Page 3

CHAPTER

THREE

“Uhm….” I eye the array of instruments on the wall, holding Jamie a little tighter to my side. Either I’ve been a complete pushover and walked into this monster’s house—hovel… cave…?—only to have led us to a super bloody demise, or…. I have no idea how to complete that thought.

I can’t tell if it’s a shrine to a torture chamber or…. Yeah, I’ve still got nothing.

Movement drags my attention from the razor-sharp equipment. The nameless monster—assuming this creature has a name—moves closer, his golden eyes glinting as he notices me staring at the wall of blades and hooks. His heavy footsteps reverberate in the dim cave, and the array of muscles on display only adds to the sense that, yeah, I may have just walked into a death trap.

But then he speaks, his deep voice rumbling through the air like a crack of thunder—and I absolutely do not jump. “Ah,” he says, nodding towards the sharp, gleaming instruments. “You look at my equipment. Yes. It is for farming. And hunting.” He says this like it’s the most natural thing in the world, but I can’t help glancing back at the wall, specifically at a giant scythe that looks like it could decapitate a small car.

Sure, I have a rifle slung over my shoulder, but this looks like next-level Wolf Creek shit right here.

“Farming?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “With… those?”

The giant monster nods solemnly. “Yes. The crops here are… stubborn.” He pauses dramatically. “They fight back.”

Jamie, bless him, pipes up in the awkward silence. “Cool,” he says, his voice small, like he’s not entirely sure whether to be impressed or terrified.

“Cool,” the creature echoes, nodding sagely, clearly proud of his “tools.” “Very cool. In Predator , there are many tools for the hunt. I have… learned.”

Right. I can’t help it—my eyes dart back to the tools. There’s a fine line between “learning to hunt” and “preparing for an apocalypse,” and this guy’s straddling that line like an Olympic gymnast.

Finally, he turns his attention back to us. His expression shifts to something more serious, almost thoughtful. “You wonder… what has happened, yes? To your world?”

I let out a long breath. “Yeah, that would be nice. Any chance you could explain why it feels like we’ve been sucked into a sci-fi movie?”

“I do not know what sci-fi movie is, but I can tell you what has happened. Of course.” He straightens, adopting a stance I can only describe as “heroic.” His arms cross over his enormous chest, and he looks down at us as if preparing to deliver a speech worthy of an action movie climax.

He begins gravely, “The dimensions have torn apart and reformed. Worlds once separate now collide, merging, twisting. It is… a cosmic….” He waves a hand in the air as though shooing away some invisible cosmic dust. “How do you say… clusterfudge .”

“Clusterfudge,” I repeat, trying to keep up. “You mean… like a dimensional explosion?”

His already-bright eyes light up. “Yes! Boom! Explosion! Everything goes—” He claps his hands together loudly, making Jamie jump and my heart pound. “Your world, my world, this world, they have… blended . Just like in The Terminator when machines and humans?—”

“—are at war?” I finish, half-dazed by the randomness of his analogy.

“No, no,” he says, shaking his head. “When worlds are… entangled. Like when Arnold must stop the nuclear launch by?—”

“I don’t think that’s—” I start to correct him but quickly give up. “Okay, so… what does this mean for us? How do we get back home?”

The creature’s face falls slightly, and he shrugs his massive shoulders. “That… I do not know.”

I blink. “You don’t know?”

“No,” he says simply. “It happened before. Many time. I think first twenty-five cycles ago. Just a small sliver of different worlds joining with this one. But do not worry, it will happen again, and I will protect you. I am very skilled. Like Arnold in Commando .” He flexes his biceps, giving us what I can only assume is his attempt at a reassuring smile, complete with two glinting fangs. “You are safe with me.”

Before I can ask how exactly being in a Schwarzenegger movie is supposed to reassure me, Jamie speaks up. “What’s your name?”

The creature tilts his head as if confused by the question before answering in that same dramatic tone. “I am… Solan.” He says it like he’s revealing the secret identity of a superhero. “You may call me Solan.”

I exchange a glance with Jamie, both of us wide-eyed but trying not to let the absurdity of the situation crack us up. It’s either that or start rocking in a corner. “All right, Solan,” I say slowly. “So, what now? We’re just stuck here until the next ‘boom’ happens?”

Solan nods. “Yes. For now, we survive. Like in Kindergarten Cop , we must be prepared for anything.”

Jamie stifles a laugh, and I just sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “Okay, I guess we’re along for the ride. At least we’ve got a bodyguard with big muscles.”

