I bolted back to the portal but was grabbed and surrounded by a phalanx of people in black tactical gear with mesh obscuring their faces and the Queen's logo stitched on their upper arms.

Fear clawed through me, chilling me to my core, but it was replaced in an instant by a hot, thick anger. What had they done?

I stuffed my fury down. Antagonizing these people wouldn't get my desired outcome. "Take me to your leader."

Marching in step like a well-trained army, ...