by L. R. W. Lee
“You ready?” Kovis asked.
I inhaled deeply. “As I’ll ever be.”
We stepped inside. I immediately knew the rock was not what I was accustomed to, for colors ebbed and flowed, even swirled at points throughout a low-ceilinged chamber. Blue, green, red, purple, it was almost as if the lights of The Canyon had been captured.
“Where do we go from here,” I wondered aloud. And just like that, stairs into the mountain appeared straight ahead. Torches illuminated one side.
I swallowed hard. Kovis gave me a long look.
“Come on. This must be the way,” I said.
The stairs twisted and circled as they continued up. The swirling in the walls ceased and was replaced by rough, rust-colored stone as we kept climbing. We’d both started panting by the time we reached a landing and the stairs became wider. Yet still we climbed.
A howl erupted above us as we scaled yet more steps. And it wasn’t long before I spotted an ever-familiar purple glow coming toward us.
It’s a mare, Kovis! Where could we hide?
As if the thought moved the mountain, the rock of the wall shifted and created a hollowed-out hideaway.
What did you do? Kovis’s eyes were huge, but he didn’t hesitate to pull me inside the shelter. The stench of the mares about made me gag, so I threw an elbow over my nose and waited. Kovis did the same.
I don’t know. That’s the second time the mountain has accommodated us, I said.
Accommodated you. It’s like a thought can make it shift.
Shift like with dreams when I wove them… I murmured.
Kovis furrowed his brow.
I shifted and molded your thoughts as I wove your dreams. I changed your reality. Kovis, I think we’ve reached part of Dream. My stomach quivered with excitement.
You really think so? Hope filled his voice.
I do, but we’ll soon find out. I peeked my head out several heartbeats later to see the backsides of at least eight mares ambling down the steps. Thankfully their stench dissipated with them. Not yet. Let them get far away first.
When we emerged from hiding, I lifted my foot to head up the next step, but Kovis held me back. “I want to try something. If this mountain changes to accommodate our thoughts, let’s just have it get us to the destination and stop climbing.”
I furrowed my brow. Could it do that? But a heartbeat later, the steps disappeared and two archways materialized before us.
“Kovis, you’re brilliant!” I reached up and kissed him.
“At that rate, I’ll try to be brilliant more often.”
Images of clouds against a dark sky filled both, like portraits in gilded frames, only with arched tops.
“Which do we choose?” Kovis asked.
While the pair resembled one another, there were subtle differences. We stepped forward and examined both. The one on the right was carved from two enormous ivory tusks. I shuddered to think the size of the animal that had forfeited them. Intricate carvings at the bottom of each depicted soldiers preparing for war—horses and wagons were being loaded with weapons and other supplies. At the top of each tusk, carvings of the gods doing the same, but with lightning and wind and waves, had been etched.
“Looks like conflict lays through that door, and lots of it,” I reported.
“This one has teachers instructing pupils from scrolls,” Kovis said.
I stepped over and examined it then ran a finger across. “It’s made from lots of horns, all put together. Racka rams’ horns from the looks.” Racka were over-large, wooly sheep with unusual spiral-shaped horns. I found the seams that joined the pieces and counted seven on one side. Assuming every animal had two horns, all told, the complete arch had required that many sheep. I wasn’t sure if I should feel sad at the sacrifice or happy that their contributions had been used in such a beautiful way.
“Which one do you think we should go through?” I asked.
Kovis drew a hand to his chest. “We’ve had enough conflict, we don’t need more. I’d go through that one.” He pointed to the left arch.
“Despite sacrificing more animals to build it, that’s what I was thinking too.” I hesitated. “Of course, we know we’re going to have to confront my father before peace can be had. With the mountain seeming to respond to our thoughts, do you suppose we need to choose the right one?”
Kovis smiled. “Let’s not overthink this. We want peace in the end. I can only assume—”
A roar blasted through the archway on the right.
I looked at Kovis. “You’re right. Time to go.” I stepped through the left archway.
And plummeted. I screamed as blackness swallowed me. Disorientation slammed into me. It was much like what I’d experienced when I’d plunged into the Dream canopy after going too high with Father during our Solstice dance.
“Kovis!” He didn’t reply.
I was tumbling and realized my cape had vanished. An image flashed past—a girl played a flute and the notes sparkled in swirls that followed beside me even as I continued to plunge and spin. A forest decorated in fall colors streamed past to replace the notes. I tumbled through a wishing tree loaded with pink and purple blossoms. Its willowy branches parted in my wake to make room for a vision of swirling clouds—lightning cracked and thunder roared.
“Kovis!” I couldn’t hear him.
I’m falling through people’s dreams! My mind had somehow pieced together the randomness and given me its best guess.
But it didn’t matter what was happening because I couldn’t locate Kovis, I still fell, and my stomach… I swallowed hard but couldn’t keep… I retched right as I zoomed past some weird, winged monkey-looking creature with blue horns floating on a rock. I retched again and again.
“Kovis!”
