“Fine. So, my mother chose to leave this world behind? For good?”
“Not really for good, she would come back while her human shell was resting.”
“What happened when she died? What Nightmare killed her?”
He shifts, leaning against the beige wall. “Unfortunately, that’s something we will never know. Your mother was always going away from the plan and doing her own thing. Usually it worked for her.”
I smile. “That must be something I got from her.” I open the bedroom and walk in. It’s decorated in pink and gold. Just what you would do for a little girl. There’s stuffed elephants and teddy bears, and a small reading nook in the corner. My love of books must come from her. I sit on the little toddler bed with my knees almost to my chin. “Did you know my mom?”
“A little bit.” He takes a seat on the soft pink rug.
“What was she like?”
He laughs. “A lot like you. The whole stubborn, doing your own thing isn’t the only trait you got from her.” It feels nice to know I’m like my mother. It makes me feel close to her in a way. “Sydney made me promise to protect you. That’s why I’m your mentor, and that’s why I kept watch over you in the human world. I didn’t trust anyone else to keep you safe.”
“Exactly how long have you been checking on me, in my world?”
“Ever since your mother died. But I’ve had a lot on my mind recently, and I’ve been careless which allowed you to see me.”
“I have to admit, it’s a little weird and slightly creepy knowing you’ve been spying on me my whole life.”
“It wasn’t spying. Not entirely. I would pop in every now and then to check on you, stay for a day and then go back. I didn’t want to stay too long and age this face.” He turns his head and points to his dimples making sure I notice, but my eyes are drawn to his scar. He’s attractive, there’s no denying it, even with the uneven ears. I catch myself staring at him, and play it off by telling him I see a wrinkle.
“I don’t get wrinkles. At least not for a few more hundred years.”
“I think you spent more time in my world than you realize.”
He laughs. “My world? Don’t you mean their world?”
“I haven’t decided if I want to accept all of this yet.”
“Fair enough. Give it a day, let me show you what our world has to offer, then you can go back to their world. If you still choose to.”
“I suppose that sounds like reasonable.” Against my better judgment, I shake his hand, accepting his terms. There’s still a part of me that believes I’m still in an elaborate dream ready to wake up at any moment, and if not, the Elders most likely won’t let me go home anyway.
CHAPTER 8
“WHERE ARE WE HEADED?” AERYN and I left my mother’s house almost twenty minutes ago.
“Patience isn’t a virtue you have, is it?” It irritates me how charming he is.
“No, it’s not. Nor do I like surprises, so why don’t you just tell me?”
“We’re almost there.”
I step over a small ant hill as Aeryn skirts to avoid it. If I were smart, I would follow his exact footsteps. He seems to know what to avoid before I can even see it. “If this place gives you what you need, why can’t you just make whatever we’re going to see, appear right outside of my mother’s house?”
He stops suddenly, turning to face me. I shuffle my feet, stopping just short of running into him, our faces only a couple inches from touching. His breath caresses my face as he speaks. “It doesn’t work that way. Like I said before, there is no magic. The areas of this world remain the same, but if someone is more comfortable at a beach rather than a garden, they can see it as a beach. We can’t make anything magically poof in front of us just as we can’t make ourselves magically poof anywhere. Do you understand?”
“I think so.” Maybe.
“Good, then let’s continue.” He twists back around and continues down the path with me trailing behind.
“How does it know who to listen to?”
“What do you mean?” He asks without stopping to look at me.
“If I want us to be walking on a beach, but you want us to be walking in a desert, who would win?”
“Win?” He chuckles, and wrinkles appear on the corners of his mouth. “It’s not exactly a competition. And we don’t generally change the scenery. But, if there were an occasion such as that, I suppose the stronger will would win.”
“Is that how it’s done? You will the scenery to change?”
“That’s one way to explain it.”
