Dancing Through Dreams: Whispers From Beyond Book One

by S K Wee

  “When would that have been, Dianna? I’m a little fuzzy about when I saw you last. Maybe you could refresh my memory for me?” Quin had sat down beside her on the crumbling wall.

  “You don’t recall professing your undying love and devotion to me? Quin, you must remember that.” Dianna realized she hit her mark when she saw the hungry look in his eyes. Yes, he had been thinking of her.

  “I don’t believe the conversation went exactly like that. But I do faintly—ever so faintly—remember the taste of those rosy, red lips of yours. I wouldn’t mind having my memory refreshed.”

  Epilogue

  City of Kyosti, Country of Mal Ingo

  Reaching the rooftop, Pol slowly filled his lungs and closed his eyes while he savored the sweet air. For the last couple of weeks, the air held a trace of something special. That slight hint became more distinct every day. He wasn’t sure what had caused the world’s atmosphere to regain its lost composition, but the result could not be denied. Years earlier he spoke with a dying wolf-shifter who explained how his people changed the very air used to breathe.

  Pol was one of the dragonkin, possibly the last of his species. He could portray himself as he stood now, basically human in appearance or he could transform himself into one of the world’s mythical beasts—the mighty dragon. The wolf-shifter was an entirely different species—a member of the Ebonese Elves. For centuries the dragonkin battled the Ebonese until one of Pol’s ancestors decided to block their path by creating a wasteland between the mountainous region the Ebonese called home and the rest of Mal Ingo. One of the unfortunate consequences of the drastic action caused the trees of the region to become extinct. The by-product of their elimination was a change in the composition of the surrounding air.

  The Ebonese were a warlike tribe of mainly black-skinned elves and many of them were also wolf-shifters. They noticed within a short period of time that they were losing the power to shift. After researching and studying their lore, they realized it was due to the destruction of their forest and one species of tree that grew there. They also came upon another such tree, which would affect the dragonkin. The tree grew only across the ocean in a country called Bhaelor. The dreamer elves honored these trees and built a temple within the forest, but the Ebonese made desperate plans to rid the world of these trees, which were named kol-da by the elves who worshiped them. Once the trees were eliminated, so too would dragonkin.

  The plan, according to the wolf-shifter, went smoothly and soon the dragonkin began dying off. Pol knew this to be fact, he had watched impotently as his kin died one after another. Pol’s mate, Cari, was the first to realize that those who shifted often were the first to die. All of them felt their power run dry and where normally the air itself would replenish what they used for magic, it no longer contained the necessary element. Pol and Cari decided to never use any sort of magic unless it was an emergency but still, Cari lost the battle and died nearly sixty years ago.

  Since then, Pol had been without family. For years he hibernated up north on the island of Sigurd, but he was called back to Kyosti to keep the human tribes from wiping each other out. When he first left the city for the island, all was in order and should have been easy to maintain, but the tribes to the south eventually tried to take control of each other and mass chaos ensued. Tribes began selling members of their own families for profit and vengeance. Pol arrived back on the continent and wrested back control over all the tribes and once again, they were content and prospering.

  Breathing in deeply once more, Pol went back down to the reception room. He had noticed one of their ships had come into port and saw the captain was rushing toward the Hall. By the time Pol arrived at the doors, he could hear the excited captain inside.

  “I tell you, Alfarr, it was she. I’m sure of it. She quickly disappeared into the marketplace, but I would know Desta even if it has been over twenty years. She looked much the same as she did as a child, but even more beautiful—well, with the exception of the slave brand scar across her left cheek.” The captain’s face was animated throughout his story. Pol remembered Jerrik as being a first son of the Nightling tribe and Desta had been promised to him as a mate.

  “I’m positive my sister would have managed to return home if she was still alive, Jerrik. She would want to be with her family. All the released slaves who returned from Mandalay were questioned and none remembered ever seeing her. As much as I would love to believe it’s true, I just can’t get my hopes up for something so unlikely.” Alfarr turned from the captain. Pol saw the tears brimming in his eyes. Al was still far from getting over his lost sibling.

  “What about your father? He will want to know.” Jerrik didn’t seem willing to give up until someone took him seriously.

