by E. A. James
“Girls!” Nadine, the gallery owner, stepped into the back room and frowned. “I don’t think those pieces are going to hang themselves! We have to get ready for tomorrow,” she added nervously. “It’s going to be our biggest exhibition yet.”
“Sure, Nadine,” Angelica said quickly. “Sorry. I was just taking a break.”
Nadine’s eyes flashed in annoyance but she stepped back and allowed the two girls to meekly pass. As soon as they were in the gallery, Angelica tried to focus on the task at hand – hanging large swaths of muslin from the ceiling. The effect was meant to simulate the waves of the ocean, but privately, Angelica thought it just looked like a fifth-grader’s art project.
Angelica had studied art in college, with hopes of opening her own gallery. After graduating, she and Stacy moved to New York, where they both found work at the same gallery. But the art wasn’t much like what Angelica had studied. Nadine, the owner, favored modern, trendy artists. Sometimes Angelica wondered if she shouldn’t be trying harder to make it on her own. But the thought of “networking” or anything like it, made her clam up inside. Maybe it’s better this way, she thought as she reached for another stiff piece of cloth. At least this way I don’t have to worry about being a failure.
By the time Angelica and Stacy had finished decorating the main gallery room, it was almost eight. Angelica’s stomach was rumbling with hunger and she felt light-headed and weak.
“I’ve got to get something to eat,” Angelica said to Stacy as they were locking up the front doors of the gallery. “I feel like I’m gonna pass out, my blood sugar must be crazy low.”
“Come to the tapas place with me,” Stacy said. She checked her watch and groaned. “I bet they have great like, paella, or whatever.”
“Maybe,” Angelica said. “I’m so hungry I feel like I could eat my own shoe at this point.”
“It’s in midtown, we can probably get a cab if we hurry,” Stacy said. “This way, I bet there’s one on the corner.”
Angelica followed Stacy out into the chill, winter night. A blustery breeze whipped at her pale skin and dark hair, and she shut her dark eyes as a particularly fierce blast assaulted her. The two women walked quickly down the sidewalk and over to a line of parked yellow cabs.
After scuttling into the safety of the warm cab interior, Stacy leaned forward and gave the address. The driver grunted in response and the cab moved away from the curb, joining a long snake of traffic.
“I hope this place isn’t too far,” Angelica said. “I’m starving.”
“It shouldn’t be too long,” Stacy said. “Hey, I’m glad you’re coming.”
“Just for something to eat,” Angelica warned. “And then I’m going straight home.”
“Yeah, right.” Stacy smirked. “See if we let you.”
Angelica rolled her eyes. “You’re forgetting that I’m an adult who can make my own decisions,” she said.
“Yeah, but come on – would you rather stay home alone with your sad box of wine or hang out with us?” Stacy batted her lashes.
Normally, Angelica would have laughed. But her low blood sugar was making her feel more irritated than usual and she slumped against the window, resting her forehead on the cold glass.
The cab slowed to a crawl.
“Sorry,” the driver grunted without bothering to turn around. “Traffic’s bad tonight.”
Great, Angelica thought. It’s going to be nine before I even get anything to eat and I feel like I’m going to pass out.
The cab jerked slowly down the avenue, then screeched to a stop as the traffic light flashed bright red. Angelica groaned – the intersection was jammed with cars, brake lights filling the air with cherry light.
Angelica sighed. “Can you let me out here?” She called to the driver.
“Hey, where are you going?” Stacy turned to her friend and frowned. “I thought you decided to come with!”
“I’m too hungry,” Angelica said. She fumbled in her wallet and passed a five-dollar bill to Stacy. “Sorry, I just can’t wait anymore.”
Stacy frowned. She opened her mouth to protest but her cries were lost in the sounds of honking cars and screaming people. Angelica pushed open the cab door and climbed into the frigid air, shivering before both feet were on the ground.
Great, Angelica thought as she started walking towards the gallery at a brisk trot. I’m even farther from my normal stop than usual, and it’s freaking freezing out here.
Angelica pulled the ruff of her coat up and nestled her face inside her scarf. The wool didn’t do much except for chill her even more – condensation from her breath clung to the damp fabric. Angelica felt chilled to the bone as she hustled down street after unfamiliar street. Neon signs flashed in her face, advertising everything from palm reading to falafel. As she stopped on the curb and waited for the signal to change, she glanced around. There was a seedy-looking pizza place on the corner, mostly empty, but brightly-lit and open. Angelica’s mouth watered as the greasy aroma of dough and cheese filled her nose.
I’ll just have one slice, and then I’ll go home, she decided. At least then I won’t be starving on the train.
Angelica pushed inside and ordered a slice of pepperoni. When it was ready, she ate at the counter, standing up and not even caring that the greasy slice burned her tongue. As soon as she’d finished, she felt measurably better.
“Thanks,” Angelica called over her shoulder. She wiped her lips on a coarse napkin and tossed her trash away in a dirty bin before braving the cold again.
