Chapter 3 #2
Small enough to fit in Gerri’s palm, unremarkable except for the way it seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
Tess’s mind immediately began cataloging the object—approximately three inches long, seamless construction, surface that appeared both matte and luminescent simultaneously.
Her brain scrambled for rational explanations.
Some kind of compressed energy device? A miniaturized fusion reactor?
The physics made no sense, but then again, nothing about this day had adhered to the laws of science she’d spent her career studying.
“How does something that size generate enough energy to—“
But Gerri was already lifting the egg to her lips, whispering words too soft and melodic for Tess to decipher. The language sounded ancient, otherworldly, like wind through cathedral stones or water over river rocks. Whatever she spoke, it resonated with power that made the air itself vibrate.
The egg responded immediately, lifting from Gerri’s open palm as if gravity had suddenly become optional.
It began to spin, slowly at first, then faster, until it became a blur of motion that hurt to look at directly.
The air in the small room crackled with electricity, raising the fine hairs on Tess’s arms and making her scalp tingle.
The sensation reminded her of standing too close to lightning strikes—that moment when the atmosphere held its breath before unleashing raw power.
Then the light came.
Blue and white energy erupted from the spinning egg, not harsh or blinding, but somehow alive.
The beams stretched outward, weaving themselves into geometric patterns that expanded until they formed a perfect circle in the center of the room.
The portal—because that’s what it unmistakably was—hung suspended like a window punched through reality itself.
Through that impossible doorway, Tess glimpsed another world.
Snow-covered mountains rose like golden sentinels against an alien sky, their peaks catching light from what appeared to be twin suns.
The snow itself looked different—bluer somehow, as if it had absorbed the color of an arctic ocean.
Purple trees dotted the landscape, their branches heavy with crystalline frost that sparkled like scattered diamonds.
The entire scene was beautiful and majestic and utterly foreign.
This is real. This is actually happening.
“Well, if you’re quite finished gawking, we really must be going.” Gerri’s voice cut through Tess’s wonder like a blade through silk. “Prince Korran doesn’t appreciate tardiness, and I’d rather not test his patience on your first meeting.”
Tess realized her mouth was hanging open.
She’d just witnessed what amounted to a complete revolution in physics, and she was standing there like a tourist at a magic show.
The scientist in her wanted to examine the portal, to understand the energy signatures and dimensional mechanics, but Gerri was already moving.
“Don’t panic in the wormhole,” Gerri said, hefting Tess’s smaller suitcase with surprising ease. “Just relax and enjoy the wonder of it all. Trust me, fighting the sensation only makes it worse.”
Before Tess could ask what sensation she meant, Gerri stepped through the blue circle and vanished as completely as if she’d never existed.
The room fell silent except for the soft hum of energy from the portal.
Tess stood alone with her remaining suitcase, staring at the gateway to another world.
Every rational instinct screamed at her to turn around, walk back to the elevator, and return to her safe, predictable life in Chicago.
She could call Dr. Matthews, make some excuse about the assignment being too dangerous or unconventional.
He’d be disappointed, but he’d understand.
Would he, though?
The grant funding was running out. Her job hung by a thread.
If she backed out now, she’d be unemployed within weeks, scrambling to find work while her savings dwindled and her rent came due.
The stress of uncertainty, of watching her carefully constructed stability crumble—she couldn’t handle that.
Not again. Not after losing her mother and feeling so utterly powerless to change anything.
This is your chance to make a difference. To save someone.
The thought galvanized her. Whatever waited on the other side of that portal, it had to be better than the alternative of failure and financial ruin. She grabbed her suitcase, took a deep breath that tasted of ozone and possibility, and stepped through.
The sensation defied description. Her body became weightless, but not in the way of zero gravity—more like she’d been dissolved into pure energy, every molecule vibrating at frequencies that shouldn’t have been survivable.
Time stretched and compressed simultaneously, seconds feeling like hours while hours condensed into heartbeats.
The wormhole seemed to recognize her cellular structure, cataloging and adjusting, making her compatible with whatever waited on the other side.
Rather than frightening, the experience felt rejuvenating.
Energy coursed through her veins like liquid lightning, burning away fatigue and doubt and replacing them with crystalline focus.
Her mind sharpened until she could feel every synapse firing, every neuron connecting with perfect clarity.
By the time her boots touched solid ground, she felt more alive than she had in years.
Snow crunched under her feet—real snow, though bluer than what she was used to.
The air bit her lungs with clean, sharp cold that carried scents of pine and something floral she couldn’t identify.
Two suns hung in an alien sky, one bright yellow, the other smaller and tinged with blood orange, casting the landscape in light that felt both familiar and completely foreign.
“Welcome to Nova Aurora, dear.” Gerri stood nearby in her designer winter coat, looking completely unruffled by interdimensional travel. She held Tess’s smaller suitcase as if she’d been waiting patiently instead of traveling through a tear in spacetime. “Rather breathtaking, isn’t it?”
Tess looked down at herself—winter coat, black form-fitting slacks, and practical boots. They seemed woefully inadequate for a world of bear shifters, but at least she wouldn’t freeze. Suddenly, the thought of meeting Prince Korran sent a flutter of nerves through her stomach.
Focus. You’re here to do a job.
Gerri stepped onto a neatly shoveled pathway that wound through what appeared to be a small town. Tess fell into step beside her, their footsteps muffled by fresh snow. The silence felt companionable rather than awkward, giving Tess time to absorb her surroundings.
The architecture blended rustic charm with obvious functionality—stone buildings with steep roofs designed to shed snow.
But it was the people that caught her attention.
They moved with a predatory grace that marked them as shifters, their builds more solid and powerful than humans.
And their eyes—every gaze that fell on her carried a weight of assessment that made her skin prickle.
Human prejudice. Great.
She’d never had to deal with species discrimination before. On Earth, shifters integrated seamlessly into human society, but here she was clearly the outsider. The realization added another layer of complexity to an already challenging assignment.
They walked for what felt like half a mile through the town, then another half-mile beyond its borders. The landscape opened up, revealing their destination in all its imposing glory.
Gerri had called it an estate, but the word was laughably inadequate.
The structure rising from the snow-covered ground was pure castle—granite towers and imposing walls that spoke of centuries of power and tradition.
It should have intimidated her, should have made her feel small and insignificant.
Instead, something deep in her chest responded with recognition so strong it nearly staggered her.
That’s impossible. I’ve never been here before.
But the feeling persisted, a sense of homecoming that made no rational sense. The castle called to something primal in her, something that had nothing to do with science or logic and everything to do with instinct she’d spent her adult life suppressing.
What the hell is happening?
“Come along,” Gerri said, picking up her pace as they reached the front steps. “We don’t want to keep the prince waiting any longer. I’m sure he’s very eager to meet you.”
Tess hurried to match her stride, her nerves ratcheting higher with each step. This was it—the most important assignment of her career. The chance to prove herself, to save a dying king, and to secure her future.
But why does it feel like so much more than that?
The massive wooden doors loomed ahead, carved with intricate bear motifs that seemed to watch their approach.
Whatever waited beyond those doors would change her life—she could feel it in her bones, in the way her heart hammered against her ribs, and in the strange sense of destiny that had settled over her.