Chapter 21
Making a Stand
"If a train is four point eight miles long and traveling at a speed of seventy-five miles per hour, and you are waiting at the railroad crossing for the train to pass, approximately how many minutes will you wait from the time it enters the crossing until it has completely passed?"
Dylan looked up from his textbook and stared blankly at Aspen. He was so handsome with his strong jaw and startling blue eyes that she had to remind herself to breathe.
Without a moment's thought, he answered, "Three point eight four minutes."
Her mouth opened in shock as he lowered his gaze and wrote something in a book. "How do you do that?" she asked, and tapped her ankles together in the air.
The living room carpet was soft and they lay on their stomachs while Aspen crossed her calves above her. The bright yellow sundress she wore was tucked neatly under her body, and her feet were bare.
When he looked at her again, he flashed a smile that displayed his perfect white teeth. "Do what?" A grin played across his lips.
"How do you know the answer to every one of my math problems? It's not fair."
"If you remember the formulas, you can work out most math problems."
She sighed. "Tell that to my brain."
It had been a week since the incident with Miriam, and thankfully she'd been expelled from their school. Even without her presence, Dylan had stuck to Aspen like glue and followed her everywhere. He came home with her each day and helped her with homework in the afternoon.
It was hard to tell if he was protecting her because she was important to his clan, or if he really liked her. The slightest brush of his hand against her arm and the way he guided her with a palm in the small of her back when they walked made her nerves sing, but whatever he felt was kept well hidden, and she wasn't about to question him about it.
Both of them turned to look up at Leeman as he entered the room.
"Hey, kids."
"Hey, Uncle Leeman."
"Do you have a lot of homework left?" he asked and collapsed into a comfortable couch next to them.
"Nah, I've got my own calculator here, and he's just finished my last problem." Even though Dylan rolled his eyes at her, she knew he liked her compliment.
The smell of fried chicken drifted into the living room from the kitchen, and pots clanked noisily.
Leeman arched an eyebrow. "That's good because after dinner, I'm planning an attack on the castle."
Dylan perked up and closed his books quickly. "Wow, that's amazing. Can we come along?"
After studying him for a second, Leeman scratched his head and said, "I suppose that'll be okay. I'm getting the Fire Walker clan to go with us. We're going to find out if the Chancellors are holding any clan members in their castle."
"Ooh, that sounds exciting. How many people will be coming along?" Aspen crawled in front of her uncle's chair.
"There will be about forty Power Walkers and thirty Fire Walkers. Some Water Walkers want to come too."
As Leeman spoke, Dylan packed his books away and picked up Aspen's homework as well.
"I've asked the Fire Walkers to create a diversion while we enter the castle. I want to get as many Chancellors away from the castle as possible. You can both come along, but you'll have to hide outside the castle. I don't want you inside."
With pouty lips, Aspen frowned. "You know we can help too." Even though she was only five foot two and looked fragile, she was still powerful. She knew she still needed training, but once she was ready, not many Dream Walkers would challenge her.
"I know, Princess, but just stay close to the Fire Walkers and don't enter the castle-under any circumstances. Am I making myself clear?" Leeman stared at her with mock severity, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Yes, sir," she said and gave him a mock salute. A second later, she jumped up and sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Your mother is cooking chicken for dinner, so put your books away and wash your hands and we'll eat. Dylan, you're invited. You can leave with us afterward."
"Thank you, sir."
"I'll show you which bathroom to use if you'd like to wash up," Aspen told him as her uncle lifted her off the chair and onto the floor. Her hair was loose, and she brushed it over her shoulders and away from her face before leading him up the staircase.
Once upstairs, she grabbed a towel from the linen closet and handed it to Dylan. A gentle current flowed from his skin into hers as their fingers touched, and he seemed to savor the feeling. He breathed deeply and a strange look flashed briefly over his face.
"I'll be down soon." His voice was gravelly and lower than usual.
Reluctantly, she let go of the towel and rushed to her room. She didn't say much while they had dinner later, and was relieved when Leeman said that it was time to go.
The three Dream Walkers said good-bye to Norma, then clutched their dream catchers as they disappeared in a warm glow of light.
- - -
Lanta was bathed in pale yellow, and the whole village was a hive of activity. The sweet sounds of a wooden flute piped through the balmy air.
With a quick wave, Leeman strode off to his house to get prepared. Ginny stood talking to a man Aspen hadn't met before, and she and Dylan walked over to greet them. Tracing her hands along the seam of her jeans, Aspen was glad she'd changed her clothing at her mom's house.
