The Alpha of my dreams

CHAPTER 8: PORTALS

Savannah’s POV

I stared at the room with a blank face. Tarot cards, suspicious looking bottles, and not to mention the larger than life crystal ball on the table. It looked like a typical wannabe witch’s room, and I couldn’t help but be leery of the idea that it was all a scam. Even though I was skeptical in the beginning, I had a little hope that seeking the witch would be fruitful. But seeing the dramatic environment that screamed witchy, I couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment. If she was the real deal, she wouldn’t have felt the need to display all these things to show off. 

I glared at Tia, who raised her brows at me in question. Unlike me, who was disturbed by the surrounding environment, Tia appeared to have no such problems. She looked just as excited as a kid in an amusement park, and I sighed dejectedly. My friend was such a kid!

I pondered whether to stay and meet the so-called witch or just leave before I waste more of my time. But then I heard footsteps coming towards the room we were waiting in, and I sat up straight. 

With the way the room was arranged, I was sure that I was going to meet a middle-aged woman with black robes and even a pointed hat to add to the character. I schooled my features to a blank expression and told myself not to burst off laughing at the ‘witch’. And that was why I was surprised to see a young woman in her late twenties walk into the room with a warm smile. With bright red hair and big green eyes, she looked anything but a witch. She was wearing a green knee-length dress that fit snugly against her lean frame and not the dramatic black robes that I had expected. Huh? Maybe this wasn’t the witch? Maybe she was an assistant or something? But then who was the girl that showed us here and asked to wait?

“Yes. I am the witch you are waiting to meet. And no, I don’t like wearing black robes,” she announced, making me look at her with wide eyes. Did she just read my mind or were my thoughts displayed that clearly on my face? Yes, that must be it.

Then I narrowed my eyes at her challengingly. Well, you don’t like dressing up in black robes like what we expect a witch to wear, but you can decorate your room with all the witchy props?

“People never take me seriously and look for proof to back up my identity. Sadly, I need these accessories to make them trust me. It is good for business. It would have been even better if I dressed like how they expect, but I am not that desperate yet.”

I looked at her in astonishment. This woman was good. Power or not, she was good at reading people and their intentions. Then my eyes fell on the crystal ball in front of us. Wasn’t it a bit extra?

“It is not fake like you think. It is not just a crystal, but it is infused with my power. I could see snippets of your past and even future in it.”

And now the drama has started.

“Well, let’s start with introducing ourselves, shall we?”

“I am Savannah.”

“We have met each other before. My name is Tia!”

“And I am Callie.”

Such an ordinary name. I would have expected something presumptuous, like Andromeda or Celeste or something.

Callie rolled her eyes at me as if hearing my thoughts, and I narrowed my eyes. She couldn’t have heard my thoughts, right? That was ridiculous!

“I assume you don’t want a reading this time?” she asked Tia.

Tia nodded at her hesitantly, and I knew that she totally wanted the so-called reading. Drama Queen!

Callie turned towards me, and her green eyes seemed to glow for a moment. I blinked my eyes and this time her eyes looked normal, no freaky glow whatsoever. Was I seeing things now?

I fought the urge to twitch under her probing gaze as she looked at me, as if seeing me for the first time when we were having a conversation for the last five minutes or so. Suddenly her eyes widened in surprise and I blinked at her. Now what new drama was this?

“A new life… One that doesn’t belong here. Not in this world. Such a powerful otherworldly aura you both have…” Callie uttered as if in a trance. Chills slithered down my spine as I stared at her. Did she mean my baby? But how did she know I was pregnant?

I looked at Tia accusingly and she shook her head at me in denial. I believed her because I had been with her when she made the call to take the appointment and she hadn’t said anything about my situation. Did that mean Callie was the real deal, or was it just a lucky guess?

“You are seeking him, aren’t you? The man from the other world. Your other half…,” she asked in the same heavy voice and I blinked, startled at the question. Oh God!

