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I threw the blanket off my legs, with no regard for my current company, to find the shirt’s length ended mid-thigh, my legs bare below.

I snatched the blanket back up to my chest, covering the best I could. “Just to confirm, I’m not still asleep, am I?” I eyed Leo, attempting to hide my embarrassment.

The morning sun bounced off his deep-golden-tanned skin as he stepped into the light from the window. “You are very much awake, and before you ask, I did not undress you. A few of the female staff members tended to you before I had the healer come and see you.” He looked down at the floor. “I apologize for the shirt. It was the only clean thing I had on me when I brought you here.”

He had given me his shirt? And a healer had seen me?

But then I remembered the blast.

Remembered as Niall was harpooned like a fish.

I hugged the blanket closer to me.

Leo’s voice softened. “You were pretty banged up when we brought you here.” He paused, rubbing his hand along the back of his neck. “I’m here, if you ever want to talk . . . about what happened, before we got to you.”

Unable to bear the thought of saying Niall’s name out loud, I skirted around his offer. “And where is here? Where am I?”

“Castle Esme. Located at the center of Esmerelda.” He walked over to the table, pulled something from his pocket, and grabbed a cup. “My name is Leo. Commander of One’s army.”

I didn’t feel the need to tell him I’d already learned his name. “I’ve never heard of an army with that name,” I stated, although I was more so asking a question.

He took a breath, gathering himself. “You’ve never heard of One because you’re not privy to that information.” He shook his head, almost laughing to himself. “But here you are, a soldier of Six on One’s soil.”

I didn’t understand. “How far are we from Gray?”

He looked at me, his eyes mischievous as he simply said, “Light-years away.”

I looked toward the door, half expecting the commander of Fort Gray to walk in and tell me I’d been bumped up to special teams, and this was my initiation. “Is this a test?”

Leo frowned, focusing back on the cup in his hand. “Your Earth isn’t the only one that exists in the universe.” He side-eyed me before continuing. “There is your world, your Earth and its solar system within its galaxy, and then there are other Earths, in different galaxies, throughout the universe.”

I watched as he poured something from a pouch into the cup, swirling it with clear liquid from the pitcher.

“I wish I had a better explanation,” he went on, “but the science is complicated.”

I croaked, “Are you saying I’m on another planet?”

He stared at the contents of the cup and walked to the side of my bed. “Yes. You’re on my Earth: Earth One. It’s very similar to your Earth’s elemental makeup.”

I took the cup he handed me. “And my Earth?”

“Is Earth Six. There are nine total, that we know of.”

My body felt woozy. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Leo closed the distance between us, stroking his hand down my spine; his touch leaving a slight chill in its wake.

“Try and take some deep breaths,” he instructed calmly. “Between your injuries and the atmosphere here, it’s going to take a few days for your body to adjust.”

“A few days!” I exclaimed, daring a look at his eyes. They were hazel, the coloring beautiful against the dark brown of his hair. “I can’t stay here for a few days. There are people I need to get back home to.”

A small sensation tugged at my chest as his eyes locked with mine, the hazel turning dark-olive, as if increasing in darkness.

He pulled away, removing his hand. “I would take you back now if I could, but I can’t.” He nodded at the cup. “Drink,” he murmured. “It will ease the pain.”

I’d been so distracted I’d forgotten about the heaviness in my head and soreness throughout my limbs.

I sniffed the cup.