Chapter 5

Chairs scraped across the floor as everyone sat down.

“I can’t recall the last time Mitz was that brusque,” the man with the scar said to Autumn as they sat down.

“Yeah, it’s not her normal tone,” Rafael agreed. “Unless bloody weapons on the table are involved.”

I looked at the sandwich in front of me, then lifted the top piece of bread. It was jam. The others passed the tray of sandwiches around and started eating. Picking up the glass, I took a sip. It was fruit punch. She must have seen what I’d had in my backpack, I decided.

Bastian sat there, not eating, just staring at his clasped hands resting on the table.

Quinton also wasn’t eating. He sat across from me, just looking at me. “Did any of you introduce yourselves to Reagan?” he turned and looked at the scary redheaded man, “before you got in her face?”

“Uh,” Daxx looked around. “I think some of us did at medical?”

Several heads turned and looked at me. I set the glass down.

“I’m Crissy,” the short woman with sandy blonde hair said as she looked up from her notebook to nod at me with a smile. Turning to the scary redheaded man, she huffed out a breath. “I can’t find anything for Reagan.” She stabbed the notebook with her finger. “For all the others, there was something.” She frowned and just sat there unmoving for several seconds. “Strange fog,” she whispered.

He gave her an affectionate look. “I’m sure you’ll find something, heart.”

She nodded and looked at me again. “Do you have any tattoos?”

I shook my head, not even wanting to guess why she’d ask that.

“Okay.” Standing up quickly, she turned to the door. “I need to go to my corner.” She nodded, then paused in step and looked at me. “I’m glad you’re here.” With that, she walked out of the room.

Her corner?

“You’ll get used to Crissy moments,” the woman with the short dark hair said. “I’m Paisley.” She gave me a genuine smile. “This is my mate, Arius.” She put her hand on the shoulder of the man with the long black hair.

“Prince Arius?” My mother had told stories about him. I looked at him. He didn’t seem as terrifying as my mother had said.

Arius looked surprised. “Your mother explained a lot about Alterealm.”

It wasn’t a question, but I still nodded. “Yes. She would talk about it for hours. I loved how happy she looked when she talked about it.”

“I’m sorry you lost her,” the woman with long black hair said. “I’m Alona, Chase’s mate.”

I started to get up.

“Please don’t,” Daxx said.

I sat down and looked back at Alona. “I’m not required to show respect?”

Alona smiled, almost smirked. “We are very informal outside official moments.”

I nodded. “Okay.” I looked around the table, glancing briefly at the pendants each person wore. “Can I guess who the rest of you are?” I felt silly. “For thirty years, I listened to every detail my mother told me.”

King Chase smirked. “Give it your best shot.”

I inhaled and exhaled slowly and looked around the table slowly. “Okay. King Troy and Queen…” My mouth went wide when I looked at Daxx. “You are the Huntress.”

Daxx gave her mate a hard look. “When I’m allowed to do my job.”

I grinned. I had no idea what that meant. “My mother often wondered if the prophecy was more fable.”

She lifted her hands. “All true.”

I nodded, then looked to the scary man. Bastian had called him Justice. His amulet had the scales of justice on it. “Prince…Victor, the Justice of Alterealm.” I said hesitantly.

He inclined his head. “I am. Mate to Princess Cristy.”

Cristy. Crissy. “She’s lovely.” If not a little confusing. I decided to keep that part to myself. I looked to the woman beside him, then to the man seated next to her. His amulet had a shield and sword on it. “Captain of the guard?” I studied him, “with a playful light in his eyes.” I smiled. “Rafael. You weren’t the Captain when my mother was still here.”

Rafael grinned. “No, but she’s taught you the sigils well.”

“Yes.” I nodded. “She wanted me to escape and know how to show proper respect.” I looked at his tattooed arm then to Kara’s. My mother had told me the tattoos were identical in design. “You’re mate to the Captain,” I said, looking at her.

“I am.” Her cheeks heated.

I took that to mean they hadn’t been mated long. Autumn was next. I grinned at her. “And you—you need to teach me that kick.”

Autumn snorted. “Always willing to help a girl learn to defend herself.”

“I’m more suited for healing than fighting, but you never know when it could come in handy.” I studied her pendant, a book and a sword, then looked to the man with the scar on his face. I inclined my head as I’d seen them do often. “Prince Michael, the Law Holder of the realm.”

