Chapter 3
I knew it had to be a dream. I just knew it.
That was undoubtedly the strangest and most vivid dream I had ever had.
What insane things our minds could conjure, acting them out as if they were real.
In fact, dreams were merely our subconscious trying to impart lessons, right?
That had to be all this was—a lesson of some sort, a message from within my deep subconscious.
I snuggled deeply into the most luxurious silk sheets I had ever touched, their softness cocooning me in an utterly blissful embrace.
In fact, I felt so comfortable that I refused to open my eyes in hopes of prolonging this moment of pure physical pleasure forever.
My hand glided over the silk, caressing it like a lover, and I wondered when I had last experienced such deep, restful sleep.
As I pondered this question, a realization hit me like a brick wall: I had never slept comfortably before. Not once in my entire life.
This was not my bed.
Jolting into an upright sitting position, my eyes adjusted to the faint golden glow emitting from the iron lanterns lining each wall. The room was red… Overwhelmingly red.
I had been laid to rest on a dark wooden four-poster bed.
Its wine-rouge drapery had been stretched taut, creating a tent-like enclosure.
The sheets, pooling in my rigid grasp, were made of the finest crimson silk.
Beneath me, a hefty ornate maroon rug cushioned the hardwood floor and across the room stood an antique armoire, its wood polished to a deep sheen.
The dramatic colouring of the space was overwhelmingly intimidating to say the least. Yet it wasn’t what captured my attention.
No, the room’s style felt as if it belonged to another century, another era.
Medieval, perhaps? I wasn’t exactly sure.
Though, this decor was unlike anything I’d ever seen on Earth.
Earth.
I haphazardly threw the blankets into the air and leapt out of the bed. My feet sunk into the fluffy rug, which felt as soft as butter between my toes. However, ignoring the lush sensation, I jogged toward the door to my left, only to find a bathroom as elaborately embellished as the bedroom.
So, I strode toward the only other door in the room—the one parallel to the bed. That was when I noticed it: an intricately carved floor-length mirror standing in the right-hand corner of the room. In its oval reflection, I caught sight of myself and could hardly believe my eyes.
Someone had dressed me in a sleeveless red ball gown.
The dress’ bulbous skirt colourfully shimmered as thousands of tiny white crystals reflected the shine of the nearest lamp.
It tightened firmly at my waist before enveloping my chest in an elaborately designed heart-shaped neckline.
Dozens of gems and many layers of scarlet lace had been arranged along the lining of my chest and extended down the bodice to give the illusion of rouge foliage.
My usually messy chestnut hair now cascaded in gorgeous beach waves down the length of my exposed back, brushing against the skin of my waist. A loose piece had been pinned neatly above my ear, secured with a diamond-encrusted barrette.
Hanging around my nape was a necklace of pure gold, and… was I wearing makeup?
What the hell…
I lifted the shiny locks away from my face, pulled roughly at my cheeks. My narrowed eyes inspected the woman leaning forward and staring back at me.
Who the hell is that? And what the fuck is she wearing?
However, once I established that the reflection was indeed my little old self, I shifted back to the task at hand.
Escape.
My heart pounded like thunder in my chest as the adrenaline coursing through my body caused me to tremble uncontrollably. Still, I made my way to the exit, though I had no clue what lay beyond.
Be brave.
The door was made of mahogany brown wood, reinforced with black wrought iron. My first thought was that it looked heavy; my second was a flicker of concern. What if it was locked? There was no way I could break it down by myself.
However, to my surprise, when I pulled the latch on the handle, it opened with a loud creak.
All the pent-up breath I had unwittingly been holding in my chest released in one huge exhalation. “Yes!” I quietly cheered, but that joy quickly gave way to uncertainty. I had no idea what lay beyond this door. The room had no windows. I could be anywhere. Maybe even in Goddamn space again.
But I had no choice. And so slowly, I pulled the latch toward myself and crept through the narrow crack. Thankfully, I discovered I was not within the depths of outer space; I was in the hallway of a castle.
White marble adorned the walls and floors, gleaming brightly with polished perfection. Along the corridor, the same golden lanterns were arranged in a neat row, emitting a mysterious yellow light that flickered like fire, yet softer and more languid.
