Page 9 of Unbound By Shadows
“And then she’ll be able to take me home?” Selene asked, wringing her hands.
“I don’t know. Are you hungry?”
The thought of food made the anxiety in Selene’s stomach churn even faster. “No, thank you. I feel like garbage. I really just want to sleep.”
“Of course.” Arkaya frowned as she looked Selene up and down. “But you can’t sleep in that. Do you prefer to sleep in a gown that’s short or long?”
Selene looked down at her faded jeans. “Long, I guess?” She usually slept in an old T-shirt and shorts.
Arkaya nodded, then disappeared into a closet. She emerged holding a white handkerchief. She lifted it above her head then let it fall while tapping her staff on the ground. Selene watched the fabric drift to the floor, somehow creating a puddle five times its original size.
“Will this do?” Arkaya asked, lifting the pool of fabric to give it a shake. Selene was shocked to see a beautiful white nightgown in Arkaya’s hands. It had tiny pearl buttons down the front and lace-trimmed shoulder straps.
“It’s wonderful,” she breathed. She hugged the nightgown to her chest and swallowed the lump of fear rising in her throat.There's no need to freak out. So magic exists here. Good to know.
“Get some rest, and we’ll talk more in the morning.” Arkaya turned to leave, her gray braid swinging out behind her. “Don’t look so frightened, child. No harm will come to you here. Goodnight.”
Selene watched Arkaya close the door, then sat unmoving on the bed. She looked down at her trembling hands and tried to steady her breathing. Eyeing the door, she considered pushing a piece of furniture up against it to ward off unwelcome visitors, but all the chairs in the room looked too heavy to move. Deep fatigue washed over her as she pulled off her shoes and socks. If she could just get through the night, she could try to find a way to get hometomorrow.
Selene slept fitfully, jumping at every sound outside her bedroom. It wasn’t until she began to calm herself by internally chanting, “There’s no place like home” that she fully drifted off. A nagging urge to pee woke her after sunrise. When she rolled out of bed, she assumed she was about to have her first experience with a chamber pot. However, she was delighted to find that the door in the corner led into a pleasantly appointed modern bathroom.
The relief at her discovery plus the comedown from yesterday's stress had made her slightly loopy. Flushing the toilet was enough to make her giggle, but she broke into applause when she discovered hot water flowing from the sink. Her celebrations were dashed when a sharp knock from outside her bedroom door made her stomach clench.
She rushed out of the bathroom and saw Arkaya coming through with a tray of food. She set it on the small table in front of the velvet couch and said, “Come and eat. Queen Thema is on her way to meet you.”
Selene’s fists tightened in the sides of her nightgown. “Shouldn’t I get dressed first?”
“In a moment. I’m having Hollen bring—"
Arkaya’s words were cut off by a melodious voice that called, “By the silver light of the stars, a living human in my lands!”
Selene turned to see a woman enter the room with flourishing movements. She was petite in stature, but her presence seemed to fill up the whole room. Selene took a step back as she took in the woman’s large golden eyes, pointed ears, and towering bun of ebony braids. Although she didn’t wear a crown, her identity was unmistakable—this had to be Queen Thema.
“H-howdy,” Selene said, then cringed.Howdy? Was that any way to greet a queen?
The folds of Queen Thema’s yellow gown shimmered as she lowered herself to sit on the couch. Her posture was stately even when sitting, undoubtedly a result of the ornate metal breastplate she wore. An orange cat trotted in to flop atthe queen’s feet.
“Come, human, tell me all about yourself,” Queen Thema said, patting the cushion beside her. “Ah, where are my manners? Introductions first!”
Selene tensed as she questioned the correct protocol. She dipped into a clumsy curtsy and said, “Hello, I’m Selene Riley. I’m so pleased to meet you, Your Majesty. I mean, Your Royal Highness?”
Queen Thema looked confused, then laughed. Arkaya smiled too from her position at the end of the couch. “Charming! Simply charming. Arkaya, she’s as innocent as you proclaimed. Now sit down. I am Thema, Queen of the Malkina. I welcome you.”
“Thank you,” Selene said. She suddenly understood what people meant by the term “larger than life.” The diminutive queen was like the embodiment of a celebrity icon—glamorous, charismatic, but also incredibly intimidating.
“Please go ahead and eat while we chat,” Queen Thema said, gesturing to the tray of food. Selene’s eyes widened as she realized the tips of the Queen’s fingers ended in pink claws instead of nails. They were dainty, pretty claws, but looked lethally sharp.
The queen seemed to mistake her apprehension as worry about the food. “Fear not, my dear. It’s not like you traveled to the fairy world. You can eat and drink here without consequences.”
Selene tried to keep her expression neutral.Great.Sonoteating foods in another world was a thing? She looked down again at the tray. There was a bowl of what looked like miniature watermelons, a thick cut of mystery meat, a dollop that reminded her of clotted cream, and a basket of bread. Odd, but nothing shocking, like a plate of squirming tentacles or bowl of giant bugs. Tentatively, she bit into one of the baby watermelons and found it delicious.
Queen Thema smoothed the sleeves of her gown then said, “I’m sure you have many questions about where you are, but I have questions of my own. How is it that you came through to our realm?”
Selene wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I don’t know. I was hiking with my sister in the forest—”
“Of Tennessee?” the queen interrupted.
“Yes, how did you know?”
