It was between floors 7 and 8 that my trunk began to howl.

A moment before I was chewing on my lip, shifting from one foot to the next, while imagining a dozen starts to a conversation with the only other person in the elevator—a handsome young businessman with a heavily dimpled smile.

But when the screeching wail from my luggage let loose, I skipped past the pleasantries and jumped into his arms.

Unfortunately, he chose to do the same and we collided like a train-wreck, careening into the wall then landing in a tangled heap on the floor.

“What was that?! Do you have a DOG in your luggage?” His adorable features weren’t nearly as cute arranged in an accusatory scowl.

“No! I don’t even own a dog!”

It began to howl again—the sound unmuffled, oddly clear and echoing between my antique trunk’s thick leather straps. I stared at the old box as though I’d never seen it before, though in truth I’ve had it for as long as I could remember. I was discarded as a child, and my case worker claimed it was the only belonging they found with me.

A faint sparkle on the trunk caught my eye. A coin-sized emblem flashed through the grime in a corner—a tiny, black ornate crown wrapped in a thin halo of thorns. A small diamond winked at me from its tall center spire. How could I have missed that?

The gentleman stood shakily and offered me a hand. It was large and warm, and a trembling mess like mine, so we slipped and struggled in our task. As I stood, the elevator jerked and tossed us together in an awkward hug.

“Well, go on,” he nodded toward my luggage, “let the poor thing out.”

We were still traveling upwards, me to my hotel room on level 15, and him to who knows where, confined in this small space. I wasn’t sure opening the luggage here was so wise.

“W-what if it’s mad it was trapped? When I get off in a moment—,” I looked up at the floor counter above the door and gasped. 21, the highest floor possible, lit up bright green, but the elevator continued to speedily climb beyond.

Another howl issued from my trunk, a lone wolf serenading a full moon. The elevator lurched to a hard stop. The lights above popped loudly, cutting out and plunging us into a tangible pitch black.

I’m not sure if it was him or I who tugged the other close, but we clung tight. His minty breath uttered something incoherent above me, and I nodded mindlessly.

The doors parted slowly, a hazy violet light and curling mist flooded in.

Then those arms cradling me began to shake with laughter. He chuckled—a low, self-satisfied sound. His laughter grew louder.

My arms dropped away and I stepped back, confused, eying him suspiciously.

He grinned lopsidedly, those dimples peeking through, and crossed his arms. “I’m sorry—I couldn’t resist to give you hard time when I had the chance. Call it payback. Do you know how long I’ve searched for you? Only Tails could sniff you out.”

He nodded toward my forgotten trunk, snapped his fingers, and out of it emerged a wraith-like figure which morphed into a werewolf. I bit back a scream and shrunk into a corner of the elevator, but the mannish dog just strode past me, uninterested and yawning.

The werewolf bowed briefly to me before exiting and mumbled, “Pleased you’ve returned to us safe and sound, your grace. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a kink in my tail I must work out.”

Too frightened and shocked to respond, I watched him go, frozen against the elevator wall.

The handsome young businessman stepped through the door as well and turned back toward me, haloed in that eerie light. He bowed slightly at the waist, putting me in mind of a butler. He held a hand out again.

Wisps of fog dissipated beyond him, revealing the dark, glossy walls of an obsidian palace. Dazzling black stone arches and carved alcoves flickered and shone from dangling candled chandeliers. A marble floor stretched every which way, laced with fine veins of shifting sparkling silver.

“Welcome back, my queen. It’s been far too long and you were extraordinarily difficult to find, be it lost in the human world as you were. I can only hope your memories will return soon,” he said with a heavy sigh. “After all, the centaurs and trolls are nearly at war again, and no one but you could ever stop them.”

His hand hung there expectantly still, waiting—

“Go on, take it,” he beckoned with a warm, knowing smile. “You’ll remember all this soon.”