"This is it, my home," Otrea waved her hand toward a wooden door inset into a vertical rock face. I knew she was powerful. If this world had magic, someone like Otrea could easily obfuscate a massive castle and make it look like nothing more than a rocky hill. Still, it was hard to wrap my head around. I just couldn't make myself believe there would be a whole house on the other side of that door.

  Otrea beckoned me inside. I gasped in awe as I stepped over the threshold. Suddenly I found myself inside a cavernous vestibule of natural stone. Polished obsidian tiles marked with white-gold runes lined the floor. On the far side of the room, a beautiful silver-haired woman with iridescent horns and a rge silver-scaled tail waited.

  "Welcome home midy," the silver-haired woman pced a hand over her heart and bowed. "Might I assume the young warbeast accompanying you is the interloper?"

  "That she is,” Otrea smiled, motioning for me to step forward. “Harriette, allow me to introduce you to Bernice. A celestial warbeast who was forcefully transported into the forest.”

  "Hello Bernice." Harriette gazed at me with a cold indifference in her eyes. "I am Harriette, devoted servant of Lady Otrea Ladnier. I welcome you to our home with only a single warning. I will not tolerate any disrespect toward my dy.”

  "Bernice is too ignorant for such a warning, Harriette,” Otrea grinned and looked at me as if I was a kitten mewling for its mother. "She cks knowledge I would expect even a child to know. Even if she appears fully grown, it would be best to treat her as if she is an orphaned child I have decided to take in."

  "You pn to adopt her, my dy?" Harriette's voice rose an octave as she gazed at Otrea in shock.

  "No. Two daughters are more than enough. Consider her something of a fledgling apprentice."

  "I will treat her as such, midy,” Harriette bowed her silver hair draping down until it nearly touched the floor. "I will not allow Bernice to remain an ignorant beast.”

  "Harriette is loyal, and exceptionally talented." Otrea patted my back. "You'll have to forgive her barbed tongue. Many of our guests arrive with ulterior motives."

  "Couldn't you order her to be nice to me?" I asked tearfully. Even if she hadn’t made any direct threats, Harriette radiated hostility.

  "I’m sure you’ll win her over," Otrea ughed. She walked toward the hallway behind Harriette and waved over her shoulder. “We’ll speak again soon, Bernice.”

  "You are as skittish as a fawn," Harriette spat, gring at me. "Come. You're dirty."

  "What are you going to do to me?"

  "I'm going to do nothing to you. Unless you are so helpless you cannot even bathe unattended."

  "I can bathe myself." I answered quietly, suddenly feeling quite vulnerable.

  "Good. I will provide new clothes for you to wear. What you have on now is covered in dryad sap. Lulu must like you."

  "She said I look tasty."

  Harriette snorted. A ugh almost escaped her throat before she forcibly regained her composure. Turning to look back at me, she gred. "I don't see how. You're too skinny to be much of a meal."

  "Do... you eat... warbeasts?" I parroted the st word a bit unsure. Otrea had called me a celestial warbeast, but I wasn’t sure what any of that meant. All I knew was that my blood was gold, and I now had bunny ears growing out of my head.

  "How foolish. I have no interest in cannibalism."

  "Does that mean, you're a warbeast too?" Harriette had horns and a thick reptilian tail. While she looked nothing like me, maybe warbeast was simply the term for any kind of animal-human hybrid.

  "How cou—," Harriette spun around, her tail twitching in agitation. I flinched away fearing she'd cw out my throat. After a few deep breaths Harriette sighed. "I am Scaleborn. We are a sacred race descended from devout dragons who yielded their immortality to affiliate themselves with the gods. We have nothing in common with warbeasts."

  "Oh, gotcha." I nodded profusely. "I’m sorry."

  "You are truly ignorant," Harriette stepped forward. Her gaze drifted over me as if seeing me for the first time. "Where are you from?"

  "I'm from a whole other world. One that only has humans."

  "Yet you are not?"

  "I was. Before I arrived here."

  Turning oh her heels, Harriette continued down the hallway, shaking her head. “You are quite lucky to have arrived in this forest. A girl who spouts such ignorance would find herself in danger elsewhere.”

  "Yeah..."

  "Since you seem to be wholly unaware, I will educate you. The warbeasts were created over a millennia ago, by a scaleborn sage. Those of your species are the only advanced beings ever created by mortal hands. You may find it harsh, but there are some who believe your kind do not have souls.”

  “Do you believe I don’t have a soul?”

  “I am not so ignorant,” Harriette’s voice hardened as she replied. Then a bit softer she added, “Even if I am offended by the notion we are the same, you are still a living being. Just because the gods did not create your kind, does not mean they disapprove of your existence.”

  "Here we are," Harriette announced, opening a door to reveal a massive room with a rge steaming pool at its center. "Discard your clothing in a basket. The water is enchanted so you will not need soap. Since your chest and tail are too small to wear my clothes, I ask you remain patient while I find something that’ll fit. If I cannot find something your size, I will make modifications to one of my dresses.”

  Tail?!

