

Love

Awakens

Book One

COLLEEN MICHELLE JOHNSON

Please note that this book was updated on July 5, 2015.

New content has been added to help turn this NaNoWriMo.org

book into a full YA novel.

This is now book one in a series!

Preview of book two, Love Claimed, follows.
Copyright © 2014 Colleen Michelle Johnson

All rights reserved.

Cover Art:  
SelfPubBookCovers.com/burner

ISBN: 1503224902

ISBN 13: 978-1503224902

Title: Love Awakens

Version: 2.1

Book: 1

Author: Colleen Michelle Johnson

Smashwords Edition:

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to any persons living or dead, businesses or locales are entirely coincidental.

This is the work of an indie author whom has self published their work. All processes excluding the cover has been completed by the author. Should you find any errors in this book, please let the author know. Thank you! Email nightshadelane@gmail.com

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Earth's Sacrifice

Chapter 2 – Vrozia

Chapter 3 – Alone in her White Prison

Chapter 4 – No Longer Alone

Chapter 5 – Best Friends Forever

Chapter 6 – Four Plus Six Equals Ten Females

Chapter 7 – Dancing with a Prince

Chapter 8 – A New Other

Chapter 9 – The Hunt Begins

Chapter 10 – The Hunt Continues

Chapter 11 – Sias and the Chimera

Chapter 12 – Shapeshifters

Chapter 13 – Royal Family Meeting

Chapter 14 – Parasitic Limbs

Chapter 15 – Ostramethusias and the Magic Book

Chapter 16 – Punishing the Queen
Chapter 17 – Spells, Potions and Magic
Chapter 18 – Mixing

Chapter 19 – Artistic Gentleness

Chapter 20 – A Call from Magic

Chapter 32 – The Great Labyrinth

Guide

About the Author

Preview from Love Claimed Book Two
1 Earth's Sacrifice

"It's just another blistering day in hell," Cilla groaned as she opened her purse and dug around, desperate to find anything to tie her hair up. After a few seconds, she pulled out a black rubber band triumphantly and used it to drag her hair into a ponytail.

"There!" She sighed with relief as the weight of her long blonde hair was lifted off her neck. She wiped the sweat from her neck with the sleeve of her red hoodie. "Oh, gross!" Cilla hissed, folding her sleeve up to hide the wet mark. Her eye caught the time on her watch and she grumbled, "It's only 8:20 in the morning! How can it be so hot already?"

"Girl, you wouldn't be so hot if you stopped wearing those hoodies of yours! Hold up, it's that late? We'd better move faster or we'll miss the bell," Tonya warned them and they picked up their pace to reach their goal; the double doors up ahead leading into Tremare High School. The massive red brick structure rose up before them, windows tilted open, seeking to cool off the classrooms before the day began. Jana frowned as she walked up the concrete steps, looking up at the glass that sectioned off the second floor classrooms. "I hate the heat too," she sighed, brushing her own hair away from her flushed face.

"Got it figured out yet Cilla?" Nikkita asked distractedly, as she shuffled books in her backpack.

When they entered the school, they had to dodge students who clogged up the main hallway.

"You mean about Jason and the dance? I think so but he's been so pushy lately. Jeez, did the school's population double overnight?"

"Jason is a guy, they're all pushy," Jana grumbled as she approached their lockers, elbowing a kissing couple out of her way.

"Go exchange spit on someone else's locker! What is wrong with people!" She rolled her eyes before continuing. "I think if we stick together during the dance, it won't give the guys time to sneak us away to do more than just dance, if you get what I'm saying!" Tonya flung her locker door open revealing a very cluttered space.

"Tonya, how can you find anything in there?" Cilla asked, looking into Tonya's locker from over her friends shoulder. "I got this mess under control! If my locker was as neat as yours, Cilla, I'd never find a thing!"

Cilla opened her locker two away from Tonya's and grabbed her chemistry book. She stuffed it into her backpack before firmly closing the door just as Nikkita finished with her locker right below hers.

A tall, bubble gum chewing girl brushed by them shouting out, "Gab girls clique alert!"

"Shut it, Claudia! Save it for the cheerleaders. Oh, wait, you are a cheerleader! Snap!" Nikkita sneered at the now frowning overly cheerful chick bothering them.

"One day Nikkita, you'll join us and ditch these losers!" Claudia smirked, tossing her fluffy brown locks over her shoulder. "Come on ladies, class awaits our presence!"

"You'd never catch me dead wearing that lame orange and green outfit!" Nikkita hollered at the retreating group of girls all dressed in matching uniforms.

Soon the cheerleaders disappeared in the crowd, and Nikkita scowled. "I hate chemistry class just as much as cheerleaders. Professor Leach is one stodgy dude," she complained, elbowing her way through a group of guys blocking the stairs. "Move it or lose it!" Nikkita glared at them. One guy wearing an orange and green jacket stared at her for a moment before backing away. "No trouble Nikkita, baby, we'll gladly move outta your way so we can watch that fine back end of yours," he wiggled his eye brows suggestedly. "Give me a break already! Trent, as long as you're wearing that jacket, I have no time for you!" Nikkita gave him one more hard look before attacking the stairs, stomping her way up towards her first class of the day.

"Trent's stuck on you girl! Look, the Leech must have been born just as he is now, old and stuffy! Think about it! He wears the same sweater vests, no matter how hot the day is, and he never gives up on his pop tests. How can a teacher love pop tests so much? I think it's torture and he enjoys tormenting us!" Cilla fussed, giving her petite friend an eye roll. "Thanks Tonya, for holding the door to my misery open for me!"

"Not a problem girl! See ya later Cilla!" Tonya laughed gaily.

"Wish we had this dumb class together, it's so unfair that you guys have it together while I'm flyin' solo in here. Catch ya guys after class! And stay away from those cheerleaders!" Cilla waved as she entered Professor Leach's chemistry classroom.

"Try to keep yourself out of trouble and don't blow anything up today!" Nikkita called as she, Tonya and Jana walked down the jam-packed hallway towards their geometry class.

Cilla grabbed a seat in the back and set her backpack and purse down beside her. She watched as students filled the seats around her and then the bell rang. Her usual partner, Katie Vellenue sat beside her. "Hope we get to actually do something instead of listening to another one of his lectures!" Katie nuddged Cilla by the shoulder making her smile.

"He likes his own voice too much!" Cilla laughed softly.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," Professor Leach said, standing in font of his stainless steel desk.

"Today we're going to discuss mole calculations. The formula for..." the professor's lecture was interrupted by the entrance of the school's principle, Mrs. Davis.

"Please excuse me Professor Leach but I must collect Cilla Miller."

Cilla felt the eyes of the whole classroom turn towards her and she ducked behind her work desk. She grabbed her backpack and purse, gave Katie a weak smile and stood up. She ignored all the stares and whispers surrounding her as she walked to the front of the class.

"Professor Leach, Miss Miller will not be returning to your class today. Please excuse her from her course work," Mrs. Davis said, and though her words were straightforward, her hands told another story. Cilla watched the exchange between them, wondering what was wrong that merited her not returning for her class. Was something wrong at home? Was her mom and dad okay?

"Come Miss Miller, I must speak with you privately in my office," she led the way out of the classroom and down the hall towards the stairs.

"Oh dear, I see the worry on your face," Mrs. Davis said, taking ahold of one of Cilla's arms. Cilla was surprised at the strength behind the woman's hold on her.

"There's nothing wrong with my mom or dad right Principle Davis?" Cilla bit her lip as horrible images filled her head.

"No, no, your parents are fine dear. Down the stairs and turn to the left. I don't think you've ever been to my office. Here we are! Please come inside and we can talk. I assure you that you most certainly are not in any trouble so please relax."

"You're sure my parents are okay?" Cilla worried, her hands twisting together.

"Yes, this has nothing to do with them. Yes sit down right there and I'll just close the door."

Cilla sat down in one of the hard orange plastic chairs that were set in front of the principle's big desk. Her computers screen saver was a picture of the school's mascat, an orange and green bear. Cilla turned her attention to the princple who carefully locked the door before she walked behind her desk and took a seat. When she sat with her back straight and folded her hands in front of her, Cilla shivered again. She couldn't help but notice the single ring the principle wore on her right hand. It had a strange design in black and red that she couldn't quite make out. She thought it was strange that the woman wasn't wearing their school's colors. Before she could dwell on it longer, the principle began to speak.

"I have something very important to tell you. The Sanctuary called me this morning and has asked for you. There is a car waiting outside for you at this very moment," the principle smiled at Cilla and goosebumps covered her arms. Something was off with that smile, Cilla thought to herself.

"A car?" Even to her own ears, her voice sounded strangled.

"Yes, now, I'm just waiting for Mr. Hughes to arrive. He's going to walk with you and make sure you get in the Sanctuary's car safely."

"Pardon me, but what does the Sanctuary want with me?"

"They didn't tell me that dear, only that you had been chosen by the Church to serve in the Sanctuary."

Cilla's eyes widened at the woman's words. "Seriously?"

A loud knock interrupted them and the principle jumped up and unlocked the door. "Mr. Hughes, thank you for your quick timing. Please escort Miss Miller to the Sanctuary's waiting car. The air conditioning should feel good Cilla. Be well dear," the principle said as Mr. Hughes picked up Cilla's backpack and purse and gently pulled her up by holding on to her arm, much like the principle had done earlier.

"Hello Mr. Hughes. I'm sorry for interrupting your time coaching the track team," Cilla took her purse from the broad shouldered man as they left the office and entered the hallway. Cilla tried to look back at the principle but the door was closed before she could say a word. She could have sworn that she heard a paper shredder.

"Don't worry about Mrs. Davis, she's got a lot on her mind planning the dance you know," Mr. Hughes smiled down at Cilla as he led her towards the double doors that led to the front of the school.

"Oh look, that must be the car, and it's a black limousine!"

"Yeah, looks cool, thanks Mr. Hughes," Cilla mumbled as the man practially dragged her down the stairs and past the flag pole.

A young man dressed in brown robes stepped out of the car and came around and opened the back door.

"Here you go Miss Miller," Mr. Hughes said as he tossed her backpack into the vehicle. The man holding the door smiled at her and she ducked her head to sit down on the white, leather seat. Just as she pulled her legs into the car, the door closed and she heard the lock engage.

"This is very weird," she whispered, clutching her purse to her chest. She looked out the window to wave to Mr. Hughes but he had already dashed away back into the school. Cilla turned her attention to the inside of the huge vehicle just as a voice spoke to her through the speakers.

"Your name please?"

"Cilla, I mean, Priscilla Miller," she flinched at the sound of the name she despised.

"Birthdate please?"

"August 12, 2011."

"Very good, please sit back and rest. It won't take long to reach the Sanctuary. The head priest is awaiting your arrival."

"Really? Oh okay, thanks," she said quietly. She reached down and picked up her backpack and placed it next to her.

The car started immediately and when she glanced out the window, she could see her school fading in the distance.

Cilla reached into her purse to retrieve her phone but it wasn't there. She began to empty her purse as a fresh wave of adrenaline coursed through her. Frowning, she took the last thing left, her wallet out but found no phone. She stuffed her wallet, lipstick, face powder, the keys to her house, and some spare change back into her purse. Something wasn't right, she thought, but she had no idea why someone would have taken her phone. She closed her eyes and tried to relax in the cool air of the limo.

"We have arrived. I will take you to the head priest, Miss Miller," the young man said through the speakers.

Cilla gathered her things and when the door was unlocked, the man stood there holding the door open for her.

"Please come this way," he said, closing the door behind her.

Cilla looked up at the Sansgrove Sanctuary and her heart dropped. This was the main Sanctuary of the Church of the World. Now that she was here, she felt like each step she took was leading her further away from her freedom.

When they entered the lobby area, a man dressed in formal black and red robes approached her. "Welcome to the Sansgrove Sanctuary! I am the Head Priest," he said with pure happiness.

"Thank you sir. I'm kind of confused. Why am I here?" Cilla asked as she looked at the fancy paintings lining the white walls.

"Oh don't worry, I will explain along the way. Cilla I must ask for your watch, as this is a sacred building and electronics aren't allowed in the lower levels. Good girl, please hand your watch to Allan. Now, Allan, please take Miss Miller's backpack, purse and watch, yes thank you. Be sure now, to secure them in the closet on this level. You may go in peace."

The novice turned to Cilla and tugged her backpack and purse out of her arms. He nodded to her and then gave a short bow to the head priest before walking away from them. Cilla thought she saw the novice show the priest something shiny but she couldn't be sure.

"So glad you've come my dear. Now is the time to show you the extraordinary heart of the Sanctuary. Please come with me," the priest led her to a hidden panel in the wall and motioned for her to enter first. "I enjoy this entrance better than the other one. It makes it feel much more mysterious, don't you think?"

Cilla walked slowly through the hidden entrance and found herself standing on steep, stone steps. She turned and looked at the priest who was busy sealing the entrance.

"Sir?"

"Oh my dear, please come with me! It is such a beautiful sight to see and because you have been chosen, you are among a very select few souls ever to see this special place!"

The priest walked briskly down the stairs and Cilla concentrated on not falling while she tried to keep up with the priest.

When they reached the bottom, there was a single wooden door. The priest unlocked the door and gently pushed the blonde teenager by her shoulders into the brightly lit circular room before closing the door quietly behind them. He stood with his back pressed to the soft wood as he watched her walk around the small room. He smiled when she stopped to look up at the old fashioned fire torches that were set high in the curved walls.

Clearing his throat, he smoothed his robes of black and red down with one hand before he began his overused speech.

"Cilla, dear child, this is a very special room here in the Sanctuary and the Church is dedicated to the safety and wellness of the world. Now, as far as most of our world understands, Earth is the only planet with intelligent life. But this is not true for there are many worlds beyond our own that exist! One in particular is called Vrozia. That door over there leads to this world. To keep peace for our Earth, we comply with what the Vrozian's ask of us. The sacrifice of one teenage female every three years and I am sorry to inform you that you have been chosen to be that sacrifice. The Church thanks you for your dedication and we recommend that you feel proud that you are the reason our world will have three more years of protection from the feral, blood slaughtering outerborders of Vrozia." The priest stopped speaking as the girl turned her blue gaze towards him. He offered her a weak smile, bracing himself for what was to come.

Her attention had been focused on watching the strange way the flames danced against the walls and she had only heard one word that stood out in the priest's lengthy speech.

Pulling her gaze away from the mesmerizing bright orange light, she stared at the priest for a few seconds.

"Sacrifice? What do you mean sacrifice?" She stared at him and wondered if he was on drugs.

"We sent our car to fetch you from your school this morning because you have been called to duty here in the Sanctuary!"

"You pulled me out of school, and brought me here to this Sanctuary to sacrifice me? Are you crazy? Sacrifices are something out of a movie or book!"

"Trust me child, this is true life and you have been called to stand for everyone."

"Sir, if you are taking something that affects your mind, I won't tell the Church! All you have to do is let me go, and I promise never to tell a soul!"

Cilla looked at the priest, pressing her hands together as she waited for some sign that the man was sane.

"Child, the Vrozian's chose you. We have tried to find out how they see all that goes on in our world, but we have not found that out yet. These people can see every single corner of this Earth and communicate with me through the red rock at the top of this Sanctuary. Your name and location appeared in that rock last night. Centuries of peace have existed between our two worlds because we fulfill this one request of theirs. If we were not to send their chosen one, in this moment of their demand, they would come for us all. Your family, friends, and all that exist in this world would face death. Could you do that to those you love?"

Balling her hands into fists, the girl's face blushed with anger. "I'm only seventeen! How dare you give me a guilt trip for your pathetic words! Don't you even try to blame me for your stupidity either! I'm not responsible for every person on this planet! I don't understand what is happening right now! What is wrong with you?" She studied the man carefully for a few minutes. He showed no signs of drug use but some things could not be easily seen.

"You lied to me from the moment you first opened your mouth upstairs! You led me down here to this room, not because it is special to this Sanctuary but because you said that I had been chosen by the Church to serve in the Sanctuary! While part of that is true, being called to serve in the Sanctuary is not the same as being sacrificed to another world! Priests are supposed to be holy, God fearing men! But this whole place is a lie just like you! How is it that we're taught from a young age that this a sacred placed for the Church? Calling this a sanctuary is wrong! You use this place to hide your dreadful secrets. Yeah, you do! I would not wish this fate on anyone except you! Have you ever seen one of these Vrozians? Do you even know what they will do with me?" Seeing that the priest had no answers, her anger swelled up inside her. "Okay, can you tell me at least one thing? Has anyone ever returned?" The questions poured out of her until her voice cracked from her turbulent emotions. She glared into the priest's dark brown eyes with a heart full of loathing. He met her gaze and straightened his spine for what was to come next.

"No one has ever returned Cilla. This is what I have done for the last fifty years of my life and I will continue until I no longer hold this position within the Church. No one has ever seen someone from that world other than the chosen ones. We do not know what will happen to you or why they only ask for females. It is not my place to ask, only to obey."

He tensed his body, for this was the time when most of the girls had either screamed or hit him. This wisp of a girl did not disappoint him. How he wished he could comfort her!

She approached him fast, and her small fists hurt more than he thought they would even knowing it was coming. She continued to assault him as frustration burned an ugly path through her blood.

"I trusted you! Everyone I know trusts you! How does the whole world not know of this? My parents deserve to know what you're doing to me! They should know what you have chosen for my life, the truth, not the lies you speak! I'm an only child! This will destroy my parents. They suffered through hard times until they created me and here you are, tossing me off to some alien world! How cruel is the God you serve? You're a man that serves hell with your stupid red rock," she cried softly, covering her face with her shaking hands. All the fight drained out of her as her tears blurred her sight, and her slender body collapsed to the floor. "This will kill my mother!"

The priest tried his best to calm her down by humming, "Amazing Grace," quietly as he reached behind his back and pressed his hands against the solid wooden door.

"Your family will be told that you have committed yourself to this Sanctuary and that you have chosen to serve the Church of the World. Everyone will believe that you've come here to attend to the care of this holy place. I am proud of you, child. Would you have me hear your final repents?"

She looked up at him; her face streaked with tears. Her blue eyes burned with hate.

"Are you serious? How can one human life given every three years guarantee our world safety and peace? What is expected of someone you sacrifice? Am I to be bled out slowly, extending my death for three years, as these Vrozi-whatevers eat me bit by bit? Have you thought of that? But of course you have! You just don't care!"

The priest ignored the thoughts she painted inside his head and kept humming, quietly. He continued to watch the teenager crying on the floor in front of him before he slipped out of the room and quickly set the long bar lock on the outside of the door. Once he was sure the door was secure, he sighed only once before he turned to walk up the long flight of stairs that would lead him to the top of the Sanctuary. He must ensure that his red rock was no longer glowing. Thankfully, the Earth would have three more years of peace for the life of this one teenage girl.

Cilla vaguely heard the lock, but she knew the priest was gone. She looked towards the shiny golden door across from her and felt that the door's cruel beauty would haunt her forever, or however much longer she had to live. Squinting her eyes, she studied the door. The beautiful design of roses and thorns seemed to mock her. Here stood a doorway used to kill selected teenagers of Earth every three years. Knowing that the Church, which led everyone on the Earth, knew and participated in this sacrifice of humans hurt her deeply and instantly broke her faith in it. All that she had believed died within her as fury burned her faith to ashes.

"I am sorry for any sins I may have committed during my seventeen years on Earth. I am sorry that I have offended the Church who has sent me here to die alone. I am sorry that I've been chosen to be a sacrifice so that all those I love, and a whole world of people I don't even know, may live. I must forgive you for leaving me here, but I will not forgive you for all the lives you've given up to these Vrozians! You are no more a person of God in my eyes then the serial killers out there searching for their next prey!"

She sat up and tried to catch her breath after screaming out her thoughts. Her emotions were a dark storm yearning to break free, churning crazily inside her mind.

"You suck! These damn torches won't burn forever, and then what? I sit in the dark and get chomped on by something?" She pulled hard on her long blonde hair and used the pain to help her stop her dark descent into insanity.

"What fate awaits me behind that golden door?" She whispered as she looked around the room.

"No escape. Every three years a female teenager is left in this small room. That idiot priest will return in three years with a new unsuspecting soul to send to their death. Oh heavens, will these Vrozians kill me here? Surely, they'll devour my flesh and drink my blood so that no stains will besmirch this pretty, white marble floor!" She kept her voice a whisper as she stood up and wandered around the room. She ran her hands over the flat surface of the walls until she reached the wooden door.

Rubbing her damp palms on her jeans, she turned to look at the golden, decorated door.

"Who are you people? Who has chosen me among all those on this whole Earth? It's a huge world! And what would you have done, had that lame excuse for a priest not left me here as your offering?" Though she asked her questions aloud, she knew she would never receive answers.

"I wonder, do thoughts of those he has brought down here to die, ever haunt his dreams? Do his sacrifices open that door, and greet their death like an old friend?"

As she spoke her thoughts, she found herself half expecting the gilded door to fling open at any moment. And then, of course, some monster would reach through, grab her and crush her to death!

She raised her arms to pull her hair away from her face. "Dang it! I must have lost my hair band!" Then she pulled her hood up on her favorite red hoodie and stuffed her hair underneath. The door seemed to call to her and she walked towards it but stopped a foot away. She studied the intricate designs as fresh adrenaline raced through her delicate frame. "A beautiful door of death," she whispered.

Shivering, she closed her eyes for a moment, and listened to how loud the quiet was that surrounded her. "Curse my overactive imagination!"

Returning to the far wall, she leaned against it as she remembered the priest taking her purse, and backpack along with her watch.

"He took my purse. Crap! My phone! That's what the driver showed the priest, but how did he get it? My phone was my life!" Fresh tears glittered in her blue eyes, and she angrily wiped them away with the back of her hand.

"You stupid excuse for a human! This is the one, and only time I'm going to wish I was in chemistry class!" She rubbed her eyes as she stood against the wall opposite of the fancy door.

"Roses and thorns. Thorns to pierce the flesh and roses to represent beauty in death. How utterly unromantic."

Sinking to the floor once more, she pulled her legs up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs, and rested her chin on her knees. Sheer will kept her eyes on the haunting beauty of the shiny door, while her thoughts began to blur in her mind.

Two hours later she found herself waking up from a surprising nap. "What?" She mumbled as her eyes snapped open. Panic quickly ran through her as she remembered where she was.

"I must have fallen asleep. Who does that? Me! I'm such an idiot for trusting people! Got to get up, and walk a bit. Why is marble so hard?" A moan escaped her lips as she got to her feet. Right when she finished stretching her aching body, the flames in the torches winked out.

"Crud!" Crying out, she quickly covered her mouth. The darkness made her feel smothered and now that she was in total darkness, every sound she made was louder than usual. She also understood why it was so dark, and her eyes widened with renewed fear. She remembered the old fashioned torches set in the walls. "The fires must have burned out," she whispered.

Suddenly, a soft glow began to fill the room, and she shrank back against the wall. That odd light was coming from the golden door that was slowly opening before her eyes.

"Please don't let it hurt," she whimpered as her tears fell down her flushed face. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest! Just as the door opened enough for her to see, she passed out.

As her body fell to the floor, the hidden form inside the doorway instantly appeared by her side, and scooped her up in its arms. Her red hood fell away and her blonde hair spilled out. It looked down at her face and frowned at the way it shined with her tears. Shaking its own hood covered head, it glided back through the open door with the girl held securely in its arms. It looked at the dark room it had just taken the girl from and then with a thought, closed the door with its thorns and roses design behind them. It put its seal upon the portal, not to be opened again for another three years. Then it faced forward, continuing through the dead land towards the big tree up ahead.

2 Vrozia

Twin moons shined brightly in an otherwise dark sky. The dark form held the Earth world's latest sacrifice as it glided smoothly over the rocky trail. It made its way slowly up towards the huge black tree that sat in the middle of the small dirt field. It didn't slow its speed as it seemingly walked straight through the trunk of the monstrous sized tree. With the portal now closed between the worlds, the area was now empty of life once more.

The figure carrying the girl appeared on the other side of the tree, except now it floated over the smooth stone covered path surrounded by the Dymare Forest that led to a huge castle just a few miles up the path. The purple and white cloak it wore entirely hid its body from view including its face. Thankfully, the mortal female remained asleep while it carried its charge.

As it reached the castle's front metal gate that made up the entrance that sat between the two massive guard towers, two figures emerged from them. They stood together for a moment, lost in a heated argument over who was to open the gate. One of the royal guards nodded his head and returned to his tower. The remaining guard looked briefly at the human girl in Ostramethusias's arms.

"You always knock them out. Is it your winning personality?" The royal guard joked, but Ostramethusias made no reply.

"I am sorry; I could not help myself. Forgive me," the guard said as he fell to one knee, and bowed his head. The air over his uncovered head shimmered blue for a few seconds and disappeared. The guard stood up and turned towards the immense metal gate. He sent a signal to the other guard, and he and Ostramethusias stood together while the gate rose high in the air.

"Please enter," the guard whispered before he turned back to the Other, and bent at the waist while he extended one hand toward the entrance. "Welcome back Ostramethusias," he murmured as the Other glided by him without a word.

After Ostramethusias and the mortal it carried crossed over the metal path of the open gate, it heard the guard whisper, "Thank you for your forgiveness."

The guard watched as the bars of the gate slowly lowered in front of him. As soon as the gate was firmly back in place, he returned to his tower.

A huge castle rose up ahead of it with a vast central courtyard filled with luscious black floral gardens, mazes of dark hedges, fountains, and golden figures scattered about in an intricate design. Ostramethusias continued forward, winding around several golden statues of the royal family until it reached the bottom of an enormous flight of broad stone stairs. Standing at the top was a woman who wore an ornate black, and red cloak, with a large group of people behind her.

"The air moves little here at this time of year, but the temperature remains cold, at least as measured in the human world," the queen flashed her brilliant white smile towards Ostramethusias.

Behind her stood her children, each wearing a matching mantle with the exception of their first name embroidered in golden thread above their heart. Five dark heads stood to her right, and five light ones stood to her left. Their father lingered directly behind her with his hands wrapped around her waist and her dark hair flowed unbound over her right shoulder. Her crystal blue eyes held a smile too as they settled upon the Other at the bottom of the stairs.

"Welcome back Ostramethusias! Thank you once again for attending to the sacrifice from the Earth world. They always provide wonderful sacrifices! You do Vrozia so much greatness," she clapped her hands together, and her family followed. There were a dozen balconies set above them, and standing at each one was a man with a woman in his arms. They applauded lightly as they looked down at Ostramethusias's tribute from the Earth world.

"You chose well dear," the king whispered into his wife's ear. "I did my best. It was you, after all that taught me how to choose them, dear husband," she beamed happily at him.

"Guards, please direct Ostramethusias to the destination of this sacrifice. We've decided to change things a bit this time. The information we have on this one shows she is very headstrong. But she is quite beautiful," she looked at her husband who winked at her. They moved back to allow the six royal guards to lead Ostramethusias to the human's destination.

The group of young men all turned and tried to catch a glimpse of the girl. But the Other moved out of sight before they could tell anything other than that she had light hair.

"My sons, this offering has been brought here for one of you. She joins in with the other sacrifices we have received from the worlds we have called upon for our current mate matching game. We have six girls right now as four worlds did not offer their reparations. Instead, they claimed that they were recovering from diseases that nearly wiped out their whole population. Those worlds' portals were, of course, banished. Four more females are in the process of being located, and will be added to our current group. When we have our ten, we will begin to pair you together. Look up at your brothers, standing above us, and dream tonight as you have never dreamed before. Of a future with a mate of your own," she said as she held hands with her husband.

"Your mother is a sage woman. You would do well to listen to her," the king said to his sons before leading them all back into the castle.

Ostramethusias followed the six guards into the big receiving area just inside the doors of the castle. The Grand Hall stood before them; however they turned left towards the East Wing. When the guards stopped at a plain black door, Ostramethusias halted its own steps.

"We have been ordered to lead you to this door. We may open it for you, but we cannot follow you. We have also been instructed to leave it locked behind you as you have your method of leaving that does not involve the use of this door. Please allow me to open the door for you," the captain of the guard said just as he opened the door. It passed through, and the captain quickly secured the door behind the Other. He held up the shining golden key, and the Other whispered, "Maestrava Euthoria Baethun," and the key embedded itself in the door.

"Let us return to our posts," the captain declared as he guided the rest of the guards back towards the entrance of the castle.

Ostramethusias glided carefully down the spiral staircase. It had no need of a torch for it could see very well in the dark. It had no need for the staircase either, but it used it out of curiosity. The girl in its arms began to move, and it bent over her face, and gave her a shadow kiss. A mere displacement of air above her face and she slept. It wondered why the queen had decided to lock the door with an enchanted key? None of the other chosen females had ever been treated as this slip of a girl was. Shrugging its shoulders slightly, it decided it bore no weight to its participation in this process.

After ten minutes of venturing down the staircase, its red eyes could see that the room was quite small and too white. Even though the mortal was in perfect health, going up, or down the spiral staircase for ten minutes would be exhausting. A double bed with white linens sat across from where it stood, against the far wall. Two small tables hugged the sides of the bed. One held a white candle in a silver stand, and the other held a clock that glowed with green digits. If one knew what to look for, they would see tiny glitter sparks of purple, its own magic, powering the clock device. It noticed the small chamber off to the side and knew it contained a shower, bathtub, toilet, and a plain oval mirror above the white porcelain sink.

It glided over to the bed where the bedding had been left turned down. With the utmost care, it gently put the human down upon the crisp white sheets. It felt a loss of something unknown when the girl left its arms, but it didn't recognize the feeling.

Ostramethusias removed her shoes and placed them near the bed before it pulled the bedding up to her chin. It took a moment and gazed upon what the Earth had just given to its world. Something shifted inside of Ostramethusias, and it felt a feeling that it had never felt before. It closed its eyes and inhaled her scent allowing itself a moment to dream. Then it moved its arm through the air and in that single moment; Ostramethusias sent itself outside towards another world, the torch near the girl's bed now held a flame, and the mortal awoke.

-

One moment she was in the dark, and the next, she found herself waking up in a strange room. Too petrified to move, she kept her body completely still and listened for sounds around her but there were none. She was terrified that if she sat up, something would tear her throat out. When she felt courageous enough, she opened her eyes, and was stuck at how white everything that she could see was. White bed, white walls, and from a quick peek, white carpet that stopped at the start of a white metal spiral staircase. The staircase only went up, so that meant she was at the bottom. For a moment she imagined making an escape from this white room until she remembered what that fool of a priest had said, sacrifices never returned. Plus she was now in an alien world.

She convinced herself after a very long time, to sit up, and let her gaze wander over everything around her. She could see a small room across from where she sat on the bed, and though it was dark, it had to be a bathroom. She got to her feet and wiggled her toes in the plush carpet. The carpet felt so decadent that she had to remind herself that she wasn't in a luxury hotel but a prison in another world. When she looked down, she saw that someone had put her shoes by the bed. She decided not to put them on as she walked over to the dark bathroom.

Standing there, she feared the darkness, so she looked back at the bed, and saw the single white candle burning in a silver holder on the small table. She returned to the bed and picked up the candle being careful with it as she walked back to the bathroom. She found white towels, a white sink and even white soap. Then she thought about the light from the candle and wondered how one small candle could light up so much space. "Maybe the light from the candle has something to do with everything here being so white," she whispered to herself.

She walked around the area investigating every little corner, making sure nothing lingered in the darkness to pounce on her before she put the candle back on the table. Standing at the end of the bed, she stared at the two weird little tables that hugged the bed.

"An old-fashioned candle and a very modern looking clock with glowing green numbers. Thank goodness I'm not claustrophobic," she spoke softly as she began to pace around the small room.

"No windows or doors other than what might be up at the top of that very high spiral staircase," she sighed at the sight that rose up from the bottom stair.

She had expected a stone slab with grooves in it that would drain her blood until she was a dry husk. She never thought she'd find herself in a little bedroom with stone walls and a tidy bathroom. It took her only twenty steps to get from one side of the room in both directions. She found the very modern looking clock puzzling, and she decided to sit on the bed, and take a closer look.

She climbed onto the bed, and shook her head at whoever decorated her prison.

"What kind of world is this that uses both an old fashioned candle, and a digital clock?"

She found the clock to be light in weight as she held it but when she turned it around it had no power cord or a place for batteries. Remembering her little exploration of the room, she had not seen one power outlet anywhere in her new space.

"What a weird thing you are. How the heck do you work?" She shook the clock gently before a male voice spoke from it.

"This is more than a clock. We use it to communicate," the male voice told her from the machine. She jumped and fell to the floor when the guy's voice startled her. The clock fell from her hands and landed on its side on the bed.

"Get off the floor human," arrogance filled his voice.

"You can't be arrogant with me if we've never met." She frown as she got to her feet and stared at the clock but after pure silence had greeted her for some time, her mind became paranoid.

"Are there cameras in here? Are you watching me?" She searched the room with her eyes for any hidden cameras but didn't see anything.

"Are you Vrozians more advanced in your technology then us mere mortals, do you plan to eat me?"

"You are in my world, Vrozia. We live parallel to your mortal world in a way, touching yet not combined. You are somewhere in our castle. Mother won't tell us where you are yet," that annoying male voice told her.

"Well, thank your mother for me! You didn't answer my question and I don't think I like your attitude so please go away!"

"You are now speaking to Tomas. Let me not anger you so quickly, may I have your name?" A deeper male voice than before asked her. "Cilla, short for Priscilla," she answered quietly.

"Hello Cilla, if I may address you this way?"

"Uh sure," she mumbled.

"First let me tell you the few things that I am able to share. One, you are in a very safe location, and no one is going to harm you. And two, my world seeks a sacrifice from your world every three years because we cannot produce females of our own. Every female you will meet is from another world like yours. Yes, there are other worlds besides your Earth and Vrozia. Welcome to your new home, and thank you for being our guest. The word 'sacrifice' is a term used by the people from your world. For us, your sacrifice is that you may not return to your world. We have sealed your portal, and it should not be opened for three years, and the entrance, and exit to the portal can only be accessed by one individual. Its name is Ostramethusias; the only original Other left in Vrozia. It is different from my family in a few ways. If you were to look at me, you would not think me anything but mortal. But if you were to get closer to me, get to know me, see my habits, you would notice how very different we are yet we would make a perfect match. I am the oldest of my brothers, and my hair is dark. We have five dark haired males and five light haired males that are unmatched right now. I take after our mother, and the light haired ones take after our father. Our father is king here, making our mother queen. Each of us is a prince that will one day make you a princess, when you find your mate from within my group."

"Oh, thanks for the low down," she managed before she placed the clock device down on the table. She moved away to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Am I to be alone down here in this very white place?" She frowned at the clock.

When a warm laugh responded to her tentative question, she flushed with a anger.

"This is my life you are controlling!"

"Hello Cilla, welcome home," an older female voice said.

Cilla's eyes widened as she stared at the clock.

"Are you the queen?"

"Yes I am Queen Jacquelle. I came from the same mortal world as you, but a very long time ago. I don't remember much about it, but I wish to advise you of one thing. Don't think of yourself as a sacrifice any longer. You are now one of the chosen and greatly valued by our males. Believe in yourself, for I picked you above all others in your world as I know you will make an excellent match for one of my ten available sons. Now rest," she advised before the room became quiet again.

Cilla's heartbeat was so loud in her head that it increased her fear. "Princes, matching, and ten sons?" Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before she opened them to blow out the candle. Cilla did not care how she would light it later for her new reality was much too overwhelming. She did what she would have done at home, got in bed, pulled the covers over her head, and curled her body up on her side.

"This has got to be the worst dream I have ever had," she thought before sleep claimed her.

-

"Why did you put this one in a separate room?" Sam asked his mother as he stood with his brothers, assembled in the Great Hall.

"My research on her made me believe that you and your brothers would be drawn to her more so than any other female. Her blood would call to you, so I decided to place her behind a magic key. It is the safest place for her at this time. Sam, you know I want nothing but you and your brothers happiness! This is just temporary until all ten chosen females have arrived. Ostramethusias has a few more to retrieve before we can start our game." Queen Jacquelle paced around the room while her sons watched her.

"Mother, is there a female that likes horses?" Stephan asked his pacing mother.

"You and your horses!" Gairvan exclaimed to Stephan.

"You and your scouting lessons!" Stephan shot back.

"Poor Gairvan, never can get in more than four words!" Stephan teased his brother but Gairvan ignored him.

"Why is she pacing?" Tomas asked his brother to his right, Conner.

"I don't know Tomas. I've never seen her like this. Maybe she's worried that she won't find enough females for all ten of us for our game. I really want to do the hunting activity. You know how much I enjoy hunting!" Conner's eyes sparkled at the thought of hunting in the Dymare Forest.

"At least we get to ride our horses during the hunting activity," whispered Stephan.

"You and your hunting! I hate that activity! I always have and if I had the choice, I would ban it!" Tomas said fiercely, anger flashing in his dark eyes.

"Chill Tomas. The majority of us enjoy the hunting so you'll just have to get through it! You can't be stuck in the library for the rest of your life. You have to get out and enjoy the fresh night air!"

"I do not like the fresh air! I prefer to stay inside," Tomas grumbled.

"Hunting is the only sport that is fun here! I just don't like the idea of it hurting my potential mate," Ryker mused out loud.

"How can you care for them even when you have not met them," Joshua asked.

"How can you care about your garden when nothing has been planted? You care about every seed you plant! Don't bother me about asking how I feel about my potential mate!" Ryker's face became a mask of anger at the thought of the females getting hurt.

"What's your problem?" Conner asked, hands on his hips.

"Nothing. Just think about enjoying your hunting! You'll only get to do it once before you'll have to wait a long time before you can get out in the fresh night air!" Ryker told his brother before he turned away from him and watched his mother as she snapped her fingers.

"Maybe that's it!" She said, excitement vibrating in her voice.

"What's she talking about now?" Lurian asked, paying attention to his mother for the first time. "How much longer do we have to stand here? I've got things I want to do!" He grumbled as he swiped a hand through his dark hair.

"Lost day dreaming again brother?" Conner asked, his voice harsh and mean.

"Shut up Conner," Lurian growled as he punched his brother in the shoulder.

"You need to spend more time sparring with the master instead of hitting your brother," Jacquelle said as she approached her sons.

"Sorry mother," Lurian muttered while his brother Conner beamed a bright smile at their mother.

"Don't think I don't know what you've all been saying Conner!"

"Sorry mother," Conner mumbled, staring down at his shiny black boots.

"I have decided to have all of you come with your father and I when we make our yearly distribution of nourishment to the citizens of Vrozia! This way, they can see how strong you are and we can keep the peace we have lived with and what we truly desire."

"Must we?" Sam asked, staring at his mother who stood a few feet away.

"Yes, you must! Sam, you make me sad. This is important not just for our family but for your future mates! We must show our strength at this time so that the outerborders don't rise up and attack us!"

"Yes mother," her sons said in unison.

"Thank you! That's the attitude I expect from my sons."

"Cilla is waking up. Tomas can you see to her needs please? Use the communicator in my tower room. Go and be quick! She is waking in the dark and she will be scared!"

"Yes mother, I shall go straight away!" Tomas said as he rushed out of the Great Hall, turned left and ran towards his mother's favorite room in the highest tower of the castle.

"Why did you choose Tomas?" Ash asked, irritation clear in his voice.

