Akarnae E-Book

Lynette Noni

• Herausgeber: Pantera Press
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Medoran Chronicles
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Seitenzahl: 602

Beschreibung

The first of the five-part MEDORAN CHRONICLES offers a new slant on magical parallel worlds – it's Harry Potter meets X-Men, with a twist of Narnia.  With just one step, 16-year-old Alex Jennings's world changes - literally. Dreading her first day at a new school, Alex is stunned when she walks through a doorway and finds herself stranded in Medora, a fantasy world full of impossibilities. Desperate to return home, she learns that only Professor Marselle can help her... but he's missing. While waiting for him to reappear, Alex attends Akarnae Academy, Medora's boarding school for teenagers with extraordinary gifts. She soon starts to enjoy her bizarre new world and the friends who embrace her as one of there own, but strange things are happening at Akarnae, and Alex can't ignore her fear that something unexpected... something sinister... is looming. An unwilling pawn in a deadly game, Alex's shoulders bear the crushing weight of an entire race's survival. Only she can save the Medorans, but what if doing so prevents her from ever returning home? Will Alex risk her entire world... and maybe even her life - to save Medora?

Leseprobe

For anyone brave enough to believe in the impossible.

Embrace the wonder.

One

“Honey, if there was any other way, your mother and I would take you with us in a heartbeat.”

Alexandra Jennings stared out the car window into the dense forest and sighed deeply into her phone. “I know, Dad. But it still sucks.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” came her father’s reply. “But the International Exchange Academy is one of the best schools in the country. They’ll take good care of you.”

Alex only just managed to hold back the words that tried to leap from her tongue straight down the phone line.

Take me with you! she wanted to scream. Don’t abandon me!

That was what it felt like her parents were doing, even if it wasn’t their fault. They’d been offered the opportunity to study under a famous archaeologist—a once in a lifetime invitation—but there was a catch. They couldn’t take anyone with them, which meant Alex was being shipped off to a boarding school for the rest of the school year—eight whole months.

And it got worse. Not only were they leaving her behind, they were also headed to some middle-of-nowhere dig-site in Siberia—as in, Russia—which was in a complete communication dead-zone. No phone coverage. No Wi-Fi signal. Not even a postman. After today, Alex wouldn’t be hearing from them again until they returned at the beginning of June for the summer holidays.

“I just hate that I won’t be able to contact you,” Alex said, not for the first time. “What if I get bitten by a tick and end up with Lyme disease?” Her eyes scanned the thick woodland. “It’s a definite possibility. And don’t even get me started on how many wild animals Wikipedia says are in the forest up here. What if I get eaten by a bear? Or a cougar? I won’t be able to call you and tell you what happened!”

Her father’s amusement rang clearly through the connection. “In the unlikely event that you’re mauled to death by the wildlife, you won’t be able to call anyone.”

“But no one else will be able to call you on my behalf, either,” Alex pointed out. “That means you’ll miss my funeral and you’ll never get any closure about my death. You’ll always wonder if it was a wolf or a bobcat that enjoyed Alexandra à la carte.”

Her father chuckled. “I’m going to miss your sense of humour.”

“Dad, I’m being serious here. Carnivorous animals are no laughing matter.”

He wisely ignored her and instead said, “Your mother’s making weird hand gestures at me. I’m guessing the Valium have finally kicked in. I made her take a double dose—you know how much she hates flying—so I think the peacock-bobbing and flapping arms mean she wants to talk to you. I better put her on before she takes someone’s eye out.”

Alex smiled into the phone. “Probably a good idea.”

“I love you, sweetheart. The time will pass quicker than you realise.”

Before she could respond, a crinkling noise sounded through the earpiece as he handed the phone over.

“Alex?” came her mother’s somewhat slurred voice. Another ten minutes and she’d be out cold—which was for the best, since she really didn’t do well on planes.

“I’m here.”

“I don’t have long, they’ve just started boarding our—hic!—flight,” she said. “But I wanted to say—hic!—goodbye, again.”

Alex frowned at the back of the seat in front of her. “Are you all right?”

“Fine, fine,” her mother said, hiccupping again. “I just had a little drink to help wash down the sedative. Hic!”

“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to mix alcohol with those drugs, Mum,” Alex said, failing to keep the humour from her voice. “And you know, statistically speaking, you’re more likely to get kicked in the head by a mule than to die in a plane crash. You’re going to be fine.”

“Of course I will be.” Her mother’s words became even more slurred as the medication continued taking effect. “And you will be, too. I know you wanted to come with us, but this is really for the best. Hic! You’ve been stuck following us around the globe for your entire life—it’s time you settled in one place and had a chance to make some friends your own age.”

Her mother had a point. Moving countries every few months while her parents chased the next big archaeological discovery hadn’t helped Alex’s social development. She didn’t have any friends—she wasn’t even sure how to make friends. High school politics were beyond her understanding; she had no idea what to expect from her new school. It wasn’t like she could just go and sit beside someone in the sandpit, eat dirt with them, and declare a state of ‘besties forever’.

“You’re right,” Alex said, mustering up as much optimism as she could. “I’m sure everything is going to work out great.”

“That’s the—hic!—spirit,” her mother replied. “Now, I better go before the purple monkey eats my last banana. Hic!”

Alex pulled her phone from her ear and looked at it quizzically before returning it once more. “What did you say?”

“I said—”

She was interrupted by Alex’s father in the background. “Time to board, Rach. Say ‘goodbye’.”

“I have to go, Alex,” her mother said. “I know you’re going to have a fabulous time at the—hic!—academy. We’ll see you in June. Not long now!”

Clearly the meds were doing their job, especially if eight months equalled ‘not long now’. But Alex didn’t want to ruin her mother’s happy buzz, so she kept her mouth closed.

“I love you, baby. Be careful, but have fun!” And with those final words, a quiet click disconnected the last phone call they’d share for a long, long time.

Feeling disheartened, Alex turned to look out the car window again, noticing that there were many more trees surrounding them now than before. It was clear evidence of just how easily a few hours of driving had transported her from her most recent home in Cannon Beach, Oregon, to somewhere on the outskirts of Mount Hood National Forest. The change in scenery from the rocky coastline to the thickening woodland was startling, and Alex couldn’t help but feel like she was already a long way from her comfort zone.

“Miss? We’re here,” her driver finally said.

