Dreamscape: Saving Alex

by Kirstin Pulioff

  “Arrow, are you okay?” I jumped to his side and wrapped his thumb with one of the old vines trailing across my arms.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine now,” he said, covering my hand with his.

  I tentatively smiled and sat back down. A flurry of butterflies flickered through me, and my hand tingled where his skin touched mine. What was happening to me? I couldn’t do this. Not here, not with him. I didn’t have imaginary friends as a kid; I couldn’t have a fictional boyfriend now.

  I took another bite of bread and twisted my hands around each other. “What are you sorry for?”

  “For my behavior earlier today. It was uncalled for,” he said, dividing the apple into pieces and handing me half.

  “Oh geez, please don’t do that. I won’t let you justify my actions. I’m just glad we’ve moved past it. Right?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Yes, my lady.”

  “Look, if you want to apologize for anything, let it be for calling me that all day,” I joked. He looked at me with a strange expression. “It’s not that I don’t like it,” I said quickly, “but I’d rather be called Alex.”

  “Of course, my…er…Alex.”

  “Thanks. I like that,” I said, biting into the apple.

  “I like it too.” He smiled. “So what’s our first move?”

  I glanced behind him to the dark forest. “You said it yourself. We go through there and down the hill.”

  “When we get there?”

  “Ah, that’s where the fun begins. This manor’s set up pretty straightforwardly. If you stick by my side, you’ll get through with no problem.” I embraced the arrogance. Right now, it felt better than fear. Maybe if he believed it, I would too.

  “Then I won’t leave your side.”

  We finished our apple, and when I went to find my bag, I stumbled over a fallen log. “Crap,” I said, rubbing my shin. His face lit up, and he reached around my leg for my bag.

  “Do you mind?”

  I shook my head and watched him pull out the two wooden boxes. “I noticed this when you first showed them to me,” he said, pulling out two thin envelopes that were pasted to the top interior of the box. “They might come in handy for us now.”

  “What are they?” I asked, leaning in towards him.

  “Just wait, you’ll see.” He winked at me and tipped the first package towards my hand. “Put your hands together.”

  I gasped as a stream of yellow dust filled my palms. The soft powder illuminated the area. “What is this?” I asked in a whisper.

  “Another thing you don’t know about?”

  I ignored his joke, watching the light grow as I squeezed my hands together and fade as I released them. “Really, what is this? It’s fantastic.”

  He pulled out the second package and slipped it into one of the pockets on his vest. “It’s luminance powder. It might help us maneuver down the hill and inside.”

  “How does it work?” I asked, fascinated by the rolling light. It was as if the stars had fallen into my palms.

  Arrow cupped his hands around mine. The same jolt of electricity ran through me. “Change the pressure on the powder, depending on the amount of light you want.” He demonstrated by pressing my hands together and then letting them fall open again.

  “Like this?” I asked, letting the light roll along my palms. Each grain of powder flickered, and when condensed, brightened. I created small snowballs of light in each hand.

  “Not too bad for someone from the north. I actually think you might know what you’re doing.” We laughed together.

  The excitement behind his eyes deepened as he looked at me. I loosened the powder to hide the red rushing to my cheeks and slid half of it into the envelope, tucking it away inside my bag.

  “Don’t give me too much credit yet. Wait until we make it out of there. Speaking of, we really should be going. Ready?” I asked.

  “At your command, Alex,” he said, brushing the dirt off his legs, stepping into line behind me. “Lead the way.”

  Something about his words struck me. I hadn’t thought about being in control. Now it was like a spotlight shone on those words. It was all I heard. I’d never had complete autonomy before.

  This could be fun.

  I smiled as I made my first decision and stepped into the forest. The stars hid above the dark branches, and when I looked up, the silhouettes of the birds followed me into the bramble-lined forest.

