Chapter 1

A Whole New World

Ari arrived in Taitamar with a bear by her side and a letter in hand. The shimmering portal sealed behind her with a crackling sigh as she scanned the walled courtyard surrounding them. Beyond the ivy drenched gate ahead, a river of people streamed up and down a broad sidewalk. Cars passed up and down the street behind them. Over the high walls, towers of concrete and steel pierced the blue sky. All in all, it looked like an average city, almost enough to fool her into thinking she was back on Earth.

Horns sounded and the air hummed with chatter. The wall of sound was at once comforting and overwhelming, especially after the relative soft music of the forest. She could still hear the distant cries of strange birds, monsters, and the sound of the wind in the leaves, clacking branches together like dried bones. She shivered and let the city’s noise drown out the memory.

“Boreal, is this it? Is this really Taitamar?” Ari asked a little incredulously.

“Yes,” he said, his voice a wispy growl. The glowing blue bear with eyes of flickering starlight turned his large head to peer down at her. “Is something wrong?”

“No . . . I was just expecting it to be a little more . . . fantastical, I guess,” she said, watching a passing stranger tapping at the screen of what looked like a normal cell phone. A spray of light emitted from the screen and a sandwich materialized above it. The stranger grabbed it out of the air and started eating.

“We’re not in Middle Earth that’s for sure,” Ari muttered to herself.

“Yes, this is Taitamar,” Boreal said, nodding.

“I know, I was . . . you know what, never mind. What now?”

Boreal tilted his head like he was listening for something and then nodded again. “My promise to your father is fulfilled. Now I go.”

Ari’s eyes widened and she whipped round to face him.

“Wait, you can’t just leave me here! I don’t know where the library is. Or what Mom even looks like!”

The bear set a meaty paw on her head and raised the other, pointing a claw in the direction of a distant dome plated in gold. It looked official, like some sort of government office. Looming over most of the buildings around it, the structure was eclipsed only by a handful of skyscrapers, and the cloud shrouded mountain at its back. Twin chains of smaller peaks stretched out from either side like arms enfolding the city in a protective embrace.

“The Grand Library is the heart of the city. It sits at the foot of the Queen’s Mount. Seek Lorkaiden in the east wing. Give him your letter and he will take you to Sonatha.”

Ari rubbed her bruised arms. They were out of the wilds, but cities had their own dangers, and this one buzzed with magic. Seven days ago she didn’t even believe in magic. Now she could feel it everywhere, a persistent hum. Static clinging to her skin.

“Do you really have to go?” she asked the bear.

He nodded, dissolving into a haze of light. “Your father needs me.”

Ari wiped her eyes on the tattered sleeve of her green hoodie.

“Tell Dad I made it. And that I’m sorry.”

“I will. Goodbye, Little One.”

With that, he was gone. Ari lingered in the shade for a moment. Every muscle in her body burned with exhaustion. She wanted to go home, but there was no where to go but forward. Lifting the hood of her sweater to hide her bruised face and the horns that poked out of her black hair, she took a shuddering breath, and stepped onto the sidewalk.

Sunlight warmed the city’s concrete bones and scythed off the crystal clear windows set in the faces of skyscrapers and high rises. Ari peered up at them, feeling smaller than ever. She wasn’t sure how big this city was, but it reminded her of Chicago, busy, tangled, and loud.

For the most part, she went unnoticed as she made her way toward the library. Only a few eyes lingered on her dirty clothes, but no one stopped to ask questions. Maybe they thought she was homeless. Maybe they just didn’t care. Ari was fine no matter the answer. All she wanted was to deliver her father’s letter and finally meet her mother.

“Just a little further,” she said, over and over until, at last, she mounted the Grand Library’s stone steps, and pushed open the heavy oak door.

The cool shade inside was a welcome escape from the climbing sun’s heat. A few people wandered the stacks beyond the lobby, but no one sat at the front desk. The library’s eastern and western wings lay beyond closed doors, the east wing on Ari’s left, and the west on her right. The sign above the western door read “Thyrsis Reliquary.”

“Thyrsis? Is this a Guildhold?” Ari wondered aloud.

The eastern wing had no sign and was blocked off by a massive iron door set in an arched frame. It was foreboding. Was she really supposed to go in there?

