I've temporarily decided that I am not dreaming, since I forced myself asleep and woke up in the same cold cell I was put in last night. But I'm definitely not ready to let go off the thought yet; I can't accept that this is reality, because it simply cannot be.

I'm cold all the way to my bones, even though I'm wearing jeans and a thick sweater. It's probably because I've been forced to stay on the stone floor, with no bed in sight. It pisses me off. I somehow just fell in here, and now they're putting me in prison? This isn't even my world, and I want to go home. But knowing the Queen right, she'll probably behead me before I can run anywhere. The sound of a door opening turns my head, and in comes the prince. My heart stops when I realize I'm actually meeting Cal, for real. It doesn't seem true, he's fictional and he isn't supposed to be walking straight towards me. He's not supposed to live anywhere outside of minds.

"You said you were in a book." He states, eyes sparkling in the dim light. "What does that even mean?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I rub my temples and can't help but smile at this messed up situation.

"Try me."

I laugh straight out, the sound echoing against the bare walls. Whatever is going on, my head does not want to make sense of it. "I – I don't think I should."

"Tell me."

"Well, don't take this personally ..." I clear my throat and look at my hands, a blush spreading across my cheeks. Am I really going to tell him he's not actually real? "You –all of you, are fictional characters. You're from a book."

Now it's his turn to laugh. "This is nonsense! Do you know the consequences of you misleading me like that?"

"I'm probably going to get killed?"

"Stop the jokes." He ignores my answers, so I dare to bring my eyes to his. "Which house are you from? Are you a Blood Healer? A Stoneskin, maybe a Strongarm?"

"I'm not from any house! I'm not even from here!"

"If you're not a silver, how did you manage to fall right through the roof?"

"I don't know! I'm from Wallingford, tumbling from the sky isn't exactly what I do on my free time."

"Wallingford? I've never heard of that place before"

"It's in Connecticut, and of course you haven't. You live in Norta, that's not even a real place!" Cal's eyes narrow at my words. I understand him, here I come, a total stranger, telling him that he is not real and neither is his world. He must think I'm absolutely crazy, and I'm starting to wonder if I might be.

"Norta most certainly is a real kingdom. Are you out of your mind?"

"To be honest, I don't really know." Cal snorts at my comment and I put my head in my hands. What is going on with me?

"I will talk to father about this. I suggest an interrogation is the best choice ..." he mutters to himself before leaving. I groan loud as tears stream down my face again. Ripping at my clothes and kicking at nothing, I scream and shout.

"What the fuck is going on? I wanna go home!" I bawl. My chest burns and my lungs fight for air. "I wanna wake up! Wake me up!"

°°°

For what feels like hours, I lay on the ice-cold floor, face stained with dry tears. After a lot of thinking, I'm not sure of anything anymore. I don't even know what is true about me and what isn't. Do I really live in Wallingford, or have I lived here my whole life? I don't know. I don't get anything, and it feels like all my memories are being pushed around and smudged out. I hate it; it makes me feel lonely.

The door creaks open and in comes a man, most certainly a guard. And if I had to guess, I would say it is Lucas, since he was the one Cal gave to Mare. He says something and utters me to move, I obey, not having the strength to do otherwise. If interrogation is anything like I remember, this won't be fun. In a way I don't really care, because now I might actually get my memory freshened up. And hopefully these idiots will see that I'm telling the truth and I can find a way to get home.

The building is gorgeous, just like I've imagined. Lustrous flooring and tall walls, filled with stunning paintings and crystal lights. I scan the room with dreamy eyes, and for a moment I forget where I actually am and what is about to happen to me. But that soon changes as I'm in a new room. The Queen's here, as well as the princes and the King. Everyone looks stern except for Maven, who looks nervous. My heart stings at the sight of him. He made me cry so much during the last chapters. I see moths moving and I hear voices, but my ears don't want to listen. I gaze at the royal family instead. Especially on the princes, who wouldn't? They're Cal and Maven, the two boys who stole my heart. It's hard to describe how they look, like they're still vague in my head. But in some way they're just like I made them up in my mind.

Then, it hurts all over. I fade out of reality and into my own brain. I soon realize someone is whispering themselves into my head, and as expected, I don't like it. It pains behind my eyes and in my temples, like I'm about to implode. Pictures of my childhood and my parents play for me to see. They're laughing and kissing and I'm on the floor, playing with cars. Then I'm older, and I have my way too big red backpack hung over one shoulder, mom kisses me goodbye before she drops me off at school. Older and older, happy and sad. I'm playing games on my phone, going on parties with my friends and reading lots and lots of books. Mom screams, I cry, dad screams, I cry and we make up. I take my drunk best friend home and dad calls her parents. I get dizzy of all the memories, and just when I think it's over I see clips of me reading Red Queen. I feel the thoughts and the emotions, notice the laughs escaping my mouth and the watering in my eyes.

Then, it's all over, and I'm thrown into reality again. I grab my head and squeeze my eyes shut at the bright light.

"She is telling the truth, ..." a female voice says. I smile weakly, thank God.