Between Two Realms: Awaken

by Amber Flora

  I nodded shyly.

  “It was very pleasant, thank you.”

  Ben picked up my bag, which was sitting next to me, and directed me toward the stairs.

  “Let me show you to your room.”

  I hoped I was making the right choice leaving Cody and Mac. It wasn't like I was going to be gone forever. It was just going to be for a few days; putting distance between us was good thing. They could regain a sense of normalcy and it was time I started learning more about dreamwalkers. Who best to teach me than a members of the council? Ben had voted for me that day against Bonnie’s wishes; that had to count for something. He was a bit frightening with his serious demeanor and commanding presence, but there was a softness in his smile that told me there was more to him then his intimidating appearance. I bet the boys were ecstatic to get their bachelor pad back. They were probably throwing a party at this very moment.

  If Mac had hair he would have pulled it out by now listening to Cody’s whining.

  “We have to go after her,” Cody said, unable to sit still since she left.

  He didn’t realize what an impact she made on him in such a short amount of time. Her presence in that house brightened up the place and made him feel like he had a purpose again, something that had been missing from his life for a long time.

  “This is her choice, lad, if we go storming the castle it will only push her further away. She’ll be back and on her own her terms.”

  That didn’t ease Cody’s thoughts at all. Maybe he was too overbearing, but only because he cared for her. Ben had trained him in the art of fighting after his father died and he knew him to be a man of integrity, but he didn’t know him on a personal level and perhaps once he took off the uniform there was completely different man underneath. He did not want Ashtyn to discover that man.

  “Why are you not more upset about this? It doesn’t burn you that she is sleeping under another man's roof?”

  Mac sighed heavily.

  “Of course it does. I don’t want her shacking up with that Yoke any more than ya do, but she isn’t mine nor yours, Cody.”

  Mac was right, but she wasn’t Ben’s either and Cody was going to make damn sure it stayed that way.

  Ben’s home was simply exquisite and I was really enjoying our conversations. He was so cultured, more than his appearance let on. I guess the saying don’t judge a book by its cover was true. We were sitting in a huge dining hall enjoying a lovely meal of roasted potatoes and lamb.

  “Ben forgive me if I'm too frank, but how did you come about that scar?”

  Ben poured some more of the wine sitting at the table and handed me my glass.

  “No, it’s quite all right, though I’m not sure you will appreciate the story. It was the day Avonya fell. Elias fled with Deandra and I stayed back to try to hold off the Credo. I was taken hostage and tortured; they were thorough to say the least.”

  That poor man. How many other scars did he have hidden, not just physically but emotionally as well?

  “How did you escape?” I asked, trying not show the emotions building up inside me.

  “My men broke me out, what was left of them. They knew I had been taken that day. The Credo wanted to know where Elias had taken Deandra and they thought I would tell them. There was so much confusion and devastation after the attack it took weeks before they could get a plan together.”

  I bowed my head pushing the images of a beaten and battered Ben out of my head. I couldn’t get emotional, not here. There was no telling where I would end up if I spontaneously flashed.

  “I’m sorry, Ben, that had to be terrifying. Did you know where Elias was taking my mother?”

  Ben lowered his hand looking ashamed.

  “No, he wouldn’t tell anyone. I didn't even know he had died that day until I was freed. I knew Deandra had gotten away because I was still alive. If they had found her there would be no use for me anymore. I just assumed Elias was with her.”

  I walked over to him kneeling down beside him and rubbing my hand across his scarred cheek. He really was an attractive man; he reminded me of the god Thor from Norse legends.

  “I promise you I will not stop until dreamwalkers are in fear no more,” I said gazing into his green eyes.

  He cupped my face in his hands and leaned into me.

  “I had faith in you before I even met you,” Ben replied and brushed my hair behind my ear.

  That night, hearing the pain in his voice and seeing the raw emotion in his eyes, I felt something for Ben, more than admiration. I felt like I had a true friend.