He bowed his head for a second. “Yes.”

I smiled, feeling somewhat like a schoolgirl that had gotten the highest score. Then, taking a short breath, I looked at the couple seated next. I frowned. It was the marking for the enforcer, which made no sense. Prince Quinton was the enforcer, or so my mother had told me. “You’re the enforcer?” I glanced at Quinton. He sat there with his arms crossed over his chest, an unreadable expression on his face.

Bethany leaned forward. “Yes, Leone is the enforcer and my mate.”

Daxx sat upright. “Quinton is one of my captains now.”

I exhaled. “Of course, the Huntress would have need of her own captains.” I smiled at Quinton and received no sign of pleasantry back. Clearing my throat, I turned to the last man sitting there. Emil. I did the math in my head quickly and came up with nine brothers. He was clearly a brother, as he looked too much like Arius to be otherwise. My jaw dropped. “The prophecy was—is true,” I whispered more to myself than the rest of the room.

Emil tilted his head to the side. “I’m feeling left out here.” He glanced to King Troy. “I spent three hundred years seeking answers, and a woman that has never been here knows of my existence.”

Troy lifted his hands, then dropped them. “Her mother was well versed in the realms’ prophecies.” He frowned and turned toward me. “Did she have an official position here?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. “Not that I know of…” Her necklace. I stood up quickly. “I have to go back over.” I stepped around the chair. “Her necklace. It’s over there.”

Emil held up his hand. “We will get it.” He motioned to the chair. “Please, sit, allow us to catch our breath.”

“It was my mother’s family emblem. The pendant. I have to get it.”

“Her family’s emblem.” King Chase looked to his twin. “An emblem makes finding her family much simpler.”

“It does, brother.” King Troy looked at me. “We will take you back to get it tomorrow.”

“We have many things on our to-do list right now,” Paisley said, giving her mate a stern look.

I wanted to object, but this was the royal family. Of course, they had more important things to do. “Thank you.” I sat back down.

“You’ve arrived at a very busy juncture in this war of good and evil, I’m afraid,” King Chase told me.

“War?” I’d seen enough wars in my life.

Bethany nodded. “What you witnessed in the garage was a part of what we’re fighting.”

“Taking people?” I remember the child crying.

“That and more. Specifically, people with Alterealm DNA. Especially women,” she said softly.

I could only think of a few reasons why someone would abduct women, none of them good. “Why with Alterealm DNA?”

“Because the man behind it wants to breed his own kingdom of followers.”

“Excuse me?” I wasn’t sure I’d heard Autumn correctly.

“I said breed.” Her tone held no emotion.

“That’s—that’s…” I looked around at the others. “But you’re stopping them like you did tonight?”

“We don’t always get there in time,” Alona said, remorse showing on her face.

I glanced at Prince Bastian, then around the table. “But—now you know how they’re doing it…”

“I’m afraid there is much more to it, Reagan.” Victor’s tone was somber.

“Worse than using abducted women like cattle?” That was hard to believe.

“Much worse,” Bethany whispered.

I sat there for several seconds, attempting to figure out what was worse, and honestly couldn’t come up with anything. The fact that they’d agreed to take me back to get the necklace was amazing enough if they were dealing with all of this. I nodded at my thoughts. “Would you like me to leave so that you can discuss realm business?”

Daxx looked at Alona, who glanced to Paisley then to her mate.

“I feel like,” Alona studied me for a second, “she’s meant to be here.” She motioned to Bethany. “She abducted Leone,” then she smiled at Kara, “she shot Rafael…”

“Arius saved me,” Paisley added.

“Michael me.” Autumn nodded.

“I saved the idiots that took you,” Michael told her with a smirk.

“Cristy did see her.” Victor straightened and rested his hands on the table.

“As did Rafael.” King Troy looked at Rafael. “Don’t think we aren’t going to talk about that.”

Rafael sighed, then glanced to his mate. “I figured we would be.”

“You can stay.” Daxx gave me a brief smile.

I just sat there, trying to take in everything they’d said. Abductions, shooting… I realized they were all looking at me. “Okay, but FYI, I know nothing of realm business—stuff.”

Daxx snorted. “You know way more about Alterealm then all of us did.”

“Myself included.” Emil sat back and crossed his arms.

