Page 25 of Of Withering Dreams
Would.
Destroy.
Me.
My chin lifted. It was better to be friends. And that was that.
When we reached the edge of the woods, Kaden and I paused, peering at each other.
“Shall we?” we both asked in unison. We laughed and strode into the trees, Kaden’s hand on my back.
We exploredthe area for hours, wandering deep into the endless forest. I basked in the mellow beams of light bursting through the succulent leaves overhead. Sunshine bathed the canopy, the breeze making it look like flames swaying above us. Healthy moss and clusters of multicolored flowers covered the forest floor. This place—I sighed, leaning against a tree—took my breath away.
“Dreamy, isn’t it?” Kaden chuckled.
“I miss home so much, but this is spectacular.” I paused, watching a furry, hand-sized critter scurry past us and into a nearby flower patch. It studied us with six curious brown eyes, blinking in time with the frenzied swish of a long, fluffy tail. Its perky, triangular ears swiveled this way and that. Finding us harmless, it sat on its haunches, grooming its spotted, apricot-colored fur with tiny paws. “Doesn’t it make you want to figure out what we can do for Midst Fall?”
Kaden’s eyebrows rose. “Yes, it does. What do you think I’ve been complaining about all these turns? Contrary to popular belief, I don’t like the sound of my own voice.”
“I know, I know. But it seems impossible. Like we’re just puppets dancing to the Elders’ tune.”
“Never a better time to cut the strings, I suppose.” He bent over and picked up a bundle of broken flowers, its smashed petals the color of blueberries.
He cradled it in his cupped palm, closing his eyes. His aura gathered in a compressed, pulsing orb, radiating from his chest as if his heart were the source of his ember. His eyes opened, focusing on the flowers. Simmering from the orb, his power flickered over his arms and hands, and then the rest of his body. The green hue around him was so vibrant that it looked like he came from the moss beneath him.
He poured his energy into the bouquet, the petals and stems twisting and knitting back together. A grin spread across his face, and his brilliant aura faded. Handing the posy to me, his eyes glinted for a moment. “For you, milady.”
My smile pushed wider, my eyes scrunching in awe and delight. “Have you been practicing?”
“I have—in between squire duties and sparring. Gavrel and some other Druiks have been sharing tips with me. You can learn a lot in a short time … when you aren’t hiding.” He shrugged. “You should join us. Dig into what your ember is.”
“I’d like that.” A twinkle caught my attention, and I turned my head.
Not far ahead, a barrier of some sort fluttered over the path, stretching across the entire forest; a glittering, translucent veil draping from the treetops and through anything it touched.
“What is that?” Kaden asked, squinting. Our tiny, furry friend flicked its six rounded eyes in that direction, squeaked, and scampered off in the opposite direction.
We moved toward it, drawn by its mystic beauty. I grabbed Kaden as his outstretched hand reached for the luminous shroud.
“Careful—we don’t know what this will do.”
Upon closer inspection, it was a thin film of glimmering iridescent hues and sparkles. The delicate colors swirled and shifted in the light, sometimes disappearing from view as if made of vapor. The mesmerizing boundary was neither liquid nor gas, but it wasn’t solid, either. I couldn’t exactly grasp what I was looking at, my eyes playing tricks on me. It quivered in the breeze like a piece of wispy material drying on a clothesline.
“This must be what Melina was talking about when she said we’d know when we’d gone too far.” Kaden studied the veil, one hand cupping his chin.
“Well then, I’m not sure I want to test that theory.” I laughed nervously.
“Come on, Ser. What if the answers to our questions are on the other side of these sparkle drapes? I think our astral bodies will be just fine.”
I rolled my eyes. “Damn you, you hobgoblin.”
A sound of nervous determination vibrated in my throat as I thrust my fingers into the twinkling vapor to show my annoyance with his logic. A rush of heat zapped from below my star-shaped scar, pulsing along my spine. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it vaguely reminded me of the feeling in the Stygian Murk before I blew up the shade. I pulled my hand back, holding it against my chest with the other.
“Holy shit on a biscuit! Your eyes are glowing!” Kaden yelped and then proceeded to shove his hand through the veil. He yelped again and pulled it out.
“Yours, too,” I responded wryly.
We shrugged, wearing matching, mischievous grins. Kaden winked as my eyes widened, and without further ado, we flung our bodies through the mist.
