Teleporting in this world required a mage to attune to a portal stone. Each major city in Ganimede had one. Vetra boasted four. Unlike Ganimede, Tyrra had long since destroyed their portal stones to prevent any invasion into their lands. Not like they would actually use them though since magic was regulated only to the nobility. Even in Ganimede it wasn’t often used since the level of skill required to learn teleport was high. A merchant or adventurers party was considered quite blessed if they had someone among them that could.

This stone was raised in the ground and was roughly thirty square feet in diameter. As we approached it the engravings were easier to see. Around the circumference were runes written in the Abyssal, the magic language of this world. To my surprise, I could understand them. They described the exact place at which this stone stood among the stars, between the planes. Like coordinates. Inside the runes was the sigil of this portal.

Eclis paid the toll to use the portal stone to an older lady sitting in a nicely carved stone booth nearby. He then led me up the stairs to the center of the portal. The sigil was always faintly glowing red. As I continued to stare at it, the light it cast turned bright green and I felt its mark burning into my mind. I could see it even when I blinked. What ever had just happened, it seemed only I perceived it. No one else, including Eclis, reacted.

Without warning we apparated. My world spun violently, and I couldn’t tell up from down. A flash of light and suddenly our surroundings had completely changed, though my vision was too blurred to make anything out yet. Eclis supported my weight completely and I buried my face into his chest. Seeing everything spin was going to make me retch.

“Ah, I had forgotten that this would likely be your first time traveling like this.” He stopped me from pushing away from him, “Don’t rush yourself. It will take several moments to recover.” He was right. At least five minutes had passed before my nausea went down. My vision was still spinning, but not enough that I would fall. It was nice being held like this. Even in this context.

“Would a little warning kill you next time?” He let me pull away, but he kept a hand on the small of my back to steady me. I nearly fell when I tried to shake him off. I keep finding myself in situations where I needed to accept his escort.

“It wouldn’t have prevented the side effects.” He began to lead me from the portal stone and it was only then that I took in my surroundings. Circling the portal was a perfectly groomed white gravel road that stretched out to either side. Lining it were massive trees, similar to oaks that had to be hundreds of years old. Beyond them stretched two different gardens, a rose garden on one side and another wilder looking one opposite it. Ahead of us stood what could only be Castle Dumont. Despite knowing how it looked in the books, I always imagined a dark crumbling castle. Something more fitting for the aesthetic of vampires. This was more like a palace, pristinely kept with white marble exteriors and ornate trims.

“Do you like it?” I’d forgotten Eclis was still at my side. This was like a fairy tale. I’d never seen a palace in person and the only Castle I’d been to was a fort that was maybe two hundred years old.

“Its… Better than I had imagined.” I would never admit to him that I’d imagined he lived in a scary run-down haunted castle. Beside me he looked satisfied with my answer. Like they had been expecting us, a carriage was quickly riding towards us. It circled the portal giving me a chance to get a good look at it. There were four horses. They were impossibly black. Their eyes glowed purple and their manes, tails, and the feathering on their legs burned black leaving trails of wispy smoke in their wake. The carriage was a lacquered cherry, ornately trimmed as well. It struck me how out of place I suddenly felt.

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A demon attendant quickly opened the carriage door for us, bowing incredibly low for Eclis. He looked relatively human, if it weren’t for the fact that his skin had a purplish tinge too it, His eyes looked like a lizards, or the short ebony horns that curved nicely out of his curly hair. Our eyes met and he stiffened. His appearance shifted, the colour of his skin turned tan, his eyes were a plain green, and the horns were nowhere to be found.

Eclis helped me into the carriage before I had a chance to properly react. I turned to stare out the window blankly. The feeling that I wasn’t in the right place anymore wouldn’t leave. The jarring fact that this wasn’t my body made me feel sick brought about a sense of anxiety and dread. Eclis seemed to notice, though he misunderstood the cause.

“Jazz, is this the first time you’ve travelled in a carriage?” It didn’t even feel good that he seemed concerned. This isn’t me.

“No…” He waited for me to continue. Maybe talking will make this feeling pass. “In my world we travel in cars. They use combustion to move the wheels rather than a horse… Honestly I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen one, though those aren’t normal horses.” The carriage started moving and the sound of the gravel under the wheels mixed with the sound of hooves just added to the foreign feeling I was experiencing. Was it nostalgia for the sounds of the city?

“They’re not demons.” His gaze never left me. “They’re a type of Fae. The humans in this world believe their presence brings about death and so hunted them nearly to extinction. You can only find them in Ganimede, and they’re quite rare.” My brows furrowed.

“People are stupid.”

“There are always small truths hidden in such legends, Jazz. All Fae creatures have domains they rule over and the Sleipnir are no exception. They’re attracted to death and so were often spotted in battlefields and graveyards. That is where the myth is rooted.” This was never explained in the book. For some reason that fact made me feel worse. It was comforting experiencing things I knew from the book since they were so familiar. Learning something new reminded me that this isn’t just a book.

“What about that attendant? Is that why he changed his appearance? Because he worried I’d fear him or something?” Eclis had a strange expression. It was impossible to read.

“He’s a Ba’aling.”

“A… Ba’aling?” They were briefly mentioned in the book. A race created from an ancient sin. The joining of a true demon and a human woman. They, and their descendants, regardless of what species they mate with will forever bear the marks of that sin. A demon like appearance and an innate skill in magic and stealth. “Ah. He hid his appearance because of the stigma against his race then.” Eclis nodded. “Then… Is there any kernel of truth too those myths?”

“You learn fast.” Eclis looked pleased, “No. In my time with them I’ve never found them to be any less lucky than any other species. Nor any more evil.” Right, I’d nearly forgotten since it was barely touched upon in the story. Eclis worked with many Ba’alings during the wars and afterwards was the only vampire to employ them in his palace. With Julia they’d always appeared human, only revealing such a secret halfway through the story.

“Then please tell them not to hide their appearance around me.” He looked surprised. It was a rare treat to see. “I don’t hold such stigmas and I’d rather not stay in a place where people feel they need to hide their true selves in front of me.” The carriage was silent until we reached the front gate where I could see a butler waiting with some others I didn’t recognize. When I glanced at Eclis he was genuinely smiling at me. It was stunning.

“Welcome home.” Before I’d had a chance to collect myself, he was already waiting with his hand extended to escort me in.