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  “Thank you.” I was grateful since it was freezing outside yesterday.

  Most of them mumbled in disagreement, but we went anyway.

  The sunlight was blinding as the rock opened for us to exit. We carefully stepped over the trip wire the men had set up around the yard. They weeded and harvested as we headed into the thick trees. We walked in silence, until we reached a small brook. The crystal clear water blanketed over pebbles. Water foamed and splashed over larger rocks that speckled the stream. It was picturesque. The white had nearly melted from the day before, highlighting just the edges of nature. He found a large stone and sat on it, patting the area beside him for me to sit too.

  “I apologize for anything you may have heard this morning.” He didn’t look at me. His eyes gazed at the water, but I knew the brook wasn’t what imprisoned his thoughts.

  “Why does Dresdem want me?” I asked as I found my place beside him.

  “We’re not really certain, but I believe it may have something to do with you crossing the chasm. That hasn’t happened, to my knowledge, in a really long time. And the royals… well… some royals are interested in portal jumping, and they probably want to interrogate you.” His voice grew serious, “But I won’t let that happen.”

  “It wouldn’t matter if I answered every one of their questions. I have no idea how I got here, and I’m even more lost as to how to go back.”

  “You never want to be caught in the hands of the Dresdem or anyone like him.”

  “What’s special about him?”

  “He’s a straight royal. The Tresels are only half-royals. Straight royals have the most power and magic. The half-royals are mixed magicians, which means a straight royal married an average citizen. Their children are usually capable of diluted magic, but half-royals can never hold office in Mezzanine.”

  I thought for a moment which of the Tresels would have been the straight royal. There’s no doubt — Mrs. Tresels.

  “Why would Mrs. Tresels marry a commoner?” I asked curiously.

  “It was a scandal. A punishment of sorts. But that’s for another day. Right now, I’ve got to figure out what to do with you. With us.”

  “I understand the guys not wanting me there. I can see I’m making them uneasy and nervous. Where should I go?”

  “I’ll figure out something,” he answered in deep contemplation.

  “I’m not your problem, Chester. You’ve already helped me escape from the Tresels. That’s really more than I could have hoped for. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.” I didn’t want to leave his side. I felt safe with him, but I wanted even less to cause him any more misery. I just needed to find out how to get back home, which made turning myself in to the royals seem worthwhile, but I disregarded that absurdity when I realized how devastating magic would be in my world. It’s evil enough without any additional help from darkness.

  “You are not my problem; you’re right. But you are my friend, and I’m not going to let you go through this alone. We’re in this together, okay?” He stared at me with intense brown eyes, which made the same promise to me.

  “Okay,” I conceded. “Tell me, what really made you come to rescue me? And don’t tell me it was your guilty conscious,” I said light heartedly, trying to lighten the mood, but his serious demeanor didn’t change.

  “I did feel guilty; although, that’s an emotion that has all but become extinct in Mezzanine. But you’re right that it wasn’t just that. I just… It was just that… it was so nice having your company that night when you stayed at my house. I know we didn’t talk much, and I know it was somewhat uncomfortable. I suppose it’s just nice to have companionship, no matter in what form it comes.”

  “When’s the last time you had company?”

  “Never,” he shrugged and threw a stone in the brook.

  “Never?” I knew that never meant ever here. “You’ve never had family or friends over?”

  “I’m not like the other people. I don’t have family and having friends is dangerous here. I had a relationship once, but I’d visit her. It was never love, only a succumbing to loneliness. I’ve always found that people are unreliable and are easily persuaded by dark magic. Too bloody risky.”

  “So that’s why it wasn’t anything for you to turn invisible and leave me high and dry that day.”

  “You’re wrong. It was very difficult. I knew I could trust you because you hadn’t been tainted by this world yet. You were a person I could allow to come into my home, my life, without worrying about magic. In truth, you’ve been my only hope in ages for a true friend.”

