The Bridge Between Worlds
Chapter Eleven

As Regina stepped out from the portal, a sense of familiarity filled her being. This was the place, she could feel it. She wasn’t alone. Queen Aleia, her father, Aunt Glint and the warlock they called Arcano, stepped from the portal as well.

“This is the place,” she said, never looking away from the horizon. “I cannot say how I know this, but it will happen soon.”

“I trust your vision,” said the queen, touching Regina’s shoulder. “You would not have seen anything if it were not true.”

“What prisoners in the dungeons?” Regina asked, glancing down the sand line. “Anyone dangerous?”

“Probably townsmen who had too much to drink,” her father replied as he stood to her right. “We haven’t had many threats in some time.”

“In the event we cannot stop it, will the walls hold?”

“They have recently been rebuilt with new materials. They will stand.”

Regina nodded, “I don’t think I have ever been so scared in my life. Not counting my nightmares . . . As a child.”

“You are not alone,” said her aunt. “We have been blessed with a warning and we will stop whatever comes this way.”

As she spoke, the ground trembled. As it has in Regina’s vision. They group clustered together, waiting for everything to still. And when it did, Regina immediately looked to the horizon.

“Wave,” said the warlock as he pointed to where Regina was looking.

“Would a force field be strong enough,” asked the queen; she was scared, Regina could tell by the tone of her voice.

“Perhaps, if Arcano and I conjured it together,” replied Aunt Glint.

But Regina was already at the end of the shore. She heard someone call her name, but she didn’t turn to them. She couldn’t. She stood facing the ocean as her winged flapped at an increasing rate. Her feet were no longer touching the ground. She held out her palms, slowly pointing them upward. As she did this, her body rose in the air.

“Stay behind me!” she shouted as the water rose higher than she had ever seen in her life.

She was not in control of her body, and yet she was in complete control. She looked neither to the left or to the right. Her sole focus was the rapidly approaching wave. The tsunami would bring massive destruction to the world she was growing to appreciate.

The gentle groan of the earth surged through her fingers. The sensation was strong. She could feel the pull of the wave as it drew in more water. It grew in size and decreased in distance. It was as if Regina was seeing it in slow motion. Time seemed to stand still as she understood what she was about to do.

“Arcano, Twileigh,” she said, speaking in a voice she knew they would hear; she didn’t know how she was doing it, she was just doing it. “Mark the sand with a line between you and the sea. Everyone must stand behind. You need to act quickly.”

Many seconds passed before she heard someone beneath her say, “Done.”

The wave would be upon them any moment now. Regina took a deep breath as she drew her elbows toward the sides of her body. Turning her fists over so her palms were facing the ground below. She imagined she was pushing an invisible force. Power burned through her body as she closed her eyes.

In her mind, Regina saw the line in the ground. She saw the wave. She saw the storm which would follow. Then, as if shoving a person in the chest, she pushed her hands forward. She sent the power away from her. It felt like a rubber band being stretched to the point it might snap. Dark clouds formed, but quickly became nothing.

Swirls of missed wrapped around gusts of wind and fought to keep the wave subdued. It felt like an eternity as the two wrestled the other. But in the end, her power was the victor. The rubber band snapped. The power Regina had sent out returned to her. An invisible force his her with the impact of a Mack truck. She gasped as her wings froze in shock. She fell to the ground.

“Regina!”

Regina only stare at the sky as four figures stood over her. But she could not see their face. Her arms and shoulders felt heavy and limp. Having spent all her energy, the world around her seemed to collapse. And she blacked out.

* * *

When Regina opened her eyes, she was on a recliner. She did not recognize the room. But it was exquisite. The walls were a bright, peach color. Floor-to-ceiling windows were draped with light, pink curtains, with gold trimming. The floors were marbled, much like everywhere else, with an occasional white, furry carpet. To the far end of the room was a canopy bed. Silky, magenta curtains were tied at the bedposts. The covers and pillows were white.

“Oh, good. You’re awake.”

Regina turned to the doorway and smiled.

“What are you doing here?” she asked as Victoria ran to her and grabbed her shoulders.

“A really cute guy named Kalib came to get me,” her sister replied, hugging her tight. “Her said he was sent by your father and that you needed to see me. You knucklehead. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here?!”

Victoria pulled away and slapped Regina’s shoulder, but she knew it was in jest.

“It was sudden,” she explained, sighing as she slowly sat forward. “Beth sent me to that woman, Shana, and she sent me to some place to meet with a portal keeper so I could replace the Brothers Bortælus. I was getting more answers.”

“And your father is one of these brothers, I presume?” Vic asked, sitting beside her. “I met him, briefly. If he hadn’t smiled at my arrival, I would be been intimidated. You look a lot like him.”

“Did he tell you his name?”

