Page 40 of Threads of Fate

I sit up and put my hands on his chest. I look around and see the bags off to the side. I start to feel his hands slide up the thighs and to my hips before whatever is holding us stops. I crack my knees into the stone floor. I let out a pained grunt while poor Kreed let out a wheeze. I quickly scramble off him and try to help him up. He shakes his head at me and rolls to his side, struggling to bring air into his lungs. I start laughing at him which I know isn't nice but this is hilarious. My scrawny ass knocked the wind out of this burly ass redhead. I would have thought there was too much muscle surrounding his lungs to do such a thing.

I’m still laughing when Kreed is able to get up. He cracks his neck before he slowly turns to me. The look on his face screams retribution. I squeak and my giggles sober up.

“I, uh, apologize for that-” He heads toward me, like a predator stalking his prey. His wicked smile makes my heart trip over itself. I back up while talking, “unfortunate turn of events. Just know, I’m glad it was you and not me.” I hit the wall and laughed loudly. Kreed lunges for me and I dart to the side trying to hold my giggles in. I can hear Kreed chuckling as he chases me. I see a door and I book it outside. I come to a screeching halt.

Kreed skids to a stop, almost pushing me over. He wraps his arm around my waist to stop me from falling forward.

“The tree’s are blue.” I look around, stunned. “Kreed, the leaves are blue and teal but the trunks look like birch.” Kreed snickers behind me. I hold tightly to his arm that is wrapped around me.

“Yes, S’rella. This world is very colorful. You should see the animals and marine life. It’ll blow your mind.”

“Why?”

“Why what? See the animals?”

“No, the color. This is beautiful and amazing.” I pull away from him and spin around in circles. Taking in everything. Like a kid at Disneyland.

“Magic I guess. We’re not sure why but that’s the running consensus.” I walk around and stare in wonder. I see some birds flying around that are vibrant greens and pinks. Like flying neon signs. “Come S’rella let’s drop your bags off at my house.”

“How does the portal know to pull the bags to the side?”

“Magic.” He states like that explains everything. “Making the portals is a complicated process but think of it like a…” He scratches his brow thinking of how he can explain it to me, “a code on Earth computers. There is the portal to send you wherever but it has a subcode for certain specifics. Like is it alive? Or is it an inanimate object? The magic sorts it and places the object where it needs to go. Just like how we didn’t fall to our death. Usually you just step into the gateway and you land on your feet.”

“Right.” I drag out, sort of understanding his comparison. “And why didn’t we jump feet first?” Kreed slowly tilts his head to me, a devious smile on his face and then just shrugs. Shrugs. I roll my eyes and start our journey to wherever we are going. Kreed waves his hand around and a breeze flows around us. Then I notice my roller case and backpack floating on the breeze toward us. He grabs the backpack and throws it over a shoulder and grabs the large case by the handle. Just holding it like it weighs nothing.

I follow Kreed down the cobbled path. Why is the portal not in town? Trees surround either side; blues and teals take over. The green coloring the grass is almost black. The colors and contrasts are mind boggling. Small birds of bright green, pink and yellow flutter through. The sky is blue so that’s familiar. I notice red mushrooms hanging out in the shade of the trees. Rabbits with little antlers. The bugs are enormous. I watched a butterfly flutter by and it was the size of a dinner plate.

What in the rabbit hole did I fall into? Large fluffy bumble bees bumbled around the meadow we passed through. It was gorgeous. Taking in all these new plants and animals was dizzying. I look over at Kreed and I find him watching me. I beam a smile at him.

“This is amazing, Kreed. Beautiful. I don't think there’s a word good enough to explain the beauty of this place.”

“It is gorgeous. I’m glad you approve. It’ll make your stay bearable at least.” He says. I roll my eyes.

“This is not a hardship so far Kreed. Unless you plan to kill me. Then, that will be problematic.” He shakes his head and grabs my hand. He seems much more comfortable around me than he has all week. Maybe it’s because he is home after being gone for years. Though, I think it’s because we are finally out of my house. A house that I spent all week crying in and being a complete psychopath.

The path took us to a small town. Rolling green hills sat in the background. The houses were made of gray and tan stones. Some with thatched roofs and others with tile. They sat behind on either side of what looked like the main street and shops. Cobbled streets lined with flowers of every color. Wide sidewalks were placed along the other side of the flowers, pushed up against the stores. Then the shops, so many little shops. All of them with doors wide open, the smell of bread and cookies. Some stores had clothing racks sitting outside with dresses and flowing pants. Other racks held leathers. There was so much to take in. My head darted from store to store taking in everything I could. People wandered up and down the sidewalks. Kids played Jacks. Jacks! On the sidewalks. Maybe waiting for their parents to finish shopping?

Kreed brought us to a stop in front of an open topped carriage. That was floating and it looked like it was floating on hopes and dreams. He slides the roller case in and climbs up. He turns around and holds out his hand.

“What happened to ‘ladies first’?” I ask, grabbing his hand. He heaves me up and into the carriage.

“I figured you would appreciate a pull up rather than me pushing you up the stairs by your rear. Your bags are heavy and figured you would, maybe, need help.” I nod while starting to remove the bags from my back. I set them on the seat and groaned, stretching my neck. Kreed taps the front of the carriage a couple times, saying ‘Gallen Manor’ and it jerks into motion.

“Come here.” Kreed says, tapping the seat next to him. I look between him and the seat.

What does he want?

I move over and Kreed turns my body away from him. Then, he starts massaging my neck. Oh, gods, this is amazing. I stare at the view, taking in all the colors. I have never seen so much color in one place. Or maybe I have but this is new? Or more vibrant? Different?

“Is this your carriage? Or did we just steal one?”

“It’s like a taxi. There are several of them around. You just tell them where to go. When they arrive at their destination they just linger. If one wasn’t near, I would have called for one. We were lucky.”

“Huh.” Magic is hard to wrap my head around. “Is the whole world like this? Vibrant and beautiful.” I ask and a soft moan of appreciation escapes me. Kreed grunts and pauses his attack on my neck and shoulders. He continues again when he starts talking.

“Everywhere I have been. There's only a few islands of Bathaile I haven't been to.” He digs his thumbs along the muscles of my neck. “There is much color and life. Peace. Well, until some world decides to try and conquer us. They haven’t learned that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. They just need to cultivate their grass into what they want.” I turned to him.

“Like Earth? They tried the same thing with the shadow realm, at least that’s what Aavin says.”

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