Dreamthief

by Tamara Grantham

Thirty

  The waves crashed behind us, though I barely heard the sound over my pounding heart. “We have to go back to Faythander,” I told Kull.

  “Are you sure of this?”

  “Yes. I have to find my father. If he’s behind my godson’s abduction, I have to confront him.” My stomach knotted at the thought of confronting my father. He would defeat me. His powers exceeded my own by a long shot. No way would I beat him. But I could try.

  I strapped on my backpack with the dream catcher inside. My mirror case sat on the sand, and I picked it up. My reflection stared back at me, looking more worried than I’d realized. I snapped it shut.

  Kull rested his hand on my shoulder. “If your father has betrayed you, then you shall not confront him alone.”

  I looked up at him. His eyes matched the ocean, not just in color, but in intensity. Knowing I’d have a Wult warrior at my side made me calm down a little. “Thank you.”

  He nodded. We stood there with the sound of the ocean surrounding us. I couldn’t pull my gaze from his. I wanted him to kiss me again. Was it a fluke that his first kiss had been so passionate? Or would it happen again?

  Do I really want to know?

  “Last night—” he started.

  “No.”

  His gaze deepened. “You refuse to accept the truth?”

  “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

  I moved toward the sea wall. He grabbed my hand. He had no idea how much this hurt. I needed someone to be close to. It wasn’t fair that I had to live my life alone. He had no right to tease me this way. I tried to pull away, but he pulled me closer.

  “If you will not discuss last night, then you must discuss how you intend to confront your father.”

  “Why?”

  “You must be prepared to face him. Confronting one’s kin is never as easy as it seems.”

  “I’ll do what I must.”

  “How?”

  He was starting to frustrate me. “I’ll decide when I get there.”

  “It will not be easy.”

  “You’ve mentioned it.” I tried to pull away. He pulled me closer.

  “Kull, stop,” I said, but I made no effort to move away.

  “You cannot continue to suppress your emotions.”

  “I’m not suppressing anything.”

  “You are lying.”

  I tried to argue, but my brain wouldn’t come up with a good rebuttal, probably because Kull was right. A hard knot formed in my throat. I felt tears trying to form. This was the very reason I hated dealing with emotions.

  He pulled me closer. I resisted at first, but finally, I let him hold me against his chest. The steady beat of his heart calmed me. A part of me realized this was worse than a kiss. If he’d kissed me, I could have rationalized that he only wanted me for sex. But he didn’t make a move, which meant he thought of me as more than an object. I was someone he cared about. It was just my luck that he’d forget it all in the next half hour.

  When he released me, I turned away from him and headed off the beach. He trailed me, not speaking, until we reached my apartment. We gathered our things in silence. My hands shook as I opened my mirror. I hesitated before pressing my hand to the glass.

  “The trip back will be worse than the trip over here,” I warned him. “Memory loss can be a huge stress to the brain.”

  “I am prepared.”

  “You’re prepared to forget everything?” I asked, not meeting his gaze.

  “Olive, whether in Earth Kingdom or on Faythander, I am still the same person. That will not change.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He smiled. “The crossing can only affect our memories. It cannot erase our emotions.”

  It was true. If that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have any clients. “I guess you’re right.”

  He caressed my cheek with his thumb in a slow, gentle motion. “You’re worrying too much.”

  I sighed. Maybe I was worrying too much. He’d still feel the same about me, even if he couldn’t remember everything. “I guess you’re right.”

  He nodded. “Should we return?”

  “Okay,” I said, pressing my fingertips to the glass. “Whenever you’re ready.”

  He stood close, the warmth from his body like a comforting blanket.

  He’ll still be the same person. Don’t worry so much.

  Trying to concentrate on the magic, I closed my eyes, pressed my palm to the glass, and let the spell escape my lips. The floor fell away as we crossed into Faythander.

  The wind howled through my ears. Bright spots appeared in my retinas. Raindrops splashed my face as we entered the dragon’s forest. Opening my eyes, I felt the world spin around me. I steadied my breathing. The dizziness subsided a tiny bit, so I took in my surroundings.