Solan’s chest swells with pride at the comment. “Yes! Bodyguard, protector… much like Arnold. I will ensure your safety, just like Arnold does for his daughter.” He gives Jamie a firm nod. “We are a team now.”

Jamie beams up at him. “Cool.”

“Cool,” Solan repeats with a grin, clearly delighted. “Now, we eat. I shall prepare food, just like in The Last Stand .”

I exchange another glance with Jamie, and this time, I don’t even try to stop the unhinged laugh that bubbles up. I don’t even know where to begin with the movie references. Add in my inability to process what he’s saying about our worlds merging, and it’s likely my only course of action is to ask for hard liquor and a place to crash.

If not for Jamie at my side, I suspect it’s exactly what I’d be doing.

“Please. Sit.” Solan points to a boulder-like seat. It’s covered in some sort of material not dissimilar to reeds.

I urge Jamie over, grateful to sit my arse down before I collapse. My knees are still wobbly, and after the brief, weird description from Solan about what’s happened, I need every bit of support I can get.

I glance at Jamie. He’s tight to my side, eyes wide and head jerking in every direction as he takes the space in. Curiosity is practically vibrating off him. It’s reassuring. I’ll take his keen interest above his fear any day.

While I’m relieved, it doesn’t stop my thundering heart. It’s more than an ache. Any second now, it’s likely to burst free, creating a mess on the dust-free floor that looks like it’s made from some sort of granite.

As I’m assessing the likelihood of my heart giving out, Solan putters around what’s clearly the kitchen area. There’s a tap unlike any I’ve ever seen before made out of black stone. He tugs open what appears to be a heavy rock, revealing an array of items that I suspect are food. The whole time, he’s smiling, sending the occasional glance my way with what I’m sure is intended to be a reassuring nod but could possibly be him sizing me up to figure out how much broth to make that’ll cover my human form.

After making eye contact, I glance away quickly, my gaze snagging on… the fuck! “That’s a TV.” I stand and rush over to what is definitely a TV. It’s an older style, one from maybe thirty years ago with a large back end but a flatscreen.

Wide-eyed, I turn to Solan. “How’ve you got a TV?”

A patient smile is already plastered on his face along with a flicker of excitement in his gaze. “Twenty-five cycles ago, a section of your human world replaced a section of this one in Terrafeara.”

“Terrafeara?” Well, fuck if that name alone doesn’t sound terrifying.

“Yes, Terrafeara is the home of the Glowranth.” He pauses the task of preparing food to walk towards me and the TV.

“And the Glowranth is?”

“The dominant species of this world.” While his tone is still a grumble, there’s a softening to it, as though he’s aware he’s got a lot of explaining to do while I try to wrap my head around everything.

I’m still caught on the whole “dominant species” thing and what that implies about Solan. That means he’s not a Glowranth, right?

“There is a lot to say. We can talk while the small human watches, yes?” He gestures with a hand towards Jamie, who’s paying attention to everything we say.

I know I’m the adult here, but it seems wrong for Jamie to not have as much information as I do.

“Jamie—that’s his name. He’s my nephew. My?—”

“I know ‘uncle.’ Like Arnold in The Kid & I , yes?” His already-bright eyes are practically glowing as he speaks.

I don’t have the heart to say I have no idea. Sure, I grew up watching Arnie movies, but I’m not a hard-core fan or anything.

“O-kay…,” I drag out. “So, yeah, that’s Jamie, and I’m Jack.”

I jump when Solan violently thrusts his arm out towards me, flexing his four fingers. Understanding what he wants, I swallow thickly and extend my hand out to him.

As soon as my palm makes contact with Solan’s, the world spins. It’s not just warmth that spreads through my body—it’s like I’ve been plugged into a live wire. A surge of heat shoots up my arm, not painful, but intense, almost exhilarating. I gasp, my heart slamming against my chest like a drum.

It feels like my whole body is on fire, and for a second, I’m sure I’m about to disintegrate into ash right here in front of him. But I don’t pull away. It’s terrifying, yes, but there’s something else underneath that fear—something almost… right? I don’t even know how to describe it. Like a part of me is waking up that I didn’t know existed.

Solan, meanwhile, goes rigid, his eyes widening as if he’s just been struck by lightning. For someone built like a tank, the look on his face screams panic. But then, in the blink of an eye, his expression shifts, his features tightening into something neutral, almost forced. He tries to retract his hand, but I can feel the hesitation.

