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She nodded. “What do you plan on doing in my world?”

He laughed then, a dark, cold laugh that set her nerves on edge. He seemed genuinely amused, as if her question surprised him.

“Freya?” he repeated again. “You’re from Freya?”

Alex frowned at him. “Of course I am! That’s what this is all about!” His amusement seemed to increase, and in a voice full of uncertainty, she added, “Isn’t it?”

He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he said, “When I first saw you appear in that forest clearing, I felt the power within you. I was certain you were who I’d been seeking for so long.” His voice was contemplative and he seemed lost in his memories. “You were clearly affected by my presence and because of that, when you claimed never to have heard of Akarnae, I presumed you were merely simple-minded and forgetful. It was of little consequence to me; I didn’t need you for your intelligence, I needed you for your power.”

Alex opened her mouth to object—tosomuch of what he’d said—but he continued before she could speak.

“When I saw you fall out of the waterfall painting, my belief in your power was confirmed. I realised then that you were indeed Chosen, but I didn’t for an instant wonder if you might be Called as well.” He shook his head incredulously and his eyes focused once more. “My, my, thisisa surprise.”

She took a step backward at the dark look on his face. But he was still gripping her arm and didn’t allow her the distance.

“As to why you think I’d want to visit your disgusting world, I don’t know. There are far too many humans in Medora as it is.”

Humans? Did he say humans? As if he wasn’t one himself?

Alex felt dizzy. She looked at Aven, reallylookedat him, until she connected the dots between what was in front of her and the unforgettable image she’d seen in a book many months before.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

“You’re not human,” she said. “You’re Meyarin.”

“Very good, Alexandra,” Aven praised mockingly.

It explained everything. His beauty, his grace, why she found it hard to resist him—even his speed and strength. It also explained what he was after.

“You’re not looking for a doorway to Freya, but a way through to Meya, aren’t you?”

He didn’t answer her, and she knew she was right.

“I heard the city disappeared thousands of years ago,” she said as he started pulling her down the corridor and opening doors at random. She was pleased when some of the doors opened to even more corridors full of doors. His search would hopefully take time—time in which someone would surely notice that she and D.C. were missing.

Again he didn’t answer her, so she continued talking. “Why do you need a doorway to go there, anyway? If you’re Meyarin, you’d have to know where your own city is, right?”

Aven opened another door and smiled in triumph. “Perfect.”

He stepped over the threshold, dragging her with him. Inside was a small stone cell with no exit other than the doorway they’d entered through.

“I thought I had to give you permission to walk through the doors?” Alex asked. If he could get through them on his own, why did he need her?

Aven gestured for Gerald to bring D.C. in while he pulled something out of his pocket. In the dim light Alex saw that it was some kind of shiny wire, and she started struggling again, certain she wouldn’t like whatever he meant to do with it. She tried to pull away but he was too strong. She kicked out at him—which he dodged easily—and aimed a punch at his too beautiful face.

Aven’s speed was astonishing and he easily caught her hand before it made contact. He pursed his lips with irritation, yanked her forward, spun her around, and drew her arms tightly behind her back. She hissed as he pulled on her sore shoulder and she realised that she was overdue for her next dose of painkillers.

Aven deftly tied her hands together with the wire before he forced her onto the grimy stone floor and bound her ankles. Then he grabbed D.C. and positioned her to sit back to back with Alex on the ground, locking their hands together behind them and trapping them in place.

“Come, Gerald,” Aven commanded, starting towards the door.

“Hey, wait a minute!” Alex cried. “You’re just going to leave us here?”

“I have neither the time nor the inclination to babysit you while I conduct my search,” Aven said. “Don’t worry; I’ll be back as soon as I find what I’m after.”

“But—”

“Until then,” he interrupted, “I feel the need to apologise, Your Highness, since I doubt these accommodations are up to your usual standard. I’m afraid it can’t be helped, considering the circumstances.”