  Reaching back I caressed the fluffy little rabbit-esque tail growing from the base of my spine. An uncomfortably awkward tingling jolted through my body. As quickly as I’d reached for it, I left my tail alone. Touching it would only invite trouble.

  “I don’t mind wearing any old nightgown you might have,” I noted. While sweatpants and a loose t-shirt were my sleepwear of choice, I had no qualms wearing anything as long as it was soft. A gown wouldn’t need to be modified for my tail, since it could go right over it. And even a rge one would fit well enough to keep me modest. It seemed like an easy choice.

  “Do you intend to go without underclothes?” Harriette raised an eyebrow at me. “Be patient or improper. As isoted as you may believe we are, guests come from all over to seek Lady Otrea’s council. I for one would rather die than to run into a prominent noble so defenseless.”

  “Understood, I’ll wait.” My face grew hot at the implication of Harriette’s words. I hadn’t thought about underwear, but now that she’d painted such a horrid picture in my mind, I certainly didn’t want to go without. The st thing I needed was to be wearing nothing but a loose gown if a sleezeball showed up.

  I watched Harriette leave before undressing. As instructed I dropped my clothes into a wooden basket and then slipped into the steaming pool. At home I preferred showers over baths. Unless I was sore and soaking to relieve the pain. Cleaning myself in a pool of water made me inwardly cringe. I couldn't quite get over the idea I was soaking in a rge filth soup.

  Despite my aversions, the pool's water remained crystal clear. It remained clear even as I scrubbed away the dirt and sap covering my skin. It was as if anything that wasn't part of me was just being dissolved away. In a way, it was fascinating. It was also terrifying. If whatever magic kept the pool clean was cast wrong I could see it eating people, and leaving nothing behind.

  After soaking long enough for my fingers to prune, Harriette returned. "I've acquired a dress and underclothes for you to wear." Harriette sat a small pile of folded clothing down. "I've also prepared one of our guest rooms for your use. Once you're dressed I'll take you there."

  "Thank you." I slipped out of the pool and got dressed.

  "You're welcome. Now follow me, Bernice. I will take you to your room." Harriette led me from the bathing room, down the hall. "I've chosen the room closest to mine. Feel free to come get me if you are in need of anything."

  A soft smile cross my lips as Harriette spoke. Given how prickly she'd been it was heartening to have her softening up so quickly. She must have found it impossible to believe I was as dumb as Otrea said. Until she spoke to me at least.

  "How did you come to serve, Otrea?"

  "Do not speak my dy's name with such disrespect," Harriette gazed back at me, furrowing her brow. "You will address her as I do. Alternatively, as you are to be treated like an apprentice you may also refer to her as master or sage."

  "Sorry," I smiled sheepishly and bowed my head a little. Hopefully showing Harriette that I understood my folly. "How did you come to serve, Lady Otrea?"

  "After my mother designated me to be her heir, my elder sister challenged me to a duel. I lost. By all rights she should've killed me. Instead I was banished. Lady Otrea found me, and offered me refuge in exchange for some of my scales.

  "Your scales?"

  "Just the ones I shed naturally. Scaleborn with silver scales are rare, and many are part of our nobility. Once she collected what she needed, she offered me funds to start my life in another kingdom. But I refused to leave her side."

  "Why?"

  "Lady Otrea is one of the most powerful sorcerers to ever live. Serving her in any capacity is an honor. If I cannot return home, there is no better pce for me to be than at her side."

  I still didn't know what to make of Otrea. She scared me a bit, but at the same time she was the only hope I had. If how she'd treated Harriette was anything to go on, she seemed like someone wholly dedicated to her research. Just like she wanted Harriette's scales, she wanted my blood. Which meant, just like Harriette, once Otrea had all she needed, she'd likely try to send me away.

  Eventually, I'd likely have to decide if I wanted to stay with Otrea or find my own way in the world. For now, I didn't want to think about it. I still didn't know how I'd ended up in this world. I must have died. But even then, why did I appear in a body almost identical to my own? The only physical difference from my old body was the rabbit-like traits which made me a warbeast. Even my unnatural amethyst eyes were unchanged.

  "Here is the room you'll be using," Harriette opened a door, revealing a room twice the size of the one I'd had on Earth.

  The room cked decoration of any kind, but was otherwise well furnished. There wasn't a speck of dust on any of the furniture and the bed looked to be freshly made. Since Harriette cimed she'd prepared the room herself, I wondered if there was some kind of cleaning magic anyone could use. If not I could hardly imagine how she'd cleaned everything and acquired me clothing in the short time she was away.

  "Is it not to your liking?" Harriette asked.

  "Huh?" I felt a bit surprised by Harriette's question. I must have been making a face as I looked at the undecorated room. Back on earth my room was full of overflowing bookshelves, stuffed animals, and various other knick knacks. "Sorry, I guess I was just feeling a little homesick."

  "If someone used magic to send you here, it should be possible to send you home. Lady Otrea might know of a spell to send you back. I suggest you speak with her."

  "Thanks. I'll ask her when I get the chance."

  "I've pced some additional clothing that should fit you in the dresser. I will start your education in the morning, so I suggest you try to rest as much as possible today."