"soulmate"

chapter 4

Sorry if this chapter is crappy I'm very busy with school.

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"Relax, I was just kidding," I said, grinning. "I'm not some powerful being you need to worry about."
I couldn't help but smirk at the reactions I got from the group. Their surprise at the statement about magic was just hilarious. However, I decided to tone down my sarcasm a notch. It wouldn't do me good to annoy the people who are holding me within their domain, magical or not.
Clearing my throat, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, considering my next move. "So, uh, what now?" I asked. "I mean, you've got me here, and I'm not exactly keen on being a permanent resident of the Enchanted Forest—or Storybrooke, or wherever I are."
Snow White exchanged glances with David, her brows furrowed in concern. "We need to figure out how you ended up here," she said, her tone gentle yet firm. "And why you seem to know so much about us."
Hana shrugged, a smile playing on her lips. "Your guess is as good as mine. One moment I'm in New York City, minding my own business, and the next thing I know, I'm crashing some royal gathering in a castle straight out of a storybook. As for the knowledge, blame it on the internet and a mysterious old fairytale book."
Emma leaned forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. "So, you just... appeared here out of nowhere?"
"Pretty much, I mean you saw me." Hana confirmed with a nod. "One minute I'm walking down the street, and the next, I'm dodging guards in what looks like the set of a medieval cosplay event gone wrong."
A few chuckles escaped through the group at Hana's description, easing the tension further. Regina's lips twitched into the hint of a smile, and even Killian's expression softened.
Zelena leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "What were you doing before you...arrived?" she asked, choosing her words carefully.
Hana hesitated, debating how much to reveal. She wasn't sure she could trust these people—magical abilities aside, they were essentially strangers to her. But then again, they seemed genuinely concerned about her well-being, and perhaps a bit of honesty wouldn't hurt.
"I was on my way to a job interview," I admitted reluctantly. "Graphic design position. Not that it matters now, I guess." I shrugs.
Zelena raised an eyebrow, her green eyes narrowing. "Graphic design, you say?" she mused, a hint of curiosity creeping into her tone.
I nodded, my guard still firmly in place. "Yeah, it's what I studied in college," I explained. "Figured I'd try to put that degree to good use."
"Perhaps it's a curse," Henry said changing the subject, his brows furrowing in thought.
"A curse? Like Sleeping Beauty or something?" I leaned in, genuinely curious now. Henry nodded.
"Similar, but different. Curses here can affect entire realms, altering memories and trapping people within them," he explained.
I absorbed this information, my mind racing with possibilities. *A curse that brought me to a fairytale realm?* It sounded like something straight out of one of my favourite fantasy novels.
"Okay, let's say I buy into this curse theory," I began, folding my arms across my chest. "How do I break it?"
"That's the tricky part," Emma chimed in. "Breaking a curse usually involves finding its source and confronting the one who cast it."
“But don’t know who cursed it. If it was even a curse.” I finished her train of thought.
"We'll need to consult the book," Killian says, nodding towards a worn leather volume resting on a nearby table.
Regina's expression darkened slightly. "That book... the one you used for information, it must be the Author's book."
I tilted her head in confusion. "The Author's book? What the hell is that?"
"It's a long story," Regina replied with a sigh. "But it’s safe to say that, that book has the power to alter reality itself. If you stumbled upon it, it could mean trouble."
"Seriously? So, what? Am I some sort of unwitting pawn in a cosmic game of chess?"
With a sense of anticipation, they gathered around the table, flipping through the pages of the ancient tome. As they searched for clues, I couldn't shake the feeling of being swept up in a fantastical adventure.
After what felt like an eternity, Emma's finger landed on a page, and she gasped in surprise. "I think I found something."
The group leaned in closer as Emma began to read aloud from the book, her voice echoing through the room.
"It says here that every million years, a chosen one will be sent from another realm to fulfil a prophecy..."