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Chapter 3
The next time Nayome woke, she was under no disillusion that she was alone. Cracking open her eyes, she shot upright and backed up as far into the couch as the cushions would allow. The quiet lull of conversation stopped as the room realized she was awake. At least her hands remained unbound, Nayome thought weakly to herself.
In front of her were six people, all larger than life. They had been facing each other in front of a massive stone hearth, with their backs to Nayome as they spoke in hushed tones. The blonde man was one, apparently not a figment of her nightmares. When he turned and caught sight of her awake, he cut off the conversation he was having with a tall, Amazonian looking woman with a jet black braid.
“Welcome back,” he said. Nayome was jarred by his tone, which rang with warm welcome as though they were old friends.
Eyes darting from one powerful individual to the next, Nayome’s gaze tripped up as she landed on a dark-haired figure in the corner, sitting in one of the leather wing back chairs in front of the fire. It was the man from the office, what’s-his-name. “You?” she blurted, before she could help herself.
Sparing her a cold, indifferent glance, the man didn’t even bother responding to her outburst. Shivering under his stare, Nayome felt the small remaining hope she had—that the park office would report her disappearance—die in his cold dark eyes.
She was alone.
“Ah,” said the blond, “I see you’ve already made the acquaintance of Balfor.”
“What do you want?” Nayome blurted, “I don’t have much money…take what you want from my wallet. Just let me go. My boss will wonder where I am when I don’t check in…” Nayome rambled, embarrassed at the clear desperation shining through her voice.
Who were these people? And were the park rangers in on it? The tourists who had gotten lost…maybe this was all just a setup, a tourist trap. But why? She wasn’t worth anything to anyone. Why target her?
The woman with the dark braid was the one to comment next, stepping forward and glaring accusingly at the man from the park office, “Bal, how could this have slipped by you?”
Bal…or Balfor. How fitting, Nayome couldn’t help but think to herself. It perfectly suited his old-world, dark good looks.
“Don’t start with me Wynn,” Balfor grumbled, clearly not intimidated. “She seemed like any other.”
“Who are you?” Wynn demanded, slinging her long, sleek braid over one shoulder as she stepped forward.
It took Nayome a moment before she realized she was the one being addressed.
Straightening to full height, she dug up some deep reserves of courage and responded with equal indignation. “Who am I? Who the hell are you, and what do you people want with me? People know where I am, they will notice that I’m missing.”
“You attempt to threatenus,” Wynn said, contempt dripping from her words like icing on a too hot cake. “You are the trespasser, don’t try to play innocent.”
“Wynn, easy,” the blond interjected. “I have been in her mind. She does not hold any intent to harm.”
“Gabe—”
“Enough!” The blonde, who must be called Gabe, bellowed so loud the floorboards shook. “This is unprecedented, and we will get to the bottom of it without judgment.” He finished, quieting his voice. Even at the lower volume, his tone carried through the room, holding weight.
“But we can’t risk—”
“Shut it Wynn,” Balfor said under his breath.
“Bal, you of all people are siding with Gabe on this? We can’t—”
“He’s right—we need to figure out what’s going on before we jump to conclusions. We can’t just dispose of every human who wanders into—.”
“ENOUGH!” Gabe shouted, his bellow reaching up to rattle the rafters this time.
The quiet that followed was deafening.
Nayome couldn’t figure out where she mustered up the courage to speak again, but when she opened her mouth to contribute to this ludicrous and terrifying discussion, all that came out was an awkward mix between her throat clearing and a squeak.
Shrinking under the impressive glare that Wynn leveled at her, Nayome cleared the frog from her throat enough to get out a few words.
“None of it is making any sense.” Nayome said, her voice uneven as she tried to steady it, “I don’t know how I got here, who you are, or what you are talking about. Just let me go, and I won’t say a word…even if I could, I don’t know enough of what’s happening here to say anything. This is all just some big, nightmare-ish misunderstanding.”
Gabe leveled one of his intense stares at her before Nayome could look away. “We will not harm you, in this you must trust us now.” Nayome felt an unnatural peace wash over her, that she tried to shake off.
