Magic? The old tales told of it, a power that manipulated the world around those that could wield it. None really believed in that kind of thing anymore. It was all myth and legend, fairy tales to tell children before sending them off to bed. But how else was any of this to be explained?

“You did what?” she asked quietly.

“I didn’t use a lot,” he said hurriedly. “Only enough to get you to trust me. I could tell you never would have ridden with me that first day if I hadn’t.”

That first day… Iliana thought back to that day at the meadow, turning to walk back to the city, jumping back from the road to avoid getting run over, seeing a strange creature she would come to know was called an Alumavi, and the strange man that took off his goggles, scarf, and hat, asking her to ride with him, staring into her eyes until she said yes… And then she remembered many times after, when she’d looked up into his eyes and felt every worry just melt away.

“… You used magic to make me trust you…” she said, not quite comprehending what that meant.

They stood in silence, which Dray finally broke. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “This is all my fault. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to see me again after you got out of here.”

“Dray!” The man with the crackly voice boomed, making her jump and the house shake once more.

“I’m coming!” Dray yelled over his shoulder. Then he looked back at her and sighed. “I have to go.” He hesitated a moment, and then took a step toward her, his arms extended. Iliana backed away, hugging herself and shaking her head. Dray’s arms flopped down to his sides. “I understand,” he said, taking a last long look at her.

Iliana stared back into his deep blue eyes, but the feeling of comfort did not come as it had many times before. Why did she feel a twinge of disappointment and loss at not being caught up in his magic, if that was indeed his method of bewitching her? She still had so many questions and emotions, but he turned around and walked to the door before she could open her mouth to say anything. Opening the door wide, he paused again.

“I’ll miss you,” he said simply, then closed the door behind him. Iliana stood there in the middle of the room for a full five seconds before she shook herself from her stupor and ran to the door.

“Dray-,” she called when she opened the door, but he was not there. Iliana stepped out of her room and peered over the railing. Kel, the man that looked so much like Dray, was still standing there. But the man she thought she loved and the other, grotesque-looking man were gone. “Where’d he go?” she asked Kel.

“Back to where you were, I’d guess.”

Gone. Iliana felt tears come to her eyes, and she couldn’t discern if they were sad or angry. But Kel was still standing there, looking up at her, and she hastily wiped the tears away and took a deep, shaky breath. Then she looked back down at Kel.

“Um…Dray said you could explain things to me,” she said. Kel nodded curtly.

“Why don’t you go get dressed? I’ll make some hot cocoa and we can talk.” Iliana looked down at what she was wearing, realizing that she was still in her nightgown with her coat pulled over it. How embarrassing.

“Yes, that would be a good idea,” she admitted. “You… you won’t disappear too, right?”

“No, I’ll be in the kitchen when you come down.” Seeing her hesitation, he added one more word. “Promise.”

 Iliana nodded, then went back into her room to get some more appropriate clothing on. But when she went to open the wardrobe, she realized that not all of her clothes were there. Only her light, summer dresses and underclothes were present. The thicker dresses she would have worn during the short yet cold winters of Abelton were gone. What? But why wouldn’t they be here? Opening drawers and rifling through the wardrobe did not reveal any of her warmer clothing. Iliana finally decided to just wear a regular dress and put her coat on again. Will I just have to get used to being constantly cold?

As she shed her nightgown and donned her simple brown dress she always wore, she couldn’t help but replay Dray’s words in her mind. … I used magic on you… only enough to make you trust me… I’ll miss you… Tears sprung to her eyes once more as she hurriedly buttoned up the front of her dress and slipped her coat back on, then put on a second pair of socks. Keep it together, Iliana. You still need to figure out what’s going on… and how to get out of here. Her hands shook as she grabbed the doorknob again, and she heard the sound of clinking ceramic coming from the kitchen. At least he hasn’t gone anywhere.

Iliana went down to the kitchen, on her way down inspecting everything around her, wondering if other things had not been brought to this place. Dray said this is a replica of my house… so why would some things be missing? The grandfather clock sat in the hallway, telling her that it was half-past eight. The coat rack and the rug by the front door where she kept her boots were the same as well.

Entering the kitchen, she saw that Kel was stirring the cocoa in a small pot on the stove, and that he had two mugs ready to go on the counter. The table and chairs sat where they always had, each cupboard in its usual spot. Iliana opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again and went to sit down at the table, warming her hands at the fireplace. The cold seemed to linger in the air.

After a few minutes the man that looked like Dray brought her a warm, steaming mug and she sipped the cocoa gratefully, feeling the warmth spread from her stomach to the rest of her torso. She was keenly aware that the man was staring at her, but when she looked up, he looked down. It was remarkable how much he looked like Dray, but there were some things that were different. He wore his shoulder length black hair down, whereas Dray always wore his pulled back. The man’s clothing was also a little less formal, and he wore his shirt with the white sleeves pushed up around his biceps. Then there were his eyes…

“Why do you look like Dray?” Iliana blurted out. He looked up, seemingly surprised at her outburst.

“Because we used to be one and the same,” he said simply. Seeing her bewilderment, Kel sighed. “Okay. I’m going to start at the very beginning.” He took a long gulp of his hot cocoa and began.

“Many years ago, there was a man named Draykel. He was a very powerful wizard, as he had learned all the secrets of magic. But even with all the power he had, he always wanted more. He searched and searched for ways to get it.

