War of the Chaotic Worlds I

By Hermione Lee

Dark forces threaten to loom over the Otherworld as the tension between the two magical kingdoms brews like a storm. When misfortune befalls the Otherworld, two Elders are accused of treason. Alexandria, propelled to take action to vindicate her comrades and save her father, sets off to the Underworld with her friends. Unexpectedly, their mission takes a sharp turn for the worse when a devastating accident causes the Otherworldians to implode. The bond between them unravels and deteriorates as doubts begin to surface.
Nevertheless, the adventure must go on. Only by developing mutual trust and support can Alexandria and her companions conquer the challenges that pave the path to their ultimate goal. Yet at the same time, they cannot deny the fact a spy remains among them, uncaught and unpunished....

• Language: English
• Publisher: World Castle Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Jul 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781958336342

Hermione Lee

Professor Dame Hermione Lee is President of Wolfson College, Oxford, and was lately Goldsmiths' Professor of English Literature in the University of Oxford and Professorial Fellow of New College. She is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Society of Literature. She is the author of books about Elizabeth Bowen, Philip Roth, Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton and Penelope Fitzgerald, as well as numerous other works.

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War of the Chaotic Worlds I

Otherworld Trilogy Book 3

by

Hermione Lee

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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World Castle Publishing, LLC

Pensacola, Florida

Copyright © Hermione Lee 2022

Smashwords Edition

Hardback ISBN: 9798837891007

Paperback ISBN: 9781958336335

eBook ISBN: 9781958336342

First Edition World Castle Publishing, LLC, July 11, 2022

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

Smashwords Licensing Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Cover: Hermione Lee

Editor: Maxine Bringenberg

Dedication

For Maxine Bringenberg and Karen Fuller, without whom my precious trilogy would never have seen the light of day. Thank you both for everything you’ve done for my books.

Acknowledgements

This is the final installment of the Otherworld Trilogy. Thank you to everyone who played a role in the process of my birthing this series. My mom, my dad, my grandma Ama, my Uncle Bryan, and every family member who showered me with words of encouragement deserve my heartfelt thanks. My editor Maxine Bringenberg and publisher, Karen Fuller, were also influential and instrumental in my journey of penning this trilogy. My sincerest thanks to both of you!

Furthermore, special thanks to King-Yung Zhuang, the principal of my old elementary school, and to Hui-Ling Tu, my favorite teacher in middle school. They have always been my top fans and cheerleaders when it came to chasing my dreams. I would also like to extend my thanks to my author friends, whose support propelled me forward and granted me motivation. A huge thank you to Abby Farnsworth, Alexander Semenyuk, Barna William Donovan, Blake Alb, Candice R. Lisle, Cheryl Peña, Joy Ross Davis, Judith White, Julie Parker, Lou Aguilar, and Tonya Penrose. Also, to Cat Jensen, Gloria Lakritz, and Phillip Charlier for their help in promoting my books.

Finally, my dear readers. Words fail me to express my immense gratitude for your support. Thank you for accompanying my characters on their missions and adventures and sharing their tears and laughter. The Otherworld Trilogy is coming to a close, but my journey of being an author is far from it. Companion novels centered around a few beloved protagonists in the trilogy will be released, ensued by my many other books and series. Writing has always been an escape for me, and I hope you derive the same pleasure and satisfaction from reading my works as I did from writing them.

Yes, my stories will go on and on.

Chapter One - The Initiation Ceremony - (Alexandria)

It was a cold, pale morning, the Otherworld yet in profound repose. February was dying, the last of its chill evident in the air. A damp, floaty mist had settled on the palace grounds, cloaking the ambient landscape in its foggy embrace. Everything was smoky, the usual vibrant hues of the verdant meadows and cerulean sky muted. There I stood before the floor window of my room, savoring the echoing silence. For five-thirty in the morning, it wasn’t odd or bizarre in any way since most of the Elders wouldn’t be up until six. I pictured how it would seem to visitors, a resplendent castle in the middle of a chartreuse field, surrounded by ornate gardens, with glassy lakes gazing at the heavens in the distance. To anyone unaware of the brewing storm between the inhabitants of the palace, it was a peaceful, tranquil, and relaxing sight to behold. For a few minutes, I stared at the picturesque scenery unfurling before my eyes, emptying my mind of all notions.

