The Inner Kingdom: Quest One (Dragon Quest Book 1) by S.R. Gibbs

time.”
    After leaving the hidden bathroom, we returned to a room that was empty. The four women had left, taking the leftovers, and the space where the table was standing was now back to a smooth silver floor.
    Mina then showed us that there was a celta that operated almost everything in the room, the lights, fireplace, and hidden windows, but using them required energy, which she was rapidly draining.
    Opening the door to leave, Mina turned around, and while trying to open her mouth to say something, another yawn escaped. “This is where we part till the morrow. Your sleeping gowns will be found on your bed. Sleep well, dragon warriors.”
    “Wait, how do you know I am comfortable with sharing a bed?” Angie called after Mina.
    “Would you rather have separate rooms after coming to a new world where you know no one?”
    “This is great. Good night, Mina,” Ashley and I spoke out in unison before closing the door behind her.
    “This is not good. We are now stuck here until tomorrow.” An exasperated Ashley flopped on the bed on top of the long sleeping gowns.
    “It could be worst,” I muttered releasing my curls from their restraints.
    “Do not say that. I’ve seen the movies, and in in all the ones I have watched, when someone says ‘it can’t get worse,’ guess what? It got worse.”
    Getting off of the bed, Ashley began to undue her hair as well. “I am too tired to discuss this right now, I feel like all my energy has been sucked out of me."
    “You have changed since coming here,” Angie said, walking toward me. “Ever since we arrived, you have been slowly changing. You haven’t been as adamant about returning home like you were before."
    Knowing she was right, I turned my back to her so I wouldn’t have to look at her accusing eyes. “I know this may sound crazy, but ever since we were brought here I have felt a connection to different things. It’s like I have memories that have been locked away and I can’t reach them. I just want to know the truth.”
    “Me, too. It’s very strange. Like there is something I should remember,” Ashley agreed looking at the picture above the bed. “I must admit, I am a little curious. Let’s just hear them out tomorrow. Maybe not everything they say is a lie.”
    After a long pause, “Fine, let’s just hope that saying isn’t true,” Angie replied.
    “What saying?” Ashley and I inquired at the same time.
    “Curiosity killed the cat."
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
    The Information
    Location: The Path
    ◑ Angi e ◐
     
     
    I was awakened to the sound of someone knocking on the door. Pretending to be asleep, I ignored the noise, hoping that it would end.
    To my relief, the knocking ceased as I snuggled deeper into the pillow under my head. My seconds of bliss were abruptly ended by the sound of pounding on the room door.
    Reality hit me when I opened my eyes. I begin to recall that I was no longer home or on Earth for that matter.
    As I glanced at the lit fireplace, which took the remainder of our strength to activate its celta last night, I caught myself becoming confused about what was true and what was not.
    The noise had returned, and this time it didn’t sound like it was going away as I sat up in bed and stared at the door. The soft satin covers and the smell of burning firewood was almost enough to lull me back to sleep, despite the loud knocking.
    Dragging my achy body out of the tangled limbs that belonged to my sisters, I didn’t bother to straighten my wild hair as I opened the door to find Leo with his hand raised in the air to bang again. He was still sporting his armored clothes except today his armor plated chest, boots, and cuffs were gold and the clothes beneath were silver.
    “What?” I growled, looking up at the one person I wasn’t expecting to find at the door. “Why are you here?” I was never much of a morning person, so my voice held an extra edge to it. 
    He stared at me with one eyebrow lifted, not letting