"Because she has already talked with your brother and he has been quite well received by Cilla! Unlike you when you! You insulted her and she immediately disliked you! You must try to be charming, even if it doesn't come easy to some of you like Ash! Go now my sons, take a break and do what you will. If I have need of you, I shall call for you," Jacquelle said as she exited the Great Hall and walked quickly towards her tower room to check on Tomas and Cilla.

She withdrew her small red rock and smiled when Tomas turned the brightness on in Cilla's room.

3 Alone in her White Prison

Cilla knew as soon as she woke up that she wasn't in her bed at home. First off, her bed wasn't this soft, and secondly, she never slept with anything covering her face. Being a tad bit claustrophobic didn't allow for such actions.

Once she untangled herself from the bedding, she moved her hand in front of her face but couldn't see it. Then she remembered the old fashioned candle, which led her to think briefly about the crazy clock. She must have turned it face down sometime during the night, or she would have had at least a bit of light.

Instead, she turned her head towards where the candle last stood but when she reached for it, her fingers met empty air. Fear caught in her throat as she realized something or someone could be in the room with her right now ready to skin her alive. With her imagination working overtime, she called out, "Light!"

Fear had never been a sweet companion of hers. And she had reasons for fearing the dark. Loads of reasons she would need to see a shrink, for the rest of her life to work through all her issues. But she didn't think they had shrinks in this world.

Abruptly the whole room became as bright as the sun, and she cried out from the stinging pain in her eyes. She grabbed her pillow and used it to cover her watering eyes.

"Thanks for the light! Can you tone it down a bit please," she mumbled from beneath her pillow.

"I am sorry; I have adjusted the light for you Cilla. This is Tomas again. Good morning."

Cilla heard the male voice and hesitantly removed her pillow, breathing in a sigh of relief as her eyes no longer stung. After a few more moments, her eyes finally adjusted to the light, and she felt the pain slip away

"May I ask, without penalty to either party, can you see me as well as hear me?" She flopped onto her back on her bed and tucked the pillow beneath her head.

"Without penalty to either party, how clever Cilla," Queen Jacquelle told her.

Cilla refused to remark on her comment, so she did her best to relax for a moment by taking a few refreshing breaths. Then Cilla settled herself into a sitting position on the bed. She thought about food for just a moment, but then realized that the idea of eating anything made her feel sick.

"I have a question, without penalty to either side please."

"Ask your question," the queen replied.

"I'm not hungry, and I know I should be. I'm not thirsty either, and I usually drink tons of water every day," Cilla told her as she entertained thoughts about what must be wrong with her.

"It's okay Cilla, do not worry. Your body is already adjusting to how it should function in our world. This is entirely normal although you are the first chosen one to go through these changes so quickly. How does a cold glass of orange juice sound?"

"You have oranges here?"

Her eyes widened a bit as a glass of orange juice appeared on the table near the clock. She blinked and rolled her eyes and looked back at the glass. No matter how much blinking she did, she found it was still there on the table.

"We have been to many worlds and for the transitioning time, the chosen females must consume foods from their home worlds. We are careful to keep your bodies functioning at their best."

"Cool, thanks for the juice. It is just juice right?" Cilla couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong other than the glass appearing out of nowhere.

"Hello Cilla, my name is Joshua," a calm voice spoke from the box.

She took her time thinking before she spoke. Cilla considered all sorts of responses, but she feared saying the wrong thing.

"Joshua, can you tell me what one of your favorite things to do is?" Cilla posed the question to him and hoped it was a generic inquiry. She forced herself to relax a bit, and grabbed the orange juice before drinking it slowly.

As she drank the juice, she pressed one hand against her stomach. "That drink made my stomach feel tingly. But you know, not unpleasant, just more like having that full feeling after a big meal but with little bursts of something. Almost like Rocky Pops, a candy from my world that pops in your mouth." Cilla thought about what she had drank and hoped it was just plain juice. Much to her annoyance, the prince ignored her rambling and answered her question.

"I like to garden. I tend to many of our formal gardens while also keeping a small garden for myself. I like working with living things like plants."

She set her empty glass on the table and watched it instantly vanish.

"There are more females here besides myself then," Cilla said, feeling bold at the moment.

"Cilla, we understand that you need time to get used to our world. In this world exists magic that allows us to move things from one place to another. All magic belongs to Ostramethusias and it gives some to us to use as we wish. Your heart is beating too fast that I am worried about you, please calm down," the queen spoke in a soothing voice but it didn't work on Cilla.

"Sure thing," Cilla became slightly annoyed at herself for allowing awe to creep into her voice. Magic!

"Regarding more females, yes we do have more in the castle but we are awaiting the arrival of the last three girls as another just appeared two hours ago. When that happens, you'll all be moved to a single room with a window, and it will be secure with guards outside your door. We must keep you safe from the vicious outerborders that live in our world," the queen's voice stiffened up, and Cilla wondered why.

"Thanks for keeping me safe then. May I please take a bath without anyone watching me?" Her eyes searched the room and wondered what an outerborder person looked like or what made them cruel.

"Of course, no one can see you unless I make it so. Under the sink, you will find extra towels and a collection of bathing salts in scents I've observed you prefer. If there is something you would like, you need only ask. Meanwhile, I will send you a picture of all ten princes that are available for our new mating game! I wish each of my son's pure happiness."

"You're a loving mother," Cilla whispered as tears welled in her eyes, and her thoughts wandered to her mother.

"I am very sorry for your losses, but you are of need here. Go take your bath Cilla," the queen encouraged her.

Wiping her eyes on her sleeve, she got up and wandered into the bathroom in search of a long, and hot bath. She entered the bathroom and carefully closed the door behind her. Cilla noticed that there was no lock on the door from either side.

"I hope I wake up from this dream soon, but I know that won't happen. My new reality is colorless," she murmured before she started explored the bathing salts under the sink, Cilla chose a scent with a label stating, "Ocean Mist." She turned the bath water on using the little silver faucet handles, which looked pretty modern to her. Vapor quickly filled the room, and she sighed as peace enveloped her. She removed her clothing and slipped into the steaming hot water.

When her toes and fingers were very wrinkled, Cilla decided that she must have been in the bath for at least an hour. The time she had just spent soaking in the hot water had helped her body relax. Curiosity overtook her, as her mind drifted back to what the queen had told her about the picture she would send to her. She had decided to ignore the queen's remark about the mating game but felt that she was ready to see the appearances of the ten bachelor princes. She got out of the tub slowly and wrapped a white fluffy towel tightly around her slim body. Cilla rubbed a spot clear and looked in the mirror before running her fingers through her light blonde hair. She thought herself lucky that her hair always dried straight. She pushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears.

As soon as she walked out of the bathroom she stopped in her tracks. Somehow her clothing now sat on her bed. She approached her clothing slowly before she lifted her red hoodie to her nose, and smelled it. The scent was unfamiliar, but it did remind her of those commercials for detergent that smelled, fresh and clean! She pushed the embarrassed feelings that threatened to overwhelm her deep inside, and dressed quickly. All her garments had been cleaned including her cute panda printed panties, and matching bra. Cilla blushed as she struggled to pull on her clothing while still wearing the towel. Once that task was completed she picked up her towel and set it to dry in the bathroom.

Standing completely dressed made her feel less vulnerable. She adjusted her hoodie and tied her shoes before she paused. A word popped into her head, and it made her frown. It was from her conversation with the queen before her bath. "Mating! Holy cow!"

She covered her mouth with her hands as bizarre thoughts filled her head.

"Are they wolves or some were-animal? Who mates? I'm only seventeen and not ready to have kids! I haven't gotten that far yet no matter how hard my boyfriend pushed me. He kept saying prom was super special this year, but I knew he just wanted to get in my pants. Well, looks like he'll be choosing someone else this year," she found herself suddenly depressed at the loss of her old life, and confused about her new one.

She was thinking about home when a male voice startled her. The voice came from behind, and her stomach dropped. She looked around the room and realized that what she had heard was coming from the clock thing.

Sighing in relief, she slowly walked over to the bed and perched upon the edge of it. The voice coming through the box hurt her ears and got her full attention.

"Hello Priscilla. I trust you have had a relaxing morning. My name is Conner, and I wanted to introduce myself to you. I enjoy hunting very much."

Covering her ears with her hands, she sucked in a breath but the pain grew so severe that she cried out.

"No please! I'm sorry Conner, thank you for introducing yourself, and telling me about your enjoyment of hunting, but please stop speaking! To be honest, your voice is causing me great pain in my head," her vision blurred while she tried to rub her terrible headache away.

"Okay, note to whoever is listening, please do not call me Priscilla, just Cilla. And I don't care for hunting because it leads to killing. I prefer non-violent activities," she braced herself for that pain inflicting voice but silence greeted her and to her relief, the pain began to lessen until it was completely gone.

Once her head was clear, she remembered that the queen had said that she would send a picture of the princes while she was bathing. She looked towards the other table and saw a flat envelope.

She rolled over the bed, grabbed the envelope and held it close to her chest like a prize. She moved back to sit up on the bed before she began to remove the photo from the large envelope.

Her breath caught in her throat as she held the single, full-color picture. Each man was perfect in his way, model, and actor gorgeous. Jeez, Jason, her old boyfriend, had nothing on any of these men!

"How old are these guys? Do they age the same as I do?" Groaning, she hated that questions built up in her mind making her brain hurt again, just like it did when she had a pop quiz at school. She pushed those thoughts aside, and kept her eyes on the photo but directed a question to the clock box thing.

"May I please speak with the queen?"

"I am here Cilla. How may I assist you?"

"You know how old I am right?"

"Of course I do. In mortal years you are seventeen, which you turned just two months ago. In our world, you will age differently. A positive thing I assure you. What worries you?"

Biting her lip, Cilla hesitated before she asked, "What is mating?"

"Oh, do not worry Cilla, that subject will be covered when the time is right. It is nothing to concern yourself over at this time. Now, I shared your image with my sons, and every single one of them has agreed that you are quite beautiful. I have set a time tonight for you to see a bit of our world outside. You will receive a visit from the one who brought you here to us. Its name is Ostramethusias. It will keep you safe. Be well Cilla."
4 No Longer Alone

Cilla looked at the gadget, and wondered how many girls like herself had sat exactly where she was now. Putting the picture down on her bed, she walked over to the spiral staircase; it would be interesting to meet someone from this world. "Something more than communicating through a one way clock where they can see me, but I can't see them," she began to pace.

Though it had not made a sound, Cilla looked up and froze when she saw a figure standing near her bed.

"Greetings to you, young Cilla."

Ostramethusias's words were a tender touch inside her mind. She raised her hands and pressed against her ears with her fingers. "Are you speaking inside my head?" Cilla asked out loud, her voice filled with awe.

Cilla looked at the figure and thought she had finally lost her sanity. She could not tell if it was male or female but what she felt didn't give her any clues. She could see that it was taller than her five feet, eight inches, but its body was mostly hidden under the purple and white cloak it wore, including the hood.

"Yes, it is my way. My name is Ostramethusias, and you are very clear of mind. You are not at all faulty in the brain."

She stared at it for a moment before speaking inside her head.

"I hope that is a positive thing so I'll take it as a compliment. Let me try to say your name, hello Ost-ram-ethus-ias. Bet I bungled that one. I have a very creepy feeling that you can hear all my thoughts."

Cilla tried to say its name, but she knew she hadn't gotten it right.

" _Oh-stra-meth-you-sias,_ " it spoke in her mind again.

"If you say so! You are the one that opened the golden door and took me from that room in my old world?"

"Yes."

"You then brought me here to this white room, down that massive spiral staircase that would take me forever to climb?"

"Yes and No."

"Interesting answer."

She took a few steps closer to it. It did not move, and she could feel it studying her with great intensity. Curiously, she felt no fear being so close to it. Cilla had the sudden urge to get even closer and she shook her head.

"Is it okay for me to ask you questions?"

"As you will."

"Why are you referred to as an 'It'? I don't find that very complimentary. You are a living, breathing person."

"As is the way; the way shall be."

"Well its not nice! Are you the last of your kind?"

"Yes and no."

"Okay let's try another angle. The royal family here, do they share part of your heritage that makes you an original 'Other', but makes them not so?"

"Yes."

"I like honesty and sometimes I can be very blunt. Are you male?"

"Interesting mind of a creative female mortal, your thoughts do flow."

"Words are words; you did not give me an answer Sias."

"What does not concern you, should not be revealed. You shortened my name."

Taking a few steps, Cilla could see one distinct detail; it had red eyes. And they glowed redder when she asked certain questions. Interesting. But the rest of this being's face was in shadow. How that was possible in the brightly lit room, she could not say.

"May I call you Sias or must I learn your full name right now? My nickname for you is easier, and your full name is very hard to say at least for this mortal."

She took another step closer and again, it did not step away. She asked another question before it could answer her previous one.

"Do you get lonely?"

Cilla felt the room's air begin to vibrate, and thought it was quite strange but not uncomfortable. And those eyes just flashed a bright red!

"You do! I'm so sorry. Is there anything you wish to discuss or do that I could help you not be lonely?"

Cilla's heart felt heavy and she didn't understand the feeling as she stepped closer leaving only two steps between them.

" _Come,"_ it said in her mind, and when she blinked, she stood outside the castle with her companion a few feet away.

Finally, free, she stretched her arms out and tilted her face towards the darkened night sky. She closed her eyes and thought of the twin moons in the sky with no stars. Cilla liked how the air felt, so fresh and crisp! She turned in a circle before putting her arms down and taking in the sights around her.

"So wonderful to be free, thank you! Is it always night here?"

"Perpetually. Night."

Turning to it, she focused all her attention on learning more about this magical being who gave her freedom from the white room with just a nanosecond and the power of its natural magic. And it was the first being she had met in this odd world. That gave it bonus points.

"Do you know what I think? I think the queen could be using you as a test against me but guess what? I don't care what she thinks! She is not going to rule my life! Maybe you're another part of this game but I don't feel that is true. You don't arrange the games do you? Maybe the queen is weighing my worth. Am I good enough for one of her sons who all happen to be princes? Does anyone care that I don't want to be a princess? I'm not interested in her sons. I don't want to talk through some box to people I can't see but who can see me!"

She looked around and happily found no one else near them. She glanced up at the huge castle, so Gothic in style, and a wave of dizziness fluttered through her.

"I don't like the golden statues and the guard towers are positioned along the walls everywhere. It's like you're all expecting a massive invasion at any moment."

Cilla let her eyes travel the length of the stone walls for as far as she could see.

"From the guard towers, the mere presence of guards, my room at the bottom of a long spiral staircase, well, it seems that this royal family is heavily protected. Could you tell me from what we are being protected from?"

Cilla walked towards Sias, semi listening to the dark grass crunch beneath her feet.

"This world has a token king and queen to serve as the governing body, but not all in this world are like this family. But the royals would tell you that all, everywhere, would drain you of blood in seconds. They guard their blood sources well."

Cilla stopped walking, and looked around herself again. She listened to the sounds around her, or rather the lack of sounds. Looking up at the towers she couldn't see a single guard.

"Blood source? That's kind of gross. So I am safe down in my white prison? Safe from being drained of all my blood, for now?"

"Within the company of and there."

"I a blood source for you Sias?"

Cilla squinted her eyes at it and still felt no fear. Something changed in her chest and her heart started to beat faster. She felt deep within herself and knew it was a he, she wasn't sure how she knew but she was sure of herself.

"That ticks me off," she grumbled before kicking a statue that looked like one of the princes from the photo she had studied.

"What happens if I want to pick you?"

She felt the intensity of his glance, but she could not see him clear enough to judge what he might be thinking or feeling, leaving her frustrated.

"You would not choose in such a way. I will not drain you of your blood."

"You said the word, 'would' but not 'could'. Don't judge me so quickly. You'd be surprised what I would and would not do. I'll repeat my main question. Do you get lonely?"

When she didn't get an answer again, she threw out all reason and hugged him.

She whispered, "You're not an it, you're a he, a guy. You can keep me safe but can you keep me safe from you?" Cilla looked up and stared into his red eyes, and she was shocked at the vision that led her straight to his soul and it was an endless path! Pain overwhelmed her mortal body, and she collapsed. Once again, he caught her before she would have hit the ground as she fainted.

As it held her in its arms, Ostramethusias wondered at her thoughts and her bravery in touching him. She had said, he. His thoughts shimmered in his mind and colors swirled around him as he held her snug in his arms. His body shook and everything changed in that moment. Ostramethusias took a deep breath of air and breathed in the fact that he was now fully male and breathed out the old fact that he was once an it. There was only one way to trigger this change in an Other. _His mate._ His arms tightened around her body and held her closer to his chest. She could have tried to run; she could have talked about the princes and their games to learn an advantage. But she didn't. It seemed that she wanted to talk about him and had little interest in the game itself. Not once in his existence had he ever felt like marking a chosen one, like he did now.

But she's not a chosen one anymore, she's mine!

He felt his teeth grow sharper, and his nails lengthened. And then he did the one thing he had never done. He slid one of his needle-like nails below Cilla's left ear and made a very tiny cut. As her blood began to well up, he sucked in a breath at the scent. He sealed the wound immediately with a thought and absorbed Cilla's blood with another, leaving her neck as it was before he had tested his self-restraint.

Apparently, this one little human, tempted him very much. Her blood was intense, not sweet and watery like most human blood tended to taste.

In his long years in this world, he had never yearned for anything for himself. By the laws of Vrozia, if he wanted, she could belong to him as a blood slave or as his companion if he so chose. But she wasn't a chosen one! She was his mate! There had never been a soul who asked about his feelings or sensed his loneliness. He had been content in his solitude until this mortal had questioned his feelings. And then she had felt his feelings too! He tilted her head to the side and saw a slight shine from the cut he had made.

"So shows my fate," he whispered for had it been one of the eligible princes who cut her, there would be no mark. But because she was special, there was a tiny scar, a mark. A silent claim.

He set Cilla on her feet and sent a charge through her body at the same time that he moved away from her. For a second, she hovered between sleep, and awareness, and in that time, he had learned much about her. As Cilla's blue eyes opened, he motioned for her to follow him, and she did.

"Something happened, but I bet you won't say what."

She sighed at his lack of response as she followed close behind Ostramethusias.

She looked around, and noticed that they seemed to be moving away from the castle. She could see that a lot of attention had gone into sculpting the trees and bushes. She itched behind her left ear and then rubbed the spot with her shoulder. It was a weird feeling, like she had scratched herself on something sharp. The itchiness was growing into pain and she wondered if she was suffering an allergic reaction to something. _But to what?_

"Did I catch myself on something out here? The skin behind my left ear itches like crazy, but I can't get it to stop."

"Hey! Why'd you stop?" She said as she ran into his body when he stopped walking to stare at her.

"What? Why are you staring at me?"

Her eyes grew wide when he reached out with a very pale hand, and tilted her head to the right.

"The spot behind your ear is bright red, and it appears to be a rash of sorts," Ostramethusias whispered before he pulled his cloak around Cilla and himself, and they disappeared.

He brought her to his lounging room in the castle part of his quarters which he usually kept empty as it was just a space that connected his personal space to the castle. With a thought, he had scattered candles upon different pieces of furniture before they came into the room. Then he moved Cilla so that she sat in the middle of the single plush brown sofa. He gently pushed her head up upon the back of the sofa, exposing her throat before walking to stand behind her and she made no protest at his actions. Using his finger tips, he moved her face to look to the right as he studied the rash that was quickly spreading down Cilla's neck.

"Impossible yet exactly correct," he whispered as he followed part of the pattern the 'rash' was making with one nail. Goosebumps covered Cilla's arms but she did not move. Ostramethusias stared at her skin and saw his face reflected in the pattern that he knew was now spreading over her upper body.

"What's wrong Sias? What is happening to me?" Cilla's voice filled with fear yet she wasn't afraid of the man just the irritation that was quickly turning to a burning pain in her skin.

"I took a long bath with some bathing salts. Am I allergic to them? Why would the allergy start at my ear? It really hurts!"

She reached up to itch her burning neck with her right hand, but Ostramethusias stopped her by pushing her hand away.

"I have to itch it!"

She rolled her head until she was nearly nose to nose with him. Though his eyes were a burning red, his face was like sculpted marble and extremely male. She sighed and felt goofy.

"Hi. I think you are so beautiful."

She smiled at him, almost losing herself as she became overwhelmed with the weight of his pain again. She pulled herself back just in time and turned away when her vision was overtaken by small sparkling lights.

"Wow, it's so pretty," she spoke slowly as she stared at the stone ceiling. Ostramethusias realized that she was lost in a sight only she could see. Much to his alarm, her body was changing too fast!

He moved like lightning around the room, opening one drawer, closing it and opening another. He searched desperately for an item he never thought he would ever use. His diathorma, a tool used in the verification process of claiming a mate between two Others. Finding it in his small green table across from the sofa, which usually was in his bedroom, he grasped the cold metal firmly in his hand before he moved back to stand behind Cilla. She hadn't moved, and her eyes were beginning to glow a light purple as the mark darkened around her throat.

"The pattern shows too fast! Hold onto yourself as pain may come but know it is not I that would wish this inflicted upon you Cilla. This diathorma has sat unused for longer than you could trace your human race."

He touched her mind softly as he blew a delicate breath against Cilla's face. He felt her heart in his own chest as it slowed down until she was barely breathing. Ostramethusias placed the diathorma gently against Cilla's skin, at the spot where he had cut her right below her left ear. As her skin came into contact with the metal, she sighed, "Oh," before her eyes closed.

Ostramethusias watched as the diathorma absorbed the chemical he had accidentally unleashed when he first cut her outside, underneath Cilla's skin that was causing what had appeared as a rash along with a thumbs worth of her blood.

Once the rash had disappeared, he moved the tool away and smiled to see that her skin was perfect once more. There was no longer a visible mark; it was as if her skin had never been touched, almost. If one knew what to look for, they would see his face etched upon her throat.

He looked at the diathorma in his hands and walked into the small alcove which held three little brown tables. Books were scattered over the surfaces though cleverly constructed they appeared as if they had been randomly strewn about. He pressed a spot on the stone wall behind the largest table and a small opening appeared as the stone retracted into the wall. Ostramethusias reached in and removed a small black bag, put the tool inside the bag and then gently returned the bag to its hiding place in the wall. He touched the stone again, and it moved into its natural position.

Taking a breath, he returned to the lounging room where Cilla looked to be asleep. When he touched her shoulder, he sent a new charge through her body to return her heart to normal. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Hey, oh, you made the itchiness go away, thank you!"

Though he heard her thoughts clearly, they were a bit slow. He sent another charge through her body and she jumped up on the couch and hugged him.

For a moment, everything stopped. Her heart, his heart, the world, everything. And then she let her body drop down onto the seat of the sofa and sat down on her hands, her lovely face blushing.

"Sorry I touched you without asking! I get excited easily, and I meant no offense in touching you. I'm so sorry!"

She looked down and wondered what was wrong with her. Here was someone who took her outside, where she didn't have to talk through a box. Someone who she felt entirely comfortable around even though she could barely say his name, and she even found safety in his red glowing eyes. Weird things kept happening around him, but she chalked it up to her presence in a new world. And his magic of course.

"Cilla?"

"Yes?"

"Your reaction is similar to that of a bite from a micro mite, a minuscule black and green creature that lives in the sculpted trees outside. They like to burrow under the skin. I healed the spot that caused you pain and you should have no more problems. You must be returned to your room now as the queen will be contacting you soon."

Ostramethusias slipped a spell over her body, a slight glamor spell to hide the slight physical changes she was presently showing.

"So brief, a flash of freedom did I see!"

She groaned and stretched as she stood up. She may not have noticed her words, but he did and he smiled as a new feeling burst in his chest.

"Your companionship is greatly appreciated and the glimpse of freedom so refreshing! Protection you have given, I am forever grateful to you! I wish for you to stay near me so that I may ease the loneliness that resides within you. You make me feel safe."

She smiled at her odd words, before finding herself standing by her bed. She turned around and with a quick survey of the room, found herself alone.

A deep sadness clawed at her heart, and she stood momentarily confused. Cilla felt a soft caress in her mind, and she instantly became calm, and knew it was Sias in her head. She went to her bed and picked up the picture of the men. She wished she could spend more time with Ostramethusias instead of participating in events to match her with a prince. A soft growl filled her head and she dropped the picture.

"I will not share you!"

"The royal men no longer look so handsome compared to you. Nothing could ever compare to your beauty."

She kicked off her shoes and fell back against the bed. She let the photo fall from the bed and visualized it floating down to the carpeted floor. She smiled to herself when she felt Sias' growl in her head. Cilla stared at the white ceiling and imagined what kind of creatures roamed her new world and how she could avoid micro mites.

-

"Ostramethusias, so good to see you," Jacquelle said as he approached her in her communications tower room. Of all the rooms in the castle, this one always proved to be her favorite. It was the tallest, and she could see in all directions from this chamber. She held her hands out for the Other as a greeting and though the Other nodded towards her, it refused her hands. He always did, but she continued to try.

"How fairs the mortal?" Jacquelle asked as she sat on a cottony blue chair. Why did I just think of Ostramethusias as a he? She thought.

"Her will is iron, her spirit mist."

"Any suggestions regarding this one?"

"Trust, she'll not flee. Curious mind. Not mournful of her life of old."

"That sounds very promising. Can you foretell which son of mine she might be the mate of?"

"No. For she is not meant for them."

"Curious. I have asked this question of you many times, hundreds really and always I have received a few hints, but this time it was a quick no and, what do you mean not for them? I had you bring her here to participate in our game to be matched with one of my sons!"

"Every life is different. There is no pattern to foretell; there is no equal circumstance. She is not yours."

"If she is not for one of my sons, who is she for? Of course, I understand that every life is different but how is she not mine to match to one of my sons?"

When he remained silent she sighed.

"I'll think upon your words and figure out your newest puzzle. Thank you for your assistance, as always, you are a treasure. You must tell me if one of these females ever turns out to be a mate to you. I do want your happiness too and being the only original Other left in Vrozia; you will have female children."

"Do you not seek happiness for your sons?"

"Of course I do! But you would change our world and make it better with daughters! This would give my sons more choices and bring some peace to those outside our walls. Those outside will not be appeased by small bits of human blood forever. Which reminds me, we need to gather as much blood as we can from Cilla before her end. She's a slim one, so I think we should start today."

"Not Cilla. Share not of her blood. She is not for you."

"What are you saying?"

"Not Cilla. Contact Earth. Ask for Cilla's three friends I saw from within her mind. I will venture forth and return with them for your sons. You then will have nine females. Cilla may participate in certain activities but not one with regards to the taking of her blood."

"There were three other humans of Earth with the potential. Yes, I remember now that they are her best friends too. Very well, we shall call upon the mortal world once more but we are taking four in one year. I think with the blood from the three new girls, along with what we have gathered from the rest of the girls you have brought us, we can appease those who grow hungry outside our walls. Please do so, Ostramethusias. I will enlarge Cilla's room to accommodate the new arrivals for their temporary stay. Once they settle in, we can take their blood for the first time. Later we can move the whole lot of them upstairs."

The Other disappeared, and the queen sat alone, thinking upon the words he had sad and the words he did not say. She wondered why all of a sudden she was thinking of the Other as a he and not as an it like she always did. Frowning, she stood and walked over to her black onyx desk and picked up the large, glowing rock.

"Cilla?" The queen called for the girl's attention. She could see her clearly in her mind.

"Yes," Cilla said, sitting up on her bed.

"I will be adding three beds to your room right now, so please stay on yours and wait for the room to change. You may wish to close your eyes as I adjust your room."

"What? Okay, my eyes are closed!" Cilla closed her eyes, quickly grabbed her pillow, and covered her face.

"All done, Cilla. You may look again," the queen told her. Cilla removed the pillow and looked at her room. It was now three times bigger with three empty beds next to hers. "Where are you stealing females from now?" Cilla whispered before falling back onto her bed and covering her face with her pillow. She didn't expect a reply and she wasn't surprised when no more sounds came through the box.

-

On Earth, in the world's biggest sanctuary, the priest sat at the top, in the private temple, going through his morning meditations when he suddenly felt a deep rumble, and he jumped to his feet, his heart racing.

"It's too soon!"

The large red rock that sat nearby began to glow as three names and their locations appeared. The priest rubbed his eyes but the sight did not change.

"I will bring them at once," he told the rock before he picked up his cell phone and called the Tremare High School's principal.

"I am the Sansgrove Sanctuary's Head Priest and I have immediate need of three students from your school. Do not ask questions Madam! Collect Tonya Farwell, Nikkita Vernes and Jana Monroe. A limousine will be waiting outside for them in ten minutes. Do not delay. We seek peace. Pray for us all," the priest said before ending the call. He picked another number and directed the novice to bring the Sangrove's official limousine over to the Tremare High School two cities south of the Sanctuary for another quick pick-up.

"You are to wait for three young ladies and once they are inside the vehicle, please follow code red protocol. Bring them inside the Sanctuary, and I will meet you," the priest ended his call and ran one hand over his face. Taking a deep breath, he looked longingly at his cup of tea before he began to rush down the stairs to reach the level that was open to the public. It would take him nearly five minutes, but it would be enough time to get everything ready.

"Dear God, please forgive me for taking the lives of three more innocents!"

-

Allan drove the Church's limousine once again to the Tremare High School. He parked at the curb in front of the school and watched for the three teenagers he had been sent to retrieve.

Jana, Tonya and Nikkita walked out of the school, escorted by Mr. Hughes who refused to answer any questions they asked.

"Come on Mr. Hughes, you taught me how to jump those hurdles in track last year. It took forever because I told you that the human body wasn't meant to be airbourne," Tonya's voice was as sweet as honey but Mr. Hughes wasn't listening. He was doing his best to keep a smile on his face as his school had just lost three more students.

There's the limosine! Come on girls, time to hit the road," Mr. Hughes nodded to the novice wearing a plain brown robe who stood holding the car's door open.

"Ladies, please enter," he waved them inside. Mr. Hughes shook his head when the novice discreetly put his hand out. "They wouldn't let go of their things. They still have their phones, I'm sorry," the track teacher shook his head.

With the girls safely inside, the novice closed the door and the lock immediately engaged.

"Do not worry. There is no service inside this vehicle. Handling one chosen one is different then handling three."

"Yeah, well, I hope I don't see you again for at least three years!" Mr. Hughes scowled at the young man before stomping off towards the school.

When the novice sat behind the wheel, he turned the speaker on.

"I need to verify a bit of information so if you will please answer my questions, we can get on the road. First, tell me your first and last name followed by your complete birthday."

Jana looked at her friends sitting on the white leather seats. When no one spoke she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Jana Monroe, February 21, 2011."

"Very good, next please."

Jana rolled her eyes at her friends. "Just answer the guy so we can get going!" She hissed and added a soft kick at Nikkita's shin.

"Ouch! Dang it, Nikkita Vernes, May 28, 2011." Her face settled into a disgruntled frown. When Tonya didn't answer, Nikkita elbowed her in the ribs.

"Hey! Stop that! Jeez Louise!" Tonya rubbed her ribs while she glared at her friend.

"Sorry, can you please tell me your first and last name along with your birthday?"

"Tonya Farwell, November 28, 2011. Happy?"

"Yes, thank you for sharing this with me. Sit back, we'll arrive in less than two hours."

"What's that all about?" Tonya whispered to Nikkita who only shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll see when we get there," Jana whispered, closing her eyes, and wishing she was back home in her comfy bed.

Nikkita stared out the window, watching the the city disappear until only empty fields surrounded them. Last night had been a bad one for her and she had one of her most terrible nightmares where she woke up screaming. Her dad had come into her room and helped her settle down but she hadn't been able to fall back asleep. And now they were headed to the very place she had dreamed about.

Tonya stared at her friends, noticing how tense they were. What could she say to comfort them? How had all three of them been chosen by the Church of the World to come to the Sansgrove Sanctuary?

"I hope Cilla is okay," Jana whispered.

"I don't really understand what happened to her. Last we saw her, she was going to her chem class. Then we're all told she had committed herself to the very place we are being sent to. Was she a chosen one too?"

"Nikkita, I hope we'll all end up in the same place."

"Tonya, you've always been our most positive bestie. I'm trying to soak up some of your sunshine but girl, this doesn't feel right," Nikkita whispered.

"We'll see then, I guess," Jana whispered befor she turned her head to try to see the driver but it was no use. The divider was a solid black color and there were no buttons to press to talk to the driver.

"Look, the Sanctuary's up the road. We're almost there."

Jana and Tonya looked out the windows to see Sangrove Sanctuary rise up high into the sky. They looked at one another and then back out at the building that held their fate.

"We have arrived. Please sit and I will open your door and guide you into the Sanctuary, as the Head Priest is waiting for you."

The novice opened their door and they got out and stood next to the limo. When the novice motioned for them to follow him, they did as there didn't seem to be any other choice.

Jana, Tonya and Nikkita walked into the Sansgrove Sanctuary, the world's most sacred building and each of them approached with caution.

"Do you remember when we got to visit here when we were little?" Nikkita asked her friends as they were led through the building by their driver.

"Yeah, I remember that this place was scary. Probably because we were smaller, and it seemed much bigger," Tonya said, distracted by the grand paintings that lined the walls.

"Do you think we'll get to see Cilla?" Jana asked, but both her friends looked at her and shook their heads.

"Once someone dedicates their life to this place, no one ever sees them again. I can't see why that girl would do that! Prom is next month, and Jason is so mad," Nikkita ran her fingers through her long, dark hair before she adjusted her black jacket.

"Hello, my children, it is good to see you!" The priest who greeted them was wearing full ceremony robes of black and red.

"Hello. Sir," they said together.

"Cilla wanted me to show you something special that she discovered here and so here you are. If you would please come with me, I will bring you to view her discovery. Allan, please take their backpacks and purses, and lock them in the closet on this level."

The priest held his hands together and bowed to the girls before he looked at the novice who nodded his head and took their things.

"We can't bring anything with us but don't worry as your personal belongings will be safe. I must ask for your watches and phones, as the batteries will be damaged if you take them below this level. Thank you for your assistance ladies." The priest nodded his head as he saw the watches and phones the brown robed novice had collected. "Allan you may go in peace," the priest waved him away before turning his full attention to the three teenagers standing next to him.

"Let us enter this way, it is the easiest path," he told them as he opened a panel in the white wall. The girls looked at each other before following the priest through the hidden door. When the priest locked the door behind them, all three girls objected.

"Sir, I can get claustrophobic really easily, must you close that door?" Jana's voice quivered as her friends each took a hold of her arms.

"Sir, are you sure we were meant to be here," Nikkita held back her turbulent emotions as each step she took mirrored her nightmare from last night.

"Sir, I'm not feeling that good," Tonya whispered as a wave of dizziness swept through her. Now each girl helped one another stand together.

"Come now Jana,Tonya and Nikkita! Cilla would never wish you harm! Come my children and see the splendor of this discovery!" He tried to keep his voice positive as he rushed the girls down the stone stairs.

"Here we are!" The priest stumbled over his words as he removed the heavy lock and opened the wooden door before ushering the girls into the room, following closely behind them.

"What's with the lock?" Jana asked but was interrupted by Nikkita, who was pointing to the roses and thorns decorated door.

"I had a dream last night about a door just like this. Sir? Why is there a door inside this room and where is Cilla?" She looked at the priest and noticed that he was sweating.

"What's going on here?" She demanded but when the torches on the white marble walls flared with life, all her attention was lost on the bright fire just as they were enchanted to do. The other girls approached the priest, who said a quick prayer for all their souls.

"Thank you for your sacrifice to our world and may your souls be bright with glory!" He rushed out and slammed the door, set the lock quickly and then rushed up to the top of the Sanctuary to respond to the Queen of Vrozia.

"What just happened?" Jana asked, but she could see that her friends looked just as confused as she felt.

"Cilla didn't pledge herself to this place! Did any of you see a female at any time while we were upstairs? No, you did not, because they're all men! That priest thanked us for our sacrifices!" Tonya shuddered with fear.

"If we can't go out the way we came in, then we must go through that door," Jana said while pointing a shaking finger at the golden door.

"My dream was bad, girls. I mean it was a true nightmare. This is not good!" Nikkita's voice clearly showed her agitation.

When the light from the torches went out, they screamed. But they huddled together, terrified as a light began to seep in from under the golden door. The door opened, and Ostramethusias gently blew his breath through the air, causing all three girls to fall instantly asleep and then used his mind to carry the girls behind him. Once through the portal, he turned and watched as the door closed upon the mortal world of Earth once more.

"I leave my mark to seal this world, may you have peace for three more years." Ostramethusias magically signed his own personal mark on the portal to Earth before he continued his mission. For this time, there was no need for ceremony and circumstance, so he brought himself and his three charges directly to their new room.

Cilla jumped off her bed and stared at Ostramethusias with horror as he appeared in her room along with her three best friends.

"Ostramethusias, what's going on?" Cilla asked in alarm as she watched as each of her friends floated through the air until they were all tucked under the covers of their new beds.

She rushed over to her friends and then turned back to Oastramethusias. "They appear asleep. Why have you brought them here?"

Cilla shook Jana, then Nikkita and last, Tonya, but they would not wake up.

"Ostramethusias!" Cilla cried out his name again as she turned toward him.

"Why?"

Tears ran down her cheeks as she struggled with what she was seeing and how her heart was shattering.

"How could you do this to me?"

"Cilla, calm, I must add females. You are too precious to me!"

"The game will now begin," the queen's voice echoed through the room, and Cilla ran up to Ostramethusias and hit his chest with her fists.

"What have you done?"

"I am protecting you."

"You brought my friends here to play in this stupid game to protect me? From who?"

" _From me,"_ he said in her mind as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. He savored the taste of her salty tears as he absorbed most of her fear. She'd awakened something within him, and he could not calm this new hunger.

"Cilla?" Tonya asked, sitting up on her bed. Cilla turned to look at Tonya but when she turned back, Ostramethusias was gone. Touching her slightly burning lips with her finger, she found herself confused but not afraid. In place of fear she felt anger at herself.

She walked slowly over to Tonya and sat on Tonya's bed. Cilla looked at her friend with fresh tears in her eyes,

"I didn't choose to be here," she told the petite brunette.

"Where are we?" Nikkita asked as she too sat up on her bed.

"Where are we?" Jana chimed in, and Cilla shook her head sadly. She folded in upon herself in misery.

"Welcome to our very white prison."

5 Best Friends Forever

Cilla looked up at her friends and knew that their arrival was her fault. Guilt flowed through her blood like poison, but there was nothing she could do. They were here now which meant that they had become participants in this stupid game of match the females with the princes.

She used her sleeve to wipe angrily at her tears before she stood up and walked over to her bed. She picked up the picture of the princes off the floor and lingered for a moment to gather her thoughts. Cilla squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on breathing through the tears that choked her. Once she felt more composed, she returned to sit on Tonya's bed.

"Let me give you the low-down on this world," Cilla said quietly as she looked at her friends. When they remained silent, she continued.

