Page 13 of Song of the Shadow Prince
He furrowed his brows and confusion marred his features. “Pardon?”
His accent and the way he spoke snapped me out of my daze. My father had never learned English.
In every other way that mattered, this man looked just like him: dark brown skin, eyes that shimmered with hints of gray, short-cropped salt and pepper hair, and a tall build that towered over me at roughly six-feet-three inches. He was an exact replica of my father, yet this wasn’t him.
My gaze darted around the room, taking in every detail—the ornate wooden furniture, the heavy drapes framing the windows, the flickering light of the candles casting long shadows on the walls. This wasn’t a set, and this wasn’t Los Angeles.
Feeling my personal space invaded once again by a stranger, I pushed him away with more force than necessary, making him stumble back. “Who are you?”
The man frowned, his expression hurt and confused. He directed his question at Maeve. “What happened?”
“Healer Ilan said she must have hit her head when she fell overboard and temporarily lost her memories,” Maeve explained, her voice steady despite the tears brimming in her eyes. “He wrote a prescription, and I’ll go into town to get the ingredients and brew it tonight. She’ll be as good as new in no time, my lord.”
My father’s twin stepped closer again, though more cautiously this time. “I am your father, Zacharia. You don't remember me?” His voice cracked with emotion, pain evident in his eyes.
A surge of anxiety clawed at my chest. “My father died two years ago. I don’t know you.” I shook my head. “Look, I need someone to start making sense here or I’m going to lose it. Where am I? Who are all of you?” I shouted, my voice rising to a hysterical pitch.
Maeve wiped her tears and stepped forward with a resolute expression. “You are in your ancestral home of the Ryder family. You became ill after falling overboard a boat and being caught out in a major storm that swept through our region. You’ve been delirious, speaking of another life, of places and people we know nothing about. But youareLady Arya Ryder.”
I looked around the room, every detail screaming its authenticity. Thick wooden beams overhead, rich tapestries depicting scenes of landscapes and forests, and the faint scent of lavender and beeswax. It was too real to dismiss as a dream or a set. And then there was my father’s look-alike.
The man sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging with the weight of his worry. “You are my daughter, the younger of two within the Ryder family.”
The raw emotion in his eyes, the way Maeve’s voice trembled with sincerity, and the solid reality of the room around me pointed to this being real. But how could it be? My mind spun with questions, although answers seemed more elusive with each passing second.
Seems like we’re not in Kansas anymore.
5
CAT
My mind spun when I realized this was not a dream. This wasn’t a bizarre ploy where the crew was punking me. I had really traveled to an unknown place where things were…different. Very different, according to Maeve, especially since dragons were involved. I needed to get the lay of the land and figure out how to get back to my world.
God, that sounded so weird to say. So unreal. But I couldn’t stay here. The crew was probably freaking out, or worse, the real Arya might have taken my place and could be wreaking havoc under the guise of being me. I couldn’t have that. I had a cheating boyfriend to deal with.
I cleared my throat. “So, Maeve,” I said casually, “tell me about this place… What’s it called again? Elle—”
“Elaria,” she corrected. “It’s ruled by the Drakonar Clan, which is one of four dragon clans. There’s a rich history behind the four clans involved, but—”
“If it’s a mouthful, I don’t care.” I waved her off. “Tell me about the Drakonar Clan. Do they have, like, real dragons?”
Maeve tilted her head in confusion. “No… theyaredragons.”
My brows shot up and my eyes widened. “Whoa… you mean they shift into dragons?”
She nodded. “Centuries ago, these dragons mated with humans and their mates became their riders, but it hasn’t been that way in a long time.”
“So, there are humans in Elaria?” I asked hesitantly.
Maeve chuckled. “Of course! What do you think you are?”
I laughed awkwardly. “Yeah… of course.” Honestly, I had no clue. I could have been a garden gnome, for all I knew.
Maeve settled into her role as teacher. “Well, the dragon clans didn’t always rule. It used to be the fae, but they’ve fallen from grace and are now secluded in the Southern District,” she added with a shrug.
“Fae? Like fairies?” I raised a brow and she confirmed with a nod. “What’s the Southern District? Where do we live?”
The lady in waiting clucked her tongue. “The Southern District is where those less fortunate live. We live in the Northern District, with the rest of the nobility,” Maeve proudly declared.