  The farther we marched, the more thorns bit into the thin fabric covering my legs. Ducking into the thorn bushes didn’t help, and a nagging pressure bordering on pain poked my ribs. Sharing space with the heavy branches hurt, but also gave us the best vantage point into the valley below. The damp ground soaked through my leggings, and my teeth chattered. Arrow draped his cloak over my shoulders, but it wasn’t that kind of chill.

  My breath looked like the layer of fog surrounding the already ominous building. The Marix estate stretched across the bowl of the valley, backed up against the foothills opposite us, and rested near a small pond to the east. I could see the strategy of its design. With only one entrance to the manor, the baron effectively kept his enemies at bay by watching every arrival.

  I wanted to leave. Every fiber of my body screamed danger! Terror choked me from the inside. My heart pounded in my chest, keeping me from breathing deeply. Could I really do this? Face the multitude of dangers lurking in those long hallways?

  Before my fear could paralyze me, I stood up. Arrow’s cloak slid off my shoulders. I had to remember I wasn’t doing this for the rebellion. Papers were not worth this risk…but getting home was.

  “You’re sure you know this place?” Arrow piped up from beside me. His voice didn’t give away the glint of doubt in his eyes.

  “Like the back of my hand,” I said, keeping my eyes glued to the building. My heart hammered against my chest. I shuffled forward through the brush, only hearing snippets of what Arrow said. I glanced in his direction and saw him checking the fastenings on his vest and tightening his bag.

  “...Armored knights, poison darts, fire balls...”

  “Mmmm hmmm.”

  “...Explosives, trap doors...” he continued, rattling off the list of known dangers.

  “Yeah, I know all about them,” I said, moving closer to him.

  I wasn’t ignoring him on purpose, but his nervous energy was killing me. I was well aware of the dangers awaiting us at the castle. Having them listed off did nothing but escalate my heartbeat, and if it drummed any faster, I would need more vines to heal broken ribs.

  “Look, Arrow, no more talking about the dangers. Unless you’re trying to talk me out of this,” I said, raising my eyebrows at his silence. “I didn’t think so. I promised we’d get your papers, and we will. We’ll be out of there in no time. Together.”

  “Before we—”

  “No. We leave now,” I stopped his thought before he said something that would change my mind. “Stick close to me. We might not be able to stop once we get in there.”

  Arrow didn’t flinch, falling silently into line behind me.

  From a distance, the illusion of the game continued. As a tiny speck on the horizon, the manor hardly presented a threat. Even as it grew to the size of my palm, I felt in control. It wasn’t until we reached the bottom of the hill, hiding behind the bridge’s stone pillars that the pit in my stomach opened.

  A sensation of nausea, exponentially worse than how I felt before every art contest, crept up my throat. I had to move. Experience taught me not to let it linger. I cracked my knuckles and tucked the ponytail underneath the edge of my hat.

  Time to play the game.

  The manor was close enough now for me to see it in detail. Shadows blended into the stones, creating a wall of varying shades of gray. Charcoal stained the walls where the torches had been extinguished. Even the Marix crest, a black stallion, melted into the nothingness. The manor stood several stories high. On each level, torches created a beam of light across the base of the hills,
briefly illuminating the multitude of guards defending the estate.

  My breath caught in my chest again as I counted men inside rushing past the windows, dimming the light with their movements. An isolated light shone from the top of a tower.

  The baron’s quarters. That’s where we needed to go.

  We hunched over, skimming the damp ground as we crossed the bridge, hiding ourselves in silence and shadows. The only sign of our presence, the small triangles of our wet footprints, slowly faded away.

  At the threshold of the door, I paused, my hands scraping the rough stone. Arrow’s eyes remained alert, watching for my signal. “Are you ready?” I asked, cursing the slight warble in my voice.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be. I won’t leave your side,” he said, tightening the buckles on his vest one last time.

  “That’s what I’m counting on,” I said, offering a warm smile.

  “And I’m counting on you.”

  No pressure.