  Mushrooms as tall as houses sprouted around us. To me, this place felt the most magical in Faythander, though today, with the gray sky and soggy ground, it felt less so.

  Kull stumbled. I grabbed his arm, and we ran to the nearest mushroom. We crouched beneath its broad dome as water streamed off the edges. I crossed my arms, though the dampness kept me chilled.

  Kull sat beside me. His face paled. He caught his head between his hands, breathing heavily. I knew the crossing hadn’t been easy for him. Loss of memory was only one side effect. I sat next to him. After a few minutes, his breathing evened out.

  He looked up, and then rounded, as if searching. “Where is my dinosaur trophy?”

  Here we go.

  “We agreed not to get it. I know you don’t remember, but you left it for good reason. My godson is in more trouble than we realized.”

  “I agreed to this?”

  “You did.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “How do I know you aren’t lying?”

  “I guess you don’t.”

  “I wouldn’t have left without the skeleton. It makes no sense. We bargained. I never relent on bargains.”

  “This time you did.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “A lot happened while we were there. My godson may die soon.” Saying it out loud was harder than I realized. “We’re still looking for Mr. Green, whoever he is. And I spellcasted the dream catcher.”

  “Did you find its creator?”

  “I did,” I answered after a pause. “I’m paying a visit to my father,” I said quietly.

  “Then the elves are involved?”

  “It looks that way.”

  “Is it possible they attacked our light-rail’s carriage?”

  “It’s likely. But I don’t think my father was involved.” He couldn’t have been.

  Kull didn’t answer. Perhaps he didn’t want to offend me, but I knew he thought the same thing I did. My father had planned the attack on the carriage. He’d planted the dream catcher for us to find. He’d orchestrated the attack after we’d left the tombs. He was working with the goblins and the Dreamthief. He knew of my powers. He knew I was a threat.

  I still didn’t know what his motivations were, but I would find out. Heaven help me, I would find out.

  “How do you plan to travel to Lauressa?” he asked me.

  I pulled out my mirror and found the dragon statue. The figurine warmed as I called the magic inside. I whispered the spell that would summon Fan’twar and then replaced the statue. “Same way I always do. Having a dragon for a stepfather comes in handy. I only hope he’s still here. He meant to travel to the outer islands. I pray he hasn’t yet.”

  Kull nodded, his face drawn.

  “I’m sure he’ll let you ride, too.”

  Another nod. The steady pelting of rain broke up the uneasy silence.

  “A dragon’s head would have been worth more than my entire collection combined. It makes no sense that I would have left it.”

  Would he ever shut up about the thing? I wanted the old Kull back, the one I’d discovered on Earth. We’d grown close there, and now that we were back, I was stuck with stick-up-his-ass Kull. />
  “Is that the only reason you wanted it? Because it’s worth a lot?”

  “More than my entire collection—why can’t you understand this? Did you spellcast me to make me leave it behind?”

  “Do you hear yourself? Why would I do such a thing?”

  “It is the only conclusion that makes sense.”

  “Doesn’t it make sense that you placed more value on our friendship than that skeleton?”

  I hoped that would shut him up. It didn’t.

  “You gave me your word. I escorted you to the tombs at great risk to my own life.”

  “I know. And I appreciate your efforts.”

  “We must return to Earth Kingdom.”

  “That’s out of the question.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  The rain slowed. Droplets fell from the mushroom’s edge and plopped into puddles. I watched the rippling water. Anger boiled inside me. I crossed my arms, wishing my stepfather would show up soon.

  What had I ever seen in Kull, anyway? He was a spoiled Wult prince who loved money and violence more than anything else. I realized what I’d seen in him earlier had all been a delusion. I saw what I’d wanted and not what was truly there.

  “Do you refuse to go back?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I answered after a pause.

  “You will not fulfill your bargain?”

  “I won’t.”

  He peered ahead, his jaw flexed. He didn’t give me a reply. He stood and walked away, leaving me alone.

