I keep my eyes on the back of Opalyn’s head as the four of us make our way through a maze of right turns and left turns down barely-lit corridors. A set of stairs drops us deeper into the castle. I will myself to ignore the smell of damp, rotting leaves needling its way into my senses trying to convince me that all of this is very real. Concentrating on ignoring my surroundings, I almost run into Opalyn and Caia who stop in front of a wooden door. Caia pushes the door open revealing a chamber the size of a large dorm room. A dorm room with a fireplace.

  Caia and Opalyn enter the room, but I stay firmly rooted to my spot just outside the threshold. I feel my breathing shallow and my throat tighten. The hallway feels like a dream, but I fear the room is reality. A reality I cannot believe in.

  I jolt forward as two hands land into my upper back.

  Baliella shoves me inside, and swings the door closed with a faint snick. Stumbling in, the stone floor scrapes against my hands as I land on the ground. “What the hell?” I cry as Opalyn gasps and rushes toward me.

  “Baliella!” Comes Caia’s soft, yet sharp rebuke.

  “What? She was just standing there! What if someone saw her acting so strangely,” Baliella retorts.

  “You needn’t throw her to the ground to get her inside,” Caia says, taking my hands in hers to examine my scraped palms. “Not too bad, but we should still clean them.”

  Caia turns and pours water from a pitcher into a metal bowl on a side table, Baliella stokes the fire, and Opalyn searches through a tiny cupboard in the corner. I take this moment to look around the small room. There are three bundles of blankets I assume are their bedding on the opposite wall of the fireplace. The space is sparsely furnished, but seems fastidiously clean. However, the lack of windows makes me feel claustrophobic.

  Caia motions for me to sit on one of the stools surrounding a simple, wooden table in front of the fireplace. She lights the candle sitting in the middle of the table, and dips the cloth Opalyn gave her into the bowl of water before dabbing my scraped palms. Opalyn puts a kettle over the fire, and Baliella picks up a book before moving to the corner. The three young women move about soundlessly without any banter. I worry my presence is causing tension, and I glumly stare at the flickering flame while Caia cleans my scraped hands.

  As soon as she’s done, she passes the metal washbowl to Baliella who slips out of the room. Opalyn sets a chipped mug of tea in front of me and sits across the table next to Caia. The flame from the candle illuminates her beaming, young face. “I’m so sorry we do not have any other tea to offer you. This week’s ration was mint tea. I still had my ration left because mint tea is my least favorite—Oh! But even if it were my favorite I would have still given it to you!” Her look of complete earnestness makes Caia chuckle, but pinpricks of tears begin to form behind my eyelids. I suddenly feel small in front of the generosity of these two strangers.

  I wrap my hands around the warm mug and stare at the tea to hide my emotion. “I’m pretty sure this is all just a dream or some weird hallucination,” I begin, “but I don’t understand why you’re being so kind to me. I’m a complete stranger.” Remembering I’m still wearing Caia’s cloak, I reach to take it off, but she stops me.

  “It is the simplest of magics to be kind to one another.” Caia’s brown eyes are soft, but unwavering. “Besides, this world has enough evil in it already. Keep the cloak until we find you another.”

  Struggling to accept the intensity of their kindness I look down at my lap and offer a humble, “Thank you.” Maybe this is what the dream is all about - a lesson in kindness. If that’s true, I am very ready to wake up. Satisfied I have gleaned everything I need from this bizarre dream, I reach for the mug of tea with the knowledge that people can rarely taste food or drink while dreaming. Giving one last smile as a farewell to Opalyn and Caia, I take a sip.

  The refreshing warm tingle of mint tea hits my tongue. That’s not right. I hack out a wheezing cough as I choke on the liquid. “That—that tastes like mint tea!” I splutter, still gripping the mug.

  Opalyn giggles. “That’s because it is mint tea!”

  “No nononono!” With crazed eyes I look around the room for anything that will prove this is nothing more than a nightmare that will not end. You can’t read words in your dreams. I need a book. Spying several leatherbound books sitting on top of the small cupboard, I squint at the spine of the first volume: Edible Roots and Other Forageable Vegetation. Shit. I read it three more times, and each time it reads Edible Roots and Other Forageable Vegetation. The room tilts off its axis and my mind blurs. I can taste, I can read, my hands sting from falling… This is no hallucination. This is real.

  The mug shatters on the stone floor. I shove back from the table, knocking over my stool. I don’t know when I started shrieking, but I am shrieking. “This isn’t a dream! Where am I? Where’s Patrick? Who are you people?”

  Opalyn’s eyes are the size of saucers as she sits frozen to her chair. Caia stands, lifting her hands, trying to convince me they mean no harm. With a low, soothing voice she says, “This is Castle Breydoch of Glymeria. We are trying to help you. We will not harm you. We do not even know your name.” My whole body shakes as my eyes dart between Caia’s and Opalyn’s. “Would you like to tell us your name?” Caia offers, moving closer bit by bit. I can’t stop the trembling that has taken over my body. Caia slowly places a hand on my shoulder.

