The Last Great Time House of Muldemar Ridge

By Sean Monaghan

When Cailie arrives at the ancient time house, she knows that shutting it down won't be easy. But when the occupants begin twisting her boss in knots, and timelines start crossing, Cailie's got to make some fast decisions, and even break some rules. Even some personal rules. A time travel short novel from the author of "Time Plus" and "Assassin of Dark, Hunter of Light".

• Language: English
• Publisher: Triple V Publishing
• Release date: Sep 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370347964

Sean Monaghan

Award-winning author, Sean Monaghan has published more than one hundred stories in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and in New Zealand, where he makes his home. A regular contributor to Asimov’s, his story “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles”, set in the art world of Shilinka Switalla, won both the Sir Julius Vogel Award, and the Asimov’s Readers Poll Award, for best short story. He is a past winner of the Jim Baen Memorial Award, and the Amazing Stories Award. Sean writes from a nook in a corner of his 110 year old home, usually listening to eighties music. Award-winning author, Sean Monaghan has published more than one hundred stories in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and in New Zealand, where he makes his home. A regular contributor to Asimov’s, his story “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles”, set in the art world of Shilinka Switalla, won both the Sir Julius Vogel Award, and the Asimov’s Readers Poll Award, for best short story. He is a past winner of the Jim Baen Memorial Award, and the Amazing Stories Award. Sean writes from a nook in a corner of his 110 year old home, usually listening to eighties music.

Book preview

The Last Great Time House of Muldemar Ridge

Copyright 2016 by Sean Monaghan

All rights reserved

Cover Art: © Ateliersommerland | Dreamstime.com

Published by Triple V Publishing

Author web page

www.seanmonaghan.com

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

Smashwords Edition.

Contents

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter six

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter twelve

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fourteen

Chapter fifteen

Chapter sixteen

Chapter seventeen

Chapter eighteen

Chapter nineteen

Chapter twenty

Acknowledgement

Other Books by Sean Monaghan

Links

Chapter One

Cailie Tae saw the ridge fade in through Muldemar’s glowing ochre mist as the hover stuttered. Beside her, the pilot jabbed the throttle with her fist. The hover made a creaking sound like an old door in an ancient wooden house. The aircraft jerked.

Sorry, the pilot said. The thing keeps jamming.

Is it able to stay in the air? Cailie’s father and sister had been killed in a hover wreck. Cailie had been three at the time. It took years for her to become cognizant of the implications of their deaths.

We’ll fly all right, the pilot said. Rochelle. She was young. No more than twenty-five. Golden-haired and bright-eyed. She’ll get us down to the pad just fine.

And then?

You’re worried about your employer, right?

Cailie couldn’t help but glance back into the cabin that butted against the cockpit. Lendell Marr slept in the window seat, one black-suited bodyguard seated behind and the other across the narrow aisle. The one, seated nearer, was still working his way through a chicken lunch wrap.

The hover shook, drawing Cailie’s attention forward to the cockpit’s curved window. Rochelle adjusted the throttle again.

Not worried, Cailie told her. Concerned perhaps for the whole process.

Distant communications had not progressed the standoff. Lendell had decided to risk a personal visit.

Ahead the house stepped through the mist, bigger and clearer. The rocks at the foundation stood sharp and upright. Billion year old gray granite with scraggly pines twisting out from moss beds. Cailie saw a black raven perched in the branches of one. The bird stretched its wings, eyeing the hover.

Rochelle swung the light vessel around. As the aircraft settled to the pad, Cailie let her eyes examine the building.

Those stone foundations looked like extensions of, or intrusions into, the rocky ridge. They held up the five stories of dark wooden constructions. There were three levels of roof, like some Edo period pagoda. The topmost roof was steep with two levels of dormer windows.

Like the setting for a horror throovie, huh? Rochelle said.

No, Cailie thought. She didn’t get that sense at all. To her it felt reassuring. Solid and safe. Almost like a castle where some benevolent royal gave succor and aid to his or her citizens.

That wasn’t here, though.

The hover bumped onto the pad. The engine sound changed as the rotors began winding down.

Set, the pilot said. Safe for you all to exit the aircraft.

Cailie popped her harness and stood. Thanks for letting me ride up front.

Rochelle gave her a nod and began working through her post-flight checks.

Lendell met Cailie at the door. Both bodyguards stood out on the bitumen pad. The heady scent of pine pollen swirled through the hover’s cabin.

This will go well, Lendell told her.

Yes it will. She wasn’t convinced, but wouldn’t say so. She was glad to be on the ground.

Good. Lendell strode down the boarding ramp.

Cailie saw the waiting time delegation. They stood at the base of the wooden balustrade alongside a steep stone stairway that led up to the house.

Seven people. Four men, three women. Wearing a variety of uniforms. Different eras, different planets.

Behind them a group of aides stood. All in plain blue-gray uniforms.

Lendell strode across the pad, his own black and gold robes swaying in the breeze. Cailie followed, to his left and two steps behind. The bodyguards strode along another two steps behind her.

Cailie could see the tension in the faces of the waiting group. She recognized Paie Akitha and Selma Dennison, but not any of the others.

Akitha strode forwards, hand extended to Lendell. It’s our great pleasure to host you here at Vetherion House. His English was accented. It sounded as if he’d practiced the greeting ahead of time.

Lendell did not extend his own hand. I’m not sure that it is, he said.

Akitha’s face dropped, eyes looking at the black surface of the landing pad. He continued to hold his hand out. I’m not sure what it is we’ve done, he said quietly, in perfect French. My apologies nonetheless.

Lendell glanced at Cailie. Please find our rooms, and schedule meetings with each of these... people. He jabbed a finger towards each of the delegation. Individually.

If you could just explain, Akitha said.

Cailie stepped around Lendell. Please, she said. Direct us to our accommodations. We will begin discussions forthwith.

Akitha met her eyes. She could see the fear in them. Very good, he said.

Chapter Two

On the walk through the musty hallways, Cailie noticed the hastily effected repairs. There were several wall panels askew, and threadbare carpeting in numerous places. An electric chandelier at a hallway junction hung with a third of its bulbs dark.

We make apologies for the deferred maintenance, their guide said, gesturing for them to make a left turn and ascend a stairway. The carpet was missing entirely and a