Zack, it sounds fine. Can I come out now?

Not yet, he replied.

I’m only going to give it a few more minutes before I come storming out. I feel like there are lots of explanations I need to hear.

Just trust me a little. I have a good reason for not bringing you out yet.

“Well,” asked the unfamiliar voice, “What do you say? It might be safer to travel in numbers.”

I frowned. I didn't hear what he said before.

“Yeah. I need to get some answers from you first,” Isaac said.

“About what?”

“Let me see your magic,” Isaac demanded.

“Why?”

“Because that will determine my answer. Show me.”

There was a few moments of silence before anyone spoke again.

“There are no signs of darkness in his magic,” Arden spoke first.

"Where are your allegiances?" Isaac asked.

The other man snorted and grumbled about how ridiculous this was.

"I need to know. Are you loyal to the current Blakewoods, or those of the past?" Isaac's voice was a lot calmer than I had expected of him.

"If you're asking if I'm loyal to my dead fiance, whose magic I just felt for the first time in years, then yes. I have always been. We may never be a love match, but my loyalty doesn't waiver."

I felt the intensity of his sincerity.

Come on out. Isaac's voice echoed in my head.

I opened the door to Arden's room and stepped back into the living area. Aodhan stood up quickly, magic lighting his hand. When his red eyes met mine, the magic sputtered out.

"How is this possible?" He asked no one.

"We haven't figured it out yet," Isaac responded.

Don't give him too much information to start with. We just need him to know enough to get by. Isaac's thoughts played over in my head.

I mentally snorted at him.

Gee, doesn't that sound familiar?

He didn't respond.

"Is that really her?" Aodhan still stared at me.

"If you're going to ask questions about me, the least you can do is ask ME about me," I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.

"Yup, it's her," he answered himself.

Arden whacked him in the knee with his cane.

"Show some respect," the old man grumbled.

"Nova, darling, how the hell are you here?" Aodhan asked. He still hadn't moved.

I looked over at Isaac.

"How trustworthy is he?" I asked aloud.

"That's quite hurtful, darling. I'm your fiance. You should be able to trust me with your life," he joked.

"That's the problem," I said, "the fact that you even know about me can endanger my life."

"I'll brew some more tea," Arden sighed.

I walked further into the room and took a seat by Isaac. Aodhan's stare followed me and finally settled down on Isaac.

"I think there's quite a story to be told," Aodhan said.

"You're not wrong. I was on my way to the council. I was riding from blood spot to blood spot when I felt her pull. I was almost to Rousch when she literally fell out of the air and landed in front of me," he stated it matter-of-factly.

"It felt like I was falling through glass. I felt the air shatter around me, and I found myself here, with Zack glaring down at me,"

"You were being hysterical," he sniffed.

"I was hysterical," I deadpanned, "I literally fell through another world and landed on my ass. Then some strange man who," I broke off. I almost mentioned our telepathic link. I sighed in frustration then looked over to where Aodhan stood, still staring. "I have no memories of this place. I don't know you, and I didn't know him either. I'm basically following my gut feelings here and hoping I'm not going to be axe-murdered."

"What is this weird fascination with being murdered by an axe?" Isaac snarked.

"Well," Aodhan interrupted, "it seems as though you two picked up right where you left off ten years ago."

He laughed a bit but frowned.

"You really don't have any memories of this place? At all? I'm not sure if I should pity you or call you lucky," Aodhan said.

"I haven't decided which I am either. Though, since I've made it known that I don't have my memories, you should probably introduce yourself. Also, you shouldn't refer to yourself as my fiance. I didn't consent to that, and I'm absolutely against the idea of an arranged marriage."

Isaac broke in. "The place she's been doesn't have those kinds of traditions. It's considered condescending to females to be 'forced' into a marriage."

"I am Aodhan Sebastian Anatole, prince of the Elementals. Lord of,"

I cut him off.

"I'm not interested in your list of titles. Besides being my supposed fiance, who are you to me? What was our relationship before I disappeared and what reason do I have to trust you now?"

"Very direct and to the point. We were duty-bound friends. We understood the fact that we would be married and simply made the best of the situation. You were ten and I was thirteen. We didn't really have a relationship outside of political affairs. You don't really have a reason to trust me outside of that," he answered honestly.

I nodded and said, "You said you were at the Blakewood manor before coming here? What is the situation like there?"

"It's not good. Isaac can attest that the darkness has been slowly corrupting everyone. Your father has imprisoned your mother and taken over as lord of the castle. The Blakewoods have always been matriarchal, so this is upsetting to those who've not been possessed. There have been small uprisings all over the land, but they've been put down. Brutally."

I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest and glanced at Isaac.

"He has been working on establishing trade agreements between the elementals and the mages. Since you were dead, the original arrangements were considered null and void by the elemental peoples," Isaac told me.

"So are relations between our people are not good?" I asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say they're bad, just not at the greatest point. Trading between peoples ahsa not been common until recent years. Our marriage would have set a precedent for that."

I frowned.

"What about the agreement between the shifters and mages?" I asked them.

"That's a history lesson for another time," Isaac cut in.