“Ah….” His voice cracks slightly before he clears his throat, then speaks again in that same deep, Arnie-like tone. “You are… strong.” The corner of his mouth twitches like he’s trying to keep his composure, but his whole body is tense, and his eyes—those bright golden eyes—are almost… frantic. He lets go of my hand a little too quickly and steps back, bumping into the table as he does. “I mean—very strong grip, Jack.” He chuckles awkwardly, but there’s an edge to it.

I blink, trying to steady my breath. My palm is still tingling, almost throbbing, as if whatever just happened is lingering in my skin. I rub at it absently, my mind reeling. What the hell was that?

“Are you okay?”

Jamie’s voice cuts through my spiralling thoughts, and I manage a tight nod. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine,” I say, though my voice is shakier than I’d like. “Just… tired.”

Solan quickly turns to the food he’s been preparing, making a show of chopping some sort of root vegetable with a little too much enthusiasm. “Yes, food! We eat, and we talk, yes?” He gestures towards a crude stone table in the centre of the room. “Sit. I will bring food. Good for strength.”

I don’t know what’s weirder: the fact that I just experienced some kind of fiery body shock or the fact that this hulking creature is acting like nothing’s out of the ordinary while he’s clearly not okay. But I’m still too rattled to figure it out, so I take the seat he offers, pulling Jamie with me.

My palm still burns, and when I glance down, I notice a small cut I hadn’t seen before. It must’ve snagged on something when we were running from that car-sized monster earlier. The skin around it is red-raw, but the heat radiating from it doesn’t feel like a normal cut. It feels… alive.

I clench my fist, trying to push the sensation aside as Solan brings over a plate of what looks like cold roasted meat alongside the weird root vegetables. He’s still moving with that stiff, too-controlled air, but he’s trying to cover it up with forced casualness. I can’t help but notice how each of his movements seems hyper-deliberate, like he’s focussing way too hard on something.

And how I know that from being in his presence for a smattering of hours is beyond me.

Jamie, oblivious to the tension, digs into the food immediately. “What kind of meat is this?” he asks, his mouth full.

Solan freezes for a second before answering. “It is… rethog meat. Very tasty. Like… your chicken.” He gives a tight smile, but his eyes flick back to me every couple of seconds, like he’s trying to gauge my reaction.

“Right,” I mutter, taking a hesitant bite. It’s actually pretty good, but my focus keeps drifting back to the monster. There’s something about him…. His presence feels different now, more intense, and it’s like the air between us is charged. I can’t help but notice how his skin glows faintly under the dim light, the way his horns catch the shadows, and that his movements—though controlled—still exude power.

My breath catches in my throat again. Why am I suddenly so hyperaware of him?

“Tell me about this place,” I say, mostly to distract myself from the heat still lingering in my palm—and the fact that I feel like I’m being pulled into some strange orbit around Solan. “You said it’s called Terrafeara?”

Solan nods, visibly relieved to change the subject. “Yes, Terrafeara,” he says, his voice falling into a steady rhythm, as if he’s reciting from memory. “It is a land of many species. The Glowranth, they rule here, but there are others—beasts, creatures of all sizes.” His eyes flicker towards me, then quickly away. “The merging of worlds… it has brought confusion, chaos. Parts of your world, parts of mine… colliding with Terrafeara… maybe others too. Like Jingle All the Way when they fight for the last toy.”

“Right,” I say, distracted again by the deep timbre of his voice, the way it resonates in the air. It’s almost hypnotic.

But then my hand throbs again, the heat spiking, and I can’t ignore it any longer. I glance down, and the cut has started to glow faintly. “Uh, Solan….” I lift my palm, showing him the strange light. “What the hell is this?”

For the first time since we sat down, Solan’s mask slips. His eyes widen, and there’s a flash of something—fear? Worry? Longing? He quickly schools his expression, but it’s too late. I saw it.

He leans in, inspecting my palm with more focus than necessary. “Ah… it is… nothing. A small cut. Will heal. Do not worry.”

But I can see his jaw tighten, the way his eyes linger on my hand like it’s something much more than “nothing.” He knows something. He just isn’t saying.

Before I can push for more, Jamie says, “Your world? You’re not from here either?”

“No.” Relief practically pours off him as he gives Jamie his full attention. “This is my home.” He indicates the structure we’re in. “It once belonged in Pyrima, which is my world. It and some of the forest around us came with me. I left everything and everyone else behind.”

