Welcome Home (Alternate Worlds Book 3)

by Leigh, Taylor

  Andrew was a bit ruffled by that. He couldn’t make it work, indeed! He’d very much like to prove her wrong over that point. Instead he felt a distant pain clutching at his insides and he stooped slightly, grabbing at a table next to him.

  ‘I have to go,’ he said in a hoarser voice than he would have liked. ‘I must give myself to them. And that bloody stone.’

  Reginald and Marus both looked at him with matching stunned looks.

  Marus was the one who spoke—no surprise there. ‘They’ll kill you once they figure out you can’t jump!’

  Andrew clenched his jaw. ‘I am not planning on throwing my life away. That’s where you come in.’

  Marus straightened.

  Andrew started to pace, wincing at the stab of pain that sparked in his belly with each step. ‘If they have me and the stone then they’ll leave the city.’

  Arkron shrugged. ‘Probably. They’re not interested in ruling this world. They just want to explore new ones. Gaining the power Noel has.’

  Marus huffed. ‘Ruddy awful explorers, if you ask me.’

  Arkron made a face. ‘When it comes to Realm exploration, not everyone is like the Traveller. Or us.’

  Marus looked back at Andrew. ‘Right, so, back to the part where you don’t get killed?’

  Andrew fixed him with a look. ‘You claim you and Noel are the same species, correct?’

  Marus nodded hesitantly. ‘Yeah…’

  ‘Explain your size differences. Why is Noel so much larger than you?’

  Marus flushed. ‘He might be a bigger dragon but that doesn’t mean—’

  Andrew held up a hand. ‘Just tell me why.’

  Marus cleared his throat. ‘Well, he’s still got his magic, doesn’t he?’

  Andrew closed his eyes. This was too much. Dimensions were one thing. That was probable. But magic? Then again…he was having a conversation with a man who could transform himself into an oversized flying lizard at a moment’s notice.

  He opened his eyes again. ‘All right, you’re going to have to explain.’

  To Andrew’s utter astonishment, Marus actually looked rather…sheepish. ‘Well, I…I lost my magic.’

  ‘How?’

  Marus ran his tongue over his teeth. ‘It—it was…Well, it was stolen.’

  Nothing was growing clearer. ‘Stolen? Stolen how? By whom?’

  Marus’s eyes darted over to Arkron’s and narrowed. ‘By a particularly wicked witch!’

  Andrew blinked at Arkron. ‘You? You can simply…steal power from people?’ He couldn’t wrap his head around it. The pain in his stomach didn’t help.

  Arkron sighed. ‘Basically. Magic is simply a form of energy. Energy can be redirected, if you’re capable of it. Like I am.’

  ‘Fascinating.’

  ‘Dragons are naturally magical, but if you take it away they become much more manageable. It’s their magic that makes them so massive; gives them the ability to Realm jump.’

  ‘But not change form?’

  ‘That’s more of a physical change, like a chameleon changing colour,’ Arkron explained.

  Andrew desperately wanted to know more, but he shook himself. There were more important things at the moment. ‘Okay, this is good. We can work with this.’

  Marus was not looking happy. ‘How so?’

  Andrew turned to them. ‘Isn’t it obvious? Noel is the largest problem posed to us. We take him out, we defeat the Myrmidons.’

  Arkron arched a thin eyebrow. ‘You want me to steal Noel’s magic?’

  ‘Yes!’ Andrew snapped. Honestly, why couldn’t people keep up? ‘Once they leave the city, Marus needs to draw Noel away, where Arkron can work her magic.’ He could hardly believe what he was saying. ‘And when Noel is…brought down to size…I expect you will be able to take care of him?’ He looked at Marus expectantly.

  Marus swallowed nervously. ‘It—it would certainly be more…feasible.’

  Andrew spun on Reginald. ‘And if the dragon is taken out I expect your men will be able to overpower the Myrmidons?’

  Reginald rubbed his head. ‘I don’t see why not.’

  ‘I will play along with them till you do your parts; I’ll just keep them distracted whilst you do the dirtier work.’

  There wasn’t much to disagree on in the end. It had to be done. That was that.

