Page 37 of City of Love

Matthew sent Lexi alone through the portal the morning of July Fourth—a privilege now that she and Gideon had become close. Gideon met her on the other side, bringing her a couple blocks past his home, to the mews where his horse was stabled.

She’d grown familiar enough with his body language to note that his step became lighter, his muscles more relaxed, the moment she took his hand or slipped an arm around his waist. But on this particular day, she also noted the way he constantly scanned their surroundings, always aware of the environment. The double crystal wrist bands he wore this morning made no secret of his willingness to shift instantly into action at any threat.

She appreciated his protectiveness, and had to admit she felt safe—and more than a little tingly—knowing she was in his care. But she hated that her visions of one potential Fourth of July outcome meant he couldn’t fully relax and enjoy the holiday with her. Hated that her mere presence in his life, in his world, could bring a threat. Was she trading his safety for hers? Was that fair?

Entering through a large brick archway of the massive stable, he led her around a corner toward the stall where a big Palomino was already nickering at the sound of his voice.

“Oh, Gideon. He’s lovely.” She ran her hand along the horse’s sleek neck, letting go of her doubts as she reveled in the stallion’s powerful beauty.

“This is Socrates, and I believe… yes, he’s flirting.” He laughed as the horse threw his head around to nuzzle Lexi’s neck. “Are you ready to hop up?”

“You haven’t put the saddle on yet, only the bridle.”

“We don’t need the saddle. Socrates and I have been riding together a long time,” he said as he easily lifted her onto the stallion’s back, then settled in behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and took the reins.

“How long will it take us to get there?” she asked, leaning back into his chest and relaxing into the rhythm of the horse’s gait. Clad in the boots and snug riding pants he’d sent over to her in preparation for their day, she was aware of her hips rocking to the motion and moving against his thighs.

“I’m aware of it too,” he said, running his hand up her leg to rest on her hip.

“Out of my head, Hero.”

“I still don’t see any brick walls, my sweet Heroine.” He dipped his head to nuzzle her ear. She instantly heated and closed her eyes, lips parting, forgetting she’d even asked a question until he began speaking again.

“My cousin Julian’s horse ranch is three miles outside the city, in the woods on the banks across the Schuylkill River. It’ll take us an hour to get there, crossing over the bridge. Wait until you see the beauty of his land. There’s nothing else around. Beyond his horse pastures there’s only ancient forest.”

They rode in silence for a while, and Lexi marveled at how quickly the city dropped away after only a mile or so, unlike her own world where there was no break in civilization for miles on end. Familiar, and yet so utterly foreign.

“So how exactly do our worlds intersect?” she mused as they rode. “The basics are the same, but…”

“It’s complicated, and I’m not sure I completely understand it myself, but the parallel worlds seem to follow an extremely similar historical path, though the nuances may vary. Anything of historical or cultural significance occurs in both places in some form. That’s why the locations and names of major cities are the same. Significant monuments, cathedrals, and important works of art generally exist in both worlds.”

“What about people?” she asked, suddenly concerned. “Are we duplicated too? Is there another me running around your world somewhere?” She shifted in discomfort, agitated as her thoughts took in this possibility.

Gideon pulled her in closer, nuzzling against her cheek. “Generally speaking, no. At the point where your world entered your Industrial Revolution, the universes went in such widely different paths that there has become less and less in common between the words. Including the people born to them. Some of our oldest surviving citizens likely had duplicates at one time in your world.”

She thought instantly of the bespectacled man who’d extended a hand to help her up when she’d fallen on her first night in this world. So that really might’ve been Benjamin Franklin? The real Benjamin Franklin? She almost giggled.

“So, you’ve got Mozart, but not The Beatles,” she said, but when he didn’t respond right away, she swiveled to look back at him.

“Beetles.” He lifted a brow. “I’m going to go with… correct.”

A gust of wind and a shadow crossed their path, and the horse whinnied as it threw back its head, taking a quick jog to the side.

“Easy, Socrates.” Gideon reined in the horse as they both looked up towards the sky. “It’s only your uncle Vikkras being a smart aleck.”

Vik and Alana were heading to the party in a light-weight wooden glider plane, guided and kept aloft by Vik’s skill with creating updrafts and wind currents. He circled back and buzzed them again, he and Alana waving at Lexi who waved back and laughed with delight. Lexi noticed that except for the sound of the rushing wind it was totally silent. So beautiful.

“You’re worrying the horse, brother!” Gideon shouted at him, flicking a hand to wave them off, but he was smiling. “We’ll see you there. Now shoo!”

Vik and Alana waved again and flew off ahead.

As they drew within sight of Julian’s home, Lexi’s excitement mounted. Vik’s glider plane looked to be merely the first of many wonders she would see that day. They hopped off Socrates and Gideon tied him to a post, settling the horse in with food and water. Alana and Vik came to greet them, giving hugs all around, both of them dressed in colonial costume for the holiday.

“Nice flight?” Gideon asked Vik.

“The best. It’s a beautiful day for it, with plenty of horses to buzz along the way.”

“Yes, it’s apparent how much you like that,” Gideon said.

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