That’s much better, Angelica thought as she stood on the corner, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she waited for the light to change. God, I was about ready to pass out!
“Mew! Mew!”
Angelica glanced down. A small white cat was twining between her legs, rubbing its soft face on her ankles.
“Oh, hi there,” Angelica crooned. “I’m sorry – I finished all my pizza,” she said. “You’re so cute!”
The cat mewed happily.
The light changed and Angelica started crossing the street. To her shock, the kitten followed behind.
“Sorry little guy,” Angelica said. “I know it’s cold out tonight. Do you live around here?”
The cat sat on its haunches, licking a front paw. It stared at Angelica and she gasped when she realized the cat had one green eye and one blue.
“You’re pretty,” she said. “You poor thing. You must be cold.”
The cat mewed again and Angelica felt her heart lurch to the side. I can’t leave it here, she thought. It’ll freeze! This is the coldest night we’ve had all year!
The cat twisted against Angelica’s ankles, rubbing and purring. She bit her lip.
“My landlord doesn’t allow pets,” she said cautiously. “But maybe you could come home with me tonight and I’ll work on finding you a home tomorrow. How does that sound?”
The cat mewed and almost seemed to nod in agreement. Swallowing hard, Angelica reached down and scooped the freezing cat into her hands. She unzipped her jacket and put the small white body inside. Amazingly, the cat seemed to know that Angelica was helping it. It snuggled up to Angelica’s body, nuzzling at Angelica’s neck until she laughed from the ticklish fur.
As soon as Angelica arrived at her Crown Heights apartment, she took the cat into her bathroom.
“I don’t have any litter or anything, but I’ll run down to the bodega and see if I can’t find something,” Angelica promised. “You stay here – I’ll be back in a little while.”
The cat mewed obediently and Angelica closed it inside the bathroom, hustling back into her coat and boots. She darted down all four flights of stairs across the street. At the bodega, she found a dusty bag of cat litter, some cans of tuna, and a gallon of milk.
“Here we are,” Angelica sang loudly as she burst into her apartment, breathing hard from her frantic errand. “I couldn’t find a litter box, but you can have this,” she added, grabbing a plastic bin full of tools
and dumping them out on the ground. After filling the bin with litter, she pushed it into the bathroom.
The white cat purred and mewed as Angelica opened a can of tuna and dumped it into a small dish, mashing the meat down with a fork. She set the dish on the ground and the cat began to gobble the tuna down, taking giant mouthfuls at a time.
“They didn’t have any cat food,” Angelica said wryly. “But somehow I get the feeling you like this even more.”
After a few moments of watching the cat eat, Angelica dug in the fridge and pulled out a carton of leftover Chinese food. She grabbed some chopsticks and settled down on the couch, scrolling through channels. The cat looked up from the tuna and mewed before scampering over and leaping onto Angelica’s lap. She burst out laughing as it tried to bite some of the cold noodles away from her chopsticks.
“This isn’t for you,” Angelica said, still giggling. “There’s more tuna. You still hungry?”
The cat mewed and whined. After a few seconds, Angelica softened.
“Okay,” she said. “One more can, and that’s it. You’ll have to make this last for a long time,” she added. “I didn’t buy any more.”
The cat meowed loudly, as if to say, “yeah, right!” Angelica rolled her eyes as she opened the second can and dumped it into the dish. But before she could set it down, the cat twined and pushed at her ankles. Angelica wobbled for a second and gasped. She groped for the edge of the counter but her fingers closed around nothing, and she crashed to the ground. Her head slammed against the side of her counter, and Angelica’s vision went dark.
--
God, my head is killing me, Angelica thought as she struggled to open her eyes. Her whole body ached, as if she’d fallen from a great height. Her mouth was dry and her tongue felt like sandpaper as she licked her lips and struggled to sit up. The previous night came rushing back to her – going out with Stacy, then grabbing a greasy slice of pizza…and finding that white cat.
“Mew. Mew!”
Angelica rubbed her eyes and sat up. She frowned – she was sitting on something soft and plush, certainly not her kitchen floor. Did I black out, Angelica wondered. What happened?
When she opened her eyes, she gasped. She was in the middle of a lush, verdant forest. The grass beneath her feet was as thick as a carpet, and she ran her hands over the green blades with a sense of wonder and fear. Scrambling to her feet, Angelica wiped her palms on her thighs. I’m dreaming, she realized. Wow, I must have really hit my head hard. She pinched herself and cried out – it hurt, almost as much as if she were awake.
“What in the hell,” Angelica muttered under her breath. Her heart began to race as she spun around, looking at the trees and bright blue sky. The trees were enormous – easily the biggest she’d ever seen outside of photos. There was a fresh, fragrant smell in the air, and bees buzzed noisily around the flowers and grass.
It was about as far away from winter in Brooklyn as possible.
Angelica’s heart thudded nervously as she began to walk, gazing around. Her head still ached but she no longer noticed – it was impossible to keep in mind as she glanced around in wonder.
“Mew!”