  “Lord Pol.” Alfarr noticed him standing in the doorway. Pol decided to sit and talk with the captain. He really believed the same as Al—that Desta must have died, so many had.

  “Ahh . . . Jerrick? Where did you see this woman and how old did she look?” Jerrick happily went over every detail, grateful that someone was listening. By the end, they decided not to speak with Geir, Alfarr and Desta’s father. He was technically still the leader of the tribe but was mentally not able to handle even the simplest of reasoning, and all decision making was performed by Alfarr with guidance from Pol, who was the leader of all the tribes. It was decided, Captain Jerrik would leave within the week to sail to the Island of Orion and secure the tribeswoman if, of course, the woman actually turned out to be the missing Desta.

  About the Author

  S K Wee lives in West-Central Wisconsin with her husband, Jeffery, and their pooch, Sissy. She is retired from the Postal Service and spends most of her time reading and writing, but loves to travel. Though this is a stand-alone story, the world was created in the Spectrum of Color Series. Dancing Through Dreams takes place about ten years after Full Spectrum of Color and many of the main characters were actually introduced in the Spectrum series. The second installment is titled Dragonkin. It revolves around Lord Pol, Alfarr, and Darby’s young son, Mitt.

  Any and all positive reinforcement is appreciated. If you have enjoyed this story please consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. This lets the author know what works and what doesn’t.

  Meet up with S K Wee and find out what else she has been working on by using the following links:

  Amazon Author page with a list of all her books

  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01HP4KA6W

  Twitter

  https://twitter.com/SusanWee3

  Goodreads

  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15415854.S_K_Wee

  Facebook

  https://www.facebook.com/spectrumofcolor4/

  Bookbub

  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/s-k-wee

  Glossary

  Academy – Mandalay’s primary training facility, located on the east coast

  Amani – Wife of Ragnarr, King of Mandalay

  Amber River – Main river flowing through Mandalay

  Anduras – Regent for the Amir, brother to the former Amira Rashmi

  Andy – Soul of a griffin, infused into a statue that protects the castle in Qeeta

  Archie – Son of the dwarf couple, Bram and Wilma, friend of Pip

  Arlie – Arletta, Darby’s wife and mother to Lysette and Mitt, sister to Rosaline

  Astrial Ocean – Ocean to the East of the countries of Bhaelor and Mandalay

  Baaqir – Giant village north of the Grainbridge Mountains, former home to Groot

  Bangal River – The major river in Eastern Bhaelor

  Berko – Youngest son of Desta and Jeffro

  Bess Wagner – Jack Wagner’s mother, lived in Rambert, deceased

  Bhaelor – Country south of Mandalay, ruled by either an Amir or Amira

  Birgit – Possible bride for Kurush

  Black Rose – Spy network in Port Devdan, run by Lil Red

  Bolten – One of Frankie’s original Color Guard, captain of a team
in Briar

  Bram – One of the displaced Dwarf miners, became a farmer, father to Archie

  Briar – City on the East Coast of Mandalay, which hosts the Briar Patch Festival

  Bridge – A magical means of traveling between two areas

  Calaver – Chief Steward at the Palace in Port Devdan, deceased

  Chesterly Mountains – Mountain range north of the Academy in Eastern Mandalay

  Conshitonti – Conny, the little-used given name

  Crown Jewels – Brothel in Port Devdan, all the ladies are named for jewels

  Crusty Crumb – Inn in Port Devdan, unofficial headquarters of ‘The Black Rose’

  Dankal – Son of Nalu and Saxa, lives in Briar with Conny and Ekky

  Darby – Name used by Wendar Cassal, a prince of Mandalay

  Deftum – Metal mined by dwarves to extinction

  Desta – A first daughter of the Starmen Tribe in Mal Ingo, held as a slave in Marcella, mother of Quin, Kolan and Berko, wife of Jeffro

  Dhaval – One of the Bhaelor council members

  Dianna – Daughter of Nalu and Saxa who died, raised by Conny and Ekky

  Dream Dancer – A gifted elf who can enter and manipulate dreamscape

  Ebonese – Black-skinned elves that live across the ocean near Mal Ingo

  Ekavir – Youngest son of Ragnarr and Amani, runs the shipping company, Duke in Briar

