Page 11 of Knox
"Evelyn." She smiled at him. "How is my world different from your world?"
Knox considered the question, relieved that Evelyn was more reasonable than her grandson. At least she didn’t ask him to prove his identity. "For one," Knox said, "there doesn’t seem to be any magic here."
Evelyn’s face took on a thoughtful expression. "I wouldn’t say that. There is magic in this world, but you have to know where to look for it."
Knox wasn’t sure what to make of that. The magic was hiding? Thinking, he tried a different question. "And what of the images in Adrian’s room? The ones that bear my likeness?"
"Ah, those. They’re from a story, you see. A fictional tale calledMonsters of Veridia. My grandson is quite taken with it, especially with the character of Knox. I suppose that’s why he was so startled by your appearance."
That made even less sense than this world’s magic being hidden. "A fictional tale? About me?"
"It’s either about you or about someone who looks remarkably like you." She gave him another smile. "I must say your outfit is quite well made, though it could use a wash. Why don’t I find you some clothes to sleep in and we can get those cleaned?"
Before Knox could protest, Evelyn disappeared down a hallway and returned a moment later, holding a neatly folded set of pajamas. "Here we are," she chirped, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "These should fit you. They were meant for my son, but… well, let’s just say I changed my mind."
Knox stared at the pajamas she held out to him. They were a vibrant shade of blue, covered in a pattern of yellow rubber ducks. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. "Are you sure these are appropriate?"
Evelyn chuckled, a surprisingly hearty sound. "Oh, don’t worry yourself about appropriate."
He took the pajamas from her, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and absurdity. This entire night had been utterly surreal, and now he was expected to sleep in something that looked like it belonged on a child. He couldn’t imagine any of his fellow incubi or succubi wearing something so… whimsical."Thank you," he managed, trying to sound gracious.
"You’re very welcome, dear," Evelyn said, patting his arm with a warmth that surprised him. "Now, you get some sleep. We’ll figure all this out tomorrow."
Knox nodded, still trying to wrap his mind around his bizarre situation. A story about him? A world without magic? And now, these peculiar sleeping clothes? It was all too much to process.
As Evelyn bid him goodnight and left the room, Knox found himself alone once more. He looked down at the pajamas in hishands, then at the sofa bed that had been prepared for him. With a sigh, he began to undress, carefully folding his own clothes and setting them aside.
The pajamas felt strange against his skin, the fabric far softer than the leather he was accustomed to. And the ducks… he couldn’t help but feel a bit ridiculous as he looked down at himself.
But ridiculous or not, the pajamas were comfortable, and the sofa bed looked inviting. Exhaustion began to tug at him as the events of the night caught up with him. He settled onto the bed, pulling the covers over himself.
As he lay there, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling, Knox’s mind churned with unanswered questions. How had he come to be here? What had happened to his companions? And how was he going to find his way back home?
Chapter
Four
Adrian paced his room, listening to the faint sounds of Knox and his grandmother talking. How was Evelyn taking this so well while Adrian felt like he was losing his mind?
He pulled at his hair. He should probably call someone. The police? A contractor? A paranormal investigator?
"Yeah, right," he muttered to himself. "Hello, 911? My fictional crush just crashed through my roof and I think my grandmother is about to adopt him."
He couldn’t even begin to explain this to anyone.
He sank onto his desk chair, his gaze falling on his laptop. Without even thinking, he opened the lid, drawn to the familiar comfort of his online world.
"Hey, guys," he typed into the group chat he shared with his friends. "You’ll never guess what just happened."
Daniel, his most enthusiastically romantic friend, was the first to respond.
BookBoyfriendLover69:Spill the tea! What kind of chaos has befallen The Realistic Romantic tonight?
Adrian chewed on his lower lip, considering his options. Did he go for the full truth, the unbelievable, impossible truth? Or did he try to rationalize it, to downplay it to something vaguely believable?
LiteraryLion:Don’t leave us hanging! Did you finally give in to your grandma’s matchmaking and meet Mr. Lawyer?
Adrian snorted.