I follow as he sidesteps a small hole in the path. “Why don’t you change the scenery? If you have the ability, wouldn’t you want to?” I glance back at the hole trying to will the scenery to fill it. Nothing happens.
“We appreciate the land for what it is in its natural state. It’s rather beautiful without being altered.” He’s right. This place looks like something straight out of a calendar.
After another mile, a light fog fills the air, and the fresh scent of nature clings to my nose. “We’re here.” He stops, turning to face me. Peering around him, I find myself face-to-face with a dense forest. Limbs twist and curl above, creating the appearance of an entranceway. I glide my hand across the rough trunk of one of the trees. It’s damp but warm from the sun.
“Go on in.” He nudges his head toward the entrance. After hesitating a moment, I walk through. Green grass and leaves shine brightly against the dark brown of the tree bark. Twigs crunch and snap as I step farther into the forest. Throaty croaks mix with the cracking twigs as frogs hop around my feet, and colorful butterflies flutter around my head. My eyes follow the erratic path of a monarch when I notice the owls sitting perched in the trees.
“It’s daytime, why are there owls flying around?”
“The mystery of the forest.” He draws out the words slowly and lifts an eyebrow. “Hold out your arm.”
“Why?”
“Trust me. I promise no harm will come to you. Or your arm.” I slowly raise my arm and watch him with furrowed brows. I stand there feeling silly for several seconds, and just as I’m about to lower my arm, a large white owl swoops down, perching near the crook of my elbow. His feathers are white as snow with brown stripes running around his head, and down his wings. My jaw drops slightly as I look at the marvelous creature.
“It’s beautiful.” I’ve never seen an owl up close. His black eyes stare into mine as his small yellow beak clicks. My cheeks stiffen with the first real smile I’ve had since landing here.
“You can pet him. All the animals here, in this world, know they have nothing to fear from us.” I slowly move my other hand up, and gently stroke the owl’s wings. His feathers are softer than I expect. After a few more strokes, he stretches his wings and takes flight. Excitement rises in me as I watch the owl glide above.
“Ok, that was awesome.”
He mirrors my smile. “And I’m only getting started.”
I follow him farther into the forest, stepping over fallen trees and dodging stray branches. He moves swiftly through the forest while I clunk along. I try to keep his pace, but he moves incredibly fast. I duck and dodge, pushing branches out of my face as I begin losing sight of him. I’m almost at a run now when my foot catches on a root, and my body slams to the ground. The earthy smell crowds my nose, and I let out a small cry from the shock of hitting the ground. Aside from my still aching shoulder and a few scratches from twigs on the ground, I’m unharmed.
Before I can right myself, Aeryn is by my side aiding me. He hadn’t noticed I fell behind until he heard the small thud from my body hitting the ground. “I’m sorry, I forgot you’re not used to this.”
“It’s fine,” I shake the hair out of my face.
“It’s not much farther now.” Concern floods his face. I barely use any effort to lift myself. He’s even stronger than his muscles make him look. Dusting the grass and dirt off of my clothes, I notice the ground. What was covered in branches and twigs moments ago, is n
ow clear. Only soft, bright green grass covers the ground. “I like moving through the thick natural forest, I should have realized you would need a friendlier terrain. I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s fine, really. Stop apologizing. Let’s keep moving.” I yank my hand away from him, knowing I’m being too harsh. He now views me as someone who needs help, who needs friendly terrain. His eyes fall, and I almost apologize for my tone but remain silent.
We walk the last several minutes in silence until he swivels on his heels. “Our next stop is just up here.” We take a few more steps and suddenly the trees end, like an invisible wall holding them back. The ground extends a bit further until it meets with a vast body of water. In the middle emerges a colossal oak tree. Stretching far above the forest trees, its roots twist over each other spiraling under the still water. Symbols I don’t recognize, cover the massive trunk. I walk to the edge of the water to find a better view. “This is the Tree of Light.” He slowly walks up behind me, bowing his head. “This is where our fallen are honored.”
