Page 2 of Traveler (Soulbound #1)
Aly
Throwing My key s into the Dish next to the door, I walk into my kitchen to get a glass of water. And grab a cold piece of pizza, I forgot to eat today, and I think my stomach is eating itself. Taking a deep breath, I walk upstairs to my parent's bedroom and sit on the edge of their bed.
Nights are the hardest. You go from Your parent's voices telling You dinner is ready, the TV playing, dishes rattling, smiles, laughs, and then.... Nothing. The silence is a shitty reminder that not only are You grown up, so this is normal, but even if You wanted to call them. You can't. See, this is what I mean: the sun goes down, and I'm a walking ‘I need therapy’ sign. I love laying in here, I can’t bring myself to actually sleep in here or move my stuff in here. Mainly because I can still smell my mom’s perfume and I’m not ready to give that up. Pulling myself from my regularly scheduled pity party.
Looking into the Floor-length mirror across from me I notice something at the bottom of the mirror. I climb off the bed and realize it's a box under the bed. Bending down, I see a wooden box with a lock on the side. Reaching out, I grab it and pull it towards me.
What the hell? I've been over this room a million times, Mom and Dad's accident. I've never seen this before. I place the box down, pick up the ring on my mom’s dresser, and flip through the keys. Most of these are keys I recognize from Mom's jewelry box and the safe in the closet with all of our passports, birth certificates, and socials—the key to her bedroom. I have no idea what the last three are for, though. I've tried every door in the house and looked into the idea that Mom had a safety deposit box, but nothing. I find a key that look small enough to fit and place it in the lock. The lid from the box pops open.
Looking into the box, I see a bunch of photos I don't recognize. It's of my mom and a girl who—h oly shit on a stick. There are two of them.
I mean, okay, I'm aware there aren't actually two of her, but since when did mom have a twin, and where is she? Looking through the rest of the photos, I see family photos from my mom's childhood and what I can only guess are from college. I try to remember what school mom said she went to, but cant. It's beautiful, like 100 times prettier than anywhere I've seen. The colors are more vibrant, and the architecture is unlike anything I've ever seen. After flipping through the photos, I look around in the rest of the box. A necklace I’ve never seen sits at the bottom. It’s a golden plate with small constellations embossed on the edges. My mom’s birthstone, a sapphire sits in the center. It’s beautiful. The only other thing left in a box is a smaller photo of my mom dad and 3 other guys. I take everything from the box and decide I need to sleep. This is just way too much.
Making my way down the hall, I grab the bag I sleep in from by the door. Weirdly enough, after falling asleep with a book during the whole coup dream, I found out that whatever I'm holding comes with me. Trust me, Haunting Adeline was not an effective weapon, minus the skull on the front. Ninety percent sure at least five people thought I was a Satanist.
Since then, I have slept with a backpack with some essentials since I never know how long I will be somewhere, recently, I've added some more personal Stuff: A change of clothes and my combat boots, which usually go with any society without being too noticeable, a knife, a picture of my parents, mom's letter and a small purse of some coins that belonged to my mom there are a few different types, In a few of my dreams I've needed money and some of the coins matched that place, weird I know . But remember we are ignoring that . I throw the pictures and the necklace into the bag and head to the bathroom to wash my face and braid my hair.
While I don't want to think Mom was right, how stupid would I be to completely ignore it and end up stuck and leave behind the one thing that contains answers? And before You say it because I know you’re judging me, yes, I am aware that all signs point to my mom being right and most definitely not crazy. But sue me, how awesome would this all be true. I mean? Traveling different realms, the whole multiple mate's thing, doesn't hurt either. Mom may not have been down with that, but this girl has been reading reverse harem books for years and having my own sounds awesome if I do say so myself. But if we are keeping tally of how my luck runs, dead parents. No more family, no boyfriend. (Apparently, talking to Yourself in Your head and laughing is considered weird).
Currently, the tally is cruel joke-3 Aly- 0.
I change into a Brown skirt that hangs to about my mid-calf, it’s flowy and soft enough that I can fall asleep but modest enough not to get me arrested in case I find myself in another mid-evil town. God, I hate those. Its way to prim and proper for my liking . I pair it with a tank top and a white sweater.
Climates are weird and trying to find outfit’s that can work no matter where you find yourself is hard, but I've got it mostly figured out. In my bag I have leggings and shorts and a T-shirt case. That, combined with a skirt and the sweater, I’m pretty much covered unless it's snowing like last night. Thankfully, I'm not entirely above borrowing someone's stuff.
Grabbing the bag, I pull it over one shoulder. To most, it looks like I'm getting ready for night classes, but nope, I'm the weirdo who sleeps with a backpack and fully clothed. But hey, at least I'm prepared. God, I sound Insane. Groaning, I lay down on my side and pull the blanket up. It’s been a long day, and I am ready to do something that doesn't involve adulting. Closing my eyes, I let the dreams come.
