The Girl of Many Worlds | (Story formerly known as "Multiworldcial")

Chapter 7

His words floored me. "Keep me here indefinitely? Why?"

"Because here I can offer you protection. On Earth, I'm very limited. We're too far away from the blue light and I am not as strong as Mercury is. This is the best I can do."

"What about my family? Where's their protection? And Jason! What about him and his family?"

"They've fled Earth as well. They are also in a different realm. But not this one."

"And the blue light? What is that?" Images of Mercury using a light to shape into any weapon of his choice flashed through my mind. Was that what Arden was talking about?

"The blue light is the energy that flows throughout our world. Everybody has some sort of connection with it, but other's connections tend to be stronger. Mercury and I are some of those people."

"What does your connection being stronger mean?"

"It means we can weaponize the blue light if we so please. We have the ability to shape it the way we want whenever we want to."

"So like when Mercury turned it into a dagger back on Earth?"

"Yes. He is very talented with it. I still have a lot to learn before I'd be on the same level as him. That is why he's so dangerous."

I let all the information sink in. "Okay, so... so what now?"

"You're allowed to do whatever you please," Arden said. "We're going to give you a tour of this place and of all the areas and utilities that you have at your disposal. You also can go to The Town and work if you'd like. I hold no options from you, Princess."

"Why do you keep calling me 'Princess?'" I asked.

"Well, Lester is the true King of Amaroidal, making you a Princess."

A Princess? I've never imagined being one. Obviously you'd read about them in fairytales and maybe at some point have fantasized about being one as a child but... a Princess? Me? It just didn't sound right.

"Oh," I said, letting out a hard breath. "Oh god..."

Arden said nothing, just forked up more food to eat. My life was thrust into fast motion—suddenly Earth wasn't the only thing that had known human life. I was somewhere in another dimension or realm or existence or whatever, and my family was far away from me.

I wanted more than anything to see them again.

"Why can't they be here?" I asked.

"Who?" Arden asked patiently.

"My family," I exclaimed. "Why do they have to be somewhere else?"

"There's something called The Connection that we have here. A link between those who fall in love... one that grows with each child they have. Siblings feel The Connection with one another. Theirs is different, being that they're siblings, but it's there all the same.

"Mercury will know the minute your father steps foot onto this world. Lester will have no time to strengthen his hold on the Blue Light before Mercury has him. Then he'll be put to death. Is that what you want?"

Of course not. My heart sank and the homesick feeling I was drowning under only flowed over me in a harsher wave. It was too much. This all happened too quickly.

"I'm... I'm not hungry anymore." My stomach twisted into tight knots. There was no longer any room for food to fill it up.

"You may go back to your room," Arden said. He seemed unphased by my despair. He hardly glanced up at me as I walked past him into the hallway. Going based on memory, I made my way down the long hall to my room.

The door opened. The two suns were low in the sky and it was harder to see the blue pellets of snow pelting the ground. My stomach twisted again, this time with the threat of my probably nowhere near digested food trying to resurface. My feet dragged me across the floor and onto my bed. My back met the soft material and I stared up at the high up ceiling.

This was my new home now. The thought made my eyes water. Loneliness meshed with my discomfort and I turned onto my side. The tears that followed weren't wanted, but flowed all the same. This truly couldn't be happening. Maybe if I closed my eyes, everything would be normal again. I'd wake up from this awful nightmare and be right back at school.

Would I even fit in being back? Now that I knew there were such fantastical worlds out there, Earth was so dull and sad in comparison. Then again, it was home. All I've ever known and loved was all there. If I had even thought I'd be shipped off to a world beyond my imagination, no matter how thrilled I'd be, I still would've taken the time to appreciate my home one last time.

I wish I could turn back time. I wish I'd known then what I know now.

"Hi, milady," a deep, growly voice said from my doorway, disrupting my thoughts. A saber-tooth tiger stood there, on two legs like a human. He wore a long collared silk black vest with no sleeves, with mini belt loops running down the front in the middle, acting as buttons. The sides of the vest were corset-like, with the tightening strings hanging down by his massive paws. His fur was grey with black polka dots. His face was kind and wearing a smile that wasn't at all frightening, considering what he was. "How about that mini tour of the castle?"

"Oh yeah, the tour?" I sniffled and sat upright on my bed.

"May I come in?" His voice was gentle although gravley. I nodded and he bowed before strolling inside.

"This castle is large and there's lots to see. I'd love to take you around. It's amazing to meet you, Jade. I can't believe I'm meeting a Multiworldcial in person."

"Oh thanks..." I laughed nervously. "Who are you?"

"I'm Zander," he said proudly. "Arden's second in command—his right hand man." He held out his paw for me to shake which I did nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Zander."

"Come!" With my hand still in his paw, he pulled me out of bed. "I'm excited to show you everything."