“Your very existence has already given us one answer we couldn’t dream of.” King Chase waved his hand around. “We’ve been crunching numbers and figuring out puzzles, and all we needed was to find Solrelm traitors.” He stood up. “I need coffee.” He walked toward the table with a coffee maker on it. “Beloved, can you make this thing brew some caffeine for me?”

Alona smirked and got up.

“On that note of miraculous revelations,” Bastian motioned to me, “I’ll collect my traitor and take him home to get you answers about any others.”

“All details are welcome,” Michael told him.

“Wait.” I stood up. “I still don’t know why you said I wasn’t human.”

He paused and looked around at the others. “None of the ladies are now. Not with the mates’ bond.” He tilted his head and grinned at me. “You’ll blend in perfectly.”

I looked at a few of the women. They all looked human to me, if not gobsmacked, hearing what he’d said. “My father…” I turned back to him, “is there a chance he’s still alive?”

“Oh, not to worry there. I plan on finding out every detail on that front.” He smiled, then looked at the kings one at a time. “Your majesties.” He bowed his head. “You will be hearing from me soon.”

“I’ll take him to the cells.” Arius got up. He leaned down and kissed the top of Paisley’s head. “You can catch me up when I get back, babe.” He started for the door.

“You can’t keep me away from him forever,” she called to him.

Arius glanced over his shoulder. “Only until I have backup…and you agree to wear an inhibitor. For his safety.” He walked out quickly.

Autumn turned to Michael. “Don’t even think of restricting me when I meet Dad.”

I glanced from Paisley to Autumn. “So that Nathas man is your father—and he’s helping abduct people?”

“It’s worse than that,” Kara said. “They thought he was dead. They didn’t know they had a sister, and Autumn ended up on the street when she was six.”

My jaw dropped. I looked at Autumn. “I’ll heal him as many times as needed so that you can hurt him all over again.”

Autumn smacked her hand on the table, then turned to Michael. “I like her. She stays.”

Quinton got up. “I’m going to check on Detrick and Gudrun.”

“Let us know if they’re up for a talk,” King Troy told him.

Quinton nodded. “Last I checked, all that we rescued from the asylum would need days of rest and proper medical care.” Rubbing a hand across his forehead, he turned to Michael. “Still nothing at the market. We found two marks like that, though, so it has to be some sort of signal.” He stood there for a moment and looked at me. “The doctor will be checking you over tomorrow. I want to make sure healing me had no long-term effect on you.” He turned to Michael. “Get her a phone and programmed porter.” With that, he tuned and left the room.

I turned slowly to Autumn.

She shrugged. “Tests couldn’t hurt.”

Michael gave King Troy an odd look. “He’s a bigger ass than normal.”

“When are we contacting that woman that gave me the note?” Kara asked. “I’d like to know what she’s doing working there.”

Daxx glanced at me. “They were holding residents from Alterealm in an asylum for years.”

“Oh. How did they all end up in the same place?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Rafael said with an unpleasant expression on his face.

“Considering Gudrun has been missing for over two hundred years and is a great warrior, I need to know all of the details of his detainment.” Victor’s tone was even, but the expression on his face was lethal.

“Let me know if any need my help.” I held up my gloved hands and wiggled my fingers. “It’s what I do.” I paused. “I’m not sure how well I can help with mental health issues or trauma like that, but at the very least, I could make them feel more at peace.”

“Good to know,” King Troy said.

His twin came back over with a cup of coffee. “You don’t need to wear the gloves among us.” He turned to Alona. “I wonder if her ability would help those that have lost a mate.”

I looked at the gloves on my hands. I’d worn gloves almost all the time since Mother, and I discovered what touching someone could do. I didn’t have to hide that here, but they were a part of who I was now.

“What repercussions do you suffer from healing others?” Kara asked me.

“It weakens me. Sometimes just my hair lightens, other times if I help too much, it renders me unconscious.”

“You seemed pretty weak after helping Quinton,” Bethany said.

I winced. “Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, I overdo it. I didn’t realize the extent of his injuries at the time.”

“We are grateful for your help.” Victor inclined his head to me.

Arius came back into the room, grinning. “That poor sap almost wet himself out when he saw one of his princes collecting him to go home.”

“I can’t blame him there.” Emil shook his head. “Bastian is a bit on the strange and scary side.”

I covered my mouth as I yawned.

“I think,” Emil turned to King Troy, “we should all go get some rest and come up with strategies tomorrow.”

