Chapter 13

Liri bolted upright and sucked in a breath. As she looked around, she did a quick recap of what she knew. An idiot, Spencer, a giant, and a phaser. “Right.” She swung her feet off the tiny bed and stood up. “It was a lovely holiday, I won’t be leaving a good review.” She smirked; she’d seen it on a show because when had she ever been on a holiday in her life? Never.

Going over, she put her ear against the door and listened. She couldn’t hear anyone. Grasping the door handle, she held her breath and turned it. It opened. Sticking her head out, she looked in both directions and didn’t see anyone. Slipping out, she closed the door again, hoping it would make them think she was still sleeping. She turned around and then went to her left, moving quickly. There had to be a way out, right? People obviously didn’t phase in and out if the way she’d been feeling was any indication. Feeling like you were dying wasn’t worth doing it. She turned the corner and then froze. It was pitch black in that direction. Biting the inside of her cheek, she shook her head. No, she was not brave enough to go that way without any weapon.

Hurrying back in the direction she’d come, she passed. More closed doors. She couldn’t help wondering if there were abducted people behind them as well. When she reached the end of the hall, she had two choices in direction. Inching her way along the rough stone wall, she looked around the corner. In that direction, there were several people; she wouldn’t be going that way. Backing up, she froze when she brushed up against something that wasn’t a cold stone wall. It felt very much like a warm body. She turned slowly and looked up at the giant that had come into the room.

“I didn’t expect you to be awake yet.” He looked her up and down. “I’m Bohdi.”

Liri backed away from him. He really was huge. She hadn’t measured or anything, but she’d be willing to bet he was the size of Victor. She sucked in a breath. “I would like to leave now.” She nodded.

“Yeah,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “we’re working on that.” He motioned in the direction she had decided not to go. “Pam is making something to eat. Come on, I’ll explain what’s happening.”

When she just stood there looking up at him, he shrugged and walked by her. Liri looked in the direction he’d come from and saw nothing but a long carved-out hall. Clenching her jaw, she turned and followed behind him slowly. She had to figure out how to get out of there. It looked like a big cave. She cringed. It better not be the icky tunnels under the city. She’d heard more than enough about those when Bastian had been down in them. She didn’t handle rodents well.

The area he led her into was big, and it was definitely a cave. Not a natural one, from the looks of it, or not all of it was created by nature It was huge, and she knew there was no way this was something under the city. Then again, with humans, you couldn’t be sure of things. That much she had learned in the short time she’d been in their realm observing things.

How long had she been gone? Someone would have noticed by now. Did she barter her way out of there or wait to be rescued?

“Oh good, you’re awake.” You turned to see the woman that had come in and stopped her from falling on her face. She held up a tray. “I made you a sandwich. Are you hungry?”

Liri’s stomach churned; she was starving. “No.”

“You should eat; it will help.” She smiled at her. “I’m Pam; by the way, I didn’t have time to introduce myself earlier.” She turned and went over to a group of tables.

“How long,” Liri hurried after her, “how long have I been here?”

Pam set the tray down and then on the other side of the table, “A few hours. I’m actually surprised you’re awake.” She smirked. “Must be your Solrelm genes. Spencer will be out for several more hours.”

Liri looked around, no one was paying any attention to them. She sat down slowly and looked at the food on the tray, her stomach protested hunger once more. “Where am I?”

“You’re still in Interealm but miles from the city now.”

“Interealm?” Liri had heard of all the realms before but never that one.

“The human’s realm.” Pam’s expression was serious.

“There’s a name for it?” Liri picked up the sandwich and took a small sample bite. She wasn’t sure what it was, but her taste buds were happy with it.

“Yes.” Pam smirked, “And you’re from Solrelm, one hundred percent pure Spencer said,” she leaned on the table, “Why are you here?” She cocked her head, “Are you a watcher? I’ve never seen a female watcher before.”

Liri swallowed. “I wish. Women aren’t allowed to be watchers.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Liri nodded and took another bite.

“I’m sorry for what Spencer did, he felt you were in danger though, or he wouldn’t have.”

Swallowing, Liri picked up the cup and took a small sip. It was apple juice. “I probably was; the dark-souled ones are all over the city looking for Nova still,” she cringed, “don’t tell my cousins I was out on my own.”

“I doubt I know your cousins, so that won’t be a problem.”

“Prince Bastian and Trendan? You don’t know them?” She wasn’t used to that; everyone always knew them.

