Passages (Alternate Worlds Book 1)

by Taylor Leigh

  The floating blue orb bubbled and smaller blue spheres budded away from it and began floating down and into the red orb. Victoria watched, mouth wide open. It was like what she’d seen last night, but in reverse.

  ‘What is that?’ Lucinda asked in fascinated horror.

  ‘We have not figured it out yet,’ Sinsetun said thoughtfully. ‘We are working hard to discover what they are. Until then, I suggest you ban everyone, including all soldiers, from the Bone Vault.’

  Her mother took a deep drink of spore potion. ‘Of course. I leave the entire situation in your hands.’

  Victoria eyed her mother with a frown. She wanted to point out that Sinsetun had it backwards. Things weren’t floating down, they were floating up! Yet something told her not to mention it. It didn’t take a genius to figure out which way the pods were floating, if Sinsetun had spotted them, he knew they were floating up, so why distort the fact? And, if someone was sending up pods to the Other World, wasn’t that an act of war? Shouldn’t they be stopping whoever was down at the Bone Vault sending them up instead of banning people from going there? Did he want a war?

  As much as Sinsetun unnerved her, she couldn’t keep quiet. ‘What are you planning on doing about it?’

  Sinsetun looked at her in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected her to be there. He ground his sharp teeth, bright eyes glowing in the darkness. ‘We are working on the problem.’ He bowed his elongated head to her and then turned away.

  Some answer.

  ‘Victoria. Leave us. You’ve lost your privilege coming to these meetings after all the ones you’ve skipped.’

  Victoria nodded, glad to be gone. She cast one more look at the blue orb and then swept out of the room.

  Chapter Three

  It seemed as if every important person on Scrabia had been invited to the ball. Celebrities, politicians, lords and ladies, they had all arrived. The only group that seemed to be absent were the Denizens, but considering their ways, Victoria doubted they would ever attend a social function like a ball. How she envied them.

  Victoria and Reginald were currently hidden behind two large doors that would open onto the dance floor once they were announced. They’d both fought for the best spot to peer through the crack and now Victoria was watching the crowd with a quiet growing panic.

  She watched as a throng of gladiators was ushered in, gleaming in ornamental armour. Marus the Great—the best gladiator ever to fight—was, as usual, surrounded by a pack of admirers. He appeared to be the only one completely at ease in the fancy environment. A big, charming grin was across his face as he joked and laughed. Victoria found herself fascinated that such an attractive person could exist. It was obvious he was the life of the party, and rather used to it. All the others looked as if there were a million other places they’d rather be. Victoria could sympathise.

  Seeing such bold, extravagant guests made her all the more panicky. She shrank away from the doors, bumping into Reginald. There were so many people out there!

  He grabbed her arm. ‘Whoa, calm down!’

  She shoved back to the door, her eyes darting wildly to scope out a secluded table. Reginald still had an iron grip on her arm, something she didn’t want to be bothered with at the moment. She jerked free from his grip. ‘Do you mind? You’re not my keeper!’ she hissed between gritted teeth.

  ‘Aren’t you forgetting something? We have to dance!’ Reginald peered out through a crack above her. ‘Alone in front of all those people…So try not to mess up, okay?’

  Victoria felt sick. The crowd out there was impressive, considering what short notice the ball had been. She knew how to dance, sure. But her tutor had none too gently encouraged her to stick with art or maths. She was good at those. Dancing? She bet the gladiators could do better than her.

  ‘Try not to mess up? You said you couldn’t dance that well either!’

  ‘Keep your voice down!’ Reginald furtively glanced at the door again. With the noise the crowd was making Victoria doubted they were in any real danger of being overheard. ‘I’m going to do my best out there and it will be a lot easier if you’d try as well!’

  Victoria swayed. She gripped the front of Reginald’s tunic to keep herself steady. Nerves were pounding at her stomach, forcing her heart to beat at a sickening rate. The pulse in her throat became claustrophobic, suffocating her. ‘I’m going to be sick on you now, I think.’

  Reginald looked up at the ceiling. ‘For Skall’s sake, why are you so nervous? You managed to draw quite a bit of attention to yourself over dinner, why is this any different?’