Surprise has me sitting up straighter even as sadness penetrates my chest. “And how long have you been here? You said something about twenty-five cycles…?”

He nods, his gaze flicking to mine only briefly before he turns back to Jamie. Discomfort shifts in my gut, which doesn’t make a lick of sense. But fuck if it doesn’t feel, I don’t know, wrong… frustrating, maybe, that he’s not looking at me.

I try to shove the weird-arse feelings away and instead concentrate on what really matters: figuring out how Solan’s arrival likens to ours and what that means for us.

“I think our moon is all the same… the same pattern. One turn is one cycle.”

A cycle is a month?

The heavy thud in my chest hurts, it’s that powerful.

“So two years was when it last happened? When you came here?”

A frown dips his large brow. “Two years when a slice of your world merged, yes. I’ve been here forty cycles. I could find only few remnants of my home.” Sadness lingers in his tone, and the thud in my chest picks up speed, creating a fresh ache behind my ribcage. “But there have been more rifts than that. More soon.”

Understandably, he’s sad, but it’s his acceptance… that he seems not content, necessarily, but more resigned that has me shifting, uncomfortable, and fighting not to rub at my chest.

It’s best I focus on what he knows. If I start thinking about the fact that he’s been stuck here for over three years and fuck knows how many dimensional meltdowns there have been since, I’ll be useless to Jamie. I stare once more at the TV. “There’s electricity here?”

He perks up a little and nods. “There’s a large settlement a quarter of a day’s walk from here. They have markets, supplies, goods from this world and others. It is not the same as the power on your Earth with wires underground and in the sky, but wind and water create the power needed. Energy.”

So the locals, the “dominant species,” know of his existence. He hasn’t been gobbled up, plus they have markets, so that has to mean the Glowranth are an intelligent species. At least I hope I’m not bullshitting myself here.

I tilt my head, wondering at his ability to communicate with them as well as me and Jamie. “How do you monsters communicate with them? With us?”

Solan’s gaze is on me in an instant. As soon as it is, the air in my chest freezes. The golden hue is so vivid that I struggle to look away. It’s only when he blinks and I lose contact for the barest of seconds that I suck in a breath.

“Thraxus.”

Right, I asked him a question.

“He is a Glowranth. Many cycles ago… seven of your Earth years, a section of my world was replaced with this one. Thraxus appeared.”

My eyes widen. Before I can speak, Jamie says, “This is some crazy shit, Uncle Jack.”

A huff of amused agreement escapes me. I reach out, place my hand on his shoulder, and give a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “No argument from me.”

Solan studies our interaction. I swear he doesn’t seem to miss a thing. The whole time, the strange zap of awareness continues to needle its way through my system.

“And this Thraxus taught you the language here?” I ask, pointedly ignoring the weird sensations flooding me.

“Yes,” Solan answers gruffly, pulling his attention away from me and focussing on his drink.

The moment he does, I take a deep inhale. The fresh intake of air helps to settle the vibrations.

“He is a warrior. Taught me how to fight and hunt as well as Glowranthian, the Glowranth language. He is….” He trails off as his gaze snaps back to mine. What I think is the sound of him clearing his throat follows. “He is bonded to Ignis.”

“Bonded as in…?”

“Bonded like Harry and Helen Tasker in True Lies .” He bobs his head, his hair that appears like dreadlocks—but without the knots—moving with an almost rhythmic flow as he does so.

True Lies . At least it’s a movie I remember fairly well. “As in they’re married?” I clarify.

“Yes. Ignis is my sister.”

Surprise has my brows shooting high. So different species of monsters can be together together. And why that’s the first thing I properly think about rather than something more pragmatic like how long these merges have been happening is something I’m going to ignore for a while.

That my gaze falls to Solan’s deep red lips—a couple of shades darker than his skin—and catch on those two fangs that shouldn’t look cute any more than I should be wondering what they’d feel like scraping over my skin is neither here nor there.

“Right.” I nod, forcing myself to look away as I gather my thoughts. I settle on: “And English?” I look at the TV again before adding, “And the TV? How do you get images?” I can’t imagine him getting a signal out here—you know, in a whole different dimension.

Solan stands. His large form fills my view, reminding me how fucking hot kilts are. Technically, I don’t think it’s a kilt, but it looks like wide strips of leather that reveal flashes of the hairless red skin covering his muscular thighs.