They’d stopped in a private driveway barricaded by two massive, wrought-iron security gates. A sign woven into the steelwork spelled out the words: ‘International Exchange Academy’.

The driver spoke quietly through the intercom and a moment later the gates opened without so much as a creak. They moved slowly up the narrow, tree-lined path until they reached the academy itself.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Alex muttered at the view out the window.

The academy really wasn’t all that different from the stereotype she’d envisioned—big, ostentatious, gothic even. But the students? They looked miserable. All of them wore tight, uncomfortable-looking uniforms despite the fact that it was Sunday afternoon and there were no classes until the next morning. And they didn’t appear to be doing anything; they were just loitering aimlessly. It was as if they had nothing better to do than wait for someone to come along and break into the monotony of their boring existence. Looking at them, Alex seriously doubted she’d be able to follow her mother’s advice to ‘have fun’.

When the car pulled to a stop, she noticed a group of students mingling near a gaudy, medieval-styled water fountain. They weren’t smiling. They weren’t laughing. They were barely even talking amongst themselves. All Alex could think was that she would be more likely to make friends with a rock than any of the students scowling in her direction.

Don’t judge by appearances, she told herself. First impressions weren’t always accurate, right? Alex might not like being abandoned at the academy, but she was determined to at least try and make the most of her stay. And that meant keeping an open mind, regardless of the unwelcoming vibes coming from her new classmates.

“I’ll take your bags,” her driver offered, interrupting her thoughts. “You should head into the administration building and speak with the headmaster.”

Alex grabbed the enrolment papers from her bag and handed the rest of her luggage over. She wasn’t an official student yet since her parents hadn’t had the time to properly enrol her before leaving.

“Which way do I go?” she asked the man as he started to walk away with her belongings.

He pointed to the closest building and left her standing on her own while the zombie-like students just stared at her.

Right, let’s get this over with, she thought, gathering her courage. She wasn’t an animal in a zoo, and she didn’t appreciate all the speculative glances directed her way. Nevertheless, she held her head high and headed towards the administration building.

As she walked around the fountain she flicked through her paperwork once more—partly to avoid looking at the creepy gargoyle statues around the water feature, partly to avoid making eye contact with the other students, and partly to make sure everything that needed to be signed was, in fact, signed.

Alex was so distracted by her papers that she barely heard the whispered, “Fish out of water, think we should help her?” and the corresponding, “Absolutely. We wouldn’t want her to choke.”

Before she could properly register the words, something slammed into her, causing her to stagger forward. She managed to regain her balance just in time to avoid a messy fall into the grungy-looking water.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” a girl around Alex’s age said. “I’m so clumsy sometimes.”

“It’s okay,” Alex assured her, straightening. “No harm done.”

“Brianna! You’re always getting in the way! You almost sent the new girl into the fountain. What kind of a welcome would that have been?” said another girl who stepped up beside them.

“Really, it’s fine,” Alex said again. She didn’t want to cause any problems before school even started. It was bad enough that she was transferring mid semester.

“It’s fine?” the newest girl repeated with a toothy grin. “Hear that, Brianna? She said it’s fine.”

Alex wasn’t sure what to make of their exchange. Their identical beaming smiles put her on edge, so she quickly excused herself. “I have to go and see the headmaster, but I’m sure I’ll see you both around.”

“Oh, allow us to help,” the non-Brianna girl said. “It’s the least we can do. You wouldn’t want to go to the wrong place and cause a—”

Her timing was perfect, really. When Alex stepped forward, Brianna ‘accidentally’ tripped over her own feet again. She bumped hard into Alex who had nothing to hold on to and no room left to find her balance. With her arms cartwheeling uselessly, Alex fell straight into the fountain.

The moment her head broke through the surface of the water, she heard non-Brianna gleefully finish the last word of her sentence.

“—splash.”

The previously quiet courtyard erupted into laughter.

“Welcome to the academy, Newbie.”

Alex scowled at the two girls as she swiped her sopping hair out of her eyes and pulled herself out of the fountain. She ignored the continuing laughter and marched towards the administration building, determined to put as much distance between her and the uniformed—and mean—zombies as possible.

Barely five minutes had passed since she’d arrived at the academy and already she knew her parents had been wrong. Judging by her classmates’ welcoming committee, there was no way she was going to have an enjoyable time, nor was it likely she’d make any friends. Not a single person had tried to help her out of the fountain—they’d all been too busy laughing at her. That told her all she needed to know. She would just have to grit her teeth and get through the next eight months, and once her parents were back, she would never have to return to the academy again.

She trudged forward with bitter resolve and tried to air out her enrolment papers, but there was nothing she could do since they were just as soaked as she was. At least the ink hadn’t run, that was something.

Alex entered the building and paused when she caught sight of her reflection in a mirror just inside the doorway. Her clothes were stuck to her shivering body, her long dark hair was stringy and wet, and her normally warm brown eyes were darkened by her turbulent emotions.

She shook her head and turned away from her bedraggled appearance. So much for making a good first impression.

Dripping water all the way, Alex headed over to the reception desk.

“Can I help you?” asked the lady seated there, without so much as a glance upwards. It was probably for the best since Alex was leaving a small lake on the pristine floor.

“I’m here to enrol,” Alex said. It didn’t take a genius to hear the misery in her voice.

“Name?” the woman asked.

“Alexandra Jennings.”

“Take a seat, Miss Jennings.”

Alex shuffled over to a line of chairs and sat down with a squelch. She still couldn’t believe what had transpired outside. She wondered if it was too late to try and call her parents one last time—and convince them to find a way to smuggle her away with them—but she knew it was useless. Their plane had probably already taken off; they were likely long gone. She was on her own.

“The headmaster will see you now,” the receptionist said, still not bothering to glance up. “Down the hallway, third door on the right.”

Alex rose from her seat and headed down the brightly lit corridor, soon losing sight of the reception area.

If only things could be different, she thought sadly, knocking on the headmaster’s door. There was no answer, so she tried again, louder. When still no call came to enter, Alex shrugged and turned the handle.

It was dark inside the room. Pitch-black, in fact.

“Hello?” she called out from the doorway. “Is anyone in here?”

Just as she was about to retrace her steps and go back to the reception, the room exploded with light. Alex had to hold her hand up to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness. When she was able to lower her arm again, she stared in shock at the sight before her.

“What the…?” she whispered.