“Your cousins are princes from Solrelm?” Pam sat up straighter, “you’re from the royal family.” She whispered, “Bohdi is going to kill Spencer.” She stood up, “I’ll be right back.”

Liri watched her go and then looked around. No one was paying any attention to her. She hadn’t been abducted. She’d probably been saved from the dark-souled ones getting her. Picking up the sandwich, she got up and started walking in the opposite direction Pam had gone. She hadn’t asked where she was exactly, but if she was still near the city, she could take a cab back. She had no idea how to do that, and she didn’t have any money, but if she got a ride to the Gemini’s place, someone there would pay for it, she supposed. She needed to ask Bastian for some human money. She didn’t have to pay for anything at home. It was always supplied for her. It might be interesting doing things for herself.

She ducked down the first hall she came to and then stopped. It was some sort of control room. There were screens everywhere. Her eyes widened when she spotted a platform. It looked a lot like the one in her world that ported them to Alterealm. She moved quickly toward it and then froze. Hanging on the wall behind it was a huge worn tapestry with symbols on it. One of the symbols was Solrelm’s.

“It doesn’t work.”

She spun around to see a man standing behind her. He had black hair and blue eyes; she’d never get used to eyes with color. He was a normal-sized man, which made her feel less alarmed; she studied him for a moment. He was completely human.

“Without help from Alterealm, we’ll probably never get it working again.” He shrugged, “Are you the one that Spencer phased in here?” He shook his head, “all of us are going to get a lecture over that.”

“Um,” she nodded, “Yes. I was just wondering how to get home.”

“To Solrelm? Spencer said you were from Solrelm.” He went over and set the box on the table in front of the screens.

“No, to the city, here.”

“Oh.” He started taking things out of the box. “I guess Bohdi could give you a lift, but he doesn’t usually take off in the middle of the day, so you might have to wait until tonight.”

“There you are.”

She spun around to see Pam and the large Bohdi standing behind her. “Sorry, I,” she turned and looked at the tapestry, “you have all of the realm’s emblems on that.”

“Yeah, my great-great-grandmother made that,” he motioned to the platform, “so any coming over knew they were in the right place.”

“What exactly is this place?” She went to put her hands on her hips and then remembered the sandwich she was holding.

“Interealm headquarters. It hasn’t been used to greet guests from the other realms in a very long time, but we still keep watch.”

Liri looked around the room again. “I see.”

“Come on, I’ll give you a tour while we figure out how we’re getting you back there.” Bohdi motioned in the direction she’d come. “We don’t have any others coming this way until tonight, but we can call someone back if needed.”

“I would love a tour.” She did, but she really wanted to call Bastian and tell him what she’d found. It felt monumental. “Did I understand right? My phone didn’t survive phasing?”

“Electronics don’t do well with phasers.” He glanced over his shoulder, “But if you wanted to call someone, you could use my phone.”

Liri was about to agree and then remembered, “I don’t know anyone’s number.”

Bohdi grinned, “Yeah, that’s the problem with electronics; none of us used our brains. My grandfather used to say that about all the gadgets down here.” He glanced around, “of course, he’d be stunned if he could see it now.”

“Do you know the Gemini women? Uh, league.”

He shook her head, “Can’t say that I do. Is that where you need to get back to? I can ask some of the others.”

They walked by a room, and she paused and stepped back to look into it. It was filled with weapons. She went in it and right over to a rack with blades on it.

“Have a thing for blades?”

She smirked, “I have a dusack,” she glanced at him, “and regret not taking it for my walk.”

Bohdi smirked, “I don’t see people responding well to someone carrying a small sword around with them.”

“Why do you have all of these?” She ran her hand along the handle of one of them. The craftsmanship was amazing.

“It used to be for Alterealm when they were over here keeping things in line, but lately, they’re just something to make someone I’m pissed off with polish.”

Liri smirked. “I guess Spencer will be polishing a few.”

“That he will.”

Turning, she looked him up and down. “So you don’t work with the realms now?”

“Not by anything we did. Believe me. They just stopped coming.”

She frowned. “No, they haven’t.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “How do you know that?”

“Because my cousins have been working with the Alterealm royals to take down a crazy mage and,” she frowned, she wasn’t sure how much to share, “other things.”

“That explains some things that have been happening around the city.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I might have to go easy on Spencer, finding you could give us the answers to some very old questions.”

Liri took a bite of the sandwich and then nodded. She didn’t know what questions, but something told her that wandering around the city alone might have been the right thing to do. Hopefully, her cousins saw it that way.