Page 8 of Their World

“You have different names for your people?” he asked.

I nodded. “Dragons, werewolves, mages, elves, humans, and hybrids.”

“Which are you?” he asked.

“Hybrid,” I answered with a smile. “Because I’m a mixture of multiple races.” Realization hit me. “How did you learn our language?”

“The Grand Advisor found items to teach us and now it’s required for those with higher intelligence to learn, so we are able to communicate with those in your world,” he explained. He seemed like he wanted to say more, but turned away instead.

We continued on, going down a stairwell to the floor below the one we had just explored.

“Can we actually start from the first floor?” I asked.

Dhun barked his confirmation and continued down the stairwell until he reached the first floor, then went down a few hallways so we stood at the front door of the castle. He looked at me and I nodded. “Perfect, thank you, Dhun.”

Turned out there was a room with a throne and seats for Jol to hold audience with his people.

“We haven’t really used this room much since the war,” Zoman admitted.

Hard to hold court with your people when you were trying to simply survive.

As I stared at the throne, an odd sense of familiarity filled me. There were no designs on it, but there were a few mana stones embedded into it. What did it mean?

There were a few rooms that Dhun pushed his head on the door to open and show me, like a large meeting room with a huge table that had at least fourteen chairs around it. Following him up a particularly narrow staircase that seemed to go up at least four floors, we stepped out onto the roof of the castle.

“Whoa,” I whispered as I grabbed my hair to keep it from whipping me in the face. From up here, I could see miles around the castle.

Most of it was burned or dead, a blackened landscape that showed why they were becoming more desperate to find a solution to save themselves.

Far in the distance, I saw several giant demon creatures, like the one that had come through the portal after me that Dad had fought. There were a couple werewolf looking ones, a giant version of the bull-headed demons, and one that looked like a T-rex, but with bright blue fur.

“Do those giant ones ever attack the cities?” I asked curiously.

Zoman shook his head. “No, they are herd creatures and prefer to stay far away. Once, they tried to attack the city, but King Jolmach defeated their leader and the rest fled, never returning.”

“What do they eat? There doesn’t seem to be a food source for them.”

“Other demons,” Zoman answered. “Those who are unfortunate enough to venture into their territory. There are many demons without humanity, with very little intelligence, and they live out there, in what we call the wildlands.”

Being forced to survive by eating your own people? How terrible!

What could I do to help? How could I help them and protect my world simultaneously?

There had to be a way. I had to think of a way. What good was I as a princess if I couldn’t figure this out?

Far in the distance, I thought I saw a glint of green, an aura of life, but when I blinked, it was gone. Had I imagined it?

“Can you take me to a spot that used to be a garden or where plants used to grow?” I asked Dhun.

“There are none within the castle,” Zoman said quickly.

“Is it possible for you to take me there?” I requested. “If you need to check with Jol?—”

“King Jolmach,” Zoman snapped.

“Please? I want to see if I can help,” I explained.

“Help?” Zoman asked and both he and Dhun canted their heads, brows furrowed. “How could you help?”

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