Visioness

by Lincoln Law

  “Don’t apologise,” he replied, stroking her hair. “It’s not your fault. Besides, do you really think your father is going to scare me off? I care about you too much to let a serial killer frighten me.”

  Adabelle laughed. “Do you hear how silly you sound right now?”

  “I do,” he replied, rather matter-of-factly. “And I mean it. I will fight anyone who tries to keep me from you. I will destroy anyone who tries to hurt you or anything you care about. If this means I have to fight Lady Morphier and Therron at the same time in the Dream Frequencies, then so be it! Bring it on! I am ready to face them, for you!”

  “I’m not missing any of the action,” Adabelle said. “I’ll be fighting by your side, too.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Rhene said, smiling. Rhene seemed to hesitate on the verge of speaking, opening his mouth to speak and then closing it up once more. It took a minute longer for him to finally spit out what he needed to say. “It’s lovely that you’re telling me all this; really wonderful that you’re taking a chance to give me a little bit of clarity in amongst all this confusion, but Matthon is a powerful man. He’s not only strong in the Dream realms, but also in real life. He’s a powerful man, with a powerful position. If he wanted to run my life on a whim, he could. I’ve made a deal with him: not to tell anyone about his ability to Dream, and he’ll do the same. Can you imagine the wrath he would bring upon me if I let it slip that he was a Dreamer? The trouble I would put the entire Barracks into if the truth came out?”

  Adabelle nodded. “I can. But I’m here to protect you, and I will protect you in both this world and the other if it means I get to keep you safe.”

  Rhene’s expression was warm and loving. “I shouldn’t need to worry at all then,” he said.

  Later that day, Rhene brought Charlotte to the Dreamless Barracks to meet with her sister. He spent the morning collecting a fresh set of clothes for her, choosing a black skirt and a yellow shirt. “I like you in yellow,” he said, as he handed her the shirt. It was a pale lemon-coloured this time around, but it fit and the fabric was soft. It meant she was presentable when Charlotte arrived.

  When they met, Charlotte’s expression appeared confused for a time. Or rather, she was shocked at the sight of her sister, in this wrecked and ruined state. With washing, her hair, however short, had regained some of the lustre it had lost from the dirt and the weather. Yet it was still an uneven mess, chopped short in some places, longer strands clumped together in other places. She would have to get that fixed.

  “What happened to you, Adabelle?” asked Charlotte, shaking her head. Tears welled in her eyes, and then she ran at Adabelle, embracing her tightly. She sobbed into her arms. “I was so scared Therron had captured you! I was so very sure of it! But I knew you couldn’t be when the wanted posters appeared. I knew it! And I was right!”

  “I’m safe,” Adabelle replied. “I just needed to get away for a time, to protect you, and Rhene here.”

  Charlotte nodded, pulling away from the hug to look her sister up and down.

  “I can’t believe it’s you!” she said.

  “And I can’t believe it either,” she replied. “But it is and we’re here and you’re safe.” Her gaze moved from her sister to Rhene. “Thank you.”

  Rhene simply smiled.

  Adabelle and Charlotte sat on Rhene’s bed, and Charlotte explained the events after the fire at the University. She explained how they were taken from Town Hall to emergency accommodation. All classes at the University were naturally put on hold, the teachers informed that the semester would not resume until an appropriate learning environment was rebuilt. The University was not short of a coin, but Charlotte had learned from whispers that there were some issues with the insurance.

  “I’m assuming flaming Nhyx attacks aren’t on the list of things covered,” Charlotte mentioned jokingly. Adabelle laughed along with her.

  From there, she explained how she had been questioned by Detective Olin, and that Rhene had been caring for her, and that Professor Berne Oakley had personally taken it upon himself to make sure Charlotte was cared for.

  “He’s not Mrs. Abeth,” Charlotte said, “but he’s paying for my food and bought me some clothes I can wear. He got my burns fixed as well.” She lifted up her arm, revealing a path of scarred skin. “He’s been really good.”

  “But why has he been involved with you?” Adabelle asked. “Mrs. Abeth knew our mother, that’s why she did what she did. What does Professor Oakley have to do with anything.”

  “I don’t know,” Charlotte said, “but I don’t think we’re in a position to question it. He’s making sure I have a roof over my head and food in my belly, and that’s plenty for now. After our bank account was emptied, I went to the Chancellor of the University, and he passed the message around the faculties and they all pooled money together to make sure I was safe.” She turned to Adabelle here, looking excited. “They don’t think you’re guilty of anything, Adabelle. Professor Oakley has seen to that. They’ve all been educated about Therron and the Nhyxes. They know you’re innocent, and they will argue it till the bitter end. The police aren’t listening, but I’m happy that they think you’re innocent.”

  “So am I,” Adabelle said. She felt guilty enough having indirectly caused the fire, let alone that she’d been blamed.

  “Are we going to get our parent’s money back?” asked Charlotte.

  “I hope so,” