6. SIX
SIX
STERNWACHT
" I t didn't work!" Fionn yelled. "The vortex threw us to Bavaria. We're still on Earth."
My eyes flew open. "Bavaria?" I wasn’t any good at geography, but I was pretty sure that was Germany. The word hit like a brick. I must’ve misheard, except the look on Fionn’s face said I hadn’t.
Bavaria was a real place. A real country.
I blinked hard, trying to ground myself. My head spun, and my body still felt like it hadn't landed yet.
Despite the distance, Bavaria offered a glimmer of hope, a sliver of possibility that I might escape back home, although I didn't fancy my chances of bagging a free flight home based on this story.
I'd be much more likely to earn myself a free room in an asylum.
Seeing my expression and mistaking it for fear, Cillian clasped me more tightly, bringing my mind back to the real problem, getting away from the brothers .
"Try to stay calm. Trust me, everything will be fine," Cillian said reassuringly.
Damit!" Fionn muttered. "It's taken us back to the Manor of Sternwacht. The Gatemen must have stopped any mortals passing through this world."
"This can't be!" Torin said. "Those bastards don't have that kind of power!"
I listened to them as though in a trance, feeling like I was neither asleep nor awake.
Surrounded by idyllic countryside in the full throes of summer.
I gazed with a sense of surreal disbelief as birds fluttered across a diamond-blue lake, the sunlight bouncing off it like a polished mirror.
Snow-capped mountains rose in the distance, brushing the pristine sky.
I inhaled the rich scent of sun-warmed soil and the faint perfume of trees.
It was all beautiful. Too beautiful. I didn't trust it.
The soft sound of cowbells drifted on the breeze, and sure enough, there they were. Cows. Actual cows. With bells. No fences or anything, just wandering about like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Beyond the trees, a small village came into view, with houses featuring whitewashed walls and dark wooden beams that were so perfect they looked like they had been plucked from a snow globe. At least there was somewhere nearby I could run to for help.
Enchanted by the calm of it all, I almost forgot I'd been thrown across countries in an instant by something I could barely understand.
The Gatemen Order, whoever these mysterious entities may be, had stopped us from slipping into another world. At least I was still in a familiar place, although I would have never believed such a thing was possible had I not experienced it myself.
The relief I felt knowing the brothers weren't completely infallible gave me a tiny flicker of hope .
But I was still far from home. A pang of sorrow overwhelmed me as I thought of Donte and my family. Would I ever see them again? Would I become a face on a milk carton or a news report and vanish into an unsolved case file?
The severity of my situation was at odds with my beautiful surroundings.
I couldn't fail to notice the serenity of the place.
What sort of artist would I be if I didn't see such a thing?
But I knew I had to be careful not to let the beauty of the place distract me.
The danger was far from over, although it occurred to me that if Cillian and his brothers hadn't succeeded in taking me to their destination, they might consider releasing me if they realised that their plans for me had failed.
I felt the flicker of hope inside of me grow a little.
Sternwacht Manor was a gorgeous period home, resembling a royal abode, its imposing towers reaching towards the sky, adorned with intricate carvings and steep gabled roofs that looked more like a Bavarian castle than a typical home, nestled against the gentle curve of a hill overlooking a picturesque lake.
Beautiful lawns and gardens in full bloom surrounded it.
Everywhere I looked, marble fountains dotted the landscape, giving the place an almost majestic feel.
"We'll go to the Manor of Sternwacht and decide what to do from there," Fionn commanded, striding toward the house.
He didn't look back, confident that his brothers would follow his order.
They did, and I, too, found myself walking towards the Manor of Sternwacht .
It wasn't like I had much of a choice. If I didn't follow, I'd simply be carried there at best, and at worst, well, I didn't want to think about that yet.
As we walked toward the Manor of Sternwacht, I admired its graceful beauty. I knew I should focus on trying to spot an escape route, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. The place was straight out of a fairy tale, and I let my gaze linger along its elegant lines .
"Who are you? Are you nobility?" I asked, pulling my eyes from the building just long enough to glance at Cillian.
"This is one of our homes in this world," he replied,
Torin, who overheard, glanced back at me over his shoulder, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"Impressed? Come in and enjoy all the pleasures that Sternwacht has to offer. Our wealth is limitless. Misbehave, and we might send you to the dungeon," he said, a suggestive smirk tugging at his lips.