“What do the symbols mean?”
“Each symbol represents a lost brother or sister.” He swallows, trying to keep his face stoic, but I see through his defenses.
“There’s a symbol on there for my mother?”
“Yes.” I edge myself closer, but he grabs my arm, gently pulling me back. “This is a sacred area. Nobody has ever set foot in this lake or near that tree. We come here to remember those we lost and pay tribute to their lives.” I look at the water and for the first time, notice the flowers floating atop the still water. He pulls two white roses from the pocket of his coat. “For your mother.” He offers me one of the roses. Together, we kneel and carefully set the roses in the water. Gentle waves carry them closer to the tree. We stay there for several minutes watching the waves caress the roses, and I wonder if anyone else has placed a flower for my mother. “Let’s move on.” He stands, offering his hand.
As much as I hate that he altered the ground for me, I have to admit it’s nice to be able to survey my surroundings instead of keeping my eyes on the ground. We leave the forest, heading towards our next destination when I realize I don’t know much about Aeryn. I feel like I’ve known him all my life, assumedly from seeing him in my dreams for 15 years, but I don’t really know anything about him aside from his name and that he’s a Nightstalker. “Were you born here? In this...world?”
He laughs. “Such inflection in the way you say world. Almost as if you still don’t believe it. But to answer your question, yes. I was born here. It’s exceedingly rare that one of us is not.”
“Is that why everyone was staring at me when we entered the castle?”
“That’s part of it.”
“And what is the other part?”
“Your mother left somewhat of a legacy. People are curious about you.”
“What about your parents?”
“They’re dead.”
“I’m sorry.” That must be who the other rose was for.
“Don’t be, they died protecting us. Doing their responsibility.” He talks about them like he has no emotional attachment to them, but his respect for them can’t be overlooked. It seems best to change the subject.
“How long have you been a...Nightstalker?”
Amusement tugs at his lips. “How long are you going to be doing that?”
“Doing what?
“Mocking us.”
I didn’t realize I’ve been mocking him. Every sly comment or sarcastic remark I make is unintentionally directed at him. ”I’m sorry, this is just a lot to take in, and a little unbelievable. I didn’t grow up here knowing this stuff. I thought dreams were just dreams. Stuff your mind makes up while you sleep.”
“I know it’s hard for you, but this is where you belong. You should have been brought here after Sydney died, but they allowed your father to keep you.”
I stop, the words swirling in her head. “What?”
“Oh man, I shouldn’t have said that.” He raises his chin while running his hands down his face.
“No, Aeryn you can’t do that. Someone in this place needs to tell me what’s going on. All of it.”
He releases a long sigh. “I will. I’ll tell you about your father, ok? Let’s just get to the bridge first.”
“What bridge?” I reluctantly follow without any more information. He said they allowed my father to keep me, which means not only could I have been here my whole life, but my father wanted me, he fought for me. If he fought for me, why did he treat me like a regret?
The roar of falling water grows louder with each step, drowning out the thoughts in my head. The water a stunning blue until it reaches the bottom where it froths into white foam before calming into gentle waves. The bridge he mentioned earlier hangs low running from one side of the waterfall to the other. Being here has the same effect on my mind that running does. I have a feeling this will be my favorite spot in all of Dream Haven.
My head begins to clear, but I have to fight it. I need answers, not a way to forget. Aeryn hops onto the rickety looking bridge, grasping the thin ropes as the bridge sways with his movements. He stops halfway and sits with his legs dangling precariously off the side and motions for me to follow. I gently press one foot on the bridge, testing it against my weight. “It’s safe, I promise!” His shout barely audible over the rushing water. I take a deep breath and walk warily over to Aeryn, sitting beside him. I look over the edge a moment, before dangling my legs. “You know, it’s a lot easier if you don’t look down.”
I throw him a look. I prefer to speak somewhere safer, but I’m in no position to make demands. “What did you mean when you said my father was allowed to keep me?”