***
I'm Laying Somewhere soft when I feel someone kick my side softly. “Ehm, are You just going to lay there all day, or can we get to the” I let out a scream and throw myself backward, opening my eyes to see the blue-haired girl with crossed arms staring at me with a slight smirk her lips
“—The part where You scream. Great, now that that's over, let's get going. We don't have all day, and we have a lot to talk about since you decided to spend the last three months ignoring me and pretending like I don't exist.” She rolls her eyes and looks at me expectantly.
“Uhm. I don't know what You're talking about. Who are You?” I ask, feigning ignorance. Remember when I said the last thing I needed was this girl deciding to talk to me if I wasn't ready? Yeah, well, welcome to my own personal hell.
Cruel joke-4 Aly -0.
“Alyssa, we don't have time for this. I have a lot to get through and not enough time to do it. You and I both know that I'm Your guardian. My name is Vivianne, and playing dumb will get You nowhere. You have questions; I have answers. What neither of us has is time, so get up, come sit over here, have some coffee, and let's chat, shall we?” she says, shaking her head. I thought fairy godmothers were supposed to be nice.
Grumbling, I sit up and look around. We are in some sort of room with tall ceilings. I'm lying on the bed while Vivianne stands near a small table with a coffee pot and cups. Climbing off the bed, I make my way to the table and sit slowly in the chair.
“Great, now how about we get started? I will give you a brief rundown You are going to wait until I'm finished, and if I leave anything out after I'm done, you can ask away, and I'll tell You anything You need to know. Kay?” Giving her a small nod, she continues
“Cool, so as I’m sure your mom told you, You're a traveler. The gods designed travelers to help balance the need for mates in other realms. Your mother decided to forgo her calling, which was her choice, and You will also have the choice to do the same. Your mother had five mates, and she only married one, Your father. You may mate with all or none of Your mates, but the choice is ultimately Yours. We are in a city called StoneBrooke, where You will attend the academy where You will find Your mates. You have until the equinox to find and complete all of the bonds. Otherwise, the goddess will grant them the opportunity to meet a different mate. You following along so far?”
I nod.
“Unfortunately, we have to give You a fake Ish background because No one can know You're a traveler, so no blabbing to your mates that you're a traveler until the bond is complete. You know, for Your protection and all that good stuff.” She waves her hand and takes a drink of her coffee. I open my mouth to ask a question, and she gives me a sharp glare. Okay, then I guess she wasn't quite done.
“Like I said, you will have Your turn. You shouldn’t run into anyone who will want to hurt You for being a traveler here. However, the chances aren’t zero. The gods have decided that it's better if your mates find out later to avoid anyone with, Ill intent. However, few there may be in this realm. Now for the jaw-dropping stuff. This is an elemental fae realm, as this was Your mother's original realm, she grew up right here in stonebrooke and actually attended the academy. You do have magic. You will have to learn to use it as well as the additional powers gifted by the gods to all travelers. We aren't sure what yours will be, so we will have to test for that later. As far as money goes, before your mom left here, she had quite a lot of money that is now yours, however, I'd like to wait to get that account set up until after we have taken care of a few things. your enrollment has been situated. We just have to get Your dorm set up before tonight. Classes start in two days, and I will attend the school with you to help you in any way you need. Now it's Your turn.”
Staring at her, speechless, I open and close my mouth a few times. My mother's original realm? Elemental magic? Special powers? Holy shit . My head starts to spin as the world goes black. The last thing I hear is Vivianne groaning out, “Dear Gods, do not faint “
***
Rolling over to feel for my phone to turn off my alarm, I freeze. Patting the - Floor? I realize I'm not in bed, and my alarm isn't going off. What the fuck. Sitting straight up, I look around, and God damn it, Vivienne is still here. Leaning against the wall spinning a fucking knife! “What the hell is happening?”
“What’s happening is You can't control Yourself and passed out, which wasted more time than we have now. Can you pull it together? Ask your questions so we can head to the school to get You situated and ready for classes to start?” She raises an eyebrow
“Okay, let me get this straight. You're my Guardian?”
“Yep.”
“This is my mom's original realm.”
“Like I said. Yep.”
“I have powers.”
“Yeah, is there a question anywhere? I already told You all of this.” She Snaps
“How many Mates do I have?” I ask, pursing my lips. This girl has a severe attitude problem.
“Seven. But the potential for more if you decide seven isn't enough.”
“I'm sorry. WHAT?! “I jump from the floor and start pacing seven mates. SEVEN. How would anyone be able to handle seven people? I Pause. “Did You say more if I decide seven isn't enough?”
Rolling her eyes, she sets down her mug. “Yes, Alyssa, remember the whole piece about this being Your choice? You have seven needed matches to make this ‘successful,’ so to speak, but there are additional options that you have been matched with should You like them and decide You would like to add them to Your little harem. Now, before You freak out, like I said, you can choose none of them or all 11 of them if You want. This is completely Your choice.”
“How will I know who is my mate? “I ask in a small voice. I know I said I would love a harem of my own, but let's be real here. Eleven mates are WAYYYY too many men. And not going to happen. But then again…No! Not Happening, Aly pull it together.