  “Don’t fucking touch me!” I scream, shoving her hand away. I feel like I’m drowning. I scream as loud as I can, gasping for breath at the same time. “This cannot be real!” A sickening metallic crack sounds against my skull. A ringing intensifies in my ears before my vision goes black.

  -

  I find myself sprawled on the ground for the second time in one day. At least they moved me to some blankets in the corner instead of leaving me on the bare floor.

  “What happened?” I ask, wincing as I turn my head toward the two people kneeling next to me.

  Opalyn begins wringing her hands, but Caia responds. “You became quite agitated after drinking tea. You seemed to be very confused about being here. I tried to calm you, but you started screaming and…unfortunately, Baliella thought it was best—”

  “You know exactly why I had to do what I did!” Baliella fumes from across the room.

  “It was most unfortunate,” Caia continues, “but to prevent you from drawing notice, Baliella silenced you by hitting you on the back of the head with the metal washbowl.

  “I’m sorry. She what?” I struggle to a sitting position.

  Baliella tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder and storms over. “Look. Caia and Opalyn are trying to help you, and I,” she jabs her chest, “am trying to protect them from you and your chaos.” She thrusts her finger at me and it feels like she’s pointing a gun. “You want to survive here? You stay as quiet and unseen as possible.”

  I open my mouth, but I don’t even know how to respond.

  “Baliella is right, Nina. This castle…the guards…it is just better if we all avoid drawing any undue attention.” Caia says.

  I look at their faces and see a hint of actual fear in each of their eyes. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—wait. How do you know my name?” I turn to Caia.

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  She looks down and tucks a black curl behind her ear. “When I touched your shoulder I was able to intuit it. I didn’t mean to, but it was so strong.” At my look of dumb confusion, she adds, “I’m an ensensor.”

  Baliella gasps. “What Fates possessed you to reveal that to this lunatic stranger?”

  “Because I do not think she is going to tell anyone. She is unaware of where she is - what any of this is. We can trust her, she is not one of them.”

  “Hold on. Backup. An ensensor?” I raise my eyebrows.

  Caia looks at the other two before continuing. “I have the gift of ensensing. It is weak, it has been diluted, but it is there. It allows me to sense certain truths about people if I touch them while using my gift.”

  I lean against my elbows. “Like a magical power?”

  “Yes, it is very much a magical power.”

  A strangled, disbelieving laugh huffs out of me. “Cool cool cool. So there’s magic in this world. Because of course there is!”

  With innocent curiosity, Opalyn asks, “‘In this world’? Do you come from a different world?”

  “Yes. And there is no magic where I come from. None.” I can’t believe I’m having this conversation. I let out a breath. “But since you all believe in magic, then me belonging to a different world is within the realm of possibility, right?”

  “Magic makes many things possible,” Caia nods. “When I discovered your name, I also got a sense that you were connected to another realm.”

  My mind feels like it’s short circuiting. I can’t believe this nightmarish world is real. But then a thought occurs. Anxiety and hope swarm my stomach as my mind begins to race with the possibility of returning to my own magicless home. I’m silent as I gather my thoughts.

  I need to be smart about this. I don’t know how the hell any of this is happening or why, but obviously freaking out about this bizarre reality is not going to help me. For the time being, I will accept this world as real. These three seem safe enough, even if one of them just almost killed me. I’m going to have to trust them if I want to get home… but trust goes both ways. And clearly they have things to hide, too.

  I look at each of them as they study me. “It seems like this castle is not really a safe place.” I make eye contact with Caia. “Especially if you have secrets to hide. Obviously, I do not belong here. I need to get home. My mom is probably worried sick about me. Oh fuck, my mom! And Patrick…I don’t even…” I close my eyes and take a deep breath before continuing. “What I’m trying to say is, I will keep your ensensor-thing secret, but in return I need your help getting home.” Asking for help, especially from strangers, feels foreign, but I know there is no way out of here on my own.

  Caia nods. “We will endeavor to help you in any way we can. Now please, rest.”

  -

  I lay down and close my eyes, but my mind is vibrating on overdrive. I try to cram all thoughts of home into a box and kick it to the back of my mind, but Patrick’s face still materializes before my eyelids. His pale green eyes, his boyish smirk, the tanned freckles across his nose. An ache I have spent years trying to erase swells in my chest. I’ve missed him. I’ve missed our friendship. I embrace him in my mind, and I can almost feel the weight of his head laying on top of mine. I drift to sleep with his memory clinging to me.

  -

  When I wake, I feel even more miserable than before, but I don’t have time to indulge in my pity party because Opalyn is grinning ear to ear holding up a gray woolen dress the exact same as the ones they each wear. I let her enthusiasm distract me from my misery, and I put on the dress over my shorts and top - these three would surely be scandalized if they saw my actual “undergarments”. The dress is a bit snug in the chest and a tad too long, but even though it fits poorly I’m grateful for its warmth. “Any chance you found extra shoes?” I ask her.