My eyes slammed shut, and I let out a wail as mind-numbing pain lanced my back. Then my chest started getting tight in my leathers. Something had gotten inside them, on my back, and was growing fast! I shrieked. I couldn’t get it off me, not falling as I was. My arms and legs burned from the intensity of it. My leathers constricted like a snake squeezing ever tighter. Air. I needed air. The pressure was crushing my ribs, but I couldn’t reach the buckles.
I whimpered when the pressure suddenly loosened. I sucked in air and only then realized my leathers had split open in the back. Whatever grew still held me and had ripped right through them. I screeched, but it was cut short by stabbing pain. I panicked and shrieked again. What was on me? I fought to reach back and get it off.
I continued falling and howled as the pain intensified. I’d knock it off; I had to. I threw a fist over my shoulder and hit whatever it was. Another jolt of pain wracked my back, but the thing didn’t budge.
I had to pull it off. I threw my hand over my shoulder again, found the thing, and grabbed hold. I jerked as hard as I could and… agony shot through me. My hand thrust forward. It came away with... I opened my tear-laden eyes just as I streamed past a river flowing with five colors of water. The image provided enough light to see that I held… I gasped. Black pin feathers.
I wept for the sheer joy of it. I would have wings again. Despite the excruciating pain and disorientation of still tumbling, I stared at the pin feathers through the changing light of the scenes I streamed past. Pin feathers.
At length, rational thought reasserted itself. I had to find him. “Kovis!”
More images flew past as I spun and tumbled, but they were a blur as I stretched out my immature wings that were still growing judging by the pain wracking my back. I didn’t care. I would catch the winds with them again.
I was hurtling by two people rowing a boat on a misty lake when my flight feathers completed their expedited maturity and I caught myself. I about saw stars.
“Kovis!” I’d wondered before whether he would get wings. Had he or was he plummeting to some tragic end?
“Ali!”
I exhaled despite the desperation I heard in his cry. He’d fallen further judging by where his cry emanated from. H
e was, no doubt, still falling.
The pain in my back eased, and I tucked my wings and dove. “Kovis! Help me find you!”
“Ali!”
His voice was closer. I was gaining.
“Kovis!”
“Ali!”
Back and forth we called to each other until I spotted him. The new wings he’d sprouted flailed as he plummeted, back-first toward whatever it was we approached. Terror filled his eyes—they were bigger than I’d ever seen them.
“Ali!” Panic and desperation were all I heard as he caught sight of me.
Pull your wings in! I avoided them and their floppy, jerky movements as I soared below him.
I don’t know how!
Then just relax them and trust that I’ll catch you.
His flopping stilled in a heartbeat and all but his legs disappeared from sight as his wings blew upward in the rush of air.
I winced as I unfurled mine. My back was tender, but I caught the air then rose until the spot on our backs, where our wings connected with our bodies, touched. Contact yanked a yelp from Kovis. I swallowed a cry as I allowed the air to force us closer still, pressing down on my sore wings, until I bore his weight against my torso.
We glided this way for several heartbeats as the images ceased and the darkness eased and became charcoal, then slate. My gut told me the changes meant we were nearly at our destination and I needed to slow us.
This is going to hurt, I warned.
Kovis didn’t reply. I speculated he braced.
I yipped and he barked as I forced my wings down. Again and again and again as the space became dim gray, then dusk.
I screamed and Kovis bellowed as my feet touched down and I fell forward into rough gravel with his full weight atop me. He nearly pushed all the air from me, and I struggled to wiggle out from under him. But I finally did and sucked in blessed air, despite the rock at my face.
Two breaths later, I lifted my head.
We’d landed in Porta’s shadow, but it couldn’t diminish the bright sunshine and mild temperatures beyond. There wasn’t a hint of snow in sight. We’d made it to Dream. And we hadn’t died.
Part III: Dream
Sweet and Low
By Baron Tennyson and Alfred Tennyson
Lincolnshire Wake Realm
Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea.
Over the rolling waters go;
Come form the dying moon, and blow;
Blow him again to me,
While my little one, while my pretty one sleeps.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest on mother’s breast,
Father will come to thee soon.
Father will come to his babe in the nest;
Silver sails all out of the west;
Under the silver moon,
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
“Are you okay?” I asked as Kovis remained silent.
“Shhh.”
“What?” I whispered.
“I expected your father to be waiting for us, but I don’t see any signs of him or those mares. We best stay alert.”
I shivered at the thought. With all the chaos, I’d forgotten.
Kovis yelped as he moved to get off me. “These are going to take time getting used to.” He gritted out the words.
I looked down and realized I’d kept my blonde hair. And my body was definitely the human one I’d received based on my shortish perspective of the world. I’d become some combination of the two realms, but I suspected I hadn’t regained immortality, not with human features.
Although my cape had gone missing, I’d kept my leathers and boots. Until this heartbeat, I hadn’t even thought about the possibility of losing them. If this transition had claimed all our clothes like it had the first time… I exhaled. Perhaps it had claimed our capes as payment of a sort, but I wouldn’t bother wondering further. I was just thankful it hadn’t. I couldn’t imagine being naked out here.