I must have hit my head when I fell into the fountain, she reasoned. It was surely the only explanation for the view in front of her.

The doorway opened into a small forest clearing. Sunlight streamed through the canopy of evergreens and their shadows dappled the mottle-coloured forest floor. The surrounding trees continued further than her eyes could see, with no school buildings in sight.

“It must be some kind of optical illusion,” Alex muttered to herself. She glanced behind her and took in the sterile walls of the corridor before she turned to face the forest again. She couldn’t wrap her head around the different scenery, but something about the dense woodland captivated her attention.

I’ll just have a quick look around, she thought. No one will know. Then I can come back and meet the headmaster.

Decision made, Alex quickly stepped through the doorway before she could change her mind. She expected to hear the crunching noise of dried leaves under her feet, but instead the ground disappeared and suddenly, impossibly, she was catapulted through the air. The wind rushed past her, whooshing by her ears as she flew along at what felt like the speed of light.

Just when she thought she might throw up, everything stopped.

Alex’s heart thumped wildly in her chest. She lay spread-eagled on the ground but had no idea how she’d landed. Her eyes were shut tight, but she could feel the leafy forest floor underneath her; she could smell the woody scent of pine cones in the air; and she could hear noises—branches creaking, birds singing, wind whistling through the trees.

Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and looked around, finding herself lying in the middle of the forest clearing she’d seen through the doorway. But the doorway itself—and the administration building—was nowhere in sight.

The good news was that her airborne journey had mysteriously dried out her sodden clothes and hair. She wasn’t even damp anymore. The bad news was that she had no idea where she was or how she was supposed to get back.

Alex sighed and threw her arms out to the sides, sending leaves scattering. “This new school sucks.”

Two

“That was quite the entrance.”

Alex jumped to her feet, but she had to wait for the resulting dizziness to pass before she was able to look up and find the owner of the unexpected voice.

“Hello,” he said when he had her attention, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

Alex had to blink a few times before she could fully appreciate the picture in front of her. He was, without a doubt, the most staggeringly attractive man she had ever laid eyes on. Almost unnaturally so. She guessed him to be in his late twenties or early thirties, and he had honey-coloured hair and bronze skin. He wore black from head to toe, the material finer than anything Alex had ever seen before. The tailored long-sleeved shirt was open at the collar and tapered by a belt at his waist, meeting a pair of leather-like trousers. The contrast between his tanned skin and dark clothing was breathtaking. But more than anything else, it was his strange golden-coloured eyes that captivated her attention and clouded her mind.

“Forgive me for startling you,” he said formally, gesturing towards himself. “My name is Aven.”

“Aven?” she repeated, sounding as dazed as she felt. Seriously, he was practically inhuman with his Greek god-like beauty. It wasn’t her fault she was distracted. “That’s an interesting name.”

“Yes,” he agreed, his tone pensive. “I suppose it is.”

He looked at her like he was waiting for something.

Oh. Right.

“I’m Alex,” she said. “Alexandra Jennings, really, but most people just call me Alex.”

Aven offered his hand and she tentatively took it, expecting a firm shake, but he surprised her by bowing slightly and pressing a tender kiss to the back of her wrist.

“Charmed,” he said, his eyes smouldering.

That’s right, smouldering. It was something she’d only ever read about in books before, not actually witnessed. Alex was surprised when her legs managed to keep her upright. She desperately hoped he wouldn’t notice her blushing. Or swooning.

Alex pulled her hand back and tried to clear her foggy brain. She couldn’t figure out why she was so affected by his presence, even if he was on a whole new level of gorgeous.

It was only the observation that he seemed to know exactly how he was affecting her that allowed Alex to regain some of her composure. She moved a step away from him, hoping the distance would help. His brow furrowed slightly at her less than discreet movement, but his expression cleared quickly.

“Any chance you can explain what just happened to me?” she asked.

He raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well…” Alex gestured to the forest around them. “I just walked through a doorway in the middle of the administration building and then, uh, kind of flew here. Where is ‘here’, by the way?”

Aven was looking at her with a curiosity that bordered on incredulity. “You walked through a doorway and ended up somewhere completely different?”

Alex was fully aware of how crazy it sounded. If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she never would have believed it. “I know it sounds mental, but it’s the truth.”

After a lengthy silence where he stared intently at her, Aven said, “That is… most interesting. Tell me, Alexandra, where do you think we are?”

She had to hold back a shiver at the sound of her name falling so gracefully from his lips. Clearing her throat, she looked around the forest again. “Honestly? I have no idea. I can’t even see the academy from here.”

A slow smile began to stretch across Aven’s face, transforming him from beautiful to radiant. But even as Alex struggled to maintain her slipping composure, she felt like there was something not quite right about him. Sure, he oozed charisma and charm, but it almost seemed… tainted.

She shook her head and focused on the leaves under her feet rather than his appearance, trying to clear her mind. “Look, I guess it doesn’t really matter where we are. But I need to get back to the academy and enrol, so do you mind pointing me in the right direction?”

Aven didn’t answer. Instead, he began to circle her like a lion tracking its prey.

Alex couldn’t help but think of all the horror stories she’d heard about psychopaths dragging young women into forests to murder them. There was something decidedly dangerous about this Aven guy, of that she was certain.

“Tell me, Alexandra,” he said, completing his circle and returning to face her, “do you find it at all strange that I happened upon you the moment you arrived here? In the middle of the Ezera Forest, of all places?”

Alex blinked at the unfamiliar name. “The what forest?”

Aven cocked his head slightly. “You’ve never heard of the Ezera?” At her quick negative shake, he asked, “Then tell me, Alexandra, how is it you know of Akarnae?”

“Akarnae?” Alex repeated, mimicking his pronunciation. Ah-kar-nay. How strange. “Never heard of it, sorry.”

“Then to which academy do you seek directions?”

She frowned. “The International Exchange Academy, of course.”

“I’m afraid the only educational institution nearby is Akarnae Academy,” Aven said. “Are you sure you haven’t heard of it?”

“Positive,” Alex said. “But are you sure that’s what it’s called? Because, despite my… flying experience… I can’t be that far from the building I was thrown out of. The International Exchange Academy must be around here somewhere.”

“Oh, Alexandra, you have no idea how pleased I am to have found you,” Aven said, his eyes alight.

