"Right. Sorry, still getting used to this whole not-human thing. What's your name?"
"Toka."
"Toka, where am I?"
"You are in the home of Khalon King, in the realm of the Soldati."
"And where exactly is that?"
Toka smiled impishly. "Upstate New York."
One of the servants moved his hand lower, and Riley gave a start. "Hey, whoa, I appreciate the assistance, but I can scrub my own nads, thanks."
The servants giggled and Toka scolded them, though
Riley noticed he wasn't harsh or unkind. "You have a way with words, Riley Murrough."
"You can call me Riley." He finished washing himself and allowed the servants to escort him out of the bath, where he promptly took the towels from them. "Thanks, guys, but really. I can dry myself."
As soon as he was done, he slipped his arms into the lush, ornate robe held out for him. He tied the sash and followed Toka to a different set of doors than he came in from. There was a large bedroom decorated in rich hues of red and gold, from the elaborate rug to the canopy of the giant four-poster bed. A delicious scent made his mouth water, and for a moment, he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. There was a carved wood table set with more food than Riley could eat in a week.
"Come. You must be hungry."
Riley didn't need to be asked twice. Had he wanted to refuse just on principle, his stomach would betray him. The need to inhale some of this tasty-looking food overtook any concerns regarding his current outlandish predicament. He tried not to talk with his mouth full, but he wanted to eat and get some answers. Ooh, chicken!
"So if we're in New York, how come I've never heard of this place? You'd think someone would have spotted it." And probably tried to book a wedding. Khalon would make a mint. Not many castles in New York these days. The decor was pretty extravagant too. He knew a few people who would have happily given their firstborn to get married in a place like this.
"In your world you must have come across magic."
Riley cocked his head. "Like, Vegas magic? Because I hate to break it to you...."
Toka chuckled and poured Riley some fruit wine concoction. "No. Like monsters, changelings, mermaids, witches, things that go bump in the night."
"On TV. Lot of weird stuff on TV." Actually a lot of weird stuff in real life lately too.
"Well, that weird stuff is real."
Riley swallowed a mouthful of tasty chicken. "You're telling me ghosts, vampires, werewolves, it's all real? You expect me to believe that?"
"You were just saved from demons by a group of magic-wielding warriors who can change into tigers. Yet you can't believe the rest exist?"
"Touche."
The thought that every otherworldly creature he'd ever seen on TV might be real was... terrifying. The whole reason he was never scared as a kid--and admittedly as an adult--was because he knew none of it was real, and now....
"Our world has always existed alongside yours, protected and hidden by magic wards. For centuries the growing discord in both our worlds has begun to weaken the wards, allowing those bound to our world to slip through into the human world. Demons are notorious for slipping through, but the Soldati have hunted them since before humans walked this earth."
"Speaking of Soldati. What's the deal with King Crabby-Pants?"
Toka took a nibble of what looked like a sugar cookie, only fancier. "He's not as bad as he seems."
"You mean he's only a self-absorbed prick some of the time?"
Riley moved on to some of the other meats. There were all kinds and cooked to perfection. There were bowls of fruits, platters of cheeses, vegetables, and plenty of mouthwatering desserts. He plucked what looked like a lemon bar. One thing was for certain: the Soldati knew how to feast.
"I'm sure your boss is a great guy and this is all just a big misunderstanding. So why don't we expedite this process a little and you tell me how I can get back home." He gave his most charming smile. "How about it?"
Toka's troubled expression gave Riley pause. "You're safer here. The demons are searching for you. They won't rest until you're either dead or have been claimed."