My wings seemed to have shrunken to match my new frame because I had no problem furling them. I brushed my bleeding palms together and bent over to stand, but my leathers rode up and struck my neck as I did. I glanced down. Of course they would. I felt air caress my exposed back. My wings had rent my leathers and now only the pauldrons covering my shoulders held the front loosely in place. There was nothing to be done. I just hoped it didn’t start to flop. Kovis would love it—me, not so much. Of course he had the same problem.
I dismissed the thought as I realized Kovis’s thrum had ceased. In my mind we both knew it probably would, but I still sucked in a breath as I turned. Thoughts of loss fled as I got my first look at him and my mouth fell open.
He sat, legs outstretched, wings sprawled. He rubbed an elbow but my quiet drew his attention upward and he met my gaze.
Butterflies launched in my stomach. He’d been handsome with those blue and hazel eyes, chiseled features, and muscled chest. But his wings… they were enormous. And stretched out in abandon as they were, my mind brimmed with erotic thoughts. What I’d love to do to him.
“What?” he asked. His furrowed brow shifted into an upturned mouth. Clearly our bond had endured the transition and he must have taken a peek.
I had to slow my racing thoughts.
No you don’t, my love.
Warmth blossomed between my legs. You’re not helping.
He scanned the area. No one’s around.
Stop. Just stop.
Aw. You’re no fun. He grinned. Show me your wings, Ali. It came out silky.
I felt my cheeks warm. I didn’t know why. We’d seen each other naked plenty of times, but the idea of showing off all of my wings to him… was different. It was so much more intimate than nakedness. He didn’t understand that.
I glanced over. His eyes had filled with longing.
Or perhaps he did understand. I’d said I wanted nothing between us.
I’ve never seen you with wings. They’re such an integral part of who you were… are. I want to know all of you, Ali.
I’d willingly given them up for him, and he knew it. Emotions welled up, and I took a deep breath to keep tears from spilling over. I’d missed them but hadn’t realized how much until the weight of my wings against my back made everything feel right again… and with Kovis here, it was perfect.
I looked down at the sapphire on my finger, resisting fidgeting, then scanned the area. I hadn’t expected to see anyone, but still. I felt like I had when trying on ball gowns for Kovis at Madame Catherine’s—I lifted my chin like she’d taught me and owned this. I wore significantly more clothes than I had then, but it didn’t feel that way. I felt completely exposed, and I couldn’t help not hugging myself as I slowly extended my wings, fully.
Put your arms down. I want to appreciate all of you, Kovis purred.
My breath hitched, but I did as he asked.
His eyes traveled up and down me, and he motioned with a finger for me to turn around. I heard his heart accelerate through our bond before I completed the full rotation.
I doubted it was possible, but you’re even more beautiful with wings. I can’t wait to see you bare with them, he murmured. You’ve mentioned there are particularly sensitive spots on your back and wings. I want to know where each and every one of them are for I intend to pleasure you until you nearly lose your sanity.
I yipped. I couldn’t hold it in. I was sure my eyes bugged out, but his expression remained unchanged, and I whimpered. He twitched a wing, and I about lost what little control I still possessed. I needed to shift the conversation, or I surely would.
“Kovis, your wings are bigger than any I’ve seen before. Maybe it’s your power translating into Dream that did it, but I’ve never seen wings the size of yours.”
“It seems that’s a good thing.” He smirked. “Kennan loves to brag abou
t ‘other parts,’ even though we’re identical.”
I burst out laughing. It came out louder than it should have, what with sexual tensions screaming for release. “What is it with males? It’s the same here. Well, thou well-endowed one—”
“Imagine swooping in to your family’s place. They’ll take one look at me—”
I gasped and brought a hand over my mouth.
I had to steer this conversation elsewhere. I cleared my throat. “If you’re ever to brag about your wings, you need to learn to use them first.”
He frowned. “Fine.”
I’d always had control of my wings, so I wasn’t sure how to teach him. We’d have to give it our best. “Best for best.”
He nodded then scanned the length of one wing. His flight feathers were scrunched and poking in assorted directions under the weight of bone and muscle.
“Stay seated. No point in making your back sorer while we try this. Bring your wing toward you and collapse it against your back.”
He nodded. A pained expression crossed his face as his shoulder moved, mirroring what I assumed he attempted with his wing because scratching sounds rose as the feathers moved a fingerbreadth atop the gravel. After several heartbeats, he exhaled loudly. “Would you demonstrate how you do it?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I flicked my brows.
He chuckled. “I would.”
So I slowly extended, then retracted my wings again, and again, and again as he studied the movements. I turned my back to him and was met with sounds of appreciation from Kovis. I rolled my eyes and repeated the motions.
“It looks like you contract your chest muscles and that causes this joint to bend.” He indicated a location where the structure of his wing dipped before rising further down the appendage. He tried it for himself and his wing contracted by half. “Hey!”
I clapped.
He furrowed his brow in concentration. “It feels like there’s another joint right here.” He pointed at the peak of the wing just before where the rest of the appendage sloped downward toward the longest flight feathers at the end. “They move together.” He extended then contracted his wing a handbreadth. “So all I have to do is move this one and the rest of my wing should follow.”