  I should have been more upset. I wasn’t. After the sun broke through the clouds, I walked to the edge of the cliff. Damp grass squished underfoot. I found a rock to perch on.

  Kull never returned. I didn’t expect him to. After half an hour, I assumed he must’ve found his own way back to Lauressa.

  I thought about how gentle he’d seemed when he’d kissed me. I debated on apologizing for not getting his stupid skeleton but decided against it. I’d done nothing wrong.

  The last time, I reminded myself. I would never take him to Earth again. He could retrieve his own dead dinosaurs from now on.

  Sitting alone, I realized I should have been weepy and depressed and feeling sorry for myself. Instead, I felt relieved. I should have parted ways with Kull a long time ago.

  Albert spoke up and told me I was not dealing with my feelings in an appropriate manner. Sooner or later, I would crack. That gaping hole in the pit of my stomach was proof.

  Blue sky peeked through the clouds. The beating of giant wings sounded in the distance. Only one creature could make that much noise.

  The sky king loomed overhead, his golden scales glittering in the stray sunbeams. He landed with a thump and shook his head, spraying me with raindrops.

  “You’re worse than a dog,” I said as I stood.

  “Flying in the rain is an uncomfortable business, young one.”

  I walked toward his massive head rimmed in a crown of sharp horns. With his spiked tail and clawed feet, the sky king should have struck fear into me. Instead, I went to him and hugged his neck as tight as I could.

  “I’m glad you’re still here,” I said, trying to keep him from hearing my voice crack. He was the only creature left who cared. Everyone else was gone.

  A claw gently stroked my back. “I could not leave for the outer islands just yet. Are you upset about something?”

  I pulled away. “About silly things, mostly. Can you fly me to the elven capitol?”

  “For what reason?”

  “I need to speak with my father. I found a dream catcher in the Wult tombs. It was tainted with dark magic. When I performed the spellcasting, I found its creator. My father.”

  Fan’twar didn’t answer for a moment. “I see.”

  I almost heard the gears in his head clicking. “Then I will fly you to Lauressa. This news is troubling. I will confront him immediately.”

  “No.” I’d already thought of this. I couldn’t let him get me out of this one.

  He eyed me.

  “If you kill him, the elves will see it as an act of war. They are already on the brink of war as it is. You will lose their good graces should you confront my father.”

  “You do not see this as I do, young one. It is my place to confront him.”

  “Not anymore.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You wish to challenge him alone?”

  “If he kills me, the elves won’t care. If I kill him, they’ll be mad at me, not at you. I know this is the best way. Please, let me confront him alone.”

  The sky king seemed to mull it over. “His powers are far stronger than yours. I do not think this is wise.”

  “But it’s the only way.”

  He knew I was right. He knew I had to do this alone. The existence of peace in Faythander depended on it. “I will allow you to confront him,” he conceded. “But do not forget that peace is always preferable to war. Do not forget what I have taught you.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

  I grabbed one of his spines, then climbed onto his back and scooted in between two colossal spikes. Fan’twar beat his wings several times. Leaves spiraled into the air as he dove off the cliff. My knuckles turned white as I clenched his spike. The world spun.

  The sunlight invigorated me. Rolling green hills spread before us. Fan’twar flapped his massive wings until he gained altitude. We soared into the clouds.

  I glanced back at the dragon’s forest, wondering if Kull had found his way out. I pushed my worries aside. He was a big boy. He could handle himself.

  The landscape changed. Jagged mountains replaced rolling hills. Snow capped the peaks. Wind whooshed through my ears. Inhaling the fresh air, I realized I could stay up here forever. It was so far away from Earth, or any kingdom for that matter. So far away from politics or people who wished to kill me. Or people that I wished to avoid.

  We arrived at the elf kingdom much sooner than I wanted, though we’d spent half the day flying. Lauressa’s giant spires rose into the sky. Fan’twar circled the city several times. He settled on a landing spot near the fortress’ outskirts.