"Every three years, our world, Earth, makes a sacrifice to this world called Vrozia. This is the third year, and I was the sacrifice. But now, because of me, you three have become sacrifices too. I am so sorry! I never mentioned any of you to anyone here, and I don't know why they chose you! That clueless priest has no idea what happens to those he locks in that room, nor does he seem to care. Now, he's taken you three, and you've been brought here to participate in a game. Here, happens to be a very Gothic castle belonging to the royal family. Outside there is never a sun, just night with two moons. Forever night, no longer any light. I have heard that beyond these walls, they're predators that would kill us for our blood. Now, for whatever reason, no females are ever born here. So they have portals to several worlds where they demand sacrifices like us to be a mate for one of their princes. I know I sound like a science fiction movie but look around you. Think of where you last stood and where you are now. Take a look at this room, do you see any windows? This is our world now. It is always night outside and combined with things wanting our blood makes this place sound like a vampire society to me. We have no choice but to find our way together," Cilla couldn't stop her tears as she ran from Tonya's bed into the bathroom and slammed the door. She pressed her back to the door and slipped down onto the floor, releasing her emotions and letting herself cry. Her body shook from the pain she felt tearing her apart inside.

"Cilla shouldn't blame herself," Nikkita said as stood up and began to pace around the room. "They could have taken just one or two of us, but they took all three. Counting Cilla, that's four from our world. Didn't Cilla say there were ten princes?"

Nikkita looked at her friends, and Tonya nodded. "Hard to believe this is all happening," she said as she walked over to the bathroom door. They could all hear Cilla crying through the door.

"Cilla, you are not responsible for us being here! These people brought us for a reason, and Nikkita is right. Please come out Cilla," Tonya leaned her cheek against the door, willing her friend to open it. Jana joined her and knocked lightly on the door, "Cilla; I don't blame you for any of this, how could I? You were taken against your will just as we were."

"Cilla girl, get your beautiful blonde self out here and help us understand more about this place!" Nikkita called out as she picked up the photo of the princes.

"These guys are very hot, but they look human to me," Nikkita held out the picture for her friends to see.

"Dang, they are cute, hard to hate cuties like that!" Jana said before she knocked on the bathroom door again. "Come on Cilla! Please come out, and we can all sit on Tonya's bed and talk."

Jana moved away from the door and sat on Tonya's bed. Nikkita followed Tonya and Jana sat too. "We're waiting on my bed Cilla!" Tonya shouted to her friend.

Cilla sat on the bathroom floor, uncaring that it was dark. She finger-combed her hair and tucked it behind her ears. Getting to her knees, she remembered where the towels were on the counter and reached for a washcloth. After she had wiped her face, she stuffed the washcloth in her jeans pocket before steadying her breathing. When she opened the bathroom door, the room's brightness caused her eyes to water like crazy, and she tugged the cloth out of her pocket and wiped her eyes again.

"Hey Cilla, come on over," Nikkita said as she watched Cilla's blotchy face remain sad.

"We don't blame you, honestly," Jana smiled at her friend and patted a spot on Tonya's bed. "Join us and help us understand what you know about this game," Jana kept her smile in place until Cilla sat on the bed. Then she rubbed her friends back as Nikkita held out the picture of the men between them all.

"The king and queen have ten princes who they are looking to match with females such as us. Right now there five fair haired guys and five dark haired ones. Look at the picture," Cilla pointed, "I have no idea how old they are. Truthfully I don't even know what they are other than that they are definitely not human."

Tonya shook her head. "I can't believe that priest at the Sanctuary! This has been happening in our world, like forever, and I just don't understand why people don't know! My parents will never believe that I would commit my life to that place."

"I think he's a coward. He told me that if they did not deliver the sacrifice, this world would bring the death of everyone on Earth. No one cares about our families!" Cilla said before she looked towards the clock.

"Do you see that box on the table next to my bed that looks like an alarm clock? The queen and her boys talk to us through that. No one comes in here, and the queen can see us at her whim. She also shares her visions with her sons at her will. Be very careful in what you say when speaking to someone using that tool. This isn't our world and we don't know their rules. I have developed a phrase, and it goes like this, 'Without penalty to either party,' and I add it to all my sentences. When you three arrived, the queen announced that the game had begun. So far, I had brief conversations with a few of the guys. If you call exchanging a few sentences a conversation."

"What is this game about exactly Cilla?" Nikkita asked while scrutinizing the picture.

"We are in the castle of the royal family who have ten princes looking for their princess. Just being in the game makes us all potential princesses. Not the ideal way to become one for sure. At the end of the game, we will be chosen to commit our lives to one of these guys. So I think the game is about finding the prince you wish to spend eternity with, but have no real choice. Yeah eternity! Something happens to you down here or rather because we are now a part of this world and our bodies begin to change. I have drank one cup of orange juice since I got here but cannot eat anything," Cilla took a breath before she looked at Jana.

"Looks like it starts with our eating patterns," Jana scanned the room. "Why is everything white?"

"I have no idea," Cilla frowned at the whiteness around them.

"Okay, let me get this straight. We are here and can't ever go back home. The royal family brought us here to play in a matchmaking game for their sons looking for life-long mates. If they aren't human, what are they Cilla? What do they mean by mates? Do we marry them?" Nikkita pulled her long hair over her shoulder and began to braid it, something she only did when she was feeling nervous.

"I don't know what they are to be honest. I know this world began with beings called Others, but only one of those still exist, and he brought you here. He goes by the name of Ostramethusias. He has red eyes and skin as pale as the whitest snow. He can do things with just a thought, like speaking in my head or moving our bodies from place to place and he's the only one with magic but he lends some of it to the queen," Cilla lowered her head. "I don't know if we get to marry them or they just take us against our will."

"I don't care about them right now, I care about you! I knew you wouldn't have left us without talking to us!" Jana leaned over and hugged her. Hugging her friend back, Cilla held in the tears that threatened to overtake her again.

"It's my fault that you're here!" Cilla cried out in frustration. After a long silence, Cilla composed herself enough to continue her tale.

"Changes occur to our bodies, and when this game has ended, we will become whatever the royal family is. It's my feeling that they are something like a vampire."

"With all that's happened, I can believe it," Tonya mumbled, pressing her fingers against her temples.

Four matching glasses of orange juice appeared next to each girl's bed on their tables.

"Magic," Nikkita whispered as Cilla picked up her orange juice and brought it up to her nose and sniffed it before frowning.

"It smells like orange juice, but I just can't help but wonder if someone might have added something to it," Cilla put her glass back down without drinking it.

"Well, I think we're all feeling a bit paranoid. It comes easy enough with all this whiteness. I'm thirsty so I'll drink it. If I die, well, don't drink it," Nikkita said as she walked to her bed and picked up her glass of juice. She drank the whole thing before plunking it back down. All three girls were watching her. "What?"

"Nothing, just don't kid around about dying. I can't think of losing any of you," Cilla said before excusing herself to use the bathroom. When Jana moved to stop her, Cilla smiled, "Truly, I'm just going to wash my face, I'm not hiding, I promise."

"Okay Cilla," Jana smiled back. Then she turned towards Nikkita. "Nikkita, was the juice tasty? Seeing as you're still alive, I'll drink my juice too." Jana picked up her glass and drank her juice slowly.

"That was filling and juice was never filling before, not like that," Jana said as she returned her glass to her table.

"What's wrong Nikkita?" Tonya asked, looking at her frowning companion. "The glass disappeared. I put it down and then it was gone just as quickly as it appeared."

Jana looked towards her glass. "Mine's gone too," she whispered.

"Cilla did mention magic. Well, mine and Cilla's are still here. Guess they have super house cleaning powers or something," Tonya tried to make a joke but it didn't go over too well as no one laughed.

"Glad to see you guys are all alive after drinking your OJ," Cilla told her friends as she came out of the bathroom.

"I just wanted to rinse off the salt from my tears. It was making my skin itch."

"Okay, since you both are still breathing fine, I'll just drink mine and shut-up," Tonya picked up her juice, drained it and put her empty glass down. All the girls watched as the glass vanished.

"I don't know whether I find that creepy or cool," Jana whispered to her friends.

"Welcome to Vrozia, I am Queen Jacquelle, and it is my pleasure to have you here in my home. As Cilla has told you, yes, you are here to play a game of sorts. You need not worry as this game has been occurring for centuries. As of now, I currently have ten unmatched sons. Your goal is to find your mate from within my group of sons. There will be various activities to help you reach your goal."

After the room was quiet for a few minutes Cilla whispered, "That was the queen speaking through that device." She pointed at the clock.

"I hope that your journey here hasn't been too taxing on you. My name is Calder, and I have blond hair. I like to play music under the stars."

Cilla placed one finger against her lips to keep her friends quiet.

"Without penalty to either party, may I ask if you prefer the appearance of one of us over the others?"

"I find every one of you exquisite," Calder's voice was smooth and masculine.

"I need one of you, other than Cilla to ask Calder a question," the queen's voice was overly sweet and they flinched.

"Without penalty to either party, may I ask you Calder, what do you think of this game?" Nikkita asked while she looked around the room for hidden cameras. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders trying to fight off the feeling of paranoia.

"It is a fine way, tried and true, to find a mate," Calder answered.

"Nikkita dear, there are no cameras. I can see you in my head, and if I so choose, I can share these images. At this moment, no one else can see you but me."

"Okay," Nikkita started to say but Cilla slapped her leg lightly and mouthed the words, "Without penalty first Nikkita!"

Frowning, Nikkita asked Calder another question. "Without penalty to either party, I ask a question for Calder. What do you eat?"

When no answer came, they sat together in silence. As the silence grew, the girls looked at each other. Finally, Calder spoke but he did not answer Nikkita's question.

"If I had a choice in a mate, I'd choose a girl who is creative and likes music."

"Duh, we all love music," Jana said before thinking about her words.

"Cilla please finish your juice," the queen said sweetly.

The room became thick with silence again until Cilla shook her head.

"I can't drink any more right now."

After silence filled the room again, Nikkita stood up and began to pace once more. "This is crazy!"

"You aren't kidding," Tonya said gloomily. She let her body fall back against her bed and stared at the white ceiling.

Cilla picked up her glass and carried it to the dark bathroom. "I really need to use the bathroom so give me a minute," she said, closing the door behind her. She dumped the juice down the sink and flushed the modern looking toilet. Cilla counted to three before opening the door and pretending to wipe her mouth from the juice. "Mmm, good juice." She placed the glass on her table and wrinkled her nose when it vanished just like the others.

"I'm sorry to press you but I need the three new females to please prepare to be moved to a different chamber for their evaluations. Evaluations will happen every so often to ensure optimal health. Cilla, this evaluation does not include you. Now, if any of you suffer from vertigo, please close your eyes now."

Cilla only had time to reach out to her friends before they disappeared.

"Where have they gone?" Cilla yelled at the room, but when she received no reply, she took the device and shook it.

"Hello? Where are my friends! I know you can hear me! Bring them back right now! I don't care if you are the queen; I want my friends back!" When the room remained silent, she threw the box against the wall and stomped around the small room.

"As if I didn't have enough to stress about! Now you take my friends away! I hate this place, and I hate your world!" Cilla screamed as loud as she could and felt a tiny bit better.

"What is this stupid evaluation about because I never had one!" Cilla kept punishing the carpet as she stamped the plush softness as hard as she could with her feet. Deep inside, she prayed that her friends would return quickly and unharmed.

Jana, Tonya, and Nikkita found themselves standing in a room right out of a Gothic movie. Books lined the walls with only one wall of windows. There was a fancy screen in front of the windows blocking their view. Holding hands, they kept their backs together as they studied their surroundings. "There are candles everywhere," Jana whispered.

"Who puts candles around so many books?" Nikkita wondered.

"Why couldn't Cilla come?" Tonya spoke softly, but Nikkita shook her head as a beautiful woman entered the room through a rounded wooden door. But her appearance did not relax them. Instead, they tensed up even more.

"Relax, your evaluations are not painful. If you would please turn towards me? I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to you. Oh, Ostramethusias, we were waiting for you. I like your fashion change, the mixed colors suit you," the woman turned towards a figure wearing a purple and white cloak.

"Who is that with the glowing red eyes?" Jana whispered, and Nikkita hissed. "Didn't Cilla mention something about the thing that took us from the Sanctuary having red eyes?"

"Please see me," Ostramethusias requested and the compulsion in his voice could not be denied. With his magic, Ostramethusias blurred their thoughts and held them in a semi sleeping state of mind. They stood without moving as the queen pushed the beautifully ornate screen to the side revealing five very modern looking stainless steel tables with leather restraint straps and removable containers. Behind the tables was a wall of windows displaying a starless night sky.

"Cilla is having trouble with her friends disappearing from their room," Ostramethusias whispered.

"What trouble?" The queen said as she turned towards the girls.

"Screaming, yelling, throwing things, pacing, these things," Ostramethusias said and when he looked at the queen she was smiling. Her smile quickly faded when she saw Ostramethusias's eyes flash purple.

"Whatever is wrong?"

"Give me one moment," Ostramethusias said before vanishing.

"One moment," the queen sighed as she sat in a plush chair and studied the three girls who stood blinking but not seeing.

"Cilla," Ostramethusias called out in the white room as he moved himself from one place to another. She ran over and attacked him.

"Where are they? You're a monster! You take them from my world and dare to bring them here and then you take them away from me? Bring them back!"

Surprised by her display of emotions, Ostramethusias wasn't sure exactly what to do. Emotions were not something he had ever felt until she came into his life. As he was still processing that he was no longer an empty shell, but a person, he felt her anxiety and fear for her friends like an ache in his heart. Her emotions were so intense that it robbed the breath from his lungs as a new awareness came to life inside him.

Once he gathered her in his arms, he whispered, "Cilla, peace."

When her body touched his, she instantly relaxed in his embrace. He waited patiently for her breathing to return to normal.

"They are safe little firefly. I would never cause harm to your friends. I promise to return them to you soon. My promise is true as I cannot lie to you," Ostramethusias whispered against her forehead. He leaned down and kissed her gently as he pushed a small amount of the special chemical his body created through her skin. _No longer._

"Please, trust me. Go and sit, await their return in peace and calm," Ostramethusias compelled her and watched as she turned away to walk and sit on her bed. He hated using magic against her and surprised himself by feeling a wealth of emotions he just couldn't identify.

"Just like it was foretold," he whispered in awe before vanishing again.

He returned to the evaluation chamber and nodded at the queen.

"Thank you for your patience. I needed to tend to Cilla's emotional state," he said as he looked at Cilla's friends.

Standing up, the queen peered at him for a moment. "Something is different about you Ostramethusias but let me contemplate it for a later time, as you can see, we have work to do," she waved her hand towards the girls. "Let us begin," she smiled as she walked towards the tables.

Ostramethusias approached Tonya, guided her to a table and helped her lay down on it. As he did, the queen secured the leather restraints. They repeated this routine until each girl was fastened to a table.

The queen turned and looked at the two empty tables and then turned to Ostramethusias. "Are you sure we can't use Cilla? More blood is always a plus."

"Not Cilla ever," Ostramethusias said darkly.

"Why not?" The queen pouted, letting her nails grow long and sharp. She approached Tonya, who was lying motionless on a table. "Though she blinks, she is not truly awake. I wish they could sleep through this but their blood flows much slower when they sleep."

She took her pointer finger and ran the scalpel-sharp nail across Tonya's extended right wrist. When her blood began to fall into the waiting cup underneath; she moved to the girl's left wrist and did the same thing.

She repeated the same process until all three girls were dripping blood from their wrists directly into the containers centered underneath them.

"Their blood flow is magnificent and I am pleased. They drank their orange juice with the little additive you gave me, so we should be able to get two liters from each girl. Oh, this one here," the queen murmured as she stood by Nikkita and closed her eyes as the scent of the human's blood pleased her.

"Her blood is rich and will please your family. This one here, her blood is enough for the middleborders. But this one, this Tonya, she will only sate the outerborders," Ostramethusias declared to the queen.

"Then who will we give to the innerborders, our guards and the rest of the royal staff? Will Cilla be suitable to serve them?" Queen Jacquelle inquired with the arch of one eyebrow.

"Never Cilla! Stop saying her name," Ostramethusias's words came out in a growl.

The queen turned to look at the Other and tilted her head to the side. "Why, Ostramethusias, do you have a problem with your voice?"

He waved his left hand over all three girls and their wounds sealed without a scar.

"You would be wise not to speak her name in regards to blood, in any way, or at all, at any time Jacquelle," he glared at her.

"Now, Ostramethusias, she can't be that special, she is merely a mortal. You know we have a duty to feed this world," she pouted again but quickly frowned as Ostramethusias's eyes flashed purple before returning to his normal red. Not good.

"You use human blood every three years to offer each group of citizens a unique moment in time for the nourishment they desire. You have three humans right here, along with what is contained in this castle. Such is enough to feed this world your way for many moons."

"Yes, of course, but if it were possible, I'd like to store some, but I understand, no blood is to be taken from Cilla. Tell me, Ostramethusias, why is she here if I cannot give her to one of my sons, especially without the giving of her blood?"

Ostramethusias returned the girls to their chamber using his magic while the queen collected the containers filled with blood.

"You make me feel as if you want Cilla for yourself, but that would be silly, correct? Because I have asked you each time we have a new chosen one, if she could be your mate. I desire to find one for you."

"You desire to have an endless supply such as you have received from these three females. Please note that their futures lie entwined with that of your sons."m for my sons. You must understand that I greatly desire a mate for all my sons and would like to have females of our own in this world from you!" Her cheeks grew flushed as her anger flared.

"Calm," Ostramethusias spoke and the queen's anger ended.

"Thank you, I am sorry for my temper," she said before sealing each container. She carefully marked the containers before she allowed Ostramethusias to take them.

"When will the nourishment be ready for me to dispense?"

"Not too long."

"Very well, I will return to the game. Please send the nourishment to me when it is ready for distribution. Thank you, Ostramethusias."

"Let her play in the game. Time is needed for tests to be completed."

"Then she may be your mate, for you to do your tests! Very well, I am happy with this. Cilla will participate in my game," the queen said with hope clear in her voice.

She watched him vanish with the containers of blood and knew Ostramethusias went straight to work in his laboratory. She pulled the screen back into place before leaving the blood draining chamber.

"Interesting changes," she hummed to herself happily.

She went in search of her husband for she thought surely he would enjoy the news that Ostramethusias might have just found his mate in this latest batch of girls.

"And he will need to be thankful to me too, as I am the one who found her!" The queen held her head high as she walked through the large castle. "Maybe I can collect a favor or too from him. I am always in need of more of his magic," she said to herself thoughtfully just as she reached her bed chamber.

"Jodocus?" She called out as she entered the receiving room attached to her bed chamber. "Are you here sweetheart?"

"In here," he called from somewhere in the back.

She followed his voice and found him in his study room.

"I have some good news," she said happily. With a bounce in her step, she moved to stand next to her husband.

Looking up from his book, he noticed the brightness of her eyes and put his book down on his desk. He reached out and pulled her down to sit on his lap. "What is happening my sweet queen?"

"I think Ostramethusias is more than what he once was!"

"He?"

"Yes, he is male now. I think Cilla is his mate but he is running tests on her blood. He told me not to involve her in any of the blood draws or activities that involve blood. He got pretty mad when I asked if we could save some of her blood."

"How interesting. While that is good for Ostramethusias, that makes us one short for our sons," he swept her hair away from her neck.

"I'm sure he will find a fix for that, he is anything but thorough."

"I trust you will be correct, my sweet. Well, now that you are here in my study, I think we should spend some quality time together before your next event!"

"I must be available to the chosen soon Jodocus, but maybe we can..." she began to say but his lips quickly captured hers as he lifted her up in his arms, left his study and entered their bed chamber. He tossed her on their bed, threw up her skirts, making her laugh and dove onto the bed planning on turning her laughter into lengthy moans.

6 Four Plus Six Equals Ten Females

Even though her friends were back and she could see that they were unharmed, Cilla couldn't stop moving. She glanced over at them every other moment to make sure that they were still breathing. Cilla shivered as she remembered the moment they had returned. They had looked like walking zombies. Poof, they appeared in the room, and each one climbed into their bed and went to sleep.

"Cilla, you must rest."

"I can't rest! My friends come back from your testing all sleepy and dull in the head, what's going on? Why do you poof things and people everywhere?"

The queen spoke through the device, sounding out of breath.

"Calm down Cilla, your heart is beating too rapidly! The monitor I have on you is going off the charts. Look at your friends, Cilla. You can see that they are all in perfect health. Now, I have someone I would like you to speak with, this is Gairvan. Go ahead my son." The queen's voice grated on her nerves, and she ground her teeth together just as a low growl filled her mind.

"Ostramethusias get out of my head!"

She sent her thoughts to him, hoping he'd go away. If only she could do the same with the queen.

"Hello Cilla, I have a question for you. What do you think of our need for females since we have none in our world?" Gairvan's voice was all male and earthy. Sighing, she responded to the prince's question.

"Hello Gairvan. I think having ten children all the same age is surprising enough. But she's had more than ten in her lifetime, for you must have older brothers who are already matched if you take females from different worlds all the time. I think the game isn't fair to you and your brothers. You end up with someone; you don't really get to choose them. If we ended up together, how would I know that you were actually happy with me, not just because you made it through some sort of elimination process?" Cilla moved to sit on her bed and hugged her pillow to her chest, suppressing the urge to scream long and loud.

"I think the process is fair as my mother designed it. It is a fair game because it is a mix of physical and mental challenges," Gairvan returned.

"This game isn't fair for all the players because I believe everyone deserves happiness. Of course, the females have no choice here in reality, but to participate since we cannot return to our home worlds. You have miserable rules!" Cilla entertained thoughts of smothering the Sanctuary priest and smiled.

"Very interesting Cilla. Everyone has their own opinion. I hope you have a good evening. Dinner will arrive shortly. Please do try to eat something for you cannot exist without nutrition," the queen expressed her concern but Cilla stuck her tongue out at the clock.

A table with four chairs appeared in the middle of the room, and Cilla watched, amazed as food covered it. Some of it smelled kind of good but then her throat closed up, and nausea threatened to consume her. Tonya made a small sound and Cilla launched herself off her bed and was at Tonya's side in seconds.

"Are you okay Tonya?"

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, "Cilla, what happened?" Tonya yawned and blinked her eyes as she tried to clear the fog from her mind.

"You all came back and went to sleep!"

"I don't feel tired but I am hungry. What's that smell?" Tonya looked into Cilla's worried eyes before she glanced around the room and spotted the table.

"Food!" She said excitedly. She jumped out of bed but stumbled as dizziness swept over her. Cilla grabbed her by the arm and steered her over to the table.

"Here, sit down," Cilla pulled a chair out and held Tonya by her shoulders until she was sure she wouldn't topple off her chair.

"I'm okay; I just need to eat, thanks for helping me get here."

"Nikkita is waking up, let me help her. You be careful sitting here."

Cilla walked over to Nikkita's bed and helped her friend standup. When she swayed, Cilla scowled. She guided Nikkita to the table and helped her sit just as she had with Tonya.

"Welcome back to the land of the living!" Cilla did her best to sound happy, and Nikkita smiled. "I don't know what happened. I just felt so wiped out, but I'm starving now!"

"Well, Jana should be waking up, so I'll bring her over here, and we'll all sit down together," Cilla said as she walked over to Jana's bed. To her dismay, her petite strawberry blonde bestie hadn't woken up yet. Cilla sat on the edge of her bed and gently shook her. She leaned over and whispered in her ear, and Jana stirred.

"Jana, it's time to eat. Come on and get up, the other girls are already at the table. Aren't you hungry?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I guess so," Jana mumbled. As she got to her feet. Cilla carried most of her weight, guding her carefully to their dinner table.

Once Jana was safely sitting down, Cilla examined her friends. "At least you all look healthy with good appetites," she forced a smile on her face but it didn't feel right. Her stomach clenched painfully when she saw the veggies and bread they were eating. She sat on her own chair and watched as her friends drank their juice and continued to eat the extravagant dinner with no problem. Whatever meat the girls were eating, she did not want to know what it was.

"Let me remove the sickness you are suffering from."

Ostramethusias's voice was like a caress in her mind.

"Get out of my head, I'm still mad at you!"

Nikkita looked unhappy when she saw Cilla's empty plate. Cilla smiled weakly at her.

"Aren't you hungry Cilla? There are so many choices here that you could skip to dessert!" Nikkita moved a pretty pie towards Cilla, but she shook her head.

"No, I haven't been hungry since I got here. But I'm so glad you guys can eat. So enjoy your meal and and don't worry about me," Cilla waved at her friends and picked up her water glass. She pretended to drink it, and Nikkita returned her attention back to her own eating. Cilla had to give Sias some credit; her nausea no longer lingered.

"What happened when you all left?" Cilla asked as casually as she could.

Tonya frowned while Jana bit her lower lip and Nikkita gazed at her.

"When someone took us from here, they brought us to a beautifully decorated room filled with very old looking books on high shelves. I remember that the floor had a gorgeous rug. I was scared at first too. Then that guy in the cloak came in and the queen was there but, well that's all I remember."

"That's what I remember too but I remember candles because I just didn't understand why someone would put so many candles around old books," Jana said around a mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Me too," Tonya swallowed her food, "Sorry, yeah that's what I remember too. Oh wait, red eyes! We met the queen and something came into the room and it had red eyes!"

Cilla swallowed the lump in her throat. "That would be Ostramethusias. The one who brought you from our world to this one."

"Hmm. What about you Cilla? How did your evaluation go?" Nikkita asked as she took a second shiny roll from a golden basket.

"I never had one. I have no idea why they took you three and left me. The only difference is that I didn't actually drink the juice."

Cilla held her breath as she put some red potatoes on her plate. She used her fork and moved the potatoes around the beautiful plate, hoping the girls would believe she was eating.

Soon, the girls sat back and groaned at how full they felt. "I can't believe I ate so much!" Jana giggled and Nikkita rolled her eyes. "Me too. I never eat that much."

"Let's go sit on my bed," Cilla said, glad to feel better to see her besties all feeling good.

When they had gathered on Cilla's bed, they watched the dining table and chairs disappear.

"That is severely creepy," Nikkita muttered as she stared at the spot where they had just sat and eaten their meal together.

"I know right?" Jana said before looking at the picture of the princes Cilla had put on the middle of the bed.

"So how does this game work? There are only four of us and ten of them," Jana ran a finger over the line of the men with dark hair. "What's with the hair color? Why is it mentioned so much?"

"I don't know much more than what I've already told you, but who am I to say anything? It's not our world so the rules could be the way they are for a reason or they could be changed at the queen's whim," Cilla grabbed her pillow and hugged it to her empty stomach.

"We hope you enjoyed your dinner," a male voice spoke from the device.

Cilla glanced at it before speaking. "May I ask who you are, without penalty to either party?" Cilla looked at her friends who all shrugged their shoulders.

"Of course, I am Ryker, one of the dark haired princes. Now if you get dizzy, please close your eyes. Our mother has set up an activity for us in the Great Hall. You will find clothing inside to change into. Let this be your warning before you are transported there in five seconds."

"Close your eyes quick! Someone is about to move us!" Nikkita hissed as she closed her eyes tight.

When she opened her eyes, Nikkita sucked in a breath. All four of them were sitting on the stone floor inside a huge room.

Standing up together, the girls looked around.

"They call this the Great Hall?" Tonya said as she took in the huge space.

"There is enough seating in here for like a hundred people," Jana observed as she walked towards a table with different colored fabric on it.

"Look, I think we need to put these on," she said, picking up a dark blue short-sleeved dress with her name stitched in a delicate print on the very top of her dress in silver thread.

"Really? Who gave me yellow?" Cilla asked as she held up her dress.

"I got bright green and just seeing it with my stomach so full is making me turn green!" Jana scrunched up her face as she thought about wearing the awful dress.

"Hey, I got orange, and that is just wrong," Nikkita grumbled, holding her dress up in front of her.

"There are matching shoes, with heels," Cilla shuddered when she looked at the shoes.

"I don't understand what is going on," she admitted.

"There are six more dresses with names on them," Jana walked along the table'd edge to look at the names on the dresses.

"Hey, look! There's a piece of paper under the dresses," Nikkita picked the paper up and began to read it out loud.

"Good Evening Chosen Ladies,

Tonight you will participate in a dance activity. Please change into your appropriate dress with shoes and be ready in ten minutes.

The Queen"

"Dress fast everyone!" Nikkita shouted as she pulled off her T-shirt and jeans before she dragged her dress on over her head.

They all dressed quickly before they began putting on their high-heeled shoes except for Cilla.

"Come on girl!" Nikkita told Cilla as she helped her put her shoes on.

"You know I'm so not a high heeled shoe girl," Cilla groused. "But thanks for the help. Now watch as I fall over everything!"

"I don't like high heels either," a girl said from behind her and Cilla nearly fell over as she spun around to see six girls standing together. "Oh, hi!"

"Hi, I'm Marta and this is Ochiyo, Ezgi, Amaya, Ermai, and Trisa. We did not know there were other females here."

"Neither did we," Nikkita said as she secured her shoes to her feet.

"I knew but forgot, I'm sorry. My name is Cilla, and this is Nikkita, Jana, and Tonya," Cilla pointed to each of her friends.

"There are dresses for you; each has one of your names stitched on the front in tiny silver lettering. And of course there are the matching shoes," Jana waved towards the dresses, and the new girls approached the table.

"Oh, I got red, my it is bright is it not?" Marta asked, holding the dress out in front of her.

"Better than pink," Ermai responded, holding her own dress up.

"Those dresses are all better than this dark red color," Trisa shivered as she poked at her dress with her long fingernails.

"That would leave that light blue for me," Ochiyo whispered, not moving from her spot, where she stood, standing in the middle of the room.

"Girl, I'm wearing orange, so none of you should be complaining, except maybe Cilla in yellow. I think we got the nastiest colors," Nikkita looked between Cilla's dress and her own and bunched up her nose as if the garment smelled awful.

But Cilla's attention was on the girl still standing in the middle of the room.

"Ochiyo, is it? What a pretty name. We don't have much time before the queen arrives with her sons, so please put your dress on," Cilla pleaded with her.

"What time limit do we have?" Ochiyo looked oddly at Cilla as she picked up the paper Nikkita had found.

"We read this before you arrived. It's from the queen," Cilla handed the paper to Marta who read it to the other girls.

"Anyone stop to notice there are real gems sewn into these garments?" Tonya asked the assembled girls.

"Get moving!" Marta exclaimed, and the room became a flurry of activity as the new girls rushed out of their clothing and into their assigned dresses.

"Oh, hold a moment! There is a note here, how odd," Marta held up a piece of paper.

"Read it please," Nikkita asked her.

"It says we are to wear our hair up. And we are to use the provided veils." Marta looked at the table to find ten veils that matched their dresses. Nikkita snatched up the bright orange veil and tossed it over her head.

"Look at Nikkita! I can't even tell who you are! It covers your name on your dress too. Can you see out of that thing?" Jana asked her friend as she pulled her hair up with the band provided. Then she pulled her own veil over her head.

"I can see through the fabric," Nikkita remarked, her voice sounding muffled as she adjusted her veil after pulling her hair through the band.

"Everybody decent?"Cilla asked just as a bell rang.

Cilla looked down at her shoes in time to see all their regular clothing disappear. "Damn!" She hissed. Her favorite clothes just went poof!

"Someone just poofed our clothing away," she whispered to Nikkita who had to lift her veil to hear her friend. "Sorry, couldn't hear you too well, what did you say?" Cilla stared at her friend holding her veil away from her face and she did the same. "Our clothes are gone, poofed away!"

Nikkita looked on the floor and groaned. "Those were my favorite shoes!"

"Tell me about it, mine too," Cilla grumbled as they both let their veils fall back in place.

A big chandelier flickered to life. It was decorated with bright candles that lit up the room from its spot hanging high from the ceiling above them. Music filled the room from somewhere though none of the girls could agree where the sound originated.

The girls stood in a group and stared at the doors to the room.

On the other side, a brief argument was ensuing.

"Why must we wear these things on our faces?" Ash pulled at the silver dusted mask his mother was making him wear.

"Ha, yours is better than mine! Look at the feathers on this!" Gairvan declared, crossing his arms over his muscled chest.

"My brothers, why do you argue? We are but a minute away from dancing with our potential mates!" Tomas said excitedly. His nervous fingers touched his golden mask without thought.

"Again, you don't have green feathers!" Conner grumbled as he took his mask and snapped it in place. "I hate feathers!"

"Now Conner, green really is a good color for you!" Tomas tried to calm his hot headed brother down.

"I think mine is quite grand," Ryker smirked, stroking the tall black feathers on his mask. "It will be interesting to dance with the chosen while they will not be able to guess who we are!"

"Time to go my dear sons, let us not keep the ladies waiting!" Queen Jacquelle said as she brushed by them and began to open the doors.

"You would all be wise to listen to your mother," the king said, standing by his wife's side as their sons gathered into a line.

As the doors opened, to the girls amazement; ten men wearing masks of all colors and design, marched into the room and stopped before them. The queen and king followed them in, and the girls curtsied before them.

As the king stood silently behind her, the queen smiled at them. "Ladies, you each look splendid! Yes, these colors look good on you. Let me introduce you to my sons participating in this game."

She waved her arm towards the group of young men, and they bowed their heads.

"Stephen, Conner, Joshua, Calder, Gairvan, Sam, Tomas, Ryker, Ash, and Lurian. They are wearing masks so that you do not know who they are. Just as each of you are wearing veils so that they cannot see you as well."

Each masked man gave a short bow and the girls curtsied back.

"One by one, each of my sons will step forward and ask one of you to dance. Please do not worry about the dancing itself as these gentlemen are quite skilled at the waltz. You need only let them lead and all of us should have a great event!" The queen looked at her sons one more time before she tilted her head at the first one. He nodded back and watched as she and his father retreated to sit upon their thrones that overlooked the Great Hall.

"As if we've got a choice," Cilla mumbled to herself as she watched the queen and king take their seats.

A tall, slender light haired man wearing a silver dusted mask stepped forward and held out his hand. Cilla looked at it before she put her hand in his. He held her gently around the waist with his other hand and began to whisk her around the room. As they spun this way and that, she thought that she was grateful that for once, the queen had told the truth. Her sons were quite skilled at dancing the waltz.

The next prince stepped forward and put his hand out to Ochiyo who stood and looked at his hand. Marta gave the girl a gentle push which startled Ochiyo enough to put her hand out. The prince, wearing a heavily feathered mask, grasped her waist and off they went, dancing skillfully around the room.

Ryker stepped forward and held out his hand to Nikkita who, without a pause, took his hand. She had seen his brothers dance off with Cilla and Ochiyo and knew she could do nothing but participate.

"Thank you, I am sorry but I cannot dance," she whispered to the prince in the black feathered mask. She held on to his hand and let him swirl her around the big room.

"It is nothing to worry over, let me dance with you," he whispered back and Nikkita smiled at his reassuring words.

"I can-n-n't dan-n-nce e-either," Tonya stuttered as she looked at the prince standing before her. "Can you pick someone else?" She whispered, her eyes huge with fear.

"Do not worry so, little one," the amber masked man whispered and Tonya swallowed hard before letting him take her hand. She was amazed at how little effort it took for him to dance with her. She quickly lost herself as he twirled her around, smiling at her behind his mask.

"There's still six of them left," Ezgi whispered to Marta who nodded her head. "They're not human. Look at how they move," Marta whispered. Suddenly a prince in a scarlet gem encrusted mask stood before her and Marta stared into his dark eyes. "Please dance with me," he whispered as he took her hand and pulled her against his body. Shocked, she let him carry her off into a waltz before she could even blink!

Ezgi stared at the couples dancing and shivered as she stood behind Ermai. Five princes stood before their dwindling group and Ezgi tried to make herself appear invisible but a hand shot out past Ermai and grabbed on to Ezgi's hand. The prince pulled her out from the group, latched on to her by the waist and began to spin her fast through the Great Hall.

"He was rude!" Ermai whispered to Jana, Amaya and Trisa, who all nodded their heads even as their eyes stared at the waiting four princes.

Feeling a dash of braveness, Jana took a step forward and a prince wearing a white diamond dusted mask whisked her away.

Conner reached out and took a hold of Amaya's shaking hand. "Pretty green feathers," she whispered as terror made her body numb.

"Just for you," he whispered with a smirk. Holding her slim waist tightly, he spun her away from her friends.

Calder and Tomas looked at each other and then together they glanced at Ermai and Trisa. Calder stepped forward and claimed Ermai just as Tomas stepped forward and claimed Trisa. Moving as one, they danced their ladies in swirls and twirls, in between their brothers and around the large room. None of the princes thought about how fast they moved compared to how humans normally moved. Neither did they take notice of their partners when they began to struggle to breath as their muscles strained to keep up with the super strength of the immortal princes.

7 Dancing with a Prince

Ostramethusias moved around his laboratory, mixing fresh human blood with special herbs. Once the mixtures had been added to the animal blood always at the ready, he created four different formulas to be distributed by the king and queen. With the nourishment nearly ready, he finished blending the new nourishment and marked them accordingly.

For the outerborders, there were a total of four bottles. These citizens were believed to be the most violent and lived apart from the rest of the world in the forests and caves. Two containers he labeled for the middleborders who worked the animal blood farms. But it was always said that they had often mixed with the outerborders so some could be quite unruly. That left one to be given to the artisans, the innerborders, who provided beauty to their world. They created jewelry, shoes, clothing, tableware, furniture, anything the royal family asked for; they created. They were said to be the most civilized and lived within the castle's great walls in their own village. Having three for the royal family and one for those who worked in the castle along with the guards, made this batch of nourishment the best he had ever created for the queen's special distribution. Of course, the nourishment could not compare to the formula Ostramethusias made monthly for all the citizens though the queen and king knew naught of this. And all without using Cilla's blood!

Ostramethusias looked at the small humming machine that was currently running tests on Cilla's blood. He had used the blood the diathorma had stored and so far the results were puzzling, but he could do nothing but continue the tests.

When all the nourishment was complete, Ostramethusias gathered the bottles to bring to the queen. He looked back once at the small machine that held his fate locked within as his last test ran on his automatic programming.

Ostramethusias fell to his knees, as a great pain clawed at his lungs. Curling his body tight, he opened his mind and found Cilla's body screaming out to his. "How could I miss this? How could I be so blind and not feel her pain!" He whispered hoarsely.

His chest burned and he tried to understand the emotions chewing their way through his body as he mentally witnessed his mate's pain.

Summoned his cloak, he pulled it around his body with shaking hands. Straightaway he transported himself into the Great Hall to stop the current proceedings. While he was somewhat prepared for Cilla's pain, he was not at all ready for the combined pain that filled the big room.

Instantly he pulled hard on his magic and shielded himself from outside feelings. Focusing on Cilla, he used his magic to transport her to her bed where he set a healing seal upon her now sleeping body.

The prince who had been dancing with Cilla stomped his way towards his mother and Ostramethusias's eyes narrowed as he watched him approach the thrones. Just as the prince stood at the bottom of the two stairs, he lost his footing and landed on his back side. A smile curved Ostramethusias's lips as he watched the prince grow angry.

Holding himself together, he clapped his hands hard causing the music to disappear. His eyes shifted to the queen who jumped to her feet, leaving her high-backed red and black chair. One moment she was clapping her hands as her sons swung the females around the room and the next the room was silent. Listening to her thoughts, he found that they had been dancing for over three hours non-stop and the princes were doing a magnificent job, at least according to their mother.

Ostramethusias pushed down the storm now raging inside him as clarity cleared his mind. The queen was blind to the agony the girls suffered!

