Emerald Dreams (The Dream Traveler Series)

by Nicole Knight

  I was shaking again from reimagining everything I just saw in my vision. It had felt so real that it was scary. I had been able to physically feel everything. I had felt the force as I slammed my sword into the murderer, and I had felt the energy from the magic attack.

  Axel grabbed my hand, but it wasn't enough. He wrapped me in a long hug. It brought me some comfort. I heard Wisdom clear his throat after a moment. Axel let go of me so we could look at the old man.

  Wisdom looked deep in thought when he said, "I think 'coward's consequence' means that you have been having some doubts about this mission. Maybe you were thinking of quitting?"

  I tried to not look too guilty.

  "That was the prophecy warning you what will happen if you do not try. You must not let this vision happen."

  "I won't," I promised.

  I didn't want to meet my end like that, though.

  "How am I supposed to control these visions? I can't wake up screaming in my world. My Mom might come in and see my glowing purple eyes. She doesn't know about any of this, she would freak out. The only person who knows is my Grandmother. She took it well, but I would expect the exact opposite from Mom.

  Grandmother doesn't always remember these things, though. What if she finds me having one of these visions on a bad day? How do I control her confusion?"

  This had just made everything so much more complicated.

  I was starting to panic.

  My fears just came rattling out of me. Yet, I am expected to prevent my vision? Fate is a fickle bitch.

  Wisdom may have thought this was a special ability; to me, it seemed like a curse. Would I ever be able to have another sleepover with Mads? Could I have one of these visions while I was awake? Would I ever have a chance of being normal in my world? I didn't want to attract negative attention again.

  "I will look into it. I can sense the panic turning inside of you, you need to calm it. You need to not pay it any attention. I will solve this somehow. You asked me to be the magic scholar of the Kingdom because you have faith in me, correct?" Wisdom asked.

  "Correct," I answered honestly.

  "Then let me prove to you that I can handle it. In the meantime, let's all go back to sleep. There is nothing we can do to change the events set in motion. I believe it might be best if we attack sooner than later. We will discuss this in the morning."

  With that, the old man turned around and walked right back through the magical door that appeared for him on the far wall.

  Talk about security for your room.

  Axel and I walked back to the other bedroom and crawled back into the bed.

  ◆◆◆

  Axel and I woke up a few hours later. I felt much better. My eyes didn't feel as heavy, and I didn't feel as worried. The look on Axel's face mirrored my own; relief.

  I was relieved I didn't have any more visions.

  We got out of bed and went out to the living area. There was breakfast on the table and a stubborn looking magic worker trying to wash dishes by hand. Clearly, it was something he hadn't done in a while. It was almost enough to make me laugh. I sat down at the table, and Axel followed my lead.

  "So Wisdom, what's the plan?" I was eager to find out what was going on. I could tell by the violent way Wisdom was trying to wash those dishes that no one was going to like the plan.

  Axel

  I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried. I had so many reasons to worry, and most of them revolved around the woman sitting beside me.

  There was this kind-hearted woman who had never done anything horrible in her life. She was being tasked with the job of killing a very evil man. Anyone who stands in her way, including an expert magic worker, would have to be put down as well.

  She was very headstrong, but in ways, she was also fragile. I worried about her, how would she be able to handle this? She had just seen a vision of large scale death if she chose to ignore the prophecy, she would also most likely meet the same end if she tried and failed.

  It is discouraging to think about, and it had scared her just as much as it scared me. Either way, you looked at it, there was a significant risk of our failure and imminent death.

  She hadn't been toying with the idea of her death since she was young like me. Mentally, she wasn't ready for this, and I don't know if she ever could be.

  I was prepared for the day when that would happen, she was not. Physically, I could train her until she could expertly fight with her eyes closed. Wisdom could teach her everything there is to know about magic. But those are different in training.

  It's different swinging a sword with the intent to take the enemy's head off his shoulders. It's different throwing magic at someone hoping that it scorches their skin, and they permanently close their eyes.

  From our conversations, I could tell there was so much she wanted to do in her life back home. She wanted to do something to contribute to society. She wanted to do something to help the people of her world, and I greatly respect her for that. There is an innocence that murder will steal from her.

  She wanted to prove everyone who ever doubted her wrong. She wanted to make them eat their words. I had no doubt that if we lived through everything that she would accomplish that. But the key to that was keeping her alive.

  That is my sole task.

  I had to keep her alive so she could achieve that while she was in her world. I wouldn't let myself fail.

  What scared me was that in a short time, I went from trying to earn my way out of the King's army, only caring about my freedom and my family, to caring so much about someone and a cause I would sacrifice myself.

  I sat here with Violet beside me at the table. We watched Wisdom scrubbing at some dirty tableware, something I hadn't seen him do before. He had always just made clean plates appear with his magic and disappear when he was done with them. It was frustrating to watch.

  It was so evident the frustration and anxiousness that he was experiencing. It couldn't mean anything good for Violet. Wisdom cared for Violet and also had her best interest at heart. After all, she was his family too.

