Aspen and the Dream Walkers

  Chapter 22

  Dungeons and Castles

  "Aspen!" Leeman angled his horse toward her. As he neared, she overheard Ruby's last sentence.

  "Why are you playing with her, Dylan? Seriously! She's a Halfling." Ruby pouted her bow-shaped mouth and shook her head.

  Dylan's silence was heartbreaking. It was impossible for Aspen to hide the hurt in her eyes, and she refused to look at Dylan. All she could think of was that he hadn't defended her. Did he need to, though? Was Ruby insulting her?

  "Come with me, Princess. Demothi wants to show you how to hide the horses when we leave." Leeman grabbed her bridle and pulled her horse toward his, and she had no choice but to follow.

  As she left, she saw Caden on his dappled horse. His lips were narrowed in a thin line as he glared at Ruby, but Aspen was too upset to give it more thought.

  Wiping her reddened eyes, she tried to process what she'd just heard. Did Dylan think less of her for being a Halfling? What did it matter if her mother wasn't a Dream Walker? She was a princess-surely that counted for something? Why didn't he stand up for her? Did he think she was inferior too?

  "Aspen, are you listening to me?"

  She jerked as her uncle tried to get her attention. This wasn't the time for tears, and she straightened her back in the saddle. Demothi sat on a pure white horse right in front of her. It was the same size as Leeman's, but was so much scarier. This beast had angry eyes that blazed as it snorted and shook its massive head, definitely warning her not to get too close.

  "Demothi needs you to help us," Leeman said.

  "Of course, I'm sorry. What can I do?"

  "Take this." Demothi leaned forward in the saddle, holding out a smooth black wand.

  Aspen looked nervously at the diminutive man. His face was wrinkled, and his eyes were as dark as the night. Taking the shiny stick from him, she jerked as raw power latched onto her hand. Her palm felt like it had been clamped in the jaws of a powerful dog that hadn't bitten, but was waiting for the slightest move to do so. She couldn't drop the wand even if she tried.

  Demothi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "I knew she'd be able to hold it." He beamed at her. "Her bloodline is royal. Only royalty can handle the magic the wand contains."

  Leeman seemed to be pleased, and she smiled weakly back at him.

  "We have a spell to call the wild horses of Arcadia. They are bound to the wand, and will be released and returned after chanting magical words," Demothi continued. "When we get outside the castle, I'll give you the wand and tell you which words to say to return the horses to Arcadia. As soon as we are ready to leave, you can summon them for us."

  "Why can't you do it?" she asked. The wand gripped her hand tightly.

  Leeman stared carefully at her, as if taking her measure. "If we have a problem and can't get out, I'll need you to be prepared to summon the horses and get our people away as fast as possible. We'll be too close to the castle for the cloaking spell to work."

  Although his meaning was clear, she reminded herself again that this wasn't the time to worry about his safety, and she sat up with the wand raised in the air.

  "You'll be coming back, I don't doubt that at all, but I'll learn how to do the spell just in case." Aspen sat ramrod straight in the saddle and smiled at her uncle.

  "Good girl, keep the wand in this pouch. Demothi has given you his spare. It's a bit difficult to hold for too long," he said with a grin.

  She sighed with relief as she took the slim pouch and slid the wand safely into it. "That was intense."

  Ginny and Sandy trotted up to her on their beautiful white horses. Her uncle nudged his horse and left with Demothi after he'd given her hand a squeeze, and she turned in the saddle to face her friends. They were both dressed in black jeans and long-sleeved sweatshirts. Sandy wore her trademark bangles, and they tinkled softly with each movement of her arm.

  "Well, Ruby is in top form today." Ginny chuckled. "When she wants someone, she pulls out all the stops."

  Aspen turned back to look at Dylan, and her face crumpled as she saw Ruby's crimson fingernails wrapped around his bicep.

  "Ginny, shut up." Sandy's eyes were as sharp as daggers as she glared at her sister.

  "What? What did I say?" Ginny lifted her palms in the air.

  "It's okay. I think Dylan's the only one who doesn't know that I like him by now." A forlorn smile crossed Aspen's mouth.

  "Honey, she wasn't talking about Dylan. Besides, he's stupid if he can't see what he's got in you." Sandy rubbed her shoulder soothingly. "He should have realized you liked him when you told him he makes you feel good."

  A ghost of a smile reached Aspen's lips.

  "Cheer up, girl," Sandy said. "There are plenty of ways to make him notice you. You don't need to worry about Ruby. She's flirting like that to make Caden jealous." Both of them turned to look at Dylan and Ruby again.

  "Caden? The good-looking Water Walker? Why would she do that?"

  "It's a long story, and I'll save it for another day. We're going to fight the Chancellors now and I need you to focus. Think you can do that?" With a smile, Sandy reached out to touch Aspen's chin.