  I awoke to a knock on the door of the stunning guest room Ben picked out for me last night. There weren’t many choices since only a few had actual beds. I brushed out my hair with my hands and pulled the comforter up to my neck.

  “Come in,” I shouted, making sure all of me was covered.

  Two beautiful young women came in carrying trays.

  “What is all of this?” I asked the tall blonde, placing one of the trays on the dresser beside my bed.

  “Breakfast, my lady. Mr. Turo didn’t know what you would like so he sent up a few choices for you.”

  I smelled the delicious aroma of bacon as she lifted the top of the tray.

  “Mr. Turo?”

  The girl looked at me confused.

  “Benjamin, my lady.”

  I smacked my hand to my forehead.

  “I’m Ashtyn, what are your names?”

  The two girls looked back and forth between each other as if unsure if they should answer.

  “I am Peyton. My la … Ashtyn … This is Blair,” the blonde said, directing my attention to the redhead next to her.

  Ben strode in at that moment. Well, it was more like marched. I don’t know if that guy knew how to relax. The two girls curtsied and abruptly walked out of room.

  “Good morning,” I said, cheerfully trying to wipe the scowl off his face.

  “Miss Lane, I trust you slept well?”

  “Better than you,” I joked still eyeing the bacon.

  He noticed my wide-eyed glare at the pieces of meat and went over to the tray picking it up and placing it on the bed in front of me. I picked up a piece and shoved it in mouth. Ben looked disgusted.

  “Did Cody and Mac not feed you?” He asked, handing me a napkin.

  “Sorry, that was rude of me. Thank you for the food. I don’t know why I’m so hungry.”

  He rubbed his temple as if he wanted to scold me but decided against it.

  “Have you been learning any about our heritage?”

  Weird question for an early-morning chat.

  “I have been reading a few historical documents at Mac’s place and Cody told me some stories.”

  He furrowed his brow.

  “With your permission I would like to take you somewhere today.”

  I grinned, taking a sip of the orange juice on my tray of goodies.

  “Isn’t it a little soon for a weekend getaway?” I asked, setting the orange juice down and continuing to devour the buffet before me.

  “What is a weekend getaway? Is that a human term?”

  I snorted, trying to contain my laugh.

  “Never mind, Where are we going?”

  It was strange to me that Ben was readily at my disposal. Didn’t the commander of the guards have better things to do than babysit a drifter? I pushed that aside; who was I to decide how he spent his time?

  “I would like to take you to dream realm, to our Archives. I think it’s important for you to learn about your people.”

  “Half my people,” I said, lowering my head.

  “What do you mean by that?” he asked inquisitively.

  “I don’t know where I belong, who my people are exactly. I don’t belong completely to any realm. My whole life I was raised human. Am I supposed to leave all of that behind and live in dream realm? What if I am half wizard? Do I disown that part of me as well?”

  Ben brushed my hair out of my face, sighing slightly before regai
ning his stern composure.

  “You are overthinking things. You don’t have to have the world figured out all at once. Take it from someone who has lived a very long time. As a soldier my job depends on strategic planning, but the future has an infinite amount of possibilities. It’s impossible to predict every outcome; trying would drive a person mad. We aren’t meant to know everything, it would take the fun out of living.”

  I thought about his words. Would I want to know everything? It certainly would help me to know where I belong, but Ben was right, if I knew everything then why get up in the morning? Why do anything anymore? OK, so maybe I didn’t want to know everything, but a little glimpse into the future would be nice.

  “So, how old are you exactly?” I asked looking up into his beautiful green eyes. a slight smile crept across his face once again, showing off his one glorious dimple.

  “Old enough,” he said, rising and heading toward the door.

  “Take your time and come down to my study when you’re ready.”

  I nodded.

  “Oh and Ashtyn,” he said, looking back over his shoulder.

  “Hmm,” I managed to get out with my cheeks stuffed full of pancakes.