  “What about the guys? Aren’t they your friends?”

  “No. They’re only helping because they owe me a favor. One in which is now gone. I’d helped one of them escape a royal’s furious punishment. That’s all.”

  The sadness in his voice touched me. I couldn’t imagine how hard it must be to have no family and no friends. Even I’d been lucky enough to have found Madeline. Poor Madeline. I miss her. I made friends easier here than I did at home.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  “For what?”

  “For drawing Hans and Greta’s attention by acting out my frustration that day.”

  “It’s not your fault. I should have done something. I should have at least attempted to rescue you.”

  “And be my knight in shining armor?” I laughed a little.

  “I wish I was,” he said in a low voice. His eyes and mine caught one another. Some invisible magnet between us drew us together. Something about the twinkling snow and babbling brook set the mood for more than conversation. The forest is truly enchanted. My heart began to race, and I temporarily suppressed the instant guilt that tried to rise up within me. I suddenly felt flushed and realized how badly I had missed this. Missed being close with someone. Missed these lovely butterflies.

  Without warning, he leaned in, but when our lips were within an aching inch of touching, we heard a twig snap in the distance. His eyes darted in that direction. The moment had passed. His serious focus was back.

  “We should probably be getting back. The guys are right that we must be careful.”

  We walked back in silence, both of us afraid to say anything. My suppressed guilt was now fully encapsulating. I still felt like I was Dashielle’s, even though the memory of my old life was fading as the realization of this one became more and more real.

  When we got back to camp, the men were already making lunch. The soup smelled delicious. I found myself a nice rocking chair and silently thought about the morning’s events. I replayed every moment, especially the almost-kiss over and over again until I had memorized every second. Chester’s expressions were that of a man stuck in an eighteen-year-old’s body. But that body wasn’t so bad. He was tall and slender with soft features, with the exception of his always serious eyes. I watched as his hair brushed his cheek. He seemed genuine and thoughtful. He was nothing like Dashielle, who was overtly flirtatious and always making a joke. And he’d saved my life. I guess it’s just the knight in shining armor thing. Girls always fall for that, right?

  “Tea?” he asked handing me a cup and breaking me from my vivid thoughts.

  “Thanks.”

  We all sat around the fire relatively quiet until lunch. I watched as a few of the men nodded in and out of sleep. Others bustled around, keeping the fire warm, and straightening the house. Chester sat in front of me on the opposite side of the room sipping his tea.

  When we sat at the table to eat, Chester began to talk, “I have another favor I can count on. I’m hoping that she won’t be reluctant to take us in. I suppose we should probably leave tonight after supper. Traveling by night is preferable.”

  “We’ll have a few people escort you. That won’t be a problem,” one said.

  “How far is it?” asked another.

  “It’s likely to be about a two hour walk. Not terribly far, but I’m sure it will have its dangers,” Chester said and glanced at me.

&nb
sp; “You should really send her to Crystal. Crystal will know exactly what to do. I know you don’t trust royals, but I promise you can trust her. She’s good folk,” said the one who appeared to be in charge of the clan.

  “I don’t think that’d be a very good idea,” Chester said.

  Everyone went back to eating. I didn’t say anything during the meal, not knowing what I could add to the conversation, but I wondered who Crystal was.

  After lunch, I helped clean up, for fear of having to deal with my own thoughts. I really didn’t want to leave the hole now. I felt safe here, the food was good, and if I had a few more beautiful mornings like this one, life would be nearly perfect. All the change was getting to be unbearable. If I am going to be stuck here, I just want to live my life.

  Afterwards, one of the guys invited me to help make supper. He had me chopping potatoes and carrots. I stood at the butcher-block counter, cutting away, while dazing into this morning’s near-kiss again. “Ow!” I screamed. I pulled my finger to my mouth and sucked the blood that oozed out. My carelessness was dangerous.

  “Are you okay?” the guy asked.