  Ellinor – Frankie and Twig’s daughter

  Elpis Channel – Body of water that separates the countries of Mandalay and Bhaelor

  Erram – A hawk on the Island of Orion who can communicate with Darby

  Ester Bryson – Married Amir Mohana, Daughter of the Governor of Orion, mother to Frankie and Kurush

  Evan – Original member of Frankie’s Color Guard, lover to Bolten, died in Briar

  ‘Evan Eternal’ – Memorial statue for the fallen Color Guard

  Felix – Brother of King Ferdinand, took his brother’s throne and wife by teaming up with a Vandrim magic user, Takim, killed by Darby

  Ferdinand – Father to Ragnarr, Wendar, and Sophia, killed by Felix

  Figmiller Forest – Forest surrounding the Academy in Mandalay

  Finn – Mage from Stronghold, taught by the Vandrims, Groot and Gusta

  Flemming – A member of the Bhaelor council

  Flicken – Blue metal used for magical communication devices

  Franco – Evil god, who once ruled through the Vandrim race, son of the god Sar, brother to Frieda

  Frankie – Daughter of Lady Ester and Darby, given name of Violet Francis Pemba, first leader of the Color Guard, now Master of the Academy, wife of Twig

  Frieda – Goddess revered in the country of Mandalay

  Fulvia – Capital city of the Island of Orion, home to Darby’s family

  Gavin – Nephew to Duke Hartwig, cousin to Jackson, married Henny

  Gayan Forest – Near the Monastery in Bhaelor

  Gerlind – Old shipping family that bought into the slave trade and lost everything

  Grainbridge Mountains – Western Mountain range of Mandalay

  Grand Sands Desert – Desert in southern Bhaelor, location of original Temple of Sar

  Groot – Vandrim healer, runs the hospital in Waldeburg

  Gusta – Wife to Groot, Vandrim that runs the school in Waldeburg

  Haku – Vandrim Shaman from the village of Chuma, grandfather to Takim

  Hammish Zakir – Brother to Conny, runs the shipping company in Uttara

  Hartwig – Duke in Rambert, Northwest Mandalay, father to Joleen, grandfather to Twig

  Ha-yun – An elf on Kappy’s team from the Academy

  Henny - From a family of refugees, married Gavin but mother to Francis aka Pip

  Hightower – City on the Northeast coast of Mandalay, next to the Figmiller Forest, gateway to the Academy

  Hi-lotti – An elf sect who reside in the western half of the Silvanas Forest

  Huhana – Wife to Rhiver, elf couple who run a restaurant in Waldeburg

  Igzelda – Notorious Duchess of North Central Mandalay, Imprisoned Wagner for over two years, mother to Arlie and Rose, now deceased

  Island of Orion – Island in the Astrial Ocean east of Mandalay where Frankie’s mother was born and now governed by Darby

  Jack Wagner – Son of Bess and Nash Wagner, partner to Darby, father to Twig

  Jackson – Son of Jack Wagner and Joleen, also known as Twig, husband to Frankie

  Jamis – Original member of Frankie’s Color Guard, now a Director at the Academy

  Jeffro – Manservant for Darby, a man of many talents, husband to Desta

  Joleen – Mother of Twig, Wagner’s first love, married to Lucas, now deceased

  Kolan – Son of Desta and Jeffro

  Kol-da – A tree that has been extinct for centuries, killed off by the Ebonese Elves

  Kotim Bay – Body of water to the east of Bhaelor

  Kurush – Kappy, heir to the throne in Bhaelor, son of Mohana and Ester, half-brother to Frankie

  Lanzo Cassal – Oldest son of King Ferdinand, killed by Felix’s men

  Leon – Dwarf who owns the Big Amber Inn in Waldeburg, creates the best whiskey in the known world, husband to Merva

  Lil Red – Leader of the organization called ‘The Black Rose’ which employs a large network of spies, assassins, and mercenaries

