Chapter Two__Part:1

A movement caught my eye, and I turned to see a group of figures emerging from the shadows. Their eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and I felt a chill run down my spine. One figure stepped forward, his presence commanding and regal. His eyes, a piercing shade of silver, locked onto mine with an intensity that left me breathless.

"I am Kaden," He said, his voice a deep, resonant rumble that seemed to vibrate through the forest."You have entered a realm beyond your own."

I stand there with anxiety rippling through me. I steady my breathing, trying to collect myself. "Where am I? What did you mean by a realm beyond my own?" I made eye contact with the five men standing before me.

They looked at their leader, "So you appear in my kingdom, my land, demanding answers. How foolish of you, my lady."

I stared into his eyes from where I stood. "First, I am not your lady. Second, I don't even know where I am. How was I supposed to know this land is yours? I would be a fool to let anyone, especially a strange man, speak to me with disrespect. So please, can you tell me where I am?"

"How dare you speak to the king that way?!" One of the men spoke with anger.

"King? You are a king?" I asked him.

He opened his mouth, ready to respond, when another man stepped forward. "You dare question my king's authority?"

I stifled a laugh, "OK, seriously, where am I? Did Lily hire you guys to prank me? Where are the cameras? No way this is real," I look around. "Lily! You can cut the crap now, you can come out!"

I am silent as the entire group looks at me with confusion and some with amusement. "Do you really not know where you are?"

I shake my head and make eye contact with Kaden. Panic rises in my chest as the reality of my situation sets in. I place both hands on my head, exhaling deeply as I look around. If this Kaden guy had wanted me dead, I would be by now. Lowering my arms, I walked up to him. "My name is Astrid. I...." I pause, hoping this amulet is not the reason I die. "I found an amulet, and somehow, it brought me here," I just waved my arms, gesturing to the location.

Kaden's gaze softens slightly as he studies me. "The amulet you hold is a powerful artifact. It has been sought after in our realm for a long time. For some reason, it chose you."

I took a deep breath, trying to understand everything. "So what happens now?"

"You must come with us," Kaden said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "There is much you need to learn about our world and your role in it."

"Uh... what do you mean, my role?" I asked, perplexed by his words. I want to go back to my camp with my team. They will wake up soon and start a search party if they don't see me. And I'm not going anywhere with you; I don't even know who you are."

"He is King Kaden, heir to the throne of king..." one of the guys behind Kaden stepped forward.

"I'm going to stop you right there," growls came from behind Kaden when I spoke up. "I get it. He's a king. But I am a woman in the middle of who the fuck knows where surrounded by a group of men. One of them claims to be a king and is telling me that I have to follow him. Did I get any of that wrong?"

"You still don't get it, do you, Astrid," he questioned. "You're not in your normal world now. You are in my world now. This is a hidden realm in your world. This is my kingdom, Rathguard. Come, you will be my guest. And will be treated as such," He looked at his men behind him. They bowed their heads, acknowledging his words.

I took a good minute to look at this Kaden guy and study his face and the faces of the men behind him. "Fine."

One of the men in the back scoffed, "Just fine?"

"On one condition, anyone who touches me will either lose fingers, a certain male appendage that men value, or their life. So, no one touches me, deal?"

They all looked at me with anger, and some looked at me with fear. Kaden smirked, "Deal."

I nodded, my curiosity outweighing my fear. "All right. Lead the way." At this point, I feel like I have no choice. Either I wander around hoping for a miracle, or I go with this king and his overly muscular friends.

As we walked through the forest, Kaden and his warriors flanking me, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of this world. The trees seemed to whisper secrets, their leaves rustling in a language I couldn't understand. Strange, glowing flowers dotted the forest floor, casting a soft light that added to the ethereal atmosphere. My eyes are captivated by the fullness of nature around me. There is a glow in the trees and bushes; could it be some form of bioluminescence in the animals' here DNA?

I watched Kaden as he stole glances at me. His words echoed in my mind: you need to learn about our world and your role in it. It's just another piece of the puzzle that I have to solve. Before, I had some control over being an archeologist. Now, I've been thrown into another playing field with no idea how to figure this puzzle out.

My mind drifts to my team. I hope they are alright. Lily is going to go insane when she realizes I'm gone. Lily and I are two peas in a pod. My students will worry, especially since our deadline is coming up, which can affect their education degree. I have to find a way back. There is no way I will allow myself to get stuck here. Although, my archeologist side can't help but wonder about this world. What is the story behind this? Why is it hidden? Why did this amulet magically transport me? How do I get back? Can I even communicate with Lily? What type of magic is this? I can't even figure the science out for this one.

Someone clearing their throat snapped me out of my thoughts. I see the sun start to make its appearance. "How long have we been walking for?" I look over to Kaden. In a way, he did save me. Had a creature found me, or someone not so kind towards people from other realms?

I yawned; of course, my body was tired now. "How are you holding up?" Kaden asked, looking at me.

"I would give a lot to just sleep and being woken up with an espresso," I laughed. "Haven't had that in almost ten months. These past two excavation trips have been brutal but so insightful. Sorry, I'm rambling. I do that when I'm tired. How long have we been walking?"

His stern face turned into a smirk, "We have been walking for about two hours. Do you need a break?"

"I'm good, why? Do you need one?" I heard a few low laughs behind us. "I'm just messing with you. I'm alright, thank you. I'm used to being on my feet often."

He gave a small smile. "Alright, we'll be there soon. Just another few minutes before we enter the kingdom's town."

We soon reached a clearing where a majestic fortress stood. Built into the side of a mountain, it looked ancient and formidable. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and symbols that seemed to pulse with energy.

"This is our stronghold," Kaden said, gesturing to the fortress."Welcome to the heart of Rathguard."