Suddenly I couldn’t bear to hold it a moment longer. I hastily shoved it in my bag, but even without touching it I could still feel its shadow on my hand. I tried to wipe the feeling away but it lingered, coldness pinpricking my skin.
I wearily leaned back against the silver-leafed tree I sat beneath in a secluded section of the park where I’d taken refuge nearly every day in the week since I’d inadvertently created the nightmare flower. I’d been here for hours, yet the beauty and solace of my surroundings had done little to quell the fear cinching my chest, the dark feelings filling my heart, and the negative thoughts invading my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut as if the gesture could block it all out, but my apprehension remained, relentless in its taunts.
I’m not a Nightmare, I repeated firmly. I’m a Dreamer. I have to be. But no matter how many times I tried to reassure myself, my unease lingered, haunting my thoughts without relief.
“Eden?”
I snapped my eyes open with a sharp gasp and I discovered Darius crouching in front of me, his green eyes lined with worry. I hastily straightened. “Darius? What are you doing in the Dream Realm?”
His concern remained, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly in my favorite crooked grin. “Looking for you. Our Weaving started two hours ago.”
My stomach jolted as my gaze lifted to the darkened sky, swallowed in stars and night. I groaned. “Oh, no.” I tried to scramble to my feet but froze as Darius rested a firm but gentle hand on my shoulder. He studied me for a long moment, his frown deepening with his perusal.
“What’s wrong, Eden?”
“Nothing,” I said hastily, but the word was nothing more than a lie.
“I know something is bothering you; despite your attempts to hide it during our weavings, I’ve sensed your being out of sorts all week.” His fingertip lightly traced around my puffy eyes, causing me to shiver. “You’ve been crying.” A look that almost seemed like pain overcame him, a reminder of the unconventional friendship we’d slowly built, which only increased my need to confide in someone. My secret struggled to escape, but I tried to contain it. If I couldn’t tell Stardust or my best friends, surely I couldn’t tell my weaving partner.
But Darius had become more than my weaving partner. There was a connection between us that I still couldn’t understand, a warmth deeper than friendship, feelings I was afraid to examine closely but which urged me to turn to him. My heart whispered not only that my secret would be safe with him, but that he’d be able to help.
I tried to speak but couldn’t find the words, yet somehow he understood what I couldn’t say. “Something has happened,” he said. “Would you like to talk about it?”
My terror at the prospect was nowhere near my desperation to understand this new, frightening part of myself, to turn to him. Yet still I hesitated.
“But we haven’t time,” I protested. “The Weaving—”
“—will wait,” he said. “Our Mortals don’t need to dream the moment they fall asleep. We have all night. So please, confide in me.”
He stood and offered his hand, an invitation to trust him. Despite my longing to, a part of me still held back. Accepting his hand would acknowledge that what was developing between us was something different than what was expected for our world. Dreamers and Nightmares were the gravest of enemies; they didn’t help one another with Weavings, go to tea shops together, or confide their deepest fears.
But for the first time in my life I wanted something more than to belong…I wanted him.
My heart took control, allowing me to rest my hand in his. Warmth enfolded me like an embrace from just that single touch, dispelling the chill that had enveloped me when examining the nightmare flower. He gently lifted me to my feet, but even after I’d stood he didn’t release me. Instead his fingers laced through mine, tugging me closer, even as his eyes bored into mine.
I basked in the beautiful feelings filling me…until fear took control, extinguishing the warmth like the flame of a candle. Surely feeling so comfortable with a Nightmare meant…I gasped and yanked my hand from his.
No, I’m a Dreamer. But this time the affirmation felt more like a question.
“Forgive me,” Darius said. “I’d hate to rush you.”
My brow puckered. Rush me for what? But I didn’t have much time to ponder the meaning of his words before he spoke again.
“Let’s go somewhere we can talk.” He started to offer his hand once more before blushing and hastily withdrawing. It was only after he’d taken away the invitation that I realized just how much I wanted to hold his hand again.
