Read The Men of Otherworld: Collection One for Free Online Page A

I can’t just walk away and leave you in the dust. But I can walk toward the future. Trillian, you’ll find someone else. Go marry Rona. I’m sure she won’t be the hassle I am.” And with that, she turned and swept out of the room.  
    Trillian considered following her, begging her to come back. But a gnawing fear in the pit of his stomach told him that this time, they were done. They would never recover from this one.

    “The Captain will see you now.” The secretary led him into the office and Trillian found himself staring at a man who hated his guts. Who probably had hoped to never see him again. Who maybe even wished he was dead.  
    When the door shut behind them, he remained silent, standing at attention. Captain Sephreh stood and walked out from behind the desk, eyeing him up and down with an unreadable stare. After a moment, he held out his hand.
    “You have a missive for me?”
    “Yes, sir.” Trillian handed Sephreh the note.  
    Sephreh took it, opened it, and read it, then placed it carefully in his pocket. His face remained impassive, though Trillian detected a shift in energy—the faint whiff of fear. As Sephreh slowly returned to his desk, he said, “That will be all. You may go.”
    Trillian hesitated. It would be rude to ignore the order, even though he was not a member of the Guard Des’Estar. But he couldn’t just walk out. Not without asking.
    “Captain…”
    Sephreh turned slowly, staring at him with an icy glint. “What do you want, Trillian? Why did you come back? I can’t believe you give a damn about this mission, or anything Queen Asteria asks you to do. Who are you looking for? And it better not be who I think it is.”
    Trillian stiffened. After a pause, he decided he might as well just come to the point. “I’m looking for Camille. I have to talk to her. Where is she?”
    Sephreh let out a snort. “You think I’d lead you to my daughter? I rejoiced the day she came to her senses and finally sent you packing. You’re not welcome in my family, Zanzera. Know that right now.”
    “Your family doesn’t concern me, Sephreh. Camille does. She and I were bound by the Eleshinar ritual. We are connected, and if I’m hurting this much without her, she’s going to be hurting without me.” Trillian tossed his messenger bag on a chair and strode forward, leaning across Sephreh’s desk. “I love your daughter and I cannot forget her. You can hate me all you want, but you’re not the one who I give two figs in a nut dish about.”
    Sephreh slowly stood, his eyes flashing. He looked so much like Camille that it tore at Trillian’s gut. Like daughter, like father when it came to temper, that was for sure.
    “I dismissed you. Leave my presence.”
    “And I refuse to be dismissed so easily.” Trillian slammed his hand on the desk. “Where is she? If she still wants nothing to do with me, I’ll walk out of her life again, but I will not leave without talking to her!”
    And then, Sephreh began to laugh. He dropped back into his chair. “Good luck, then.” His gaze was still cold as steel, but he looked positively delighted.  
    “What do you mean?”
    “Camille no longer lives in Otherworld. She’s gone Earthside—relocated by the OIA. My daughter is now living with the humans, through the portals. So good luck finding her.” As he chuckled, he pulled the letter out of his pocket. “By the way, I’ll have my response to Queen Asteria by morning. You may drop by to pick it up on your way back to Elqaneve. My secretary will give it to you. I trust you won’t be staying in Y’Elestrial any longer than necessary.” And with that pointed remark, he nodded to the door. “See yourself out, Zanzera. I’m busy.”
    As Trillian stumbled back toward the door, grabbing his bag on the way, he couldn’t help but wonder just how the hell he was supposed to find Camille now. She was over Earthside. She might as well be a million miles away.

    Darynal stared at him as they crowded