“In his search he came across a demon that promised to give Draykel all of his magic. He just had one condition, that Draykel make a body for the demon so he could remain in this world. Draykel eagerly accepted, and fulfilled his end of the bargain.

“But the combined power of his own and the demon’s magic was too much for him. It consumed him, and began to control him… It made him do things he would come to regret.” Kel paused, a look of deep guilt and sadness crossing his face. He took another sip from his mug, then he continued. “Draykel found the demon again and begged him to take his part of the magic back. But that was impossible, as the magic had grown entwined with Draykel’s soul. The demon told Draykel of a way to separate the magic from his soul. It would come at a price, though. Draykel didn’t listen to that last part.

“Finally, after years of searching, Draykel found a way to rid himself of the magic. Or so he thought. The ritual went horribly awry, and nearly killed him. The magic was so intertwined with Draykel’s soul that, in attempting to separate it from himself, part of his soul went with the magic, creating two beings from the one. Dray,” Kel held out his right hand, then his left. “And Kel. This was against all laws of nature, having two beings with only half of the same soul. The Old Magic, an ancient force beyond anyone’s control, tried to rectify the problem. The result was that the magic of Draykel attached itself to all of its previous hosts.

 “This had never happened before in the history of magic. It was so unique and unheard of that the Higher Powers set an Agreement, a sort of contract to bind the magic and the three beings that were connected to it: me, Dray, and the demon. This would ensure that the magic was kept in check, and that we wouldn’t do anything to necessitate the Old Magic intervening again.”

Kel paused, taking another drink from his mug, then continued, giving Iliana a serious look.

“There are many rules in the Agreement, but one in particular has to do with why you are here. Since me and Dray used to be the same person, the Agreement states that we shall experience the same things. But only if the one outside uses Draykel’s magic to gain that experience. So, because Dray used Draykel’s magic on you, you are now part of the Agreement. I do not know every little detail, but we think that if you spend the same amount of time with me as you have with Dray, you’ll be able to go back to your home.”

Kel took another sip of his cocoa, then sat back in his chair, signaling that he was done recounting his history. Iliana sat back as well, her mind reeling from everything he had just told her. The voice of her friend Celsey came unbidden to her mind, and she couldn’t help but appreciate the irony. Figures... the first guy to pay any attention to you turns out to be a wizard.

Iliana thought back on everything that had occurred over the last several weeks, and couldn’t help but feel betrayed by the memories. She’d been so happy, so flattered, so swept off of her feet. Was it all an illusion? She remembered kissing Dray, first on her doorstep, then again in the meadow this morning, or what she thought was this morning. Iliana looked back up at Kel, a worrying thought crossing her mind.

“So… will I have to do the same things I did with Dray with you?”

“I don’t know if it has to be specific things. It may be, but the demon and I agree it’s probably just time spent in proximity.” The demon, the man with the twisted face. Iliana hoped that it was just her time that she had to give to this strange yet familiar person, and not anything else. And not with the demon. She shivered again, despite the fire and the hot cocoa, prompting another question.

“Why is it so cold?” she asked.

“Because it is always winter here. A snowstorm is almost always going on outside.”

Outside where? “Where are we exactly?” Iliana asked.

“We’re not in a place, it’s more of a… separate, side pocket of reality.”

What??? Iliana must have looked as confused as ever, because Kel hurried to explain more.

“We created this castle here to live in and contain the magic. Keeping it out of the world is safer than anything else, should the Agreement fail.”

“But how did I get here?”

“Your house sort of just… appeared. I felt a magical surge and the demon and I came to investigate. We found Dray in the kitchen, upset, of course, and he explained what happened. The rules of the Agreement had been enacted.”

 “Oh.” Iliana sipped her cocoa in silence. This was the most bizarre conversation she’d ever had with anyone. And there was surely more to come as she tried to navigate this situation.

“If it’s too cold I could put in a wood-burning stove, if you want.” It took her a moment to remember that she had commented on it being so cold just a minute ago.

“Would that be any better than the fireplace?”

He grinned, but just for a split second before his face returned to its usual solemnity. “Yes, I think it would be much better.”

“Um… I also seem to be missing some clothing,” Iliana said. “All of my winter clothes aren’t in my wardrobe.” Kel frowned, his brow furrowing.

“Now that’s interesting. Everything should have been copied, down to the last speck of dust. At least, that’s what the spell dictated.” Kel paused, looking down at his mug still thinking. After a moment he looked back up at her. “I’ll have to investigate that. In the meantime, we can get you some warmer clothes too. That won’t be a problem.”

“Thank you,” Iliana said, remembering her manners. From what he’s told me, he had almost nothing to do with why I’m here. I can at least be polite.

“Alright. I’ll get to work.” He drank the rest of his cocoa in one giant gulp, then rinsed the mug out in the sink and set it on the rack to dry.

Just like Dray used to… Iliana shook the thought from her mind.

 “I’ll be back,” Kel said, leaving the kitchen and heading for the door. Iliana felt a stab of panic, and she sprang up from the table, leaving her half full mug sitting there, and followed him down the short hallway.

“Wait!” Iliana said, causing Kel to turn around and look back at her. “Can I come? It’s kind of… creepy, being alone in here.” And maybe I can find a way out…

Kel nodded. “Alright. But stay close to me, and don’t touch anything.”