  After what felt like a very long minute, Wisdom turned around. His face looked grim.

  "The attack needs to be as soon as possible. I think tomorrow you two need to leave and be on your way," he said, and at that moment, my heart almost stopped.

  It was way too soon. We all knew it.

  Chapter Twenty

  "The attack needs to be as soon as possible. I think tomorrow you two need to leave and be on your way. Violet, you need to make arrangements to stay for a full night or maybe two."

  "Tomorrow? That is so soon. I'm not ready!"

  I felt my heart starting to beat very fast.

  I wasn't ready. I had so much to learn!

  I couldn't make myself levitate for more than thirty seconds. I didn't know how to hide my abilities from other magic workers. I wasn't able to use my magic fast enough to stop oncoming attacks. I knew that my magic wouldn't work on technology here, and if I wasn't careful and I fell asleep, my screaming could give our position away.

  I was starting to feel overwhelmed when Wisdom put his hand on my shoulder.

  "You child, are as ready as you will ever be. You are constantly strengthening your magical abilities. That will continue whether you have me here to help you or not. You have shown tremendous improvement in your physical conditioning, according to Sir Axel. I don't see how you can fail to be honest. I'm not just saying that because you are family," then he winked.

  He gave me a smile, which was reflected in his eyes.

  His reference to where my magic may have come from helped ease me a bit. He was great at using his magical abilities. If I have some of his blood running through my veins, I have to be okay.

  The Prophecy requires that I defeat the King. The fate of everyone hinges on this. This was so much pressure for an eighteen-year-old. It is kind of ridiculous. I am only treading water here when I need to be prepared to swim upstream.

  "How can I stop
magical attacks against me? I can't attack fast enough to stop them," I said.

  If I could stop these attacks with my own, I might have more confidence in myself.

  "All you need to do is anticipate their next move. Look for the tell-tale signs. If you feel something happening to the moisture in the air, it is almost certain your attacker will use water against you. While he is devising his move, you can make yours," he told me.

  That was actually smart. I wish I had thought of it.

  I was glad that at least someone had.

  Maybe I wouldn't be as unprepared or caught off guard as I thought. I just had to use my senses to take in what the magic worker would do before they did it.

  Wisdom asked to speak to me privately. I looked over and found a look of hurt on Axel's face. It was only there for half of a second before being replaced by nothing. He coaxed his face into a neutral expression, and he excused himself from the room.

  I didn't want him to leave. What Wisdom told me could be said in front of Axel.

  Apparently, Wisdom didn't see it the same way I did.

  Wisdom grabbed my hand and brought me to the tiny sitting area off of the dining room. He pointed to a seat, and I sat there. He sat down beside me and kept both his hands clasped around mine.

  This was a new side to Wisdom. He usually seemed so reserved and distant that he and I never really had much physical contact; unless he was saving my life.

  "My dear child, your face echos your fears," he informed me.

  "I am scared, Wisdom," I told him.

  There was no lying about that.

  "The Prophecy speaks of three courageous individuals. The success of the second depends on the success of the first and so on. Victoria accomplished her part of the Prophecy; I have faith that your visions are going to guide you in yours. She was just as scared as you are. It is okay to be scared. You just can't let it control you," he told me.

  "Did she have that? The power to see into the future?" I asked.

  I know he said in front of Axel that I was the first seer since the one to predict Victoria, but that didn't mean anything.

  I still don't believe Wisdom fully trusts Axel. He didn't need to, though. That was my call, and I trust Axel. He brought me here to seek help, didn't he?

  "Not to my knowledge. Victoria didn't like to show all of the cards in her hand. It would be smart for you to remember that as well in your journey. Surprise everyone. I know you are still full of surprises."

  He nudged my arm and smiled.

  "Before I give you something, I have one more word of advice for you," he told me.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  "Sir Axel cares very much for you. He may try to make some decisions for you. Don't let him do that. If you feel you do or don't have to do something, stick with that. As a seer, you have better instincts than most, it comes with the ability. I want you to listen to that ability. It won't lead you astray. Sir Axel has the best intentions for you, but he cannot see the future. Promise me that he won't influence your decisions," Wisdom said.

  In the end, he almost sounded like he was pleading. So it wasn't that he didn't trust Axel. He just knew that Axel might take his job as my protector too far. I understood.

  "I promise," I answered him.

  With a look of relief, he started speaking again.

  "Here, I have a few things for you on your journey. I know that your magic can provide you with much of what you need. However, these are things you don't know you will need yet," he said.

  He handed me a tiny purple felt pouch. I opened it to find a flowery smelling herb. I could see a few petals in there which must have belonged to a funky looking flower. Each petal was painted with many different colors. It was so unlike anything from Arlington.

  "This contains a mixture of a few herbs and flowers that are known for blocking magic. Generally, it's made into a mixture that you drink, but you may need your powers at a specific moment, this is all I can offer you. You can put it in your pocket, or keep it on you however you please. When you need to use your magic, remove the pouch from your possession. When the herbs are no longer near you, your magic will be usable again," he said.

