Bride of Alvar (Redemption Saga, Book 1)

Chapter 3

"Shut up and come quietly, bride of Alvar," one of the creatures orders. His teeth glint in the light of my phone pointed as he speaks to Emily.

"What are you? Oh my God—!" Emily screams, but her voice abruptly stops when a flash of light illuminates the room. For a fleeting second I see the three figures clearer, two large menacing ones and one small, struggling Emily figure then it falls dark and their presence vanishes, much like Alvar's appearances had.

"Emily!" I scream, and start toward the empty space left behind, grasping at air.

My phone falls from my grasp as I trip over something in the dark.

"911. What is your emergency?" I hear from the phone on the floor.

Someone grabs my hand and I fight them. The monsters must be back for me!

Despite my kicking, I am pulled up from the floor to find myself face to face with Alvar.

"We must go," he says gruffly, his expression intense, worried.

"Emily," I cry, gasping for breath, the shock hitting me and constricting my lungs in panic. "Where's Emily?"

"You must come with me earlier than expected. I apologize if you haven't yet said your goodbyes," Alvar's voice is wooden. His eyes shine a fiery red in color.

I blink up at him. What the—?

Alvar touches my forehead with a glowing white crystal, and wraps his arms around me.

My world explodes into a white oblivion. A rush of cold makes me cling to Alvar for warmth.

We're suspended in a cold black space, with lights passing us by.

"Where are we?" My voice holds no echo to it at all. It's strange. The silence of this place makes my spine tingle.

"The Bridge," Alvar whispers, he holds me tighter. "We are about to enter Underland. I need you to keep holding onto me as tight as you can."

I roll my eyes at him. "Isn't that convenient for you?"

"Oh, you think I'd use this as an excuse to hold you close to me?" Alvar laughs. "I'm not that desperate or hopeless, Lucy. I only say this because if you are lost in the Bridge you are lost forever."

"Where is Emily?"

"Emily?"

"Some of your goons took her," I accuse, realizing I'd just used the word "goons" and wondering whom on Earth uses that word except me and then I start thinking how I'm probably not on "Earth" anymore so it doesn't matter.

"I didn't send anyone to take her so I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about," Alvar says, giving me a confused look.

"Seriously?" I bite my lip and start trembling. Emily. Who took her then?

Wait.

They'd called her a bride hadn't they?

"Oh my gosh! They thought Emily was me!" I exclaim.

"How do you mean?"

"They called her bride of Alvar!" I exclaim, "Why would they say that if they hadn't come from your world?"

"Maggort!" Alvar growls, his eyes turn a fiery red again.

What is up with that?