  In his first quiet moment Andrew looked back to Victoria, pushing past the others till he was beside her. She was so still. At least a little life was coming back to her skin. She didn’t look as weak. It was good to see.

  Andrew wasn’t one to be sentimental, but something about the idea of perhaps never seeing her again gave him pause. Would she be able to go on? Yes, of course she would. But the idea …it was painful. Thank the stars when he died that was it. Not be tormented like all those other poor souls, doomed to haunt the earth as spirits.

  What did one say in such circumstances? It did not matter. Victoria was lost to the world; she wouldn’t know what he said.

  He could feel the others’ eyes on him. Watching his every movement. He had to go. This had to be done. Enough stalling. Andrew reached out and touched Victoria’s hair, letting the curly locks slide through his fingers.

  ‘Right. Time to find this stone. I can feel it. It should offer some incentive to Ramses for calling off his beastie. Then you two bring him down. Agreed?’

  Arkron sighed. ‘I don’t like it. Too much can go wrong.’

  ‘You don’t have to like it. You just have to do your part.’

  She shrugged her shoulders. ‘Well, I’ve got nothing better to do. And Marus needs the exercise. Fine.’

  Andrew gave a clipped nod. He turned to the table at his side and, swiping up a stylus, quickly scrawled out a note of his rather mad plan. He finished by signing his name with a flourish and then, dropping the stylus to the table, looked at her one last time.

  Goodbye, Victoria.

  And with that, he turned from her, and put all thoughts of attachment and “goodbye” from his mind.

  ‘Time to go.’

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Victoria woke in hot darkness and in confusion. She didn’t rightly remember how she’d gotten there.

  Pushing up on her elbows she could only wince as stiff pain shot down her back. With a gasp she let her hands twist to investigate. Her back was bandaged tightly, making it difficult to breathe.

  As she examined, Victoria’s memory began to return. The dragon! She’d been taken by him. Her hand went once again to her back and she let out a little whimper.

  So, why was she here?

  Had they taken over the city?

  It was so quiet. It didn’t feel like a takeover. It felt like Victoria was the only being left in the world, somehow dropped back in the palace with no explanation.

  She slid to the edge of the bed and listened. Faint noises from the city: Subdued, distant.

  The light from outside, beyond the shutters, glowered with an almost unnatural hue. She didn’t want open them. She was afraid to what she’d see; The city burning, or gone completely. She, the only one left, somehow, strangely, still alive.

  She chastised herself. She was being ridiculous. Of course others were alive! There had to be. So why was it so deathly still? Had everyone taken to hiding for some sinister reason she was as of yet unawares?

  Victoria stiffly dropped out of bed and swayed, legs unstable. Her hands flew to the table for support and she spotted a sheet of parchment with her name at the top. At the bottom was Andrew’s unmistakable signature.

  Victoria,

  When you read this, I will be gone. The Myrmidons will not leave the city. Not until I offer myself up to them. This threat has gone on long enough and it is time we put a stop to it. Marus, Arkron, Reginald and I have a plan which will either end with the Myrmidons defeated, or ourselves.

  Do not leave the palace.

  Trust me.

  I hope to see you again, but if I do not, know that you were the best thing to ever
happen to me.

  Always yours,

  Andrew O’Neill

  Victoria lowered the note, feeling a heavy lump of dread settle at the pit of her stomach. Oh…

  Then she was hurrying to the window and throwing back the heavy drapes. Layers was quiet; smouldering. Like some abandoned city of an ancient civilisation. No life. And yet, somewhere out there were her friends, ready to fight and die.

  And she was trapped here.

  Quickly, she wrapped a shawl about herself and dashed from the confines of her room. There had to be someone left in the palace. Anyone! She’d take her mother, even!

  The hallway was dark and deserted. Only ghosts. She shuddered at the thought. No doubt Andrew would know. She didn’t want to think about it.

  Her mother’s room was empty, as was her uncle’s. It was really as if the entire palace had been drained of life. Where had they all gone? Had they all evacuated down to the deep tunnels and left her?

  She felt a tad hurt by that.

  Victoria left the abandoned audience hall and slumped against the wall, frustrated.

