The Otherworld

Anika Valerion

The mare finally stopped, and the sudden stillness made my chest tighten. We were wherever they wanted us to be, and I had no idea what to expect. Xander’s arm tightened around me instantly, pulling me closer against his side. His other hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his body angled toward the curtain as if expecting an attack at any second.

“We’ve arrived,” he murmured.

I nodded, though my throat felt too tight to speak. The air that slipped through the heavy curtains was unnaturally cold, biting, and completely wrong for the season. Then came the knock: three slow, deliberate beats. Pause. Two...