“It’s pretty simple. Take a deep breath and close Your eyes. “Giving her a weird look, she rolls her eyes and says, “Look, I get it; You're overwhelmed, but if you hadn't taken so long to talk to me, I could have been preparing this whole time. That didn't happen, so now I have to get You ready for classes and settled in less than two days.”
“You could have talked to me. This is in fact a two-way street.” I snark.
“No, I in fact could not. Until you reach the realm the gods have designed for you, I’m barred from involving myself and or interfering with your life. So, no its not a two-way street. You just need therapy. Now could you please-“ she waves the knife up and down at me.
Giving in, I take a deep breath and close my eyes. “Great, now search inward. You should see colors. That's your magic. Most people find it in their chests, some in their stomachs. If You focus closely, you should see silver strands leaving Your magic. Those are Your mate bonds; as the relationships develop, they will shift colors from silver to gold. Those ties link You to Your seven mates. When You get close to Your mates, you will feel like You're being pulled to them.”
Holy shit, this is real . There is a swirling ball of colors right where she said it would be, extending from that, I see 7 Strands of silver. I let myself think about this for a second. If I'm honest, this is everything I've ever wanted. Sure, maybe I wasn't expecting the whole magic thing, but a Harem, a family, answers. Fuck it, I can do this, and like Vivi said, if I don't want all or any of the bonds, that's my choice. If I'm honest, knowing I have a choice makes me feel much better. It makes me feel mildly powerful, but I'll leave the power trip for later.
When I look up, I see Vivianne smiling at me. “I'm Glad we're past the whole freak out and straight to the fun thoughts. Now, let's go. We have to get to the school and get You checked in. Just wait till You see the campus; it's pretty kickass if I do say so myself.” She smirks and grabs my hand to yank me out of the chair.
She leads me down a hallway to a door that leads outside. When we get to the door, she stops and looks at me. “Look, I know this is a lot to ask, but keep in mind You aren't supposed to be here, so over the next two days, I'm going to be feeding Your information. It's important You remember it. We can't have anyone suspecting You're not from here. And to make sure that doesn't happen, we can't have You wide-eyed and amazed at everything you see out here. We have to go through a portal. It's exactly how you would imagine a portal looks. It won't hurt You. When we walk up to it, you need to pretend You've done this a million times. Kay?”
I give her a small smile. “I can handle that. Thanks for the warning, uhm, but just one question. If someone asks where I'm from, what do I say? “
“Oh! Right, well, we will get to that later. For now, no one should ask.” She says, avoiding looking at me. Before I can say anything else, she yanks on my arm, pulling me out of the door.
I freeze. Holy shit, this place is stunning. All around are tall trees, and all of the colors seem so vivid. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was on drugs . Wait. Am I? Taking stock of how my body feels, everything seems normal. But I've also never done drugs, so I could be and wouldn't know. But I'm not entirely sure that's how drugs work.
“Dear god, Alyssa, remember what I said? You have to act like You've seen all of this before,” Vivianne hisses through a clenched smile.
“Have You ever tried to act sober when you're drunk? That's how I feel right now.” I say, trying to school my features and smile, though I'm almost positive it looks more like a grimace.
“That's how You look . Can You just act like a normal person for like 10 minutes? You can freak out behind closed doors.” She says stiffly
Walking down the main road, I look around. There are small shops and lots of people walking around with their parents. I assume shopping for the upcoming school year. A pang of sadness hit’s me as I remember that my parents aren't here. God, when did I become this emotional?
Pulling myself together, I smile and try not to look around too much. Nothing screams, ‘I'm not from here’ like a head on a swivel. When we get to the end of the street, I see a few people standing next to a swirling wall. It's beautiful. Imagine someone takes all of the photos of the northern lights and shoves them onto a wall that, my friend's, is a portal, well, at least what it looks like.
As we approach the portal, Vivianne looks back at me and gives me a pointed look that I ignore. I turn my head slightly to seem unfazed. Ha! See, I can look normal. As that thought goes through my head, everyone standing by the portal gets the show of a lifetime as the biggest butterfly I've ever seen, and I'm not just talking about abnormally large. No, this thing is the size of a damn frisbee flies directly into my face.
“AHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!” I screech, batting my hands, trying and failing to get it away from me. About halfway through one of my swats, I fall straight onto my ass. Dead. Silence. Then, as if on cue, everyone starts laughing, including Vivianne. Shooting her a look that I hope lets her know that I hate her, and I hope a giant monster butterfly eats her face off. This, of course, only makes her laugh harder.
“Oh, my Gods! Have You never seen a butterfly before?” She says while bent over, holding her stomach and wiping literal tears from her eyes
Standing up, I brush nonexistent dirt from my legs. “Of course I have, normal-sized butterflies. That thing was huge. And not normal.” I mumble, sniffling lightly.
“God’s help me. Come on, we are going to be late.” Viviane says, rolling her eyes with a smile on her face.
She takes my hand and leads me through the portal, which was somewhat underwhelming. It literally felt like walking through a doorway. Where was the spinning and nausea that everyone describes in books?
Liars.