Page 24 of Expose Me

Zey was sitting in the exact same spot I’d left him when I went off to sleep land.

“You scared the crap out of me!” I chastised as I set the knife down on a bedside table and held my hand to my racing heart.

“I have not moved” was his helpful response.

“Yeah, well ... whatever.” I stretched.

“You leaked while you slept.” He looked at the pillow I’d been using, and I followed his gaze to find a patch of drool.

I quickly flipped the pillow over and wiped the corners of my mouth. “That’s a totally normal human thing. Happens to everyone. What time is it?”

His lips quirked, amusement showing briefly in those strange eyes.

Before he could answer, there was a knock at the door and we both stood, my knife back in my hand.

Sabrina poked her head in, and I relaxed.

“Only me,” she said with an understanding smile before slipping into the room. She was carrying a basket with a checkered tea towel over it.

“I brought dinner.” She held the basket up. “I’d invite you to eat with us, but the fewer people know you’re here the better.”

“Of course.” I took the basket from her. “I completely understand. Thank you so much.”

“In the morning, I’ll give you a ride into a busy town where you or I are less likely to be recognized, but we should leave early, before anyone is up.”

“We’ll be ready,” I assured her.

With a nod and a curious glance at Zey, she left.

I unpacked the contents of the basket onto the desk under the small window—a roast with gravy, vegetables, mashed potatoes, and little Yorkshire puddings. Delicious!

The hills surrounding the castle were bathed in warm afternoon light, the shadows long. I’d slept half the day away and woke up starving and, somehow, tired again.

“Start from the start,” I demanded around a mouthful of creamy mashed potatoes.

“A portal opened in Vuulectus many years ago.” Zey stayed on the bed, telling me his story as I stuffed my face. “Nothing came through it, and we deemed the risk too great to try ourselves. Until about one year ago, when something did come through it. We are unused to dealing with other species, unintentional mistakes were made, some people died.”

“Where does the portal lead to?”

“A story for another time. All you need to know is that our leader made the decision to keep our distance—for the safety of our people. But the ones on the other side of the portal were more curious, more persistent. A small number of Vuulectians disagreed with the True Leader’s decision to not engage with this new world.”

“Let me guess—Lineg Legion?”

“Precisely. They saw an opportunity to deal and trade with the new world, and did not consider the safety of everyone else, of our way of life. They became greedy for power and resentful of our leader.”

He paused and I glanced over to find him frowning at a spot in the distance. He looked sad and angry, and I waited patiently for him to continue.

“I was an advisor to the True Leader. We had been friends from an early age. Several days ago, we were walking through a remote area, an afternoon of leisure after several days of visiting those who were unable to bring their concerns to the True Leader in the capital. We were attacked by the Lineg Legion. They killed the True Leader, nearly killed me also. They had some kind of magical shield—provided by the new world, I’m sure—that prevented the Onuei from being released and finding the one worthy of becoming the new True Leader.”

I’d stopped eating. I was full, but also riveted by his story of betrayal and intrigue.

“Unable to go to the worthy one, the Onuei seemed to ... tear a hole in space and time itself. They somehow opened a new portal, disappeared through it, and hid themselves until they could be found and returned safely to Vuulectus. I followed them through the portal, and you found me not long after I managed to evade the one Lineg who was well enough to follow me.”

“Clearly, more of them have come through now.” I sighed. Zey nodded. “So, they’re after the Onuei too?” I awkwardly shaped my mouth around the unfamiliar word.

“Yes. They are desperate to find them so they can force their power into their leader—an unworthy one who will only use it to manipulate our people. But they know I am here, trying to return the Onuei to their rightful place, and they will hunt me just as desperately to stop that from happening.”

Great. I groaned on the inside, wondering if anyone else wanted to join the party. I mean, his people and mine were already after us; what’s another couple of dozen?

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