  She exhaled. "You're right, time for payback."

  Within a few minutes, the sky had lightened enough for the group to continue. Aspen ignored Dylan and rode alongside her friends for the next forty-five minutes.

  Parts of the castle became visible through a break in the tree line as they neared their destination. Circular towers constructed of white brick with black conical spires reached out to the sky. They were so tall that small clouds touched their black tips. She wondered how they would they ever find any Dream Walkers in such a huge complex.

  Leeman motioned for the riders to halt and gather around him. Horses snorted and flicked their heads as they tried to still their heaving flanks.

  "Listen up. Power Walkers, leave your rides here. The Fire Walkers need to create a diversion as soon as Lavendula starts." He pointed to the left. "I need you to operate from that side. Come back as soon as Lavendula ends. We'll be leaving as quickly as we can."

  There was no doubt that Aspen's uncle was ready for a fight, and his hands gestured wildly as his silver eyes sparked with excitement.

  "We'll be going on foot as soon as Lemona ends, so good luck, everyone. Fire Walkers, take up your positions now."

  The group split up. Aspen watched Ruby wave at Dylan as her team trotted behind her. Caden followed Ruby, and Aspen had to admit that he didn't look too pleased. Ray looked embarrassed but smiled at her as he left behind his sister.

  After they had left, Leeman commanded the team again. "You can dismount now."

  Everyone sprang from their horses and removed the items they needed from their saddlebags.

  Aspen was about to dismount when Dylan held out his hands to help her down. Her heart skipped a beat. He had such a handsome face, with his windswept hair and glittering blue eyes. The look he gave her was different from any she'd seen before. It was heated and raw, and it made her stomach flip nervously.

  No, she wasn't going to give in to him. He hadn't defended her when Ruby called her a Halfling, and she couldn't forgive him for that. She ignored his hand and slid from the big animal as quickly as she could. Without looking at him, she marched over to Demothi and withdrew the wand from the pouch.

  "I'm ready, Demothi. Show me how to use your magic." The aching bite of power in the wand made her shudder as it gripped her firmly.

  Demothi raised rheumy eyes to watch her, and the lines around his mouth crinkled as he began to chant. "Sun ka wa kan iyaya, sun ka wa kan iyaya. Say it with me."

  She chanted in time with the old man, "Sun ka wa kan iyaya, sun ka wa kan iyaya." The short stick waved from left to right, and power was absorbed from her fingers into the wand in a body-shaking rush that left her feeling slightly dizzy.

  Within seconds, the horses of Arcadia disappeared. Aspen stared openmouthed around her. Warriors crept forward with Leeman, not worried that the huge ani
mals had left their presence. They'd probably witnessed this before but it was novel for her, and she blinked her eyes to make sure it wasn't a dream.

  "You need to say 'Sun ka wa kan hiyu' in order for them to return," Demothi added.

  "Sun ka wa kan hiyu?" she repeated.

  "Yes, take this paper. I've written the words down for you in case you don't remember." He pressed a small note into her hands.

  "Thank you, and good luck. Please be careful and look after my uncle." Her eyes welled up with tears.

  Demothi hugged her against his chest. "Don't worry, I'll look after him with my life," he promised. Once the old man had released her, he walked toward the rest of the team.

  After everyone had left, Aspen wiped her eyes and looked around to study the area. Leeman had chosen a perfect spot amongst a large grouping of trees. A few boulders were scattered here and there, and she could barely see the walls of the castle through the thick foliage.

  The three girls and Dylan were the only ones left behind. As the sky changed, the air cooled rapidly, and Dylan called out to her.

  "Aspen, come back here-we need to hide behind the boulders. It's not safe where we are. The Chancellors outnumber us, and I don't want to take any chances."

  Although she wanted to ignore him, a huge explosion rocked the ground, and she scrambled to his side.

  Shouts and screams echoed in the distance, and Aspen stood as close as she could to Dylan without touching him. He laced his fingers through hers and smiled encouragingly at her. The warmth of his power snaked up her arm and rushed through her body, calming and exciting her at the same time.

  When Sandy grinned at her knowingly, Aspen blushed and tried to release her fingers, but he wouldn't let go and only firmed his grip.

  The sky lit up with a stream of fireworks and the ground shook again. Magic was definitely being used. Only Demothi could create such an elaborate display.

  "I wonder what's happening?" Ginny asked. She clutched her sister's arm and peered around a boulder. Her thick blond hair hung forward over her shoulder as she tried to see through the trees. The smell of smoke reached their nostrils, and Aspen wondered how Ray and Ruby were. Clearly, they'd started a fire, and the distraction was working.

  "Wait here," Dylan said. "I'm going to climb that tree to see what's going on."

  As soon as Dylan released her hand, she missed his warmth and wished he would come back again. He picked a thick trunk and swiftly climbed to the highest large branch.