"Who stopped the music?" Queen Jacquelle called out and Ostramethusias stood before her. She looked up at him, clearly confused as to why he would interfere with her festivities.

Ostramethusias did not trust himself to answer her. Using his magic, he was a blur of movement as he collected the females and sent them to sleep as he gently arranged their bodies on the large tables that had been pushed against the walls. It was then that he turned to look upon the queen.

Anger radiated off her in waves but Ostramethusias didn not care. When she demanded an answer, it took all his strength not to lash out at the queen and mark her with a symbol used by his kind long ago, meant as a penalty.

"You may demand but I do not answer to you, and you would do well to remember that I do not answer to anyone! You forget yourself Queen Jacquelle! I am an Other and you are lucky that I have not marked you with a penalty symbol right on your forehead!"

Shocked at his words, she clenched her fists tight at her sides and bowed deeply to Ostramethusias.

"Please forgive me, I meant no disrespect," she begged, careful to keep her head down.

The air over her head shimmered blue for a few seconds and vanished. The queen stood up and whispered, "Thank you for your forgiveness."

"You may say the words but I feel what is in your heart. You are still angry but remember my forgiveness does not come lightly." The queen blushed at the words said by Ostramethusias because they were true.

"Did you by chance check to see that the females were faring well during this dancing that you have let go on for over three straight hours?" Ostramethusias asked, anger vibrating in his voice.

The queen looked confused for a moment and then her shoulders slumped just a bit.

"I am sorry to say that I was enjoying myself so much that I did not pay any mind to the females. I admit that the veils kept their faces covered and in doing so, kept their emotions from my sight."

"You have bled eight of them this day and yet you nearly killed them with three hours of dance!"

"What? I did not try to kill them!" The queen shouted in her sudden rage.

King Jodocus jumped to his feet and held his wife in his arms.

"I am sorry Ostramethusias. My wife gets carried away with music; it is her passion in life."

"I did nothing wrong!" The queen shouted, but the king shook his head.

"Yes you did. Let me show you," her husband pulled on her hand and led her down the two steps towards where Ostramethusias had laid each female on the assembled tables. The queen looked toward her sons standing in a small crowd on the other side of the room who read the

Ostramethusias went from table to table and pulled the veils away revealing the pain etched upon every female. All of them were sweating, and each was laboring to breath. Looking around the room, she counted eight girls.

"Whom are we missing?"

"Cilla is not here. I sent her away," Ostramethusias said.

"So it is true. The girl may be the one soul in forever that is your match Ostramethusias," Jacquelle smiled but quickly lost her smile as she registered the anger coming from the Other's glare.

He moved the girls to their new, shared room, joining Cilla with a mere thought before turning back to the queen.

"Your guards are in place outside the chosen suite. I placed the rest of the girls in their beds and they have all been sent to sleep, to rest." The guardsmen never took a mate. They lived forever and never wished for such a life other then what they were created to be.

"Thank you for seeing what I could not," the queen blushed and leaned her head on her husband's arm.

"You must be careful and not get overenthusiastic my dear. The females are here, and we are under no time limit. Our sons will be matched, do not fear," the king kissed his wife on the top of her head before looking at Ostramethusias

"As for this Cilla female, if she is yours, we respect whatever decision you wish to make. You are what has come before us, what is now, and what always will be in our world. Without you, we would be lost," the king said, and the queen nodded her head.

"Be warned that I will not tolerate such a situation as this again," Ostramethusias said warily.

"But the chance of female children..." the queen started to say but her husband cleared his throat.

"My sons, please return," the king called out and the double doors opened allowing the ten young men to walk in. None of them wore their masks that they had used during their dancing.

"We are here mother and father," Sam smiled as he stood in front while his brothers fell into a line next to him, Tomas on his heels.

"It is possible that we may only match nine out of ten of you," the king began, but his most headstrong son, Ryker, interrupted him.

"There are ten females father, as there are ten of us."

"Ryker, while that is a wise remark, one female may not be available to you."

"Is one sick or diseased?" Ryker questioned his father, but his father shook his head.

"No, they are all healthy and well. It is just how it is this time. Every three years we have been able to match at least three of you. As you are all very aware, we must constantly be on the look-out for new worlds as most eventually die out, making the process of obtaining females harder. Once a world is too diseased to provide any healthy females, we close that portal forever and banish it. Then, we send out scouts to find new worlds with healthy females. These scouts are your fully matched and mated brothers. While your brothers seek out new worlds, their own mates are secure inside our mate center, here in the castle. There we keep them in a slumber state until their mate returns. You must remember that these couples have contributed greatly to our world, and some have suffered significant losses."

"But father, what about the other place, the vault?" Tomas inquired.

"This world requires the blood produced at our animal blood farms and blood from the broken female mates. Sometimes, your brothers do not return, and the bond created during their mating is broken thus reverting the female's body back to fully human. They are then useful in our blood vault where they generously donate their blood. Sadly, their broken bond only allows them to live but a brief few years and their bodies are then burned in the Dymare Forest. There are twenty such females currently in our blood vault, Tomas. We must keep the peace between all those that reside within our world. The feeding pattern cannot be changed for we lose our children easily if we do not have the right mixture of nourishment."

"If I actually love my mate, can I ask that you do not use her body in this way, should I be lost during a scouting mission?" Tomas pulled back his shoulders and lifted his chin towards his father.

The king looked at his wife before continuing, "Your mother and I do not wish any of our sons to experience the loss of a child let alone children as we have suffered. All our children become immortal once five years of age has passed but you continue to grow until you are forever frozen at twenty years of age. If our numbers decrease, our hold on this world weakens. If that happens, chaos will erupt between all worlds because the outerborders will try to overthrow us. We need at a minimum ten mated pairs at all times to be strong against their potential attacks, and we have those ten residing within this castle right now. They are solidly bonded, and they have remained powerful. We cannot guarantee a female's destiny Tomas."

The queen looked down at her blue slipper covered feet as she remembered her losses.

"Your mother has been producing all your brothers for many years. We have enough healthy worlds right now that we do not have to send any scouts out, securing our ten to keep us strong. But if we can get even just one of you matched and mated, it will increase our power and secure everyone's safety here in the castle and in the courtyard."

Ostramethusias stepped in front of the king and queen who turned their full attention towards him.

"Here is your nourishment for your ceremony."

He put the marked containers on the two tables near the king and queen and then moved himself across the room so that they could examine the nourishment.

"This is by far the best nourishment you have created Ostramethusias! This quality will keep our world very satisfied. We thank you for your hard work! We will hold our distribution ceremony soon," the queen smiled at Ostramethusias and then at her sons.

"I wish only for your happiness. I believe we will soon have a fix for this one missing female problem, so do not worry," she smiled again. The king signaled to a few of his sons and they came and carefully picked up the precious containers.

"The chosen ones are not to be disturbed for the remainder of this day. Perpetual night is something their bodies must acclimate themselves to. Give them ten hours before your next event. You are well wished in your endeavor to discover your match," Ostramethusias spoke to all in the room before staring at the queen and speaking in her mind.

"Cilla is mine. Let her continue to participate but no blood sports for her. You must be very careful with her Jacquelle."

Then he looked at the king and spoke in his mind.

"Cilla is mine, I claim her as my mate. She is to participate in the activities as long as the activities remain innocent. No blood sports, as I have already informed your queen."

The king's eyebrows rose, and his mouth opened but he quickly regained his composure.

He spoke back to Ostramethusias in his mind, using the Other's power to return his thoughts. _"I am very grateful that you have finally found her soul. I have been sad for you and now, this news is wonderful! No Other has survived save you, as the long years passed. This means you will be with us always. And it means so much more for our world!"_ The king rejoiced in his mind to Ostramethusias, but his face remained controlled.

" _Thank you, Jodocus."_ Ostramethusias said mentally before focusing on the group of young men.

"Taking care of the chosen is not just your mother's responsibility, it is yours as well. As long as one is in your care you must be vigilant and attuned to her needs. Otherwise you are useless to this world."

"We are princes of this world, Other, do you challenge us?" Sam said as he took a step towards Ostramethusias.

When the Other's eyes glowed purple, Sam was forced to his knees by an unseen force, but truly it was Ostramethusias's magic.

"You are as hot headed as your mother and this is not a virtue one would like in a mate. You and your family will remember one thing. I am the last Other of our world and it was I who put these two upon this throne and just as I have put them there, I could disassmble your family with one breath of my body and there is naught you can do to stop me. Do not challenge me again young one!"

"I am sorry," Sam whispered, the force pushing against his neck lessened and he was able to breath a bit easier.

"You all apologize but how far must things go before an apology will be too late?"

Sam got to his feet just as Ostramethusias vanished.

The king turned to look at his sons, "I would have you tell me about your waltzing."

"We found their company wonderful," Tomas said before any of his brothers could speak.

"I very much enjoyed their warmth," Calder affirmed before another of his brothers spoke up.

"I look forward to seeing them again this next day for our hunting event. You did say that this was the next activity, did you not mother?" Lurian asked, curiosity brightening his naturally dark eyes.

"Yes, we will hold the distribution of this nourishment right now before our hunt!" She laughed as most of her sons smiled in anticipation of their favorite hunting event.

"Bring on the hunt!" Conner crowed.

"Let us go out now and distribute the nourishment that those that live in our world need. We shall have our celebration with our sons in attendance so that they can see those who inhabit our world," the queen announced and she promptly ignored the groans coming from her sons who walked behind her.

8 A New Other

In his castle quarters, Ostramethusias stood in his laboratory and looked at the last test result from his machine. '100% MATCH,' was not something he thought ever to see, but here was visual proof. Scientific data that passed through all the tests the Others had developed so very long ago. He turned the power off to his laboratory before retiring to his private library. His thoughts wandered to the royal family and he briefly wondered why they were so resistant to using electricity, but he guessed they preferred candle light for their sensitive senses. He folded his cloak and tucked it away before he unbound his long silver hair. Ostramethusias sighed as he released his hair and felt it flow over his shoulders. The scent of Cilla's blood permeated every particle of air he breathed, and he wondered how much his world was changing even now. He sat down in his reading chair, a creation of his own of dark leather and brass studs. "Now I need wait only ten hours," he smiled to himself. Reaching down, he picked up the book he had been studying the night before and was soon lost in the printed words.

After ten hours had passed, Ostramethusias closed his book and set it down upon his reading chair. Using his magic, he bound his hair with a black ribbon and smoothed his clothing. With a thought, he took nine of the sleeping girls to the evaluation chamber where the queen was waiting for them. Cilla lay in her bed, alone in the room, sleeping and untouched.

"Please place them on the tables. As you can see, I've added more!" Ostramethusias was careful to keep each female in a deep slumber as he mentally moved them to the tables.

The queen walked around the tables ensuring that all the leather straps were tight before standing by Nikkita, who slept on the first table.

"Because they are asleep, their blood will flow much slower," the queen pouted. She took her pointer finger and ran the scalpel sharp nail across Nikkita's extended right wrist. As her blood began to fall into the waiting cup, she moved to the girl's left wrist and cut the girl again.

She repeated the same process with all the girls until they all bled. The blood dripped from their wrists directly into the bottles centered underneath their wrists.

After ten minutes had passed, Ostramethusias sealed their wounds with the magic of his mind, being very careful to leave no scar behind. He mentally sent the blood to his laboratory and excused himself from the queen who had just finished opening all the restraints.

"I must go," he said before he faded away, taking the nine girls with him.

Ostramethusias placed the girls back in their beds and then he allowed himself the time to walk up to Cilla's bed. He brought forward his previous frustration to come to the front of his emotions.

Standing at the end of her bed, he stared down at Cilla.

"No longer will anyone refer to me as an it. Because of you, I have become fully male. I have never wanted the touch of another before. But I crave your presence like nothing I have ever known," he whispered before he moved to sit at the side of her bed. Cilla was curled up on her side with her blonde hair flared out over her yellow pillow.

Ostramethusias loathed the color yellow. He stared at her bedding and remembered that the princes weren't too fond of the color as well for somehow the color hurt their eyes but to him; he just didn't care for it. Allowing himself some freedom, he leaned over and inhaled Cilla's scent deeply into his lungs. His heart thudded in his chest when he saw her eyes open.

"You are so beautiful, Sias."

"For once in my life, I have a request."

"What do you need?"

Cilla sat up and glanced at the sleeping girls.

"Come with me."

She nodded her head and he helped her out of bed. With his mind, he dressed her in the shoes he knew she preferred, the black and white running shoes and the material pants she called jeans. After he had given her a long sleeved pink shirt to wear, she threw her arms around his neck. Tingles covered his body and he felt her immediately try to move away, from him. She felt like she had crossed an invisible line again, but then his hands covered her back and her muscles relaxed. She was surprised to feel his hard body pressed against hers as she thought she had angered him but his hold on her was strong, erasing her doubts.

"I never knew my heart could feel so peaceful and out of control all at once."

Cilla knew in her heart that he smiled.

"When you reach for me, I will never be angry with you. Do not fear such a thing. I want to hold you always."

"Then I am where I should be."

Holding Cilla securely in his arms, he moved them through time and space until they were surrounded by a lush green garden filled with colorful flowers. The light from the twin moons shined down on them and brightened up the area. Cilla briefly lifted her head to glimpse the beauty around them before closing her eyes and slipping her arms around his neck. Ostramethusias warred with himself as he held Cilla in his arms, but he could resist the call of her blood no longer. His teeth lengthened, and he lost control for the second time in his existence. Sinking his teeth deep into Cilla's shoulder, he released the chemical only he could produce, directly into her bloodstream. The instant his teeth broke her skin; he was in her mind blocking the pain. When her body stiffened slightly, he pumped in more of the chemical and to his relief, Cilla relaxed in his embrace once more.

When she felt the sharp pain radiate from her left shoulder, she slightly tensed for more pain hat would surely come but it didn't and she was quickly overcome with intense feelings of comfort. Cilla sensed that everything was as it should be, a welcomed side effect of the chemical in Ostramethusias's saliva.

" _Chemical?"_ Cilla asked in her mind thinking briefly of bleach and toxic things.

"What only I can create, needed by your body to be mine."

When he was sure she was unstrained, he spoke inside Cilla's mind, as the gentlest touch

"I have not bit you to drink your blood, little firefly. I have released a special chemical from my body to yours that will jump start the changes we both need to be together forever. Already you are changing and the process is faster then I could ever have expected. Unlike the females that will eventually become mated to the princes, once your body has fully changed, it will never become mortal again. Nor will you ever be separated from me. You are becoming the second Other that is now in existence in this world. Once your body's chemistry entirely evolves to mirror my own, our lives will change."

When a feeling he had never felt before overwhelmed him, his vision blurred. _Lust._ Colors swirled in his head, and his eyes glowed purple instead of red. Time was lost to them as he stood with her in his arms; his teeth embedded in her shoulder, continually pushing his chemical into her body. When the muscles in her body began to quake, he held her more firmly to himself and reached deeper into her mind to take away the pain he knew she was now experiencing.

Soon after, he could not stand to have her suffer any further, so he removed his teeth gently from her shoulder and sealed the wound with his mind. Her shirt was repaired just as easily.

She turned in his arms and pulled his face down towards hers.

As his face drew closer, she kissed him, demanding entrance to his mouth with the firm insistance of her tongue.

He was instantly lost and his lips naturally parted for her. What he had thought was lust became love as the cells of his body reacted to the chemical she released into his body through her passionate kiss.

They broke apart, both panting as they floated down to their new normal.

"I, um, I had to kiss you! It was like something awakened inside me and I could not deny it control of me. Look at you! Your eyes are purple Sias! Are you okay? You're looking, um, even more beautiful. And your hair is such an exotic silver!"

"You are mine as I am yours little firefly. You are changing and becoming something more. We are evolving together. You felt me bite you but as I told you, I did not drink your blood. We are not what you think, these vampire things. We do consume blood, but it must be mixed with other things until it becomes a nutrition drink, which I create for this world, and as I will do for you too. Your body cannot consume the food of mortals. Once I create your nourishment, you'll become stronger and feel better. You are beautiful."

He pressed a kiss against her forehead.

"The next event to be held between the chosen and the princes will be a hunting sport. You are not to participate in this activity. You may observe, but you must not move from the place I have set for you, no matter what you see. Do you understand? You must believe in me that I will keep all the females healthy."

"I trust you."

Cilla leaned her head against his chest and listened to the beat of his heart and let the rhythm melt into her bones. She felt too content in his arms to care about asking questions.

"Cilla, your body has already begun to change, but do not compare yourself to your fellow female friends. You are becoming like me, and you will be the first and only one to do so. Already your eyes have changed to reflect the changes in mine. I have waited a very long time for you."

"Must I still participate in the events? Can I not instead, stay with you? I don't like being apart from you. I don't like the queen and the way she looks at me."

"You must continue to participate up until the time when your body is ready to be with mine. There are events I have advised the royal family that you are not to engage in. Such as the hunt, for it involves pain. I wish for you to continue to be with your friends, and the other girls for you naturally ground them and you are helping them through their own changes."

"If you say so. But I will always trust you Sias. Something inside me just feels like home is in the cirle of your arms. Nothing else is important but being here with you right now like this."

She confessed through her mind and it made something inside of him fill with warmth, maybe his heart?

"I will watch over you and protect you whether I am near or far. Do not seek to compare yourself to anyone as you are unique. Honestly, I have never prepared myself for what my life would become once you came into it. I have no one to use as a guide for no Other ever found their mate. But this feeling of holding you close is so deeply in my heart that it is hard for me to let you go. But let you go I must for now. I need you to return to your room so that you may rest. I in turn, must return to my laboratory and create a nourishment drink for you."

He ran his fingers through her silky blonde hair, watching as silver strands shimmered when her hair moved.

"If you say I must return, I will. Thank you for bringing me to this beautiful greenery filled with bright flowers. I have a feeling that they are not naturally like this."

Cilla rubbed her cheek against his chest, like a cat marking her territory. Her nerves felt extra sensitive, and it sent a thrilling chill down her back.

With his magic using his mind, Ostramethusias returned them to the suite the chosen shared. As they stood next to her bed, he changed her clothing back to her simple light yellow cotton nightgown. Changing his mind, he ran his fingers over the neckline, causing the fabric to change to a pretty purple.

"Isn't purple the color of royalty?" Cilla whispered as she looked down at her nightgown briefly before looking into his deeply purple glowing eyes.

"Before there was a royal family in this world, there were just the Others. Without me, there would be no royal family. Purple is my favorite color, and it matches your eyes now too."
He smiled, and she was instantly lost. Her mind had caught his words briefly before they were swept away.

"Come, get in bed and sleep."

He coaxed her, drawing the sheet and blankets back. Cilla got onto the bed before shifting to lay on her right side. Ostramethusias pulled the bedding up and over Cilla's slight body before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She closed her eyes and was asleep before she could even begin to form a dream. He changed her bed and her assigned clothing to purple, clearly marking his claim. He did not want any of the princes getting confused with his mate.

Swiftly, he sent himself down to his laboratory. Flipping the light switch on, Ostramethusias set to work on creating the nourishment that Cilla would soon need. He brought out the diathorma and pressed the end to his own neck for a few seconds. Then he took the device and held it over a heated tube causing his blood to drop out of the special tool. Putting the diathorma down on the light gray counter, Ostramethusias unlocked a cabinet that had been sealed since the day he first locked it centuries long past. Lifting the lid, he looked down at the jars within. After much thought, he selected three for the nourishment formula he wished to make. _"Dekam, azmoras and arlag, perfect."_

He took the three jars and set them down by the heated tube holding his blood. Opening the first jar, he took out two pinches of the dekam, a dried black grass that grew no more in Vrozia and dropped it into the tube. Sealing the jar, he opened the next one and withdrew one pinch of the white powder, created from a bloom that once filled his room, but now could no longer be found called the azmoras. Adding it to his tube, he watched the mixture bubble lightly. Grinning to himself, he sealed the second jar and opened the last one, the arlag. Carefully, he removed one thin strand of dried muscle tissue from the body of the first Other that created Vrozia. He took great care to drop it delicately into the tube before sealing the container and returning all three jars to their cabinet and engaging the lock. The tube had begun to flash colors so bright; he was glad his eyes had changed for the colors would have stung his red eyes once upon a time. Humming to himself, he added one drop of Cilla's blood he had stored in the opposite end of the ancient tool. He watched, fascinated by the mixture as it began to settle. Turning the heat off, he picked up the hot tube and poured the nourishment into a thick, dark blue, glass bottle. Ostramethusias gently put the empty tube on the counter before he flipped the light switch off and retreated to his library where he kept a small refrigerator. He placed the bottle inside and closed the shiny black door. Setting the small timer for three hours, he sought out a few books he would soon need.

-

Cilla sat on her purple bed and looked around her at the sleeping girls. She found it amusing that the color of their dancing dresses they had been given had carried over to the suite they all shared. Nikkita slept to her right in a bright orange bed while Tonya slept to Nikkita's right in a dark blue bed. Jana slept in a light green bed with Marta at the end in a red bed. She slept closest to the big, barred window with a beautiful window seat that Cilla quickly judged, could hold all of the girls comfortably. The room overflowed with color, the exact opposite of her former white prison.

"Cilla?" Nikkita sounded sleepy as she sat up in her bed. When she groaned, Cilla grinned knowing that she had opened her eyes to see her bed.

"Look around Nikkita, all our beds, bedding and even our wardrobes over here to our left are the color of the dress we wore when we danced with the princes."

"Why is yours purple? I thought you had yellow?" Nikkita stood up and stretched before sitting back down on her bed.

"Wait one second! Where are we?" Nikkita's head swung from side to side as she surveyed the room.

"Mine is purple because I am different. I am not in the running for a prince," Cilla admitted to her best friend. Nikkita looked at her with a frown.

"I'd guess this is the room the queen mentioned about us moving to. If you look outside the double doors across from us, I bet you'd find royal guards. And there's a huge window to our right next to Marta and Trisa," Cilla pointed to the window.

"I see a big window seat over there but it looks like there are bars on that window!" Nikkita rushed over to the window and climbed up on the plush window seat.

"Girl, it is night, why are we waking up during the night?" Nikkita turned back towards Cilla, who shrugged her shoulders.

"It is always night here Nikkita. There will always be a night sky, no more sunlight in this new world for us." Cilla stood up and walked over to her wardrobe and opened it.

"Dresses, too many dresses and fancy wear. They took our jeans! There are nightgowns, slippers, even a robe and some of those capes or whatever but no jeans or T-shirts!" Cilla sat on the ground instantly depressed.

"Cilla? What's wrong?" Jana asked as she wandered over to where Cilla was sitting on the floor.

"Wow, this is way different from that white box we were in. Though you were in it longer," Jana sat down next to Cilla and put her arm around Cilla's shoulders. Cilla turned and looked at Jana to thank her, and Jana jumped up and screamed. Cilla shrank back and watched as Jana ran across the room and scrambled onto the window seat next to Nikkita.

"What's wrong Jana?" Cilla asked, clearly confused by her friend's behavior.

"Your eyes! They're purple! Hey, your bed is purple, weren't you wearing yellow?" Jana jumped off the seat and hesitantly walked back across the room. "Yeah, you were wearing yellow," she accused before walking a wide path around Cilla to open her own wardrobe. "All my clothing is still light green!" Jana crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Cilla. "What gives Cilla?" Before Cilla could answer her, Marta spoke.

"What were you talking about when you said, white prison?" Marta asked as she cautiously approached Cilla.

"When I got to this world, I was put in a white room at the bottom of a very long spiral staircase. Everything about it was white. I didn't know they had taken other females," Cilla stood up and sat down on a comfy looking couch near the wardrobes, set away from the main room.

"She's not kidding either; everything was white," Nikkita joined in. "Cilla my girl, I don't care what color your eyes are! You are my bestie, and I'm not questioning you. If you say your life is changing then I believe you. You are the most honest person I have ever known," Nikkita stood next to Cilla and glared at the rest of the girls.

"Thank you, Nikkita," Cilla whispered, making sure Jana couldn't see the hurt in her eyes.

"The queen talked to me through what looked like a clock. It must have been below ground as there were no windows," Cilla felt like the couch was trying to suck her in, so she repositioned herself to get more comfortable.

"Nikkita, Jana and I came the next day, together. Like an afterthought," Tonya remarked as she glanced around the room.

"We each came from a different place. But we arrived together in one room too but ours was not white," Marta told them as she made her bed.

"Our room was regular stone like this one, but it was very small," Ezgi mentioned as she walked towards her wardrobe. She shook her head when she saw the contents.

"I really dislike pale colors; they make my skin look frightful," Ezgi bit her lip as she began looking through her clothing.

"Pink! The only color I do not like, pink!" Ermai began to cry as she hit her bed sheets with her hands. She sat up in bed, and Marta went to her to try to comfort her.

"Easy there Ermai, maybe we can send a request to the queen to change the colors," Marta suggested as Ermai wiped her eyes with her sleeve, "You think she may listen?" Ermai asked hopefully.

"I do. But why did Cilla get purple? Your dress was yellow, and now your eyes are different too," Amaya looked at Cilla, and Cilla knew the girl was glaring at her.

"Can you guys stop looking at me like I've done something wrong! There is something different happening to me then what is happening to all of you. Everyone here can eat food and drink water and juice but I can't! Just the sight of food makes me ill. Ostramethusias changed the color of my bed and clothing for he does not like yellow. As for my eyes, maybe I was exposed to something that all of you were not. My life is not meant to be as yours will be," Cilla tried her best to explain her changes but truly she didn't even understand it all herself but she trusted Sias with all her heart.

"Did you speak to the queen through a clock-like device?" Cilla asked Marta, but Ochiyo answered before Marta could.

"That was spooky. A time piece should not talk," she covered her eyes with her hands for a moment.

"Did you get a picture of the princes?" Trisa looked around at the other girls.

"Yes we had one, so you did too? I don't see one now though. I wonder why we were separated to begin with? Has anyone checked out those two doors? I'm thinking it leads to the bathroom," Cilla said, and to her surprise, she watched as Trisa hopped up and opened the doors.

"Oh wow, you guys better come and look at this!" Trisa exclaimed with awe in her voice.

As the girls gathered near the bathroom, Jana looked at Cilla.

"I'm sorry I freaked out Cilla. There have been so many weird things happening around us that your eyes just spooked me. I think I'm irritable because I'm hungry," Jana admitted. Cilla smiled weakly at her as she pointed to the big table to her left.

"There is a huge table right there and it's covered with food. So if you're all hungry, dig in!" Cilla motioned towards the table before returning to her bed. She climbed in and pulled the bedding over her head with a groan.

"I'm sorry you can't eat Cilla, really," Nikkita tried to soothe her friend but her stomach rumbled and Cilla pushed one hand out from underneath her blankets and pointed towards the table.

"Go eat Nikkita, I'll be okay," she mumbled.

"Okay, just stay comfy sweetie," Nikkita said as she followed the wonderful scents coming from the table.

Soon the room was filled with the sounds of cheerful eating. Cilla plugged her ears with her fingers and hummed lightly to herself as her stomach knotted up, and pain wracked her body.

"What is this puffy brown thing called?" Ermai asked, placing a bit in her mouth and closing her eyes as she tasted the savory bite.

"Looks like french toast. It's um, bread dipped in eggs then fried in butter. Their version here isn't too bad," Tonya said before biting into her own serving of french toast.

"Toast? We have eggs but had I not seen this before, I would not understand what toast could be. Or butter. But it is very good!" Ermai smiled shyly as she picked up a small, red fruit.

"This is from my world. We call it avenana. It is very juicy inside and sweet. Oh yes and healthy," Ermai took a bite from the avenana she was holding and red liquid ran down her chin. Marta was quick to wipe the juice away for her friend before she picked up an avenana for herself.

"Oh wow, this is quite yummy!" Marta smiled happily after taking a bite. "This green thick paste is from my world and we called it je, prounounced, gee. It is sweet and very filling," Marta took a spoon and placed a tiny spoonful of the paste on her plate. Her eyes roamed the food covered table until she spied what she was looking for. "This! It is called a rje. Um, it is pronounced, jee-ee. You put the je on it and it would be served as a full dinner. Most of our foods were pastes and rjes. Things to hold the paste." When Marta realized everyone at the table was looking at her, she held up her rje and grinned. "Happy eating!"

Nikkita looked at the green paste and decided to try it on the other thing Marta had mentioned. "Not bad. Kind of tastes like mashed potatoes."

"Mashed potatoes? What is that?" Ermai asked and Nikkita tried to explain about potatoes.

"Ah, it sounds very close to our saat. Hmm, tastes very similar too!"

A part of Cilla was happy to hear the girls getting along but another part just wanted to curl up and disappear as pain like nothing she had felt before consumed her. She didn't want to interrupt Sias in his lab so she closed her mind around it, trying her best to breath slowly through the terrifying sensations.

Ostramethusias moved swiftly around his laboratory mixing different vials of human blood with trotowyd, dylywyd and salowyd, all unique herbs he grew in his hidden garden. After adding the animal blood to his different mixtures, he created three different nourishment formulas. He planned on bringing them when he made his monthly distribution trip to all the citizens, excluding the royal family. "Cilla should enjoy this." He pressed his hands to his chest and wondered at the new feelings flooding his body. "My precious Cilla, you've saved me," he whispered to himself so caught up in his work that he had put up his magic shield without knowing it.

9 The Hunt Begins

"Here we go," mumbled Cilla as she felt the borrowed magic of the queen pulse before her voice filled the room.

"Attention ladies! Now that you have finished your first meal of the day, it is time to dress for the fun activity we have planned for you! We are eager to announce that we will be holding our much-anticipated hunting game. I now need each of you to look in your wardrobe and find the jumper set which has been attached to a silver hangar. You'll notice that most of your hangars are golden but the outfit you need to wear for today is on the one silver hangar. Now know that I am aware that you do not like your assigned colors, and I am thinking upon this matter. Please be dressed and ready to leave in thirty minutes. If you would place your attention on the wall above the long couch in your room, you will see that I have set a thirty-minute countdown. At the end of the thirty minutes, my guards will escort you to our hunting field. See you soon ladies!"

"Is it me or did the queen sound too happy?" Jana asked everyone.

"Well, now we know why they gave us such a big breakfast," Marta grumbled as she stared at the glowing green numbers on the wall.

"I don't like hunting things, it is cruel!" Ezgi stomped her foot.

"Isn't anyone worried about what this hunting activity is?" Ochiyo spoke towards the group before walking directly to her wardrobe. "Oh, my what is the queen thinking?"

"What's wrong Ochiyo?" Ezgi asked as she joined Ochiyo at her open wardrobe. She was holding her silver hangar and Ezgi frowned at the garment with her mouth open.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Nikkita exploded as she threw open her wardrobe doors and dug out her silver hangar.

"How does this even work?" Nikkita whispered as she stared at the bits of cloth set upon her hangar.

Cilla heard wardrobe doors flying open and all the girls sounded very unhappy but she couldn't concentrate on them. Her body was on fire as pain consumed her. She made a sour face as she felt her hair plastered to her head from her intense sweating. She had pulled the covers down an hour ago but still she sweated uncontrollably as the pain surged through every particle that made up her body.

"How does this go on?" Jana inquired, but no one answered as they were too busy trying to figure out the answer themselves.

"I'm sorry ladies; I do not mean to interrupt, but it seems you are having trouble with your outfit?"

"Queen, we are sorry; we do not mean to insult you. We just, well, none of us has seen such clothing before," Tonya said honestly.

"It is a one piece jumper with a zipper on the back. Look at it now. I've made the zipper sparkle, does that help?"

Mortified that the queen had to help them dress, Marta answered, "Yes, many thanks, your majesty. We will manage," she ground her teeth together before taking her silver hangar and going into the bathroom.

"Everyone take your jumper into the bathroom immediately. Once all eight of you are in there, close the doors and get ready. I have set the remainder of the time on the bathroom wall. Do not come out until the doors open," the queen ordered, and the girls rushed around grabbing their hangers before they hurried into the bathroom. When Cilla heard the double click of the bathroom doors, she knew that they had just been locked in. But just as those doors were secured, the main door to the suite opened and a guard entered the room. She thought she was hallucinating when she saw Sias rush towards her. He quickly threw her blanket around her body, picked her up and left the room, with the guards bolting the door behind them.

Sias carried her pressed firmly against his chest, in his arms and Cilla was vaguely aware of the movement. She had lost all control over her body and as the pain started to recede a tiny bit, a new sensation, numbness had begun to take over.

As Ostramethusias and Cilla vanished in front of the assembled guards, one spoke with awe in his voice, "He is amazing with his magic!" The rest of the guards looked at one another, shrugged and went back to standing in front of the suite they protected.

Ostramethusias brought Cilla to a minuscule room he had set up centuries ago. It was located deep in his residence and was a sacred chamber for him that no one knew of. The walls were made of firmly packed dirt as was the ceiling but the floor's dirt was not as firm as the rest of the room. He blew lightly over the dirt on the floor and created a cloud of air. Then Ostramethusias pulled the blanket off of Cilla, poofed it away and carefully placed her on the cloud. He set about to draw a full circle around her body with his blood before stepping inside and sealing the outline. Positioning himself next to Cilla on the invisible cloud, he whispered, "I'm sorry little firefly! Cilla you need to drink what I give you. All I need for you to do is to concentrate on swallowing."

Using his magic, he poofed the unique blue bottle from his mini fridge into his hands and filled his mouth with the nourishment. Leaning over Cilla, he pressed his lips to hers and gently pried her lips apart with his tongue. As he kissed her, he pushed the liquid from his mouth into hers and gently massaged her throat to aid her in swallowing. As soon as of her body. After the fifth exchange, the pain was gone and she could breathe easily.

"What happened Sias?"

Cilla's voice was barely a whisper floating through his mind as she looked into his eyes.

"Your body needed the nourishment I created for you. I will be sure to intertwine your essence with mine so that I can reach you at all times. I promised to keep you safe, and I am sorry for the pain you've experienced this day. The dirt here is filled with nutrients all of its own and if you notice we are actually above it. I did not know that you could block me out nor did I know that I had set a shield when I was preparing your nourishment. You must forgive me my dearest one!"

He pulled her body securely against his own and tried to calm his over beating heart. With her back to his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and held her as tight as he dared without causing her further pain.

"The nourishment I transferred to you contained the extra chemical I naturally produce. It will aid your body with its transformation but with less pain. This nourishment liquid is what you will consume as needed from this moment forward, no other liquid or solid should you touch. No more mortal food. And since there has never been a female Other, well, I'll be adjusting the formula as needed. There will be a point where you won't need it anymore."

"You fed me like a baby bird. It seems like it should be gross, but it wasn't. Sias? Could we stay like this forever?"

Cilla snuggled in his arms as she felt her body fit perfectly against his.

"Cilla, you have the natural ability to adapt quickly to new situations. You don't question anything from me, you accept things exactly as they are. I admire that," Ostramethusias whispered against her neck.

She felt his warm breath upon her skin and her mind went momentarily blank.

"Um, when your arms are around me, nothing else exists. Sias? Thank you for taking the pain away. Um, I have never been with a man before as we are now, so I feel I need to tell you something. You see, I'm a virgin, and I just wanted you to know. Your heart beat is like a natural soother; it makes everything bad go away."

Cilla blushed, grateful to be facing away from him at the moment.

"You are not ready yet for the mating process Cilla. That you are a virgin is something I will remember when that time comes. Thank you for sharing this with me. Now little firefly, I must speak of unpleasant things now that you are safe and your body grows stronger. This hunt activity is monstrous. You will have a special seat next to the queen when it begins and I expect you to stay there no matter what you see. I only ask that you trust me to take care of the females including your friends."

He breathed in her scent and pushed his fangs back as they attempted to burst free.

" _The chosen ones are to be hunted. You cannot warn them."_ He tried to break the news to her as gently as he could but nothing could take the facts away. Cilla began to argue but stopped herself and simply sighed softly as his body warmed hers, erasing the harsh memories of the pain she had suffered. Just cobwebs of a shadow of the pain remained in her mind, a small remembrance of this transformation.

"I will give you your preferred clothing at any time that you request it."

Ostramethusias pressed his right palm over her heart and sent his magic to seal her heart to his. He repeated this process with her forehead where their actual spirits resided. Ostramethusias entwined their essences so that he could be in tune with her body and mind at all times. He swore he would never let her suffer again. When he completed his magical binding, he smiled, content to know that he would know if she was in the slightest distress.

"What is that feeling Sias?"

Cilla kept her eyes closed as she sent her question though her mind. Tons of questions filled her thoughts but she pushed them away as her body could care less at the moment. She felt like there was nowhere else to be, but in his arms. Part of her wanted to warn her friends of this hunt, but her heart told her to trust in Sias.

"I am merely fusing our souls together. Your body will be like mine soon," he spoke quietly and his breath tickled her ear.

"Sias, I..."

Cilla began to ask another question, but he sent her to sleep.

"Rest my firefly, you surely need it. You must be valiant for today's hunt will be very disturbing."

Sias frowned when he thought about the way this hunting game would progress. He had never liked the majority of the activities the queen thought up, but he had no reason to dispute any of them until Cilla came into their world and changed everything.

"Now, there will be one prince without a mate," he spoke softly against Cilla's hair. He'd been thinking about the numbers and matches and shuffled through the different portals available to his world in his mind.

"The Drahm Sea world! We have not requested a female from there for more than fifty years. I will go check today."

He promised himself that he would see this through for the security of his sleeping mate.

-

"Marta, these cannot be what we are supposed to wear!" Ezgi sulked as she viewed herself in the mirror-covered wall. Looking at the other girls, she felt doubtful about what this activity was really about.

"Ezgi, we are all wearing the same thing, the only difference is the color," Marta tried to reassure Ezgi but she really hated how she looked in her outfit. Marta pulled at the straps covering her body but they wouldn't stretch.

"We all have different body types so this outfit or jumper as the queen referred to it looks odd on all of us," Nikkita stated as she helped Tonya zip up her jumper. "Though it is something I would never buy for myself or anyone else!" Nikkita muttered.

"This barely covers, you know, those places on my body!" Jana whimpered, pulling at the fabric without success. "I wish there was extra material to cover more of my body than it does now. I never wear clothing this revealing! If I turn my body just a tiny bit, the fabric moves and then things I don't want others to see will be seen!"

"I suppose it could be worse," Trisa frowned as she looked at the back of Nikkita's jumper. "How could this be worse?" Jana demanded.

"Could be like one strip of fabric across our chests and a bit down below with our rear ends completely bare!" Trisa scowled at her image in the mirrors.

"Okay, I admit that what you've said is much worse," Jana agreed.

"Did anyone else see the metal loop attached to the back? Everyone has one," Ochiyo whispered as she carefully approached Marta from behind and reached out one trembling hand. She quickly pulled on the little ring attached to Marta's jumper.

"No!" Marta jumped as pain ran through her body like a strike of energy through the sky. She looked angrily over her shoulder at Ochiyo, who was quick to apologize.

"I am sorry Marta, I just tugged at the little ring! I did not know it would cause you pain! Why does it cause pain? I am sorry it hurt! I let my curiosity overwhelm my rational mind. I hope you can forgive me!" Ochiyo's turned bright red and she was careful to keep her eyes downcast.