  ‘I was mad then! I didn’t care.’

  Reginald shrugged. ‘So get mad now. Don’t care what those buggars out there think!’

  Victoria stared up at him and smiled slightly, despite feeling ill. ‘Fine. Let’s just get this over with! One dance and then we’re through.’

  Reginald nodded. ‘Agreed.’

  They waited in tense silence for a moment longer and then, much too soon, their names were announced. The doors pulled open and Victoria and Reginald were suddenly the centre of attention. He reached forward and grabbed her hand. Maybe to keep her from considering making a run for it.

  The room was brightly lit with brilliant colours. Countless men and women, with hair and makeup more dramatic than Victoria had ever seen, were crowded off to opposite sides of the room, leaving the centre intentionally open, like some gaping, colourful sore. At the head of the room sat Victoria’s mother and uncle. Lucinda gave Victoria a warning look when their eyes met. Victoria got the message: if she caused a scene, she’d permanently regret it. She made a face and whipped her gaze away before Lucinda had a chance to respond.

  The crowd broke into applause on their arrival and Victoria grimaced as Reginald turned her round in a small circle, waving to the crowd. He bowed and shook hands and generally charmed the entire room. Victoria, after some fierce, prompting whispers from Reginald, managed to greet their guests as generously as she was capable of. She knew it didn’t come off quite as genuine as Reginald’s entrance, however. Her reputation was already too far gone at this point, she decided.

  The instruments broke into a traditional wailing Scrabian melody.

  ‘Just follow my lead,’ Reginald whispered in her ear.

  Victoria bit her lip and obeyed, eyes wide. She was bewildered through most of the dance as they spun and waltzed. Victoria knew she wasn’t elegant and was making a fool of both herself and her partner, but Reginald didn’t seem concerned with it. By the look on his face he appeared just as desperate to get through the dance and out of the spotlight as she did. His grip on her was tight and sweaty.

  Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the dance ended and the rest of the guests swept onto the floor. Victoria broke from Reginald’s grasp before the last notes had finished their drone and made a bee-line for the farthest table she could spot. She noted irritably the group of giggling girls who had lined up to ask Reginald to dance. She rolled her eyes, glad to be free of it all.

  Victoria slumped back in her chair and watched the madness in seclusion. It didn’t take her long to become lost in deep brooding thoughts about the mysterious pods and, more importantly, her near future. The people spinning on the floor made her dizzy. She plucked at a few loose threads on the embroidered cloth covering the table and watched as Reginald was subjected to yet another dance. He hadn’t escaped from the crowds fast enough. Their eyes locked briefly and he gave her a wide-eyed look of misery. She couldn’t help but grin at that.

  Her eyes continued roving the room.

  Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, Victoria felt a strange, disturbing sensation hit her. The hairs on her neck rose. She had a wild urge to back into a corner, out of sight, away from whatever this imposing outside source was. She searched the crowd in growing apprehension. She had never felt the feeling before, but she knew what it was: witchcraft. Someone was fixing their complete attention on her, and wanted her to know. She clenched her teeth in frustratio
n. There were so many people it was hard to get a fix on where the sensation was emanating from.

  Then her eyes settled on it. At the far end of the room was another hidden table, like hers. Someone was sitting in the shadows, dressed in black, so Victoria almost took the figure for a shadow as well. Victoria watched the person for a long moment, but the figure made no move to acknowledge her. Just kept staring. Like a ghost. Something that wasn’t really there. The feeling didn’t leave Victoria, only seemed to intensify now that she’d spotted the source. She shuddered. Magic wasn’t common among people, and though the sense didn’t feel menacing, it was constant, like a tugging at her hair. Of course, the chance of the sense truly being magic was almost completely improbable. Maybe she was just paranoid, overreacting.

  ‘I’ve finally gone mad,’ she sighed to herself and flopped back in her chair.

  She glanced away somewhat reluctantly and spotted a handsome, blond gladiator looking her way. Their eyes locked and Victoria felt a slight flutter in her stomach she couldn’t control. Gladiators were absolutely off-limits, but he was attractive, even from a distance, and she couldn’t help it. Much to her dismay and nerves, he started towards her.