  Glancing at his retreating figure, she stepped out from the safety of the boulder and watched nervously to make sure he didn't fall. This is stupid, she thought. He could do that power thing with his hands if he needed to save himself.

  Just as she was about to move back, a Chancellor appeared in front of her. He was so close that his empty black eyes and pale skin made her panic, and she was glued to the spot. Suddenly a blast of power hit him and she screamed. Dylan had aimed from the tree, and the Chancellor's skin shriveled in front of her. The ball of power seemed to consume him until all that was left was a pile of ashes that smoldered on the ground.

  Aspen was too shocked to move. The ground shook as she stared at the remains of her enemy, and she screamed again as a huge arm lifted her from the ground. A band of steel wrapped around her waist, and she turned frightened eyes toward the creature that had her in its grip. One look at her captor made her scream even louder. A grotesque monster with yellow fangs and a huge horn centered between narrow eyes had lifted her in its clawed hand. Saliva dripped from its open mouth and a scarlet tongue flicked around its lips in anticipation.

  Dylan shouted at her, "Use your power. Shoot him!" He'd climbed down from the tree and stood below her, firing power balls in quick succession at the huge beast.

  Ginny and Sandy joined him on the ground. They aimed their blasts at the monster, but its scaly skin repelled their attack. The creature held one of her arms in his hand and tried to rip it from her body. Pain exploded in her chest, and she screeched like a banshee.

  "Shoot the thing. Kill it!" Dylan screamed at her and used a power stream to fly up to the giant's face. Blue electricity trailed in a thick current between the ground and his hand.

  If she didn't do something quickly, she would die. The monster wanted to kill her. Even though the pain was excruciating, she concentrated hard and blasted it with all the power she possessed.

  Dylan aimed a ball of electricity at the huge horn in the center of the monster's forehead, and Ginny and Sandy aimed at the beast's knees.

  The combined power was too much for the creature, and its thick skin shriveled in the same way as the Chancellor's had. Just as she was about to hit the ground, Dylan scooped her up and clutched her to his chest with one hand. He lowered the two of them to the ground.

  The monster's body dissolved into a massive pile of ash that fell to the earth with a loud plop.

  Aspen sobbed as they reached the ground. Her arm felt as if it had already been torn off. Dylan hugged her to his body and knelt on the ground. Smoke surrounded them in thick clouds, and Sandy and Ginny raced to her side.

  "Are you okay? Talk to me! Are you all right?" Sandy tried frantically to speak to her, but Aspen's head spun and black spots flashed behind her eyelids.

  "Where's her dream catcher?" Dylan shouted at Sandy. "Mine's next to the tree, get it quickly so I can heal her." As he spoke, the sky changed around them.

  "Thank goodness it's Lemona. The others will come back now." Sandy retrieved his dream catcher from the ground and ran back to give it to him. Apparently he'd broken its cord in his haste to leave the tree. The two girls searched the area for Aspen's dream catcher. Her charm had been ripped from her neck in the attack and was nowhere to be seen.

  As Dylan held on to the necklace, power spread over her body. Her tissue knitted quickly and her bones popped back into place. The charm glowed brightly and heat covered her limbs. Carefully, he held her head against his chest and rested her body on the ground. There wasn't enough energy in her arms to hold his hand, and she lay back listlessly in his embrace. She was as weak as a kitten and wondered why his dream catcher hadn't healed her completely.

  "I hear the soldiers. They're on their way back." Ginny jumped up and ran toward the edge of the trees. The fire had spread and smoke was already clouding the air around them. The undergrowth crackled as the hungry flames approached them.

  "Can you call the horses, baby?" Dylan whispered against Aspen's cheek. He hugged her tightly, and the glow of the necklace and the rush of power his touch always produced made her feel so much better. With a nod of her head, she used her good hand to reach for the wand that protruded from her jeans pocket. Sandy and Ginny jumped behind her.

  The wand bit into her hand and she grimaced as it drained the small amount of power she'd regained. After murmuring the words of the spell, she waved the wand from side to side.

  Within seconds, the powerful white horses of Arcadia leaped in front of her and thundered on the ground, away from the wand and those behind her.

  Voices came from the bushes, and she struggled to see through the black smoke. Dylan allowed her to turn her head against his chest so she could watch the Power Walkers as they made their way back.

  The large figure of her uncle appeared through the trees, but he was dragging someone with him. A tall, thin man clung to him, and Leeman held on with an arm around his waist and a hand on his shoulder. The man was obviously weak and very bedraggled.

  Aspen wondered if her uncle had actually found a prisoner. Even though she wanted to get up and greet her uncle, a wave of dizziness swamped her. Her eyes fluttered shut and she slumped into unconsciousness in Dylan's arms.