"It did hurt. From my back all the way down to my toes. But it was weird, like an electrical shock," Marta said as she looked at the ring on Nikkita's jumper. Nikkita saw her gaze and nodded her head. Grinding her teeth, Nikkita waited for the other girl to pull her metal ring and flinched when she felt the pain run down her back until it reached her toes too.

"That is real pain!" Nikkita turned to Marta just as Ochiyo looked up shyly at them.

"It's okay Ochiyo, we didn't know. It's a damn good thing to know. But why is it there?" Tonya looked at the group of girls who all shook their heads.

"Ladies! Time is up. Please exit the bathroom and meet your guards at the entrance doors to your suite."

"It is spooky the way she talks from everywhere!" Jana whispered to Nikkita, who readily agreed.

"No shoes?" Ochiyo asked in surprise.

"You won't need shoes my dear! The grass is soft and will cause no damage to your feet. I will see you outside very soon!"

"I think she sounds way too happy," Tonya muttered.

Their bathroom doors clicked open and they walked to the entrance doors just in time to see them open.

"Eighteen guards," Jana whispered to Tonya, who was walking next to her.

"We're walking in pairs with one guard on each side of us. What are they protecting us from?" Jana looked around but found nothing but a candle lit hallway made of gray stone with a beautiful red and black carpet beneath their feet.

"I don't know, but I don't feel good about this activity," Tonya whispered and Jana reached out and held her hand. They tried to comfort one another as the guards led them down a very long staircase. Soon they reached a heavy metal door where many guards stood together. Upon seeing their group, they stepped aside and allowed them to pass. For the first time, their group walked out of the castle and into the night.

"Look at how the two moons shine!" Amaya cried, pointing at the twin moons glowing bright in the night sky. Ermai inhaled deeply, "Outside at last! I thought we would be stuck inside forever," she nearly yelled and several guards looked at her.

"All the landscaping is black. Black bushes, trees, even the grass is dark," Nikkita murmured to her walking partner, Marta.

"Never day but always night, something to get used to," Marta remarked as they walked around the outside walls of the castle and continued down the path behind the humongous building. "My world was always day and hot, so this cool night is okay for me," Trisa shared with the girls.

"Thankfully this path is soft. I greatly dislike not having the choice to wear shoes in a world I do not understand," Ochiyo said and many of the girls agreed with her.

"I wonder, if most of us came from different worlds, how do we all speak the same language and understand one another?" Ezgi asked the group but everyone shook their heads.

"Maybe they did something to us when we entered this world, that would be my guess," Nikkita speculated as she frowned at the looming forest that stood beyond the path they walked upon.

After a few minutes passed, the guards stopped walking, making the girls stop too. Ahead of them stood ten black horses with the princes sitting atop them.

"This is the starting point near the border of the Dymare Forest," the guard at the back told them quietly.

"Look over there!" Marta whispered urgently as she pointed to the left side. "The queen is sitting with the king and there is one chair next to the queen that is empty!"

"Not anymore," Nikkita said as fear began to grow inside her.

"Why does Cilla get to sit out? She's not even wearing one of these jumper things! More like patched bandages than a piece of clothing!" Jana hissed, her eyes glaring angrily at Cilla.

"Hey, remember our big breakfast and how sick Cilla was? I don't think she can participate," Amaya reminded them.

"Come to think of it, she looks different and it's not just her eye color. I have known this girl my entire life and she's never looked so pale before or as thin," Nikkita shared with the group. "I can't hate my bestie, she's got a good heart. There is a reason things are the way they are I just don't know what it is."

"Well, I'm glad she isn't sick anymore," Jana chimed in before the queen stood up and spoke to their group.

"Welcome ladies! Please come and stand before me as I introduce you to King Jodocus," she waved one elegant hand towards the man beside her.

The girls walked without their guards until they stood in front of the king and queen. They looked among themselves before attempting an awkward curtsies as the slightest move the wrong way would expose delicate places not meant to be publicly displayed.

"Look at what they wear," Conner hissed as he sat atop his favorite stallion, Kalinth. He reached down and rubbed his palm against the silky softness of Kalinth's black mane. Try as he might, he could not tear his gaze away from the group of chosen ones standing before his parents.

"Conner! It is not nice to stare at them!" Tomas glared at his brother who simply shrugged his shoulders. "One of them will be your mate Conner. Do you like all your brothers staring at her body that is barely covered?" Tomas spoke in a low, mean tone, something he never did.

Conner's surprised eyes looked into his brother's, whose eyes were filled with anger.

"No, I don't suppose I like any of you looking at my mate." He grumbled to himself as he straightened his back and stared straight ahead.

"This is the only time we can freely look upon their beautiful bodies without being committed to just one of them! I am enjoying my view greatly!" Ash said with pride. He leaned forward and spoke to his horse. "We don't mind, do we Broker?"

"I mind a great deal!" Ryker hissed. He pulled on the reigns a bit too hard and his horse tried to buck him off. "Hey, don't do that Baloo! Chill buddy, we'll be in the forest soon enough," he spoke gently to his horse when he realized his mistake. "Sorry Baloo! I didn't mean to pull on the reins and cause you pain, my bad!"

"And you say you love horses! Brother mine, you've got much to learn!" Stephen whispered to Ryker who sat atop his mount next to him. "You've got to respect the beast to receive respect back. You've trained hard to be a great scout, should we need one, but you don't pay enough attention to your horse! Stephen rubbed the white mane of his horse with great care. "Fanul here would never attempt to buck me off! He's a great horse and I take even greater care to ensure he is always healthy and happy."

"You love horses. Of course you take great care of all of them as you spend so much time in the stables. I'm not much of a rider but when Jericho and I ride, we enjoy our time together," Sam said, patting his horse on his soft neck.

"You all sit there talking about your horses when we've got our chosen females standing so close wearing barely anything at all! How you can think of your horse at this time, I just do not know. I can tell you that I am seeing everything I want to see while I can!" Gairvan announced. Tomas looked at his brother and ground his teeth together. "Be careful my brother as one of those females is my mate!"

"No harm in looking," Joshua whispered.

"As I feel as well," his brother Calder whispered back.

Joshua smiled at his brother who flashed him his own grin before they both returned their attention to the females.

"You are all crazy! I hope they hide well and make our last hunting outing the best game we can have! I for one, am looking forward to hunting down one of them!" Lurian said and Tomas turned his glare toward him. Feeling eyes on him, Lurian looked up and caught his brother's heated gaze. "Chill out Tomas! You'll get your chance very soon to hunt down one of these beauties!"

"I do not want to hunt them down! This causes them great pain," Tomas growled and his brothers looked at him in surprise for Tomas had never been known to express anger that much.

"Ostramethusias will take care of them after we've had our fun," Conner declared just as the guards rejoined the chosen females.

The guards came and guided the group past the princes who watched them disappear into the thick darkness of the Dymare Forest.

"The queen did not lie when she said our feet would be okay without shoes," Tonya murmured as they continued to walk deeper into the forest.

"Did you see the princes sitting on their horses? They looked at us like we were something to eat. Excuse me, how long do we have to walk in here? I think it's spooky," Ochiyo commented toward the guard nearest to her but he made no indication that he had heard her.

"Is this forest outside the castle walls or are we still protected within the castle grounds?" Ermai asked one of the guards who did not immediately answer.

"This is land inside the perimeter of the castle grounds surrounded by many guards and very high walls."

Ermai glanced up at the guard who answered her question but he was staring straight ahead. "Thank you for answering my question," she whispered.

"It's getting colder the deeper we walk," Marta observed and most of the girls agreed.

"I don't like being in here. Things could be hiding inside these woods waiting to eat us!" Ochiyo whispered as she nervously pulled on her jumper.

"Did you not hear the guard say we are safely inside the castle walls? I don't think the queen would put us in danger for she is much too eager to match us to her sons. Look at these jumpers! It gave the princes great views of our bodies. That scares me. They're not human, remember?" Tonya whispered urgently as they continued to walk.

"When we curtsied to the queen and king, did the princes watch? I am so embarrassed! What if they saw something they shouldn't!" Jana felt her cheeks grow hot as she thought of those men staring at her barely covered body.

"Girl, don't even worry about what they thought! Haven't you all noticed how long we've been walking in these woods? Has anyone seen any animal at all? A rabbit or maybe even a bird? No! These woods are silent as death and I for one, am not happy to be here!" Ezgi said as she squeezed her hands together.

Suddenly, one of the guards called out, "Halt! Stay where you stand!" The guards moved away from the group of girls and filed into one line facing away from them except for the one that had spoken.

"We can go no further. You are not to follow us out. We would advise you one hint which we hope you listen to. Flee, quietly but as quickly as you can and hide carefully for the princes have enhanced vision and their ability to smell you is quite strong. Once you are found, a prince will bring you back to the starting point in front of the king and queen. You will be held until all have been found. Go now!" The guard shouted at them making them flinch before they heard what sounded like a horn.

The guards ran away at such an incredible speed that they were gone by the time the girls could barely process the words the guard had said.

"We are being hunted!" Ochiyo screamed but Marta covered her mouth.

"Stop it! If we are being hunted it must have something to do with that ring on our backs that hurt, really hurt when pulled! Everyone break apart and hide as if your life depends on it! Try to see what the princes will see from horseback when they enter the forest, which I fear they already have," Marta said before she took off running deeper into the forest. Tonya ran off to the west with Jana running to the east. Nikkita moved northeast and Trisa ran northwest.

"We must hide alone!" Jana hissed before she dashed away with Ochiyo, Ezgi and Amaya breaking out of their stupor and running blindly into the thick forest.

Marta ran as if evil itself was chasing her. She ducked under tree limbs and pushed her way through thick bushes. "Where to hide?" She whispered very quietly to herself. She stopped and stood in one spot to scan her surroundings. There was a fallen log to her right that would be perfect to hide under if she could get her body wedged underneath it. Or maybe she should make a few piles of leaves and then hide under one? Scared out of her mind, she listened but heard no sounds which propelled her into action. She threw herself to the ground and pushed her way underneath the fallen log. The rough bark scratched her skin and she forgot about the princes enhanced smell as the bark cut into her flesh. Desperate to hide, she was able to wedge her body completely under the log. She began pulling leaves, desperate to cover every part of her body.

While Marta was sticking leaves along her body, Nikkita was busy climbing a tree as she scrambled to reach the high branch before one of those damn princes found her. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she had a lump of fear wedged deeply in her throat. "Damn that stupid queen for using me as a thing to hunt!" She dug her nails into the bark and hugged her legs tightly around the tree as she continued to pull herself higher into the thickness of the tree branches covered with huge leaves. When she reached the branch she was aiming for, she crawled out onto it and buried her body in the dark, shadiness of the leaves.

Ermai's terrified eyes searched for a place to hide but she couldn't understand how to hide herself. She got down on her hands and knees and looked at the floor of the forest. A shadow caught her eye and she found a very small opening between two trees that she thought she just might be able to hide herself in. Ermai pushed her body into the spot between the trees and pulled some of the branches around her body. She tried to close her eyes but they kept snapping open, too full of fear to relax in any way as she awaited the time when a prince would ride up and hurt her.

Slapping branches out of her way, Tonya ran as fast as she could.

"I hate this!" She cried just as she slipped on the soft forest floor. She scrambled to her feet and found a big tree with large roots reaching out as if it meant to overtake the woods. Her fingers scraped against the tough bark, searching for an opening. "Back home we'd play hide and go seek and I was really good at it. But I never felt so terrified as I do now! I hate being hunted! Stupid ring's gonna cause me a lot of pain!" She whimpered as her fingers found a patch of empty space. She dug her hands into the opening and pulled herself up off the ground and into a small knot in the tree. She just hoped there was enough shadows around her to hide her. Blind in her terror, she bit her lip, drawing blood and the coppery scent floated out into the air around her without her even thinking about it.

Trisa paced between two hiding spots. She had never played such a game and knew nothing about it. Should she hide in the dark space created by the huge trees that towered high over her head or should she hide inside the fallen tree?

"So many fallen trees, the forest must be sad," she whispered to herself as she made her choice. She crawled with her eyes closed as she entered the closest of the fallen beauties, feet first, surprised to find it semi hollow.

"Must have been laying here decaying for a long time," she said as her breath caught in her throat.

"Please don't let there be anything that bites inside!" Trisa continued to squirm her way backwards into the tree until she could go no further. She opened her eyes and saw that she had made her way quite deeply into the tree. Exhausted, she put her head down on her arms and concentrated on keeping her breathing quiet and refused to let herself smell the rot of the wood that was hiding her.

Ezgi stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the land around her. She moved off to the side and decided to hide herself against the border wall that surrounded the castle. She decided that there was just enough foliage to cover the top of her head. She stared out into the gloomy forest and listened for the sounds of horses. Her hands balled into fists as she thought of herself as an animal meant to be hunted down.

"This is not right! Everything about this is very wrong!"

Far away, Ochiyo stood frozen with her own deep fear. She had never seen a forest before and had no clue what to do. She looked around herself and only saw what she was told were trees.

"Where am I supposed to hide my body?" She wrapped her arms around her body and tried to think. A series of low black fluffy things looked like the only thing she could hide in so she carefully crawled into the middle of them and hid herself within their depths hoping no one would ever find her. The ring attached to her back was meant to be pulled and she knew it would cause her immense pain when someone touched it. As she hide, she closed her eyes and imagined she was back in her world, far away from this terrible place she found herself locked in.

Amaya's body trembled as she rubbed her aching head with her fingers. She couldn't find anywhere to go and she knew the princes were actively hunting them right now. She looked at the trees and plants that surrounded her and wished that she could turn herself invisible. Sighing deeply, she crawled through a thick group of big leafy bushes but when she was halfway underneath, she found she could not go further in. The bushes simply weren't deep enough to hide her body completely. Closing her eyes, she sent her mind away from her body and prayed that she wouldn't be found first.

Jana ran blindly through the forest, tears streaming from her eyes. "Damn Cilla for not having to endure this! Why didn't she warn us?Where am I to hide?" She tripped over the roots of a tree and began to roll herself in the dirt before she found a small crevice in one of the trees. She curled herself into a tight ball and managed to cram her body into the little space. She did not know that she had mistakenly been running towards the entrance of the forest instead of deeper within it until a prince found her.

10 The Hunt Continues

While girls hid and princes rode their horses through the black forest, Ostramethusias entered the Drahm Sea world, through the dark portal. He held his body easily above the water as he sent out his energy in search of a single, healthy, female. Glancing around, he vaguely remembered this world. One of the princes who had scouted this land and had died opening the portal, leaving his mate to be a blood donor until her body gave out. This world actually had no land but was made entirely out of water.

A heartbeat met his psychic touch and he searched it to find it was male. He pushed his energy in another direction and soon found another heartbeat. Analyzing this one took longer and Ostramethusias was ecstatic to find a young female so quickly. He desperately needed a female to replace Cilla's spot for the princes and their games.

He closed his eyes and raised his arms and called out to the female who came to him, cutting through the water with the greatest speed. He smiled as he measured her health to be excellent. He pulled her from the sea and she hovered above it as water dripped from her curvy body. Staring into her bright eyes, he talked to her and told her where he was taking her to and why. At first he felt her denial but as it was with this world, her curiosity won and she agreed. As she lost consciousness at his mental demand, he held her in his arms before turning to face the portal back to his world.

"Drahm Sea, I thank you for your donation of this female. Vrozia thanks you and grants you ten years of peace."

He pulled his cape over the girl in his arms and spoke a few words, "Serosa, come into my world without a sea, within this new world you will have legs and a tail only in the Drahm Sea."

Stepping through the portal he closed it and set his personal seal upon it with a ten year marker. He carried Serosa carefully through the dead land until he reached the real entrance to his world, a tall dark tree, one among many. Once they passed through, he looked up to see the twin moons shining down, casting its bright light upon everything they touched. He appeared behind the queen and whispered in her ear. She stood up and excused herself from her husband as Cilla watched and worried.

"She is from that sea world?" The queen asked, as she looked at the female in Ostramethusias's arms.

"Her name is Serosa, dress her in the hunting garment and place her in the woods. She is ready to compete."

"You worked fast to secure a match for my sons and I will be eternally grateful to you for that Ostramethusias," the queen said before waving her hand over the sleeping girl, dressing her in pale yellow. Then, borrowing Ostramethusias's magic again, she sent her deep into a hidden spot in the forest where it would take quite some skill to find her. Ostramethusias woke her up mentally and updated her on her current situation. She hissed loudly through his mind and he shared her comment with the queen who smiled.

"You are right with this one. Oh and she is nearly feral, how delightful! Come and sit with us Ostramethusias. We understand that Cilla is yours. We know that you have access to her at all times and that she may come and go at any time as well. We are eternally grateful to you for bringing us all the chosen ones that have come before this day. Come and sit," the queen led the way back to their lounging area.

"My dear, oh Ostramethusias, it is good to see you. You are looking different," the king said while he sat on his high backed chair that matched the queen's with the black and red decor.

" _Thank you, I will gladly sit with mine,"_ he smiled but it was not a friendly smile.

He searched his memories and found the chair his kind used long before the royal family existed. He brought one into creation and moved Cilla onto it. He dismissed her plain wooden chair and then sat down himself. The sad expression on Cilla's face changed immediately as he sat close to her. She found herself grinning and happily leaned against Sias's body. He pulled her close and enveloped them in his white and purple cloak.

"Hello my little firefly. Our kind always used a chair that held two people together, never apart like the king and queen sits now. And Others used elaborate engravings in their comforts like this chair, that always declared for all to see, what they were. Here I have used a mark depicting that I am an original Other with my mate. They were created when there were actual females born as Others. No one believed that all the Others would be lost one day because they never found their mates but it has come to pass. We also didn't understand that our young females born as Others would die so quickly and so young but they did. The engravings were actually warnings for those who existed in this world. It now tells of who I am and how sacred you are. Not one heart residing inside this world would ever try to hurt or attempt to harm an Other or an Other's mate. There is no creature that was ever created that could come anywhere near my strength and soon, yours, so please erase this fear from within you."

She smiled and lifted her face to his.

"I am glad you are happy to see me too, firefly."

He kissed Cilla on her lips lightly before tucking her head close to his chest.

"I am blessed to have you as mine. But this whole thing, this hunting is awful, Sias!"

"I like that short name."

Blushing, she hid her face in his deep purple laced shirt and felt him breath under her cheek.

"It will be over soon, I promise. They will suffer no permanent damage. The royals know that I would not allow it. This is my promise to you. Brace yourself my dearest heart. Things are about to get ugly, but the chosen will not remember this terrible time."

"If I was in there, I would be terrified! This isn't a fair sport! I hate the queen for doing this to my friends!"

Screams shattered the tense but peaceful silence and Ostramethusias held Cilla down with the power of his mind and body as she struggled like a rabid animal.

"Prince Lurian is the first to return with Jana!" Cilla tore her gaze away from the forest to see the guard standing in front of the king and queen. She listened to his announcement and returned her attention to the dark forest opening just as Prince Lurian broke through the forest into the open field, literally dragging Jana behind him. Jana never stopped screaming, and Cilla folding in on herself, knowing how easily it could have been her out there. _"But it is not you, remember that."_ She could not handle the cruel way her friend was being treated and Sias soothed her mentally so that she could breath easier.

"My love, I will make this right. And one day the queen will pay for her sins, I promise you," he whispered in her ear. She tried to relax but couldn't though she did trust her Sias greatly.

As soon as the prince pulled his horse to a stop in front of his parents, he loosened his grip on Jana's ring and let her drop to the dirt. She stopped screaming though her sobbing was easily heard. As the cloud of dust settled near the horse's hooves, three guards rushed forward. Cilla watched, her purple eyes flashing with anger as the first guard helped the prince down from his horse and the second guard then took the horse back to the stables behind them. _"I will not forget that the prince was helped first and the horse second!"_ The third guard bent down and removed the metal ring from her friend's jumper on her back before covering her with some sort of white cloth and carried her to an area Cilla hadn't seen before.

" _Helping my friend was the last thing they thought of!"_ When she dared look, she saw ten little open boxes to her left and watched the guard place her friend's body in the first box.

" _Looks like a coffin,"_ she thought as shivers ran through her.

"I do not know what a coffin is my dear Cilla but I assure you that these boxes are enchanted with my magic and there is no pillow softer than these boxes. They are an illusion for the royals. I would never let females be treated this way! Peace my firefly, peace."

Cilla watched as the guard moved to hand the metal ring to Prince Lurian who held it high in the air for a moment before he placed the ring in the front pocket of the brown leather vest he wore. He walked like he owned the world, until he stood directly across from where Cilla sat.

Cilla's eyes threw daggers at the prince as she thought of her friend laying in a box. The queen and then the king sat directly to her right and among them were a huge group of guards. She looked at them and saw that every single one, except the one standing in front of the king and queen, were watching the woods intently. She looked at the human sized boxes and couldn't process what this activity was about other than the princes throwing around their testosterone.

Ostramethusias held Cilla up to a sitting position and then untied his cloak and kept it wrapped around her.

"Trust me."

Sias whispered to Cilla through their mental bond.

"I do!"

She watched him disappear and then reappear next to the guard who had come back to the first box. Sias leaned over Jana and her soft cries stopped. A blue light glowed from within the box for only a second but Cilla knew her Sias was healing her friend. She guessed he was the closest thing this world had to a doctor. Cilla was very grateful to Sias who shared a thought in her head of her friend sleeping and not remembering any pain.

"I promise you that each girl will be treated the same. This hunting activity is brutal on the female but it happens because it makes the princes feel in control of some part of this game, this process. Know this, that this hunting activity is the last this royal family will ever host. We are changing my love and with changes in us, come greater changes among those around us."

Her nails dug into her palms as she clenched her teeth, a deep hatred flowed through her blood directly aimed at the queen sitting close to her. Cilla turned to look at the royals sitting near her and when she saw that they never once looked towards the boxes, her hatred grew stronger. A big gust of wind swept by the queen, nearly pushing her off her throne. As the queen righted herself, she glanced around but found no wind anywhere. "Did you feel that," she asked her husband who shook his head.

"Cilla, calm your emotions! Your magic is unstable," Sias's voice was soft in her mind and the peace he sent her flowed through her body, loosening her tight muscles.

"I'm not sorry."

"And you have no need to be. Just know that you have magic and that you do not have control over it. I would not want to see you accidentally hurt one of your friends."

Cilla felt instantly ashamed at herself but not for bothering the queen. She held her head high and returned her attention to the woods.

Soon the guard in front of the king and queen announced Prince Stephens arrival. "Prince Stephen is second to arrive with Amaya!"

Cilla watched as the same routine with three more guards moved into place, one helped the prince down, the second took the horse away and the third helped Amaya. When the third guard placed Amaya in the second box, Cilla was relieved to see Sias keep his promise as he aided Amaya and led her to sleep.

That annoying royal guard standing before the king and queen was kept busy as the princes began to stream out of the forest, dragging screaming girls behind them. "Prince Conner is third to arrive with Ochiyo! Prince Joshua is fourth to arrive with Ermai! Prince Calder is fifth to arrive with Ezgi! Prince Gairvan is sixth to arrive with Tonya! Prince Sam is seventh to arrive with Trisa!"

And then for quite some time, there was no movement or sounds. Cilla focused on the fact that the girls who had been dragged through the forest and then through the dirt were all sleeping in their boxes. She could barely hide the fact that she was seriously pissed off at the royal family for enjoying this terrible experience. She looked at the princes who stood in their place across the way. Then Cilla looked at the king and queen as they sat in their chairs with their big lot of guards. They seemed happy with the current events which just ticked her off even more. And then there was her Sias. She watched as he walked between the seven sleeping females, and it seemed like he was ensuring that they remained in good health.

"I can feel your anxiety Cilla. I promise you that they will not remember this activity exactly as it has happened. I have removed the scary memories and replaced them with memories of walking through the woods, and being swept off their feet by a prince. I altered their memories further to include that they had sat on the back of the horse with the prince that had found them. They will remember being tired and laid down to rest. I believe this to be the most humane way."

"Thank you Sias."

Cilla's eyes glittered with tears as she stared at him.

"Prince Tomas is eighth to arrive with Marta!" The guard announced and Cilla jumped in her seat. She curled in on herself, pulling Sias's cloak tightly around herself as she listened to the girl scream. She was able to breath easier again once she knew Marta was sleeping.

Again, a long period of time went by before another prince came riding out of the dark forest. "Prince Ryker is ninth to arrive with Nikkita!" Cilla frowned as she counted nine girls, yet there was still one more prince in the forest. Cilla looked at Sias and he felt her question so he filled her in on his quick journey to secure a replacement for her.

Now Cilla felt guilty again, and she felt sorry for the new girl. When she heard Sias's thoughts, she nearly fell off the chair. The girl was used to having a tail instead of legs and would be quite rough around the edges. And she wanted to be here doing this challenge!

"Whatever that means," she whispered as her eyes locked on the big trees. She ignored her best friend's screams by plugging her ears, closing her eyes and thinking of ways to get back at the queen and her sons.

She opened her eyes just in time to see Sias disappear with all ten girls. She looked within and knew that Sias had taken them to the evaluation chamber but he closed his mind against hers. Cilla rubbed her face with her hands and wondered what was going on in the queen's evaluation chamber that Sias did not want her to know about.

-

In the evaluation chamber, Sias placed the sleeping girls on the metal tables and secured their leather restraints. Because the girls were already asleep, he did not need the restraints for fear of them moving. Instead, he used them to increase blood flow. One by one, he cut each female on their wrists and waited ten minutes before sealing their wounds and removing the restraints. He sent the blood to his laboratory and the girls to bed in their suite. Then he returned to the hunting activity and his mate.

Finally after one more hour had past ever too slowly, the last prince came riding out. Cilla sat up to see that this prince wasn't dragging the girl behind him like all the others had. It looked like she was holding him back and that he was struggling to move his horse forward!

"Prince Ash is the tenth and last to arrive with Serosa!" The guard shouted as loud as he could, trying to be heard over the sounds of several voices talking in not so quiet whispers.

"She's not screaming," Cilla said in awe. "This is a blessed relief as she's here because of me," Cilla whispered very quietly to herself. She didn't want to attract the attention of the queen, whom she now hated greatly.

Cilla could not stop herself from looking at the girl's slender legs which the girl stood on with great strength and a very satisfied look on her pretty face. Cilla briefly wondered what life would be like with no land and having a tail instead of legs but her thoughts were broken up by the activity going on in front of her.

Prince Ash pulled his horse to a stop in front of his parents and jumped off his horse, waving the guard who tried to help him away. She saw the guard take the horse away instead. Then the prince himself approached Serosa and bent down on one knee before her. Cilla held her breath as she watched him look up into the girl's bright green eyes. The girl twisted her body like a skilled contortionist and then handed the metal ring she had somehow removed from her jumper, to Prince Ash. Much to Cilla's amazement, the prince kissed the metal ring! Cilla saw the girl blush but the prince would not leave her. Instead, after he tucked the ring into his vest pocket, he stood up and put both his hands out towards the girl.

Serosa looked at his hands for some time before placing her hands within his. A brilliant and bright golden light sparkled around them and they vanished.

The king and queen started clapping and the other princes followed their actions. Cilla looked sharply at Sias who quickly returned to her side. Before she could ask him what was happening, he started to talk to her quietly through their mental path.

"When a prince or the female or both, find their mate within this group, the golden glow will happen once both have agreed to be matched with the other. Prince Ash and Serosa have been taken out of the game and are in their mating chamber."

"What exactly happens during this mating process?"

Cilla stared at Sias who for once, looked lost.

"I asked the queen that question before but she did not answer."

He felt her staring at him and it was her innocence that temporarily took his voice from him. He blushed and had no idea what he should say but knew she deserved an answer. Clearing his throat, he began to attempt to answer her question.

" _First, this game is about finding a match. Then the matched pair go through the golden glow, forever linking them together and are taken to a sealed chamber called a mating chamber. The magic of this land transports them there and that is where they will mate."_ For the life of him he couldn't find the right words to say to her!

"Dear," the queen stood next to where they were seated and looked down at Cilla who swallowed her anger to hide it from the queen.

"Ostramethusias, I will need a sustenance drink for myself, my husband and my unmatched sons to be made and delivered later. I'm going to hold a meeting and talk to them about the mating process."

"As you wish," Sias spoke mentally with the queen.

"Come with me for a moment please Cilla. This talk is best told by another female, Ostramethusias," the queen said as she held her hand out to Cilla who looked to Sias. When he nodded his head, she stood and went with the queen but refused her hand.

"Walk with me Cilla for a few minutes and let me explain what we mean when we mention the word, mating," the queen smiled at her and she relaxed a bit. Cilla remained cautious as she did not trust the queen.

After their walk, the queen returned a very rosy cheeked Cilla to Ostramethusias who took Cilla's hand and drew her down to sit next to him. He thanked the queen who nodded with a small smile before turning his full attention to Cilla.

"Did she explain..." he started to say but Cilla cut off his words by kissing him softly, silencing him from the words he was about to stumble over. Surprised by the kiss, he held her lightly to his side and let her lead. It was a gentle kiss, from a very innocent soul and it made his heart beat faster knowing that she belonged with him. She was his key to freedom and the beginning of a new world that this present world had no clue was already changing.

It had been so long since his world was filled with nothing but Others. Now that he had found Cilla, he was becoming more alive. With these new awakenings inside of him, he felt his magic expand in abilities and increase in strength. The world as all knew it to be in Vrozia was about to change in a way that not even the royals would understand.

11 Sias and Cilla

Ostramethusias moved restlessly around his laboratory, mixing the many vials of fresh human blood he had collected with the right amount of special herbs.

He added a little animal blood from the farms and watched as they bubbled together. This batch would be stronger with the ratio of human to animal blood. He had mixed his previous nourishment with the current one to create an extremely potent formula that he would distribute very soon.

Quickly he whipped up an amber liquid nourishment for the queen, the king and their un-mated sons. He mentally sent them off to the servants quarters with a note to a particular servant who would make the delivery at the correct time.

He was happy to know that he and Cilla would be together when they would soon venture out to each territory and supply the citizens of Vrozia with the true nutrition they so desperately needed.

-

Cilla sat on top of her bed and watched the other girls eat at the large table in their suite. The queen had given her a folded piece of paper sealed with a stamped wax mark, to read to the girls and she was curious to read it herself. She had been told not to read it until the other girls were busy eating.

"How did she know I wouldn't be eating?" Cilla whispered to herself as she stared at the sealed paper.

"While you guys enjoy your meal, the queen asked me to read this note from her," Cilla said as she broke the red waxed seal and opened the paper. She put it on her bed and pressed it hard to make it lay flat.

"What's it say Cilla?" Nikkita asked, turning around in her chair to look at her. Cilla saw her drink some orange juice and her own stomach clenched up in pain. Immediately Sias was in her mind taking the pain away and she smiled as the pain vanished.

"Thank you Sias!"

"Cilla? Read it!" Jana urged her and so she did.

"Dear Chosen Ladies,

I am aware that you have not liked the colors chosen for you. We have given you new colors and hope that you are happy with the changes.

The Queen"

"Then it has all your names and your old and new colors," Cilla read the words out loud before she looked around the room.

"I don't see any color changes, my bed is still light green," Jana called out from her spot at the table. "Let me read the color changes," Cilla looked at the paper again.

"Serosa, whom we did not meet, was matched with Prince Ash. After the hunting experience, I saw what will happen to each of you when you and your prince choose one another. You'll both be bathed in this amazing golden light before you're sent together to a special chamber deep in the castle. Serosa's color is gold. Amaya, you were dark green but now you are sky blue. Do you approve of this change?" Cilla looked up and waited for Amaya to respond.

"Oh yes, sky blue is much prettier than dark green for me!" She clapped happily to herself and her dress became sky blue too. Everyone looked towards their beds and saw Amaya's bed change color.

"Well, this is interesting," Marta announced before she scooped up a bite of her food. Cilla cringed again and prayed her body wouldn't seize up again as it did before with that bone chilling pain! Then she remembered Sias and relaxed.

"Ezgi, you were lavender but now you are aquamarine. Do you approve of this change?" Cilla questioned her and waited for a reply. "That is my favorite color!" Ezgi cried out and all her things changed to a pretty aquamarine color. Cilla read the rest of the changes and she was thankful that everyone was content with their new colors for she had no idea what would happen if someone has refused the queens changes.

"Cilla!" Jana spoke loudly as she pointed at her friend. Cilla looked down to see all her things turn black.

"Oh my," Cilla said, taking in the darkest of colors.

"Tell us what is happening to you Cilla! It makes me feel bad to not have you eat with us," Nikkita spoke softly and encouragingly.

"Cilla, all your stuff turning black makes me think of death and it's spooky! You're my bestie. I must admit I was angry yesterday when I saw you sitting out on the hunting activity," Tonya revealed her feelings and Cilla knew Tonya wasn't alone in feeling that way.

"I don't blame any of you for how you feel."

She stared at her friend she'd known all her life for a moment, studying her facial expression. "Do you all remember the Other who brought you from your world to this one?" Cilla inquired and was shocked at the replies she got.

"Oh, it was so scary! Those glowing red eyes!" Ermai cried out before taking her linen napkin and wiping her tears away.

"I remember because I thought it was going to kill me," Marta said as she thought about her encounter with the Other and Cilla felt her anger rise as Marta shivered in her chair.

"He is not an 'it' ladies! His name is Ostramethusias and he is the last of the original Others that built this world," Cilla said proudly before quickly continuing.

"Remember how my eye color has changed? Well, it's because his eye color changed. I am his mate, and that is why I can't eat what you do and why I can't participate in most of the activities too. Now that there is a female for each prince, I have no idea where my place will be. I would stay with Ostramethusias, but he does so much for everyone, including all of you, that he's just too busy to follow around!" Cilla leaned back against her pillow and wondered if she liked black sheets.

"You can't see a spider on black sheets." Cilla thought to herself glumly. "Maybe they don't have spiders but they do have micro mites!"

Silverware clattered on pretty plates as the girls showed how shocked they were at her words.

"Seriously?" Jana asked and Cilla nodded her head, distracted by the thought of spiders and micro mites.

"So each of us will be matched with a prince and you are matched with this servant?" Ochiyo looked at Cilla as if she was now worth less than what she was a few minutes ago.

"Sias is not a servant!" Cilla burst out as she jumped up and stomped her way over to the table. She glared at the girl before she hit the table hard with her closed fist. She felt a bit better when everyone jumped in their seats.

"Do not judge that which you know nothing about! He is mine! Sias!" Cilla called out and three seconds later, he appeared at her side holding a blue glass full of Cilla's nutrition drink.

The girls screamed at his sudden appearance, but Cilla waved them off.

"Forget about their ignorance, they're sheep," Cilla spoke in anger but when she looked at Sias's face, her whole body relaxed and her anger drained out of her as quickly as it had come. He bowed in front of the girls before excusing both himself and Cilla. Wrapping her up in his arms, they left the suite, poofing away.

"They called you a servant!" Cilla fumed to Sias as she paced around his library. He shadowed her steps as he tried to get her to drink the nourishment he had made for her.

"I know that I am different than they are, and our fates are different as well. But you are not less than those spoiled princes! You're a man who is strong and brilliant!"

She turned and found Sias standing right behind her holding the glass. A look of pure patience covered his beautiful features.

"I'm sorry, I know you're always busy."

Cilla took the glass from him and drained it without even thinking about it. Sias took the empty glass from her hand and looked at it. Then he looked at her and saw with delight, the tiny changes occurring within her as well as on the outside.

"The thinking of the females is not important firefly. Come, I wish to show you something. What you've come to glean about this world is false. True life here in my world is not like what the royal family claims it to be outside these castle walls. The royal family has always been a marker, something to place in charge while the Others slowly disappeared. They weren't supposed to disappear. They were to rule this land. We waited for our mates until just I remained. It was hard to see my brothers and friends disappear. They all slowly faded away as they gave up. When I was the only one left, I chose these two as Vrozia's king and queen. What they do not understand is, now that I have found you, my mate, this world is changing. It is turning into the way it was always meant to be. As the creators meant for this world to be."

Sias held his now empty hand out and Cilla took it, grateful for his touch that magically eased the tension from her body.

"I'd go anywhere with you."

He held her firmly against his body and they disappeared.

12 Shapeshifters

"You need never to doubt my actions or mistrust my thoughts. You are not to ever feel in danger at any time, with or without me."

Ostramethusias savored the feel of her body close to his before continuing.

"Now be aware that we are standing in the very heart of where the outerborders live. This is their sacred territory and only I can enter without this place becoming a bloodbath. The outerborders have been 'categorized' as being the most fierce and dangerous of all Vrozia's citizens. My Cilla, do not worry about them as they will not touch you nor will they touch me, unless we request it. Because this world is changing and so are you, your body is fast becoming like mine, we need to meet with each group of citizens to ensure their heath and welfare is good. I come monthly and it is a tradition that I have followed since I came into being."

Sias searched her face for any fear but found none.

"I'm proud of you!"

He smiled his happiness at her complete trust in him and she returned his smile, before he waved to the area around them.

Cilla held on to Sias's hand tightly as she looked at the trees that grew tall overhead. She sensed movement all around her and when she glanced to her left, she saw the opening of many dark caves.

The area was bigger than what she had seen of the Dymare Forest! If this was the scariest place to be in Vrozia, as the queen has said, why does it not feel so? Cilla wondered to herself as she looked at the beauty surrounding them.

"You do not understand yet but once our bodies adjust to these changes, we will be so different from what we were. But have no fear my dear firefly."

Sias grinned at her and led her closer to where she thought she had heard movement, closer to those big open caves filled with darkness.

"Lysimachus!" Sias called out in a deeper voice then Cilla was used to hearing. She looked at him and was surprised to see his long silver hair was now streaked with black. She shook her own head so that her long hair flowed into view and her shock doubled. Her normally light blonde hair was streaked with silver and black. She briefly wondered what that would look like from one of her friends point of view but when she saw a large shape moving towards them, her mouth went dry just as Sias popped in to her head to calm her down.

"Do not show fear, as they can smell it, taste it, feel it. You have nothing to fear in this world."

Cilla forced her body to relax and drew upon Sias's strength as the large shape stopped about three feet away from them.

"Ostramethusias, time has passed," Lysimachus verbalized in its own way of speaking.

To Cilla's untrained ears, what she heard was more of a growl than words yet she did understand what it said.

"Yes it has most ruthless leader. We are entering a new time with many natural events to come," Sias smiled showing his elongated teeth and Cilla's eyes widened at the sight. She put all her energy into keeping her heart beat steady, not to scream and to keep holding Sias's hand.

"Lysimachus, meet my mate, Cilla," Sias told the big creature as he held Cilla's hand out towards the big male. The male's eyes glowed a dark green and suddenly Cilla could see what he truly looked like though she wasn't quite sure she had ever seen something like him before.

Lysimachus studied the hand of the Other's mate for a very long time. He stood and stared at her and she felt her heart in her throat. She watched, fascinated as he smelled the air and sensed the weight of judgment from those hidden in their caves around them. He also felt the air caress him from those who lived in the trees and were right now gently shaking them. He mentally went around to every sub-alpha until he had reached them all. Then without warning, he shifted his body until he became something else.