  It was then that the uneven sound of singing came bouncing her way; Victoria looked up to see Tollin swaggering towards her, emerging from the darkened banquet hall.

  His hair was wilder than ever and he wore a scarf round his forehead, twisted to one side. In one hand he held a glass of wine and he lightly bounded on his feet to the tune of his strange song.

  ‘I can’t say I love you but I don’t want to say goodbye,

  ‘And if you leave me now, baby I just may cry,

  ‘You’re the one and only torment but I just can’t complain

  And so if I’m to suffer, I hope you’re the one to blame!’

  Victoria gaped. The appearance of him was failing to fully register.

  ‘Victoria!’ Tollin crowed, a bit too loudly. ‘There you are!’

  She shook herself free from her surprise. ‘Tollin! Where have you been?’

  ‘What? Well, long story short: relocating the vampires of Shri’La’Ki, so they would leave the human population alone. They set up a new city, guess what they named it? The Vempire! Can you believe it?’ Tollin made a face, a look of mock-disbelief. ‘I mean how original is that?’

  Victoria grabbed Tollin by the collar and yanked him closer, trying to verify he was, indeed, real. She regretted it as the pain hit.

  ‘Steady on!’ Tollin yelped. ‘Nearly spilled my drink! And what’s going on here? City seems a bit…’ he shrugged, searching for the right word. ‘Tense?’

  Victoria felt her temper rising. ‘While you’ve been off gallivanting about, we’ve been having problems!’

  ‘Ah. Why am I not surprised?’

  ‘A new group called the Myrmidons have sprouted up and they’ve taken over the city! Layers is falling apart from the inside out and everyone is calling for your head! The Myrmidons have a dragon and they’re terrorising the citizens until you’re brought to them. But Andrew’s managed to convince everyone he’s you and he’s disappeared! Not to mention the fact that we’ve discovered this type of time device and are trying to save the future you!’

  Tollin scratched his head. ‘What? Wait…What?’

  Victoria explained as quickly as she could and shook, now tearful. ‘And everyone has just left me and I feel so useless here!’

  Tollin frowned. ‘I’m still trying to wrap my head round the fact everyone thinks Andrew is me. How did that get mixed up?’

  Victoria sighed. ‘He told everyone he was.’

  Tollin spluttered. ‘He did what?’

  Victoria stamped her foot. ‘Tollin, that’s not important right now! Didn’t you hear what I’ve told you?’

  Tollin scowled. ‘Yes, that does pose a problem.’ He seemed to chew over the issue for a moment. He then spun to her, rather suddenly. ‘Victoria, I am terribly sorry, but I have to go.’

  Victoria shook her head. ‘No, you can’t! You just got here!’

  Tollin took her gently by the shoulders. ‘Yes. And I’m here to help. You must stay here and stay safe; you are in no condition to do anything.’ He looked at her sternly. ‘Now, tell me where that time device is!’

  Victoria stared at him, saw the confidence practically radiating off of him in waves and felt a smile pull at her lips.

  Things had seemed so hopeless just moments before. But that was before Tollin. Now he was here and the darkness seemed just a tiny bit brighter.

  * * * * *

  Sam kept her eyes fixed on Noel.

  For a beast, he was too charming, too helpful, too friendly. And still the black sky loomed over them, not bothering him, giving him no pause.

  ‘So, this friend of yours? This impressive Traveller,’ he asked, flashing her with warm, amber eyes, ‘Why didn’t you go with him on this special mission?’

  If she hadn’t been aware of the dragon spell he was working, she was sure she’d have fallen by now. He was, she was finding, much more influential than she’d prepared for. It frightened her. She licked her lips, wishing, and not entirely sure why, she’d never brought Tollin up. She absolutely didn’t want him thinking Tollin was trapped. ‘Someone had to stay here. Keep an eye on things.’

  Noel slid past her and up the stairs. Sam’s stomach knotted. If he fiddled with anything in the room it could destroy all her progress, her connection to Andrew, her connection with Tollin, all of it. She hurried after him. He stopped just at the heavy door.

  ‘What are you keeping an eye out for, hmm? Do you even know what you’re doing?’