  Victoria watched him apprehensively as he came up. She wasn’t able to stop herself from taking in his bold muscles and strong jaw. He clearly noticed her looking him over and she grimaced inwardly at what she realised must have been rather blatant curiosity.

  ‘It seems a shame that a woman as beautiful as you should be sitting alone,’ he said as he sidled up.

  Victoria gaped, shocked by his words. Gladiators weren’t usually schooled on the proper etiquette of social gatherings, but to approach the Queen’s daughter so boldly! She didn’t know if she was appalled or impressed. Even though his approach was completely inappropriate, he appeared completely at ease.

  More shocking still, the gladiator sat down heavily. ‘I’m not much for crowds,’ he confided. ‘I prefer a more…intimate setting.’

  Victoria, still overcoming her shock, bobbed her head slowly, but words failed her.

  ‘The name’s Assad, you’ve probably seen me fight in the arena. Marus is my mentor.’ Assad had a way of purring his words, they flowed together like silk.

  Victoria finally managed to regain control of her tongue. She managed to say, ‘No doubt you know who I am, though I must say, you are awfully bold to come up to me in such a manner.’

  Assad grinned. ‘When your life is short, you have to be bold. Life has no interest, otherwise.’

  Victoria couldn’t really argue with that. ‘I’m surprised you all got invited to this party, no offense. I just don’t see you all out that often.’

  Assad shrugged. ‘It’s a joyous celebration. We all get to join in on the fun.’ His words were subtly sarcastic. ‘Besides, I believe I heard a rumour you requested to see the gladiators for your wedding announcement. We’re flattered.’

  How did he hear that? Victoria raised her gaze. ‘Right. So are you all going back to your cages after this or do you get free reign over the town for a while?’

  Assad’s mouth pulled down at what she realised must have been insulting. ‘Actually, we’re turned loose tonight, so watch out; the town could be torn apart by tomorrow!’

  ‘I suppose I wouldn’t be surprised,’ Victoria mused. ‘Strange things always happen on the eve of the Passing. I’ll probably be cursed for having my marriage announced at such a time.’

  ‘Cursed or blessed? The Passing is said to be a time of passion and inexplicable events.’ He lowered his voice to a confidential purr. ‘Have you heard about the pods?’

  Victoria felt a sliver of suspicion run through her. His bold approach was suddenly making more sense. ‘The pods?’

  Assad leant in closer; she felt her face flush from the sudden invasion of her private space. She could see flecks of green in his blue eyes. ‘From the Dead World.’

  Victoria nodded. ‘I saw them coming down last night.’

  She decided not to mention the fact that they were going up, not down. He must have just heard through rumours, otherwise he’d know.

  Assad looked disappointed at her lack of information. ‘Sounds like you lot are just as much in the dark as the rest of us.’

  Victoria rested her elbows on the table. ‘Perhaps we’re just not that keen on sharing some information with young gladiators.’

  Assad’s eyes glinted. ‘I think you’re much more keen than you want to admit.’ He trailed off suggestively. ‘Well, if you are really as in the dark as you say you are, I’ve got a suggestion for you, if you know how to keep a secret.’

  She couldn’t help but be intrigued. She raised a thin brow questioningly.

  Assad moved in even closer. She could feel his breath against her cheek now. ‘A few friends of mine are going to trek down tonight to get a look at those things, see what’s inside of them. Could be rather an adventure…’

  Victoria was once again shocked by his boldness. It was such an improper invitation she could not begin to know how to reply. As brash as he was, Assad’s invite was strangely tempting. She had never in her life been invited to something as daring as that. The idea gave her chills. Running off with a gladiator the night her wedding was announced, how scandalous!

  ‘I don’t know. I’m usually locked up in my own cage around then.’

  Assad’s eyes darted over to Reginald on the dance floor. ‘Ah, yes. No doubt the impropriety of the affair would bring eternal shame to your future husband.’