Until a dark violet dot striding across the immense ocean of green seized my attention, and I snapped out of my blank reverie. A figure. Heading its way past the rippling lawns, its destination unclear.

But who could be up this early? And what was he or she up to? My skepticism getting the best of me, I grabbed my lava scepter and left my room, determined to find out. There had been a murder last December, and everyone was to blame for that. Should we have registered anything out-of-order, we might have been able to prevent the tragedy from occurring. If the figure I’d sighted was plotting anything terrible and I hadn’t stopped him or her, it’d be my fault. I would never be able to abandon the shadow of remorse in that case, especially if the victim were a dear friend of mine.

The icy caresses of the breeze blanketed me as I exited the palace from the side door, a tang of soil and rainwater engulfing my senses. I shivered, regretting that I hadn’t changed out of my nightgown. But by now, I had no other option but to catch up with the mysterious figure. I had come all the way here to track him or her down, and there was no way I was going to mount five flights of stairs just to retrieve a shawl or a cape.

Dashing across the field at top speed, I spotted the person at length. Her billowy cloak and puffy ball gown suggested it was Helen; her ebony tresses further confirmed my assumption.

But what was she doing on the palace grounds, all alone? It was apparent that she was in a hurry, as evidenced by her rushed footsteps; she’d also gathered her skirts in her right hand to avoid tripping. She was seldom seen without the company of Zack, which made it ten times stranger. That, if anything, intensified my curiosity.

Keeping a safe distance of fifty feet behind her, I slowed my breathing and silenced my footsteps in order to minimize the chances of exposing myself.

The farther I followed Helen, the more unsettled I became. The royal cemetery was a mere hundred feet from us now. Was that her destination?

It was. I hid behind a weathered oak tree and watched her glide across the innumerable rows of headstones. She came to a halt by one of them and knelt down. I knew very well who the headstone belonged to, for I, too, had visited it countless times. Evonne’s grave.

Helen laid a bouquet of pink lilies by the headstone. Although it was difficult to tell, given the distance between us, I thought I saw tears streaming down her cheeks like waterfalls.

I’m sorry, Evonne. I’m so sorry. Will you forgive me for not being there for you? I heard Helen choke out between her sobs.

It shattered my heart, the intense sorrow in her voice. Helen was seldom emotional; she’d always been the strongest one among us. Evonne’s death wasn’t her fault, yet it affected her the most.

But why would she be here apologizing to her? For not protecting her well, or for other unspeakable reasons? a voice in my head wondered. There were no answers to some questions, and this was one of them.

I remained in my hiding spot for another fifteen minutes until I saw Helen coming. When she breezed by my hideout, her expression was unreadable, like a book of ancient runes.

***

Dear Ms. Richardson,

I am writing to inform you that you have been unconditionally accepted into the Court of the High Advisors, also known as the Elders. The initiation ceremony will be on March 1st, the day after tomorrow. As the occasion is of utmost formality, all participants are required to follow the proper dress code. A rehearsal will be held on the day before the ceremony, of which attendance is mandatory. Please respond to this letter if you are still interested in joining the Court of the High Advisors.

Sincerely, Helen Wisteria Edmunds

Representative Elder of the Court of the High Advisors

I looked up, meeting Eileen, Daphne, and Eric’s gazes of pleasant surprise.

Congratulations, Alexandria! said Daphne, beaming as she waved her own letter in the air. I wasn’t that sure about Eileen and myself until we received our letters, but I knew as the princess of the Otherworld, you’d make it into the Elders without a doubt. Plus, you’re Helen’s goddaughter. She’d love you to join them. Finally, now the three of us are Elders!