King Troy rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t argue with that. I don’t remember the last time I slept.”

“We can take first watch.” Alona motioned to her mate. “I think we were the last to nap.”

Daxx slumped forward onto the table. “We’d get more rest if we just slept with our heads down on this table.”

Victor stood up. “I’m entirely too old to sleep on the table.” He bowed his head. “I’m going to go retrieve Cristy and hopefully persuade her to rest.” He walked out unceremoniously.

Kara looked at Alona. “Reagan could take my old room.”

Alona nodded. “Yes. I’m sure a soak and some sleep in a quiet room would be welcome.”

“I’ll take her up on my way to my bed,” Emil said, standing up. “This has been a long day or night.” He shrugged.

Oh my god, I was going to sleep in a palace. It was the only thing that registered in my mind.

~

As we walked past tall pillars and molded arches, I had to focus to keep my mouth closed and not sound like some fangirl by squealing. I was walking through the palace in Alterealm. I couldn’t help wishing my mother was alive so that I could tell her. She’d talked about the palace on top of a mountain, and I was in it. I looked at Emil, who gave me an odd look.

“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

I stopped. “I’m so sorry. I’m just, just,” I waved my hand around, “walking in the palace in Alterealm.”

He chuckled. “Yes, you are.” He looked around. “Alona has been refurnishing it. I’m told it hasn’t been used in…”

“Since the twin kings were born.” I nodded.

Motioning to the stairs, he started for them. “You have more knowledge of here than I did weeks after finding out I had eight brothers.”

I walked slowly up them, wanting to drag out walking through the palace as long as I could. “I often wished I had a sibling.”

“I used to.” Emil smirked. “I can’t even describe what it has been like for me.”

I gave him a side glance. “Probably better than hiding.”

He hissed out a breath. “Yes, it is. Trying not to be found out for two hundred and fifty years was a challenge.”

I grinned. “Took you fifty years to figure out you were different?”

Chuckling, he motioned in the direction to turn at the top. “No, I knew that early on. Took fifty years to figure out I wasn’t dying any day soon and what to do about it.”

“I guess I was lucky and had my mother to clue me in.” I stopped and looked at a portrait on the wall. “He looks like you.”

“Or I him.” Emil studied it. “I think Quinton said that’s my great-great-grandfather, but I could be off on some greats.”

“They’re not all decked out and covered in sparkling jewels,” I noted out loud.

He shook his head. “This royal family, I believe, has always ruled modestly.”

“All realms need more of that.” I glanced at him. “The rich to tone it down and live like the rest of us.”

“I agree.” He motioned down the hall. “I’m not trying to hurry you; I just need to lay down soon or fall over.” He smirked. “The last few weeks, at least—I’ve lost track—have been hectic.”

“How serious is the rest of this? They didn’t explain.”

“Thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, at risk in more than one realm.”

I stopped walking and looked at him. “That Willis guy wants to take over the realms?”

“Something like that.” He pointed to the door beside me. “That’s your room.” He looked at the door across from it. “I think that room is empty, but if you go up to the next level,” he pointed to a staircase, “I’m the first door at the top.” He inclined his head. “Help yourself to anything in there. I’m sure by now Mitz has the closet filled with anything you could want in your size.” He smirked.

“Thank you, Prince…”

He held up his hand. “Just Emil. Titles are for special meetings and balls.” He grinned. “I haven’t known I was a prince long, so hearing it is still—peculiar.” He turned to leave then stopped. “Oh, if you feel like going for a stroll, best take someone with you. Kara has a mountain lion cub as a pet.”

My eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“Long story. I’m sure the girls will fill you in.” He smiled, then turned and went to the stairs.

I stood there for a second. Mountain lion cub! I’d never had a pet. I couldn’t wait to see it. Turning around, I opened the door and went in. It wasn’t elaborately fabulous, then again, I lived in a one-room shack on top of a roof. I flipped the light switch and closed the door. I just stood there after I did that. I was in Alterealm. In Alterealm. I’d finally be safe from anyone finding out about me.

I was suddenly exhausted. I’d been running on adrenaline for the last few hours but still needed to recover fully from healing Prince—just, Quinton. I looked at the huge bed. With a quick wash, I would then fall into that inviting dream.

At least that’s what I thought until I saw the bathroom. It would be a crime to not bathe in that large tub, and I was all for committing no crimes.