Without a word, he turns, heading towards a raw-sawn cabinet close to the TV. He pulls open the door and peers over his shoulder at us. “Here.”

Jamie immediately jumps up and heads over to Solan while I lean to my side to see what he’s showing us.

“Look, Uncle Jack.” Jamie holds up two DVDs. “This one says Conan the Barbarian and this one is Twins .”

I glance again at the TV, eyes roaming until I see the bulky compartment underneath the screen. It’s a TV/DVD combo. And apparently, the only DVDs Solan has access to are from the Arnold Schwarzenegger catalogue.

Solan saying, “Voran was able to adapt the power source to make the TV work,” draws my attention back to him. “Voran is… inventor. He has a store close to the markets. Deals in inter-dimension wares.”

“And this is how you learned English?” Honestly, I’m impressed.

As a smile forms, Solan’s fangs become more prominent, and my breath catches. At the sound, Solan’s expression turns neutral, and he peers at the DVD in his hand before looking at me again. Some of the shine has dimmed from his golden eyes. I miss seeing the luminescence, but I can breathe easier again.

“Yes, with the movies… and Voran speaks the human tongue, and so do Morvex and Rygor. Rygor is a Shadryn and only passes through every five moon cycles. Morvex is a Sigilari, a rune healer.”

A headache is forming behind my right eye. Between the names, the species, the whole Arnie fandom, and, let’s not forget, having a nephew to protect in this dimension that has tank-sized monsters—and plants, apparently—that could happily suck on our bone marrow, I’m close to my limit.

What am I going to do? My sister and brother-in-law must be going out of their minds. Panic slices through me, my eyes widening in horror when a new thought hits me. I rush to say, “When the merge happened, our homes and land were brought here.”

“That is correct.” Solan nods, walking back towards me, a frown appearing above his large eyes, his locks of hair twitching a little.

“What did it replace them with?” I pull my lips together, flattening them. What will Harper and Derek discover when they head home? Jesus, will they…? I swallow hard, unable to finish that thought, the possibilities too harrowing.

Understanding appears in Solan’s features, as does a wince. “Where I found you, it was close to where your world was?”

I draw my brows low. “We’d entered… Terrafeara, yes. Maybe thirty minutes on horseback from our slice of world.” I don’t even flinch when I speak, despite thinking in terms of worlds or dimensions.

“That is what I thought. Your land is red and brown, yes? Flat?”

Jamie answers, “Ours is, yes. We’re in Australia. The Queensland outback. Lots of Earth is blue with the ocean.” He’s still standing by the DVD cupboard, holding two different Arnie films in his hand.

Solan nods. “Hmm… Australia is mentioned in Collateral Damage. But I do not know what it looks like other than the glimpse in the distance where I found you.”

Thank Christ he did, but I have more pressing concerns. Specifically, whether my sister is going to need to save herself and whether the police… hell, the damn military can get there in time. “Shit, hold on. That a TV, a fragment of Earth, appeared a couple of years back, does that mean part of Terrafeara has been on Earth all this time?”

Holy shit. It has to be, right? And if so, how has that been kept quiet? The government—of whichever country the exchange happened in—has to be responsible. They must be.

This is some next-level Area 51 shit, but exchange intergalactic aliens with monsters from another dimension.

“Yes. I discovered the TV in a dimensional transfer. I was with a friend.”

The ache behind my eye builds right along with the pounding in my ears. “Have you seen more humans here?”

Something flashes on his expression that I can’t read before he nods slowly. “Yes. A few times. The last was a female of your species. It was several moon cycles ago.” He darts a look at Jamie before staring at me. My gut sinks in understanding.

I don’t even question how I know from one hasty glance that the woman is dead. Instead, I focus on what Solan knows about what replaced our strip of land. Sure, Jamie’s here, and what we discover, we might not like, but he deserves to know.

Solan’s gaze hardens as he retakes his seat, clearly weighing his words before speaking. “It is one of two areas that replaced your land,” he says slowly, his voice holding a gravity that makes my spine stiffen. “One is not so dangerous—a radioactively peaceful stretch of Terrafeara. The other… could be a problem.”

I force myself to stay calm. He doesn’t mean radioactive, right? As in things that are green and will make me grow a third nipple? “Tell me about the first.”