Both Eileen and Daphne had received their acceptance letters earlier that morning.

Grinning, I corrected her. I don’t think any of us got accepted because of our connections. We made it in on sheer potential. King Patrick and Queen Marianne know everything about the missions we’ve been on.

You’re right, said Eileen. Then, in a sad little voice, she added, It’s a pity Clarissa never had the chance to get her letter.

Eric, Eileen, Daphne, and I were the heir and heiresses of the four Creators—the gods and goddesses who created the first magical world with their elemental powers. Among the four of us, Eileen was the heiress of Fern, the goddess of nature; Daphne, the heiress of Walters, the god of water. And I the heiress of Ember, the goddess of fire. Eric, my cousin, who was one year my senior, was a special case. He inherited his elemental magic from Clarissa, our deceased friend who had fallen in battle last year. She had given him her scepter moments before her death, allowing him to become the second heir of Zeru, the god of the sky.

We had gone on a mission two years ago to restore the Gem of Hope, a precious artifact stolen by Alta and Alto, the tyrants who ruled the Underworld. That was also the first time I met King Patrick and Queen Marianne, my parents, who had sent me to an orphanage in the mortal world when I was born to protect me from the evil Alta and Alto—my mother’s siblings. Queen Marianne had a falling out with them when they were young, which led to their drifting apart. Her siblings transitioned into the wicked rulers of the Underworld, turning it into a realm of dark magic. Queen Marianne, or Alti, as she was known then, got married and created a world of light and peace—the Otherworld—with King Patrick.

Last November, Eileen, Eric, and I went to the Underworld again to navigate the terrains with the company of four Elders—Helen, Zack, Brian, and Evonne. Desperate to take over our kingdom, the Underworld launched an assault in our absence. King Patrick and Queen Marianne asked Eileen, Daphne, and I to remain in the Otherworld after the invasion and prepare ourselves for the final war.

I’m sure Clarissa would be proud of you, said Eric, lacing an arm around Eileen, his girlfriend. You must be deemed clever and competent enough to get accepted into the Elders. I still remember the day I got my acceptance letter. July tenth. My initiation ceremony was held in the fall.

Fall?

Yeah. The Elders recruit four times a year. An initiation ceremony is held every season. March first for spring, June first for summer, September first for fall, and December first for winter. I met the eligibility requirement last July when I turned sixteen. Got my acceptance letter a week after I filed my application.

Only Otherworldians sixteen or older were eligible to join the Elders. The other applicants had to take recruitment tests on archery, swordplay, dressage, and spells, but fortunately, the three of us were accepted without having to be tested, as we had proved ourselves worthy of joining the Elders by going on and surviving two suicide missions. Daphne and Eileen both had their sixteenth birthday in January, which was last month, and I had mine a week ago, on February twenty-first. King Patrick and Queen Marianne had wanted to throw a huge party for my birthday, but I rejected the idea. It seemed inappropriate for a member of the royal family to be celebrating her birthday with luxurious spending when the Otherworld was undergoing a time of darkness. The Underworld had assaulted us twice last December, and they were likely to declare war on us anytime.

To make matters worse, an unidentified spy was hiding among the Elders, fraternizing with the Underworldians and providing them with inside information. Helen had wanted the rulers to secretly investigate the matter, but things took a sharp turn for the worse when Evonne Fitzgerald was murdered. Even though the king and queen had done their best to hush the incident, rumors slithered their way out and were now flying everywhere in the palace, swelling into twisted, outrageous versions of what had happened.

Evonne Fitzgerald, a friend of ours, was brutally murdered after the last invasion. The detectives in charge of her case, my two other cousins, Jacob and Samantha Richardson, had found no suspects and only limited evidence so far. Eric, Eileen, Daphne, and I had had a theory that the assailant was the traitor who had sold us out to Alta and Alto. However, none of us could come up with a motive the perpetrator might have had for ending Evonne’s life. Evonne had only been a member of the Elders for ten months, and she had such a bubbly and cheerful personality that it was hard to dislike her, let alone kill her. Brian, the genius, assumed that Evonne had accidentally discovered the traitor’s identity and was murdered because of that. Although it did sound farfetched, it was the only possible explanation that existed.

