Hidden Worlds Read online

  Oh crimeney, another vision. My strangest one yet.

  When I came to, I eyed the handsome stranger. It was obvious he was the blond from my hallucination. I knew I should be afraid of him, but I just felt confused. If he’d noticed my quirky outtake, it hadn’t done anything to lighten his mood. He turned on one designer heel and faced the exit, his body practically shaking with rage.

  “I’m sorry, have I done something to offend you?” I probably should have kept quiet, but this whole interaction was beyond weird. Though I was ready with an apology for whatever wrong I’d committed, the stranger just squared his shoulders and stormed down the hallway.

  “Whatever,” I muttered to his back. If he wanted to be ill-mannered that was fine by me—the last thing I needed was some uncouth, European guy ruining my museum day. Even if he was beyond gorgeous.

  I shook my head. Who cared what some half-baked Viking thought of me? I brushed off the feeling of being the last pumpkin left in the patch and deliberately turned for the stairs. I’d never have admitted, even to myself, that I was keeping an eye out for the stranger. I admired the original Magna Carta and snuck a glance at T.S. Elliot’s poems to his godchildren—the ones that became the musical Cats. I don’t know how long I wandered, ogling things I thought I’d only ever see in books, but when my stomach rumbled I knew it was time to go.

  With a glance over my shoulder, I stepped back into the brisk London day. The smell of car exhaust snapped me out of my fog. With twenty-eight hours to go, I headed to the busy shop across the way to order my very first fish and chips. I tried not to give the ill-mannered stranger another thought, but he was very hard to forget.

  Chapter Two

  “KRISTIA,” A KEENING VOICE beckoned. I sat up from my sleep, then whipped my head from side to side to place the voice. I’d appreciated the fact that my hotel room came with blackout shades when I fell asleep. But I felt differently now.

  A long finger crooked at me from the darkness. I couldn’t make out the face in the shadows, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

  “Who are you?” My voice shook, though I was going for a threatening vibe. My acting abilities couldn’t have hit the broad side of a barn in full daylight.

  “Kristia,” the voice repeated, now from behind me.

  “What do you want?” I jumped out of bed and inched towards the door. Any bravado was totally manufactured.

  “Kristia.” Now the voice was in front of the door, and the long finger motioned again. Every instinct I had screamed for me to run, but I was frozen in place. I was trapped in a dark room with a lunatic, and my legs wouldn’t move. Fabulous.

  “Leave me alone,” I challenged, since running like a shrieking banshee wasn’t going to be an option.

  The owner of the finger stepped from the shadows into the only sliver of light in the room. He was unnaturally tall, wiry and pale, with dark hair combed back from a handsome face, and bright eyes that glowed in the dim light. Slightly pointed ears and an angular jaw offset high cheekbones. He had a charmingly roguish look that made me want to jump into his arms at the same time that voice in my head was screaming GET OUT!

  “Who are you?” I asked again. The man tilted his head.

  “The real question, Kristia, is who are you?” To my dismay, he halved the distance between us. I fought to step back, but my legs were still locked in place.

  “How do you know my name?” And more importantly, how could I get out of this room? My gaze darted between the window and the door. One path led to a three-story fall, the other was blocked by a freakishly-good-looking weirdo.

  “I know all about you.” The oddball tilted his head the other way and squinted his glowing eyes until they were slits. “Starting with your little gift.” He tapped his head with the same bony finger, and I froze. “Who are you, really? What are you trying to do to my plan?” His voice was a hiss. His eyes glowed brighter, and actual flames shot from their depths.

  Thankfully, I seized control over my petrified legs. As the fire landed at my feet, I hopped back in an inept dance, made all the more awkward by my clumsiness. Flames fanned out and quickly rose to block the man from my view. I heard a maniacal cackle that chilled me to the bone and I closed my eyes in panic. It would be death by fire this time. I wasn’t sure I didn’t prefer freezing.

