Darkest Designs Read Online Free Page B

Otherwise time will have changed.”
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    â€œOh, shit.” Not that whole time thing again. Last time they’d messed with time, things had gone from bad to worse before they could get back where they belonged.
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    Paxton spun around and stared at him in shock.
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    Eric shook his head. “Sorry. I don’t mean to swear. It’s Storey’s influence, I know. I’ll stop.”
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    Paxton thrust his nose up at an amazing altitude even for him. Then his hand jerked on the paper as the stylus started to move.
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    â€œHer stylus has the coordinates of where they landed. It says Storey can see nothing. It’s like being in thick fog. The place is empty. She heard an echo so is looking to locate the reason. The stylus is tracking her movements.”
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    Eric laughed. “That’s Storey. She’s off exploring.”
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    â€œIt’s dangerous.” Paxton glared. “She should have stayed put.”
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    Paxton didn’t understand. Eric did. He admired Storey's courage. Her sense of making life happen instead of standing by and watching it happen. He needed to do more of the same. He should go over and help her. He frowned, remembering something else Paxton had said. “There were other men lost In-between, you said. Is there any chance they could still be alive?”
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    The speed with which Paxton spun around stunned Eric. He backed up a step. “Whoa. I was just asking.”
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    Paxton stared, his thoughts obviously engaged elsewhere.
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    â€œPaxton? Is that possible?”
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    He pursed his lips, then shook his head regretfully. “No. It’s been much too long.”
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    â€œWhat’s been too long?” Eric studied the emotions rippling across his friend’s face. “Did you know someone who was lost?”
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    â€œThere have been very few people lost there. Mostly in the beginning when portal travelling was being worked out. Most died from being half in and half out when the transfer completed. Since then, only one, no two, have been lost completely In-between. One because he had a heart attack while travelling and fell out of the portal. We’re pretty sure he was dead first though. And then there was a young man whose foolish behavior sent him through the portal into the In-between during travel.”
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    Eric winced. Not a great way to die. Paxton looked as if he wanted to say more, but he closed his mouth, his lips pressed firmly together.
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    â€œWhat aren’t you telling me?”
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    Paxton sighed, then broke down. “That young man has been In-between for over a century and a half.” He paused, swallowed loudly and added, “He was my younger brother.”
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    â€œYour brother?” Eric stared at him. “I didn’t know you had one. That must have been terrible.” He shook his head. Unbelievable. “Have you tried to get him back?”
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    â€œHe was a young man at the time, but always acting the fool. We were a group of six, and he was trying to impress the ladies and tripped and fell In-between.” Paxton frowned, his eyes losing focus as if gazing back into the years past. “We’ve never had a way to go in and find him. Or find what was left of him.”
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    He picked up the stylus that he’d laid down on the tablet. “If only I’d known about this back then. But I’d just bonded with it. We were still getting to know each other. It was all so new. And I was so full of myself and my new status.” He shook his head. “And our knowledge was so limited.”
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    â€œMaybe we can track your brother down. At least find his remains and bring him home.”
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    Paxton looked hopeful for a short moment, then shook his head. “No. There’s no way to know where he went over. He could be anywhere and after so long, he must be dead. I can’t imagine there is food or water there.” He sighed