Dreamthief

by Tamara Grantham

Twenty-four

  After packing what little I could, I left the castle. The walk to the lake cleared my head. Jeremiah’s capture was starting to wear me down.

  I felt responsible for him. I felt like a failure. Why couldn’t I have visited more? Why couldn’t I have been more protective? I knew beating myself up would accomplish nothing, but Al Einstein tried hard to convince me otherwise.

  Wind gusted through the towering evergreens, making the boughs sway. The smell of fresh pine filled the rain-scented air. I let it fill my lungs. The sapphire waters of the lake appeared ahead. With the weight of my pack slung over my shoulder, I felt the presence of the dream catcher inside. Should I bring such an item to Earth?

  I felt reasonably certain in saying that I understood magic. The sky king had taught me about all forms—dragon, pixie, elven, even some goblin. I’d learned Earth magic as well. But this magic was like nothing I’d ever studied. It felt ancient and evil, as if being near it would taint the purest enchantment.

  My footsteps made little noise over the needle-strewn path. I stopped when I reached the shore. Sunlight reflected off the water. The laughter of water sprites echoed over the lake as I knelt, took out my mirror case, and inhaled deeply.

  Are you ready to go back? Bill asked me.

  I pushed the thought aside. It didn’t matter if I was ready or not.

  Heavy footsteps came from the path. I turned to see Kull walking toward me. He wore a leather vest studded with silver spikes. His sword hung from one shoulder, knife handles shone from his belt, and his leather boots looked as if they’d been crafted from dragon hide—a landwalker, by the looks of it.

  “I thought I said to pack light.”

  “You said to pack only what I could carry.”

  Had I? I should pay more attention to how I phrase things.

  “Fine, but you’ll have to leave half of it in my apartment.”

  He knelt beside me as I opened my mirror. Blue Faythander light curled from the mirror’s surface, enveloping me. I brushed my fingers over the glass, not detecting any enchantments, unless the goblins had found a way to hide their magic as my father had. Not likely.

  “How many times have you crossed worlds?” I asked him.

  “Several times.”

  “Were you ever wearing a memory charm?”

  “Only once on a visit to France. I had to sell off half my collection to afford it.”

  “So you’re familiar with the side effects? Dizziness, trouble concentrating, that sort of thing?”

  “I’m prepared.”

  “Are you? From now until we return to Faythander, you’ll retain your memories, but once we cross back, you’ll lose all your memories from Earth. Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I will sacrifice what I must.”

  I turned to my mirror. Can’t say I didn’t warn him. When I touched the glass, magic swirled beneath my fingertips. Its presence called to me. “As soon as I tell you, put your hand on the glass. Don’t take it off until we’ve crossed.”

  “I understand.”

  I took a deep breath. Magic flowed inside me, and then I pressed the palm of my hand to the surface. “Now,” I whispered to Kull.

  I felt his hand next to mine. The magic caught us in its tidal wave, sucking the air from my lungs. I kept my eyes closed to keep the dizziness from overwhelming me. Wind whooshed through my ears as if I stood inside a tornado.

  The wind quieted. My ears rang as I opened my eyes. We stood in my apartment. Gray light seeped through the window over the sink. Was it morning? Hopefully, I’d gained a few hours. I never knew when I’d come back—sometimes hours ahead, sometimes days. The crossing gods never seemed to make up their minds, though I usually ended up within an hour or two of the right day.

  “Is this where you dwell?” Kull asked.

  The ringing in my ears made his voice sound distant. He looked colossal in my tiny apartment.

  “This is my home.”

  Han Solo pounced on the counter and gave us a once over, his whiskers twitching as he sniffed unfamiliar scents.

  Kull removed his knife. His eyes lit up with a predator’s gaze.

  “Whoa.” I grabbed Han off the counter. “He’s my pet. No killing.”

  “You keep a small grimwelt for your pet?”

  “This is a house cat.” I pronounced the words slowly. “He can’t hurt you.”

  The predatory look remained for a few seconds, and then he sheathed his knife.

  Sheesh, already tried to kill my pet. What else would this guy try?

  I rubbed Han’s ears. He ate it up.

  The rumble of car engines came from Seawall Boulevard. Kull inspected his new surroundings. He creased his brow. “Do all humans live in such tiny quarters?”

  “Not everyone. It’s certainly no castle. I’m sure it’s not what you’re used to.”

  His knees buckled, and he leaned against the bar.

  “The dizziness won’t last long.”

  He eyed me. “How did you manage to overcome it?”

  “Lots of practice.”

  He knit his brow in concentration. “I feel as though the floor is liquid.”

  “It’ll pass.” I didn’t envy him. I’d known some people who stayed bedridden for days. I hoped he wasn’t one of them.

  The dream catcher’s dark magic called to me, so I pulled off my pack. With careful fingers, I removed the talisman and stowed it under the cabinet. I wouldn’t be able to spellcast it yet. I needed the first rays of morning sunlight to negate the dark energy, and it looked like we’d arrived a few hours past that. Tomorrow morning, then. That gave me one day to talk to Sissy, find Mr. Green, and help Kull retrieve his dino. No sweat, right?

  I found my car keys on the hook by the door. “Do you know what a car is?” I asked him.

  “It depends.”

  “Depends on what?”

  “The definition of car—if you mean V8 engine, one-hundred-forty horsepower, front-wheel drive muscle car, then yes, I know what a car is. Anything other than that I would not consider a car.”

  I gaped.

  “I’ve a few Earth Kingdom texts in my library.” He winked.

  “Oh,” was all I managed.

  He grinned. “Shall we fetch my dinosaur first?”