  “Don’t eat like an animal, it’s unbecoming of a lady.”

  Why did everybody say that? My cheeks blushed crimson as he closed the door behind him.

  Transporting to dream realm was getting easier. I didn’t feel so exhausted this time and it took less concentration than before. Katrina was there to greet us on arrival. Did this girl just stand around waiting for me to show up?

  “Ashtyn, so good to see you again,” she said running up to us.

  “I have some business to attend to, it shouldn’t take me long. Katrina can show you to the Archives and I’ll meet you there,” Ben said, placing his hand on the small of my back and walking toward the long corridor.

  “So, Kat, does Bonnie still hate me?” I asked, looking around for Cody’s mother.

  Sure it was a brash question, but why dart the truth? I was harvesting no illusions of her true feelings toward me.

  Katrina let out a snort. “She doesn’t hate you. Bonnie is one of the kindest people I know. It’s her heart that leads her, which is why she is so guarded when it comes to you. You are a potential threat to the people she loves. Come on, I’ll take you to Gloria. She works in the Archives.”

  I followed her through a series of hallways and doors. If I needed to find my way back to the middle of this place I would be an old lady by the time I managed.

  “I’m surprised you have opted to stay with Ben instead of Cody,” Kat said, still leading me to our destination. “How did you know I was staying with him?”

  Did Ben tell the council? Maybe he had to. I doubted it was a common occurrence for council members to house wayward dreamwalkers.

  “Cody was here, he tried to plead with the council to make you go back into his care

  “He did what?!” I shouted.

  People’s heads turned and I lowered my voice

  “How could he do that? Did they agree?”

  She shook her head.

  “You are bunking with the general of the guards and he’s on the council. They didn’t even think twice about telling him no.”

  I was fuming. Why couldn’t he just respect my decision?

  “What is your opinion of Ben?”

  I know Katrina and I weren’t exactly friends, but she didn’t have to tell me about Cody and she always seemed to be honest with me. She appeared like she was struggling with her response.

  “He is a great general and he has shown many times that he would put the needs of the people before his own.”

  I could tell she meant what she said, but I felt like she was withholding something from me. We stopped at a giant medieval-looking door and Katrina turned to face me. “Here we are,” she said, smiling

  “Gloria doesn’t get out much so you’ll have to excuse her if she’s a little quirky.” “Thank you, Kat. Do you think I made the right choice staying with Ben?”

  She smiled a bright smile that made her amber eyes glow.

  “I think you never truly know what you have until it’s gone.”

  And with those not so helpful words, Katrina walked away.

  I knocked on the door of the Archives and heard the rustling of papers before the door creaked open just enough for me to see a pair of eyes. “Well, this is a nice surprise. Come on in, child.” It was odd that Gloria called me a child since she looked about my age, but who knew how old she actually was. When I walked into the Archive room I felt like I was in the “Beauty and the Beast” library. Book shelves were stacked two stories tall and racks lined the aisle ways, which were covered with scrolls. It would take five lifetimes to read all of these and another five to decipher what you had read.

  “Gloria, this is amazing. How long have you worked in here?”

  “Oh here, not that long. We relocated what survived the attack on Avonya from the original Archive.”

  I gasped. This is what was left?

  “How big was the other Archive?”

  She laughed.

  “About three times the size of this one. We’re a very old race. I have an uncle that’s over 700 years old and he has twenty-four children.”

  Was she serious?

  “Do you have any children?” I asked, honestly wanting to know the answer.

  “Me? No, these are my children. I love them more than my own life. Without someone to tell the story our past, trials and tribulations were all for nothing. You know your mother used to spend days looking through these books. She said her ancestors spoke to her within the pages. She was an admirable woman.”

  A tear started to form in my eyes and I had to change the subject fast.

  “Have you ever heard of a computer? You could store all of these documents in one place and not have to worry about them going up in smoke if someone lights a match.”

  Gloria looked perplexed.

  “What is a computer?”