What’s wrong with me?
I tried to sort out my confusing feelings, as tangled as the webs Darius liked so much, as I followed him deeper into the park. He paused in front of a wall of ivy and honeysuckles, which he parted like a curtain. I ducked inside and immediately stilled, my breath catching in wonder. “Oh.”
Hidden behind the ivy was another section of the park that I’d never seen before, one made entirely of floating paths and waterfalls, whose cascading rapids changed color to music, as tranquil as a lullaby. Despite night having settled, the sky here was tinged with dawn, as if time was measured differently in such an enchanting place.
Darius’s eyes were aglow as he watched not the waterfalls but me, seeming to take true pleasure in my delight. He blushed when our gazes met. “Do you like it?” Hope filled his voice.
I could only nod breathlessly. “I’ve never seen such a lovely place, even within the Dream Realm.”
“Both worlds hold their own enchantment, even the Nightmare Realm.”
I instinctively stiffened at the words, a reaction not lost on him. Worry furrowed his brow as he bridged the distance between us, allowing the curtain of ivy to close behind us.
“Come, let’s talk.”
This time he didn’t hesitate to take my hand before leading me to a waterfall more secluded than the rest. There we settled on the flower-dappled lawn, shrouded in the mist coming from the falls, whose rapids were a soft green, like Darius’s eyes. With each note of the gentle music I felt some of my unease slip away.
I glanced sideways at Darius, who waited patiently, his expression open. Trust him, my heart whispered, and at its silent urging I reached into my bag and shakily removed the nightmare flower.
“I—”
But once more my words faltered, unable to confess what had happened out loud, so I simply handed him the flower. It seemed to lean against his touch in a way that it hadn’t mine, as if recognizing it was in the presence of a Nightmare Weaver, which gave me the slightest glimmer of hope that perhaps I wasn’t who I was beginning to fear I was.
Darius examined the flower carefully before raising a questioning gaze to mine. “Where did you get this?”
Once more the anxiety and fear pressing heavily against my chest made it impossible to answer. He studied me a moment, as if trying to find the answers in my eyes, before understanding dawned.
“You created it.”
I thought I’d feel relief at him knowing, but instead my panic only grew. My confession burst free, unable to be contained any longer. “I have no idea what happened. I was cultivating with Iris and we sensed different details in the seed…only mine was dark, a contrast to the light she felt. After she left, I was curious what the seed would turn into, so I helped the flower grow, only afterwards it…changed.”
His frown grew thoughtful as he studied the nightmare flower. “I’ve never heard of any magic being able to change the nature of something. Cultivating seeds are created the moment their details are captured by the Seed Harvesters, and once made into a seed they can’t be changed.”
I wrung my hands. “But I—I don’t even know what I did. It was an accident.”
“I know, Eden.” His tone was all gentleness, as was his look when he finally met my gaze. “You would never purposefully create something that frightens you.”
I stared at him in disbelief. Despite trusting him, I’d half expecte
d to be condemned, just as I’d been doing unceasingly to myself in my own thoughts—not to be received with such understanding and gentleness, a response which caused the tears I’d been fighting to escape.
His expression crumpled. “Don’t cry, Eden.” He scooted closer to catch one of my tears on his fingertip as it trickled down my cheek. “I’ll help you.”
“Why would you want to?” I asked.
His eyes blazed with an intensity that was both beautiful and frightening. “I need to. I’ll go to the library, try and find any information about this, whatever it takes—”
“There isn’t any.”
Ever since I’d created the nightmare flower, I’d scoured every book I could find for some sort of explanation, had subtly tried to extract information from Iris or steal glimpses of Darius’s books during our Weavings, and I’d even briefly considered asking Caspian how one of his seeds could have transformed into a nightmare flower, but I’d found nothing that could explain what had happened. The uncertainty had only escalated my fear, allowing me to fill in the blanks in my knowledge with my own condemning and frightening explanations.
