The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter One

The walls around me were a pristine white, seeming to stretch upwards for miles before leveling out into a sloped ceiling. Beds like the one I was laid on lined the walls, a generous amount of space between each, semi-transparent curtains drawn to cover most of them. At both ends of the room were closed doors, neither of which I recognized. In fact, nothing about this room seemed familiar to me.

Where was I? How had I gotten here?

Why did I feel so out of place?

I tried to move, but it was like I was still regaining control of my body. I laid there silently for a few moments before trying again, managing to sit up this time. Pain shot through my body when I moved, seeming to originate from my stomach, as if I had just been kicked in the gut fifty times while I was asleep. But there were no marks on my skin when I checked. No bruises, no gaping wounds, no stitches. Nothing.

I had taken my glasses from the bedside table before I had even thought about trying to get up, so my brown eyes were able to focus on my surroundings. I seemed to be completely and utterly alone in this room. This strange room, one I didn't recognize. And once again, I found my thoughts trailing off. Who had brought me here? Why did they have to?

With shaking limbs, I pushed myself to my feet, using the edge of the bed to stabilize myself. But I couldn't hold it forever; if I was going to get out, I had to make it to the door. I couldn't cling to the walls, there were beds and tables and cabinets pushed up against them. I took one trembling step forward, and then another, and then another. It got easier as I went along, and I was at the door before I knew it. I reached down towards the doorknob, but something stopped me in my tracks.

Specifically, voices.

I paused, straining to listen. They were quiet, but soon enough, they were raised enough for me to hear.

"Just let me see him really quick," the first voice said. It was smooth and low, a desperate sort of pleading to their tone. "Come on, Wes. It'll only take a minute, and no one will even know."

"Absolutely not," a second voice said. This one had a slightly higher pitch, a silvery tone. The way they spoke was gentle, despite the rather harsh words. But every word that came out of their mouth sounded just a tad bit unsure. "You know I'm not supposed to be bending the rules for you, Your Highness."

There was a period of silence that seemed to stretch on forever and forever, all the way into eternity. The second voice was the one to finally break it. I imagined they were having a staring contest of sorts, and the first had obviously won. "Fine. You have one minute. But don't complain when he's still unconscious."

It took far too long to realize that they were talking about me. And by the time I did, the door was being pulled open.

Standing on the other side of the doorway were two males. The one on the left was blonde, his hair cut much shorter on the sides than on the top. His arms were crossed, and he had seemed to be in mid-eyeroll when his blue eyes caught sight of me. Standing next to him was a mop of dark hair, which seemed to have once been styled but was now messed up from running fingers through it one too many times. The boy towered over both of us; he was about a foot taller than the blonde, and maybe seven or eight inches taller than I was. His face was twisted into a look of confusion, but it slowly unwound into a triumphant smile.

"You're awake!" he exclaimed. Then, turning to his companion, he continued. "See, Wesley? I told you it was a good idea for me to check on him."

All I could do was stare. These two were absolute strangers. I had no idea who they were, or where they came from, or how they knew me. But I didn't get a chance to ask; the blonde - Wesley, apparently - had finally snapped out of whatever shock he was in. He had been standing there silently, eyes wide, lips parted slightly, just staring at me in disbelief. Finally, he spoke, and when he did, it was practically a screech.

"What are you doing?!" He said as he pushed me backwards, back to one of the beds. "You should not be up yet. You haven't nearly recovered enough. What am I supposed to tell everyone when they find out that we have to keep you here longer because you pushed yourself too much?" He put his hands on my shoulders, pushing me down so I was sitting. I winced at the sudden movement. He might have been nearly half a foot shorter than me, but I was still weak from... well, whatever had happened.

Now was my chance.

"Yeah... about that." I stared up at him over the rim of my glasses, head tilted slightly to the side. "What exactly am I recovering from? I remember being home, and then... nothing. It's all blank."

The two exchanged a look. A look that just kept going, absolutely silent. The dark-haired boy's expression was unreadable, and after what felt like yet another awkward eternity, Wesley backed down with a scowl.

"I'll get you some painkillers," he said. "You'll need them." And just like that, he was gone, slipping through the other doorway I hadn't investigated.

The boy sat down on the bed next to me, a casual gesture, as if we had been friends for years. Even sitting, he was taller than me. I wanted him to answer my questions. I wanted him to tell me everything I needed to know.

But he did the exact opposite. He left me with more questions than I had before.

"You're Callister, right?" All he needed was a hesitant nod from me to continue. How did he even know my name? "I'm Lucian. It's a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it was under better circumstances." He put a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I could feel my cheeks heating up. Lucian noticed too, obviously, because he responded with a playful smirk.

"I should see to it that we have a room ready for you when Wes finally lets you out," he said, standing up. "Though I'm sure we have plenty of room. This is a castle, after all. Plenty of space for anyone who needs it."

He didn't even give so much of a wave before leaving.

And I was left even more confused than I was before.