She waited for the receptionist to return, hoping to ask if the east wing was open to visitors. After thirty minutes of standing by the front desk, she gave a frustrated huff, and approached the iron door. She stopped about a foot away from it, frowning. The air was charged. It was different from the ambient magical current ever present in the background. It made the air taste like storms and lightning.

Ari reached out with a hand, fingers hanging an inch from the door’s handle, fearing it would shock her. She tapped it once, then twice. Nothing. She released a breath, feeling a little foolish, but no one was watching. She reached out again and pushed open the door with surprising ease.

The east wing was dark, almost dungeon like, but he air was dry and thick with the scent of parchment and old leather. Ari breathed it in with a fond smile, thinking back to book shop, and her father, sitting behind his desk, reading to her when he was supposed to be working. She pulled down her hood and wandered deeper into the shadows. With a snap of her fingers, she sparked a bit of magic into a flickering ball of flame. It was one of the few spells she knew.

The tiny fireball flitted above her head, the pale yellow glow revealing heavy stone shelves crowded with scrolls, books, and clay tablets. Tomes thick as cinder-blocks radiated power, tempting her to free them from the shelves.

The air in here feels like it's about to burn, she thought. She veered off toward one of the shelves on her left, firelight glinting off the gold lettering on one tome’s spine. Hungry curiosity drew her hand close.

“Careful what you touch, young one.”

Ari stumbled back, one arm shielding her eyes as two lanterns blazed to life, the sudden light blinding her.

“Hello? W-who’s there?”

“The door to this wing is locked. How did you get in here?” the voice asked with mild amusement. The lanterns dimmed and the silhouette of a man was revealed. Ari blinked at him through a veil of tears. He was tall, thin, and even though his face was in shadow she could tell it was sharp and angular. The features that really stood out were the twisting horns that crowned his brow, and the long green tail that swished behind his back.

Ari floundered for words a few moments before she remembered what Boreal told her. “Are you . . . Lorekaiden?”

The man’s head tilted to the side, “I am. Who are you?”

“I’m Ari Artome. I was told to find you. I have a letter of introduction. Can you take me to Sonatha?” Ari said, holding out the envelope.

Lorkaiden stalked closer, his amber eyes reflecting the lantern light like two harvest moons hung in a cold night sky. Ari resisted the urge to back away from him. She felt like a rabbit quivering under the gaze of a tiger as he circled her, ignoring the letter entirely. A clawed finger tugged at the collar of her sweater, pulling it down to reveal the nape of her neck. She jerked away instinctively and covered the spot with a hand.

“Hey, what the hell?” she snapped.

“How far have they spread? The scales, I mean,” Lorkaiden asked.

Ari hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck, fingers tracing the edge of soft skin and hard scales. A few days ago there was only a sprinkling of them on her back, now they covered shoulders, arms, and were slowly spreading down her legs.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“How did you know?”

“No human can enter here. Let me see that letter,” he said, holding out a hand.

Ari passed him the envelope. He sliced it open with a sharp fingernail and scanned the page. He lifted his eyes from the paper, quietly analyzing the girl standing before him. “So you’re Sonatha’s hidden scion. Interesting. You’ve arrived earlier than expected.”

“I was expected?”

“We knew you’d turn up eventually. Where is Ashlain Artome? Didn’t he and his husband accompany you?”

“We were attacked on the way here and got separated. Hamza said they’ll be here soon. I really don’t know what's going on to be honest. No one told me about any of this,” Ari said, gesturing broadly, unable to keep her voice clear of frustration.

“I see,” Lorkaiden said. He tucked the letter back into its envelope, careful not to cut the paper with his claws, and slipped it into a pocket hidden within his blue, silk robes. “No doubt you have questions, but I ask you to save them for now. Are you injured?”

“Just some bruises, nothing major,” Ari said. She’d been in a worse state before her arival, but healing magic had patched up the life threatening wounds, leaving little left.

“Even minor wounds should be tended to. The Thyrsis employ healers. I’ll take you to them. They can watch over you while I deliver your letter,” he said, gesturing for her to follow.

Ari wiped her eyes dry on her sleeves and followed him out of the east wing. The lobby was empty save for the receptionist, now back from lunch. She jumped a little when the iron door swung open and gaped at Lorkaiden like she was seeing a ghost.