I must have shifted my head left to right at least a dozen times before summoning the courage to leave the confines of “my room.” Fortunately, no signs of life were visible in the hallway, so I slipped out, careful to leave no trace.
What now?
My mind raced with anxiety and doubt. What would happen when I stepped into the unknown? What if I encountered some unearthly being? I had no idea how to defend myself against, well, an alien.
Though, before my apprehension had the chance to take over, I boldly made my move. I closed the door behind me. The faintest squeak echoed in the stillness, and I held my breath, standing as still as possible, waiting for a reaction from something, anything. But the hall remained silent.
Exhaling through my nostrils, I raised my chin to the sky and thanked whatever God was out there.
Now, I could turn left or right. Both paths seemed equally daunting, but after a moment’s hesitation, I chose the right, praying that my gamble would somehow bring me good fortune.
Hurrying along the olive floor-length runner, I clutched the fabric of my gown in my hands, lifting the material to my knees as my feet scurried hastily along.
As I rounded the first corner, a squeal rang from somewhere behind me, sending a shiver of needles up my spine. I whirled around to face the sound, my heart thumping against the bones of my ribs as I scanned the dim corridor for any potential threat.
Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead as another faraway clang caused my entire being to flinch.
Hesitating, I crept backward, making the grave mistake of losing track of where I was stepping. That was when I collided with something solid, stiff, and very much alive against my back.
Petrified to my core, I froze in place, becoming a statue of my own creation. I had already encountered two alien lifeforms on the Celestial Voyager… What if this creature was even more sinister?
Panic surged through my veins as I felt a warm breath flutter over the hair on top of my head.
Oh no, this one is massive.
Visions of a grotesque warthog snout or a towering lizard creature flashed through my mind, and I even imagined a gigantic centipede slithering over my shoulder.
As I trembled in place, too frightened to shift or move in any sense, a gravelly male voice broke through the silence.
“That room… It’s a bit too red, wouldn’t you say?” He thoughtfully remarked.
Confusion crashed over me as I turned to face the speaking man.
“I know, ironic—all things considered.” He chuckled as he gestured to his shoulder-length, wavy auburn hair with his index finger.
A brilliant, cocky grin spread across his cheeks—a dazzling, toothy smile on an ordinary human face.
Oh God, thank you.
He was human. I couldn’t believe it. In all the scenarios I’d conjured in my mind, this was the last one I expected.
As I took in the sight of him, I noted he was tall, though not overwhelmingly so, about a foot taller than me. His bright blue eyes sparkled like the ocean, and his nose perked up like a perfectly sculpted ski hill.
The mysterious man wore ragged brown leather armour that criss-crossed over his chest, and beneath it, thousands of brown freckles dotted his pink skin.
“Y-you’re…” I stammered, struggling to find any words as I absorbed each one of his features.
“Gorgeous?” he quipped, raising his eyebrows up and down playfully, wearing the same stupid grin across his mouth. “Ah, thank you, but unfortunately, I’m not the one you’re betrothed to.”
My dumbfounded smile, which I had only just realized was plastered across my unbelieving face, dropped. “Wait, what?”
“Come on now,” he commanded, his large muscular hand gripping my upper arm. His long fingers nearly encircled my bicep. “Everyone’s waiting.”
The reality of the situation sobered me like a bucket of ice-cold water splashed directly onto my face. I thrashed against him, beating his arm with all my might, but it was futile. He was dragging me down the hallway as if I weighed nothing, as if I were a mere inconvenience.
“Stop! Let me go! You—you—” I shrieked, trying my best to kick at his shins with my pointy kitten heels.
The bastard halted and turned to face me. His eyes narrowed as he scanned me, nostrils flaring. “Ah, she’s a fighter. Good. You’re going to need to be.”
With that, he squatted and hoisted me over his shoulder as if I were a sack of potatoes.
Still, as we passed through nearly identical corridors, I pounded my fists against his back, but he didn’t even flinch.
The bastard was easily twice my size, if not more.
My lack of weight, weapons, and skills was very much apparent at this moment, but then, as I scuffled within his arms, my gaze fell to his belt.
Blades.
With each step he took, I shifted myself just a little, intentionally shimmying my hips, sliding further down his back, my arms stretching as far as they could reach. My fingers nearly grazed the hilt of one of the many knives strapped to his side.