Kiros spun around sharply and declared:
- Do whatever you want with her. Clearly, you’ve got a new partner now. I’ve got more important things to deal with. Since Adriana doesn’t have my rune, she’s of no interest to me.
After those infuriating words, a bright sphere appeared in front of him, and he vanished into it, leaving nothing behind. Their special effects were impressive, but it was time to snap back to reality. I started demanding:
- Take me back to the club. This performance has gone on long enough.
Cassandra waved her hand, and a wide beige armchair materialized beside her. I flinched in surprise. She settled into it comfortably and finally began answering my questions. She insisted again that I was in a parallel world and couldn’t return. The rune on my wrist was a marital one. The same had appeared on Jorah’s wrist, meaning we were already married. These runes manifest on their own, anywhere on the body, and never fade. They bind people who are destined for each other. Usually, married couples look alike, like her and Lucas, though it’s not always the case. Their red runes were on their shoulders. Kiros was upset because he thought I was his wife—our appearances were somewhat similar. Runes only appear when a destined pair meets for the first time, and the fact that one had appeared on his chest meant his true mate was still somewhere in my world.
According to Cassandra, this was a world of magic and technology. Married couples shared a combined power. She and Lucas were fire mages, with the element completely under their control. Kiros was the most powerful mage—no one could use magic against him; he was simply immune to it. He could summon electric currents, read minds, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Cassandra stayed silent about the rest of his abilities. If he found his true wife, his power would only grow stronger. That’s why he was so furious when he realized he’d mistaken me for her.
Everyone except Kiros was a guardian. The bright sphere I’d come through was called a portal. That’s how people in this world traveled long distances. The dog-like creature I’d seen was actually a narpe. As I understood it, they were another intelligent species, a strange mix of dog and human. They lived separately in an isolated territory because they hunted humans. Narpes had learned to use portals and bypass the protective barrier that restricted their movement, killing a large number of people. That’s why guardians existed—to hunt and eliminate narpes, protecting humans from them.
Everything she said sounded like a fairy tale. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. To prove her words, Cassandra created a fireball in her palms and then extinguished it. Still, I didn’t believe them—it felt like a bad prank—but I decided to play along:
- So, I’ve been married off without my consent?
Hearing this, Jorah winced. He looked into my eyes and gripped my hand tighter:
- I didn’t give my consent either, if that’s what you’re getting at. Runes don’t just appear for no reason. I already love you, and I know you feel the same for me. We can’t have feelings for anyone other than our destined partner. So, from today, you’re my wife, and I’m beyond happy about it.
I was stunned by his confession. Did I feel something for Jorah? Undoubtedly, yes, but I wasn’t sure it was love. Conflicting emotions swirled inside me, and I’d need to sort them out. To test if this was a joke, I asked:
- If you’re a mage, did meeting me increase your power? Does that mean I have power too?
He smiled tenderly, and his smile warmed my heart. I was starting to believe I might be falling for him. He explained:
- Yes, you’re a mage too and will have the same power as me, but it’ll take a little time. A few days, maybe longer—it’s different for every mage. Usually, people here already have magic, but you lived in a world without it, so I don’t know when your power will manifest.
A convenient explanation, one I couldn’t verify. I decided to try another angle:
- So, what’s your power?
Jorah stood up and pressed something on his belt. His vest disappeared, and, showing off his athletic torso, he turned his back to me and said:
- I’m a butterfly man. – From his back sprouted large red wings with black lines, reaching almost to his heels, resembling butterfly wings. It was incredibly beautiful. I couldn’t resist and stepped closer. Hesitantly, I asked:
- Can I touch them?
Jorah smiled and replied:
- You can do anything. You’re my wife.
His words made me feel awkward—I still couldn’t believe I’d been married off. I carefully touched the wings. They were smooth. I looked closely at where they emerged from his back, and they seemed real. While I marveled at the sight, Lucas, lounging on the couch, explained:
- You’ll have more than just wings. You’ll wield magic, cast spells, and perform rituals. Since Kiros said you’re now a guardian, welcome to the team. We live here together, each with our own room. It’s late now, so Jorah will show you to yours.
Fear gripped me instantly. I didn’t want to share a room with a stranger, even if he was incredibly attractive, and I didn’t want to stay here at all:
- I’d like to go home. Open a portal, and I’ll be on my way.
Cassandra shook her head in refusal:
- We can’t create portals to your world. A narpe opened this one, and we just followed it to capture it. We didn’t know where we’d end up.
- Then maybe it can open one again. I’ll ask it.
At my suggestion, the guardians exchanged looks, and Jorah, hiding his wings to reveal a perfectly normal back, said:
- Adriana, they’re animals. You can’t negotiate with them. Narpes may be intelligent, but they feed on us. To them, we’re just food.