“F-fair skies, Master Lorkaiden,” she stumbled, bowing her head. He gave her a nod as he swept across the lobby, Ari nearly running to keep up with him.

“Who are the Thyrsis anyway?” she asked.

“They are a Guild of archaeologists, historians, explorers, and fools. Ashlain, your father, used to be a member before retiring to Earth,” he explained.

“Dad told me he worked in a library before opening his book business, but he never mentioned anything about this,” Ari said.

“Would you have believed him?” Lorkaiden asked, pausing in front of the door to the west wing.

The girl frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “I mean . . . no, but he still should have told me something. No one told me anything. This is amazing . . . and scary, but it's mostly amazing.”

Lorkaiden chuckled and opened the door.

Where the east wing was dark and full of secrets, the west wing was bright and open. Sunlight surged through tall windows and glinted off cases full of artifacts and trinkets festooned with jewels and gold. The shelves were lined with beautiful books bound in embossed leather, some radiating magic like heat off the pavement on a summer afternoon. A scattering of people sat at long tables, eating, reading, and chatting. Some wore modern clothes, others were clad in armor or robes.

Most of the men and women in armor were gathered near the back of the room, where a boisterous woman was pointing at a map spread across the table before her.

“Legend has it that Valrian Comori’s fifth manuscript was last held by the king of Norander Psai. The ruins are full of demons nowadays, but there might be a chance the book’s still there. If not the next likely location is--Lorkaiden?”

She looked up from her map and paused once she spotted him. The cluster of men and women around her looked just as surprised to see him there. A few eyes strayed Ari’s way, reflecting intrigue and some concern over her bloodied clothing, but most of the focus was on her guide. She wondered if he was someone of importance, the receptionist had a similar reaction after all.

“Mercedes, I need to speak to you,” Lorkaiden said.

“Nice to see you too, Kaiden. Void, I can’t think of the last time you slunk out of the east wing to visit. Was it . . . three years ago?” Mercedes pondered aloud, her thick black locks swinging as she tilted her head.

Lorkaiden frowned. “This is important.”

“I imagine it must be for you to leave your little dungeon. Who’s this?” Mercedes asked, nodding in Ari’s direction.

“The daughter of an ex-thyrsis agent. She was sent here by her father to meet with Sonatha.”

“An ex agent, huh? What’s your name, Kid?”

“Ari Artome.”

“You’re Ash’s kid?” Mercedes laughed. “He worked here when I was just a novice. One of the best cartographers we’ve ever had. We still use his maps to this day and that’s saying something. A decade ago he predicted the location of three portals that we’ve only stumbled upon this year.”

People in the hall echoed Ash’s name with similar praise. Ari glanced at the smiling faces. They all knew of her father. Some had even worked with him. She frowned, wondering just how much her parents kept from her. More than ever, she wanted her dads standing beside her, making quips with Mercedes, and greeting old friends. They owed her an explanation after sixteen years of secrecy. The thought of never getting answers, of never seeing them again, sat in the shadowed corners of her mind.

They’re fine. They said they’d be right behind me, Ari thought, both hands balled into tight fists. They Promised.

“Hey, kid,” Mercedes called, pulling Ari out of her spinning thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” she said, rubbing her eyes. She was so tired.

“You okay? Looks like you’ve been through it. Where’s your father?” Mercedes asked, looking her over with concern.

“They’re on their way. I was told to go on ahead.”

Mercedes balked. “They sent you through the wilds alone? What in the Void were they thinking?”

“I wasn’t alone, they sent Boreal with me. He’s a bear . . . spirit . . . thing?” Ari said.

Mercades raised a hand to massage her temples.

“Void, if Ash ain’t dead I’ll kill him myself. Lee, go get the healer. Godsdamn.”

Lee, one of the men in armor, peeled away from the crowd to do as ordered. Mercedes sat Ari down on a bench and offered her bottled water, which the girl took without hesitation. The rest of the gathered adults were focused on her now, a few of them punting questions her way.

“What’s it like living on Earth? I’ve been told it’s a better place to visit than to stay,” asked a woman in green robes.

“Is France real? I heard it’s made up,” asked a man at the back of the crowd.