  She pressed her mouth into a thin line. ‘I’m just waiting, mate, that’s all. And you’re one to talk. What are you doing here, aye? Not much good I can see. Place was deserted when we arrived.’

  He stepped towards her. ‘I may have been barred from working this place but that does not mean I do not understand the way it operates. I have had many years to learn. To observe.’ He gestured to the motionless robots. ‘These blasted bots were my own invention. I thought perhaps if my hands were barred from the controls theirs would not…but alas…it needs a living touch. Real, warm flesh.’ He took her hands. ‘Unfortunately, this place…it has a way of…’ He paused and looked round. ‘Being very selective when it comes to those who can use it, and those who can’t.’ His hands massaged hers.

  Sam gingerly pulled her hands free. ‘And dragons can’t?’ That concerned her; Tollin had dragon DNA.

  Noel’s eyes flicked over to her finally and something shifted in him. ‘Some technology is stubborn.’

  Sam crossed her arms. ‘And that’s how you got stuck here?’

  He bristled. ‘It was my duty to stay! You see, my duty is to someone. Someone important is relying on me. I cannot let him down. All I do is for him.’

  Her pulse twitched uncomfortably. ‘Sounds like we’re in the same boat. So, you are the guardian of this place?’

  He flashed his teeth. ‘Yes.’

  Sam chewed on her lip. Would a guardian be so unhelpful, so…frightening? Either Andrew had translated it wrong, Noel was lying, or this was just her luck.

  Something else felt off, though. Some quiet tug of warning she wanted to ignore but wasn’t so sure she could.

  Was it Tollin? Worlds away, somehow breaking through? She’d tried to reach him, constantly focusing her mind on him. Yet he had so far been silent. There, but…not at the same time. Now, with this blackness covering everything, she was all the more lost, all the more alone.

  ‘I was under the impression that a guardian would be willing to help me…’

  Noel let out an irritated moan. ‘Oh, I don’t want to talk about me anymore! I want to talk about you! I want to talk about the Traveller.’ He turned round and stepped closer to her, eyes burning. ‘This friend of yours, this Traveller, he is powerful?’

  Sam shuffled a little. ‘Yeah. But even powerful people need help now and then.’

  Noel’s head gave a little twist to the side. ‘How right you are. So, why so desperate for a guardian,
girl? Only a very few, very special Realms require something like that. What does a powerful traveller want here? Which one is it?’

  She didn’t know what to do. He’d know if she lied. ‘Maybe it’s one of those crystals all scribbled over with text locking me out.’

  He stared. ‘Solvareta,’ he breathed.

  Sam’s stomach cinched. He had to know all the Realms by now. ‘Yeah. That’s where he’s gone.’ Why did it bring such a look to his eyes?

  Noel began to growl. ‘Why would he go there? What was his mission? To kill? Hmm? Does he think he can kill my father?’ His tone was wild.

  Sam shook her head. ‘He’s not like that. I swear. He wants nothing to do with your father.’ Come to think of it, she didn’t know that. Had Tollin not told her something? Was his little accident just one of his tricks? Tollin didn’t tell her everything. And it wouldn’t be the first time he’d lied if he thought she wouldn’t approve of something. But…he wasn’t a killer, was he?

  Noel was hardly listening. ‘You come here, harping of his greatness and what Realm is he on?’ he rumbled. ‘No matter. He is no match for that world. Your friend is long dead.’

  Sam swallowed. She had no way of knowing but she refused to believe him. ‘Not true. I don’t believe you. What’s he in danger of?’ A spike of memory; something Tollin had said. ‘Craven? That it? What is that? That what got you trapped here? I saw the recording, mate.’

  Noel stared at her. ‘Craven is not a name I recognise.’ He slunk forward.

  Sam shivered. ‘I know you’re angry about something. Some old betrayal. I saw the recording. I saw the bones of your companion. I don’t know what you’ve been through, mate. But we have nothing against you. It’s nothing but chance. That’s all. If you need some sort of help, the Traveller can help. But I have to get him back first.’ She wanted out of this tight space. Wanted more room. Noel was too hungry. ‘He’s a good person, you’ll see.’