  When I opened my eyes again, I was grasping at my bed sheets, my gaze shifting in the darkness until I found my bearings. I was in my hotel room in London, and it was not on fire. There wasn’t anyone else in the room. With great effort, I slowed my breathing. I was pretty sure what just happened had been a dream, not one of my visions. My future didn’t hold a giant elf-man … did it?

  I walked purposefully to the window and ripped open the blackout shades, letting moonlight stream into the room. I didn’t get much sleep that night.

  ***

  The next day, I got off the train at Cardiff Central Railway Station and made the short journey to what would be my home for the next year. I stood on the steps of the Student Houses, holding tight to the handle of my powder blue suitcase as I tried to capture this moment in my memory. A year of adventure stood in front of me—exciting subjects to study, sophisticated students and professors to learn with, and brand new sights to see. Nobody here knew me from Eve. For the first time in my life, my future was a blank page. It was perfect. And beyond scary.

  With a deep breath, I stepped across the short cobblestone walkway and into a cheerful courtyard. Lined with silvery-green trees and raised lavender beds, the stone-laid square was anchored by a central fountain. A smiling girl sat at a folding table, distributing keys and welcome packets.

  This was it.

  “Name?” The friendly-looking redhead asked in a clipped British accent. Her grey Cardiff t-shirt matched the cobblestones.

  “Kristia Tostenson.” I smiled to cover my nerves. I’d felt a lot braver when this whole trip was just a pipe dream in a coffee shop back home.

  “Oh, Kristia! It’s so nice to meet you!” She shook my hand before handing me a packet from the stack on her table. “I’m Emma, we’re going to be flatmates.” She grinned as she reached for another stack and handed over a manila envelope. From the jingling sound, I guessed my keys were inside. “Go ahead and let yourself in—we’re on the first floor, just over there,” she pointed. “Victoria’s already home. I’ll be there once everybody’s checked in.”

  “Okay. See you inside.” I shifted the envelope to my other hand, glad to have met a friendly face already. Please don’t have a vision and ruin this. Please, please, please. My handicap could ruin my first day faster than Ardis’ granny could shoot a squirrel off a fencepost. I just wanted to fit in for once.

  “We were thinking of going for curries tonight,” Emma called as I headed towards the flat. “Do you want to come?”

  “Um, yes. That sounds great. Thanks.” I fumbled with the envelope as I pulled my suitcase across the courtyard to Unit 4. My hand gripped the knob on the burgundy door—it was a pretty contrast to the dark gray of the stone façade. I walked into the small living area where a couch, dining table, and four chairs sat opposite an armoire holding a television. Two reading chairs framed a small table with a short lamp. The kitchen was off the living room, and I could see three small bedrooms and a shared bath branching off from the tiny hallway. It was small, but it was clean and comfortable.

  A tall girl wearing tight fitting jeans and a stylish top came out of the bathroom, towel-drying short chestnut hair. “Oh hello,” she said in a clipped British accent, more upper crust than Emma’s comfortable tenor. “I’m Victoria.”

  “I’m Kristia.” I smiled shyly.

  “Oh right, the American.” She nodded, motioning for me to follow her down the hall. “This room is left, it has a nice flowerbox outside the window.” Pointing across the hall, she said, “I’m in there, and Emma’s taken that one.”

  I looked into the empty room. It looked identical to the other two without the clothes and makeup. I stepped through
the door, tugging my suitcase with me. The room was simple. The twin bed hugged the wall to my right, opposite an armoire that would be both dresser and closet. The desk and chair were basic.

  A box outside the window held purple posies. That could be a problem—I had what Ardis affectionately called a black thumb. Poor posies.

  I didn’t have much to unpack, and I quickly took to task. The framed photo of Ardis and me at the Oregon Coast took the place of honor on the desk. Victoria was still drying her hair, so I grabbed the Mythology course book I’d purchased in advance and headed to the living room.

  I was well into the stories of the Norse myths that Mormor told me as a child when Emma came through the door laughing. She seemed like a happy person. Victoria was harder to read, but I had hopes for her.