“He introduced himself as ‘Regina’s father’,” Victoria shook her head. “Why, what’s his name.”

Regina replied, “Inanis Bortælus.”

The white of her sister’s eyes grew wide.

“That makes so much sense,” she said, nodding. “So, he visited you when he was younger and now you’re getting to know him.”

Regina snorted, “You’re taking this really well.”

“Oh, I’m brimming with jitters, but I’m holding back. Did you notice any changes since you got here? Manifesting and all that?”

“Did no one tell you?”

Victoria shook her head and Regina went on to explain the past week’s events. Her awestruck expression brought much amusement. When Regina mentioned having wings, skepticism crossed her face.

“What wings?” she asked, glancing over her.

Regina’s hand flew to her shoulder and sure enough, they were gone.

“I’ll have to show you another time,” she said with a sigh of disappointment. “I suppose I still need to learn how to unfurl them at will. It was quite a surprise to wake up to, but I think flying is my favorite part in all of this. Apart from meeting my father and having you here.”

“Here is right!” Victoria exclaimed, throwing her arms up as she stood and circled in the room. “This place is bigger than my house!”

“Your living room is bigger than my entire apartment, you goof!”

“Which means you have totally upgraded. I know I haven’t known you all my life, but this place is perfect for you.”

Regina smiled, “I can agree, and I haven’t even been to Xiphis yet.”

“Oh! Do I get to go there too?”

“I would love for you to come along,” she replied as her sister rejoined her on the recliner. “Vicki, there’s something you need to know. But I don’t know if I can tell you yet, if at all.”

“Then don’t tell me,” said her sister, patting her on the hand. “Find your way, figure everything out and if you think it is something I should definitely know, then you can tell me. I know you would tell me right away, if you felt you could.”

Regina sighed in relief. “I appreciate that.”

“Of course, Regina. Anyway, talk to me about Kalib. He’s handsome, huh?”

“Everyone here is a fifteen on the hot scale. But I feel I should not grow fond of anyone here. It seems, my place will be in Xiphis.”

Victoria nodded, “I understand. At the very least, you can rest assured he found you interesting.”

“I agree. It would be quite a first.”

“Sis, you have revealed some rather shocking details to me. I would like to reveal a shocking detail about me.”

Regina blinked, “You’re coming out of left field, aren’t ya?” she snickered, shoving her sister in the shoulder.

“Yes, far left field,” her sister snorted, lowering her voice. “Until you’re more comfortable telling me about your past relationships and other related topics, I have decided to tell you a secret.”

“Oh, I think I know where you’re going with this, Vic.”

“Then don’t interrupt and let me tell you.”

They exchanged a goofy smile. Regina, again, motioned for her sister to continue.

“I’m not a virgin,” whispered Victoria, pressing her lips together and shrugging her shoulders. “And yes, my first time was with Wyatt, because I genuinely thought he was the one to pop the cherry with. I’m glad he knew what he was doing.”

“Ugh, stop; spare me any more details,” Regina complained as her cheeks flared hot.

“My suspicions are confirmed.”

“What?”

“You’re still a virgin.”

She snorted, “I am not going to tell you if I’m a virgin or not.”

“Aren’t you, though? Your face is red as beets, Reg.”

“Because I don’t talk about this subject so openly.”

Regina grabbed a throw pillow and whacked Victoria in the face. She gasped, taking the pillow and getting her back. The play-fight went on until Victoria began asking questions about Regina’s stay in Anerathia. She didn’t go into explicit detail, but she humored her. They eventually went to the balcony to see some of the sights.

* * *

“We will forever be grateful for what you’ve done for this country,” said Queen Aleia as she and the king waited with Regina at the portal entrance. “Please, if there is anything we can do for Xiphis, do not hesitate to make contact.”

“Of course,” Regina replied, nodding. “And thank you for your hospitality. Especially given the fact I am a stranger in your world.”

“You’re not a stranger,” King Auro shook his head. “You never were, Lady Regina.”

Her father appeared with Victoria tagging along. She was writing on a notepad and asking him questions. He didn’t seem the least bit annoyed. Quite amused, in fact.

“If you are born of the Æmienix,” he was explaining. “Magic is in your blood, no matter which country you are born in.”

“Would that mean I could, potentially, have magic in my blood?” Victoria asked, her pen never ceased scratching the page.

“Essentially, that would be the case?”

“Does Celestial blood have magic?”

“I do not know the answer to that one. I suppose you will replace out soon enough.”

Everything passed in a blur as Regina was ushered into the portal, without much time to bid a true final farewell. A few moments later, she stood between both her sister and her father. Before them was an audience of five people. Three men and two women. The two women were, possibly, twins, identical twins; blond and blue-eyed. Slender and feminine, but visibly athletic. The three men, however, couldn’t have been more different. The first had ginger hair and brown eyes. He stood taller than the rest. The second and third were similar in height, but they were polar opposites. While one had lighter, brown hair, the other had deep, thick red-brown hair. But their eyes were both green.