“I could get in trouble for telling you this, but your father was your mother’s guardian. So, to answer your hundreds of questions earlier, he is human.”
“He was her guardian? Then where was he when she needed him?”
“Guardians can only protect the shells. They are not allowed in Dream Haven. He did everything he could for her. She wasn’t the one he failed.” His forehead creases as he continues. “He wasn’t fit to raise you, nor should you have been raised in their world. You should have been here, learning our ways and training.”
“Training?”
“To be a Nightstalker. I spent years training before I was able to go out there.”
“If I should have been here, why did they let him keep me?”
“To hide you, to protect you. They thought it would throw off the Nightmares, make them believe you were human. But by the time they realized it was a mistake, it was too late to change it. We had to wait until you were old enough to handle the truth. They chose me as your mentor, and I provided you with the arena you thought was a dream.” He places air quotes around the word dream.
We sit in silence for a while as his words sink in. If it was for my protection, maybe my father didn’t fight for me but was forced to keep me. That would explain the regret I’m feeling from him. “You knew my mother.”
“Yes, we were both Nightstalkers.”
“No, you knew her more than just colleagues. Earlier you called her Sydney like she was a friend.”
“She was a friend. She was my mentor actually. She taught me everything I know.”
I feel a pang of jealousy waft over me, someone else who knew my mother better than I, who was able to learn from her as I should have. I push the unwelcome feeling aside. “Tell me about her.”
“She was great. Kind and gentle. She never got mad or frustrated. She had endless patience with me.” He smiles, and I ignore the bitter taste in my mouth.
“She would have needed that endless patience with me too.”
“Most definitely,” he agrees, a little too quickly. It’s nice, being able to talk about my mother. My father never wanted to answer any of the questions I had. “You resemble her, but you’re different.”
“So, I’m not great or kind?”
He laughs. “That’s not what I
mean. She was strong but gentle. You have more of a brute force, I can tell.”
“Thank you?” Should I take that as a compliment?
“I wish you could have seen her fight. It was something special. She was so powerful. You will be too.”
“I’m sure, so powerful, yet I can’t run through a forest without tripping.”
“Maybe running isn’t your thing.”
“I run all the time.”
“Okay, maybe forest running isn’t your thing. Why don’t we see how you are at swimming?”
Before my brain can register what is happening, he slips off his jacket and shirt and jumps. My mouth gapes as he lands in the water feet first. There’s no splash, only soft ripples from where he landed. “Aeryn!” My heart stops. It feels like I’m waiting forever for his head to pop up. “Aeryn!” The water settles when nothing breaks the surface. I look around for help, but there’s nothing useful and no other way down. Without thinking, I leap off of the bridge.
My fall isn’t as graceful, and I hit the water bottom-first with my legs flailing in the air. The water, warm from the sun, wraps around me as I fall deeper into its depth. My legs kick until my foot grazes something solid allowing me to launch myself upward. I break through the surface, taking a big gulp of air. Barking laughter can barely be heard over the waterfall as I rub the water from my eyes. His arms and head float above water only a few feet away. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Would you have jumped if I had simply said to?”
“Of course not!”
“You left me no choice. Although you did take a little longer to follow me than I thought you would. I guess my charm isn’t what it used to be.” How many girls has he had to charm? A growl resonates in my throat as I splash and kick water at him, but it doesn’t have the desired effect. He opens his arms welcoming the erratic streams of water.
“Are you done?” He asks when I finally take a break from showering him.
“For now.” He leads me out of the water and fetches his clothes from the bridge while I wring the water out of mine. Once my clothes are no longer dripping, I follow him up the small rope ladder wishing I knew it was there a few minutes earlier. Grabbing the rubber band that fortunately resides in my pocket, I tie my hair into a messy bun, avoiding the sordid feeling of wet hair on my neck.
The Other Side of Dreams (Nighstalker Novels Book 1) Page 8