  “What’s happened?” Chester rushed to me, knee-weakeningly close. For a moment, I felt faint. He put his hands on my waist to support me and gently led me to a seat at the table. A little man brought him alcohol and a bandage. I barely felt the alcohol sting as it dripped down my cut; all I could focus on was Chester’s dark eyes and full lips. Pull it together, Rowena! My mind, in protection mode, sent a memory of Dashielle and I’s first kiss. Tears began to swell until I couldn’t hold them back anymore.

  “Are you okay?” Chester asked, concerned.

  “I’m fine. Thank you.” I excused myself and went back to the bed I slept in the night before. I buried my head in the pillow and cried as memory after memory of Dashielle paraded like a slideshow in my mind. They left me alone. I guess they didn’t know what to do with a whiney girl.

  “Is it your finger or something else,” Chester finally asked as he approached my bed.

  “It’s everything. I miss my family,” I said intentionally leaving out “boyfriend” without really knowing why.

  “I understand you must be hurting. How can I help?” he asked. I wanted to scream “kiss me!” but I only shrugged. He wiped the moisture from my face with his hands, and sat at the edge of the bed.

  “How can I let go of my life there? I don’t expect you to understand.”

  “I realize more than you know, and you can never let it go. It will always be with you, like a passing of a dear friend. But you have to go on living. Mezzanine is your home now, no matter how much you wish differently. You must find who you are here.”

  I nodded. For a few minutes, we looked at each other in silence. He then leaned in. My heart raced until it felt that it would burst under the sheer convergence of emotions. His lips planted on my forehead, and he slowly walked away.

  I knew he was right. My past was dead, and though I would always hold it in my heart, I couldn’t let it keep me from truly living here in Mezzanine. This was my reality, and it’s time I started looking at it that way.

  Chapter 9

  I got up and made my way to the bathing room. I washed my teary swollen face, fixed my hair, and stared at myself in the antique mirror. I mentally said good-bye to the Rowena I’d known for eighteen years — the one who now only existed in another world. Guilt about letting go of my family and Dashielle caused the tears to come streaming again, but I forced them back and vowed I would start fresh. I had to.

  When I walked back into the living room, the men stared at me in strange wonder. Chester smiled and motioned for me to sit beside him. “We were just discussing tonight’s plans. Is tonight still okay to leave?” he asked.

  “It’s fine. I’m fine,” I answered, sensing their concern for my emotional state.

  I sat and listened, uselessly, to the paths we were to take. I didn’t know any of the names of the places or landmarks they mentioned, but my new vow insisted that I attempt to learn Mezzanine, my new home.

  The conversation continued through supper. Afterwards, two of the men packed up a few weapons and put on their big coats. We were informed that the white had started up again. I handed the black velvet coat back and thanked him for letting me borrow it.

  “Please, keep it,” he insisted. “It was Crystal’s, but she no longer lives with us. I know if she were here, she’d want you to have it.”

  I thanked him, especially happy that I didn’t have to face the cold with my bare skin exposed. I put it on and buttoned up.

  “Here! Try these on. You’ll need some heavy boots with all the traveling you’ll be doing,” he said bringing them to me.

  I looked at the ankle boots that I was wearing, which were not meant for any type of hiking. Knock off brands usually aren’t known for their all-terrain capabilities. I slipped on the tall boots he gave me, laced them up, and stood.

  “They fit!”

  “They’re yours.” He smiled.

  The boots went all the way above my knee and under my costume’s bloomers. They were worn-in, which made them all the more comfortable. Chester sent me a smile, and we prepared to leave.

  “Wait!” yelled the smallest of them all. He held a satchel he had been working on since I’d arrived. It had a long strap with a small wolf’s paw print in the right corner of it.

  “It’s beautiful,” I told him.

  “It’s for you. And that,” he pointed to the claw mark, “is because you escaped from the wolf. It’s something to remember us all by.” He placed the satchel over my head and under one arm. “Now you’re ready.” He grinned.