Alas, the news of Evonne’s murder spread like wildfire among the Elders, and Helen’s prediction came true. The already fragile web of trust between the Elders had completely unraveled, as nobody had any way of knowing whether the person sitting across from them was the spy or not. Although the king and queen held councils of war and had training sessions every day, it did not stop the Elders from fighting amongst themselves. The Elders, now wary of each other, moved from floor to floor, from room to room in small cliques of twos and threes, whispering and pointing fingers as they passed each other. I often wondered if they were ruling out suspects or suggesting one to their friends. I also wondered what made them so certain none of the escorts that had gained their trust was the real culprit.

Like the other Elders, I had my own coterie as well. Eric, Eileen, Daphne, Brian, and I never went anywhere without each other. Lilith, Uncle Sheldon, and Gidget, three other Elders, would often hang out with us, too. We sometimes joined Helen and Zack for brief chitchats, but they never lasted over twenty minutes since Helen’s duties as the Representative Elder allowed her very little free time. Zack, who was doing his best to help shoulder some of her responsibilities, went everywhere with her. It was common knowledge that he fancied her, even though she had refused his proposal last December due to the looming threat and uncertainty of the final war. Although Helen was often occupied with meetings and important decisions to make, she was kind enough to invite us over to her room to have tea once a week. True friendship was rare, especially in dark times such as these. I, of course, had my own ironclad reasons to trust them—all of them. Helen, Zack, Eileen, and Eric had accompanied me on two missions, while Daphne and Brian had each gone once.

So what do we do at the initiation ceremony? asked Daphne, bringing my mind back to reality.

Well, you’ll get to see for yourselves soon. The rehearsal’s tomorrow, said Eric. Don’t get your hopes up too high, though. It’s actually very boring. All the Elders will attend the ceremony, which will be held on the front lawn of the palace. Some Otherworldians might be there, too. The new recruits will gather at the front gates and wait for the king or queen to announce the start of the ceremony. Then, everyone will sing the anthem of the Otherworld—

Really? There’s an anthem? Daphne said, looking amused.

"There sure is. It’s called O, Sacred Otherworld, O, Great Creators. But don’t worry, he added as Eileen’s jaw dropped. You’ll learn that during the rehearsal. While we’re singing the anthem, two Bearnixes will hoist the flag of—"

What flag? I interrupted. The Otherworld has a flag?

Eric nodded. Ombré purple with gold statues of the four Creators painted on it, and the word ‘Otherworld’ in the middle. That’s how it looks. After we’re done singing, the new Elders—all of you—will make your entrance. King Patrick will call your names in alphabetical order, and you’ll cross the aisle and go all the way up the marble steps to join King Patrick, Queen Marianne, and Helen. Next, all of you will pledge oaths of eternal allegiance, one by one, and cross wands—scepters in your case—with Helen. After that, it’s pretty much over. Helen will lead the new Elders to the lobby and give you a boring one-hour speech concerning the dress code and rules in the palace.

And then?

The speech is followed by a tour of the palace. The end.

I see, Daphne said, glancing down at the letter in her hand. "Formal dress code.… What’s that?"

The new Elders are supposed to wear lilac gowns and tuxedos to the initiation ceremony. Don’t worry, you’re all going to the boutique to pick something suitable for the occasion first thing tomorrow morning.

Suitable..., I grumbled, frowning. I guess I’m going to have trouble with that.