  “Let me just pop in the shower, and we can go,” Emma called over her shoulder, shedding articles of clothing on her way to the bathroom. Victoria poked her head out of her room.

  “Are you ready for dinner?” She asked me. I glanced at her skinny jeans and beaded tank top, reading behind her words.

  “Uh, almost. I just have to change my … um, my shirt,” I guessed, jumping up so quickly I dropped my book on my toe. Dagnabbit, that stung. By the time I made it to my room, Victoria was spraying perfume on her wrists. I sensed my clothing selection would be widely different from hers. If her current outfit was any indication, Victoria was very trendy. My wardrobe was classic but functional. Slim jeans and slacks, fitted sweaters, tall boots. Proper cold-weather wear, courtesy of a lifetime in the Pacific Northwest and a grandmother who preached modesty. I rummaged through the armoire for one of my newer sweaters and changed my sneakers to a pair of brown riding boots. As I ran a brush through my wavy, dark-blonde hair, Victoria appeared with a patterned scarf.

  “This will go with your eyes,” she said simply.

  “Thanks,” I mumbled, unsure what to make of my new roommate.

  “Oh, Victoria,” Emma emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and running a brush through her hair. “Stop ‘helping’ her.” Her fingers made quotes in the air. “You have all semester to give us makeovers.” She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and waved us into her room. “Victoria’s a fashion student. As her flatmate, you are officially her pet project, whether you want to be or not. Just accept it. I have.”

  “Oh, tush Emma. If I needed help with matters of mathematics, I would come to you. You know that. I can’t help that my specialty is more … practical than yours.” Victoria picked up a pair of earrings lying on Emma’s dresser and held them up to her ears.

  “Pardon me, but mathematics is highly practical. People use it every day. When was the last time you did math, huh? Actually don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.” Emma earned a ‘harrumph’ from our well-dressed flatmate, who moved to the armoire. Victoria returned, bearing a flowing top and skinny jeans. Defiance in her eyes, Emma pulled out another top and started to put it on. After a moment, she ruefully held out her hand. The gleam in Victoria’s eyes as she handed over her choice made me think this was not the first time they’d played this game, nor would it be the last.

  “She’s always right about clothes, you know,” Emma muttered begrudgingly as she dressed in Victoria’s chosen outfit. While I considered the pros and cons of having a live-in stylist, I decided this would be a good thing. If I wanted to blend in, Nehalem’s fashions weren’t going to do me any favors.

  When our outfits had been approved, we locked up the flat and walked to Victoria’s little car. Emma appointed herself tour guide. “So the first thing you need to know about Cardiff—the corner market up … here,” she gestured, “has the best biscuits. You Americans call them cookies. They bake them fresh every morning, but the packaged ones they sell on the side have chocolate and caramel. Delicious.”

  “Cookies are biscuits, and these are the best. Got it.”

  “The laundromat just behind us is less crowded than the one in our building”

  “The cutest boys are always there,” Victoria finished.

  “Good information.” I was warming to my more reserved roommate.

  “Two blocks this way is the place we get our hair cut—it’s the best salon for the least money. You want to see Robyn. She’s great.” Emma was one of those enthusiastic people who managed the fine line between cheerful and annoying.

  Victoria was eager to point out her favorite places too—designer clothing shops that were well beyond my spending limit. Emma winked as she teased our flatmate, “And for the rest of us, the good people of H&M have opened a shop at the north end of town. I think you have them in America?”

  I nodded in response.

  “Great clothes, but mostly, I pick up the trendy things there, unlike Victoria here who picks up her odds and ends at Harrods each season.” Victoria rolled her eyes at us and I grinned at my new cohort.

  My tour continued on the short drive, and by the time we parked, I felt like I might actually have my bearings. But when we walked into the restaurant, I was overwhelmed by savory smells that were completely foreign. There hadn’t been a lot of new experiences in my life, and I wasn’t too sure about this one. The hostess led us to our table where a basket of flat bread was waiting. I poked at it suspiciously. Bread was supposed to be fluffy.

