The next morning, Alden went to Salem's room. Entering quietly, he found Salem asleep and moved closer, gently kissing his forehead. Tears fell from Alden's eyes as he quietly exited the room.
“Are you ready to go home?” Elias asked, glancing over at Dorian. Smiling, Dorian handed him the book, which turned its own pages and began to glow. Suddenly, the siblings were transported back to their own world, lying peacefully asleep.
The following morning, the siblings awoke with no memory of what had happened. The door opened, and someone called, "Wake up! You have school today!"
“Yes, let’s go, Kian,” I said. “It’s so unfair that the two of them have finished school, while we still have to study.” Rowan and Kian ate breakfast together, preparing for their day.
After Kian showered, I quickly took my turn, brushing my teeth and getting dressed before heading to school. In the library, I sat by the window reading a book on history when a young man sat beside me. “Hi, I'm Peter.”
“Hi,” I replied, “you look familiar, though I can’t place where I’ve seen you.”
He laughed softly. “You probably have me confused with someone else. By the way, I’m Rowan. Nice to meet you.”
As I pointed outside, I added, “I should go—my brother’s waiting for me.” Peter waved as I left.
“Who was that?” Kian asked as we met outside.
“I don’t know, but he looked so familiar. It’s strange because I feel like we’ve met before.”
Kian rolled his eyes, “Maybe it’s fate.”
Later, Kian accidentally bumped into another stranger. “Oh, sorry!”
“Wait, Kian, that guy also looked familiar, but I can’t place him either. Today is so weird.”
“Maybe you just need something to eat,” Kian teased.
When we got home, our dad asked, “How was your day?”
“Strange, honestly. I kept seeing people who seemed familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I’d met them,” I replied.
Dad handed me some bread and coffee. “Sit down and eat. It’s probably just your mind playing tricks.”
After finishing my meal, I headed to my room. “Hey, Elias, can I ask you something?” I said. “Have you ever felt like you’ve met someone before even though you know you haven’t?”
Elias thought for a moment, “I think so, but I never really paid it much attention. Why?”
I shrugged, “I don’t know…maybe it’s nothing.”
Later, I fell asleep and dreamed of three brothers running through a forest. I watched them from a distance, feeling like I was invisible to them. I followed them to a village, a place I couldn’t recognize.
“Where are we?” one of them asked.
“Excuse me, miss,” another brother addressed a woman nearby. “Where are we?”
“You’re in Elyndor,” she replied.
“Elyndor?” I whispered to myself, wondering why the place sounded familiar. I wandered through the town, noticing that everyone wore clothes from an older era. I stopped to ask a vendor what year it was.
“It’s 1942,” she said. Just then, I fainted in the middle of the street.
I awoke with Alden shaking me gently. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, just a strange dream,” I said, getting out of bed and heading downstairs.
“Good morning, Rowan!” Kian greeted me with a smile. Elias set a cup of hot chocolate and bread in front of me.
“What did you dream about?” Kian asked as I ate.
“There were three brothers…they seemed familiar, but I didn’t know them. I followed them to a place called Elyndor, and everyone was dressed differently. When I asked what year it was, the vendor said it was 1942,” I explained. Kian and Elias exchanged curious glances.
“Maybe it’s just a dream,” Alden suggested, “but if you have another one like that, let’s tell Dad—he might know something.”
After breakfast, I finished my hot chocolate and felt a sense of calm.
Meanwhile, Hina called out, “Aeli! Help me with this horse!” She struggled as her brother laughed.
“Why are you laughing? Help your lovely sister, will you?”
“Yes, my queen,” Aeli teased as he approached.
Suddenly, a small mouse appeared nearby, catching Hina’s attention. “Hello, little friend! What brings you here?” Hina asked with a gentle smile.
“Your Majesty,” the mouse greeted them, bowing. The siblings were taken aback.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a talking mouse,” Kaelion murmured.
“Apologies if I startled you, Your Majesty,” the mouse replied. Just then, snow began to fall, though it wasn’t the season for it.
“What’s happening? It’s not supposed to snow now,” Hina said in surprise.
“That’s why I came to warn you,” the mouse replied. “Strange things have been happening. It has been snowing in some areas despite it being summer.”
“This must be the work of the White Witch,” Hina said gravely.
“Sir Mouse, can you guide us to where this is happening?” Kaelion requested.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the mouse replied.
The siblings followed him to the edge of Elyndor, where they saw animals and people shivering in the cold. The villagers bowed in respect as the royal siblings approached.
“There’s no need for that,” Hina said kindly. “Can you describe the White Witch?”
“She has white hair and wears a gown of white and blue,” a young girl said shyly.
“Thank you,” Hina smiled at the girl. She turned to Kaelion, “We need to move them somewhere safe.”
The siblings led the villagers back to the palace, where Kaelion addressed them. “You’ll be safe here. We’ll do all we can to capture the White Witch,” he promised.
Tears of gratitude filled the eyes of one of the women. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Hina, tell the chefs to prepare food for everyone,” Kaelion whispered to her.
In the kitchen, Hina approached the head chef. “We need plenty of food. We’ve brought villagers here for their safety.”
“Understood, your majesty, I’ll prepare enough food for everyone,” the chef replied.
Soon, the meal was ready, and the villagers ate gratefully. They thanked the king and queen as they finished.
Kaelion reassured them, “You’re safe here. We’ll keep you protected.”
YOU ARE READING
the books of hidden worlds
Fantasy# 1 Ethereal Secrets Series Elias, Kian, Rowan, and Alden are ordinary siblings-or so they believe. One night, as they fall into a deep sleep, a forgotten book in their family's library opens a portal to another world. Without knowing it, they are...