Alex took another step away from him as her inner Creep-O-Meter spiked out a warning.

He stepped forward, and she stepped back again. But he just kept moving towards her, his golden eyes glowing from within, trapping her in his gaze.

“I found you here,” he said, “just as it was foretold I would. ‘A chance meeting in the forest of greeting, their destinies will be bound as one…’ Don’t you see, Alexandra?”

She was still trying in vain to put some distance between her and the beautiful yet clearly deranged man, but her retreat ended when she backed into a tree, unable to go any further.

“See what?” she said, her voice quieter than she would have liked.

He stopped directly in front of her and reached out to gently trace his fingers down the line of her cheek. “You are to be my salvation.”

Alex’s eyes widened and then narrowed at his ridiculous statement. Just as she was debating whether to laugh hysterically or knee him hard enough that he’d never reproduce, he took a step away from her and tilted his head as if hearing something in the distance.

He stood like that for a moment before he moved back towards her, even closer than before, and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I’ll give you some time to settle in and learn how to use your power, and then I shall come for you, Alexandra. Together we will rule all of Medora.”

He flashed his disarming smile again and stepped back, casually walking away and disappearing into the dense forest.

Only when he was completely out of sight did Alex breathe a sigh of relief. What a whack-job!

“Hey, what are you doing out here?”

Alex spun around at the new voice, and in her haste she tripped over a bulging tree root, lost her balance, and sprawled face-first onto the forest floor. She heard the sound of suppressed laughter and groaned quietly into the leafy cushions surrounding her before pushing herself to her feet. In front of her were two guys, both around her age. Unfortunately for her humiliated self, both of them were uncommonly attractive, too.

“Maybe it’s some kind of gene therapy,” Alex muttered.

“What was that?” asked the guy on the right, his blond hair mussed by the wind and his bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Nothing,” Alex said. “Who are you? And where did you come from?”

“I’m Jordan Sparker,” said the blond, before pointing to his friend. “And this is Bear.”

Bear grinned at her, and it was such a genuinely friendly expression that she unconsciously returned it. Just like Jordan, he also had a mischievous look about him, but his shaggy dark hair and warm brown eyes helped him seem less… devil-may-care.

“And you’re from…?” she prompted.

“The academy,” Bear said. “Where else?”

Alex almost wilted with relief. Finally, some students who could show her the way out of the forest. Never mind that she still had no idea how she’d come to be there in the first place.

“Your turn,” said Jordan. “Same questions.”

“I’m Alexandra Jennings,” she answered. “I’m supposed to be enrolling at the academy today but I was thrown through a doorway and ended up out here. Then this guy came along and went all weird on me, saying that together he and I would one day rule some place called ‘Medora’. That was a fun conversation, let me tell you.”

Both boys looked at her with amusement and she abruptly stopped her rambling.

“I think we’re going to get along really well, Alexandra Jennings,” Jordan said with a grin.

“Alex,” she told him.

He shrugged. “Sure. Now tell us more about what happened with this doorway?”

She repeated the story as best as she could, watching them both for signs of understanding. If anything, they looked more and more excited, though she had no idea why.

“All I really want to do is hand in my enrolment papers, find out where I’m sleeping, and put this whole day behind me,” she concluded.

Jordan turned to Bear and asked, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“No question about it,” Bear agreed. “It’ll be a shock for her, but the best way is just to show her.”

“ ‘Her’ is standing right here, you know,” Alex said pointedly.

“Sorry, Alex,” Bear said. “You’ve just given us a lot to think about. If we’re right, then you’re the first Freyan to come to Medora in thousands of years. If not more. This is huge.”

“Epic,” Jordan said.

Alex looked from one of them to the other and asked, “What’s a Freyan?”

Bear turned to Jordan who cleared his throat and said, “Freyan is the name we use for someone who comes from Freya, the Original Earth. Medora is our world, which is Second Earth—kind of like a parallel Earth, but different. If we’re right about what’s happened to you, then you’re from another world.”

Alex stared blankly for a beat, waiting for them to jokingly cry, ‘gotcha!’ but their earnest expressions didn’t falter.

“Right,” she deadpanned. She was so not in the mood for any more first-day-at-the-new-school pranks. “I’d say it’s been great chatting with you, but… well, nope. Falling into the fountain was bad enough, you don’t need to continue this ‘let’s punk the newbie’ charade. So, thanks for the welcome, but I’ll just find my own way back.”

Alex chose a direction at random and headed straight into the trees. She half-expected Jordan and Bear to try and stop her from leaving, but they let her walk away without argument. She heard them following her and whispering to one another, but she didn’t deviate from her onward mission.

It took less than five minutes before the density of the forest began to lessen. The boys moved up beside Alex and together the three of them stepped out from under the canopy of trees.

“But—What—How?” Alex stared incredulously at the view, speechless.

Directly in front of them lay a beautiful lake, glistening in the late afternoon sunset. The forest where they stood led straight down to the water’s edge, and both the trees and the lake continued on to her right, much further than she could see. To her left, the forest cleared out into a grassy field which bordered the curve of the lake. Alex could even see a few horses grazing in the distance, adding to the picturesque image.

Further on from the fields and resting atop a small hill were a cluster of buildings, each one different from the next. Some looked like they were from the Dark Ages, while others looked as if they’d been built just yesterday. Two in particular stood out to Alex, if only because of their contrasting forms: one was a multi-storied U-shaped complex that was almost futuristic in design, and the other was a tower-like structure in the middle of the campus that looked like it belonged in a Medieval Weekly magazine.

“Welcome to Akarnae, Alex,” Jordan said.

“What is this place?” she managed to say. “Where’s the International Exchange Academy?”

“We need to tell you some things that you’re not going to believe,” Bear said, “but you have to hear us out before you decide to ignore us, okay?”

She nodded absentmindedly, distracted by the picture in front of her. Where was she?

“Alex, focus,” Bear said firmly, turning her to face them.

Seeing their serious expressions, she hesitantly said, “Okay, I’m listening.”

They led her over to a fallen tree and made her sit down while they spent the next few minutes describing an impossible reality. When they were finished, she looked at them apprehensively, torn between laughter and tears.

“Let me get this straight,” she said. “According to you, I’m from another world, a world that was once identical to your own—this ‘Medora’ place—but over time the two places changed and became… different places?”