  Victoria rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, please. Don’t worry about him. I would love to come, but there’s no way out of the palace at night.’ She winced. ‘Sorry.’ She was surprised by her disappointment with her answer.

  He looked slightly crestfallen. ‘Well, it was certainly worth an asking, even if nothing could come of it.’

  She let out a breath. ‘Believe me; I’d rather go with you than be stuck here.’

  A wry, mischievous grin pulled at his lips.

  ‘Assad?’ a cold voice said above them.

  A shadow crossed their table. Victoria and Assad both glanced up in surprise to see Marus. The gladiator was strong, powerful and steely eyed. It was little wonder he was captain of the group. Victoria didn’t blame all the women—and quite a few men—falling weak in the knees over him. There was plain evidence of this in the form of several random tokens from women stuck in his jacket and a young, dapper man close to his arm.

  ‘Marus! How’s the party?’ Assad asked nervously, his smooth demeanour disappeared, as if into smoke.

  Marus’s dark blue eyes narrowed. ‘Just fine. Will you come with me?’

  ‘Well, I…uh…’ Assad cast Victoria an unsure look.

  Marus’s eyes shifted to Victoria. They shone in the firelight. ‘My apologies, M’lady. He does not know his place.’ He dipped his head slightly, causing dark hair to fall across his face.

  Victoria looked down at the tablecloth, inexplicably intimidated. ‘It’s okay. Nice meeting you.’

  When she looked back up, both Marus and Assad were gone. She let out an exasperated groan and slumped back in her chair. Reginald cast her another look from across the room, at the centre of a packed circle of fans. He raised his eyebrows to ask how she was. She gave him a tight smile in answer. He nodded, sympathetic.

  She needed to get out of here.

  ‘Don’t mind him,’ a silky voice said.

  Victoria jumped violently. She whirled round to see the black clad figure who’d been watching her earlier now standing next to her. She could tell the person was a woman, but all she could see were the woman’s bright grey eyes and white skin from behind her veil. Now that Victoria was facing her, there was nothing threatening about the woman, other than the feeling she had experienced before, but it nonetheless took a good deal of restraint to keep from shouting for the guards.

  ‘Who, Marus?’

  The woman nodded and sat down without an invitation. ‘He’s got an understandable grudge against the Royal
Family.’

  Victoria frowned. She was not in the mood for a lecture on gladiator rights. ‘Who are you?’

  The woman shrugged slightly. ‘I’m many different people, depending where I go. You can call me Arkron. I’ve been watching you for a while.’

  Victoria shifted uncomfortably. ‘Oh? Why?’

  ‘You’re an important person,’ Arkron said, leaning back in her chair. ‘And your life is about to change.’

  ‘Yeah, I know,’ Victoria grumbled. She inwardly braced herself for the impending speech on the trials of marriage.

  Arkron’s eyes smiled. ‘What do you know about the Dead World?’

  Victoria blinked, surprised by the subject change. ‘It’s full of our dead, they haunt it. It’s the other world, but not where the gods are.’

  My, the topic was quite popular this evening.

  Arkron nodded. ‘Figured as much. The Dead World isn’t what you think. Have you seen the pods?’

  Victoria narrowed her eyes. ‘Yes. Why?’

  ‘They aren’t what they seem either. They’re connected to this world, very closely. Tomorrow when the Passing occurs, poisonous gifts will send things into unstoppable motion.’

  Victoria stared at Arkron suspiciously. ‘What are you, a priestess?’

  Arkron chuckled. ‘Not exactly. But I would keep my eyes close on that group, if I were you.’

  Victoria stood up hurriedly, the chair scraped loudly behind her. ‘Right, well, it was nice speaking with you.’

  She cast her gaze round for the nearest guard. She was quite certain this woman hadn’t been invited.

  Arkron smiled from her seat. ‘Do not be so quick to reject friends, or to judge. You will regret it in the end.’

  ‘Okay, thanks…’ Victoria sidled away and noticed a guard. She jerked on his cape. ‘Hey, who let the nutter in who’s sitting at my table?’

  The man looked at her in confusion.

  Victoria pointed back to her table. ‘She’s right—’