You’re a Nightmare.
I gave my head a rigid shake in hopes of dispelling that seductive, slithering voice from my thoughts. “I’m a Dreamer,” I whispered, as if saying the words out loud would make them more true.
“I know you are,” Darius said gently.
His confirmation calmed the worry wrenching my heart and I relaxed. A peaceful silence enfolded us, one that, thanks to Darius, felt healing after the exhausting worry I’d been clinging to these past several days. With Darius’s presence and the soothing backdrop of the enchanted waterfall, the moment almost felt like a peaceful dream, one I wanted to remain in forever.
Until the distant chime signified the late hour. I reluctantly stirred. “The Weaving—”
Darius shook his head. “Let’s stay here a moment longer.” The look in his eyes matched the need filling my heart to extend our time together.
I offered a teasing smile. “Encouraging me to be late? Are you trying to corrupt me to your Nightmare ways?”
He grinned crookedly. “If it means I get to continue spending time with you.”
Even though his words were ones that shouldn’t be spoken by a Nightmare to a Dreamer, my heart still swelled. “And seeing me at Weavings isn’t enough?”
His green eyes smoldered. “Not at all.”
My heartbeat escalated and it suddenly became rather difficult to breathe. I swallowed. “If we’re going to delay our Weaving…what would you like to do?”
“I don’t care, so long as I spend time with you.”
The space between us suddenly felt too large. As if sensing this, Darius scooted closer, his gaze riveted to mine.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you…” He fell silent.
I waited a breathless moment, eagerly awaiting the continuation of his thought. “What do you want to ask me?” I asked.
His blush deepened as he lowered his eyes, as if suddenly too shy to look at me. “I was wondering…have you heard about the Dream Festival?”
I frowned, slightly disappointed in the change of direction in our conversation. “I have.”
Banners and posters advertising the upcoming Dream Festival had been posted on every building and signpost for weeks, featuring fantastic displays and exhibits, fabulous prizes for winners of various competitions, and the Universe-renowned flying colors show.
“It’s tomorrow.” He traced a swirl in the grass, still seeming unable to meet my gaze. “I’ve been meaning to ask for a while…would you be willing to meet me there so we can attend together?”
I could barely speak, so I merely nodded. His nervousness vanished in an instant, replaced with a wide smile. His joy only escalated my own, making it easier to ignore the whispers of warning in the back of my mind. Surely it was just as frowned upon for Nightmares and Dreamers to attend the festival together as it was for them to attend tea shops together…but I suddenly didn’t care. For the truth of the matter was I wanted to go with Darius, just as I wanted this moment between us to continue.
Darius reluctantly tore his gaze away to glance up at the sky, which had only grown darker as night had further settled. “I suppose we’ve delayed our Weaving long enough. We should go so you don’t feel rushed.”
His tone was so kind, without a hint of resentment about how long I took to construct my dreams. He stood first and offered his hand to help me to my feet, and as before, even after I’d stood, he didn’t release me, instead pulling me closer so that his caramel-apple-scented warmth enveloped me, leaving me lightheaded.
“Are you feeling better?” He looked so concerned, which only lifted my heart further.
“I am.” Even though my circumstances hadn’t changed and Darius had offered nothing more than a listening ear, kindness, and a promise to try and help, somehow it was enough.
Darius gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before leaning down to pick up his bag, but in his fluster he lifted it upside down, causing its contents to tumble to the ground. He swore and stooped down to gather his things. I crouched down to help.
“You don’t have to do that,” he protested.
I offered him a mischievous look. “You helped me, so might I help you in return?”
He smiled and we gathered his things. I paused when I noticed a black notebook embedded in a silver design of spiderwebs. “What’s this?”
Darius hastily snatched it away. “Nothing.”
“So I’m not the only one with secrets?” My smile was teasing.