  “Arrow, there’s one thing you should know,” I said. “I have a good idea of some of the dangers we’ll face in there. I’m not afraid, but if it comes down to it, I’m not sure I can kill.”

  There was a long silence. “You may not have a choice.”

  The sadness in his voice caught my attention, and when I looked back, his eyes had darkened with their familiar, guarded expression. How many choices had been taken from him? I frowned and turned back to the manor. That discussion would have to wait until we were safe.

  The cold, black handle of the door chilled my hand. A loud click sounded as I leaned my weight against the handle. It didn’t budge. This would not be the stealthy entrance I’d hoped for.

  Arrow hissed at me and nodded towards the end of the path. I followed his gaze and saw a dark mass flutter in and out of a window. I ran to the window, carefully peeking around the curtains. No guards, light, or loud clicking noises from the door to alert anyone. My heart leapt. There was still a chance we could miss some of the threats.

  With my dagger in one hand, I straddled the windowsill before dropping into the room. Behind me, Arrow followed. It was too late to change my mind now; we were committed. The room echoed with silence. I rolled my fingers over my palm and activated the luminance powder. Through the dim light, cold, hard grimaces peeked through the shadows.

  “We’re in the statue room,” I whispered, walking tentatively forward.

  I shook my palm, loosening the powder to create a broader light. My breath caught in my chest. Marble statues stared at us from around the room. Each was carved with great skill, showcasing details down to the razor edges of the swords. I walked silently past the figures at first, but the artist in me couldn’t resist them. A thick layer of dust collected along each bust. It was a shame that no one enjoyed or took care of this art. No wonder they didn’t notice the window was open. I blew off the dust, apologizing as Arrow sneezed.

  “Is there something in here?” Arrow’s question brought me back to the present.

  “No, sorry. I was just looking at the statues. So much underappreciated beauty. Who are all these people?”

  He clenched his jaw. “They’re the new ruling class. Berkos and his minions. Let’s go.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “Now you do. Where do we go from here?” He stepped in front of me, and a flash of red caught my eye.

  “No!” I yelled, pulling him back towards me as an explosion shook the room. Chunks of marble hit my legs as we rolled away from the statues underneath the window. Dust covered us, making it hard to breathe. The blast had turned over statues, breaking some in pieces. On others, new scars marred the hard surfaces.

  Not exactly the stealthy entrance I had been hoping for. Every guard had now been informed of our intrusion. It wouldn’t be long until they arrived.

  I stood slowly, yanking a chunk of marble from my thigh. Blood soaked the upper edge of my leggings; the rest hung together in tattered shreds. I bit down on my dagger and tied my belt around my leg. I hated blood, and now it coated my free hand.

  “Arrow,” I said, shaking his still body, curled underneath the windowsill. “We have to go.”

  He stirred with protest, and rested his head in his hands. A trail of blood rolled down the side of his head, clearing a path through the layer of dust. His dark eyes stood out in his pale face as he looked me over. “Are you hurt? How did you know?”

  “No, the explosion missed me. Don’t forget, I know this place,” I reassured him, hoping to calm the fear in his eyes. “The statue’s eyes flashed before it blew. I’m just glad I saw it in time.”

  “Me too.” He coughed and bent over, grabbing his ribs.

  “Look Arrow, this is your last chance. We don’t need to do this. We can just jump back out the window like we were never here,” I said, seeing the pain on his face.

  “We’re not going back. I need those papers,” he said, gripping my hand and standing up. “At whatever cost.”

  “Then we have to go,” I said, helping him up and wrapping my arms around his back. I just hoped the cost wasn’t more than I wanted to pay. Together we hobbled around the edge of the room, avoiding the now-obvious trip wires. As we passed each statue, red flashes warned me of their activation. With that one misstep, we’d armed the entire estate.

  I kept my eyes focused on the flashing lights on top of each statue. One wrong step would cause another explosion.