Yeah, that was really articulate. But they nodded, so she continued, “And people from my Earth—sorry, ‘Freya’—don’t know about Medora or how to get here?”

When they nodded again, she asked, “Then how do you explain me?”

“No idea,” Jordan said, grinning widely. “But I reckon we’ll have fun trying to figure that out.”

Alex looked from him to Bear and asked, “Are you aliens?” When both boys burst out laughing, she frowned at them. “Different worlds? Hel-lo! It’s not that strange a question, especially considering I feel like I’m the leading character in some kind of alternate reality movie. And you’ve just told me that there are all kinds of different beings in your world, not just humans. Give a girl a break, would you?”

“Sorry, Alex,” Bear said, still chuckling. “Rest assured, we’re as human as you are.”

Alex let that settle before her brain skipped a million miles ahead. “If I’m in another world, how can I understand you, and vice versa? How do you know English if there’s no England here?”

Even Alex had to admit that she was beginning to sound a little hysterical, but it was still a valid question, and one of many that were swirling around her head. Perhaps she should have asked something more pressing, though. Like, if she truly was in a different world, how was she going to get home again? Especially since she didn’t even know why—or how—she’d arrived to begin with. And her parents… Well, at least there was something good to be said about their inability to be contacted, since they would totally freak out if they learned she was missing. Alex shuddered just thinking about their reactions—or perhaps she shuddered because she was beginning to understand the gravity of her situation.

“English, England… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jordan said. “We’re speaking Medoran, or the common tongue, and since you seem to understand it just fine, then I guess we can presume there’s some kind of cross-world comparison. Let’s just be thankful that we don’t have to mime this entire conversation to each other, and leave it at that.”

Alex figured she couldn’t expect much more of an explanation, so she decided to move on. “Let’s talk about this school of yours,” she said, thinking over everything they’d told her in their ‘welcome to our world’ speech. “You mentioned something about Akarnae being a school for the gifted. What does that mean?”

Bear motioned for her to look at Jordan, so she turned to the blond boy. He smirked at her… and then disappeared into thin air.

She gaped at the empty spot in front of her. “How—?”

“It’s my gift,” Jordan said, reappearing again and laughing loudly at the gobsmacked expression on her face.

“Your gift?”

“Transcendence,” he said. “I can transcend—meaning I can disappear from sight and move through solid objects while invisible.”

“That is…” Alex was lost for words, so she settled on, “very cool.”

Jordan chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. “It’s okay. You’ll get used to it here. Everyone at Akarnae has a gift. Bear’s is pretty handy too, especially when we want to get out of detention.”

“What can you do, Bear?” Alex asked, even if in the back of her mind she was totally flipping out.

“I’m a charmer,” he said with a wink.

She felt her lips twitch. “I bet you say that to all the new girls.”

He laughed at that before explaining, “I can use my speech to convince people to do things. I literally charm them into action.”

“That sounds kind of dangerous,” Alex said. If what he said was true, then he had a gift that could cause a lot of damage in the wrong hands.

“It might seem that way, but it’s really not,” Bear said. “My charms are more like suggestions, you can either act upon or dismiss them depending on how much you like or don’t like the idea.”

Alex thought about that and said, “Can you show me?”

Bear shared a sneaky glance with Jordan before turning back to her and saying, “You must be hungry, Alex. I doubt you’ve eaten for hours, right?”

His voice sounded the same, but there was an almost hypnotic quality to his tone. Before she even realised what she was doing, Alex nodded in agreement.

“You’re probably so hungry that you would eat anything just to feel relief.”

Alex’s stomach clenched painfully. She was starving. What had she last eaten? A piece of toast for breakfast? She couldn’t even remember what it had tasted like, it seemed so long ago.

“I wonder if there’s anything around here that we can give you to eat?” Bear continued in that same mesmerising tone.

“Please,” Alex said, her own voice sounding strained. “I’ll eat anything.”

“Here, this will help.” Bear scooped up a handful of dirt and handed it to her. “It’s just like chocolate. It’ll taste delicious and you’ll feel so good afterwards.”

Alex reached her hand out and Bear passed the dirt over. Part of her was desperate to pour the chocolate-like goodness straight into her mouth, but another part was beginning to scream from deep within her subconscious mind. She paused in the act of moving her hand towards her mouth, her thoughts warring with each other.

It’s dirt, Alex thought to herself. Why would I ever eat dirt? Gross!

She threw the handful of earth to the ground and then turned to glare at Bear. “What did you just do to me?”

He and Jordan burst out laughing.

“You should see your face right now!” Jordan gasped between guffaws.

She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes further.

“Oh, come on Alex,” Jordan said once he’d calmed somewhat. “Admit it, that was funny!”

She tapped her foot impatiently and asked Bear again, “What did you do?”

“You asked me to charm you, so I did,” he said. “I wanted you to see how it feels when it works, but also how when I press too far, your natural reasoning comes back into play.”

“So, you managed to convince me I was starving, even though I’m actually not?”

He nodded and continued for her, “But when I tried to get you to eat dirt, the suggestion was too different from anything you would normally agree to, so you snapped out of my influence.”

She shook her head in amazement. “That’s… Yeah, I have no words for what that is.”

“I just wanted you to understand that while it’s pretty cool, it’s not a dangerous gift because I can only do so much before you realise you’re being manipulated. So, no freaking out about me becoming some kind of tyrannical ruler bent on world domination, okay?”

“That particular scenario hadn’t actually crossed my mind,” she told him dryly.

“I kind of like the sound of it, though,” Jordan mused.

“Fortunately, it’s me with the gift, then,” Bear said with a grin.

Alex found herself enjoying their easy banter, but her mind was also distracted by the events of the last half hour. It was only just beginning to sink in that she was really, illogically, in another world.

“You look like you’re going to pass out, Alex,” Jordan said, gently grasping her elbow to offer support for her swaying body.

“You try looking okay when you’ve just had your entire world turned on its axis—literally,” Alex said, rubbing at her temples. “What am I supposed to do now? How do I get home?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Jordan said. “Marselle will get you home, no problem.”

“Who’s Marselle?” Alex asked.

“He’s our headmaster,” Bear answered. “If anyone can get you back to Freya, it’s Professor Marselle. He can do anything.”

“Sounds like a regular Einstein,” Alex muttered, too low for either of them to hear. Louder, she said, “All right, let’s go see this headmaster of yours.”