“Alright, that’s enough, that’s enough. Shoo, all of you,” Mercedes ordered, sending them away with a flick of her hand.

“I must inform the Queen that the girl is here. I won’t be long. Do you mind watching over her while I’m away?” Lorkaiden asked once the room had cleared.

“Any friend or relative of Ashlain Artome is welcome here,” Mercedes said, placing a hand on Ari’s shoulder, “But if you don’t mind me asking, what does the Queen want with her?”

“Yeah, I thought you were going to take my letter to Sonatha,” Ari said.

Lorkaiden arched a brow, “Sonatha is the Queen, Young One.”

Ari stared at him. “My mom . . . is the queen?”

“Your mother?” Mercedes looked at her anew and gave a surprised laugh, “I knew she and Ash were close, but void, I thought he preferred men.”

Lorkaiden swept away toward a door at the back of the room. “Stay with Mercedes until I return.”

“Sure, yeah,” Ari said faintly, too sandblasted by the steam of revelations to say much else.

Mercades watched him go and shook her head.

“What a mess. Ash has a lot of explaining to do when he gets here.”

“Yeah,” Ari said distractedly. Out the windows to her right lay a courtyard of sorts and Lorkaiden had just stepped into view. She wondered what he was doing there. Wasn’t he supposed to be delivering her letter? He looked up at the sky.

“You’ve been on quite the journey, bet you’re tired, huh?” Mercedes asked.

Ari nodded, still focused on Lorkaiden. She blinked and in his place stood a dragon. The beast was long and serpentine, with flashing emerald scales and a fiery mane. It took off into the air like a kite caught by the wind.

“Woah” Ari shouted, springing up from the bench, and startling Mercades. She made it to the window in time to see the dragon stream up the mountain side and disappear into the clouds.

“Lorkaiden’s a dragon?” Ari asked, her eyes shining, “Is he the only one? Does he guard the library or something?”

Mercedes laughed, “Yes, no, and sort of. He takes care of the queen’s archives. Now relax, you’re in no shape to be jumping around. We should get you cleaned up before the healer gets here.”

“It’s fine, it’s just a few scratches and bruises,” Ari said, reluctant to pry herself away from the window. Where the other dragons up there? She wanted to see them.

“Come on, a bath and a meal will do you good,” Mercedes said, setting a hand on the girl’s shoulder and gently pulling her away from the window.

The mere mention of food was enough to make Ari’s stomach growl audibly. Mercedes laughed and led the girl upstairs to the guildhall’s second floor. A long hall of doors stretched out on either side of a small seating area. A few guild members milled about on the couches, watching television and chatting softly. Mercedes opened one of the doors, revealing a small but comfortable room with an attached bath.

“I’ll have lunch sent up here and see about getting you some new clothes. Just leave your dirty stuff on the floor, one of the maids will take care of it. Running a guild is busy work, I’ll be back in an bit to check up on you,” she said, giving Ari’s shoulder a pat and closing the door behind her.

Silence filled her absence. Ari soaked it in for a few moments. When her swirling thoughts became too much to bear, she set to cleaning three days of grime, sweat, and blood off herself. Sitting under the hot rain of the shower was so comfortingly normal that she almost fell asleep in the tub. The sound of the room’s door opening and closing was barely audible under the running water, but it snapped her back into focus. She finished up and found a clean set of clothes laid out on the bed for her. The red t-shirt could easily be mistaken for a tunic or dress, but the black leggings fit nicely. She fretted over the loss of her hoodie. The golden scales spilling down her arms weren’t remotely covered by the sleaves of the t-shirt. What if someone saw them?

Lorkaiden’s got horns and a tail and no one seems worried about that. Why would they make a fuss over your weird skin? This place is weird and so are you, Ari thought and settled heavily on the bed. She blinked, fighting to keep her eyelids from drooping, and yawned. Mercedes would be back soon, but maybe she could sneak in a nap before she returned.

As she slumped onto her side and snuggled into the soft bed, her mind wondered. She thought of her father, remembering the look of regret he’d worn when they parted. She thought of her mother, a mysterious queen who employed dragons to guard her books. Memory wound back seven days, back to Earth and the bedroom that had been hers for sixteen years. Back to a time when everything was normal and magic was just fantasy. Back when she believed she was human.