Page 4 of Quest for her Knights
“It’s complicated.”
“I’ve got nowhere to go.”
It’s true. I’ve lived on my own ever since moving out of my parents’ home at the age of eighteen, six years ago. My parentswere good people, but I had no interest in living in Michigan a moment longer. It was always cold and had never felt like home to me.
Pacific Cove, on the other hand, felt like home the moment I arrived in this oceanside California town. Sure, I could only afford a place in the sketchier part of town, but you can enjoy hot weather from anywhere.
“That pain I was getting earlier, it happens when someone needs to leave Dyconia and come to this world. It keeps coming until I open a portal and let them through. Normally, I have a few hours before it gets that intense.”
“Why was it different this time?” I ask, taking another sip of the fruity wine.
“I think it was the desperation of her soul to get out of there.”
“Her soul?” I ask, already feeling confused.
“Yes. You see, some women are born in the wrong realm. Her soul was always meant to be born in this one, what I call the human realm, but it got switched and ended up in Dyconia instead. I’m able to pull her through the Enchanted Veil so she can live where she was always supposed to be.”
“Wow.” I try to take in what she’s just told me. Other people might think it’s just some crazy, made-up story, but Ari never lies to me. And after what I saw today, I expected something pretty wild.
“But why does she look like me?” I ask, still feeling confused.
She stares at me with a worried expression, pressing her lips together tightly.
“What? Ari? What aren’t you telling me?”
“It means that you were supposed to be born in Dyconia, that you’re going to have to go through the veil.”
“Ex-squeeze me?” I ask, stunned. “I have to go live there? For how long?”
“Forever, Elora.” Tears fill her eyes, making mine well up too.
“But… but… what about you? And my parents? I won’t see any of you again? Ever?”
“I’m sorry,” she says softly, looking down at her wine glass, unable to meet my gaze.
“I don’t understand. Why can’t I just stay here?”
“That pain I got earlier, it’s already returned, and it will keep getting stronger until you go through the veil.”
“What happens if I never go through?”
“I’m not sure. It’s never happened before.”
“But you’ll be hurting?” I ask.
As if on cue, her face scrunches in pain, though she tries not to react.
“It’s happening now, isn’t it?”
A tear slips from her eye before she quickly nods.
“Hells bells, Ari. Fine, I’ll go.”
“You will?” she asks in surprise. “Just like that?”
“Of course! I’m not going to let my best friend suffer. Now tell me what I need to know about this place. Is it a parallel world or something?”
“Sort of. To be honest, there’s more I don’t know than I do. Everything I’ve learned comes from the women who’ve come through.”
