Jessica chewed at her lip as she logged into her computer for her teleconference with her agent. His face said everything as she sighed.
"You warned me that this would be a slow love story," he nodded curtly.
"Is it too slow? I mean… the emperor and empress have only ever been with one another. It's not like he knows how to woo a woman himself."
"There's no spark, Jess. Is he fighting his feelings? Is he curious? Does he want to fuck her against a wall in the library? Right now, he's just being nice and making his wife jealous. I want to know how he sees this queen."
"I know, I know… I just have to write what my characters are telling me to and…"
"No, you have to write what your fans want to read. They want to see the hot, sexy witch seduce the emperor and take over the empire."
"That's not what this story is, though. His wife doesn't realize that she's in love with him until he's married his second wife and had a son. It will just take a while to get to that."
"Okay. I trust you. Just… give me something with some heat."
"I think I've got it."
"Good. Now get back to work."
"Yes, sir," she sighed before logging off.
She threw back her head and stared at the ceiling before taking a drink of her coffee. She reached for her notes and read over them. "Tea with the empress… no. Soraya does not want to be Catira's friend," she crossed out the idea. "Catira steps up and shows him an ancient ritual site in the woods near the palace… things could heat up there…"
From behind her, unseen, stood Kerasea, Goddess of Magic. She watched and listened to the young human with a smile on her face. "Let your characters write your story," she whispered in her ear.
Jessica stopped and stared at her hands. "How do I do that?"
"I thought you'd never ask," she waved her hand.
A bright light blinded her as her mind began to spin. She held onto her throbbing head as she began to scream, her voice unheard by anyone as the world moved around her. She felt as though she were falling until finally she felt the ground beneath her feet.
Opening her eyes, she blinked a few times as the sun shown brightly through the cloudless sky. She quickly looked around her to find that she was at a gate made of iron and stone, an ornate 'N' atop in gold reminding her of the description she gave to the southern gate of the Imperial Palace of Torador.
"Wait…" she looked down to find that she was in a long, flowing gown, not as fancy as something Soraya or Catira would wear, but not of a peasant either.
"Lady Delilah," a voice that sounded like her agent called from behind her as she spun around. "Scott?!"
He cleared his throat and looked down for a moment. "Are you well, my lady?"
"Why are you calling me by my pen name?"
"Pen… name? You are Lady Delilah Bankroft, are you not? I know you've been nervous regarding your summons to the Imperial Palace, but now you're speaking nonsense."
She blinked her eyes a few times as she turned her eyes to the palace, her eyes seeing the three-dimensional form of the words she had written to describe the palace. She pinched her wrist and gritted her teeth before turning back to Scott. "This has to be a dream. I fell asleep at my desk and entered Adhara."
"My lady, shall I notify Duke Falon that you are ill and return another day?"
"No! No… I need to see what this is about," she shook her head. "This might give me a great idea for the next part of the story. I hope I remember this when I wake."
"Shall we then?" he bowed before leading her up the stone path, through the garden of roses, and to the Southern Palace.