  Lyndale – City west of the Academy in Mandalay

  Lysette – Daughter of Darby and Arlie

  Madras River – Main River in Western Bhaelor

  Maelette – Sister to Nadera, captured and enslaved from Mal Ingo

  Mahault – Dwarf village in the caves of the Grainbridge Mountains

  Mal Ingo – Country to the East of the Astrial Ocean consisting of tribes

  Malini – Team member of Kurush

  Mandalay – Country of the Cassal family, Frieda’s chosen

  Mansir – Town on the East Coast of Mandalay

  Merva – Wife to Leon, owner of Big Amber Inn of Waldeburg

  Mi-suk – Elf seer in the Silvanas Forest

  MinSu – A small Elf sect residing near the Grand Sands Desert

  Mitt – Uncle to Arlie and Rosaline, a Whisper, deceased

  Mitt Cassal – Son of Darby and Arlie, named for Arlie’s Uncle Mitt

  Mohana – Amir of Bhaelor, son of Amira Rashmi, father to Kurush, deceased

  Nadera – Former slave, originally from Mal Ingo, now Frankie’s assistant

  Nalu – Half-elf who lived with Ekky in Briar, husband to Saxa, father to Dank, Sylly, and Dianna, murdered along with his wife

  Nash Wagner – Father to Jack, deceased

  Natsuki – Seer of the MinSu sect

  Nicolaus – Duke in Lyndale, uncle to Darby, deceased

  Nirav – One of Bhaelor’s council members, father of Birgit

  Orion – Island of Orion, a property held by the Country of Mandalay

  Orwell – Small farming town near the Monastery in Bhaelor

  Oveestra – Title given to the savior and queen of the MinSu Elves

  Pearl – Darby’s faithful horse, deceased

  Pemba – The family name of the rulers of Bhaelor

  Philandros Mountains – Mountain range in south-central Bhaelor

  Pip – Given name of Francis, son of Twig and Henny, heir of Duke Hartwig

  Pisca – Small farming town east of Port Devdan

  Port Devdan – Capital city of Bhaelor

  Portho Ocean – Large ocean west of the countries of Mandalay and Bhaelor

  Pritha – One of Kappy’s teammates from the Academy

  Qeeta – Capital city of Mandalay

  Quintina – City in North Central Bhaelor

  Quintus – Grandson of Felix, son of slave Desta

  Ragnarr Cassal – Second son of King Ferdinand, sold into slavery, married Amani and had two sons, Vendan and Ekavir, King of Mandalay

  Rambert – Seat of Duke Hartwig, Northwest Mandalay

  Ra
shmi – Amira, known for her great works of charity, and pursuit of learning, mother to Mohana

  Rhiver – Elf prince, owner of The Grape Vine, in Stronghold, married to Huhana

  Riley – Twin son of Twig and Frankie

  Roberts – Ferry City on the Mandalay side

  Rohan – Twin son of Twig and Frankie

  Rosaline – Wife to Councilman Anduras, sister to Arlie, also known as Lil Red or Rose

  Sar – The Creator, Father to Franco and Frieda, supreme god in Bhaelor

  Sarala – An elf imprisoned with Desta in Marcella

  Saxa – Wife of Nalu, Uttara

  Seisyll – Sylly, son of Nalu and Saxa who were murdered, raised by Ekky and Conny

  Silvanas Forest – Elf homeland, forbidden entry

  Soo Jin – An elf sect residing in eastern Silvanas Forest, Willow’s sect

  Sophia – Daughter of King Ferdinand, sister to Ragnarr and Darby, married Wagner

  Soul Shadow – An archaic little known Stitcher spell used to trade or switch bodies

  Stitcher – Type of magic used by the Vandrim race

  Taichi – Elf rescued from imprisonment in Marcella, chose to reside in Waldeburg

  Tharod – Brother to Henny, son of Lance, refugees from Waldeburg

  Timm – Boot maker’s son in Briar

  Twig – Son of Jack Wagner and Joleen, also known as Jackson, father to Pip, Ellinor, Rohan, and Riley, husband of Frankie, Mage Director at the Academy

  Ulrik – Son of Vendan and Willow, in line for the throne of Mandalay

  Uttara – City on the East Coast of Bhaelor, near the Silvanas Forest

  Vandenberg – A dwarf village within the Grainbridge Mountains

  Vandrim – The race of giants

  Vendan – Oldest son of Ragnarr and Amani, married to Willow