Ginny dragged the man over by the arm to introduce him. "This is my dad. Dad, this is Aspen, and you know Dylan."
Ginny's father was tall and thin, and his eyes glowed with pride as his arm circled Ginny's shoulder and he dipped his head in respect. He had shiny black hair like the rest of the Power Walker men.
"Greetings, Princess. I'm honored to meet you, and doubly so because I've been told that you helped save my precious daughter's life." With that, he hugged Ginny close to his side and shut his eyes.
"My life would be worthless if you didn't find her," he went on. "I'm forever in your debt, and if you ever need anything, no matter how small, please let me know. I'm your loyal servant."
Nothing could stop the rush of heat that flooded Aspen's cheeks, and she didn't know what to say.
"Thank you, Arthur," Dylan said on her behalf. "I'm sure that the princess appreciates your kind words."
"It was my pleasure," she managed to say.
Once Ginny and her dad had turned around to leave, Aspen ducked behind Dylan's back. "That was awkward," she whispered.
"Arthur loves his daughters more than he loves himself. He's a good dad."
As she raised her eyes to look at him, someone called his name.
"Dylan!"
He spun around. "Wait here," he ordered, and walked over to a man who bore an incredible resemblance to him.
Aha, Aspen thought. This had to be Dylan's dad. He had the same unruly dark hair and striking blue eyes. His jaw was wide, and he was about six foot two with a broad chest and long legs. He must have been just as handsome as Dylan when he was younger. The two spoke for a bit and then walked toward Aspen.
People gathered in the area around them, children ran past her, and raised voices could be heard everywhere. Dogs barked, and men shouted orders as supplies were bundled up and packed away. Excitement was almost tangible in the air, and she took a deep breath to settle her nerves.
As soon as they reached her, Dylan made the introductions. "Aspen, this is my dad. Dad, I've told you about Aspen before."
With a low bow, his father looked up at her with twinkling eyes. "I'm David. I'm so glad to finally meet you, Princess. My son can't stop talking about you."
A mortified look crossed Dylan's face before he clenched his jaw and stared into the distance.
Aspen smiled shyly. "It's nice to meet you, sir."
"Dad, enough already." Dylan's eyes drilled into his father's.
Nothing could stop the smile on his dad's face, though, and he chuckled. "Are you two coming too? Leeman said that we're leaving soon."
A group of clan members walked in front of them, and Aspen stepped back to let them through. "Yes, Uncle Leeman said that we could tag along."
"Good. Demothi is rustling up some horses for us, so I'll see you both later." He ruffled Dylan's hair and then walked away.
A lump rose up in Aspen's throat as she watched Dylan's father leave. Meeting both the girls' and Dylan's dads in one day reminded her of the father she would never have, and she wished she'd known him too. She envied Dylan and Ginny and Sandy. They were privileged to have spent so much time with their dads. The love they shared was clearly visible, and her eyes filled with tears. Life wasn't always fair.
"Hey, are you okay?" Dylan trailed a finger across her cheek.
She blinked. "Yes, I'm fine, thanks. Let's find Sandy."
As she looked at the crowd, she saw Ray and his sister arriving on horseback.
As soon as Ruby caught sight of them, she maneuvered her horse in their direction. Ray waved wildly at Aspen and with a jerk on the horse's reins, he followed behind Ruby.
"Looks like you've got company."
Aspen glanced up at Dylan as he spoke. His eyes remained on Ray as he approached, and she wondered why Dylan wasn't looking at Ruby.
"Hey, Dylan." Ruby's smile was as bright as her lips were red. Her green eyes lit up as she slipped from her horse and rushed toward him. With a happy sigh, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his chest.
Aspen forced herself to breathe normally as a rush of jealousy swamped her, and she barely noticed Ray dismounting.
Ruby nestled closer and spoke again. "I'm so glad we caught you. Are you going with our party?"
A large group of riders chose that moment to enter the village and she pointed at them. The Fire Walkers formed part of the group, and Aspen saw Ginny waving at Ashley and Cole while Caden followed closely behind. For some reason, Caden was glaring at Dylan, and didn't seem happy at all.
As soon as the riders dismounted their horses, the noise in the village escalated and before she could protest, Ray had scooped her up in a bear hug that left her breathless. He planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek.
"Howdy, little darling. You're as pretty as a picture today."
She blushed and peeked at Dylan. His lips were pressed together tightly, and he looked really upset.