Cilla scrutinized him, trying to imagine all the animals and creatures that this one being represented, but she couldn't pinpoint every single one. She was impressed and realized she held no fear even though this being had razor sharp teeth, several rows of them in fact. He sat like a lion would sit or maybe a dragon and watched her with very intelligent eyes. Lysimachus lifted one massive, spotted paw with needle-pointed nails and whisked it over his own throat. A thin line of blood began to well up and Cilla's mouth went dry. She felt her own teeth lengthen and knew she had to keep eye contact with Lysimachus even though she badly wanted to look at Sias for affirmation about her teeth. Her nails grew outrageously sharp and she tried very hard not to puncture Sias's skin where he held her other hand.

When she smelled the chimera's blood, she lost control. Without consciously thinking, she found herself standing in front of the chimera watching it bleed, mesmerized by the rich red liquid. In the next second, she sank her teeth into its neck for a few seconds before rubbing her tongue over the bleeding slash. Cilla felt the skin mend as her tongue passed over it. As quickly as it had happened it was over and she was back to where she had been standing, only now she was no longer holding Sias's hand. Looking at the chimera, she saw that his eyes were closed. She knew instinctively that he was feeling no anger or fear. In fact, he looked euphoric, if such an expression could be discerned at a moment like this. Or in a creature such as this one. Cilla liked the word chimera, a word that had just come to her, for he really lived up to that word's description.

In a flash, Sias was standing over the chimera and she watched, equally horrified and fascinated to see him sink his sharp teeth into its neck for about the same amount of time that she had done. But Sias seemed to heal the broken skin with his mind. She stood as if her legs were made of wood with roots sinking deep into the earth. Her thoughts raced through the last few minutes, taking the moments apart, piecing them back together and processing everything. Cilla could feel other creatures gathering around the area where they were standing, watching them. She was surprised at first that she didn't feel any danger while being watched by so many eyes. But when she realized that she felt just as comfortable here in the middle of the outerborder's territory as she did in Sias's personal rooms, she knew the royal family was just an illusion of power. These feelings didn't jibe with the knowledge she had been fed by the queen that these 'feral' beings would tear her whole world apart and bathe in the blood of all. The queen had lied to her and who knew if anything she had ever said held a grain of truth.

Cilla looked back at Sias and Lysimachus and she stumbled back before righting herself. In front of her sat two identical creatures. When they both turned to stare at her, she stared right back at them. The only difference between them was that one had dark green eyes while the other had glowing purple eyes.

"My brain is processing. You must know that the queen speaks very rudely of you and even threatens other worlds with the use of your names as blood thirsty creatures. She is a terrible person," Cilla admitted out loud. For heavens sake, she had just drank its blood! But the blood had not made her ill like food always did since she arrived in this world. And the taste was unlike anything she'd ever had. Dare she think it was better than chocolate? She thought about Sias drinking the chimera's blood and then somehow transforming himself into a duplicate of the creature. If her body was changing so much that she grew fangs and now drinks blood from other living things, would that mean that she too could change her form?

A single thought overwhelmed her mind. This was a test! She didn't know who the test was for, but it was most assuredly a test. Closing her eyes, she looked inside herself for any changes just in case she was gaining some mystical, magical power. She was gobsmacked to find that there were massive changes within her and that she could see them, sense them even. There was something inside her that glowed brightly but she couldn't name its color. It felt new yet old at the same time. She didn't realize she had just used magic until her arms tingled. She thought again of the chimera's blood. She had grown fangs and then licked at the creature's blood. Did it repel her, she wondered. As she thought about it, she realized that it didn't repel her at all. In fact, she didn't feel the slightest bit sick like she got around food. But she knew she had not consumed this creature's blood for nutrition. It had been offered freely and as was the practice of introducing someone with the offering of their palm, so was the offering of one's throat. It would have been rude to ignore its offer, she realized. As her thoughts turned away from blood, she thought more of the magic sparkling within her body. Before she knew it, her distance from the ground shrank quickly. She moved her hand to rub her eyes only to find that her hand wasn't a hand at all. It was a paw!

Lysimachus chuffed and Sias did too. Cilla felt like they were laughing at her, but it couldn't take the shine off the fact that she had just transformed into a replica of the chimera albeit probably a bit smaller. Sias stood up and stalked his way to her, his lion's mane ruffling in the air created by those in the trees above them. When he stood before her, he rubbed his cheek against her head roughly and nearly knocked her over. As she wobbled in place she thought about all those eyes watching them, and found the strength to straighten up. Making a chuffing sound herself, she rubbed her cheek against Sias's lean neck as hard as possible and would have laughed had she been in human form. Instead, she settled to smile the cute little smile she was sure Sias had contorted his chimera form to create.

Creatures began to leave their trees and caves until they filled every available visible space. Cilla turned her head to look at them and marveled at the mix of animals she saw. She had never seen such amazing and beautiful creatures before, but she was jubilant to be amongst them. Cilla didn't know that in their form, they were telepathic until she felt a warm, comfortable feeling radiate from all of them towards her. They had approved of her thoughts and took them as a compliment!

She turned her head to look back at Sias, who spoke in her mind.

"You have been accepted. I knew you would, but you astonish me little firefly. When it is time, I will help you shift back to your two legs. It will be in just a few minutes as we need to give them their nourishment that I have created for them. And a special treat to follow, for all of us!"

She felt his withdrawal from her mind and turned her thoughts outward.

She looked again at Lysimachus, who was easily four times as big as the biggest creature sitting or standing around her. Closing her eyes, she smelled the air and could sense emotions through it. They came in colors and swirled in her mind. Sias came up to her and shifted back to his two-legged form and she felt his mental push in her mind. She allowed him full access to her body as he shifted her back to her two-legged form as well.

"That's pretty darn cool, and I'm not even going to ask how the clothes remain undamaged and in place!" Cilla giggled and then Sias put a humongous, heavily patterned bowl in her hands. As she held the heavy bowl, she studied the designs and wondered what it meant before she remembered the nourishment Sias had mentioned.

On instinct, she got down on her knees and placed the bowl against her thighs as she sat back on the heels of her feet. She kept her hands to the sides of the large bowl, cradling it with her arms and marveled at how smooth and slick it appeared inside. Her eyes widened as she watched the bowl begin to fill with a cream colored liquid that appeared out of nowhere. But she knew better. It was Sias who was manipulating the bowl and adding the liquid. She turned her head to see that he sat exactly as she did with a matching bowl right behind her. Fantastic beasts began to line up in front of her and she held the bowl steady while one by one, they came and drank their fill and not once, did her bowl run dry. Cilla was amazed at the assortment of creatures that lived here. And seeing them all, made it very clear to her why Lysimachus was the way he was. He was all of them and himself as well!

After everyone had received their nourishment, Sias poofed the bowls away and helped her stand up.

"As my mate, this is what we'll do each month. There may be a rare occurrence when they must come to us. Look within your mind, as I am sharing the structure of our residence."

Cilla's mouth opened, but she could find no words when she saw what he called their 'residence'! If she had thought that the castle was huge, their residence was gargantuan!

"I've put a seal on these thoughts within your mind so no one can take the information from you. It is something I've done to keep us safe."

Her mind was filled with so much information she couldn't decide what to say. So she didn't speak and instead, smiled.

Lysimachus shifted until he stood on two legs though his frame wasn't exactly how she and Sias appeared. As if reading her mind, he said, "I have spent too much time in my four-legged form to ever come back fully to this shape." Cilla felt his voice more and less of a growl then when he spoke in his four-legged form.

"Thank you for allowing me to serve you today," Cilla told him and spread her arms wide to include the whole area.

"You are lucky Ostramethusias, to have her as your mate," Lysimachus growled and Cilla blushed. Sias stood next to her and placed his left arm around her shoulders, pulling her body close to his.

"Thank you ferocious leader!" Sias smiled again showing his elongated and wickedly sharp teeth. She realized then that the terms he used for the big chimera were meant to be for fun. Males!

"We feel the changes and will always stand by you both," Lysimachus told them before retreating into the welcoming arms of the heavily wooded forest.

Sias turned Cilla towards him so that they faced one another. _"Let us give them a treat. I don't usually do this every month as it takes a great deal of energy. But together, we can do this,"_ Sias told her. Cilla tilted her head to the side and wondered what he had planned.

"The royals prefer eternal night for Vrozia but I do not. Help me bring the sun Cilla. I've visited so many worlds that I have found your sun to be a positive thing for growth and happiness here."

"Of course Sias!"

Cilla was excited to see the sun again!

" _Close your eyes and let me draw upon your energy,"_ Sias asked softly and she did. When he took some of her energy, she did not feel tired like she had expected to feel.

"To all the outerborders, we bring you a gift to last six hours! We hope you enjoy this special time! Let the sky fill with the light of the sun but shine only for the eyes of the outerborders! May it bring them health and happiness!" Sias spoke loudly before a burst of energy filled the sky above them and the area they were standing in was bathed with golden sunlight.

Cilla looked around to see the sunlight only reached the outerborders territory. She smiled when she heard the cacophony of sounds as all the magnificent creatures she had seen, came out to play in the sun. She promised herself that this would became a treasured memory she vowed to keep for the remainder of her life.

13 Royal Family Meeting

"My sons, please gather around and make yourselves comfortable. Your father and I would like to discuss a few things with you while we share our daily nutrition." The queen motioned towards the comfortable white sofa arranged in a semi circle in their meeting chamber.

"Mother, father, thank you for meeting with us. It is quite refreshing to share a meal together." Tomas smiled as he sat on the plush seat of the 'U' shaped sofa.

"I'm more curious about what you wish to discuss with us," Conner said, sitting at the end of the sofa closest to their father who sat in a chair facing them. The rest of his brothers found a place to sit just as their father began to speak.

"There is much to discuss my sons," the king said as his wife sat down in her chair next to his.

"I was wondering when this little talk would come about," Sam grumbled and was silent went Tomas elbowed him in his ribs.

"With the hunting activity over and one of your brothers matched with a chosen female, we thought we should discuss a few things before more of you are matched. Once you are taken by the very magic that lives in our world, to your mating chamber, you will be in there for as long as it takes to become fully mated with your female. During this time, you will be transforming your female into your mate. She will lose her humanity and become exactly like all of us. As you know, we have fangs for many reasons. We don't eat the food of mortals but a blend of herbs, human blood from our centers and animal blood from our farms. Ostramethusias has always been in control of creating our sustenance and only he knows the recipes that work for our bodies."

"Mother, sorry to interrupt but what do you mean when you refer to Ostramethusias as a 'he'?" Stephen asked from his spot on the sofa.

"Arrand, please enter," the king said, and the door to their meeting chamber opened and a servant stood holding a heavy tray filled with full glasses of amber liquid.

"Please excuse me, but I have brought you your evening sustenance." Arrand said softly, keeping her eyes on the beautifully patterned blue rug.

"Arrand, please distribute the sustenance, leave your tray on the table, and you may take your leave," the queen advised.

Arrand began to move around the room, offering the tray of drinks first to the king and queen and then to the assembled princes. Once everyone had their drinks, she curtsied to the room in general, placed her circular tray on the small table and fled out the door, being careful to close it quietly behind her.

"Cheers to each of you as we continue our game and each of you find your mates!" The king lifted his glass towards his sons before bringing the glass to his lips.

"Cheers!" The princes said together as they too began to drink their sustenance.

The queen drank hers very quickly before placing it on the tray sitting on the small table between her and her sons.

"Before you ask any more questions, I want to share some new information with you. Ostramethusias has found his mate. It is the blonde girl, Cilla, from Earth. Though I chose her for one of you, we are very lucky to have found his one and only mate! Even now they are both changing. That is why Cilla participated in some activities and why she didn't participate in the hunting game. We cannot use her blood. It is changing and is no longer fully mortal. At the hunting game, did any of you notice that she sat to my left? On a special chair built by the Others that once populated our world? And Ostramethusias joined her on that bench of sorts. It had strange markings carved by the Others."

"I've talked with Cilla a few times through the device while she was in her single room behind the golden key. She seemed very pleasant but I sensed more to her. A restlessness I have not found in the rest of the chosen females." Gairvan stared at his mother as he thought of her words.

"When they mate, they will bring their magical offspring into our world. Imagine, females with magic of their own to share with their mates!"

"You're very excited over this mother," Sam hunched his shoulders forward, deep in thought.

"I've been training as a scout for years now. Most of us have. Will be still need to scout out other worlds if Ostramethusias and his mate bear females for us? What do we train for?" Gairvan looked between his parents for an answer.

"Your training will not be wasted! We will be changing with him and his mate and we will need human blood to mix with the animal blood our farms provide. As long as he provides future mates for your future brothers, we won't need to ask other worlds for females. But we will need to hunt in other worlds for the blood we need."

"I am in favor of such hunting," Ryker sat back with his fingers laced together behind his head.

"I knew you would not disappoint me," the queen smiled.

"I don't think it is fair to give us ordinary females when soon there will be magical ones!" Lurian complained.

"I didn't think of that," Tomas said softly.

"Maybe we can work on a deal with Ostramethusias to provide you and your mates with a touch of magic. He must be overflowing with magic now that he is changing!" Calder frowned at his hands. "I mean, it doesn't seem fair to be stuck with ordinary females, yet I have grown quite fond of a certain one."

"As have I brother, as have I," Ryker admitted.

"You two aren't alone in your feelings," Tomas told them.

"How interesting! I am glad you are one step closer to claiming your mate! This makes me very happy!

"Mother, what is the next step in your game?" Sam ran his hands through his thick hair, wondering what his mother had up her sleeve.

"A light, mixing activity. Harmless to all."

"Rarely is there an event or activity that is harmless, if planned by you mother."

"Lurian! You are not to speak to your mother in such a fashion. Apologize at once!" his father scolded him.

"I am sorry for my words mother," Lurian said grudgingly.

"Apology accepted my son. You will enjoy yourselves. Then we will have a fun time in our maze. I have made my best attempts at creating fun things for you to do as you claim your mates. Now, I wanted to discuss something else with you. After you and your mate are fully bonded, the magic of this world will remove you from your mating chamber which of course has no windows or doors. You will be moved to a floor of your own, just like your matched brothers. The whole West Wing is open to you. You will have daily duties just as your matched brothers. Most of you will learn to hunt mortals for blood while your mates will work in our centers."

"But you will want to settle in to your new quarters once the magic has released you. We have plenty of mated females currently working in the centers while your brothers train to hunt in other worlds." the king stood up, prompting his sons to do the same.

"You are excused. We will see you soon for your next activity," he said as he turned away from his sons and helped his wife out of her chair.

"See you soon my sons, I love you!" their mother said as their father led her out of the room.

14 Parasitic Limbs

"Now, while the royal family is holding their little meeting, we shall visit the middleborders."

"How do you know they are having a meeting?"

"I was asked to create their nourishment drinks by the queen for their meeting otherwise, I wouldn't care too much about their personal comings and goings right now."

"Sias, is the nourishment we just served to the outerborders, the same as the one you gave me?"

"No firefly, I have many formulas because different bodies need different nourishment. Your nourishment needs will soon be met much easier when we fully evolve into that which we are becoming. It will occur after we complete our mating."

Sias blushed and Cilla found it endearing and special because she just knew he was a virgin too.

Looking closer, she realized he was no longer so deathly pale as he once was as his skin had taken on a more pink hue like her own. But when she looked at her arm she realized that her skin had become paler. She drew his arm towards hers to compare them and was amazed to see that they were the same pale pink.

"Interesting," she whispered, "We are becoming like twins!" Cilla grinned.

"Our changes will continue for a few more days. I once was just a shell of a being and now I am whole, thanks to you firefly."

"Sias, the royal family has no idea of the magnitude that is your magic, do they? I'd think they would see us as a threat and try to eliminate both of us."

"Do not worry my dearest Cilla, we are not in danger. I have not shown them any increase in my power then what I normally demonstrate and they couldn't harm us even if they tried. It is too late for that now."

Sias pressed his palms to her cheeks gently before placing the softest of kisses upon her lips.

"Our teeth and nails Sias? I drank his blood, but I did not become sick, rather I felt stronger."

Cilla looked down at the ground as she thought again about drinking actual blood.

"Do not look down my dearest heart. Look into my eyes and see I speak the truth. It is natural for us to feed in such a way when it is freely offered. Our feeding did not weaken him and it would have been taken very badly if we had refused his offer. The nourishment we are giving contains a great amount of blood both human and animal. It is time to go," he whispered against her lips. She closed her eyes to savor the feeling of his body so close to hers. His body heat calmed and steadied her. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't surprised to see that they had left the outerborder territory and were now somewhere new.

"This is different," Cilla commented as she looked around her.

"It looks like a place someone would board their horses but the smell tells me otherwise. It does look deserted though."

"You are partially correct. The middleborders are in charge of the animals that live here and these animals are bred solely for their blood. Thus, this is called the blood farms. The animals here are raised to a certain age and then their blood is drained to be used in the nourishment I create. I assure you that never does an animal feel pain or experience terror."

Sias motioned towards the high black metal fence with sharp tips.

"These fences completely encase these farms. As you can see, they go on for miles and miles. The royal family thought that if they kept the middleborders within this fenced area that they would never mix with any outerborders but of course they are wrong, and in fact, know it too. But the royals like to play their games and pamper themselves too much to actually find out how the middleborders are truly living. And the queen is heavy handed at punishments which I assure you, we will be making some very good changes immediately."

Sias led her to a large metal door and waved his hand making the door open.

"Let me introduce you to our lovely middleborder citizens."

Sias smiled as he took her hand and walked with her through the door. Once on the inside he sealed the door shut behind them by waving his hand again.

"Cantaber!" Sias called out. Cilla looked at the strange long, rectangular structures within her line of sight. It didn't truly look like any farm she'd ever known, but this wasn't her home world. She knew they had horses but was curious to see what other types of animals were bred here for their blood.

A man came out of one of two matching triangular buildings to her right. Looking at him, Cilla thought he looked normal except for the way he walked until he got closer. When he stopped and stood in front of them, Cilla counted four legs and three arms.

"Ostramethusias!" The man's voice was very high, almost painfully high to Cilla's ears.

"Cantaber, my visit today is to bring you nourishment but first, please meet my mate, Cilla," Sias held her hand out towards the four-legged man who stared at her hand. Cilla felt a moment of déjà vu as she watched him study her hand very seriously.

"Her blood smells different," he said before stretching himself up and forward, extending his body to what seemed to Cilla, a very uncomfortable length. And certainly not something a human could do! He bent his head and licked her palm, leaving a slightly pink mark. She thought it had felt like very rough sandpaper, and the feeling wasn't pleasant.

"I see, she is like you. She is welcome here," Cantaber bowed to them awkwardly before walking down a path she hadn't noticed before. It was made from light red bricks and it formed a 'T', with them, starting their walk at the bottom of the 'T'.

As they walked, they passed the long buildings that all looked the same to Cilla until she noticed that there was a different symbol next to the door of each building. And she thought that the doors were not the average door size as it looked like they were made for elephants to walk through. Cilla turned to Sias, but he just shook his head while placing his left hand against her lower back, encouraging her to keep walking. When they reached the end where different types of buildings filled up the top of the 'T', Cantaber turned to look at them.

He whistled and along the top of the 'T', doors opened, showing people standing in their doorways. But there was no light behind them and under the night sky, she couldn't discern their true shapes.

"This is the center of our territory. All the buildings behind me are for the workers of these farms. We are a family and have mixed with the outerborders now and then as love finds its way into different hearts. There are one hundred and fifty adults living here, working these farms for the royal family. We are a clan, a group unto ourselves with our own rules. We sense change in the air, Ostramethusias. Would it be that your mate here has triggered these changes we see in you?" Cantaber asked, curiosity clinging to his words.

Cilla had to give him bonus points for bravery.

"Yes my friend, there are changes in the air! As I have always done, today I have brought you nourishment. I know the queen handed out some in that 'special ceremony' of hers not too long ago, but I also know that it wasn't enough for all your people. My regular monthly visits will not cease. My mate and I will always return to keep you well," Sias pointed to Cilla before turning back to the four-legged man.

"We are called the middleborders and we are given land of our own and shelter here in exchange for our work. Ostramethusias always provides us with more than enough nourishment. We are very thankful for his visits though I do believe this is the first time he has used the front door." Cilla noticed that his teeth were brown, but not decaying, just their natural color. Cilla bent down until she was on her knees and sat back on her heels like she had with the outerborders. She looked up at Sias, who smiled down at her before bringing back the beautiful bowl from nowhere and placing it in her waiting hands.

"Please come to us so that we may ensure your health is well and provide each and every one of you with the nourishment you not only need but greatly deserve," Sias called out.

For a few minutes, no one moved, but then Cilla saw the farmers leave their homes and come towards her. Her stomach clenched when she saw that they didn't exactly walk, more like dragged themselves closer. Each movement looked painful and when she became aware of their pain, she noticed all of them had extra limbs that she just knew deep down inside, weren't supposed to be there.

"Please come and drink," Cilla spoke softly and encouragingly towards the farmers now lining up in front of her. As before, her bowl filled up and never ran empty. But this time after each farmer drank what they needed, they would then go to Sias standing to her right.

She watched as his magic flowed through each of them, tweaking a heart that beat too fast or clearing out bugs that had nested in a farmer's ear. They had many physical deformities and their medical issues greatly concerned her. She was proud to see Sias heal everyone that allowed him to address their medical issues. They bowed to him before returning to their homes. She wondered how to help them rid themselves of their painful abnormalities.

"Cantaber, please come to me," Sias called and Cantaber did, slowly. "You have problems with these two extra legs, will you please allow me today to help you?" Sias questioned the head farmer. Cilla suddenly felt the pain Cantaber was suffering very clearly and it took her breath away. She questioned his stubbornness until she heard him speak.

"They will come back," he whispered.

But Sias shook his head. "No, they will not. Please allow me to heal you as you have not allowed me to do since forever!" Sias sighed his frustration before looking at Cilla.

"He is very cantankerous. But the royal family, when unhappy with the amount of blood produced here, have punished him and his clan by adding extra limbs to their bodies. Parasitic limbs that serve no function other than to increase the difficulties they already face in their daily lives. It is cruel and I always offer to remove them when I come each month. But Cantaber never listens."

Sias looked intensely at Cantaber until the farmer looked back at him. "Please understand that this time is different. When we leave today, I will place a protective seal around each member of your clan. First, it will remove that which they do not wish to have attached to them. And second, it will not allow any other being, royal or not, to make any changes to your bodies including death. Yes, changes are coming and I know you alone remember the Others that existed in our world so long ago," Sias brought his hands up and waited for Cantaber to make up his mind. "Remember what I once appeared like with my red eyes and pale skin and compare it to what you see today," Sias encouraged the man to use his eyes and find the logic in his reasoning.

"It is terrifying when the royal family comes and punishes us for something we have no control over. We do the best we can, but they won't allow us to live in any other style than what the animals we care for live in. No clean spaces or even true homes. It cripples us even further. They want us to live in the same environment as the animals here because they feel we are no better. They tell us we are not people but animals, but they are wrong. These extra limbs protruding from our bodies serve no purpose save humiliation and pain. They have no function!"

Cantaber was very upset and Cilla could understand why. Her hatred for the queen was growing stronger with each beat of her heart. She stood up and placed the empty bowl on the brick path and watched as Sias poofed it away.

She glanced toward Sias and saw him still arguing with Cantaber. He was trying his best to get Cantaber to allow him to relieve him of his pain. She knew this was his fight and she thought she had a good idea what she might do to help. Cilla began walking down the path away from the arguing pair until she got to the first house in the long line of houses. She knocked on the broken door that seemed to be made of mismatched branches. When it opened, she asked if she could enter. The female moved to the side and let her come in before attempting to shut the door.

"You must have incredible vision to see in this dark environment," she said. "My name is Cilla, what is yours?"

"Agorix," the female replied as she lit a single stump of a candle. It was enough light to see a large open, filthy room.

"The royal family makes you live this way?" Cilla looked at Agorix and noticed the tears that shimmered in her eyes. Agorix approached her until there was less than an inch between them. She looked at Cilla's hand and then back at her face. Cilla held her hand out, palm up and Agorix licked her palm just like Cantaber had. Cilla understood immediately that they found their trust in this action, their method of judgment.

"The royal family believes we have mixed too much with the outerborders and will not allow us to live as we should! We do not ask for gold furniture, but we do ask for basic things like a bed, more candles, a bathroom and a building that is clean. A place we can make a home, not just survive within."

"Think in your mind what you see in your heart as your home," Cilla whispered as she looked inside herself again and found what she was looking for.

"Why," Agorix asked, clearly perplexed by her statement.

"I need to see what you want your home to be, not what you have been made to live in."

Cilla looked into Agorix's amber eyes and just like her instincts were screaming at her, she could see inside the female's mind.

"How pretty!" Cilla exclaimed and Agorix smiled shyly.

"Could you please extinguish your candle, I am new to Ostramethusias's magic but I can feel within myself that I can do this," Cilla said as she closed her eyes. She thought of what she had seen inside of Agorix's mind and pulled on that sparkling magic inside her.

Then she shaped the magic in her mind and threw it out around her. Without opening her eyes, she knew she had been successful. She felt her body changing even more to be like Sias and wondered at how much more was to come.

"Thank you, dearest mate of Ostramethusias!" Agorix cried, fresh tears falling down her weathered face as she lit her candle before roaming through the newly partitioned house. Cilla smiled when she saw her lighting all the big fat candles she had placed throughout the new environment.

"My bathroom! Oh, you magic Other!" Agorix did a little jiggle movement and Cilla hoped it was her form of a happy dance.

"Do not be afraid of her, she will not harm you, show yourselves! She fed us, she has given us a true home and Ostramethusias is her mate. He is right now removing your pa pa's extra limbs. And soon your pa pa will be pain-free! In a few minutes, all those extra limbs of our clan members will disappear too. Just think how much happier our people will be when they're not in pain! Ostramethusias has promised to protect us from any future attack or punishment from the royal family," Agorix made a series of high-pitched clicking sounds and ten children popped out of nowhere.

"My little ones. Canterber is my mate," she smiled proudly before whispering, "My bambins!"

"They are lovely Agorix, thank you for trusting me and sharing their existence with me. Do they need nourishment?" Cilla wondered as she looked at the cute little boys and girls.

"No, but thank you. I am still nursing them," Agorix looked at Cilla, who raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"It is our way, mate of Ostramethusias. Look my little bambins at your ma ma, see these extra limbs disappear! Nothing more to fear from your ma ma!" Agorix cried out happily as her extra three limbs shimmered before disappearing. Her children swarmed her and she held them close.

"Thank you for coming and saving our Ostramethusias. You and he will change our world. Thank you for our new home!"

"So the outerborders and middleborders can produce female children?"

"Yes but that royal family would never take one of ours as a mate."

Cilla bowed her head before meeting Agorix's eyes. "That is your gain to be sure! Those princes are spoiled and can be cruel. Can I please excuse myself so that I may visit the next home?" Cilla inquired and Agorix detached herself from her children before leading Cilla to her new solid wooden door.

"Blessings," Agorix called out to Cilla as she walked out of her house and down the path towards the next house in the long line of houses.

After Cilla had visited the last house of the clan members, she walked slowly towards where Sias stood. Her body ached and Cilla wondered if that was a normal feeling from using the sparkling magic she had come to know as her own from within herself. She could sense that Sias had just finished healing the adults and then she felt the energy drain from his body and knew that Sias had placed a protective shield around the whole community, including the hidden children. But as Cilla got closer to Sias she could see that he had exhausted himself too much!

She ran to him, throwing her arms out and clinging to his bigger form. When her skin touched his, she drew on her own energy and pushed it into his body. Sias's eyes brightened at once and his arms surrounded her.

Cilla closed her eyes and felt a profound peaceful feeling settle deep in her bones. She felt the displacement of air around them and knew he had moved them again.

Opening her eyes, she took in the details of the beautiful bedroom with smooth cream colored walls. There was a huge plush looking bed with four posts and a white lace canopy over it. The bedding was deep purple and had a strange pattern on it, something she hadn't seen before. Though the lace should seem feminine it didn't at all. Turning her head, she saw that Sias was watching her.

"We should rest Sias," Cilla told him as she took his hand and moved towards the bed. At first she had to tug him to move but finally he glided by her and pulled the bedding down. He changed their clothing to fresh clothes and Cilla laughed when she saw that he had dressed her in a knee length nightgown covered in purple panda bears. She saw he wore matching pants and giggled again before hopping up onto the bed and crawling over to the middle.

Sias hesitated a moment before she sighed and he moved his body onto the bed, placing the bedding up and over them. He pulled Cilla's body to curve against his and buried his face in her ever-changing hair. He held Cilla tight before allowing his body and mind to relax. He had never known the feel of a female's body like he had started to learn with Cilla. Just knowing Cilla was his, was enough for him. But he knew their fates were intertwined and sooner than both of them would like, their mating would come for them and there was not one thing he could do but accept their fate as it unveiled itself.

"Who created the feeding bowls Sias?"

"The Others who came before me."

"They are beautifully crafted and very special. Sias? Canterber's mate called me an Other."

Cilla tried not to move as she felt herself feel so comfortable and safe and let herself sink into the peacefulness only Sias brought her. "Your hair smells so good and your skin is silky soft," she murmured.

"You are becoming one."

"If I am becoming an Other, what are you becoming? Your skin is no longer pale white and your eyes are no longer red. You don't speak in rhymes or short sentences anymore and you are showing me more of your world and integrating me into it with those you feel are important. Of course, there are the fangs and sharp nails but, well, that's just life I guess."

"I am simply becoming what I was meant to be. You are becoming the same as what I am becoming."

"I used your magic today."

"I felt you but you misunderstand. You used your magic today and I am very proud of you."

"I saw something glittery inside of me and decided it was magic. When I used it, I was able to change their living spaces into real homes," Cilla whispered. The feeling of peace and how right it was to be in Sias's arms flowed through her making her feel sleepy.

"You did a fabulous job, firefly."

" _Do you truly sleep?"_ She looked up at his face.

"Yes and we will as soon as your mind clears," he laughed and she elbowed him in his ribs.

"Thank you for wanting me Sias."

"Thank you for finding your way to my world Cilla."

"I'm sleepy now. Will the queen be mad that I am not in my bed in that suite?"

"No, the females are all asleep and I've placed a shadow of you in your bed so all will believe that you are there when in truth, you are here."

"Okay, you're the boss. Sleepy," she murmured and soon her breathing evened out and he knew she slept.

He held her firmly against his body and thought about the different worlds he had visited throughout the so many long years gone by.

Having access to all these worlds for centuries has allowed him to bring different technologies to Vrozia. Although his chambers did link with the royal family's castle by sharing one wall, it wasn't part of their castle. What no one knew, but Sias and now Cilla, was that his chambers ran beyond the high stone walls and into the Dymare Forest that took up the whole area for miles around the castle in every direction.

Sias thought about his tunnels that led to every group of citizens along with the ones leading to all the portals too. Though he could move around with just his thoughts, the citizens, having no magic, must use the tunnels at extreme times like he had shared with Cilla earlier today.

Sias felt proud of his domain and even prouder to have kept it a secret from the nosy royal family, their servants and guards. The innerborders looked loyal to the royal family, but all the citizens respected Sias for who he is, an Other and one of them, never separating himself from those of their world like the royal family did. And he always kept them nourished while the royal family, using nourishment Sias created, would only hand out tiny amounts between months or even years. But Sias came to each group once a month and provided everyone with what they needed. He had earned their respect and was not feared just as he feared no one. Yet the royal family opted to work with fear to keep their citizens in line and the citizens of Vrozia valued choices and freedom greatly.

Sias thought about what Cilla might think of his main chambers where he used electricity, lasers, infrared scanners and all sorts of technologies. His residence that the royal family and their spies knew about was his room with his sofa connected to two smaller rooms with a large empty chamber in the middle.

Behind the empty chamber was the entrance to his real residence. Here he had everything anyone could ever want. His main residence which not a soul, save Cilla now knew of consisted of his library, main laboratory, various storerooms for nutrient ingredients and the big bedroom he shared with Cilla, which was specially crafted without windows. Hidden deeper inside the ground was his room of packed dirt which was a very sacred space. Then he had his fun rooms filled with various electronics, and his hobby rooms. He thought Cilla might enjoy the game room the most because it had a lot of things from her world. A pool table, swimming pool, and a Foosball table he really enjoyed. He thought of himself as a sort of collector of fun things that should be a part of his world.

He had so much space, it was easy to get confused in his twisting tunnels. To be sure Cilla was always safe, he had sent the blueprints to Cilla earlier so that her mind could absorb all the details and ensure that she ever got lost.

Looking at the sleeping angel in his arms, he gently ran his fingers through her hair, changing it back to its normal light blonde shade. He wasn't going to give the royal family any cause to think different about him or Cilla yet. She was so special and he had waited too long for her to appear. Now that she was here, he was never going to let go. The changes in his own magic was astounding and it made him stronger each day that passed. Sias pressed one hand to the back of Cilla's head and sent himself inside her body. Looking at her growing magic was like looking through a kaleidoscope, it was beautiful and enchanting, making him feel very proud of her as she was unlocking her gifts without any help.

He thought about the innerborders and wondered how best to introduce Cilla to them. Maybe bringing the chosen out to the innerborders village to see the crafts they created would be a good idea. Sias let his mind wander as he held his firefly in the strength of his arms before allowing sleep to claim him.

15 Ostramethusias and the Magic Book

"My dear husband, what do you think of Ostramethusias finding his mate? I am jubilant that he will start producing females!" Jacquelle spoke with her husband as she looked out beyond her window to the dark night. She ran her fingers over the cold stone of her tower room enjoying the feel of her castle beneath her touch.

"He is the last of the Others and has been for longer than any of us can remember. I've noticed a few changes with him since he claimed Cilla as his mate," Jodocus told his wife from his spot on her red velvet settee.

"Jodocus, he has to change as does Cilla for their mating to work! I want them to start producing females as soon as possible!"

"You worry too much my dear. I think Cilla's effect on the chosen females has been quite good. And she will be mating with Ostramethusias very soon. We can't control that part as you well know, it controls us. Their female children will come along, stop trying to push them."

"Shouldn't they look different?"

"I just told you that I noticed changes in him, Jacquelle. Really, are you paying attention to our conversation or are you dreaming of having more children?"

"Imagine a son of ours breeding with a female from Ostramethusias, the strongest Other to ever live? Our son would have the power we can only dream of!"

"Dear, you are the one always dreaming of more power. Just a bit ago when you distributed the nourishment to the borders, you were very unhappy with the middleborders. Why?" He was curious to find out her rationalization for what she had done during that visit.

"I saw that we were very low on stock animals. They weren't pushing the breeding of the guar. The guar that they had bred appeared too thin as well. The horses were okay, but the elephas recki were very low in numbers just like the guar. Besides the guar, those are the animals from Earth. The vorulo and the miunl looked fat and healthy, but they were the only ones. They thrive here and I wish that portal to the world we received them from was still open as they have best adapted to our world. Now the ones from the Unowe world, now there is where those so called farmers were not doing their work! I saw two animals that had terrible, but treatable problems, the bleks, and zijargs. All the animals I saw looked like they should be fed more often too. It angered me because if all the animals on those farms were their proper weight, we'd have more blood!"

The queen paced to try to burn her anger away. "That's why I added limbs to every single one of them. If they were going to be useless, I wanted them to feel it."

"Using spells from that old book of yours isn't wise my dear. We don't have natural magic like Ostramethusias. When you do things with your thoughts or spells from that book, you borrow magic from Ostramethusias. You are lucky that he gives you a little bit every month."

"Magic? I never thought the magic not belonging to us since we only have Ostramethusias and he was always more of an it. He just barely existed and we used him for all our errands. I never saw him as a person."

"My dear, he is a real person and if you remember anything at all about the Others, recall that they were meant to rule this land. Now, we have lost many sons to worlds we attempted to open portals and I would not like to lose any more," the sadness was clear in the king's voice.

"That would mean that Cilla will possess magic too!" Queen Jacquelle looked at her husband lounging on her settee, ignoring the sadness that emanated from him.

"Dear husband, our sons, once matched with females from Ostramethusias and Cilla will be strong in magic! I won't even need that old book anymore and we will always rule, have no fear. We are a strong family," Jacquelle walked over to her husband and sat down next to him. She ran her long nails over the dark red velvet, lost in thought.

"How about we practice making a new child right now? We need one to have available when Ostramethusias and Cilla create their females," she said slyly.

The king was never one to pass up a bounce in the sheets. His wife sunk down against the soft velvet while the king pushed her long skirts to the side.

"No time like the present my dear," he said before fulfilling her wish.

-

Cilla climbed up to the highest level she could reach by ladder and began to walk on the balcony built around the curved library walls. Sias didn't need the ladder as he could just poof himself here and there. But Cilla wasn't ready for that yet so she used the ladder, glad to have it. She ran her fingers lightly over the beautifully decorated spines.

"So pretty," she murmured. She spent hours going to each level that she was able to reach using the ladder. She returned to the floor and looked up at the attractively decorated library. She was about to leave and seek out Sias when something up high gave off a tiny shine which she caught out of the corner of her eye. Looking up, she determined it must be one of the levels she couldn't reach by using the ladder. She would have to poof herself to that level and she wasn't sure she could.

But as she stood there, she thought about what she had seen. There was no direct light in here so how did a book shine like it did? Biting her lip, she climbed up to the highest level the ladder would reach before she stood and stared at the spot where she wanted to stand and thought about moving herself from where she currently stood, to that one spot above her.

"This is crazy," she sighed. "I must try, but it's still crazy," she muttered as she closed her eyes. But fear raced through her body and her eyes snapped open. Pacing, she thought maybe she should ask Sias to get it for her or to move her up there. "But he is in his lab," she said to herself. She most certainly did not want to bother him.

She wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes again and pushed the fear away. She thought of the book she really wanted to check. She imagined herself moving up higher and higher until she stood on the balcony in front of the mysterious book. She vaguely felt the displacement of air that usually occurred with movement from one place to another.

When she dared to open her eyes, she found herself standing on the balcony she had wanted to reach! Petrified, she stood completely still as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Cilla checked her body to make sure that all her atoms were in the right spot. Then that wink of light filled her mind and she broke out of her stupor and walked slowly over to the twinkling book. She carefully slide it out from its spot between a dark red volume and a light blue book. Holding the book in her hands, she looked at the cover and nearly stopped breathing.

"The Guide For An Other's Mate," she read quietly to herself. "There's a guide?" Cilla's voice spiked high before Sias's voice filled her head making her dizzy again.

"I felt your fear, are you okay?"

Though he asked, she could not respond. And of course, being the overprotective male that he was, he appeared in the room to look for her. When he spotted her, his heart nearly stopped.

"How did you get up there Cilla?"

Instead of answering, she turned away from the rows of beautiful books and held up the book for him to see.

"The Guide For An Other's Mate?" Sias read the title out loud and shook his head.

"I've never seen that book before. Did it somehow catch your attention, and you decided to try to, using your word, poof your way up there? And you did? Cilla you terrify me," Sias said as he did his own poofing by bringing her down to the floor in front of him.

"Open your eyes firefly."

Sias whispered and searching her mind, he found the series of events that led to her moving herself up to that area so high that even he wasn't that comfortable standing up there himself.

"Hi."

He smiled and she gave him a smile though her lips trembled.

"How did it feel to move yourself up there like that?"

Sias looked closely at her and saw that she was holding the book tightly against her chest. Her fingers were shaking, and he knew her whole body was going into shock.