Despair washed over me. I couldn’t stay here. Back home, I had my parents, my sister—who was getting married in three days—friends, a job, my entire life. I didn’t want to say goodbye to it. There had to be a way out. They assured me there wasn’t, that I was stuck in this world. They promised to show me everything tomorrow, but for now, it was time to sleep. My so-called husband wanted to escort me to our shared room, but I pleaded:
- Can I stay in a separate room for now? This is all so overwhelming. In my world, people don’t marry strangers right away. It takes a year or two, sometimes more, before a couple ties the knot. They go on dates, get to know each other. Here, everything happens so fast.
Jorah looked at me with displeasure and grumbled:
- You personally search for your true match and often get it wrong. For us, the runes decide. Listen to your heart—don’t you love me?
I paused to think. I didn’t know what I felt for him. I thought love was something deeper than the emotions stirring in me now. I decided to be honest:
- I don’t know. I need time. Please give it to me and don’t pressure me.
Jorah huffed angrily and left the room without a word. Thankfully, Cassandra supported me. She offered to let me stay in an empty room for now, and I was incredibly grateful. She led me to a small panel mounted on the wall. After pressing some buttons, she instructed me to look at a red dot, which I did. My retina was scanned. Cassandra explained:
- Now you have full access to all the functions of this house as a rightful resident.
We walked down a corridor until we entered a spacious, empty room with no windows. The door slid open automatically. Light streamed from the ceiling, though there was no visible fixture. The guardian continued:
- The house is incredibly advanced technologically. You might have noticed the lack of furniture, but that’s not the case. Just imagine it, and it’ll appear.
She waved her hand, and a round bed with sheets and pillows appeared in the center of the room. But that wasn’t the only marvel for today. The walls could change color and display different landscapes. With a single thought, we were suddenly beside a waterfall, water cascading down with immense force. It was like a giant TV screen on every wall and the ceiling, incredibly realistic. The walls could also show what was happening outside the house, transforming into large panoramic windows. Their size could be adjusted, and they could appear on any wall, ceiling, or floor. From what I gathered, cameras or something similar projected real-time events outside. Right now, the windows showed a starry sky with five moons. It was astonishing—on Earth, we only have one moon, but here there were five! They varied in size and brightness. Cassandra mentioned that closer to morning, all seven moons of this planet would be visible.
The bathroom was shared among four rooms. If the door glowed red, it meant someone was inside. These technologies were mind-blowing. Maybe this world wasn’t as bad as I’d thought, but I still didn’t want to stay. My new friend politely said goodbye:
- If you need anything, just ask. Lucas and I are in that room over there, and next to it is Jorah’s. – She pointed to white sliding doors, reminiscent of an elevator, at the end of the corridor.
- Does Kiros live here too? – I asked, surprising myself. For some reason, I wanted to know more about him. Cassandra looked at me with a hint of surprise:
- Kiros? No, he’s not a guardian. He has his own place. He was just helping us catch the narpe.
- Who is he, then?
Cassandra hesitated for a moment before answering:
- I can’t tell you his position just yet. Don’t worry, he rarely visits us, only when absolutely necessary. Usually, his assistant, so to speak, relays tasks and brings him our reports.
So, he’s a big deal. That disappointed me a little. I wanted to see him again—he’d been so angry with me, and maybe he could help me get home. Left alone, I tried imagining a rectangular bed by the wall; the round one felt too unfamiliar. It appeared exactly where I wanted, with the exact sheets I’d pictured. I could get used to this!
Suddenly, a beep sounded, followed by a female voice:
- Jorah wishes to visit you.
It must have been a computer or whatever they had here. I didn’t know how to let him in, so I scanned the door for a handle, a button, anything. But it was completely bare. On a whim, I said:
- Open.
And it worked! The doors slid apart, and my, uh… husband? I guess he was my husband by their laws. He stepped into the room and stood guiltily by the wall:
- I’m sorry for reacting like that. It’s just that no wife has ever run from her husband here. It hurt me. But I realized you’re from another world, and I’ll have to win you over. I’m ready for that. I’ll wait as long as it takes.
I approached him and took his warm hand:
- I’m not rejecting you. It’s just all so sudden and unexpected for me. I’d like to go on a date with you tomorrow.
A smile lit up his face. He hugged me and whispered softly:
- Anything for you. Just tell me, what’s a date?
I was floored. Did they really not go on dates here? Gathering my thoughts, I tried to explain:
- It’s a special, romantic meeting between two people. It’s a chance to learn more about each other.
Jorah pretended to understand, though I wasn’t entirely convinced he did. Suddenly, I felt his lips on mine—warm, soft, with a faint hint of mint. He kissed me passionately, hungrily, as if he couldn’t get enough of my lips. His hands tightened around my body, and I trembled with pleasure.