Ray dragged her by the arm. "They say Demothi's gettin' more horses ready. I love to watch him. Come on."
Running with Ray proved to be a mission as his legs were longer than hers, and she ended up being dragged behind him. She squealed in protest and glanced back. Ruby was still wrapped around Dylan, but he seemed to be more interested in watching Ray tugging Aspen along.
Luckily, Ray didn't run for long and stopped in front of a huge bonfire. Heat from the flames warmed her cheeks and smoke stung her eyes.
"Look." He pointed to the left where Demothi, the Power Walker's magic man, chanted. A white robe covered his short frame, and moccasin boots peeked out from under his pants. Blue and red sparks flew from the long stick he held, and the flames hissed loudly each time he raised it. His eyes were closed, and the long braid of hair draped over his shoulder swayed from side to side with each step he took.
It took a while, but Aspen finally heard the words he was chanting.
"Sun ka wa kan hiyu, sun ka wa kan hiyu."
Before she could move, Ray pulled her up against his chest and rested his chin on her head. "Do ya hear that?" he asked against her ear.
"I hear it, but I don't understand what he's saying."
"He's calling to the horse spirits and asking them to appear to us."
Suddenly she was tugged out of Ray's arms. She spun around to find Dylan hauling her away with firm hands.
"Get away from the fire!" he yelled at Ray. "The horses will be here any minute."
Being pulled around like a rag doll was not her idea of fun, and Aspen stamped her foot in the sand. Just as she was about to shout at Dylan for being so rude, the ground shook and a deep rumble filled the air. Huge horses hurtled out of the flames and crashed to the ground next to her. Their whinnies and snorts sounded like thunder, and she grabbed her ears in vain to block out the noise. The white stallions barely missed her as they jumped out of the fire, and their tails whipped her arms and drops of saliva dotted her face.
Dylan grabbed Aspen and wrapped an arm around her waist. With a jerk, the earth moved away from her feet and she rose up in the air with him. Automatically she grabbed his neck and hooked her calves around his hips to hold on for dear life.
After a few seconds, she dared to look down. Dylan had aimed an electrical current at the ground and the force was lifting the two of them up in the air. Power flowed from his hand in a direct line to the soil. The stream was as thick as a telephone pole, and it snaked toward the earth in neon-blue sparks.
Horses continued to catapult from the flames, but now she looked down at them instead of being trapped next to them. She saw Ray as he waved his arms at them frantically from below. He'd managed to move out of the horses' path completely.
After releasing her death grip on his neck, she turned wondrous eyes toward Dylan.
"Wow. I'm sorry for attacking you like that, but I didn't know what was happening or that you could do something like this."
Dylan's mouth curled upward. "There's a lot you don't know about me," he murmured, and his gaze dropped to her lips.
The shock was beginning to wear off, and Aspen could feel her entire body humming with electricity. She glanced down again. "I think we can go back now. The stampede seems to be over."
Dylan laughed softly. "Whatever you want, Princess."
When Dylan decreased the current in his hands, they descended slowly. A stiff breeze whipped strands of her hair against his face as they made their way back to earth.
"You can let go now," Dylan said and smiled at her.
"Huh?" She blushed when she realized they'd landed, but her legs were still wrapped around his waist. Instantly, she dropped to her feet and stepped away.
"Aspen, are you all right?" Ray asked from behind her.
"No thanks to you," Dylan snarled at him.
Ignoring Dylan, Ray grabbed her hands. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think the horses were so close. I would never hurt you intentionally."
Aspen shook her head. "It's fine, don't worry. Wow, look at these horses. I know I've seen them before, but they're just so magnificent." Hopefully the subject change would defuse the tension between the two Dream Walkers.
Ray stepped back. "Yeah, they're beauties, all right. Demothi conjures them up when the Power Walkers need them, and sends them back once the job is done. We have our own horses, but there's nothing like a white Arcadian. They're magical."
"Come on, let's get our horses and get going," Dylan said, his voice icy. "Leeman is waiting for everyone already."
Still reeling from the quick flight, Aspen was shocked to feel Dylan's hold on her hand as he pulled her toward Leeman's house. What was his problem now? She wasn't someone's favorite toy that could be dragged back and forth like this. She sighed and followed behind him, watching as warriors saddled the horses and stowed supplies in bags.
Dylan found a smaller horse and strapped a saddle onto its back while Aspen stood behind him. Once he was done, he reached into a container on the ground and pulled out a small hunting knife. He handed it, safe inside its sheath, to Aspen.
