don't know. You've had your directive, and Iguess I thought that was enough. Keep Irena safe, aid her in the futile quest to find her long-losthusband, hack to pieces anybody stupid enough to give her any trouble." Hefrowned as he adjusted the settings on the watch, scrolling through the optionson the digital display.

Cade tried to speak. But instead of hearing his voice, histhoughts remained imprisoned.

What is happening? What has he done to me?

"But... Yeah. See this here? You can set it for any date inthe past. There's a ten second delay, then the backtracking kicks in.You'll end up right here, on this exact spot, this where, but it'll bethe date you set it for. That when. Get it? Same time zone, differenttime."

"Yes," Cade's voice answered. But his mind rebelled atthe sound of it.

No. I will not be a part of this insanity. Irena! Wemust leave this place!

"I've set it for the date Harry received the prototype devicefrom the Peddler. His older self, that is, but never mind. It gets tooconfusing. Spoiler alert!" He laughed, then cleared his throat."You'll need to go to the NewCity Central Train Station and meet himthere. If he doesn't hand it over to you... Well, then you'll just have to killhim and take it. Understood?"

"Yes," Cade's voice answered again.

Never—I cannot kill her husband!

Horton chuckled. "Great." He clapped