  Chapter Thirteen

  We hobbled out of the statue room and slid against the stone walls in a darkened corner of the hallway. Guards ran past us, their armor echoing through the corridor as we shrank further into the shadows. I pulled the cloak over us, grateful for the invisibility of the unlit hall. In our condition, we weren’t prepared to fight any of them.

  I leaned over Arrow and glanced down the connecting hallway. Every second we lingered put us in jeopardy. His breath sounded in my ear, shallow and strained. When I leaned back, I noticed his arms protectively cradling his ribs. I held back my instinct to hold him, to try to make him feel better. In all the scenarios I had run through my mind, Arrow getting hurt had never occurred to me. The consequence of my actions, or lack thereof, moaned at my side.

  “Did you break something?” I asked, dreading his answer.

  “I’m fine,” he said, wincing as he adjusted his position against the wall.

  “That didn’t answer my question. Do you have any more vines?”

  “There’s a few more, but I’m saving them, just in case.”

  “In case of what?” I demanded. Too loud. I forced my voice to be quieter. “You’re hurt. You need them.”

  “No, not yet. I’ll be fine.” He pulled his bag to his chest, wheezing with effort. “We should save them.” He raised an eyebrow and managed a small smile. The vines were for me.

  I gave him a hard look. “There’s no point in saving them if it costs you your life. This mission is for you. Not me. I don’t need the papers to do my part.”

  He kept his bag closed.

  “Look, I’m not playing around here. You’re hurt, and my wounds are fine. The bleeding in my leg has already stopped and I can walk, but I’m not strong enough to carry you. So if you want these papers, you need to heal yourself. Otherwise, I’m walking right out that window. I’m not going to get killed because of your stubbornness. I’ll find another way.”

  He avoided my gaze for a long time.

  “Let me see your dagger,” he said, pulling out a tangled heap of vines from inside his bag. I handed it over, surprised at the emptiness I felt with it out of my hand, even for a moment.

  “Thanks,” he said, slicing through the vines.

  A scent of melon hit me. I hadn’t noticed it in the forest, but in these stuffy halls, the crispness was overwhelming. I was about to say something, but the words stuck on the tip of my tongue as he undid his vest and lifted his shirt to wrap his bare stomach. Strong muscles hugged his body where his fingers tied the vines together. I couldn’t look away, I couldn’t
stop my heart from beating, and I couldn’t find the words I had planned to say. I froze, my cheeks flushed.

  He caught me looking before he leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and sighed. “You were right.” A content smile reached across his face. “I’m sorry I was so stubborn about it.”

  I mumbled incoherently, still tongue-tied. He opened his eyes and gave me a crooked smile.

  “What?”

  I still couldn’t remember what I’d wanted to say. Even worse, his playfulness told me he had an idea why.

  “If you’re better, it’s time to get going again. Every second we stay here is an extra chance to be caught,” I blurted out.

  “I live to follow your orders, Goldy,” he said, winking. “Give me a couple more minutes for the vines to soak in.” He leaned back and closed his eyes again. “Thanks for saving me by the way. I guess that makes us even.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. Not until we get those papers.” I reached for my hair, brushing away the loose strands around my face and down my neck.

  As I waited for him to heal, I turned my attention to the dusty floor and dragged my fingers through the dirt. A clear line appeared under my fingertips. I quickly outlined the castle formation and the rooms we’d pass through on each level.

  “Can you see this?” I asked.

  “What’s that supposed to be?” He covered his ribs as he leaned forward. The pain still resonated on his face, but he wasn’t as pale as he had been a few minutes ago.

  “It’s the manor. Or at least the parts I can remember. We’re here,” I said, pointing to where I had drawn two stick figures. “And we need to get over here.” I trailed my finger through the dirt to the top room of the tower.

  “It can’t be that simple.”

  “Oh no, it’s not simple at all. We have hidden passageways to go through, traps to avoid, and guards to elude. The temptation to fall for the traps will be great. These manors were built to kill. Don’t forget that for a moment. The thing that tempts you most could be your undoing.”