***

The day of the initiation ceremony had come. I looked into the mirror and grinned at myself. Emma, the Kittenpillar in charge of the boutique, had reminded us that regular Elders were not allowed to wear gowns with intricate embroidery or chapel-length trains, which was a huge relief for me. Still, I couldn’t believe I had found an outfit I liked. The off-the-shoulder straps were accented with an oversized ruffle dotted with rhinestones that kissed my shoulders. The skirt was spangled and ornamented with geometrical sequins. I chose a messy, disheveled bun for the occasion, a perfect hairstyle for a rebel, neither too catchy nor too informal. My fiery red hair, now piled on top of my head, resembled a blazing fireball. A jeweled silver tiara with iridescent gems was nestled in front of my bun. As the princess of the Otherworld, wearing a tiara was a must for formal occasions. The only jewelry I wore besides that was the amethyst necklace with a pendant shaped like a bearnix. It was a gift from my parents two years ago. I had chosen vermillion and gold as the colors of my eyeshadow to match my orange lipstick.

A knock on the door announced the advent of Eileen and Daphne.

Eileen’s jaw dropped as she caught sight of me. Wow....

I grinned at her. Wow yourself. Look at both of you!

Eileen looked like a lilac angel. Her gown was made of tulle and had sheer long sleeves accessorized with tiny rosettes. Lace appliqués cascaded down from the ruched bodice to the pleated skirt. Her hair flowed around her in a sea of soft brown waves, framing her sweet face. Eileen also had on tiny leaf-shaped earrings, a matching necklace, and a bracelet. Her eyeshadow was a mixture of lilac and silver, strewn with tiny floral sparkles, and her lips were painted pastel pink. A faint trace of verbena followed her as she approached me.

Daphne, on the other hand, smelled of sea minerals. She had chosen a beaded gown with a sweetheart neckline. The bodice was smooth and silky, followed by a billowing skirt encrusted with tiny crystalline beads. Her long blue hair was braided loosely over one shoulder to create a casual look. Daphne also wore her favorite black lipstick, which suited her thick eyeliner and mascara.

You look great, Alexandria, she said, her penciled eyebrows raised in amazement.

Same. Love your hair! And Eileen, wait until Eric sees you!

Eileen blushed and muttered something inaudible.

You both got your scepters?

They nodded.

Still smiling, I hurried over to my bedside table and fetched my scepter, a glowing stick of lava. Let’s go, then. It’s almost nine.

We left my room and filed into the corridor. The rooms and corridors of the palace made five-star hotels look like cheap rustic cabins. Tufted tables, velvet couches, and crystal chandeliers were more than common around here. The corridors, if possible, looked even more magnificent. Purple candles perched on the sockets of the ornate candelabras erected on either side of us. The plush mauve carpet beneath our feet sank with every step, making me feel as if I were walking on a sandy beach. The walls around us were embellished with giant golden tapestries of bearnixes, unibirds, kittenpillars and dogfishes—the four magical creatures that roamed the Otherworld and Underworld. Bearnixes were ferocious fire spirits that had heads like bears and bodies like phoenixes; unibirds, spirits of the sky, were unicorns with large, feathery wings; kittenpillars were nature spirits that resembled caterpillars with catlike heads; and dogfishes, loyal yet aggressive water spirits, had heads like dogs and bodies like fish.

Eileen, Daphne, and I arrived at the spiral staircase that rippled all the way down to the first floor. The heels of our shoes clinked against the glossy steps as we descended the stairs. As we reached the bottom, a dogfish standing on his hind legs bowed at us.

Noir? I recognized him as the guard in charge of the Throne Room.

Greetings, Lady Alexandria, Lady Eileen, and Lady Daphne.

Wow, giggled Daphne. I can’t believe that’s my title from now on.

Hi there, Noir, I said, giving him a wave. What brings you here?

I’ll be escorting you three ladies to the front gates, where the new recruits are congregated.

We followed Noir through a dark passage lit with purple torches, and he guided us through a massive door and into a wide, vaulted hallway. Enormous candelabras and carved pillars greeted us as we passed them.

I never noticed there were doors in that passage, I heard Eileen whisper to Daphne.

"Oh, there are a lot of secrets about the palace you have