  I recognized my father’s chambers. Tall, arched pillars surrounded a circular building made of a sandstone-type material. Gold particles had been added to the mixture, giving the structure a glittery luster.

  My father’s chambers weren’t far from the main palace. I wondered if Kull had made it back yet. If he’d taken the light-rails, it was a possibility. I would avoid the main palace at all costs, though paying a visit to my dad didn’t seem much more appealing.

  A knot formed in my stomach. Even on a good day, I dreaded seeing my father. Now I would have to confront him.

  I slid off Fan’twar’s back and landed on the ground. I hugged him tight, feeling his smooth scales under my fingers.

  “Will you reconsider?” he asked me.

  “You know I can’t.”

  He let out a snort. “You are strong, Olive. Someday soon, I predict your powers will exceed my own. Until then, you must take care. Remember what I have taught you. It is no coincidence that I am your guardian.”

  “I’ll remember.”

  He nodded. “My journey begins now. I have not heard from the wild dragons on the outer islands, even when I used the spellcasting to contact them. I fear the danger there is worse than we imagine.”

  “Do you think it’s the Regaymor attacking them?”

  “I am almost certain of it. The Regaymor are attracted to places of power. I fear they are not only infiltrating the goblin lands, but the outer islands as well. The Regaymor must not be allowed to capture the magic. I fear to leave you alone, but I know of no other way.”

  “I can take care of myself, Fan’twar.”

  His smile looked strained. “You have grown into a great practitioner. Still, you must be cautious. The Regaymor are not easily destroyed—if they can be destroyed at all.”

  “But what are they? Where do they come from?”

  “I have not been able to discer
n that. I feel as though their magic clouds even mine. None of my spellcastings have given me any clue as to their identity.”

  “Very strange.”

  “Yes. I hope my quest will reveal some answers to our questions. Take care, young one. I will return as soon as I can.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “Very well.” Without another word, he gave his wings several massive flaps and then leapt into the air. He disappeared over the towering parapets and into the sky. I watched him go, feeling my stomach sink. I knew he cared for me, but I wished he didn’t have to leave. I felt safer with him watching over me. Yet, even as a child, the sky king had given me more freedom than I should’ve had. He trained me through his example. He had a strange understanding of protecting me. Perhaps it was because he was dragon and I was human. Dragons cared for their young, but they didn’t constantly watch over them as a human would have. Still, unlike most beings I dealt with lately, I knew he loved me.

  The path to my father’s chambers wound through a small elven grove. Trees that reminded me of cypresses grew along the path, their dark, mossy foliage moving with grace in the gentle breeze.

  My footsteps sounded unusually loud on the gravel path. A clammy sweat broke out over my body. I thought about what I would say to my father when I saw him. Hey, Dad, I hear you’re casting evil spells and you may be trying to kill me. Anything else new?

  The wind rustled the mossy leaves, making a soft sighing sound. My heart clattered in my chest. As a child, I’d never suspected my father had wanted me dead. He’d been cold and distant, but I wouldn’t have thought him capable of murder.

  I reached the door. Gold leafing overlaid a smooth-grained wood. I knocked and waited.

  It opened sooner than I would have liked.

  My father stared at me. I’d expected a servant to answer. Last time, it had taken an act of the Almighty just to see him, so I wasn’t prepared to meet him so soon. I guess the shock must’ve shown on my face.

  “Olive?”

  “Hi.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  I wanted to bolt. I didn’t want this conversation. But if I ever wanted to see Jeremiah again, I knew I had to stay. The dream catcher sat in my backpack. I decided now would be a good time to pull it out.

  I unzipped it, grabbed my handkerchief, and carefully lifted the talisman out. “I came to ask you about this.”

  He knitted his eyebrows, glanced outside as if searching for someone, and then ushered me in.

  His home hadn’t changed much. It was built in the typical elven style with arched windows and doorways, overly embellished pillars, floors made of differing patterns of wood that wove together to create a tapestry. I still had trouble walking on them. I felt as if I were disturbing a work of art.

