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exactly the way she remembered them. When was the last time she had seen him? It had been in her uncle’s personal study in the Vrenyx world. That seemed like ages ago. Now, it felt more like a past dream than a reality.
    Sazx was crouching over her, inspecting her face. He’d noticed her hair was darker. At the moment, he was amused by her small attack. He found her resourceful. It was a nice attempt.
    Hearing his mind instead of seeing just images caught Olinia off guard. He smiled slightly at her expression. You heard that, didn’t you?
    “You know I can hear you?” Olinia raised her eyebrows.
    He nodded. Trenton told me.
    “Trenton Alridge?” Olinia blurted. “You’ve met Trenton?”
    He sent me here.
    Olinia let out a short laugh. “How did you get to Trenton?”
    Suddenly, the downstairs front door burst open and Legann shouted, “Olinia!”
    She rolled her eyes. That was his entrance when he knew someone had broken into the house? So much for subtlety. “I’m up here, Legann,” she called out.
    “You okay?” He was confused again as he ran up the stairs. “What happened to the-”
    He stopped mid-sentence when he saw them – Olinia on the floor with Sazx beside her. He stared. “Who are you?”
    Olinia frowned, but then remembered that her brother had never met Sazx. Legann had entered the Vrenyx world with King Yrond, their grandfather, while Olinia had been with another group, which had included Sazx. Letting out another laugh, Olinia said, “Legann, allow me to introduce Sazx Tharrne, former captain of the Nagreth.”
    He blinked. “What?”
     
    :  :  :  :  :
     
    From his spot in the kitchen nook of Olinia’s home, Sazx watched the trees outside sway in the wind. The sky was dark and dreary, which caused the trees to stand out against the clouds, their orange, red, and green leaves a stark contrast.
    At the stove in the actual kitchen, Olinia was stirring a pot of oatmeal for breakfast. Legann had already left for school. He had not been happy to leave, since Olinia was not attending her classes that day. Nonetheless, Olinia had insisted that he go. Apparently, Legann’s education required strict attendance, while Olinia’s did not.
    With Legann gone, Sazx and Olinia were alone in the house. Olinia had hardly spoken a word to Sazx since the night before at dinner, when he had explained his arrival in Ethon.
    After Sazx left Dagon – Olinia’s uncle – behind in a crumbling castle in the Vrenyx world, he managed to escape the world just before getting crushed. He’d slipped through a portal by a fortunate accident. However, upon stepping through this portal, he was not only unsure of where he was, he was exhausted both from his duel with Dagon and the decimation of his binding to the evil emperor. He’d been practically delusional. Following his arrival to the unknown world, he passed out. When he awoke, he was under the care of Trenton Alridge and his housemaid, Milly.
    During the next two weeks, while Sazx regained his strength, he was given instruction on the Ethon world and its ways, which had included simple lessons on driving an automobile. Once Trenton believed Sazx ready to survive in Ethon, he was sent off to Virginia to meet up with the princess and her younger brother, but not before discovering that the siblings had been in Ethon for more than a turn.
    Now, looking at the princess, Sazx noted what the time away from the Other Worlds had done to her. True, her hair was darker, shorter, and straighter, but the real change was in her face. Over the past twenty months, the gleaming, proud, courageous young eyes he had once known had dimmed. Judging from the day before, when she had tried to attack, the fire was still within her – it simply no longer displayed itself on her face. She kept it hidden, just below the surface.
    Olinia finished her work at the stove and made her way to the table, two spoons and steaming bowls of oatmeal in her hands. She set one bowl and spoon in