Crown of Thorns (Legends and Lovers)

“Dawn of Man? War? Gifts? What gifts, my sparkling personality?” Each of my words dripped with sarcasm.

“Elin, you can no longer live in this fantasy world you created. Night is their time. The veil between the realms is the thinnest then. They would have sensed you in the waning light as I explained a hundred times. Now you must go before they find you.”

Okay, Mom had said some crazy things when I was growing up about a supernatural world. As a kid, I’d thought it magical. As a teen, I’d thought Mom a little more than eccentric and learned to tune out her ranting about things that couldn’t possibly exist. It was easier to nod and agree than to tell her she was losing her marbles.

A sharp rap on the door sounded behind me. Mom’s eyes nearly doubled in size, raising my hackles. “They’re here,” she said.

The knock on the door was louder. In a bid to prove her wrong, I turned and opened it, despite her growing protest behind me.

Full darkness had fallen and whoever it was hid behind an enormous bouquet. “Happy birthday,” the man said as he shifted the flowers to the side. He was an attractive man with a sinister smile that caused a shiver to roll through me. He pushed back his blond hair. “It’s so nice to—”

Before he could finish, the door left my hand and slammed shut. I hadn’t been the one to do it. Mom said, “They’re here!” She turned her head as if she saw someone behind her I couldn’t see. “Fabian,” she called.

The space behind Mom rippled, like water does when you toss a pebble into it. Then a leg appeared out of thin air. I sucked in a breath. This couldn’t possibly be happening. Yet the rest of the man stepped through what could only be described as a doorway of some kind.

He was about my height with an average build and rich-chocolate skin. He wore a pleasant smile completely opposite of the man at the door and, despite his odd clothing in candy-apple green, he didn’t appear to be a figment of my imagination.

“You rang,” he said with a huge grin.

Before I could totally freak out, Mom shoved a bag at me. “Everything you need is in there,” she said to me and nodded at the man who hadn’t been a figment of my imagination. “Fabian will get you to a safe place.”

“Why can’t I stay here?” We’d closed the door on the blond guy, and he hadn’t tried to break down the door.

“They can’t get in, but then you can never leave. More of them will come to break down our wards.”

“Wards?”

She gripped my arms. “You must trust Fabian. He will help you get to where you need to go. And most importantly, you must remember everything I’ve told you.”

I opened my mouth to ask her to clarify. She’d told me so much growing up, I did not know what in particular she wanted me to remember.

Mom let go as Fabian took my arm just as another knock sounded at the door. He shifted to stand in front of me as he opened it. But the flower guy who knew it was my birthday even when I had no clue who he was, wasn’t there. In fact, the street in front of my house wasn’t there.

Instead, a wide-open airport terminal lay in front of me with large windows letting in tons of sunlight as people milled about. Shell-shocked, I stood there for a second. Not only did I have trouble believing my eyes, but I’d also never been to an airport before in my life. I’d only seen some on television. It was Fabian who gave me a gentle nudge forward. Though my feet followed him, I turned to see my mother. She stood with her hand covering her mouth and tears streaming from her eyes.

“Mom,” I cried.

But one more step and we were through. Worst of all, she was gone along with any hint of my home.

“Final call for Flight 2-1-6 to…” rang in my ears from overhead.

The hole that had let us through closed just as quickly and I missed what else the person said through the overhead speakers.

Fabian stood in front of me. “Leave the airport and go to the castle. It’s warded.”

I reached for him like he was my lifeline even though we’d only just met. “Wait. You’re leaving me?”

His smile wasn’t as big as his welcoming one. “I’m sorry, dear heart. But my part in this puzzle is complete. I’ve done my task and will face many consequences.”

Like something out of a nightmare, many arms snaked out of the thin air with ghostly hands and grabbed him.

He looked as alarmed as I felt. “You must go. Get to the castle before nightfall. Follow the signs,” he said, before he was pulled through what I decided was some kind of portal. I just hadn’t reconciled with my mind if I was dreaming or not. People continued to walk with their suitcases like I hadn’t just appeared in an airport.