“Not exactly secrets…” He avoided my eyes, which only escalated my curiosity.
“Won’t you show me what’s inside?” My tone came out more flirtatious than pleading, undoubtedly a result of this beautiful outing we’d experienced together.
His growing blush deepened. “I don’t want any secrets between us. I’m just afraid…you’ll get the wrong idea. I don’t want to hurt you.”
My flirtatious smile vanished in an instant. “Is it about me, then?”
He hesitated before taking a steadying breath and handing me the notebook. I eased it open. My brow furrowed. It was blank. But before I could question him, he summoned his magic, curling the green glitter around his finger, which he ran across the page.
I watched in amazement as words began to appear at his touch, rising onto the page, my name at the very top. What followed was a careful list of all the information he’d gathered about me, filling not just this page but all the subsequent ones. I rapidly flipped through them, my heartbeat escalating with each turn, before I snapped it shut.
“What is this?”
Darius wrung his hands. “Please, don’t get the wrong idea.”
“How can I not?” I demanded, my voice escalating. “Let me guess: the newest entry will be about the nightmare flower I inadvertently created.” I’d been such a fool to hand him that secret so readily.
He shook his head. “I won’t write that down if you don’t want me to, and no one but me will ever see this notebook. You have my word.”
I wanted nothing more than to believe him, but my mind had different ideas. “I don’t understand…if you’re not going to give it to anyone, why do you have this notebook at all?”
“I…just want to know more about you. You’re quite the puzzle.” Despite his nerves, he sounded almost awed by the prospect.
My eyes narrowed. “And what is the purpose of solving my puzzle? Is this for the Council, or worse, your Head Nightmare mother?”
“No, Eden. Of course not.” He leaned forward, his eyes wide and earnest. “I’d never do that to you.”
Sense tried to convince me he was lying, but after our moment together, I found myself cautiously trusting him once more; I had no real reason not to other than fear, for I already knew it was only curiosity that led him to try to unravel the mysteries surrounding me. I managed a small, hesitant nod.
His shoulders sank in relief. “Th
ank you.”
He rested his hand over mine and my heart stirred once more. His touch, his kindness, his comfort…all deepened the connection that had existed between us from the very beginning. But although the feeling was warm and beautiful, it suddenly filled me with terror.
I yanked my hand away, but I couldn’t shake off the shadow of his gentle touch. “Please stop.”
His brow furrowed. “Stop what?”
“Stop making me feel this way. You’ve been doing it from the moment we met, even before we knew one another well.”
His confusion melted into a large, rather endearing grin. “I can no more stop than you can in making me feel the same way. Don’t you know what this is, Eden?”
I had a suspicion—one both beautiful and frightening at once, and one I refused to put into words, for it’d make it all the more real. “This can’t be anything. You’re a Nightmare.” And I wasn’t…at least, I was pretty sure I wasn’t.
His grin only grew. “And you’re a Dreamer. It certainly complicates things, doesn’t it?”
“We’re from different worlds,” I continued to protest. “This has never happened before.” That much I was certain about, even though I admittedly didn’t really know what this was.
“It’s happened once that I’m aware of,” he said. “Back when the Dream World was first created.” He laced our fingers together, causing my heartbeat to escalate. “Don’t be afraid of why this is happening, just embrace what is…but only if you want to. I could never force you.”
But his touch left me little choice; it caused me to want nothing more than him, a desire that terrified me. His thumb moved to the back of my hand, his caresses soothing.
“Don’t be afraid, Eden,” he murmured. “There’s nothing more natural in the universe.”
My mouth had gone dry. “I—” I couldn’t finish.
“You don’t have to be ready now,” he continued gently. “But I’ll be here when you are.”
My heart pulled me towards him, even as my fear kept me away. The emotions warred within me, while the lure between us grew, pulling us even closer the more I came to know him.
Dreamer (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1) Page 27
