He paused, giving everyone a chance to think through his proposal. No one moved. “All right, let’s continue forward. Lucretia, darling, please take the Smith family, the Butcher daughter, and Miss Lydia and Miss Penelope to the sitting room. Have Rufus make some tea. I anticipate this being a long night of conversation. I’ll be with you as soon as I finish with my group.”
“Yes, Father,” she said softly. To the others, “Let us go.”
I watched Walter smirk all smug like as he followed Lucretia out the door. He must have thought himself super special to go with her, though he did give me a curious glance before he left. I wondered, no—hoped, that it bothered him that I already knew everything. Or…almost everything.
With the room cleared of the extra bodies, I felt like I could breathe a bit easier. Nerves still bubbled inside of me, but I liked that I’d passed the first test. They didn’t kick me out or tell me I wasn’t good enough to join them. I’d be getting made the same offer as everyone who remained. Those people being Mr. and Mrs. Butcher, the head librarian, Miss Sadie, and her only male assistant, Mr. Riley. The librarians did not like to go by their surnames to be more relatable to the kids, a new thing that was a big scandal when it first started. Anything new tended to be a huge deal in Becker.
All the same, I liked the group of people who were on the same level as myself. They’d always been nice when I came into town, and they didn’t turn people away because of status differences. Then again, a butcher and a few librarians weren’t exactly high-class citizens. The only outliers in that commonality was the Smith family. Maybe they’d decline or freak out! Wishful thinking.
Damion and Belinda exchanged a look. She nodded, and he cleared his throat.
“It’s getting late, so I will get straight to the point. All of you know that we are here to create a sanctum for our lord Hades to control. A place where those who don’t quite fit in will be able to find peace, and he can run an experiment,” Damion explained. “To help with this, I will introduce myself more thoroughly. I’ve only told Edmund and Olive my story.” He nodded toward Mr. and Mrs. Butcher.
Damion found an empty chair and sat down. “I’m from a world called Tempest Four, and I’ve moved six times to different alternate universes. This is the first time I’ve been sent to an Earth. While my home is a version of Earth, they are referred to as Tempests because they have natural magic in them. Earth is without magic. There are other names for other phenomena as well. Extraterrestrial life, human-less worlds, etcetera.”
Modern lingo reaction—So. Freaking. Cool.
“My world, everything I’ve explained to you is common knowledge. I’ve grown up knowing the truth my whole life. Magic is a constant and used for many wonderful things. It’s as normal as breathing. Where I come from, there are jobs that are designed to send us traveling across the many universes. I took one of those jobs, and it is to aide those who are in danger.
“I came to a different Tempest to take Lucretia and bring her here to keep her safe. As you’ve all heard, we serve Hades. He is a deity in that his magic is powerful, and he has control over several different worlds. That is how expansive his abilities are. We call him Hades here because that is a name that is familiar to you, but he goes by many others over several different worlds. Most deities don’t care enough to relocate their pawns, and that is one reason our lord stands out over the rest.” Damion gave a gentle smile. “We want to offer you all the chance to serve him as well.”
Belinda stepped in then. “My story is a bit more personal and dramatic than Damion’s, so I’d rather not share it. I too originate from a world where magic is normal. When I made the decision to serve Hades and make his dream become a reality, so many doors were opened for me. It’s a decision I will never take back.”
I raised my hand. “What exactly happens when we agree to serve him? None of us have magic.” I paused. “That I’m aware of.”
“Magic is everywhere,” Belinda said. “Earth has it, but it takes on a unique form. We will help you learn how to harness the magic present here. Our main goal is to turn this town into a safe haven for others. To open the gates wide! That is the quest you’ll be helping us with.”
It sounded too good, and there had to be a catch, but how could I refuse?
I grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
Chapter Fourteen
Reborn in Magic
The town lore for the beginning of Point Epoch always stems back to my using black magic for the first time. Some say that it was I who introduced it to that dimension, and it was I who created the gates that allowed for all of them to enter through in the first place. That wasn’t the case, but even if it had been me, you’d think they’d say “thank you” for providing them with a safe place to stay. No, all they’ve ever done is slander my name because they buy into the idea that I’m evil.
Others in Point Epoch have a more realistic version of
