Ezra
Someone was calling my name, the voice sounded distant but it kept getting louder.
"Ezra. Wake up."
I ignored it at first. The mattress was softer than anything I remembered sleeping on, which was weird, because I didn't own anything soft enough to this point. My bed at home squeaked if I stirred even a bit.
"Ezra," the voice said again, sharper this time.
I opened my eyes.
A man stood at the foot of the bed. He was tall, too tall. He had silvery hair which was tied to the back, his skin was bright and so smooth, he could easily pass for a model on one of those Korean skincare ads. There was one feature that stood out unlike the others, he had pointed ears.
Wait…..He had pointed ears, like an elf. What the fuck?
I looked at him properly. His clothes looked like something from a fantasy movie, white suit, gold embroidery, shoulder cuffs which made him look…what? Hot? Wait a second here.
My brain stalled, then restarted.
Who the hell was this man and why was he in my bedroom?
"Do you need assistance standing, son?" he asked. His tone was calm, but his eyes kept flicking to a clock on the wall. "We're already behind schedule."
Son? What does he mean by son?
I pushed up on my elbows. "Who are you?"
He blinked.
Confusion crossed his face then he took a slow breath in a frustrated fashion.
"You truly don't remember?"
"No," I said. Then I looked around. "And I don't know where I am either."
He opened his mouth, shut it, then tried again. "You're home."
No, I definitely was not. My home had peeling paint, noisy neighbors, and a microwave from 2007. This place looked like a luxury hotel designed by someone allergic to minimalism.
"You suffered a head injury," he continued. "The healers warned us there might be gaps in your memory. I didn't think it would be this bad."
"Gaps?" I repeated. "What does that even mean?"
He stared at me with tired patience. "I'm Alden. Your father."
I almost laughed, but his face was too serious for that. "No, you're not."
"Stepfather," he corrected quietly.
Still didn't help but before I could process anything, the bedroom door slammed open.
"Ezra!" An elf looking girl rushed in. She had the same pointed ears, same silver hair, but hers fell in long waves down her back. Her eyes were wide and stressed. "Why aren't you dressed?"
"Who are you? And why do you people have weird looking ears?"
She clutched her chest like I'd stabbed her. "Are you joking?"
"No. I'm very serious. Am I being pranked?"
She turned to the man. "Dad. The doctor said…" "I know," he muttered.
She stepped closer and studied my face
"It's me," she said.
"Lysandra. Your sister."
Sister?
I didn't have a sister. I had a plant named Patrick that I killed in two weeks, but definitely no sister. Is this some kind of joke? She forced a shaky smile.
"Okay. It's fine. We'll deal with that later. But right now, we need to move. The gala starts in an hour."
"Gala?" I repeated. "Why am I going to a gala?"
Alden rubbed his forehead. "Because the royal house invited us. Attendance is mandatory."
I rubbed my eyes.
"I don't know what is happening here but I think you must be mistaking me for someone else."
Before I could ask anything else, another door inside the room swung open and a woman, tall, dressed in dark green, ears as long as everyone else's, walked in carrying folded clothes.
She didn't look surprised to see me.
"Good morning, young master. I'm here to help you get ready." Young master?
I almost checked behind me to see if someone else was there.
Lysandra pointed at me.
"Maerin, he's confused again."
The maid, Maerin or whatever, name was, bowed her head. "That's understandable. This is his first proper day out of bed."
"I've been in bed?" I asked.
"You've been out for a month," Alden said quietly.
A month.
My chest tightened. How?
I lifted my hands and inspected them. Something wasn't right at all.
This wasn't my body. I could feel it so strongly and this…this place was not my home.
I swallowed hard. "I think there's been a mistake."
Alden's expression looked even more frustrated now.
"Ezra, please. We don't have time for this conversation now. Someone please make him understand."
Maerin approached with the clothes.
"If you'll allow me, young master, I'll help you change."
I flinched back. Oh hell nah! No weird looking elf woman was going to touch me.
"No, thank you. I can dress myself."
I reluctantly took the outfit. It was a black suit, The fabric felt different from the usual clothes I was used to.
The collar curved up like an armor, and it had tiny silver stones that were embroidered across the sleeves.
"This looks expensive," I said.
"It is," Alden replied. "Now for heavens sake could you please hurry up? The royal house would have our heads if we were late."
I looked at him again. Properly this time.
"Are those…real ears?"
They all turned to each other in frustration.
"Yes they are Ezra, now please put on the clothe."
My heart pounded so hard I felt it in my teeth.
"Okay," I breathed. "Okay. Cool. Just needed confirmation that I'm not hallucinating."
She touched hers self-consciously.
"They're normal here. You couldn't have lost your memory to that degree. Even you, have one of these."
Oh hell nah. She had to be joking.
I stood up and walked to the mirror nearby and I stared at my reflection. Big eyes. Sharp cheekbones. Lips too full. Hair a dark, almost blue shade. And my ears, shorter than theirs, but still pointed.
I didn't look like me, but I also didn't look like them entirely. What the hell was going on?
"Am I adopted?" I asked.
Alden and Lysandra exchanged a look that I could tell was their last straw.
Maerin broke the silence.
"Young master, we truly must hurry."
Lysandra said, suddenly frantic. "You don't want to show up late. The Alphas get tense when things don't run on schedule."
"Alphas?" I repeated. "Like wolves? Pack leaders?"
All three of them froze.
Alden spoke first. "This is hopeless."
Lysander suddenly spoke again. "You know what? How about you put on your clothes and I'll explain everything on the way?"
"That sounds perfect." Adrien said.
The man checked his watch again.
"Let's move."
I was scared as hell but I had a feeling it might be better to cooperate with these people.
While Maerin helped adjust my collar and sleeves, I tried to gather my thoughts. I remembered falling down the broken stairs of my rickety apartment. I also remembered being in so much pain. Then suddenly waking up here.
Was this transmigration? Like the stories people joked about online?
Transmigration? Yeah, I've actually started losing my mind. "Do I have a phone?" I asked.
Alden frowned. "A what?"
Right.
Marien lady finished straightening the suit.
"There. You look presentable, young master."
I turned toward the mirror again.
I looked… sharp. No, hot, if I might add and…
"Let's get going." Lysander said, cutting my thoughts off.
Aiden reached into his pocket and brought out a small pouch. He reached into it and shinny looking things glowed in his hand, they looked like dust, shiny dust.
I stared. "Is that safe?"
"No," Lysandra said. "But it's the fastest way we can get to the royal house."
Alden shot me another warning look. "Ezra, whatever you remember or don't remember, stay calm and ask us if you have any questions. Don't forget."
I swallowed.
"Why would anyone pay attention to me?"
They didn't answer.
Adrien lifted the dust looking thing in the air and threw it down while mumbling some weird language.
The last thing I remember was feeling heady and all three of us disappeared from the room.