Page 6 of Quest for her Knights
“I’m going to give you a book to take with you. It might give you some ideas,” she says, giving me a wink before continuing her perusal. “Ah! Here it is.” She pulls a blue book off the shelf and hands it to me.
Turning it over, I read the title:Hiding for the Holidays.On the cover is a picture of a woman surrounded by three men. My eyebrows rise, and I look up at her smirking face.
“Elora, you’ve read a lot of romance, but I don’t think you’ve ever actually read reverse harem before, have you?”
“I’ve heard of it, obviously, but you haven’t carried any before.”
“It’s got a huge audience in ebooks, but there isn’t much market for it here. That’s the first one I decided to carry, I thought it'd be a good Christmas read.”
“Dang,” I say, skimming the back cover as we head toward the rear of the store. “It sucks that I’m leaving and won’t get to read any more of them.”
“I have a feeling you’ll be experiencing the real-life version anyway. You’ll be able to write your own book.”
“Ohh,El and the Eligible Bachelors,” I say with a smile.
“OrElora’s Medieval Men.”
“Eli and Her Dirty Dudes.”
“Elora: The Realm-Jumping, Romance-Loving Girl and Her Super Hot Harem.” I laugh as she places her palm on her office door, the light flashing out just like it did last time.
She pushes it open as I suggest another title. “Elora: The Woman Who Missed Her Best Friend So Much She Had to Sleep with Fifty Men Just to Stop Crying.”
“That’s a terrible title,” she says, turning to me. When she sees my eyes watering, she swears. “Dammit, Eli, come here.” She pulls me into a tight hug, and we stand there for a minute as the enormity of the situation hits us.
“I’m going to miss you so much, Aribella.”
“I’m going to miss you, too, more than you know. You’ve been my only friend here.”
“You’re sure you can’t come too?” I ask her hopefully.
“No, the barrier doesn’t let me through.”
“Do you have to do this for the rest of your life?”
She shrugs as she leads me to the other door. “I guess so. It’s not like I got a rulebook or anything. I’m just figuring this out as I go.”
We both watch as she places her palm on the door, and light shoots out. When I open my eyes, she’s turning the knob and pulling it open.
“It’s really dark in there,” I whisper.
“I love you, Elora. Take care, okay? If you ever meet someone named Freya, tell her I’m sorry for drugging her and sending her there unknowingly. And don’t go into the woods on your own, ever.”
“What? Why?” I ask nervously.
“Because you don’t want to run into any trolls or ogres. Love you!”
My eyes widen at her words as she nudges me forward. I step through the doorway but turn my head back, my gaze locked on hers as she gives me a sad smile and waves before slowly closing the door.
The second it shuts, the place I’m in becomes draped in darkness. I spin around slowly, waiting for my eyes to adjust. I see a flickering light and wait as my surroundings become clear.
Stone walls surround me on three sides. Some sort of old cot sits in the corner, and in front of me is a wall of metal bars.
Hells bells. I’m in a dungeon.
Chapter three
Blaze