“Lord Bortælus,” said the man at the center. “You are welcome. You and the young ladies. Please, introduce us to the one they say is Regina.”

Regina’s father extended his hand to her and she stepped forward.

“Allow me to present to you the Lady Regina Bortælus, granddaughter of Derek and Bethany Heartsword.”

“Why are you not named Heartsword?” asked the first of the two women. “Speak, Regina.”

“I was given my father’s surname by my mother,” she replied, hoping she conveyed the same authoritative tone as the woman.

“The other young lady,” said the second woman with a turned-up nose. “Who is she?”

Having just been introduced, Regina wasn’t sure she wanted these new people knowing too much. Not yet.

“Someone I trust,” Regina explained, hoping her sister would catch the play. “I could not have survive the last few months without her. I would have been alone.”

“The way you speak,” went on the first woman as she stepped forward. “It is as though you were raised in our culture. Is this so?”

“No, I was not raised to know the Xiphis ways. But if you wished to teach me, and give me the chance to learn, I can promise my capacity will please you.”

The women glanced at each other, and with the first gentleman. The two men who had remained silent stepped forward.

They spoke with a single voice and said, “We will teach you our ways. We see that you have the strong Heartsword spirit and we will not turn you away. However, you will be alone. Lord Bortælus and the other young lady must leave.”

The statement Regina odd. Something felt off. She wasn’t sure what it was, but didn’t feel right.

“This was not the arrangement,” her father protested, placing his hand on her shoulder. “She is still my daughter. I will not leave unattended.”

A minor argument arose as he tried to reason with them. Whomever they actually were. Regina glanced at Victoria. She wore a thoughtful expression. She was figuring it all out and what it meant. Regina was sure of it.

“May I say something?” asked Victoria, raising her voice above the clamor.

Everyone fell silent and the first woman motioned for her to speak.

“We understand Regina’s involvement in your world is vital,” said Victoria, clasping her hands together. “That much is clear to me. I do believe in personal choice and any decisions regarding her person should be made by her, and her alone. We also understand your ways have been as they are for many years and it is difficult to break tradition. I wish to ask if there is such a thing as inter-dimensional diplomacy or perhaps there is a council of neutral opinion, which can stand as judge to this argument. Surely, there is, yes?”

Regina gave her a look, which she returned with a knowing smirk. Her lips moved and Regina heard the whisper. Only she could hear.

“I understand.”

* * *

“What does all of this mean for me?” asked Victoria as she waited with Regina for the Council of Five to return. “If you’re the next in line, does that make me a lady-in-waiting?”

“No, you’re Princess Victoria,” Regina replied, shaking her head in amusement. “How did you reach the right conclusion?”

“Aunt Beth sent you to the Shana woman. You didn’t come back, so I went to see her and she explained, in very limited detail, what you spoke about. She never mentioned royalty or anything. I asked about the Æmienix and she told me to go see . . . I don’t remember his name. But that is where I started asking questions. One thing led to another, Kalib showed up. After I started hanging out with your father, I asked all the right questions. Kept my ear to the ground and absorbed any information I could get. You would be surprised how many times people say ‘bloodline’, ‘Heartsword’, and ‘royalty’ around here.”

“Ah, yes. They have been saying that a lot, haven’t they. Listen, Vic. I need you to promise me you won’t reveal who you are to anyone. At least, not yet. My father knows and he will protect you. But our mother died protecting you. Don’t let her death be in vain.”

“My lady, you my word.” Victoria sighed and stuck her fingers into the roots of her hair, shaking it out. “So, what do I have to do to get a decent shower around here?”

Regina snorted, “They had deep, raised bathtubs back in the Anerathian palace. I think I prefer that over a shower. Easier to shave legs, you know?”

“Do they even shave legs in this dimension?” her sister lowered her voice and leaned close. “I am pretty sure I saw cavemen legs on those women.”

“They seemed too prim to have hair on their legs,” she whispered back. “Probably goes against protocol.”

“It does.”

They both looked up as the two women stood in front of them.

“A compromise has been made,” said the first woman, her eyes glaring into Regina’s own. “We will teach you our ways and prepare your for the difficulties of a Xiphis ruler.”

“Your father and this young lady may return, on visit, following the next full moon,” added the second woman with an equally piercing gaze. “They will be escorted to the portal immediately.”

“You must say your goodbyes.”

That weird feeling was back as Regina embraced her sister. Her father hurried to embrace her as well. And then a large, burly guard appeared, and led them both away. Victoria flashed her a wink before disappearing completely.