Miltic Episode One of Volume One

Madis's Place (Stillan)

Madis's Place

Stillan

She stops walking for a second. "You okay?" I ask.

A nod, and her feet slog forward again. Strange. Maybe she knows Tylek and didn't realize it.

A few more twists and turns and we've made it to the tunnel I've dubbed Madis Tunnel.

The light streams through the cracks around the trap door. "This is it," I say as I stare up at the door. "I need to do the secret knock so he'll let us in."

I climb the small metal ladder and bang on the door twice, pause, three, pause, then six. The latch opens and I grin. It's not Madis's who greets me but Ravth. She beams at me, her violet hair falling into her silver eyes. I missed her. "Stillan! Madis, Stillan has returned!" A hammer banging on metal replies to her.

I glance over my shoulder. "I have someone else with me, someone who needs Madis's help. Climb up here."

I clamber through the hole and turn around to help her climb out. As soon as she's standing away from the trap door I turn to embrace Ravth and kiss her deeply. Her arms go around my neck and I pull her as close as I can.

"I've missed you too," she whispers as we pull apart. She holds onto my hand.

Sandra clears her throat. I almost forgot she's standing there. I laugh. "Ravth, this is Sandra Serling. Sandra, this is Ravth Littleton, my girlfriend. I'll explain the situation as soon as Madis shows up." His hammering continues to echo out into what we call the sitting area. Mismatched furniture takes up most of it. With a few odd nick knack thrown in.

Ravth huffs and lets go of my hand before striding back to Madis's workshop.

"Ow! Ravth! What the fuck has gotten into you? I'm working here!" His burly voice calls. "What! Stillan's back?" I brace myself as the tall, broad, black man barrels into the room. His flaming red hair dingy with soot. His arms wrap around my body and lift my off the floor. It's as if I'm as light as a small child. "I was so worried the spell would go wrong. I've missed you, Boy!"

He sets me down and ruffles my hair. I grimace, but laugh and take it out of the ponytail before sweeping it back with my fingers and retying it.

He looks over me to Sandra. "Who's this Lass? Where's Tylek?"

I clear my throat. "That's the thing. The portal only stayed open for a few moments and she was near me when it called me back. I wasn't able to find Tylek in time. So we need to find another portal. Get her back home before too much time passes on Earth and bring Tylek back."

Madis nods and ruffles his own hair, sending a cloud of soot into the air. "That does make things more difficult. What's your name, Lass?"

"Sandra Serling." She pushes her own red hair behind her ear.

Madis holds out one of his large hands to her. "I'm Madis Thornton. Nice to meet you. Earth girls have changed since the last time I was there. Women only wore dresses back then."

She takes his hand. "Oh."

"We'll need to get you out of those clothes if you expect to fit in her," Madis continues.

Ravth walks over to her and pinches her lacy see through shirt. She scoffs. "Do Earth girls have a habit of showing off their under things, or do you work at a brothel there?"

Sandra's cheeks turn as red as her hair and she bats Ravth's hand away from her. "He walked in on me while I was in the middle changing clothes." She points me. "I didn't have time to think about grabbing the tank top I normally wear under it." She folds her arms in front of her chest. I arch an eyebrow. She didn't seem to care until now. Though, she did think our meeting back on Earth was a dream, so that would've lowered her inhibitions.

"Ravth, go find some clothes that'll fit her from the back and be nice. She's a guest at our shop." Madis sets his hand on my shoulder. "Come with me and we'll figure where the next portal might pop up."

I've decided to be nice. I will be uploading one more chapter after this.  After Hostile, if you want to read more you will be able to find it at getbook.at/MV1 on the 30th of Spetmember 2015