Three

Alex wasn’t sure where to look as Jordan and Bear led her out of the forest, around the edge of the lake and up through the grassy fields. When she turned to glance back over her shoulder, she had to stop walking to truly appreciate the postcard-perfect sight behind her. The lake and the forest were beautiful enough on their own, but they were overshadowed by a massive snow-capped mountain not too far off in the distance. It was a spectacular view, made even more so by the colours from the setting sun. Alex had a hard time tearing her eyes from the landscape, at least until the serenity was broken by a loud voice.

“SPARKER!”

Alex spun back around at the noise. What she saw caused her to swallow nervously and back up a step.

The man was possibly the most intimidating person she’d ever seen, and he was walking their way. Tall and burly, he had short-cropped hair which added to his military appearance. But it was his clothes that really caught her attention, since he was wearing some kind of leather armour and… was that a sword strapped to his belt?

Alex turned her attention towards the man’s face and found that, while his clothing and bulky physique certainly emphasised his formidable presence, it was his expression that truly made her fear for her life. He looked beyond furious, with icy blue eyes glaring out from under narrowed eyebrows. Even his lips were curled in anger.

When the glowering man was just a few steps away, Jordan smiled and said, “What’s up, Karter?”

Alex wondered if Jordan had a death wish, since his words seemed to have the same effect on the man as poking a rattlesnake with a fork.

“You were supposed to report to detention with me after breakfast this morning,” the man—Karter—said. “Since it evidently slipped your mind, you’ll make up for your lapse in judgement next weekend—all weekend—with Finn.”

Something about the last two words caused Jordan to pale. Karter seemed pleased with the reaction.

“That’ll teach you to waste my time,” he finished.

“Aw, come on, Karter,” Jordan pleaded. “The only reason I had detention was because I skipped Marselle’s speech. It’s not like I haven’t heard it all before.”

“Attendance was mandatory, Sparker.” Karter frowned and shook his head. “Your arrogance will be your undoing if you don’t watch yourself.”

Jordan seemed to wilt by Alex’s side. Despite all his bravado, she sensed that he truly respected the man in front of them.

“Yeah, I know.” Jordan looked down as he spoke. “Sorry, Karter. I won’t do it again.”

“Of course you will,” Karter huffed. “Just don’t get caught next time. Understood?”

When Jordan glanced back up again, he appeared to be fighting a grin. “No problem, sir.”

Karter nodded brusquely. “Good.”

Just as he began to turn away, he seemed to notice Alex and Bear for the first time.

“Who are you?” he demanded, looking directly at Alex.

“Uh…”

He turned his glare from her to Bear then back to Jordan. “You know you have to register visitors. What’s the meaning of this?”

“Ease up, Karter,” Bear said. “She’s no ordinary visitor.”

“She’s new here,” Jordan added. Then he lowered his voice, making his next statement sound overly dramatic. “And she’s from Freya.”

Karter’s eyes widened a fraction before they narrowed again. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sparker.”

“I’m right here, you know,” Alex interrupted, fed up with them all talking about her as if she was invisible. “I can speak for myself.”

“What’s your name then, girl?” Karter asked, and she instantly regretted opening her mouth.

“Alexandra Jennings,” she said, before adding on a quick, “sir.”

“Follow me, Jennings,” he ordered. “We’ll find out where you’re really from and what you’re doing here.”

He didn’t wait for her to acknowledge his order, he just turned around and marched back towards the buildings.

Jordan smiled encouragingly at her. “Shall we?”

“I’d rather not,” Alex mumbled.

Jordan and Bear chuckled at her words and she smiled back at them before they hurried to catch up to the strange, leather-clad man.

Alex remained silent as the three of them followed Karter across the academy grounds. She saw students walking around, playing games, talking and laughing with each other and she knew that this was what a school was meant to be like. There were no stuffy uniforms or miserable expressions here.

Karter led them straight towards the large tower-like building and motioned for them to enter. As they walked through the medieval archway, Alex noticed a bronze plaque attached to the stone wall with the inscription, ‘Akarnae Academy’. In smaller letters below were the words: ‘Kailas en freydell. Vayla en karsis. Leali en nexar’.

“Strength in weakness. Victory in surrender. Life in death,” Bear translated before she could ask. “It’s kind of like our school motto.”

“I see.” She didn’t. Exactly what kind of school was this?

The archway led to an empty room. On one side was a winding stone staircase leading up, and on the other side a similar staircase led down, underground. Karter motioned for them to follow him over to the upwards staircase, and they hastily began their ascent.

Step after step they climbed until they finally left the staircase at the eighth floor and moved into a small waiting room. Karter instructed the three of them to stay there while he walked across the room and knocked on a closed door.

The moment he disappeared into the room beyond, Alex puffed out, “Fill me in—what’s going on here? Where are we? And seriously, haven’t you guys ever heard of an elevator?”

“It was only eight floors,” Jordan said, and she turned incredulous eyes to him.

“There’s no such thing as ‘only’ when it comes to eight floors, Jordan. That’s practically a small mountain.”

He shook his head, amused, and answered her other questions. “This is Jarvis’s office, but I’m not sure why we’re here. I thought Karter would take us to see Marselle.”

Before he could say more, the door opened and a middle-aged man with neatly combed hair and rectangular glasses walked out. His expression was warm and his smile genuine when he said, “We’ve been expecting you, Alex.”

She looked at him uncertainly, perplexed by his comment and his familiar use of her name.

“I’m Administrator Jarvis,” he continued. “Please, follow me and we’ll sort out your paperwork.” He beckoned her into his office, but she remained where she was, unsettled by his words.

“I’m sorry, my paperwork?”

“For your admission,” he clarified.

“For my… admission?”

“I was told you’d have your enrolment papers with you,” Jarvis said, looking at her hand pointedly.

Alex tightened her fingers around the crumpled papers that were still miraculously clenched in her grip despite everything that had happened between the doorway and the forest. “I think there’s been some kind of mistake, Administrator Jarvis. I’m meant to be enrolling at the International Exchange Academy.”

Jarvis smiled at her kindly. “And yet, here you are at Akarnae. Headmaster Marselle mentioned you might be arriving today, and he said you’d likely be confused. He had so hoped to meet you before he left, but unfortunately you just missed him.” Jarvis motioned for her to enter his office once again. “Please, come in and take a seat.”