  I put my old boots in the bag and felt my hair to make sure that the comb was still secure in the top of my braid. Chester grabbed my hand, and we left the men behind. Even though I knew they wanted me out, I felt like they only wanted well for me. They waved their tiny, hairy hands at us as we made our way to the top of the stairs. When the men opened the rock door, the cold crippled me.

  “Mezz, it’s cold! We might be in for a blizzard,” one said.

  “The coldest nights are often the safest in the kingdom,” Chester mumbled. “Let’s just hurry.”

  We traveled quickly through the cold. I kept my face buried in my coat most of the way. Chester held my hand firmly, as if I were something precious he didn’t want to lose. Little did he understand, apparently, that I never wanted to be in these woods alone again, and I wasn’t about to let him out of my sight. Coming across that wolf was one of the most terrifying experiences so far.

  The two men moved remarkably fast, leading the way most of the time. We never stopped. Everything looked exactly the same to me, but I heard them grunting and mumbling when we came across a landmark (which looked identical to everything else). I trusted we were going the right way, and my only concern was getting out of the cold quickly.

  After about an hour of fierce walking, we heard the same ferocious growl I’d heard before. The wolf. But we couldn’t see anything. The guys decided that we were wasting time, and the best thing to do was to move even faster.

  We heard some rustling and laughing in the woods. We all kneeled, hid, and watched as one stout man fussed loudly at another. Then one of them pulled out a flute. The other, uncontrollably, started dancing wildly.

  “Time to go!” Chester said in a loud whisper.

  “What was that?” I asked as we left the scene.

  “Magic. I never hang around to see what happens when magic is involved. Sometimes witnessing it is as dangerous as practicing it.”

  I pressed for more, but that was all he’d say.

  “We’re almost there!” one of the tiny men said and pointed upward. I saw a steady stream of smoke rising.

  We walked for another fifteen or twenty minutes. By this time, my hands and feet were numb. My nose had lost all control of its innards, and I was realizing that I might have been bitten by the frost.

  We stopped. The two men turned to face us. />
  “Well, this is the end of our road,” one said.

  “So it is,” agreed Chester.

  “Best of luck to you both, and don’t forget if you’re in a bind, giving Crystal a visit might prove useful.” The men shook Chester’s hand and mine, and without another word or glance, they disappeared into the snowy darkness.

  “Listen, Rowena. I want you to know that I would have never brought you here unless I felt it was absolutely unavoidable. She owes me a favor, and I intend on calling it up tonight. Just try to ignore her, and whatever you do, do not look at her face too long.”

  Before I could clarify why I shouldn’t, he pulled me towards the billowing smoke, probably from a chimney, that was visible through the trees. I continued to hear the cracking of limbs and the light growl of something. Neither my nervousness nor the rustling in the woods seemed to affect Chester. His mind was focused.

  We approached a cottage with dimly lit windows. It looked inviting and most importantly, warm. I stood behind Chester as we approached its door. I could see the hesitation in his eyes, but he knocked anyway.

  “Who’s there?” I heard a girl call out in a rough Scottish accent.

  “It’s Chester,” he said just above a whisper.

  “What the bloody Mezz are you doing here?” she yelped as she opened the door. Surprised to see me, she took a step backwards. “What do you want?”

  That’s when I noticed. Her face had a scar from eye to jaw on the left side. It appeared to be a crudely healed scratch. I tried not to look as Chester had instructed.

  “I need your help,” he started.

  “Mezz would have picket fences before I’d help the likes of you!”

  “You owe me. Rowena and I need a place to stay for a few days until I figure out what to do. We’ll be even then.”

  I could see that she was seriously debating it. Whatever he had done for her must have been huge because it seemed to cause her to forfeit her argument with him.

  “Come in.”

  We entered the toasty quaint cottage, which reminded me of the British countryside I’d seen on television.