  Overhearing the question, Caia turns from her conversation with Baliella and addresses me. “I will try to procure you stockings and boots by tomorrow, but please, come sit with us.”

  I leave Opalyn to her book, and settle onto a stool at the table. Baliella closes her eyes and rubs her forehead, but Caia clears her throat. “We need to discuss the parameters of your stay until we are able to find you safe passage home.”

  “You know how I can get home?” I try to keep my voice even, but the pulse in my neck jumps.

  Caia nods. “I will get to that, but there are a few things you must understand. There are certain dangers that exist in Castle Breydoch, and it is imperative that you do your best to remain unnoticed. Baliella was telling the truth when she explained you need to be as silent and invisible as possible. Particularly outside this room.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not planning on running around the castle while I’m here. I don’t even want to leave this room until I go home,” I say.

  Caia glances at Baliella before continuing. “I’m afraid confining yourself to this room might not be possible without going a little stir crazy. You see, there may not be a way home for you for another four months.”

  “Four months!” I almost shout before remembering to turn my horror into a whispered yell. “My mom has no idea where I am! I need to get home. There has to be another way.” My hope sinks in my gut. I instinctively clutch the small emerald on my gold necklace, and carefully tuck it beneath the collar of my dress.

  “I feel so much pain for your situation, Nina, but traveling between realms is not as easy as visiting a neighboring town. I have neither done it myself, nor know anyone who has. However, I have heard rumors about the possibility. And if the rumors are true, then realm travel is only possible during a double full moon.”

  “There are two moons in this world?” My head hurts and not from being hit with a metal washbowl.

  Baliella rolls her eyes in disgust. “Her ignorance about our world is a danger, Caia.”

  Caia silences her with a look before her dark eyes return to mine. “We only have one moon. A double full moon is when our world experiences a full moon at the same time as your world. We had a full moon last night.”

  “There was a full moon in my world the night I was transported here, too! This is good news, we have full moons once a month!” I struggle to contain my hope. One month is much more doable than four.

  “Yes, well we only have full moons every four to five months,” Baliella says flatly. “We do not even know if our full moon will align with your full moon.”

  My hope plummets, again. “What are you saying? That it could be longer than four months?” Panic swells in my chest. I close my eyes, and force myself to take a long, deep breath into my lungs before releasing it slowly. Opening my eyes, I look at Caia, expecting answers.

  “As I said, I have never seen it done, but we know it is possible because here you are. I plan to gather more information about realm travel from the library and some other sources,” she says.

  “A foolish plan,” mutters Baliella, crossing her arms.

  “While not ideal, it is the only plan at the moment, but we have some time before the next full moon to learn as much as we can. In the meantime, you are now a laundress, Nina. We three work in the laundrette, and I believe it will be the best cover story for you. Not only did we tell the entrance guards that you are one, but it will allow you to receive a daily ration of food and move about the lower parts of the castle in relative safety. You will start tomorrow.”

  I almost hate the way she looks at me. I don’t want her pity. I want to go home. “Again, I’m so sorry about everything that has happened to you. I promise we will find you a way home.” She starts to reach out to me, but hesitates and puts her hand in her lap.

  I smile weakly in thanks.

  “One last thing.” Her tone turns grave. “When you encounter anyone else in this castle, especially the guards, it is of the utmost importance that you do not look them in the eye.” The heaviness of Caia’s warning settles around us.

  I nod, too exhausted to ask why.

  “Here.” Baliella shoves a plate with a slice of bread and three small chunks of cheese toward me. “We split our rations so you would have something to eat tonight.” I blink at the plate, stunned by this surprising act of civility from Baliella.

  While I eat, Opalyn excitedly explains the sleeping arrangements to me. “You’ll sleep closest to the wall, then Caia, then me, then Baliella will sleep at the end closest to the door. You know, since she has protective powers.”

  “Opalyn! You need to learn discretion.” Baliella chastises while rolling out her bedding. I hear the words, but I’m too overwhelmed and hungry to process any other new information.

  I finish the meager meal, then crawl into my sleeping position nearest the wall next to Caia. The fireplace barely glows with embers, and I hope my gray dress will provide enough warmth through the night.

  With my back to the other three, I stare at the plastered wall inches from my face. My hand drifts to my necklace, and I think of my mother. Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I conjure my mother’s presence, and the memory of her soothes some of the pressure knotted in my chest.

  Is she also lying awake worrying about me? Is she organizing search parties? How many times has she called the police by now? Did Patrick tell her I’m missing? Patrick. He has no idea what happened to me, either. Is he even okay? Will I see them again? Will—I slam the vault on my emotions, and squeeze my eyes shut. I refuse to let my fear devour me.

  I’ll find a way home. I have to.