  The furniture wasn’t built for comfort. Every piece was carved and inlaid with gold or pearls, yet arranged to create the most efficiency of space.

  Bookshelves lined the walls, though I didn’t see a single tome out of place. Even though Mom and Dad lived worlds apart, I could see their attraction to one another. They were both too OCD for their own good. I should’ve counted my blessings not to have been raised by them.

  The door banged shut, and my father rounded on me. “Where did you get that?” He never displayed emotion, except now. His face looked livid, though he spoke with calm calculation.

  “I found it in the Wult tombs. Any ideas how it got there?”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did you touch it?”

  “Yes,” I answered.

  He collapsed onto one of the chairs. I sat across from him and replaced the dream catcher. Even with the handkerchief, I still felt its taint.

  I gave him a moment. Honestly, I’d never seen him so shaken up.

  “I’m sorry,” he finally said.

  He was sorry? This came unexpectedly. “Did you intend for me to find it?”

  He shook his head.

  I didn’t believe him. “Yet you knew where I was going. You were the spellcaster who created it—”

  “Yes,” he said, cutting me off.

  “But why would you create such a thing?”

  He shut his eyes. I saw the tiny wrinkles in his skin. He seemed older, more careworn.

  “Daddy, why?” I hadn’t called him Daddy since I was five. That came out of nowhere. The familiar sound of an elven clock came from somewhere, its tick-tock musical and airy, like the pings of a bell.

  “That talisman was meant for someone else,” he finally said. “I suspect I’ve been misled.”

  “It was meant for whom?”

  “For a person of great danger, a threat to all of Faythander.”

  “Does this person have a name?”

  He hesitated. “I dare not speak it. You shouldn’t be involved in this. I had hoped to protect you. I am sorry.”

  “You don’t have to apologize.”

  “But I feel I must. There are powers in Faythander that are greater than anything you’ve been taught about. They are kept hidden for a reason. Years ago, I discovered one of these powers deep within a cave. I harnessed it. I’d meant to use it for good, but magic is like clay—it is neither good nor evil, but can be molded into whatever shape you please.”

  “You made it evil?”

  “No, I was hired to make it a force for destruction. But you must understand, I was led to believe that this talisman would destroy a very evil being. I gave it shape and purpose; those who came after me tainted it.”

  I wasn’t sure if I believed him. He made it sound as if he were innocent, yet he couldn’t be that naïve. The guy was old enough to be my great-great grandfather, and with his age came centuries of wisdom. I wasn’t buying it. “So, you’re saying you had nothing to do with putting this thing in the tombs?”

  He shook his head.

  “Then how did it get there?”

  “I do not know.”

  “Then who did you sell the dream catcher to?”

  “It was a young girl from Earth Kingdom, though she worked for someone else.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “I was never given a name.”

  Awfully convenient. He claimed to have harnessed one of the most powerful magics on Faythander, one more dangerous than I could possibly imagine, and he sold it to someone who wouldn’t bother to give his name. Smooth, Dad.

  “The girl that you sold it to—what did she look like?”

  “Very thin, dark skin. She seemed quite nervous, though I never knew about what.”

  My heart sank. Sissy.

  I should have known. I remembered the first time I’d pulled out my magic case in front of her. She hadn’t flinched when I’d opened the mirror, and now I knew why. She’d seen Faythander magic before. It was nothing new to her. But why had she been in Faythander buying powerful talismans?

  “Father, I don’t understand, why did you sell it to her—surely you knew how dangerous that kind of power was in the wrong hands?”

  “Of course, but I had no choice.”

  “Why?”

  “I would rather not say. There are forces—”

  “Forces of evil, yes, I get it. But I’m already involved. I’ve been attacked multiple times by various evil, nasty creatures. I’ve traveled my world and yours looking for the villain responsible for kidnapping my godson. The goblins are involved. I suspect they’re trying to summon Theht.”

  His eyebrows shot up.

  “So please, be honest with me. Why did you sell the dream catcher to my godson’s sister?”

  He threaded his fingers together. A dark look crossed his face. In his eyes, I saw fear.