Warped (Maurissa Guibord)

auction."
    "A book," Tessa repeated.
    "Yes, a book." He glanced around. "I've been led to believe this is a bookstore." A flicker of a smile turned up one corner of his mouth.
    Tessa grinned like an idiot. "We have lots of books."
    "This one you would remember, I'm sure," he said. "An archaic text, leather-bound and handwritten, in Latin. It was mistakenly placed with a number of items sold from our estate in Cornwall. I'd like to retrieve it as quickly as possible. It's very important."
    "Yes, my father bought that book about a month ago," Tessa said almost absently. She was too busy absorbing every facet of his face, his voice. Her eyes caught on one detail. "You have a scar on your cheek," she said.
    William Chase put a hand up to touch it. "Oh, that. I've had it forever. My older brother gave me that." He spoke as he unrolled the package on the countertop. "The book has always been stored with this tapestry," he said. Inside was a tapestry with a coat of arms woven on a blue background.
    "It's very handsome," said Tessa, examining it.
    There was a unicorn in the tapestry, but it was small and flat-eyed, emblazoned on a golden shield. There was no life in it.
    "A unicorn rampant has been our family's crest since the Middle Ages," William Chase told her.
    Tessa peered more closely at the medieval insignia. The most lifelike thing in the picture seemed to be a small flower that was shown crushed beneath the hoof of the unicorn. A pale, faded flower.
    "A gray lily," Tessa said aloud. In the back of her mind she remembered words spoken on a distant hillside. She will be punished ... appropriately .
    Tessa reached out her hand to touch the tapestry but pulled it back again. "I'd better not."
    "What's wrong?" William asked. He had a strange, still expression on his face as he turned to her.
    Tessa shook her head. "I got into trouble that way once."
    Will looked into her eyes. "Tessa," he said.
    Without thinking she answered, "Yes?"
    "You know, I do have the strangest feeling that we've met before. In fact ..." He pulled her close and kissed her gently. "I'm quite sure of it, mistress." He let go and stood back.
    Tessa swayed slightly, a dazed expression on her face. "Oh," she said deliberately, "I am so going to kill you."
    "Nonsense," he said. "You couldn't do it before."
    With a cry Tessa hugged him to her, feeling the warm strength, the bones of his shoulder blades flexing beneath her fingers as he put his arms around her. Tessa breathed in the warm green scent of him and let out a choked whimper.
    "I am sorry, mistress," Will said. "I wasn't sure that you would remember me when you were returned to your world. I wanted to be sure before I did this." He kissed her again, deeply.
    "But where have you been?" Tessa demanded when they finally broke apart. She stepped back and took in the clothes, the expensive watch on his wrist.
    "It will take time to explain," Will said with a smile, "but thanks to your deeds, I have a rightful place in this world. I have a home. I even have a history. It seems that in 1511 Hugh de Chaucy was the only survivor of a terrible plague of smallpox in Cornwall. But he survived to be the Earl of Umbric's heir. He married and had twelve children."
    Tessa clapped her hand to her mouth and laughed. She was so happy for Hugh.
    "My family's name, our lands and title all survived. I have a place in the world, Tessa. Although"--he ran a hand through his hair in a familiar gesture--"the path ahead is not certain."
    "It doesn't matter. We'll figure it out." A feeling of happiness swept over her. "It's really you," she whispered. Then she yelled, "Dad! Come down, please. There's someone I want you to meet."
    Will hugged her, and his lips grazed her cheek as he bent down and whispered, "So you finally accept it. We are destined to be together?"
    "Uh-huh."
    He smiled and pulled her closer. "I thought you didn't believe in fate."
    "I didn't before," Tessa said. She took his hand and, looking down, wove her fingers into his. The connection felt strong. It felt right. "But I've learned a lot," she said slowly. "Every person makes a difference. And the choices we make, the things we do--they matter." She looked up into Will's eyes. "And now I do believe in fate. Especially the kind we make ourselves."

EPILOGUE

Beneath the tree Yggdrasil, the Norn spoke to each other after a long silence.
    "How has she done this?" said Spyn. "Having the key alone would not have twisted his path so."
    "They shared a