Between Two Realms

Copyright This is a work of fiction. All characters, organisations, events and otherwise are born of the author's imagination or used fictituously. Copyright © Mazrine L. Amaris, 2022 All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by Australian copyright law. Note to reader This book includes but is not limited to themes such as drug use/impairment, detailed violence and gore, sexual violence, sexual content, coercion/manipulation, domestic abuse. Proceed with caution. Contents Dedication Prologue 1. Chapter 1 2. Chapter 2 3. Chapter 3 4. Chapter 4 5. Chapter 5 6. Chapter 6 7. Chapter 7 8. Chapter 8 9. Chapter 9 10. Chapter 10 11. Chapter 11 12. Chapter 12 13. Chapter 13 14. Chapter 14 15. Chapter 15 16. Chapter 16 17. Chapter 17 18. Chapter 18 19. Chapter 19 20. Chapter 20 21. Chapter 21 22. Chapter 22 23. Chapter 23 24. Chapter 24 25. Chapter 25 26. Chapter 26 27. Chapter 27 28. Chapter 28 29. Chapter 29 30. Chapter 30 31. Chapter 31 32. Chapter 32 33. Chapter 33 34. Chapter 34 35. Chapter 35 36. Chapter 36 37. Chapter 37 38. Chapter 38 39. Chapter 39 40. Chapter 40 41. Chapter 41 42. Chapter 42 43. Chapter 43 44. Chapter 44 45. Chapter 45 46. Chapter 46 47. Chapter 47 48. Chapter 48 49. Chapter 49 50. Chapter 50 51. Chapter 51 52. Chapter 52 53. Chapter 53 54. Chapter 54 55. Chapter 55 56. Chapter 56 57. Chapter 57 Acknowledgments About Author Dedication To all dreamers and readers that escape into the realms of fantasy. I'm glad you're here. Prologue 2001. Melbourne, Victoria. “You know they’re going to find you, right?” he said, his voice low and strained with frustration. Leaning back against the kitchen sink, he breathed a heavy sigh as he combed his worn fingers through the greying ringlets that spilled over his forehead. The cacophony of cicadas that carried on outside the Taliesin household hushed at his words, as if they were intrigued by the conversation. “They haven’t yet and that means we’re still safe,” she said, deep in thought as she picked at the remnants of rice left on her dinner plate. The air was thick with palpable worry. Sophie pushed her cheeks against the small gap of the kitchen door as she spied on her parents. Having swelled out of shape from the dry Australian heat, it left the perfect-sized space for her to peek through. “This leaves us in danger.” He paused. “. . . Danna please. You know that right?” He grunted off the edge of the kitchen sink as he walked purposefully over to Sophie’s mother. Her mussed silver hair and golden eyes sagged with exhaustion as she sat engrossed in the rice grains that remained from dinner. He lifted her chin swiftly, forcing her to look at him in the eyes. “Danna, we can’t live like this. We can’t keep looking over our shoulders waiting for them to take you or her. It’s not a life I’m willing to live.” His voice softened and hitched as tears began to well. “I know, but she’s my daughter. Our daughter. She’s only six. Where else is she to go?” A single frustrated tear found its way down the peak of Danna’s cheeks. Sophie hated the sight of her mother crying. “We can’t have her here. She’ll—” Sophie pushed the door open, determined to stop her mother’s tears from flowing. Her parents’ heads turned swiftly as they stared at her small form standing by the kitchen door. The conversation stopped entirely. “Mummy, is Daddy trying to get rid of me?” Sophie stared pointedly at her father as tears threatened to spill. She clenched her tiny fists as the temperature of the room rose with her anger. She knew they were talking about her and the thought of that made her stomach plummet as if some creature had died in it and its soul was clawing its way out of her mouth. Danna stood swiftly. Her chair screeched as it pushed across the floor. She hurried over to where Sophie stood and knelt with outstretched arms planning to calm her. Sophie dodged her mother’s touch, pulling her face out of the way as hot angry tears ran down her sweating cheeks. Why did her mother and father want to get rid of her? “Oh honey, what are you doing up? It’s way past your bedtime.” Danna swept Sophie’s tears away with the pads of her thumbs. “No one is trying to get rid of you, okay? Mummy and Daddy are just having an adult conversation. It’s nothing you have to worry about.” Sophie fixed her eyes on the floor trying her best to avoid her mother’s eyes as she ran her hands up and down Sophie’s little upper arms. Her body eased at her mother’s touch – a steady tranquil stream made solely for soothing the fires that burned inside her too often. Danna peered over her shoulder to Sophie’s father who remained by the dining table. She signalled for him to leave with a quick flick of her chin. He dipped his chin in acknowledgement and turned on his heels to exit through the back security door. Sophie tracked every movement. Waiting until the door clicked shut, Danna swiftly returned her eyes to Sophie’s. “I would never ever get rid of you, Sophie. You are my one and only daughter. I love you with every single piece of my heart. They’ll have to steal you from right under my nose.” She flicked Sophie’s little nose. “Plus who would ever want to take care of a bossy boots dressed in unicorn jammies?” Sophie squirmed as her mother tickled her milk-filled belly. The palpable worry that once filled the room dissipated with Sophie’s sweet giggle. Sophie smiled through unshed tears and uncrossed her arms as she gave her mum a tight hug around her