Page 71 of Dreamer (The Dream World Chronicles)

“Please, allow me to pay for you. After all, we’re friends…aren’t we?”

His words only confirmed the feelings that had been steadily growing between us, and in that moment I fully realized what they meant: despite it being forbidden, Darius had become more than my weaving partner.

As I turned to leave, I caught more disapproving glances from those in the tea shop, confirming that none of my friends could find out about us. I didn’t need another reason not to fit into the Dream World, a place I wanted more than anything to stay, not just because it was now my home…but because of him.

All the more reason to keep our relationship a secret.

Chapter 20

My heart pounded furiously, and it was everything I could do to control the anger raging through me. More evidence had been discovered of the tipping balance—not only had more nightmare flowers sprouted like weeds in the Cultivating Fields and the dream dust thefts had increased to almost one per night, but Stardust had uncovered that the Nature Artists’ paints were beginning to lose their vibrant colors.

Icy fear had squeezed my chest at the news, urging me to once again come to Earth to experiment with my dream abilities in hopes I’d discover a way I could use them to help the world I loved. Stardust was less than enthusiastic about the outing, and kept casting me several apprehensive glances as she flew down to Earth, as if expecting my searing emotions to erupt at any moment.

Finally it seemed she couldn’t contain her disapproval a moment longer. “I know you’re worried about the shifting balance, but I’m not sure this is the way to help.”

I gritted my teeth. “I have to dosomething; I can’t just let the Nightmare Realm take over. I don’t know where my unique powers came from, but if I can use them to help the world I now call home, I won’t rest until I’ve done so. There is magic in the dreams I’m capturing. I may not know how to access it, but when I figure out how, I need to have as many as possible so I can do my part to ease the devastation caused by the nightmare events.”

Stardust was quiet a moment. “I admire your determination to help, but I worry you’re spending more time focusing on the balance than on the Mortal you weave for. No quest, however noble, is worth risking getting suspended.”

“If the balance tips so far as to threaten the Dream World, I won’t have a place to be suspended from.” Besides, with the recent help Darius had been giving me, I was certain I’d win my first weaving soon. But his assistance was still a secret, so I remained silent on that point.

We reached Earth and landed in the boughs of my dream-watching tree, whose leaves were tinged in the first pink buds of spring. It was late afternoon, not the prime time to search for dreams—another reason Stardust found this entire errand foolhardy—but searching for dreams was far better than remaining helpless in my room with only my anxiety for company.

Once I settled in the tree, I was left unsure what to do. I searched the air around the bustling villagers below. No sign of dreams. I sighed and leaned against the trunk. No matter how well-meaning my intentions, they were entirely useless without a plan.

Stardust peered over my shoulder and down below, never mind she wouldn’t be able to see any dreams still wandering at such a late hour, even if she had the ability to see them at all. “Your brilliant plan to use your dream powers appears to be going splendidly.”

I prickled at her sarcastic tone. “I occasionally find a dream at this hour whenever a villager fancies a late-afternoon nap.” But even if I did, I still had no idea what to do with it, considering I was still unsure how to excavate the dream’s magic.

The tightening in my chest shifted—rather than anger, a wave of helplessness pressed against me, an unrelenting burden. Stardust’s annoyance softened to concern. “Eden?”

“I just want to dosomething,” I murmured.

She snuggled closer. “I know you do.” She said nothing more, but she remained curled in my lap when I settled in the tree to wait, my gaze scanning the market below for any dreams, no matter how faded the memory might be.

The sun sank lower in the sky, the only measure of time. As the sky became aglow in a sheen of ruby-gold dusk, I straightened. “I see one.”

A ball of tangerine light followed a bleary-eyed toddler clinging to his mother’s skirts, still rubbing his eyes from his afternoon nap. I summoned my magic and reached for the dream, enfolding it within my powers to gently pull it towards me.

Rather than bottle it right away as I usually did, I cradled it in my hand, a warm glowing light against my palm. It immediately tried to wriggle free, as if it wanted to return to the Mortal I’d captured it from; I tightened my fingers around it so that it wouldn’t escape. I turned it over in my hand, examining every surface, occasionally capturing glimpses of the dream within—a simple one of the toddler building a stack of blocks that never seemed in danger of falling.

Holding the dream allowed me to sense the emotions he’d felt as he’d slept—the toddler-like contentment of seeing the block tower grow taller and taller. Hmm, this was new. But although I could detect the dream’s emotions, I wasn’t sure where I could access its magic. If I couldn’t find it, how would I ever be able to give it to the Dream World?

I tensed when I felt the familiar sensation of a heated gaze against the back of my neck. My skin prickled. Someone was watching me, but though Darius was the usual culprit, I’d grown familiar enough with his gaze to know it wasn’t him. No, this was someone else…someone far more sinister.

I hastily shoved the dream into a jar and sealed it, my movements frantic. Stardust’s brow furrowed in concern. “What is it, Eden?”

“Someone is—” I began, but the words died in my throat when a Nightmare stepped into view below me, a triumphant smirk toying at the corners of her mouth.

“Good afternoon, Dreamer Eden.”

Terror caused me to stiffen. Head Nightmare Ember. My heart pounded wildly. What was the Head Nightmare doing on Earth? Had she come tospyon me? Or had she been waiting for the magical burst that always resulted from my dream capturing? Such a notion seemed far too demeaning for the Head Nightmare, yet I had no other explanation for her presence.

Ember continued to watch me, her look rather coy. “Come down from that tree. I’d like to speak with you.”

I shakily obeyed, fear making my movements stiff and clumsy, causing me to scrape my palms as I dropped to the ground. I was too nervous to use my magic to heal the injury; I could barely think through the anxiety pressing against my chest.

Had she seen me capture the dream? I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Good afternoon, Head Nightmare Ember.”

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