"Come Cilla," he said, gently encircling her with his arms. She lifted her face to look at him and he slowly closed the distance between them and captured her lips with his. The flash flood of excitement that coursed through Cilla's body stopped her trembling.

He moved them to his fun room and placed the book on a table close enough that she would feel that it was safe but far enough away so as not to get it wet. Taking her hand, he plunged them into the warm indoor pool dressed as they were, and she came up for air laughing.

"Sias? What an amazing thing to have! An indoor pool! Oh, your beautiful clothing is ruined!"

"Do not fear firefly! Clothing is easily dried with magic!"

Smiling, Cilla locked her jean covered legs around his waist, and her arms wound around his neck. She held on to his body with a strength she had never known before. He held her weightlessly in his arms, and vowed that he would make this world right again no matter what it took. They kissed again, hungry for one another in this new environment. Sias moved them to the side of the pool and pressed his muscled body against the softness of her own. And as he held Cilla clenched against himself, he felt the coming changes and challenges, and knew he and Cilla were ready to tackle them all.

16 Punishing the Queen

"Marta, are you awake?" Jana asked quietly for their suite was completely silent.

"Yes, I've been thinking about our last activity. Do you have a prince you favor Jana?" Marta inquired curiously.

"Not really. I haven't felt anything different from any of them. They're kind of generic," Jana admitted.

"Though Lurian did find me in that hunting activity. The thing is, I remember riding behind him on his horse. I just don't remember actually touching him," Jana got out of bed and pushed up her blonde curls with her hands before she moved to sit on the big window seat. Marta followed her, as she finished braiding her thick black hair.

"How do you feel about being taken from your world and brought here to be brides for these princes?" Marta asked Jana as they lounged together on the window seat.

Trisa yawned and stretched before getting out of her bed and joining them. "I would prefer to have stayed in my world and married for love," Trisa spoke softly, afraid the queen might be listening.

"I for one, am happy to be away from my home," Amaya spoke from her bed. She got up and joined the small, growing group. "My home world was horrible and filled with sick people. So many died each day. It's healthier here and much prettier," Amaya looked at Ochiyo who was walking towards the group slowly.

"But I know Ochiyo would have preferred to stay in her home world. She was about to be married to a man she loved, but she was taken two nights before her wedding," Amaya grimaced as she looked at Ochiyo. "Please do not be sad Ochiyo, this is our world now, you know we cannot return. We have to choose one of the princes."

Ochiyo looked at the girls with tears glimmering in her amber eyes. "Yes I know, but no one said I had to be happy about it," she sat down and pulled her legs to her chest and Amaya rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"I like Prince Joshua. I believe he was the prince I danced with and he did find me during the hunting activity," Ermai told the girls, her dark eyes glittering. "Does anyone else like Prince Joshua?" Her eyes were like polished black spinel and no one dared answer wrongly.

"No Ermai, I do not favor your Prince Joshua," Ezgi said from her bed.

"If I had a choice, I would go home. I don't want to be stuck in this world of night. No more warmth from the sun, no freedom to go wherever I want, no more cell phones and shopping at the mall," Tonya revealed as she approached the window seat. "Ezgi, would you stay here or go home if you had a choice?" Tonya asked as she watched Ezgi stand up and make her bed before making her way to the quickly expanding group by the window.

"I too have danced with a prince, um, Calder I think. He is a splendid dancer. I think I could find some happiness with him," Ezgi smiled shyly, tucking her short dark brown hair behind her ears.

"Well, I can't stand the prince I danced with! And I'm very glad I could not tell who he was from beneath my veil and under his mask. You guys must be paying more attention to them than I am. But the prince from the hunt was decent. Let me think, um, Ryker. Yes, I think the darker haired princes are cuter. But what do we really know what happens to us when we choose a prince, and he chooses us? We were told we'd change, but how? I don't want to change! I like how I am now. And I miss the sun too."

"Never thought I would too, but ladies, this eternal night just gets on my nerves. Being inside all the time gets on my nerves too but it's better to feel safe inside then to feel unsafe out there," Nikkita pointed past the girls to the barred window.

-

"I think I should return to the girls for awhile," Cilla told Sias as they dried off from their swim using soft, fluffy purple towels.

"I must read that book but it will have to wait. I want to check on my friends."

She hugged Sias and pressed her cheek to his chest. The steady thumping sound of his heart comforted her like no other sound had ever done.

"Yes firefly, go be with your friends, they will need your strength for today's activity. Go in your black nightgown."

Sias kissed her gently before letting her go, and used her word again, poofing her to her bed in the chosen suite.

With Cilla gone, he felt a deep ache in his chest. Slapping his forehead, he went to his laboratory to work on the new nourishment formula he had been changing before he felt Cilla's need for him in the library.

-

Cilla sat up on her bed and looked around the room. She saw that the whole group of girls had gathered by the window so she moved slowly towards them, unsure of how they felt about her. Marta saw her first and between whispers, the whole lot of them looked at her. Cilla couldn't feel any anger from them, but she also didn't feel friendliness either.

"Hi, how are you all doing?" Cilla asked as she stood in front of their comfortable looking group.

"Hey Cilla, you are a deep sleeper, girl!" Nikkita smiled and Cilla felt a bit better as her bestie grinned at her.

"I know there's an activity today but I don't know what it is. Does anyone know yet?" Cilla inquired, but everyone shook their heads no.

"We thought you'd know seeing as how you are matched with that 'Other' guy," Ochiyo sneered at Cilla, and Cilla instantly felt the hostility coming from the small dark haired girl.

"Nope. No special treatment other than helping me eat," Cilla tried to sound perky.

"You didn't have to participate in the hunting activity," Jana reminded everyone but Cilla shook her head. "If I had, not all of you would have had a prince to go look for you. But I did watch it play out and it was rough just to sit there feeling stupid that I couldn't help my friends."

"Yeah, that would have sucked," Tonya stated before standing up. "Hey, food's here!" Tonya skipped past Cilla towards the overloaded table. The rest of the group followed her until Cilla was left standing by the empty window seat. Sitting down, she turned her attention towards the window and the night sky. No stars shined down at her, just the brightness from the twin moons.

"What a strange world," she said softly to herself as she leaned her head against the cold glass. She worked hard not to feel sick over the smell of the assorted breakfast the group was eating, and from the sounds they were making, they were most definitely enjoying it. She was happy to see that all eight girls were adjusting well to their new world.

"Hey Cilla, there's a place setting for you here. I hate to bother you, but there's some strange stuff too," Nikkita shouted from across the room. Cilla turned towards them, curiosity powering her legs to walk closer to the table. She blocked the aromas from the plentiful food as they assaulted her senses.

Cilla walked to the only chair not being used and pulled it out before sitting down between Nikkita and Jana.

"Looks like an envelope and two glasses of something. They are both marked with your name, and they say specifically, not to be consumed by anyone other than Cilla," Jana pointed at the labels while Cilla picked up the envelope.

"It bears the same wax seal like the one that was on the letter from the queen. Only this one is super thick," she said quietly, staring at the ugly mark.

"Here, use my knife," Nikkita said as she handed Cilla her butter knife, handle first. Cilla looked up and whispered, "thank you," before she carefully took the knife from her friend.

She used it to break the seal before turning back to Nikkita. "I can't wash it," she felt bad but Nikkita didn't look too worried.

"It's just wax Cilla, hand the knife back, there you go," Nikkita took her knife back and placed it near her full plate of food. Cilla's eyes moved away from the sight of the food and focused on the open envelope. Pulling the single sheet of paper out, she unfolded it and then pressed it down against the top of the table to get it to lay flat.

"Jeez, is she going to use me as her personal communications liaison or letter bearer forever?" Cilla furrowed her nose as she read the long letter to herself.

"Come on Cilla, read it out loud!" Marta demanded and Cilla looked up sharply, and Marta shrunk back in her chair, "What does it say," she asked quietly.

Cilla turned her eyes back to the letter, and then closed her eyes to focus. Opening them, she looked around the table making sure she had everyone's full attention.

"Maybe you should finish eating, yes, eat first, letter second," Cilla groaned before pushing the letter under her left thigh. She picked up the two marked glasses and studied them. She really wanted to go to the king and queen, and smack them for their stupid, senseless activities. What she did do though, was lift the seal off the glasses, and smell them. She could sense no smell only that they weren't nourishment drinks.

"The queen sent this for me, not Ostramethusias," she mumbled as she looked at the two glasses. Using her mind, she called for Sias. She smiled when he came at once and not just mentally but physically, right to their table!

When the girls screamed again, she jumped to her feet and looked at them, "You have got to stop shrieking like little children, and act like ladies!" Cilla's irritation disappeared when she looked into Sias's eyes. She broke eye contact to pick up the thick paper off her chair before returning her attention to Sias.

"The queen sent these for me to drink," she explained to Sias, who picked up one glass and then the other. With a loud snap, they disappeared, and Cilla was greatly concerned because Sias looked furious and she had never seen him look this angry before.

"Sias?" Cilla whispered as she examined her clothing. How did he change her clothes in less than a second? Shrugging her shoulders, she was glad to be fully dressed and not in her night wear. She jammed the letter into the back pocket of her black jeans before she approached Sias slowly.

"Ostramethusias?"

Cilla looked around their shared bedroom he had poofed them to and continued to try to close the distance between them, but he kept backing away before turning his intense, glowing purple eyes on her.

"Tell me you did not drink either of these please!"

He closed the distance between them and held her firmly by her upper arms.

"No, no Ostramethusias, I didn't drink anything! I never drink or eat anything unless you give it to me! I felt it strange that the queen would send me something to drink. But two glasses looked even more wrong. She also sent me a letter to read to the girls, like she's using me as her personal secretary. But I don't want to read it until everyone is done eating as it's about today's activity."

Cilla waited as Ostramethusias let her arms go before she took the letter out of her back pocket, and gave it to him.

He brought them back to the suite where the girls still sat at their dining table.

Cilla noticed that the room had become quiet as everyone watched her and Sias. No noises of eating, utensils or drinking. Cilla looked at all of the girls, and for a second everything stood still before Marta elbowed Jana, who elbowed Trisa. They started eating, but the room was still quiet.

"Ladies, if you would excuse us for a few minutes, I will most assuredly bring Cilla, and the letter back to you by the time you are all done eating. I would not remove Cilla from your group unless it was of the most importance," Ostramethusias apologized and gave a half bow to the girls before taking Cilla's hand and vanishing.

"Again! He made them disappear again!" Tonya cried out before covering her mouth. "Never mind. Let's eat so we can be sure to have the energy for whatever activity is coming our way," she said before drinking her orange juice.

Ostramethusias knew exactly where to find the king and queen. They were seated in their royal chairs overlooking the Great Hall. Preparations for the upcoming activity had just finished, but Ostramethusias could not concentrate on that at this moment. He continued to hold Cilla's hand as he pulled her behind him. He strode straight up to the top stair to stand in front of the pair of royals he had chosen long ago.

Ostramethusias threw the two empty glasses on the queen's lap before exploding.

"Explain yourself at once!" Ostramethusias spoke softly yet his voice sounded menacing and managed to echo in the large room. Cilla cowered behind his strong body as she peeked under his arm to see the queen.

The queen, for her part, tried to look sheepish but once she found it impossible, she tried a different method to communicate.

"Ostramethusias, how nice it is that you have sought us out! I was beginning to feel like you had abandoned your responsibilities," the queen said regally as she raised her chin in the air.

The king looked between them and then he looked at what Ostramethusias had thrown on to his wife's lap. Two empty glasses labeled with Cilla's name. He shook his head and sighed, choosing for this argument to stay out of it.

"Am I to believe, Queen Jacquelle and King Jodocus, that you think of me as one of your servants?" Ostramethusias said with anger laced through every single word that came out of his mouth. Cilla felt it vibrate through his body and she shrunk further back down behind him. Closing her eyes, she retreated into her mind as she tried to absorb some of Sias's anger with the intention of sending positive energy back. She was startled when she found that he wanted to be angry.

"Ostramethusias! Whatever would make you believe such a thing!" Queen Jacquelle appeared outraged at the very thought, though her words before sounded like she did think of him as a servant. Cilla remembered the queen using her to deliver news to the girls, and she felt like a servant. Which reminded her of the middleborders and the queen's cruelty.

"Madam, you forget yourself! " Ostramethusias growled at the queen and when her crystal blue eyes widened, he knew his anger was setting in. He pulled Cilla out from behind him and close to his body.

"Cilla is not to be used as your servant!" He exclaimed as he threw the queen's letter at her.

"No one provides Cilla anything to eat or drink but myself, is that clear Jacquelle? Remember that I put you and your king on this throne and I can just as easily remove you both and place you with the outerborders!"

At his words, the king surged to his feet as his face turned nearly purple. "Ostramethusias! You cannot threaten my wife or myself with your nonsense! I am the King of Vrozia, and she is the Queen! You lie when you threaten us for you truly are powerless. You have evidently forgotten your place! You are a pale comparison to what our world once had with the Others. You are barely more than a lab rat and courier to go and fetch females for us!"

Cilla sucked in her breath and concentrated on cooling her own anger, fearful that she'd accidentally amp up Sias's over boiling anger. But Sias gave their now entwined hands a gentle squeeze that drained her anger completely away.

"How do you do that?" Shaking her head, Cilla looked at the standing king, and she raised her own chin.

Ostramethusias stood shoulder to shoulder with Cilla, and removed the spells he had put on their appearance. Immediately both the king and queen dropped to one knee and bent their heads.

"We are sorry, please forgive us," they said together, almost robotically, Cilla thought in astonishment. When the air over their heads shimmered red for a few seconds, and then disappeared, Cilla felt a flash of fear. Red is always a bad sign, while blue is good, a little voice in her head said.

Seconds passed to minutes, and then the king and queen spared a look at one another before standing up.

"I cannot give you my forgiveness. This one soul here means more to me than this whole castle full of your offspring! My mate cannot be harmed in any way, and I mean she literally cannot be injured. Do not attempt to give her potions from that incredibly simple-minded, and ludicrous spell book of yours Jacquelle. If you do so again, I will be forced to take actions you will not want to see come to pass right now. You are very lucky that those potions you sent for her to drink would have had no effect on her! What angers me most is that you took it upon yourself to try to alter reality, which you, having only my borrowed magic, should never attempt. I formally withdraw my energy that I have previously bestowed within you Jacquelle. From this moment forward, you as well as all of the royal family, may no longer draw upon my magic to use as your own. You are now without magic and shall stay so." Ostramethusias watched the queen's eyes harden as his declaration set in before he handed the queen a sharp object.

Cilla's eyes grew wide when she saw it was a short sword. When Sias moved her body to stand before his, she became frozen with fear.

" _Trust Sias,"_ she repeated over and over in her head.

"Attack Cilla, Jacquelle," Ostramethusias ordered and the queen could not battle the compulsion in his voice. To everyone's horror, save Ostramethusias, the queen walked down the steps towards Cilla until they stood face to face. Cilla could see the battle taking place inside the queen as it was written all over her pinched face. Cilla raised her eyes to the king, and saw his yearning to aid his wife, but he seemed unable to move. Cilla returned her eyes to the queen and looked at the short, well-honed sword. As the queen raised the sword, and aimed it at Cilla's heart, Cilla closed her eyes, accepting her fate. She trusted Sias. She felt the displacement of air when the sword slashed through the air in front of her and then..."

Cilla waited for the pain, but it never came. She looked at the sword in the queen's hand and it was pristine with no traces of blood.

"It's true," the queen whispered, and Cilla heard the fear in her voice though she didn't understand it. The sword vanished and Sias stood next to her.

"It is true," he confirmed as he watched warily as the queen stumbled back to her chair. The king slumped in his own chair without offering his wife aid to help her sit.

Cilla looked between all three of the Vrozians and took a few breaths to steady her heart.

"You are no longer just another female Cilla, you are now an Other. The sword passed right through you, showing that you are indeed immortal. I am sorry that I sent those two drinks at breakfast. They were potions from my book of spells. I was only trying to strengthen your fertility so that you will produce female babies quickly," the queen pouted but it cleared out all the questions that had been flowing through Cilla's mind.

"Babies?" Cilla felt he cheeks grow pink and she stared between the king and queen. Then her frantic eyes found Sias and she blushed red.

"I'm seventeen! I'm not ready for babies!" Cilla's voice came out high and shrill. The queen shrank back in her chair and Cilla was pleased to see the king give his wife a, 'I cannot believe you tried that!' or maybe a 'Oh no you didn't!' look.

Facing away from the king and queen, she intertwined her fingers with Sias and stepped into his embrace. She found that everything faded away when she was embraced by him. No matter where they were, she felt safe with him. Cilla could not imagine being forced to do anything she didn't want to do. A a loud buzzing sound filled her head and she whispered in his ear, "changes are coming," before she passed out. Sias quickly caught her up in his arms and glared once more at the royals.

"Let you be reminded that you have not earned our forgiveness," he warned them before they disappeared.

Sias gently placed Cilla on their bed before removing her shoes. He made sure to leave her real nourishment drink on the circular table by the bed. He left a short note telling her to drink it before awaiting his return. He then brought himself to the doors to the chosen ones suite.
17 Spells, Potions and Magic

Nodding to the eight guards on duty, Ostramethusias knocked on the door. He waited while he listened to the girls move about their suite. Soon, Nikkita opened it and peered out at him before looking at the guards. "Come in," she said before opening the door wide enough for him to slip through. Closing the door, she leaned her back against it. "Where is Cilla?" Nikkita asked Ostramethusias who sent her a wave of comfort to remove the nervous feeling that he felt was overwhelming her.

"She is safe, and resting. I am here to tell you about your next activity. May I please have all of you sit together as I explain what the king and queen would like you to know for this event?"

Nikkita nodded before calling the group together on the couch in the corner behind the table, close to the door he just came through.

"I do this as a favor to the queen, though she doesn't deserve it." When they were all huddled together on the sofa he looked at each girl before speaking again. "The activity for the day is a matching game. You will first change into the outfit on the white hangar in your closet. Shoes are attached to the hangar. You will meet in the Great Hall in an hour and thirty minutes. That countdown will start when the queen puts the time on your wall as I exit. Your guards, no wait, please excuse me, Cilla, who is free to move about this world at her will, shall come here and accompany you to the Great Hall. Today's activity is about mixing and mingling, a time to be social with your fellow females and the princes. No masks or no veils. Everyone will see each other clearly today."

Ostramethusias looked at the girls and rolled his eyes before continuing.

"That is what the king and queen wish for you to know. What they don't wish for you to know is that you may very well be chosen by a prince today. I think it is best that you have the chance to be able to say goodbye to your fellow friends here before the activity. You should do so before each activity as these events are meant to find matching pairs. Once you are matched to a prince, you both will be sent to a sealed chamber. You and your prince will not leave that chamber until the fates allow you so enjoy each moment of your freedom while you can. This world is not controlled by a single person rather by a nature or personality of this world or as I referred before, the fates. The chamber you will be sent to is strictly for mating. I hope you all know what that word means but I will give you a brief explanation. You and your prince will enter the chamber together and spend a very long time getting to know one another. It won't be as easy as sitting down and chatting. Prepare yourself for emotions that will overrule your common sense of what is right and what is wrong. You will not have children from these unions right away but the changes taking place in your body will be complete when the fates allow you to exit the mating chamber. It could be a month, six months or longer but eventually you will see your friends again. But you will never look the same as you do now, so prepare yourself suitably. Now, for today's activity you will each be matched with a prince as a partner and it will be the prince who does the choosing. I will be present, and Cilla will be there as well, to observe. That is all I can offer to you. Be well ladies," Ostramethusias bowed before he vanished. He didn't notice how pale the females had become nor how their mouths hung open in horror.

-

Cilla opened her eyes, and wasn't too surprised to see the lacy canopy above her.

"Wonder why I fainted this time?" Cilla mumbled as she sat up. "I thought I was getting stronger. Fainting in front of the royals does not make me feel stronger, it makes me feel stupid!"

She looked at the glass sitting next to a note on the small table by the bed and picked up the paper. She smiled as she set the note down and picked up the drink She held it in her hand for a moment before she drank it in one gulp. "Ah, brain freeze!" She cried out as she rubbed her forehead and stuck her tongue on the roof of her mouth to change the temperature and reduce the pain in her head. When she looked at the glass it had refilled, so she kept drinking until she felt full. She counted six times that the glass had filled up for her to feel full.

"Wow, I must have needed that," she exhaled deeply. Sitting back against her pillow she rested the back of her head on the padded headboard, and closed her eyes.

All of a sudden she felt a weight on her legs and her eyes snapped open.

"How did you move yourself?" She looked at the book and instantly felt silly for speaking to it. But as she watched watched, she was stunned to see the book move up onto her lap, and opened itself to somewhere in the middle. She didn't know what to think but since Sias was magical, maybe everything here in his residence was too. She picked up the book and held it carefully in her hands and began to read.

When Sias popped into the room about an hour later, he stood by the bed, watching Cilla read. Though she felt his eyes on her, she did not look up or stop reading. Sias figured he had stood in the same spot for a good half an hour before Cilla was able to lift her eyes to his.

"This book moved itself, and wouldn't let me stop reading until I learned what it wanted me to. Is this normal?"

He produced a linen cloth and dabbed at her eyes before glancing at the book. He picked it up to see what the book had wanted her to read, but when he looked at the pages, they were blank. He could feel the old magic thrumming through the book and it ran along his skin like a live wire. He closed the book and put it carefully down on the bed near Cilla's legs.

"Sias? What do you think?" Cilla asked with mixed emotions.

"The pages are blank for me. Give me time, and if it is meant to be, it will tell me its secrets but it is a book that I have never seen before. It came from somewhere just for you. It tested you to reach it, and it challenged you to trust it by reading it. There has never been a female Other before, Cilla. You are the first. Technically we had a handful of females but they died quickly after their birth."

Sias leaned against the bed to try to offer her comfort as fresh tears glimmered in her eyes. "That is very sad. Will our children die?"

" _Certainly not! Do not worry my dearest heart, for that cannot happen. We are to be a fully mated union and death cannot touch us or our children."_ His voice was strong in her mind and she felt a weight lift off her chest.

"Maldorien," she whispered, closing her eyes as he leaned over and hugged her body to his.

His face paled significantly at the word she said and he did not speak again. Cilla grew scared, so she opened her eyes and stared at him.

"Say it again," he whispered, his eyes closed.

"Maldorien."

He listed to her voice say the word again and felt it settle around them.

"This world has only known us as the word, 'Other' so I would like to ask, where you got this new word from. I know the answer firefly, but I need to hear you say it."

"The book," Cilla said, reaching out to draw Sias closer to her. He melted against her, surrounding her smaller body with his bigger and stronger form. They lay upon the bed, entwined in each others arms, feeling the safety it offered to them both.

"Yes, the book," he spoke his words against her color changing hair and smiled. "I'll need to spell you again so that you can rejoin the girls."

"Is that why my hair is so many colors like yours? You took the spell off to show the king and queen, and I passed out. Why did I pass out yet again? Am I a weak thing?"

He moved her so that he could kiss her question away, safely in the circle of his arms.

"Don't worry firefly, it was the magic inside you reacting to the last remaining human logic in your mind. You know I would never harm you or let another harm you! And you are not weak in any way!"

"You don't have to ask that Sias. We are a pair. I am glad that somehow my presence here has enabled you to evolve into what you were meant to be. With the changes 'in the air' that I said, and that we heard when we visited the outerborders and middleborders, I take it that the royals have no clue about your true history."

"My ancestors created this world or so the royals believe. But it was the Maldoriens. What you, and I are truly becoming and of which no one has ever seen. We are the Maldoriens now. That sappy queen believes that we will only have females so she can have mates for her sons, but I know that's not true. When we decide to have children, we'll have whatever we want. And they won't be created just to be mates to her children. But that is irrelevant because the royal family will no longer be as they are today. I assure you that your friends will be safe but as for the royals themselves, life as they know it is quickly dying before their very eyes."

Sias ran his fingers through her hair and returned it to its natural soft blonde. He altered her eyes to be light purple without glowing along with filling out her cheekbones. Then he removed her sharp nails, and the fangs she wasn't too aware of yet.

"I must return you. The girls need you for this activity," Sias whispered, and she nodded her head.

"Okay, until we meet again my Sias." Cilla smiled sadly as he poofed her away.

"Wow, you guys look awesome!" Cilla said as she appeared in the chosen suite. Nikkita quickly approached her and hugged her. Cilla felt so thankful for her friend treating her the same as she always did, and she happily hugged her back. Cilla looked down and saw that she was wearing her beloved black and white shoes and sent Sias a warm mental hug.

" _If that is even possible,"_ Cilla found herself thinking.

" _Very possible!"_ Sias's voice echoed in her mind.

Cilla reluctantly let Sias go as she focused on the girls.

"You are all so dazzling, you look ready for a posh party!"

"What is posh?" Ermai asked Cilla.

"Elegant, very pretty," Cilla told her.

"Oh good, that sounds nice," Ermai said as she straightened her outfit for their activity. "Then I might have some fun."

"Cilla, did your guy tell you what he told us?" Nikkita looked at Cilla and she could feel her friend's fear.

Frowning, Cilla blinked and immediately knew what had been said. "Magic," she whispered to herself.

"I know. It is what they brought us to this world for. That is the royals goal," Cilla shrugged her shoulders.

"So again, you do not have to participate. And you won't have to do the mating chamber thing either?" Ochiyo turned away from Cilla.

"You have a bad attitude Ochiyo. Don't get it mixed up! You'll never be a queen, just a princess so stop treating me like trash. I am something different yes but do not place yourself above anybody else. You will live to greatly regret it as I will never forgive you if you insist on continuing along this path," Cilla warned her. Ochiyo looked at her for a moment before turning away. "I will be a princess and you will be my servant," she dismissed her.

Cilla held in her anger and the knowledge that she and Sias would soon rule this land and upset the food chain. She tried to cool the anger that burned inside her like lava from an overactive volcano.

" _You will all be princesses of course. But do not fool yourselves, you are here to mate with a prince. You want to compare Ochiyo? You are a horse for them. They bed you and breed you and that is the life you have to look forward to! My life is much better and I have magic which you never will!"_ Cilla hissed the words in the naive girl's head until she saw real fear radiate from Ochiyo. Instantly she felt ashamed as this was not her true personality. "I'm sorry Ochiyo, this is truly what this world is," Cilla verbally apologized.

Nikkita walked to stand between them. "What's going on?"

A note was slipped under the double entry doors. "Time to go ladies," Cilla said as she walked to the note and picked it up. After reading it herself, she read it out loud.

"Cilla, please bring the chosen to the Great Hall. Instant style, if you will. I, Queen Jacquelle, thank you Cilla, for doing this favor I ask. I understand that you do not have to do as I ask, but it is my hope that you will. Thank you, Cilla. The Queen."

"What did she mean Cilla?" Marta asked her, and Cilla shook her head.

"That woman gets on my nerves," Cilla said as she paced a few steps before stopping.

"Okay, I need everyone to hold hands. I'd like my first time to be successful," Cilla instructed them to stand holding hands. "That's great, stand just like that."

"Your first time?" Tonya squeaked and Cilla just looked at her. "Don't go wimpy on me Tonya," Cilla eyed her friend that had not treated her like a true friend in some time.

She envisioned the Great Hall, where the king and queen sat and the position of where the nine princes stood from her earlier visit.

"Close your eyes," she told the girls before she attempted her first try to poof them all to the Great Hall.

"Open your eyes!" Cilla whispered, excitement hummed within her and the girls did as she asked.

"My girl did it!" Nikkita exclaimed doing her happy dance.

"Look, how full the room is!" Trisa exclaimed.

Cilla watched the girls glance around to see themselves surrounded by lots of candles, beautifully draped walls, plush carpets, and a golden bowl with matching golden goblets surrounding it. She indicated to their right and they saw the nine princes standing in a line watching them. Then Cilla pointed forward and they saw the king and queen sitting on their thrones.

"What's that?" Nikkita asked Cilla.

Cilla followed Nikkita's finger and saw the double chair she and Sias had shared at the hunting activity.

"It is where I sit with Si...I mean Ostramethusias. I'll just walk myself over there, and hope you all have a wonderful party," Cilla smiled at the girls before walking up the steps, and sitting on the bench she would soon share with Sias.

But she knew it was a lot more than just a bench, and with the changes she has been going through, she could see so many different things around her that she hadn't noticed before.

"It's like everything was covered in plastic, and the seal has been shattered. Maybe it was the book," she murmured to herself. And then her world became right when Sias walked into the room and her jaw dropped open.

He was wearing tall black boots over tight black pants that were so snug she had a hard time looking above his waist. As she blushed, she forced. Though he wore no cape or cloak, he was gorgeous. She looked at the shirt he wore, and liked that it was as black as his pants and boots. Looking closer, she noticed the vibrant purple laces that sealed his shirt closed. She glanced back down to his boots and saw that they had the same dark purple laces.

" _Cool!"_ She thought loudly in her mind. _"You are one gorgeous man!"_ When she felt his mental smile, she blushed even more.

Cilla thought he looked strong, self-confident and walked like a god. Her stomach knotted up and her heart melted. Then she frowned as she saw his hair was bound but it was the color that got her frowning. Silver and black swirled together making it seem like the color was constantly changing. Maybe it was.

Her hand covered her mouth when she looked at his nails and noticed how sharp they were. Come to think of it, didn't his cheekbones look sharper? Oh heavens! His fangs were showing! Fangs? She rubbed her tongue over her own teeth and found them normal. She looked at her own nails and saw that they looked normal too. She caught Sias looking at her, and she stopped frowning. It was a spell! Closing her eyes she could feel it, sense it surrounding her, and she broke it apart with a thought. She remembered how Sias had looked when they had been in this room earlier, but his looks had changed greatly even from those moments not long ago.

She heard a gasp from the queen next to her, and when she smiled she felt her fangs meet her lower lip. She touched her cheeks with her fingertips, and knew her cheekbones were razor sharp.

" _Let me be what should be, let them see."_ She sent Sias her thoughts and he nodded his head before walking up one stair and turning towards the room.

"This is your 'Mix and Mingle' activity, but I would call it more a party to celebrate you, our chosen females coming to our world. Think of it as a late welcome party if you would. The nine princes to my left are ready, so let us begin," Sias moved to sit with Cilla, and soft music started to play. Cilla snuggled with Sias in her favorite embrace and felt like all was perfect in her world with him.

"I missed feeling you next to me."

"I am here firefly."

Once she was firmly connected to Sias both physically and mentally, she watched as the girls stood in a line facing the princes.

18 Mixing

"They are dressed as real princes this time," Cilla noted as she watched the two groups look at each other.

"I can't help but label them with a word before their official, Prince So and So!" Cilla giggled mentally and Sias sighed.

"Let us get to know one another," ( _Calm!)_ Prince Joshua stepped forward and bowed to the female dressed in a pretty violet party dress. "Ermai, please dance with me," he held out his hand and she took it. He began to waltz her around the room, slowly. Cilla thought he was a beautiful dancer and she had to elbow Sias in the ribs when he growled in her head.

"There is no one ever who could come close to your dashing personality and magnificent beauty," she smiled as she spoke in her head and Sias's growl turned into a purr. Cilla blinked a few times to get her breath back and focused on the activity unfolding in front of them.

The girls looked at each other as another prince stepped forward. "Let us dance," ( _Unknown!)_ Prince Calder bowed to the girl dressed in a soft aquamarine dress. She blushed as he spoke to her. When he added, "Ezgi, please," she nodded her head. He danced off with her leaving seven girls standing in line.

A dark haired prince _(Risky!)_ stepped forward and bowed. He smiled his most sincere smile towards the girl dressed in emerald green. "Nikkita, would you please dance with me?" Rikur bowed to her. Nikkita stared at him for a moment, wondering if the queen had listened to their conversation from this morning. She looked for any indication that this prince was truly interested in her. His eyes remained steady on hers, and she held out her hand. She laughed as he danced them gracefully around the wonderfully decorated Great Hall.

Soon, ( _mysterious!)_ Prince Lurian stepped forward and requested Marta's hand. She stood in her fuchsia party dress and laughed as he danced her in big circles around the room.

_(Stubborn!)_ Prince Conner chose Tonya in her dark rose pink dress, and she giggled when he took her hand, and began to waltz with her around the other couples who filled the hall.

A _(shy!)_ Prince Stephen chose the girl dressed in a cream party dress, Trisa. For her part, Trisa smiled at the shy prince as she stepped forward and took his hand.

The _(gentle!)_ Prince Tomas chose Jana because maroon was his favorite color, and they danced past the two remaining girls.

_(Brave!)_ Prince Sam stepped forward and picked Amaya, who wore a light blue party dress, though he thought the girl was shy, he really liked her appearance.

_(Adventurous!)_ Prince Gairvan looked at the girl wearing a gem colored dress, and she stared at him. While everyone danced around them, they stared at one another neither making a move to speak to the other.

Prince Gairvan smiled as he put his hands out towards Ochiyo. She looked at his strong hands for nearly five minutes, Cilla counted before she saw Ochiyo place her hands within Gairvan's. Instantly a brilliant and bright golden light sparkled around them, and they disappeared. While Cilla's eyes widened, the king and queen stood up and clapped their hands before sitting back down and smiling at one another.

Cilla stared at Sias. _"I would never have thought to see shy Ochiyo be the second girl matched. Holy cow!"_

"I wouldn't have thought to hear you give a descriptive word to each prince as they chose a female to dance!"

"Sias, I couldn't help it! These are my friends and the words just came to my mind based off of my observations of the princes. It was just a little game for me."

" _Cilla, if it entertains you to do so, then I approve!"_ Sias laughed inside her mind.

When the music stopped, the dancing couples took a break and the princes led their partners to the golden drink bowl. Cilla watched as each prince filled a goblet for their female partner but drinking nothing themselves. After the glasses were empty, the princes put the goblets back down on the wooden table before moving to the center of the room. They stood in a line with their partner next to them and faced the king and queen.

"Gairvan has been matched with Ochiyo, who accepted him," the queen smiled happily at her audience. "Your father and I are beyond euphoric that our game is moving along so smoothly! Let us begin the second part of our mixing activity for today. Ostramethusias, do you agree that our ladies health has been cared for thus far?" Queen Jacquelle turned to Sias who stood, and surveyed the females.

"The drink you provided will offer them only half the time you expected as you've used another one of your own recipes from your book. You have one hour before they must rest, and this activity will be over." Without looking at the queen, Sias sat down next to Cilla and held her close to his body once again.

The queen blushed but held her composure. "Let us begin the second half of our mixing activity. If anyone is unhappy with their partner, this is the time to choose a new one," she said before pulling a small notebook from a pocket in her heavily embroidered skirt.

The couples looked amongst themselves, but no one moved to change partners. After a tense moment, all eyes returned to the queen who smiled down at them.

"Okay, now I will give you two choices in the form of a question. Each couple must choose to move together, to the left side of the room for the first choice or the right side of the room for the second choice. We've put together a list of things from multiple worlds to try to be fair to all," she took a moment to look over the couples again before opening her notebook.

"Do you prefer to spend your time inside or outside?" Queen Jacquelle asked, and the room was filled with hushed whispers and a smattering of arguing.

While decisions were being made, Sias spoke to the queen in her mind. _"I will take the remaining unmatched females with Cilla out for some fresh air after this activity is over. Be sure to announce this."_

The queen turned, looked at Sias, nodded her head and turned back around.

Four couples moved to the left while the other four went to the right side of the room. Cilla looked at each girl and tried to read her body language. She saw that not all were entirely happy with the choice that had been made. She looked at her besties, and saw that Nikkita was smiling but both Tonya and Jana were not.

"Jana isn't smiling just like Tonya but something else is wrong with Jana. Her body language is very upset," Cilla whispered.

Ostramethusias stared at the females and wondered what Cilla was referring to. He looked inside them and found them all in good health.

"Splendid. If everyone would return to the center of the room, we can move on to the next question. Great! Okay, do you prefer odds or evens?" The big room became quite loud as more couples argued and less talked in soft conversation. Cilla watched as the couples moved to different sides of the room. "Tonya is really unhappy," Cilla whispered to Sias. _"I doubt they agreed on what the queen meant by odds or evens,"_ he told her in her mind.

"Okay, you may return to the center of the room. Before I ask the next question, is there anyone who wishes to change partners?" The queen stared at the small group and raised her eyebrows when two couples instantly switched with one another. Trisa and Tonya moved quickly and swapped partners.

"Prince Conner is now with Trisa and Prince Stephen is now with Tonya. Next question! If we had a sun, would you like to be in the sunny part of the day or in the twin moon sky of the night?" She asked and Cilla held her breath as she heard the question. She put her hands under her thighs when she noticed too many couples arguing loudly, seemingly to no longer care who heard what.

Three couples moved to the right side while the other five stood and continued to disagree.

"You must choose a side!" The queen reminded them. This time, Cilla smiled as all five ladies who had quite vocally disagreed with their partners, stood to the left choosing day while the princes were left standing in the middle. "It looks like we have five couples who cannot agree. I would have my sons come stand next to their father while the ladies, please go stand next to your friend, Cilla. As for the three couples left, please return to the middle."

Cilla thought that had she been sitting on an armless seat, she'd have fallen off her stool as she watched one couple remain standing close together.

Marta leaned next to Cilla and asked her, "Why is she standing there with her back so straight like that?"

"I think she's choosing," Cilla said, wide-eyed as Tonya stood with Prince Stephen. He put his hands out to her and she watched as Tonya looked at his hands for a brief few seconds before placing her hands within his. Instantly the display of brilliant and bright golden light sparkled around them and they disappeared.

Cilla blinked her eyes and then latched onto Nikkita and Prince Ryker. Her heart tightened in her chest as she realized what was happening. Prince Ryker put his hands out to Nikkita who looked into the prince's eyes. Cilla watched Nikkita's face carefully, wanting only happiness for her best friend. She saw Nikkita close her eyes and bite her lower lip before placing her hands within Prince Ryker's. The color display repeated itself before they disappeared too.

A deep sadness bloomed within Cilla's chest as she watched her friend disappear. Sias felt her pain and turned her face towards his. When he locked his eyes on hers, he slowly leaned in and kissed her.

Cilla's soul was instantly filled with peace as Sias calmed her.

The king and queen both stood up and clapped their hands. "Three in one activity, that is wonderful!" She laughed with happiness, "We now have six pairs left to match! This has been a very exciting day, thank you so much for making it a splendid activity! Tomas? What are you doing?" The queen watched her son walk away without stopping until he stood before Jana.

Cilla grabbed Sias's arm, "He didn't answer her, oh my goodness, he's walked to Jana!" She saw Jana accept Prince Tomas as her match and forgot about her sharp nails until Sias loosened her grip on his arm.

"Sorry!"

She was lost as she stared at her friend who sparkled in the golden light and disappeared.

The hall was quiet for a few minutes before the queen stood up. "Make that four in one activity!" She laughed gaily and clapped jubilantly. "We have five females and princes remaining to be matched! Ostramethusias will now take you ladies outside for a walk right now before you return to your suite for the evening. We will see you bright and early tomorrow for an activity that will be challenging for everyone! Good night!" King Jodocus and the queen walked out of the room followed by their five unmatched sons. Not one of them glanced back at the females who stood nearby silently watching them depart. Once the room was empty except for Cilla, Sias and the five ladies, the air become much easier to breathe.