Realising she would have to enter the room to get some answers, Alex began to follow him, pausing after a few steps to look back at Jordan and Bear.

Seeing her hesitation, Jarvis said, “Your companions are more than welcome to join us, if you’d like?”

Alex nodded and Jordan and Bear stepped up beside her. Together they entered the room and sat in front of a large mahogany desk. Jarvis took a seat opposite them, while Karter glowered at them all and left without another word.

“Perhaps we should start by getting your questions out of the way,” Jarvis offered, watching Alex fidget nervously. “You seem a tad… overwhelmed.”

“Overwhelmed doesn’t quite cover it,” Alex said. “I’ve just been told that I’m from a different world. That’s not exactly normal, you know.”

Jordan chuckled quietly beside her. At least someone was amused.

“Oh, good,” Jarvis said, pleased. “That saves us a lengthy explanation.”

“I think I’ve had all the explanations I can handle,” Alex said, feeling suddenly tired. “I’m ready to go home now, if that’s okay with you?”

On the off chance that her parents were able to sneak a phone call in between their connecting flights, she really didn’t want to risk them discovering her missing once they landed. She needed to get back, pronto, even if it meant she’d have to put up with the zombie-like students at the International Exchange Academy. They might have been mean, but at least they weren’t from another world.

Jarvis shifted uncomfortably at her question. “Unfortunately, that’s not going to be as simple as it sounds.”

Alex stilled. “What do you mean? I have to get home. Right now, before someone realises I’m gone.”

There was no way he could have misread the urgency in her voice. And yet, if anything, his expression turned pitying.

“I’m afraid that’s impossible at the moment,” Jarvis told her. “Headmaster Marselle is the only person who can help you return to your world.”

Alex felt her heart rate increasing. “Well, where is he, then?”

“I don’t expect to see the headmaster for a number of months,” Jarvis said. “He’s on a scouting tour—something he does every five years.”

Months? Did he say months?

“But—But—” Alex didn’t even know what to say. “What am I supposed to do until then?”

“You’ll remain here and attend classes as one of our students,” Jarvis said, as if it was obvious.

Alex could feel a panic attack coming on. “I can’t stay here! I have a life to get back to—a world to get back to! My parents… my new school…” Admittedly, she wouldn’t be completely devastated to miss out on the International Exchange Academy experience, but the rest was a definite cause for concern. “I can’t just become a student here and go to classes like it’s normal. Not for months. Not even for a day!”

At his apologetic look, she quickly grasped for another argument.

“Akarnae is a school for the gifted, right? Well, I don’t have a gift. I’m completely ungifted. I can’t stay here—I don’t belong here!” she said. “Can’t you get a message to this Marselle guy and ask him to come back sooner?” Like, tomorrow, she added to herself.

“I’m sorry, Alex,” Jarvis said, sounding like he truly meant it. “If it’s any consolation, the headmaster was adamant that you do have a gift, and that it will present itself in time. He assured me that you would find your place here at Akarnae.”

“How kind of him,” Alex muttered. She wasn’t thrilled to have some random guy making decisions on her behalf, but she also couldn’t suppress a tendril of curiosity. She had a gift? What did that mean? Would she be able to turn invisible, like Jordan? Maybe she’d be able to fly or move things with her mind; that’d be pretty awesome.

Realising that there were some possible advantages to staying at Akarnae—not the least of which was that she could avoid the awful International Exchange Academy—Alex wondered if perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to hang around for a little while. And it wasn’t as if she had any better ideas.

“All right, I guess I can wait here until he returns,” she hesitantly agreed, hoping that her parents stuck to their original plan and wouldn’t try to call her one final time. Judging by the alcohol-Valium cocktail her mother had ingested, Alex figured she was probably safe. Her dad would have his hands full keeping her mum conscious and out of trouble, so it was unlikely that either of them would even think about contacting her when they landed. Once again, Alex found herself feeling grateful for their inability to communicate over the next few months. If she had any luck at all, she’d be back to her world without them ever realising she’d been missing.

“Excellent,” Jarvis said, genuinely happy with her decision.

“You’re going to love it here,” Jordan promised, his eyes sparkling. “Just wait, you’ll see.”

Bear nodded his agreement, and their enthusiasm was so contagious that Alex couldn’t resist offering a tentative smile in return. At least she already had two friends in this strange place—that was more than she’d ever had in her world.

“Now we’ve settled that, may I please have your enrolment papers?” Jarvis asked.

“They’re not for here, you know,” Alex pointed out as she handed them over.

“I just need some basic information to create your personal file,” he said, skimming the forms before placing the paperwork into the top drawer of his desk. He closed the drawer and a moment later opened it again, pulling out an entire folder. Alex’s eyes widened when she read the label: Alexandra Rose Jennings.

Jarvis withdrew a document out of her newly created file and handed it over.

“How did—?” She shook her head, realising that it was probably best if she didn’t ask about the apparently magical file. She was in another world—anything was possible.

“Just sign on the line and you’ll be officially enrolled,” Jarvis said.

She skimmed the paper quickly, taking in the rules and regulations of enrolment. Everything seemed pretty normal until she read four words at the bottom of the page: ‘Alexandra Jennings: Potential Untested’.

What did that mean?

“Wonderful,” Jarvis said after she’d signed her name and handed the document back. “Now all that’s left is to see which classes you’ll be attending. I think the best way to go about this is to test you and explain the results afterwards.”

“Test me?” Alex repeated. “Test me for what?”

“For your potential, of course.”

“And that means…?”

“Before I explain, I need to tell you a little more about the academy,” Jarvis said. “We have five years of official education, with two additional years for students who are chosen to continue on as apprentices in specific subjects. Due to the demanding nature of the classes, the youngest enrolments we have are fourteen years of age, meaning that students graduate at eighteen—or twenty for the apprentices.”

“Ooo-kay,” Alex said, drawing the word out. None of this was really going to affect her since she’d be leaving as soon as the headmaster returned. “That still doesn’t explain what you mean by potential.”

“I’m getting there,” Jarvis promised. “Our classes are split into two categories: age-based and potential-based. There are five subjects for each. Core Skills, Medical Science, Species Distinction, History, and Studies of Society and Culture are all age-based classes; while Combat, Archery, PE, Chemistry, and Equestrian Skills are all potential-based.”

Combat? Species Distinction? Alex wondered if she’d heard right.

