Page 8 of Unbound By Shadows
“You come from the human dimension, or Gaia, as we call it.”
“Right.”
Arkaya glanced at her sharply. “You sound doubtful of my word.”
“No! Not at all. It’s just not, uh… it’s not something we talk about where I’m from. How many other realms are there besides this one?”
“Nine. But there could be more.”
Selene’s stomach lurched. Nine. She thought back to the time shegot sucked into an old episode ofNovaon PBS. The topic was string theory, and the physicist interviewed believed there were several parallel dimensions all vibrating at the same time.
Arkaya abruptly stopped walking and held out her staff to block Selene from taking another step. She tilted her head back to sniff the air, and her head whipped from left to right. Selene stood utterly still, even as a small growl sounded from her left.
With her heart beating furiously against her chest, she turned toward Arkaya, ready to take orders to flee or hide. Her eyes widened as she saw how Arkaya’s lips were pulled back, displaying two animalistic fangs gleaming among her white teeth. She froze as she realized the growl had come from Arkaya herself.
Just as abruptly as Arkaya’s growl had emerged, she relaxed and motioned for Selene to keep walking. They walked for several minutes before Selene could muster the courage to speak. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” Arkaya said. “I thought I heard a vampire approach, but I was wrong.”
“There really are vampires here?”
Arkaya stopped walking. “Again, you doubt my word?”
“No, no, of course not.” Selene shook her head swiftly.
“Odd human,” Arkaya muttered. She peered at Selene, seeming to scrutinize her face. Although Selene towered over the woman by several inches, at that moment, she felt very small.
Arkaya’s expression softened. “Ah, forgive me. I’m not versed in human ways. I have only read about your kind in myths and legends.”
Selene struggled to absorb Arkaya’s words. She wanted to ask more, but her mouth had turned dry.Myths and legends?
A pang hit Selene in the chest as she thought of her brother, Evan. He would undoubtedly be handling this situation with so much more grace. With his wealth of knowledge about the supernatural, he’d probably know how to go home by reciting a special chantor outwitting a troll.He’d at least know whether it was customary to curtsy or shake hands when about to meet a pointy-eared queen.
When will I see Evan again?
Selene felt nauseous as she realized Cass had probably called both Kevin and the police by now. She might be filing a missing person report at that exact moment. Selene looked up and watched a cloud obscure the sun for a moment.Focus on the positive.At least she was in a place where the sun still rose and set.
Arkaya gestured with her staff. "Look ahead. You can see the lights of the castle, ready to welcome us back.”
Selene followed Arkaya’s gaze and spotted large globes of pink light peeking through the trees. They were perched on wrought-iron poles bordering a path shrouded in fog. Ornate ironwork snaked up the poles in swirls and flourishes. Although it had felt like morning when Selene woke up in Aurelia, the sun was beginning to set.
The forest thinned as they continued to walk, and Selene caught her first view of their destination in the distance. It was set into a hill like a shimmering jewel among the craggy bluffs. Other buildings of various heights ringed a central tower, all with pointed steeples and arched windows. The roofs emitted the same soft glow that Selene had seen from the poles, but the colors varied—pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The brilliant white of the stone exterior heightened the effect.
Mist swirled around them, making the ends of Selene’s hair curl. It was then she was certain what was happening to her was real. There was no way she could ever imagine something so beautiful.
“Ah, I see Samael waiting,” Arkaya said, gesturing toward the castle. “I’ll just let him know you’re of no threat to us.” She reached up to rub her gnarled fingers against a white crystal amulet around her throat. “There. That’s done.” Selene followed Arkaya’s gaze, curious to see this person who needed to know she wasn’t a threat.
Standing high up in front of the wide castle gates was a man. Powerfully built and tall, he stood with his arms crossed, dressed in black. His hair was long and dark, and though they were too far awayfor Selene to make out his features, there was something on the top of his head. She assumed it was a helmet or strange hat, but as she shaded her hand over her eyes to see more clearly, she gasped. Her already jumpy heart began to pound wildly, and she shivered.
He had horns.
Chapter 4
Once Arkaya led Selene through the castle gates, the rest of the evening went by in a blur. Selene didn’t see the horned man again but passed several strange-looking creatures as they weaved through the castle. Many shared features similar to Arkaya, but others had feathered wings, green-scaled skin, or ears that stuck out like fish fins. They even passed a large furred being who bore a strong resemblance to Bigfoot. The castle was also filled with bands of cats, roving freely.
After rushing through countless corridors and up two sets of stairs, Selene wondered if Arkaya was deliberately trying to disorient her. Finally, Selene was led into a bedroom. It had beautiful arched windows and was roughly the size of her and Kevin’s entire apartment. The rich furnishings made her think of the designs in her father’s Art Nouveau coffee table books. She felt very lost in the vast space.
“This will be your room,” Arkaya said. “The queen has meetings tonight, but expect a visit from her in the morning.”