19 Artistic Gentleness

"Well, that was crazy," Cilla said to everyone, stunned at the sudden loss of her three best friends. Sias stood up and faced the ladies standing near Cilla.

"The queen may have provided you with her version of an energy drink but it held no real sustenance for you. I have a small vial for each of you to drink. It will give your body what it needs for our walk through the innerborders." Sias handed a small glass vial of an amber liquid to each girl before asking them to please drink it. They looked at Cilla who nodded her head and smiled at them, being careful to not show her fangs. Once all five finished their little pick me up drink, Sias collected the vials and poofed them away.

"Let us walk!" Sias held his hand out for Cilla who quickly put her hand over his and they began to walk along a path that led out of the Great Hall. They walked casually through the central part of the castle and out the main doors that led to the innerborders living quarters. Not one guard looked at them thus they did not attempt to stop them.

Once outside, Sias turned to the small group. "Shortly we will visit the innerborder citizens. They are artisans who make everything from fine furniture to delicate jewelry. They are considered the most cultured amongst all this world's citizens not including the royal family and their household staff and guards. Stay close with Cilla and do not wander off on your own," Sias warned them and looked at them one at a time until he felt it would be safe to continue.

They walked around to the outside of the castle that they had not been to before. They passed two elaborate black sculpted labyrinths and three immense fountains before stopping at a tall wooden gate. The whole area in front of them was fenced in by a tall wooden fence with solid boards.

"Here, this is the main entrance door for this community of citizens," Sias turned to look at his group. "As you know, Cilla has been going through changes because she is my mate. I am what is referred to in loose terms as an 'Other', making Cilla the same. She removed the spell I put on her to help her blend in as she wanted you to see the truth and not be deceived by anything around you that she could control. We are not dangerous to you, rather, we want you to think of us like bodyguards for the time until you are matched. Because this is Cilla's first visit with the innerborders, these citizens will first accept her as my mate, then myself and then you. When they show their acceptance, unlike the middleborders who use their tongues or the outerborders who communicate in a very different way, these people will do something simple. They will smell you, which of course means they are smelling your blood. They will not touch any of you ladies, but they will touch Cilla and I. We will also be distributing important nourishment to them. Let us begin," Sias said as he pushed the door open with a puff of air from his palm. He led them in, single file through the open doorway and ensured that the door closed behind them. Unfortunately, it made Marta, who stood in the back, jump. Causing a ripple of fear to flow through the rest of the girls.

"I am sorry Marta, a lot of things in this world move of their own accord or so I have learned," Cilla smiled at them all before turning to Sias.

"Will it hurt?"

Sias smiled at her showing her his fangs.

"Oh dear," she mumbled as everyone looked around at the small huts that stood in long lines. Cilla counted ten lines or maybe streets with small huts on each side.

"There must be well over five hundred huts here!" Marta exclaimed and the rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

"That was my count too," Cilla told her as she too felt amazed at the sight they were sharing.

"Not all are for residences as they are artisans and need room for their crafts," Sias informed them. He walked over to a tall brass looking pole with a big bell at the top. He tapped the pole with his sharp nails and the bell above rang twice.

"It makes a pleasant sound," Amaya noted but Ezgi shook her head. "No no! It hurts my ears," she disagreed, holding her hands over her ears.

"Ezgi comes from a world where sounds are very different. I am sorry Ezgi for the pain," Sias told her before he removed the pain in her head. "Does that feel better Ezgi?" He asked and she was surprised at his concern.

"Yes, thank you," she blushed and looked down at her shiny shoes. But when they heard the sound of approaching feet, she looked up and nearly fell over. Marta moved to help steady her as everyone stared at the innerborders who were approaching them slowly.

"You are sure they will not hurt us?" Trisa asked in a trembling voice.

"Calm ladies," Sias soothed them and then took one step forward towards the medium sized group who stopped about five feet away from where he stood. He bowed to them and waved Cilla forward. She took a few steps so that she was two feet closer to the group and then extended her right hand, palm facing down. She looked at every single citizen and tried very hard to discern what she was seeing. They bore no resemblance to the outerborders or middleborders. Instead, they slightly resembled the royal family with two big differences. Cilla was surprised to see that these people had three eyes, all aligned for if she had three the third would be sitting right at the top of her nose. The second big difference was their noses. They were huge! Sias caught her thoughts and laughed inside her head.

"They need excellent scent receptors for their crafts. The tools they use and materials are aided greatly by their sense of smell. The bigger the nose, the greater their skill. The eyes are enhanced for their crafts too."

"Oh okay."

A large male with dark brown curly hair and matching eyes covered the distance that separated them before leaning over her extended hand and closing two of his eyes. She sensed he was smelling her blood and when she saw his monstrous nostrils flare, she felt an odd pain in the center of her forehead. But before she could rub it away it was gone as the male straightened up and bowed low to her. She got down on her knees and sat back on the heels of her black and white sneakers. As she had expected, Sias poofed the big bowl into her hands but this time, he altered it to hold more nourishment with the addition of an enormous straw. She briefly wondered what the straw was made out of but the male before her leaned over and began to drink until he was full. Cilla noted that he closed all three eyes when he drank. When he was done, he sighed happily before stepping to the side and walking past her to greet Ostramethusias.

"Greetings to you Ostramethusias. You grace us with the beauty of your mate and bless us with this nutrient you so caringly provide us. We are very grateful to you. Change is in the air," he said before looking over Ostramethusias's shoulder. Sias motioned to the five females standing behind him, a good distance away.

"These are the remaining chosen females for the last five princes. We have another activity tomorrow," Sias explained and the big male nodded his head before giving the ladies a slight bow.

"I am Brakal, the leader of my people. Welcome to our village. Ostramethusias and his mate are always welcome here and we extend that welcome to you as well for this visit. We would like to gift Ostramethusias's mate with an item of our creation, would you ladies help us choose the right gift for her? This is most important because she has brought our most sacred of beings to his evolution and we are happy to see the changes. We have watched and waited a very long time for this to happen."

Several females, who had finished drinking, walked up to the girls and asked them to come to the second hut in the third line. Cilla looked back and nodded to them and Marta, trying her best to be strong, led the chosen females to follow the innerborders into the hut. Cilla looked at the line of innerborders that had gathered and she shook her head slightly.

"I was way, way off! There are more than a thousand of you! How wonderful to have so many gifted individuals!" Cilla smiled a big smile for she was indeed happy.

Brakal walked over to Cilla and sat down as she was. Sias gave him a similar bowl with a matching straw to help feed his people faster.

"I thank you for leaving your world and coming to Vrozia. You have awakened our Ostramethusias and in doing so, you have changed our world. And we are happy and fully support Ostramethusias and you as his mate. We recognize you as a newly awakened Other. Know this but do not repeat it to anyone. As you know, Ostramethusias hears everything and is well aware of our conversation, are you not, my most humble benefactor?" Brakal smiled but kept looking forward. Sias laughed out loud and it was a warm sound that traveled down Cilla's spine and left her skin tingling.

"He is for me as I am for him. A book came to me," she whispered and knew she spoke correctly to the right individual. "I am one who binds books and I know of the book you speak of. It was in my secondary hut and had been there since this village came into existence a very long time ago. I noticed it was gone yesterday. I have several talents and specialties and my glass work keeps me most busy. Tell me, does the book still move on its own? It has always had a fit of temper. It was made thus so," Brakal smiled and Cilla saw that his teeth were pretty normal looking just bigger and less than a human would have.

She nodded her head. "Yes the book did move and it went blank when Sias looked at it," she shared with him.

"That is because it will only show certain things for the right person," Brakal tried to explain but Cilla shook her head.

"Magic," she whispered and he smiled.

The chosen ladies returned just as Cilla and Brakal fed the last two of his people. Sias poofed the bowls and straws away as Brakal got to his feet and helped Cilla to hers.

"You are welcome here evermore, Maldorien," he whispered as he bowed and Cilla's mind went blank for a second.

"Thank you, most creative of the creations here," she giggled as Sias came and took her hand.

"We agree," Brakal told him and he nodded his head.

"We will go, thank you for having us for this time. I must return the chosen to their suite in the castle," Sias grinned at the friendly gentle giant.

"Please have your mate look at her gift when it is just the two of you, under the twin moons," Bruni called out when her mate, Brakal returned to her side.

"As you wish," Sias bowed and without another word, he moved his group to the hallway in front of the chosen suite.

Sias looked at the guards who stood outside the double doors to the chosen suite. "We are here, in you go. Enjoy your meal which is awaiting you. Also, baths have been drawn up in the bathroom. Do not worry, the water is spelled and will stay perfectly warm until you no longer need it to be so. In the bathroom, there are five tubs set up with privacy screens. Good evening ladies," Sias said before the guards opened their door and the females went inside. When the door closed, Sias took Cilla outside into his private garden that he kept filled with flowers of every color and shape.

We are under the twin moons. Time to see what the innerborders gave you!" Sias spoke like it was Christmas, Cilla thought and then wondered if they had days like Christmas that they celebrated here in Vrozia. Before she could ask, the gift clouded her mind.

"I sense that this gift is very important to you," Cilla smiled as Sias's purple eyes glowed brighter.

"Yes, this is an important gift because not only is Brakal an amazing artisan, he also has the gift of an oracle. That means that this gift will play a role in the evolution process you and I are close to completing."

"So no pressure, right?" Cilla spoke with hesitation and a bit of fear. "How can a gift impact our future so strongly?"

"It is the way of this world."

"Okay let's see it," Cilla said and Sias offered her a dark blue pouch. As she took it from him, she said, "I can tell it's not furniture! Okay, oh my goodness Sias! There are two things in here and they are beautiful! One is marked with a capital 'C' and the second is marked with a capital 'O', how clever!"

"There are two identical items with markings?" Sias's voice wavered a bit and Cilla looked sharply at him. "Are you okay?"

"Show me but move slowly," his voice became whisper soft as she handed him the metal cuff bracelet with his 'O' engraved upon it. She looked at her own and noticed that there was text printed on the inside. As she held it closer to her face, Sias yelled out, "Wait, Cilla!" but she had already finished reading it.

Her face paled and the cuff left her fingers and attached itself to her upper left arm. Blinking in surprise, she saw that it multiplied itself to create a second cuff that attached itself to her upper right arm.

"Well, magic comes in many forms I guess," she mumbled as adrenaline filled her body from Sias's warning.

20 A Demand For Magic

"What's wrong Sias?" She asked him and she saw that his hands were empty. She pulled on the purple strings to his shirt and pushed it open to see that his bracelet had morphed into two and attached themselves to his upper arms just as hers had. What alarmed Cilla the most was that his face was a painting of pure agony and it made her very upset.

"Sias! What is wrong? What is causing your pain!" Moving closer she went to wrap her arms around him but his eyes snapped open and glowed bright red.

"I cannot fight it, Cilla my sweet firefly! It is the call of the mating for us! We must answer the call. As soon as I let go, it will envelope you too and we will be lost in the magic!" Each word he said was laced with great pain.

"I'll do anything to relieve you of this pain," she cried and all four cuffs shined brightly as they both disappeared. A hidden mating chamber deep in the earth below Ostramethusias's Residence was the place they appeared in.

Cilla stood confused as they suddenly appeared on opposite sides of the square room. The floor was packed dirt covered with light sand making the feeling soft below her uncovered feet. Candles of red, white and purple covered the walls. There were no doors nor any windows and the chamber was empty of any furnishings other than what appeared to be the pelt of some mammoth creature. The room had an earthy smell which reminded her of her mother's garden back home.

Shaking those thoughts away, she turned to Sias and sucked in her breath. Sias instantly enveloped her in his muscled arms and held her in the tightest embrace he had ever touched her with and her body naturally relaxed.

"When I release this ancient magic, it will do what it wants as it brings us together on a physical and spiritual level. Know that I would put this off for you if I could, but I cannot. Cilla, I love you and promise to always keep you safe. Our lives will be forever entwined as we give ourselves to one another. I will mark you as mine and I claim you as my mate and ask that you mark and claim me as yours. You are the one soul I have been waiting many lifetimes to find."

Sias gritted his teeth against the pain raging through his body and Cilla was desperate to take that ugly pain away.

"I claim you as my mate! I love you Sias, I trust you and will be with you forever! Please let go, let the pain go," she begged him as she looped her arms around his neck. She clung to his body first with the hope of easing his pain, but then she felt the magic urging them to put the pieces of their puzzle together. The magic whispered to them and called out for their souls to become one. Cilla felt the moment Sias's iron control snapped and the magic coated their bodies from head to toe. The whispers turned to screams inside her soul. They instantly became lost in the animalistic feelings that overtook them. She wasn't surprised when their teeth lengthened, nails sharpened and their cheeks grew even more angular as did their bodies.

"I'm sorry firefly," he murmured against her neck. Sias quickly took control of his mate's mind and body and began the work it would take to finish the last step needed before they could be fully bonded mates.

" _Do not fear me."_ Sias said in her mind just as his teeth sank into her shoulder. He released the chemical that would help to finish her evolution into a full Maldorien.

Sias held her body in place with his teeth and whispered in her mind until both their bodies glowed a bright orange and flames burst out along their skin. He withdrew his teeth, sealing the small puncture wound with his mind before crushing his mouth to hers.

As the fire grew brighter, they became lost in the wild ancient magic that had been waiting for the two nearly full Maldoriens to come together. As it stoked the flames higher, the candlelight lowered and the ground grew fresh green grass.

Sias and Cilla fell into each other with their magic sizzling in the air in bright purple sparks.

21 The Great Labyrinth

"Ladies, I have brought you here today for our next activity. As you can see, Cilla and Ostramethusias are not here. At this time, they cannot be found. We will be sure to look after your health and hopefully we can have a wonderful time," the queen announced to the five females standing in the middle of the Great Hall.

"Now I would like to pair you up myself, in random order before we begin, as this activity will take place in our biggest labyrinth outside," the queen said as she walked towards her sons. She moved them around until everyone had a match and she felt satisfied at her matching skills. "There! I am happy with this pairing!" The queen smiled as the king took her hand and they led the way out of the Great Hall. The princes and their partners followed, passing through the central part of the castle and making a sharp left turn until they stopped at a pair of doors covered in a beautiful pattern of roses and thorns. The females looked at one another before the two guards standing next to the doors opened them for their party to exit. Once through the doors and out of the castle, they made their way out into the night.

They walked only a short distance until the group stopped before the entrance to a big labyrinth with walls ten feet high. The king and queen sat in similar chairs to that which they had resided on during the hunting activity with a guard standing in front of them once more.

The girls looked at each other in panic but their princes pulled them back in line so that they could not see one another.

"Each pair will enter the labyrinth together. After the first pair has entered, a second pair will enter and so on until all five pairs are inside. Your objective is to find the item hidden inside that bears your name. If you come across an item not bearing your name, continue on until you do. Once you find both your name and your partner's personalized item, got to any exit and the maze will bring you back to this entrance. We will then have a strength contest amongst the princes." The queen nodded to the guard in front of her. He spoke to the assembled group, "Prince Lurian, please enter with Ermai!" The pair walked together into the huge maze and were soon out of sight.

"Five minutes have passed. Prince Conner and Amaya, please enter the maze!"

Trisa stared at Marta and they both turned to look at Ezgi before they all turned their full attention to the princes standing next to them.

"Prince Calder, please enter with Trisa!" The guard announced after another long five minutes had passed.

Marta and Ezgi watched as Trisa was lost in the maze. Marta pressed her hands nervously down her pretty dress that fell to right above her knees. She jumped when the guard called out, "Prince Sam please enter with Marta!"

Ezgi and her prince stared at one another before turning to look at the maze. Neither spoke as they waited for the guard to speak again.

"Prince Joshua, please enter with Ezgi!" The guard made his final announcement and together they marched into the dark maze.

"Do you see your name on that glass sphere?" Prince Conner asked Amaya as she picked up the item. "No, and it does not have your name either," she said sadly. "We have found so many spheres but none with our names, and it is becoming quite frustrating!" Prince Conner took Amaya's hand and pulled her along until they came to the next sphere. "How about that one?" His voice was kind and Amaya walked over to the sphere and examined it. "Yes!" Amaya cried out and he rushed over to see her name in the glass ball. "That is wonderful Amaya!" He picked her up and swung her around in great happiness as they laughed together.

Then, realizing what he had just done, he set her on her feet and stared into her bright green eyes. Her sky blue sundress sparkled with glacier blue topaz stones and Prince Conner found his mouth suddenly dry. He got down on one knee and held his hands out to Amaya. She glanced at the sphere in her hand and then at Prince Conner's hands before meeting his eyes. She found her future reflected in his deep green eyes so she placed her hands within his and smiled as sparkles of gold surrounded them before they disappeared.

"Did you see that?" Jacquelle asked her husband who nodded his head. "Prince Conner has been matched with Amaya and she accepted him! That is wonderful! Now we only have four to go!" Jacquelle clapped her hands with pride.

"Prince Sam? We have found a sphere with your name, but we have not come across one with my name. So many other spheres too with other females or princes. But none with my name! It makes me sad," Marta frowned. She looked at the sphere Prince Sam held with his name and wondered why she could not find hers. Prince Sam put a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Don't worry Marta, we won't stop until we find the one with your name, I promise you! I'll not battle my brothers for you as I would not want to give them the chance of taking you away from me," he smiled at her and she gave him a small smile in return.

"Thank you," she said hesitantly.

"You are a strong female Marta. Your world was all flat land and small lakes. Do you like my world?" Prince Sam asked her as he took her hand and they began to walk around another bend in the maze.

"Yes, it is an okay world, from what little I have seen of it. The always night takes a bit of getting used to. But to have someone to talk to like you, makes it better."

"Look Marta! Go look at that sphere over there, it has a fuchsia glow to it!" Prince Sam said in excitement as he pointed to the lovely glass ball.

"Oh, look Sam! It has my name on it!" Marta jumped in happiness and Prince Sam's heart flipped in his chest. He wanted her, to be with her and only her. He walked over to her and put his hands out towards Marta.

"Most of the time, no one speaks, but we always talk my Marta. Would you choose me for I have chosen you!" Prince Sam said and Marta felt her heart swell in her chest. She put the sphere on the floor and gave him her hands. They smiled together as gold sparkles surrounded them and they disappeared.

"Well dear, I think this was the perfect activity!" King Jodocus exclaimed as he stood up and clapped his hands. "Prince Sam has been matched with Marta and she has accepted him! Only three more to go, wow!" King Jodocus picked up his queen and hugged her. She held on tight and enjoyed his embrace as she laughed in his arms.

"Ermai, please calm down!" Prince Lurian tried desperately to calm the female down, but she wouldn't stop crying. "Your old world, Kiel Serin, is a world which rains fire every day! Why are you raining wet tears down your face? You've found your sphere and I found mine! There is nothing to cry about Ermai!" Prince Lurian was losing patience quickly. "You are a useless female!" Prince Lurian cried out in frustration. Taking Ermai by the arm, he marched them out of the Great Labyrinth and pulled her toward his parents.

"She won't stop crying! Could someone make her stop! We found both spheres and she just started to cry and I can't take it anymore!" Prince Lurian stomped off to begin pacing about ten feet away.

"Ermai, why are you crying," the queen asked but the girl would not answer her. To the queen's great relief, Ezgi and Prince Joshua came out of the Great Labyrinth and the queen called out to Ezgi.

"Please come join Ermai," the queen almost begged Ezgi as Ermai's crying was beginning to get on her own nerves.

"Ezgi, I do not know what is wrong with Ermai, but she will not stop crying," the queen tried to look concerned but truthfully she wished the girl would stop making so much noise.

Instead of Ezgi, Prince Joshua came over and knelt in front of Ermai.

"Ermai, why are you so sad? You are a beautiful girl and crying makes your eyes red and puffy. When you cry, your dark eyes shine like gorgeous black stones," Prince Joshua whispered and Ermai looked into his eyes and found the strength to stop crying. "I need you," she whispered and he nodded his head. Without looking at anyone, he offered her his hands and Ermai instantly put her hands in his. They barely noticed the golden sparkles glowing around them before they disappeared.

Ezgi looked back at the queen and then at Prince Lurian. "That was unexpected," she stomped her foot and stood off to the side.

"Prince Joshua has chosen Ermai and she has accepted him!" Jacquelle stood up and clapped her hands in relief.

"This weighs on my heart, as I want my sons to be happy yet I lose each one of you for so long!" She sat down and wiped at her eyes. Prince Lurian came over and asked Ezgi why she looked so angry and why did she stomp her foot.

"I am angry, can you not see it?" She took a few more steps trying to stomp out her anger at her friend disappearing, her partner going with her and feeling sorry for herself.

"You know, Ezgi, our temperaments match," Prince Lurian said and Ezgi looked at him. "You think?" Ezgi asked, wondering and then believing what he said was true. From what she'd seen of the other princes, not one of them had a temper like she did. But Prince Lurian just admitted that he did! When he put his hands out, she placed her hands within his and they grumbled together as the air filled up with gold sparkles and they too, disappeared.

The king and queen stared at the spot where Prince Lurian and Ezgi had just stood and neither could find a word to say.

-

Trisa wandered through the labyrinth lost and alone. She had stopped looking at the spheres more than an hour ago when she and Calder had been separated. She wasn't even sure how they became separated, but they were now and she was scared to be so alone in this big unfamiliar environment.

"Calder!" Trisa called out but when she received no answer, her shoulders drooped. Tired of walking, she sat on the dirt floor, tucking her cream-colored sundress underneath her.

Prince Calder stood in one place trying to work out his frustration. "How did we get separated!" Prince Calder shouted but knew no one would hear him. He looked at the night sky and wondered what life would be like to live in a world that never had a night, but only days filled with sunlight. He didn't like that thought. He enjoyed the little female's company and was angry that they were not together walking through the Great Labyrinth. Always a reader, he had read his mom's book of spells and wondered if he should use the locator spell he remembered. If she knew he had read her book, life as he knew it would become horrible as his mother could stay angry for years.

"What I once lost, let her now be found, she is mine as I am hers, bring her to me now!" Prince Calder shouted out the altered spell with his arms raised high and nearly fell over when Trisa appeared in front of him and he caught her in his arms.

"Sorry, little Fraehiri born female! I do not know how we got detached," Prince Calder held the girl close and she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his neck.

"I choose you, do you choose me?" Prince Calder asked Trisa. She raised her face to his and he kissed her. They missed the golden sparkles as they disappeared from the maze.

"Are you sure Ostramethusias cannot be found? The guards have searched everywhere for him and Cilla?" Jacquelle asked her husband with great frustration.

"I am sure, they are not in the castle or on the castle grounds," Jodocus swore he spoke only the truth.

"Wait, Calder just chose Trisa who accepted him! The process is complete, they have all been matched and now are mating! Our game is over!" Jacquelle screamed loudly as she burst from her chair and jumped at her husband. He caught her easily and held her close.

"They are all gone," she whispered into his ear.

"You will see them again my dear, remember that," the king tried to console her. "It is what we wanted and I am happy for all of them," she whispered, trying to reassure them both.

"What if Ostramethusias and Cilla are in their mating chamber? That would explain why we cannot find them!" Jodocus held her a bit away from him and watched her eyes widen.

"I believe that everyone is now busy working on their bond. Let us go and work on ours!" He tossed her up into the air, catching her gracefully and they laughed as he carried her into the castle, never once looking back at the stunned guards standing at the entrance to the Great Labyrinth.

Guide

Citizens of Vrozia:

_Ostramethusias (Sias)_ \- last of the original Others, in current form is referred to as an it with red eyes, magical kiss promotes sleep, only one to possess magic, when changed to Maldorien, awakened his form to fully male, with fangs, sharp nails, sharp cheekbones and hair in a multitude of colors, elected the royal family to their current position, the real power of Vrozia which laid dormant until Cilla awoke it _._

_Cilla_ \- from the human world, Earth, mate to Ostramethusias (see below)

_Lysimachus_ \- chimera, alpha leader of the Outerborders

_Cantaber_ \- leader of the Middleborders

_Agorix_ \- Cantaber's mate, Middleborder

_Brakal_ \- leader of the Innerborders, gentle giant, three eyes, very large nose, blown glass, oracle & book binding

_Bruni_ \- Brakal's mate, Innerborder

_Jodocus_ \- light haired King of Vrozia

_Jacquelle_ \- dark haired Queen of Vrozia with crystal blue eyes, likes to use an old spell book that is weak, loves music.

Class of Citizens:

_Outerborders_ \- shapeshifters living in a forest and cave territory on the outer edges of the world. The royal family calls them feral and viscous and claims they try to sneak through portals to other worlds to destroy whatever they can, but are truly smart and not a threat _._

_Middleborders_ \- work the animal blood farms, punished by the queen by adding extra parasitic limbs to their bodies. And making them keep their houses like the animals are kept in buildings resembling large barns. Ostramethusias spells them to remove the extra, painful limbs, Cilla reorganizes their buildings to be homes with bathrooms, real beds, and candles everywhere _._

_Innerborders_ \- live within the castle walls in their own village, they are artisans and create everything from fine jewelry, books and book binding, blown glass, etc. They possess three eyes.

Animals:

_Guar_ \- common animal of Vrozia, bred for its blood _._

_Horses_ \- originally from Earth, bred for its blood, a few are used by the royal family _._

_Elephas Recki_ \- originally from Earth, bred for its blood. _  
Bleks -_ originally from Unowe, bred for its blood.

_Zijargs_ \- originally from Unowe, bred for its blood _._

_Vorulo_ \- originally from a long ago world whose portal has been banished, adapted well to Vrozia, bred for its blood.

_Miunl_ \- originally from a long ago world whose portal has been banished, adapted well to Vrozia, bred for its blood.

Herbs and Magical Things:

_Dekam_ \- an ancient herb used by Others, a dried black grass _._

_Azmoras_ \- an ancient herb used by Others, a white powder created from a flower that bloomed centuries ago _._

_Arlag_ \- an ancient magical nutrient ingredient used by Others, dried strands of muscle tissue from the original Other of Vrozia _._

_Dylywyd_ \- an herb used in the nutrition formula that makes shifting easier for outerborders _._

_Salowyd_ \- an herb that increases energy for the middleborders who manage the animal blood farms _._

_Trotowyd_ \- an herb that increased creative thoughts for the innerborders who are artisans _._

_Sthalow_ \- an herb that is used in the nutrition formula for the staff that worked in the palace and the guards _._

_White Ash_ \- a protective white powder only Ostramethusias knows how to create.

Newly Matched and Mated from Current Season (Game):  
Ash (dark haired) and Serosa bond formed during hunting activity

Gairvan (light haired) and Ochiyo bond formed during mixing activity

Stephen (light haired) and Tonya bond formed during mixing activity

Ryker (dark haired) and Nikkita bond formed during mixing activity

Tomas (dark haired) and Jana bond formed during mixing activity

Conner (light haired) and Amaya bond formed during labyrinth activity

Sam (dark haired) and Marta bond formed during labyrinth activity

Joshua (light haired) and Ermai bond formed during labyrinth activity

Lurian (dark haired) and Ezgi bond formed during labyrinth activity

Calder (light haired) and Trisa bond formed during labyrinth activity

Presently Matched and Mated Couples:

Rocco (light haired) and Corinna

Justice (light haired) and Maitha

Cassius (light haired) and Cthi

Andri (light haired) and Ashley

Zane (light haired) and Sasha

Orion (dark haired) and Sara

Artos (dark haired) and Umu

Jagger (dark haired) and Lilipte

Walker (dark haired) and Neupti

Rhys (dark haired) and Talulua

The Chosen Females:

The color for each female was given by the queen for all their personal items and they would be identified by their assigned color.

_Priscilla (Cilla) Miller_ \- from Earth, light blonde hair, blue eyes, mate to Ostramethusias. Nicknamed him Sias, when changed to Maldorien she possessed fangs, sharp nails, sharp cheekbones and with hair ever-changing between a multitude of colors. Assigned color: black was yellow and purple _._

_Jana Monroe_ \- from Earth, best friend to Cilla, she has strawberry blonde curly hair and is petite. Assigned color: maroon was light green _._

_Tonya Farwell_ \- from Earth, best friend to Cilla, she is a petite brunette. Assigned color: dark rose pink was dark blue _._

_Nikkita Vernes_ \- from Earth, best Friend to Cilla, she has long black hair. Assigned color: emerald green was orange.

_Ezgi_ \- from the Sanguine Barren Hinterland world, a world filled with deserts. She has short dark brown hair and blue-green eyes. Assigned color: aquamarine was lavender _._

_Ochiyo_ \- from the Consuming Mountain world, a world containing only mountains. Her eyes are a deep amber, taken from her loving fiance two nights before their wedding. Assigned color: peridot green was sky blue _._

_Trisa_ \- from the Fraehiri world, a world with only sunlight, never night. Assigned color: cream was maroon.

_Marta_ \- from the Tiurs Strand world, a world of flatland and very small lakes. Her hair is thick and black. Assigned color: fuchsia was red _._

_Ermai_ \- from the Kiel Serin world, a world with great fire rain. Her eyes are so dark they appear black. Assigned color: pink was violet _._

_Serosa_ \- from the Drahm Sea world, a world made up only of water. She had a tail but when moved into Vrozia, it became two legs. Assigned color: gold _._

_Amaya_ \- from the world Esor filled with great diseases. She has bright green eyes. Assigned color: sky blue was dark green.

Miscellaneous:

_Diathorma_ \- an instrument used by Others for their mates and themselves to store and test blood _._

_A Shadow Kiss_ \- a gift of Ostramethusias's magic that will put the person kissed to sleep _._

_Dymare Forest_ \- surrounds the castle and its grounds in all directions for miles. Part of the forest was kept inside the back walls for hunting sports.

_Bonded Mate Center_ \- place in the castle where human females are kept in a slumber state until their mate returns. If their mates do not return and their bond becomes broken they are moved to the _Center_ where broken females are kept sedated until their blood supply runs dry.

This Game's Activities:

_Dancing_ \- females wore veils and princes wore masks, danced without rest for three hours. For the females this was dangerously exhausting because they had just, unknowingly donated blood before their dancing. Ostramethusias stepped in and sent the females into a deep sleep in their beds in their new suite.

_Hunting_ \- princes hunted the females in the Dymare Forest that was enclosed within the stone walls of the castle grounds. When a prince found a female, he attached a rope to the metal loop on the back of her jumper and dragged her out of the forest and in front of the king and queen. Ostramethusias removed the horrible memories from each of the female's minds and replaced it with memories of a prince finding them and allowing them to ride on the back of their horse to the open area in front of the king and queen. The royal family was unaware of the changes Ostramethusias made.

_Mixing_ \- princes and females participated as partners during an activity where they had to choose from two options given by the queen in the great hall. When they chose either one or two, they had to move either to the left or right of the room together. If they could not agree, they were removed from the activity.

_The Great Labyrinth Maze_ \- princes and females participated as partners, which the queen chose, where they entered the Great Labyrinth and searched for a glass orb with the prince's name etched upon it and another glass orb with the female's name etched upon it. Once a team had discovered their two orbs, they were to exit the maze for a strength activity which did not occur due to big changes unforeseen.

About The Author

Colleen Michelle Johnson lives in Northern California with her family and four cats. She writes what she desires and shares her work with others. You can find her by visiting her website, nightshadelane.com.

This book was written in thirty days for NaNoWriMo.org 2014, write 50k words in 30 days!

Thank you for reading this book. If you could leave a review, I would greatly appreciate it. If you find any errors, please let me know! nightshadelane@gmail.com

Colleen Michelle Johnson

December 4, 2014

updated April 8, 2015

updated July 5, 2015

Please note that this book was updated on July 5, 2015.

New content has been added to help turn this NaNoWriMo.org

book into a full YA novel.

This is now book one the Love Series!

Preview Excerpt from book two, Love Claimed

1 The Claiming

Fire raced along their skin as Sias held Cilla in his arms. Releasing the magic he had withheld from her did not cause her pain. Instead, it opened her eyes to a new world that only Sias could offer her. Purple sparks crackled in the air around the small enclosed room but the bodies wrapped around each other paid no mind to them.

The softness of the new grass beneath their feet was lost to them too as a passion neither had ever known devoured them. The magic of their world pulsed within their blood and they could not deny it any longer.

His hard, strong body pressed against her slender form and they found themselves hovering in the air. The tips of the blades of grass touched Cilla's naked back and she arched her body against his.

Still, turbulent emotions vibrated in their lungs and the sounds they made were animalistic and raw.

The natural magic entwined itself around them, pulsing a bright purple as it changed their bodies into what they needed to become.

Both of them closed their eyes while they held on to one another, flames covering every part of their being.

"Do not fear the elementals," _Sias whispered within her mind._

"The fire? It doesn't burn! I don't understand this magic but I know I need you," she said, breathless as flesh rubbed against flesh. Cilla wrapped her legs tight around his waist, trying to press herself nearly into his body, so natural was her need to join with his body that the need was her only thought.

A growl grew from deep within him until it burst out through their combined thoughts and she threw her head back in surrender.

His tongue darted out past his lips tasting her neck, behind her ear, anywhere it could touch, and he savored the taste of her. Everything felt so right yet so urgent at the same time.

Neither of them had experience in this area of life but both were following their instincts with a good lead from the magic of this world. It drew the upon the magic that belonged to them and amphed up their power ten fold to demand that they claim their mate and create their everlasting bond that would live on forever in their immortality.

Fangs burst through her gums and without a thought, she sank them into the flesh of his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she could no longer feel her own body. She let the magic possess her so that it could be her guide her along this long forgotten path to seal her soul to Sias's.

"I will always be yours, as you will always be mine," she said in his mind just as she removed her teeth and he sank his into her shoulder. She gave a loud moan of pleasure as the chemical only he could produce pumped through her system.

His need was heavy in her mind and her thoughts were a blur of sexual necessity so primitive it left her without words.

When his thoughts explored the most intimate parts of her body, her breathing stopped as she became pure energy, feeding the fire that consumed them. The heat coming from his body deeply embedded inside her and made her clench muscles she didn't know she possessed. A smirk of female satisfaction appeared briefly upon her parted lips but disappeared when his magic joined their bodies completely together.

A hot need began to build within their bellies as Sias's magic brought their bodies into a flurry of activity where no thoughts could exist. Their bodies took control of them until the combined magic of the land and their own magic burst free in a rainbow of colors leaving them gasping for air.

Holding her quivering body against his muscled chest, he withdrew his teeth, sealed the puncture marks with his mind and stole a look at her angelic face. The power that had just claimed them clenched him hard from within her body and he shivered as the climax flew from her mind into his.

His body exploded as he felt her coming apart when wave after wave assaulted them both. But no matter how many times a climax rode through them, it never gave them time to rest as rest wasn't a part of the mating process.

With magic surrounding them, pounding inside them, they kept their bodies together like two perfectly fitting puzzle pieces. One moment his body was a flurry of intense activty and in another moment he would be slow and sensual.

Time passed and the flames slowly turned to cool drops of water coming from no where yet touching them everywhere. When the last flame was extinguished, Sias rolled them together on the sweet grass.

He lifted her easily into his arms and carried her to the cool water pool on the other side of the room. He held her safely in his arms as he walked them into the cool water that sizzled as their skin came into contact with it.

Cilla held on to his neck with her arms as another wave of pure, raw energy surged through them even though they weren't physically connected in the usual way of mating. Their minds were connected and that's all the magic needed to send them both over the edge again and again.

He sank into the water and gently set Cilla down on the small ledge. Never letting their skin stop touching his, he moved to stand in front of her and she wrapped her trembling legs around his waist.

Magic that claimed this land flew through them, changing them as their bodies slammed together. Their need for one another built up the pleasure which became stronger and stronger as they stayed skin to skin.

The climax that tore through them was so intense it tore screams from both their throats but still, it refused to release them. Their muscles shuddered and their nerves twitched while they tried their best to breath through the pleasure coursing through their physical structures. What he felt, she felt and combined, their pleasure tripled just as it was meant to.

No longer wanting the water, Cilla bit Sias in the neck and he groaned as he felt her sharp teeth cut into his skin again. This time, she held a chemical of her own that flooded his body and his magic exploded from within his soul to encompass their whole world. He carried her out of the water and they collapsed together on the fresh grass.

Their bodies moved as one as sensual passion consumed them taking controlof her mortality and fracturing it until it crumbled away like dust in the wind. The magic was wild and alive and when her mortality vanished it was quickly replaced with the immortality only available to the Maldoriens, what the Others from this world should have become when fully bonded to their mate. The magic whispered things to them, assuring them that nothing could ever harm them as the very magic that lived within them, lived within the land itself. It sent a demand for them to take back what once belonged to the Others but which at the moment belonged to the royal family.

Outside their mating chamber, in the Dymare Forest and well out into the outerborder's territory it began to snow, something Vrozia had never seen. Cantaber, leader of the middleborders looked out from his window and called for his wife. Agorix came swiftly and stood by his side. "What is this?" She asked him and he smiled gently at her. "It is frozen water called snow. It is from Ostramethusias and Cilla completing their bond. It will be gone soon."

Just as Cantaber foretold, the snow quickly melted away and lightning streaked through the sky.

The outerborder's leader, Lysimachus searched the skies and found the pattern of the Maldoriens, the true rulers of this land. He threw back his head and howled a deep, dark sound. Soon, the sound echoed back to him from all the shapeshifters who lived in his territory. The trees shook violently above him and the ground beneath him trembled with the force of their happiness.

"Ostramethusias and his mate are fully bonded! Soon they shall take back this land and we will roam free as we were meant to exist! No more tethering down by the royal family!" He screamed his words loud and clear and rejoiced at hearing his fellow shifters screaming in return. Changes had been in the air but now, changes were about to reshape their whole world.

Queen Jacquelle sat up in bed and watched the weather display as it passed by her window. She bit her lip as she wondered at the unnatural changes occuring in her world. Her husband, sensing her unrest, sat up too and pulled her into his arms. "Do not worry my dear, all will be well. We are the rulers of this world and our family is very strong with so many mated pairs! No one would ever think to challenge us for power!"

"You might be right but I have a feeling that we are about to face the greatest challenge of our lives. We've lost so many sons to the opening of other worlds and we've suffered greatly at finding females for our sons, tearing them away from their worlds and forcing them to become mated to our sons. I hope that the only change that comes about is the introduction of female children from Ostramethusias and Cilla."

"Do you remember our first day in this world," he whispered against her ear.

"Yes, it was truly frightening at first. This world is very different from the ones we both came from. Then Ostramethusias changed us into what we are, before giving us our thrones to rule this world. It all happened so fast and then we had baby after baby for centuries. It was sad to see the last of the Others perish but I've always been grateful to Ostramethusias for giving us this life and for holding strong to his own life as the last Other. But now there are two Others with Cilla as his mate. And I have this feeling that they are more than just what we know of Others to be. There is knowledge around us that was never shared with us and since the middleborders are the keepers of books, I am sure they hold many answers to the questions giving me a headache."

"Come and rest, Jacquelle. There is all the time in the world to find out what changes may come. They will not be changes we will endure, this I am sure of," he said as he kissed her raven hair.

Not wanting to show her fear, she snuggled up against her husband and though he readily fell asleep, she did not. She lay there in their bed as she wondered how she was to win any challenges with no magic to aid her.

