Antony led Skye to a large building of stone, dark stained wood lining the corners and surrounding the similarly stained double doors. The torches on the outside of the building seemed permanently lit and unable to harm the thick thatching of the roof.

Skye couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the building as she walked towards it, and she only froze when she saw the name plastered above the door on a sign. The painted letters were red with gold lining as her eyes scanned over it a few times before reading aloud.

“Anderson Guild of Heroes…”

Antony nodded and smiled proudly, yet he still spoke in a hushed tone so they weren’t overheard.

“It was established by the late King Jameson. If the royal family was too busy to deal with a problem in town, the people could come here and hire a hero or a group of heroes.”

Skye paused again and looked over to him, with the name Jameson pulling at the back of her mind like a fish hook caught on seaweed. “Hold on—royals? You’re telling me that my family—”

She stopped when Antony held up a finger to his lips. “Please, I will answer all of your questions just as soon as we enter the guild. We need to be careful with what we say outside.”

Skye looked him over nervously, but then her stomach growled again and she sighed in defeat. “Fine. But I swear if you kill me, I will haunt you,” she said before entering the building as Antony followed behind her.

“I don’t have any plans of killing you, my lady,” he said before leading her to a table and asking if someone could go and get them a good lunch.

Skye sat down and looked at him slightly confused. “Just call me Skye, please. I don’t care who you think my family was, I am not royalty. I’m just a college student with depression. I’m just ordinary.”

Antony raised a brow at her. “Are you kidding?! There is nothing ordinary about you. You’re an Anderson! Heroics and adventure run through your veins!”

Skye scoffed. “Please. The most adventure I get is the walk to class when a car splashes freezing cold water on me. I’m not who you say I am Antony.”

She believed herself when she said she wasn’t anything special. She’s a nerd getting a Bachelors in history when she doesn’t even know what she wants to do for the rest of her life. Whose only free time is spent either working out or reading.

“I’m sorry Antony… But I am not this… This—none of this—makes any sense to me. I should be in Dublin trying odd cuisine before my flight this afternoon. But I know for a fact I will be missing my flight anyways…”

Antony looked at her extremely confused. “What are you meaning by…cars and flights?”

“This is what I mean… I’m high on mold caught up in some larping skit and have been mistaken for some messed up royal. I should be in the hospital.” She then laughed. “Better yet, I should be back in my dorm, studying for a rather important exam coming up. Not in Ireland or whatever the f*ck this place is called!”

Antony gave her a slight look of concern, reaching out with a hand he carefully resting it on her shoulder. But when he moved to speak, their food arrived and he slid her plate closer to her.

“Eat, you’re beginning to sound hysterical Skye.”

Skye looked over to the food and she tilted her head looking at it. “Is that a gyro?”

She tentatively reached out and took the thick tortilla in her hand, taking note of the lamb, lettuce, tomatoes, and other bits of food as she brought it to her mouth and took a bite. And for the first time since entering that castle and sitting on its throne, she relaxed. “D*mn that’s good…”

Antony smiled as she ate and he relaxed as well before digging into his dish. His mind raced with questions of who this was. Perhaps he had been mistaken. But she had the old king's features, and she had the queen's striking blue eyes.

But what was she talking about when she mentioned the car? Was it a creature like a horse? And what did she mean by flight? She couldn’t possibly mean a dragon. And while Wyvern riders were a thing, they were more towards the south to the cliffs. So, what was she talking about?

He looked back to her and watched her devour the entire gyro. She definitely had the appetite of an Anderson. She had the hair, the skin, the eyes. But she seemed so out of place.

It didn’t take Skye long to finish eating, and when she was done she leaned back in the chair and let out a long satisfied sigh.

“Sorry for losing it for a second there, Antony… I’m sure you’re a really nice guy and wouldn’t lie to me on purpose…”

Antony smiled at her as he continued to eat slowly. “Don’t worry about it, Skye. I can tell that something is really off here. And I apologize for bombarding you with so many questions and so much news you’ve probably never heard before.”

Skye smiled back at him softly hearing him apologize. “Thank you. I’m just scared and tired, and I need to figure out how to get home.”

Antony suddenly snapped his fingers and perked up.

“Hold on, I think I remember hearing about something like this! Not your situation entirely, but specifically an Anderson legend,” he said before turning fully to face Skye. “Tell me exactly what happened before your world turned upside down on you?”

Skye jumped and looked to him surprised, her eyes wide as she faltered slightly. “I, uh, got lost in a basement and walked through a blue wall…”

Saying it out loud, she felt so stupid. But the smile that spread across Antony’s face made her feel validated somehow.

“You walked through a portal, Skye! You walked through a time and reality portal!” He laughed. “There is a legend that has been suppressed, a legend that states a portal will open under the old Anderson castle. I guess today was the first time.”

“Wait…the first time? Does that mean there will be a second time?” Skye asked, her eyes wide and hopeful.

“I mean, I would assume so. But the legend states that it only ever does so on the night of the winter solstice. The night the Anderson’s…” He cut himself off and his expression faltered slightly.

“The night they were murdered…” Skye finished, and she felt a similar sinking feeling in her stomach. “So, how far away is the solstice?”

Antony shook himself from his sad thoughts and he looked back into her eyes. “It’s in about three weeks.”

“Three weeks?!” Skye shouted before sinking in her chair and groaning. “What am I gonna do until then?”

Antony put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll stay here, with me. I’ll keep you on the down-low, and make sure you don’t get murdered or go hungry.”

As dismal as the thought of being murdered was, Skye couldn’t help but feel comforted by his muted multicolored eyes and gentle touch. “Thank you, Antony.”

He simply nodded and squeezed her shoulder. “Of course. But for now, let’s get you a room.”

Skye stood up after and swiftly followed him up a set of stairs to a hall full of doors and rooms. And as he talked about who knows what, Skye’s mind fell back into her thoughts. Was she really going to be able to get home? What would she do if she didn’t? And was she really going to survive until the winter solstice?