She raised her hand and touched my head before closing her eyes and muttering. Then she opened her eyes, and this time there was no mistaking the glow in her eyes. What the hell!

She glided towards the crystal ball I had deemed as fake and as soon as her hand touched it; it lit up like a freaking Christmas tree. I would have doubted she had done some trick with it if I hadn’t checked the thing as soon as I saw it. I had lifted it and checked for hidden switches and wires, but there was nothing there!

A wind picked up in the room and the hairs in the back of my neck rose in anticipation of what was going to happen.

She opened her eyes suddenly, and I gasped at seeing her expression. Her eyes were glowing, and she was a self-professed witch. But at this moment, she was looking at me as if I was the freak among the two of us. What?

“Do you know that there are parallel Universes to Earth?” she asked suddenly, but neither Tia nor I responded because we knew it was a rhetorical question and she would explain. 

“There are several other Universes existing in different planes. People from one plane can go to the other only through a portal and it is not easy to create one. Creating a Portal takes hefty energy and may drain the one who does it, even resulting in death,” she sighed dramatically. “It becomes easier if there is something to anchor one to the other world, but people can’t go to another world just like that. Only those who have some connection to the other worlds could go there and even then, for the stay to be permanent, there needs to be a strong link that holds them there.”

I looked at her incredulously. It all sounded like gibberish to me.

“The man you are searching for doesn’t belong to this world. He belongs to one of the Parallel Universes.”

I wanted to refute her statement and call her crazy, but there was a feeling in the back of my mind that she was right. It explained everything if I accepted it, however difficult it was to. A man who looked so gorgeous that he looked unreal. One who didn’t exist in this world. A man who could appear inside closed doors. And he could take away my pain too… But where was he now? Why wasn’t he coming to me?

“I tried to trace him, but it is as if his aura is blocked,” Callie said, making me look at her in confusion.

“What does that mean?”

“It means either he is trying to hide himself or someone else is…”

I gasped at her declaration. He wouldn’t hide himself from me!

“Is he in danger?”

“Maybe…”

“I want to go to him!”

Just a moment ago I didn’t even believe there was another world, but right now, the mere possibility that he was in danger was driving me crazy. Other world or hell, I didn’t care. I wanted to find him and I can’t rest until I know he is safe…

“It is not that easy. It takes a hefty energy to create a Portal and even then I can’t do it unless you have something to anchor you to that world. It is really dangerous.”

I sighed in disappointment, and suddenly an idea occurred to me. What if?

I clutched my stomach and looked at her.

“This baby belongs in that world, right? Is that enough of an anchor?”

Callie looked startled at my outburst, but then had a thoughtful expression on her face. 

“I guess…”

“Then create a portal, please…”

“I can’t just create a portal like that. We have to do it at a time when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest and lucky for you, Samhain is coming in three weeks’ time. We can try creating a portal that day. But know this, if you go to that world, there is a very real possibility that you can’t ever come back here.”

I looked at her in shock and turned to Tia. I didn’t care about anyone else other than her. She was the only one I cared about in this world. Could I leave her forever?

Tears welled in Tia’s eyes, but she looked at me with determination. 

“I can’t see you like this, Savannah. I would rather you live happily with your man and child than see you as a mess forever…”

I burst into tears and hugged my best friend, my sister.

“I promise I will find a way to come to you. It isn’t goodbye…”

Then I looked at Callie.

“When should we come?”

“The Sunday three weeks later. And yes, I need a ten thousand dollars payment.”

I looked at her in shock. Ten thousand? 

“It is not because I am greedy. I will be so drained after doing it and may not be able to perform my magic for months or even a year. I need to survive, right?”

“Don’t worry. I will arrange the cash,” I promised.

“Great. See you in three weeks. Meet me at the edge of the Guilder forest.”

As we walked away from the eccentric witch’s home, I was still not sure if I believed in alternate Universes and Portals. But like Tia said, I had nothing to lose, and I was willing to try anything to find my dream guy. Three weeks to go until I know if it is all real or not…