“You had your sixteenth birthday recently, correct?” Jarvis asked, glancing quickly at her file.

“Yeah, in July,” she answered, not sure if that meant anything to him. Was the calendar year the same on Medora as on Earth—err, Freya?

“That works out well then,” Jarvis commented. “Despite your lack of previous experience in the age-based subjects, you’ll still have to join with the third year class. Jordan and Bear are also in that class, so I’m sure they’ll help bring you up to speed.”

“Go team!” Jordan said, holding his hand up for a high-five.

Alex chuckled at his boyish expression before asking Jarvis, “How do you test for the potential subjects?”

Jarvis handed her a lollipop and she looked at it dubiously.

“Go on,” he urged. “This is the potential test.”

“That makes absolutely no sense,” she said, but she took the candy and unwrapped it, sticking it in her mouth. She swivelled her tongue around the foreign object, surprised at the different flavours it produced. Apple, cherry, grape, pineapple, orange. Every swirl brought a different fruity flavour to her mouth.

“Now,” Jarvis started again, “the potential-based classes are divided into five different levels of difficulty—Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. The level you train at is based on your potential for that particular class. The potential-based subjects also tend to be the most physically demanding.”

“Like Combat?” Alex asked around the lollipop. “Is that even legal?”

“Akarnae abides by a unique set of laws,” Jarvis answered sketchily. “Our instructors are given free rein to do what they must in order to help bring out the best in our students.”

Well… that didn’t sound daunting at all.

“I can assure you that Combat is a favourite subject for many students,” Jarvis pressed on. “Very demanding, but educational nonetheless. Karter is the instructor for that class.”

Why was she not surprised? Big man. Leather costume. Sword. Total no-brainer, really.

She swirled the shrinking candy around her mouth, waiting for Jarvis to continue talking about the classes, but his attention was elsewhere.

“Where did I put that thing?” he muttered, rustling through the papers on his desk.

As she watched him, Alex unconsciously crunched down on the remaining sweet, chewing until only the stick remained.

“Aha!” Jarvis exclaimed, withdrawing a small, resealable bag. He indicated to the stick poking out of her mouth. “All done?”

She nodded and he motioned for her to drop the stick inside the bag. Alex did as directed and, after he sealed it and placed it on his desk, she watched in amazement as the bag disappeared, replaced by a single piece of paper.

“How—?”

“New world, new rules,” Jordan said, laughing at the gobsmacked expression on her face.

Right. She’d have to remember that in the coming days.

“Well, this is certainly a surprise,” Jarvis mumbled to himself as he read the words on the paper.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Some of your results are… unexpected.”

He handed over the sheet of paper and Jordan and Bear leaned in to read with her.

Potential Test: Alexandra Rose Jennings

Combat ~ Epsilon

Equestrian Skills ~ Epsilon

PE ~ Delta

Archery ~ Gamma

Chemistry ~ Gamma

After reading the page, Alex looked up to find her friends staring at her with shocked expressions.

“What?” she asked.

Jordan looked like he was about to burst out laughing. “This is going to be a great year.”

She frowned slightly when Bear smirked and nodded his agreement. What was up with them? She turned back to Jarvis to see his countenance still unchanged from before. “Why do you look so… apprehensive?”

“I’m just surprised by your results,” he said again. “Particularly for Combat.”

“Why?” Alex asked. “Epsilon is the lowest grade, right?”

The three of them stared at her with varying degrees of pity.

“Epsilon is our most advanced ranking, Alex,” Jarvis corrected. “It’s the highest level of training we have on offer here. Despite all our students being re-tested each year, very few manage to rate at an Epsilon level for anything. Ever. Often the students in Epsilon classes are the apprentices who have been chosen to remain behind for specialised training, or those students who have the aptitude to become apprentices after their fifth year.”

Alex felt the blood drain from her face. That couldn’t be right.

“At present,” Jarvis continued, “I believe there are only five other students in the Epsilon class for Combat, all of whom are at least a year older than you. As for Equestrian Skills, there are only six other students in your Epsilon class. One of them is your age, but the rest are older again.”

Alex considered his words before finally saying, “Perhaps the lollipop was wrong?”

Jarvis shook his head. “The testing is foolproof, I’m afraid.”

“You can change it though, right? You can put me in a lower level?” Seeing his regretful look, she cried, “No way—I don’t know the first thing about offensive fighting!”

“I understand your unease,” Jarvis said soothingly, “but if the results say you’re at this level, then that’s what you are. The testing doesn’t ascertain how capable you are at the subjects, but rather, it judges how good you’ll be if you apply yourself to the training. According to your results, you have a tremendously high level of potential for these subjects.”

Alex scowled at the piece of paper. “Lucky me.”

“Hey, at least you’ll have Bear and me in PE,” Jordan said, reading her results again. “And me again in Chemistry. That’s something to look forward to. We can blow stuff up together.”

“Whoopee,” she responded dryly.

He nudged her playfully and she smiled despite herself.

“It’s getting late. I think we’ve all had enough for the night,” Jarvis said, covering a yawn. “Unless you have any other questions?”

“Dozens, but none I can articulate right now,” Alex admitted.

Jarvis looked at her with understanding. “My office is always open if you need to talk. Rest assured, everything you require for your stay will be provided for you. Your dorm room is ready and waiting, and your classes will begin first thing in the morning.”

He handed her a new sheet of paper which showed her class schedule.

“Any problems, you know where to find me,” Jarvis said, before turning to Jordan and Bear. “Do you mind showing Alex to the dorm building since you’re going there anyway? She’s on the third floor, room seven.”

Jordan made a choking noise. “Are you serious? Room seven?”

Jarvis appeared puzzled. “Is there a problem?”

“You’ve put her in with D.C.?” Bear asked, his eyes wide. “Is that… wise?”

“I’m sure they’ll get along splendidly.” Jarvis covered another yawn with his hand. “Eventually.”

Jordan snorted. “If you say so.”

Alex wasn’t sure what to make of their reactions. What was wrong with her roommate?

“Oh, and one more thing before you go,” Jarvis said. “It’s probably best if you keep where you’re from and how you came to be here between us.”

“Why?” Alex asked.

“Being from another world is quite the anomaly. There could be… certain complications if your story was to become well known. Only tell those whom you trust will keep your secret.”

“All right,” Alex said, accepting his judgement on the matter.