Angelica looked down and saw the white cat, perched on its haunches and grooming itself. She narrowed her eyes.
“What’s all this about,” Angelica asked dryly. “What’s going on?”
The cat continued grooming, licking and nipping at a front paw.
“You seem to be doing just fine,” Angelica grumbled. “What do they say about cats? That you always land on your feet?”
The cat’s paw dropped to the ground and it cocked its head to the side. “I’ve never heard that before,” the cat said. “What kind of talk have you been listening to?”
Angelica gasped and covered her mouth with both hands. “What?” She swallowed nervously. “Did…did you just…did you just say something?”
The cat gave her an annoyed glance. “Yes,” it said haughtily. “And furthermore, I don’t care for tuna. Next time, I’d prefer something a little more substantial.”
Angelica’s dark eyes were as wide as saucers as she stepped forward, cautiously approaching the white cat. It no longer seemed helpless and hungry – on the contrary, it seemed to have a certain smugness that made Angelica nervous.
“What…where am I?” Angelica asked. “What happened? How did I get here?”
The cat sighed. “I didn’t expect you to be so high maintenance,” it said. “And for your information, I am a male. My name is Brynx.”
Angelica didn’t reply.
“Are you simple?” The cat walked closer and Angelica gasped, nervously stepping backward and stumbling over her own feet. She crashed to the grass with a dull thud, unable to take her eyes away from Brynx.
“No,” Angelica said nervously. “At least, I never thought so.” She swallowed hard. “What’s happening to me? Where am I?”
Brynx rolled his eyes. “Aerdan!” He called loudly. “I’m sick of dealing with this human already!”
Angelica squinted. “What? What did you just say?”
Before Brynx could reply, an impossibly gorgeous man stepped into the clearing. He was clad only in leather leggings that clung to his muscular legs. Leather straps crisscrossed his chest and his brawny torso was gleaming and covered in strange blue and black tattoos. He was deeply tanned, with bright blue eyes and the whitest teeth Angelica had ever seen. Long dark hair cascaded from his brow to his shoulders.
Angelica couldn’t remember seeing a more handsome man.
The man walked closer to Brynx and Angelica. When he saw Angelica, he grinned.
“May I offer a hand, lady?” The man asked. “You seem to be more than a little distressed, quite understandable.”
“What? Uh, no,” Angelica said quickly. Her heart was racing and she could barely look into the man’s gorgeous-yet-smug face without blushing. “I mean, look – just tell me how to get back to Brooklyn, and I’ll be fine.”
The man frowned. “Brooklyn? What kingdom is that?”
Angelica’s mouth went dry. “Kingdom?” She squeaked. “Like, Britain?”
The man narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid I haven’t heard of that kingdom, either,” he said. “You must have traveled from another dimension.”
Angelica licked her lips. “Where…where am I?”
The man straightened up and grinned, puffing out his chest. “You are in the Kingdom of Zheka,” he said proudly. “And I am Commander Aerdan Covendane, heir to the throne, and son of Queen Zornaya.”
Aerdan leaned down, offering Angelica his huge hand. “Come,” he said. “You must be introduced at once.”
Angelica’s disbelief bubbled over, her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted, collapsing on the emerald grass.
CHAPTER TWO
Aerdan
“Aerdan, please do not disappoint me,” Queen Zornaya said quietly, her blue eyes flashing with irritation. “Know that you are not simply expected at the ceremony, you are required to attend.”
Aerdan rolled his eyes. He was reclining in his large bed, the silk sheets unmade and bunching under his strong back. He kept his eyes on the ceiling as he spoke to his mother.
“Mother, I don’t see why I have to attend,” Aerdan complained. “It’s the same thing as always. Our people gather together just to watch a stupid display!”
Zornaya frowned. “Not just a display,” she said proudly. “But a display of immense power and strength, the kind of strength that has made Zheka the most powerful kingdom in our world!”
“But it’s the same show every year,” Aerdan complained. “I get up, wave a sword around, and then presto! Everyone claps.” He groaned.
“Aerdan,” Zornaya said sharply. “Have you forgotten your role? You are a commander,” she said, emphasizing the word so hard that Aerdan rolled his eyes. “And your job is to inspire the men of Zheka, and to make all the women wish they would be your bride!”
“And then what?” Aerdan sat up in
bed, rubbing his shoulders. “There’s a feast, and more fighting, and then you get to make a speech about how our society is perfect?”
“Yes,” Zornaya said stiffly. She pressed her lips together in a narrow line.
“Do you know how many men would kill, simply to have the same opportunities as you?”
“Yeah, I bet everyone’s dying to be hassled by their mothers, day in and day out,” Aerdan muttered under his breath.
“Excuse me?” Zornaya’s voice was as sharp as a dagger. “What did you just say?”
“Nothing,” Aerdan lied.
“Not to mention, all of the girls will be looking very attractive,” Zornaya said slowly. “Today would be a fine chance for you to choose a bride, Aerdan,” she added. “I’ve noticed Lucilla has blossomed into a lovely young woman, don’t you think?”