"Keep this with you in case something happens."
Nodding, she took the knife from him solemnly. This wasn't a game, and the odds of their getting hurt were high. She swallowed a lump in her throat as Dylan saddled his larger horse. The animal stood patiently until he'd finished.
After Dylan was done, he turned and whisked her up into the air as if she were as light as a feather. Before she could protest, she sat on the smaller horse. Lifting her leg over its broad neck, she tucked her foot into the stirrup on the other side.
Dylan tightened the stirrup on both sides before handing he
r the reins. It felt good knowing he was looking after her. With little effort, he jumped up on his own horse and turned its head so the two animals faced the same way.
"Listen up, folks." Leeman's voice boomed above the loud noise in the village. "The Power Walkers will be headed for the castle, and the rest of you will create a diversion for us. Aspen, Dylan, Sandy, and Ginny, you'll be in charge of the horses once we get there. I don't want to see you anywhere near the castle. We'll get back to you once we're done. Understood?"
Sandy had joined Ginny earlier, and the two girls angled their horses next to Dylan and Aspen. The four bobbed their heads in unison.
"Right then, let's get on our way." Leeman's command was followed by whoops and catcalls of excitement.
The massive train of horses filtered out of the village and made its way past the river.
"It's about an hour's hard ride to the castle, so we'll go through at least one Lavendula before we get there," Ginny said, and patted the twitching neck of her beautiful white horse. "Leeman is taking us away from any known waypoints so we don't come across any Chancellors by mistake."
"It's a shame. A lot of kids will have nightmares tonight and they won't know why." Sandy grimaced.
The horses picked up speed once they'd left the river, and soon they galloped through fields of daisies and green meadowlands.
Thick strands of blond hair flew wildly behind Aspen, and the warm breeze prickled her cheeks. Her T-shirt was pressed firmly against her body by the wind, and she breathed in the smell of leather, sweat, and horses as she dug her knees into the beautiful white steed beneath her and allowed it to take control.
After a long ride, the sky changed color, and Leeman reined in his horse and raised his hand. Everyone stopped as his powerful voice shouted over the loud group. The riders behind him jerked their animals to a halt, and the small but deadly army of Dream Walkers gathered around their leader.
Aspen struggled to control her horse until Dylan whistled behind her. The beautiful white beast slowed down and then stopped. It turned its muzzle into his cupped palm as he pulled his horse next to hers. She watched it nibble the small piece of apple Dylan held, and he petted its head soothingly.
"That's a good baby," he murmured. While rubbing the horse's ears, he stared straight into her eyes, and her heart thumped in her chest.
Leeman spoke up again, and they all turned as one to give him their attention.
"Listen up, everyone. Stay together and Demothi will cloak us in case the Chancellors come out this far. We have to wait for Lavendula to finish before we can go any farther."
She watched her uncle with pride as he sat up on his horse, easily commanding the army of people around him. Long black hair was tied back from his face, and a heavy belt circled his hips. The Gimler hung innocently from it. There was no mistaking the weapon's power-she'd seen it in action firsthand-and she smiled as she thought about all the damage it could do.
Leeman looked strong and intimidating, and she loved the fact that he was related to her. Not having a father to protect her like her friends did was awful, but she knew that her uncle thought of her as his own child, and would do anything to make sure she was safe. That knowledge made her feel good.
"Once we reach the outskirts of the castle, we'll leave our horses with Princess Aspen and her followers. Then the Fire Walkers will start their distraction so that we can enter the castle. We're concentrating on the dungeons. I want to be in and out as soon as possible, no wandering anywhere else in the castle. Everyone must be out as soon as we are done with the dungeons, understood?"
The crowd murmured their agreement, and Leeman nodded his head before he turned his horse around. Demothi chanted and waved his wand in the air, and Aspen knew that they were safe from detection. The lavender sky cooled the air on her skin, and she sat back in the saddle and turned to face Dylan.
Ruby chose that moment to walk her horse through the group of animals and stop next to them.
"Hi, sweetie." She grinned and sidled up to Dylan. Tendrils of auburn hair had escaped her ponytail that was loosely tied, and they framed her pretty face. She was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Ruby." Dylan nodded his head at her.
"Are you having fun yet?" Her full lips curved into a smile, and she reached over to stroke the flank of Dylan's horse right next to his thigh.
It took all of Aspen's control not to smack her. Ruby was way too familiar with Dylan, and the way she spoke to him made Aspen want to scream.
Just as she was about to butt in, someone called her name.