  His tone became more confident, and he was now back to the old Wisdom I knew. His posture was straight. He wasn't going to comfort me anymore, now he was going to give me the strategic advice I was going to need.

  I was impressed with him, though. He clearly put a lot of time into this. I was touched. It might have been part of his destiny to help the ones of the Prophecy, but if you asked me, he was going above and beyond. He may be my family, and going above and beyond was something we did well.

  I wonder how many people are actually tied into the Prophecy? No one had seen the original text in a long time, according to Wisdom. If it was still out there, I hoped to find it someday.

  "Thank you, Wisdom, this will truly come in handy," I praised him.

  "Handy?" he asked.

  "You know? It will be helpful," I said.

  I need to update the slang when I take over.

  He nodded at that.

  "Another thing, I want you to drink this, a small distance away from the castle, right before you approach the stationed guards," he said, handing me two vials.

  One was clear, it almost looked like water, but the liquid inside was a little thicker than water in consistency.

  The second vial was translucent as well but looked sort of greenish. I'm sure that it was made using crushed up plants.

  It would probably taste horrible. Yuck.

  "The clear one will help boost your body's performance. You will have more strength than normal as well as more stamina. It won't last forever, only two days at most. Some people can purge it out of their body at a faster rate.

  The second one, the green one I want you to take right before you approach the castle. It will only stay in your system for a short time. It will wear off by the end of that day. It will improve your concentration and allow you to process things faster. It's a stimulant for your brain. I am giving Axel smaller doses of these. It doesn't react well if non-magic users consume larger amounts of these substances. He could get sick, so you need to watch out for that," he warned.

  What kind of drug is he giving me? I was too scared to ask, so I decided to trust his judgment. Would my possibly great grandfather give me a deadly drug? I didn't think so.

  Hopefully, Axel won't have an adverse reaction either. What would we do if he did? It could set us back or get us caught. Not to mention, I was just as worried about his well-being. It may be his job to look out and protect for me, but as his girlfriend, it's my job to look out for him. I just have to hope for the best.

  Wisdom turned and walked out of the room with two identical-looking vials. Each was only half full. I assumed he was going to go give Axel the same directions and warnings. In the meantime, I used my magic to change my clothes.

  It was getting much easier to use my magic to do minor things. It made life a lot easier, at least in this world it did. It was almost becoming second nature. I still hadn't practiced any more magic back in Arlington.

  I was too afraid to wake up to find out I had stopped breathing again.

  There was a pile of things that had magically appeared on the table. It wasn't my doing, so Wisdom must have thought about what we would need on our journey. There were several dresses identical to the one I was now wearing. There were several changes of clothes for Axel as well. I was fond of the tight pants that he seemed to like to wear.

  Maybe I could accidentally forget to pack the shirts?

  There was a small bag for the clothes to be stuffed into, and another bag for the food Wisdom had prepared for us. There were some fruits and dried meats. There was hard bread wrapped in a cloth. I tried to split everything as evenly as possible.

  I had to think ahead. I didn't want to be split up from Axel, but if we were, then we both needed to be prepared. Half the food went in one bag, and the other half in the other matching ba
g. I rolled up my clothes and put them in my bag and Axel's clothes in the other.

  There were flint blocks and a small knife to start a fire. I duplicated the small knife so that there were two. I put one block and knife in each bag as well. I took the pile of small coins and split those evenly as well. When both bags were identically packed, I relaxed myself a little more. I felt a little more prepared, and some of my nervous energy was gone.

  I settled into my seat and waited for the guys to come back.

  I wonder what advice Wisdom is giving Axel? Knowing how Wisdom can sometimes be, it may or may not be helpful. Just because his advice to me was practical doesn't mean Axel would be that privileged.

  Axel didn't need a pep talk anyways; he was brave and always prepared. He was skilled in fighting and knew his way around the castle. He was prepared in all the ways I could never be, and probably didn't need to listen to anything other than the directions for the vials. Hopefully, Wisdom remembered to warn him, because I might forget about them.

  It was quite a bit later when the men walked back into the room. It was hard to read Wisdom, like always. He wore a stern face. Axel, on the other hand, looked like he was made of iron. His face was empty of all emotion.

  I didn't know if that was good or bad.

  While Axel and I had only been together for a little more than a few weeks, it was becoming a little easier to read him. This look threw me off. I didn't know what caused it or how to make it disappear. It scared me a little.

  If only I could jump inside of his head just for a moment.

  I could never read his mind because he was immune to magic, but part of me wished I could. I didn't know how I would get him to open up about what they just talked about. Maybe I would never know. Curiosity was burning inside of me.

  Axel bowed his head towards Wisdom as an acknowledgment of thanks. He then started walking and made eye contact with me. I could tell he wanted me to follow him; maybe I could get it out of him. I grabbed our bags and handed his to him.

  I looked back at Wisdom and gave him a smile and a wave. Anything else would have felt like a forever good-bye.