  My jaw dropped to the floor.

  “Wow, you really don’t get out much do you?”

  She shrugged.

  “I haven’t been to the human realm in over sixty years.”

  I decided right then and there that before this all was over I was taking Gloria out for a girls night, human style.

  “Where do I begin?” I asked, looking around the enormous room.

  “Anywhere you want. I’ll give you some space to browse. If you need me I’ll be in dining hall.”

  I gave her a gentle hug that caught her off guard.

  “Thank you for welcoming me into your home with your children,” I said smiling.

  “They are all our children.” She hugged back, looking around the room.

  Gloria picked up a book from a nearby table and meandered out of the room. I looked around bewildered and finally picked a scroll sitting on the rack to my left. I carefully unrolled the beautiful piece of paper in front of me.

  7 moons beyond the fall of Avonya

  As I sit in my new surroundings trying to hold onto my sanity I fear I am fighting a losing battle. How did this happen? I have started the task of sorting and filing all the books in their new home but it is a lengthy process. I attempted to leave the Archive a few times but each time I ventured outside of these walls I was barraged by mourning. I simply do not know how to console them. I have spent so much of my life surrounded by these texts that I fear I have lost my ability to connect with others. However, I still want to help them somehow. So, I am doing that the only way I know how, by documenting my thoughts. So much history was lost the day the Credo attacked. When the fighting started I wanted to stand by my brothers and sisters and fight with them, but I had made a promise. Deandra came to me a few moons before the fall. She often came to read in the Archives, but this day had been different, she was fray and kept rubbing her stomach. I asked her what had her on edge and she simply replied love. She wrote for what seemed like moons, tearin
g up papers and starting over. Benjamin came to check on her once and it seemed like they were arguing at one point, but I didn’t get close enough to hear. When she finished writing she rolled the scroll up and handed it to me. “Gloria, I need a favor. It is of the utmost importance that you tell no one what I am about to ask of you.” I was frightened of what she would say. I was just a bookkeeper. What could the High Priestess require of me? “If ever Avonya is danger of falling you must protect the Archive and everything within its walls at all costs.” I cringed at the thought of her words, just as I do now recognizing she knew all along what was to become of her people. Did she know she couldn’t save us? Is that why she fled? Or was it that one word she spoke of, love. I tried to keep my promise to her. I stayed even when the smoke from the fire started to consume me. I didn’t budge.

  When I awoke I didn’t realize right away I was no longer in Avonya, no longer among my books. A few days later I went back and gathered everything that had survived, along with some help from Dakota and Fintan. Those poor boys, they lost so much that day. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet. Dakota won't stop for even a moment. When he isn’t helping me he’s off assisting the next person. I think he’s afraid if he stops the reality of it all will hit him. Fintan has barely said a word to anyone, he walks around with his head down trying to hide the tears in his eyes. I can sense he want’s to be strong for Dakota, but Fintan has always been such a sensitive boy. I hope this doesn’t harden his sweet soul. I have yet to determine if Deandra’s scroll had survived. It may be months before I find it, if I can at all. Although, I believe if she did know this day was coming then she knew her words would survive. Now, I just have to find out whom they were meant for. Her final words to me before leaving the Archives that day were “Have patience, the Phoenix will rise.” Well I've yet to determine what exactly that meant, but I hope there is something within that scroll that will save us from this despair.

  Chapter 11

  The sorrow began to consume me. I knew if I weren’t already anchored to this realm I would have been yanked back to Cardician with a powerful pull. Gloria wasn’t kidding; she would have died for those books and almost did. What was in that scroll my mother gave to her, and did she ever find it? Another less significant thought fled through my mind: Why the hell were she and Ben arguing? I had to find Gloria. I jumped up from my chair and headed toward the door. I had no idea where the dining hall was, I didn’t even know where I was. I took off running down the hall, winding from hallway to hallway. When I turned one of the corners I ran smack dab into Cody’s mother.