Solan nods, his expression relaxing slightly. “The first possibility is an area near the queendom’s centre. A well-structured city. Yes, the Glowranth are warriors by nature, but they are also an older society. They’ve built sprawling cities and, more recently, technology based on other species’ developments. But they believe in honour and strength, led by the monarchy… Queen Serresta. They’re aware of dimensional rifts and have experienced them long before I arrived. If your land swapped with this area, the Glowranth would not see it as an immediate threat. They would investigate. Diplomacy might even be possible.”

I blink, absorbing his words. “So, they wouldn’t just… attack Earth?”

“No.” Solan’s voice is firm. “They are not mindless beasts. The Glowranth know that these shifts occur. They would assess the situation. It’s a society with rules, increasing technology, and understanding. They won’t risk war without reason, especially not against another world without knowing its capabilities.”

Jamie, still playing with the DVDs, looks up with a curious expression. “So… the monsters have cities like us?”

Solan nods, glancing kindly at him, while I wince a little at the term “monster” we’ve both been carelessly throwing around. “Yes, Jamie. Different, but yes. Think of towering buildings made of stone and metal, streets that weave through giant fortresses. It’s the hub of the queendom. The Glowranth weren’t skilled in technology until recently—they have some machines and devices, much like your world, but powered through different means.”

Jamie grins. “Like magic?”

Solan chuckles softly. “In a sense, yes. Though to them, it’s more like advanced energy manipulation.”

I let out a breath, feeling a glimmer of relief. “Okay, so if it’s near their”—I hesitate over the next word—“queendom’s centre, we might not be in immediate danger.”

“But….” Solan’s expression darkens again, and my relief fades. “There is a second possibility. One that is far more concerting.”

I swallow hard, assuming he means concerning . “What’s the other option?”

Solan’s gaze flickers, his eyes turning sharp. “The second area your land might have merged with is a Glowranth training facility. It is a place where the royal heirs are sent to train under the head of the royal guard. It’s isolated, deep in the wilds, and used for intense combat training. The heirs who will one day rule Terrafeara are expected to be battle hardened. It’s a harsh place where they learn to fight and survive.”

My chest tightens as I consider the implications. “So, if that training facility merged with my section of the world, then a royal heir and their guard are on Earth?”

“One of them, yes,” Solan confirms, his voice grim. “If that is the case, the guard would view your land’s sudden appearance as a direct threat. They are isolated from the larger society, which means there would be no time for diplomacy. The guard is fiercely protective of the heir, and they wouldn’t hesitate to act.”

I shake my head, trying to grasp the reality of it all. “So, the mo—species here wouldn’t know what happened to the heir?”

Solan’s expression turns serious. “The Glowranth,” he says. “Exactly. They would search for answers. If they discover the section of your world that contains your land, they might suspect interlopers and see you and Jamie as possible threats. The royal guard could use you to try and reopen the dimensional pathways to retrieve their heir.”

Panic rises in my chest. Is that even possible? And if so, from the concern radiating off Solan, it doesn’t sound like it’s a good thing. “So, it’s essential we figure out which part of Terrafeara has merged with Earth. If it’s the training facility, we could be in serious danger.”

“Yes,” Solan agrees. “Once we find out, we will know if you and Jamie may become targets. The royal guard would stop at nothing to find their heir, and you could be caught in the crossfire.”

I glance at Jamie, who’s obliviously inspecting the DVDs. The thought of him being used as leverage sends a chill down my spine. “We need to come up with a plan.”

Solan nods, his golden eyes steady on me. “First, we’ll need to get some rest. Tomorrow, we will return to the location where your home appeared in this dimension. From there, I’ll be able to know which part is missing. We’ll figurine out whether we’re dealing with a peaceful section of land outside of the city or the training facility.”

I nod, determination settling in, barely even drawing my brows together anymore at the occasional incorrect English word he uses. “All right, let’s do that. But we have to be careful. If we’re near the royal heir’s training ground, we could be walking into another dangerous situation, right?”

Solan’s expression softens a fraction, the tension in his posture easing. “I will protect you both. You have my word.”

I manage a strained smile, though my thoughts are still racing. A part of me had been clinging to the hope that this dimensional merge could somehow be undone quickly or that we could figure out how to survive here. But the thought of a monster royal heir and their guard seeing Earth as an enemy? That changes everything.

As I guide Jamie towards a sleeping area, I can’t shake the feeling of impending danger. I am absolutely not cut out for this level of action.

Tomorrow could reveal whether we have allies or adversaries in this strange, monstrous world. Whatever the outcome, I’ll do anything to keep Jamie safe. I just hope my family on Earth can keep themselves out of harm’s way too.