  I pointed to Emma as our waitress took our order. “I’ll have what she’s having.” Trying to make sense of the exotic dishes listed as entrees was hopeless. “What are you having?”

  “Chicken curry with rice. You’ll like it.” Her smile was reassuring, but I felt no relief whatsoever until the dish was in front of me and I took a tentative bite. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It was richer and spicier than I’d been expecting, but still good.

  “What about your classes,” I asked Victoria, bravely tearing off a piece of the curious bread. “What are you taking this semester?”

  “It’s not about what I’m taking,” Victoria emphasized. “I’m doing an internship for a very important fashion house. If I do well, they might let me stay on until I graduate; hopefully even hire me after. And then I’ll be on my way to designing my own line. That,” she sighed, “is everything I’ve ever worked for.”

  “Gosh, that would be incredible.” I nibbled at the bread cautiously. It tasted bready enough so I dipped it in the curry.

  Emma rolled her eyes. “But until then, Victoria can live quite comfortably working for her family’s party-planning business. They’re one of the top companies in Wales, and Victoria goes home every other weekend to help out. If we’re lucky, she’ll take us. Her family has an amazing country house. And her mum’s roasts are super.”

  “That’s true; my mum is a fabulous cook. So is my sister. The whole family loves to cook, really. Well, my dad grills. I bake—I’m not much for the regular kind of cooking. Just the sweet stuff.”

  “Tell me about it. Dinners in our flat are nothing to get excited about.” Emma admitted.

  “I can cook,” I volunteered. “I’m actually pretty good at it.”

  “Thank God,” Victoria breathed. “You cook. I’ll make desserts.”

  Emma laughed. “Guess that leaves me to clean up.”

  Well, that was settled easily enough.

  “So you spend a lot of time with your family?” I asked Victoria. I’d barely seen my own parents growing up; the idea seemed foreign.

  “Victoria’s family does everything together,” Emma explained. “It’s kind of weird.” Victoria rolled her eyes and Emma laughed. “I can’t hate her too much, even though she’s a beast of a fashion critic.”

  “Of course, it’s still nice to get back to Uni.” I liked her word for University. “Everyone needs their space, even fabulous, future fashion designers.”

  “Future being the key word. When are you going to give my wardrobe a break?”

  “Hey, enjoy me now while you can still afford me. That goes for you too, K,” Victoria winked, and I couldn’t help but smile.

  We finished o
ur meal and paid the bill. We were walking the short distance to Victoria’s car when I saw him. At least, I thought it was him. I stared at the window of the pub across the street, nearly positive I was looking at the blond from the British Museum. He sat in profile, laughing at the animated gestures of a brown-haired guy sitting across from him. He looked relaxed and happy, nothing like the cranky Viking I’d met the day before. The darker-haired guy had one arm slung around a ridiculously hot, blonde girl. Viking’s side of the booth was empty. I wondered where his date was.

  “Coming Kristia?” Emma and Victoria were shivering at the car.

  “Sorry,” I hustled to join them, “I thought I saw somebody I knew.”

  “Who was it?” Victoria started the car and cranked the heater up to full blast.

  “Just some guy I saw in London. But it probably wasn’t him. What are the odds, right?”

  “Stranger things have happened.” Emma shrugged. “Now how about some hot cocoa?”

  ***

  Back in our flat, we said our goodnights and headed to our rooms. I lay in bed listening to the occasional car pass outside my window, too wound-up to sleep. My first day was under my belt, I was making friends, and I hadn’t had an unwanted vision since yesterday. This year might just be okay. My mind drifted to the blond stranger, and my stomach flipped. Was he really here in Cardiff? What was he doing in the pub? Obviously, he was having dinner, but what did that mean? Did he go to school here? Would I see him again?

  I forced myself to stop asking questions. The guy hated me on sight. He obviously had issues. And Cardiff was a huge school—we’d probably never run into each other. There was no point in barking up that tree.