I glanced at him in alarm. Cillian cast his brother an irritated look and smiled reassuringly.
"Torin, you're acting no better than a child yourself. Stop frightening Tilly. I can see her trembling."
Torin merely grinned with a dismissive attitude that rankled me. Of the three brothers, he seemed to be the youngest and, indeed, the most immature.
“If Tilly acts like a frightened human now, wait until she discovers the fate that awaits her."
Now, I was starting to feel insulted. Who was Torin to treat me this way? He cocked his eyebrow at my offended expression.
"Don't take it personally. Humans, in general, are merely playthings to me. They have little intellect and offer even less of a challenge. You, however, are different. You're destined for a great purpose; if you're fortunate enough, you'll share that destiny with me."
Although I knew Torin was teasing me for his amusement, I thought it best not to respond.
I had no idea what the brothers’ true intentions were, or what destiny Torin referred to, but the thought of what else they might be capable of only unsettled me more.
Seeing that his mockery caused no reaction, he hurried to catch up with Fionn .
As Torin drifted ahead, unconcerned and whistling a tune that seemed wildly out of place given the surrounding tension, Cillian leaned in.
"Take no notice of my brother. Torin is always like that. He finds amusement in chaos. Don't let him get to you."
Despite his words, Torin's whistling lingered, a carefree melody that seemed to mock the seriousness of our conversation.
We crossed the emerald-green lawn toward the front of Sternwacht Manor.
The delightful tinkling of fountains eased some of the tension curling in my chest. I inhaled the heady perfume of roses.
I glanced at my watch, but it had stopped around the time I’d been ambushed on the road. It only felt like an hour ago I was thinking about Donte, but by now, it could have been anywhere from minutes to days for all I knew. How long had I been gone?
Cillian led me toward the vast, arched entry flanked by lush vines. “Don’t worry. I’m here with you. I promise no harm will come to you.”
His voice was calm, too calm. He probably rehearsed the line a hundred times before. The words barely registered over the sick twisting in my stomach.
Fionn and Torin stood a few feet away, speaking in low, urgent tones. Their gestures were sharp, animated. When Torin stopped and turned to leer at me, I realised they’d been talking about me.
I took a step back, pulse hammering.
"Why are you looking at me like that?”
My voice broke halfway through, but I didn’t care. I wanted answers.
“Because you look strange but beautiful to us," Torin said, looking me over like he would a menu at a five-star restaurant. “We were discussing which one of us you'll bind to.”
I felt sick. Not from the words, though they were vile enough but from the way he said them. Like I was a prize. A novelty that he could play with.
I clenched my fists, trying to steady the tremor in my hands.
Cillian shot his brother a warning look, but my stunned gaze was directed only at Torin.
“Which one of you I'd choose?” I asked. “I don’t know how travelling through other dimensions affects your minds, but I can assure you that if you think your method of kidnapping women is any example of your behaviour, then superior is far from what you could remotely consider yourselves.”
I straightened, pulse still erratic but voice steadier now. “You want a choice? Here’s mine: I choose none of you.”
Rather than be insulted by my words, Torin seemed to find them a playful challenge.
“You can argue all you like, but you'll be obliged to bind to one of us sooner or later.” he said, voice smooth and maddeningly patient,
“Then you’d be my last choice! I’d rather wander the Earth for the rest of my days than be treated like a prize heifer!”
Torin laughed, but his eyes shone dangerously. Beside him, Fionn stood coldly watching. The more he watched, the more uncomfortable I felt in his presence.
Cillian stepped in front of me and glared at his brothers.
"Enough! We have enough to deal with. The vortex has thrown us far from our destination, yet we bicker! We have greater things to be concerned with."
"This isn't the time for a challenge, Cillian," Fionn said, his voice dangerously low and commanding again. "Tilly will choose one of us, and if she doesn't, she'll meet her unfortunate fate."
"What fate? Why must I choose?" I snapped, moving away from Cillian. The way they were discussing me as though I wasn't here irritated me so much that, for a moment, I forgot about the danger I was in and let my anger show.
"I've had no choice from the moment you kidnapped me. I've had enough of all of this twisted bullshit."