Page 11 of Skalterra By Nightmare
“Oh,” I said simply.
“It’s not always so violent,” Ferrin assured me. “A nocturmancer like Galahad is able to passively release all their existing Nightmares at once, but then you’d wake up too.”
Galahad’s hand glowed silver again, and a shiver ran up my legs as tree bark gave way to pants, boots, and legs.
“Please don’t run,” Orla begged.
I stepped forward, testing my reformed legs, and peered at the neat pile of ash where the Nightmare had stood. When I raised my eyes to Galahad’s, he smiled, but the way the expression pulled at the wrinkles on his face told me it was forced.
“Right,” I said. “I’d love to hear more, but I really do need to check my email.”
I grabbed Galahad’s grizzled hand and shoved his silver blade into my own gut.
I woke up face down on my quilt with my knees digging into the wooden floor. Worried knocking echoed behind me, accompanied by Liam’s nervous voice on the other side of my bedroom door.
“Wren? Come on, just say something so I know—”
“Why are you up here?” I wiped drool off my cheek as I shouted through the door.
“I was worried!”
“Who’s watching the shop?”
“Jonquil, I think.”
My phone was still in my hand, but I’d barely read the email header when Galahad’s voice boomed at me from inside my head.
“Wren Warrender, you will not play games with me!”
“I just—” Liam said from the hall.
“Go away!” I snarled at them both.
The phone slipped from my hand, and the wooden floorboards rushed towards my face as sleep reclaimed me.
I was a tree again.
Galahad’s face was ruddy behind his white beard, and a muscle jumped in Ferrin’s jaw. Orla wrung her hands and glanced up the embankment. Tiernan and the girl in yellow robes from the night before watched us from between the trees that lined our clearing.
“I was trying to read my email,” I growled. I knew Von Leer didn’t expect me to email them back right away, but it was killing me not knowing what was waiting in my inbox.
“And I’m trying to save both our realms,” Galahad retorted. “You can have your legs back after you’ve listened.”
“This is a dream!” I snapped. “My brain is broken because of Linsey Harper and Von Leer and that stupid bagel boy, and now I’m stuck here!”
Silver flames lit in Galahad’s hand, and he procured a glowing staff from the air. He dragged it in the dirt between us to draw two circles.
“I could’ve fetched you a stick,” Ferrin sighed. “You shouldn’t waste your Skal.”
“We’ll refuel in Tulyr.” Galahad stepped back. “Skalterra and Keldori. Two worlds. Ours and yours.”
“I’m from Earth.”
It sounded stupid to say out loud, and they must’ve thought so too, because they laughed.
“Skalterra and Keldori are both Earth,” Ferrin said simply. “If that makes sense.”
It didn’t.
