Page 14 of My Fated Minotaur Hero

"Please," I interrupt. "I just ... I need to organize my thoughts."

He shrugs and hands me a notepad and oversized pencil. I immediately start scribbling:

1)In some magical village?

2)I’m talking with a sexy Minotaur (Kalen) – in a towel?!!!!!!!

3)There are more monsters!!!

4)um...How did I get here?

5)How to get home?

6) They have Pancakes??

7) wtf!!!!!

"Feeling better?" Kalen asks, peering over my shoulder.

I clutch the list to my chest. "Not yet. But soon. It helps me think. Structure, you know?"

God, I can feel his heat, he’s so close.

And that primal scent. It’s all pine and leather and just musky goodness.

He shakes his head, with a little laugh, bringing me back to the conversation. "If you say so, sweetheart. Now, about those pancakes—"

I’m about to tell him to stop calling me ‘sweetheart,’ when I realize he means it. There is not an ounce of condescension there. He is nothing like the men I am used to. Definitely not like the professors. I almost laugh. No, he’s an entirely different beast. This time I do chuckle softly at my own pun.

Can you just focus on the situation of being lost in some magical dimension for two minutes, Liv?

Right.

"Wait," I interrupt again. "So, let’s pretend I am not nuts. Just for a second. Though I have to admit, the evidence is beginning to point to my sanity ...You said something about a town? So I am in a magical town, right? Theoretically speaking of course."

Kalen nods, looking a bit uneasy. "Yup, that’s right. Hidden magical Fablewood, home to all sorts of creatures you probably thought were just fairy tales."

I laugh, but it comes out more like a squeak. "Right. Magical, and hidden town. Of course. Why not?"

A thought strikes me. "But wait, is it in another dimension or something? How does it fit into... well, my world?"

Kalen grabs at one of his horns as he considers. "It's... complicated. Fablewood isn't in another dimension, exactly. It's here, in your world, just hidden by powerful magic. We'reprotected by ancient spells that keep us hidden from human eyes."

"So, it's like a secret magical village, like in a bona fide fairy tale? Right here on Earth?" I ask, fascinated and a little overwhelmed.

He considers for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. “Basically, yeah.”

“Then I can just go home? Where are we anyhow, on earth I mean?”

“Hey, not so fast. First of all, I have no idea where you came from. And secondly, as for our protections, the spells and wards are powerful, and while technically they are here to keep humans out, not in, leaving safely would prove difficult, if not impossible.

“What do you mean?”

“Like I said it’s complicated, but ... you know we just had our first human welcomed in, in like forever. Just last week, so it’s hard to know what the new rules are, but um ... it used to be humans were killed on sight in our town and leaving after learning our secret was definitely not an option.

“But I could sneak out then maybe? I mean, if I wanted to ... not that I do ...”

He looks troubled.

---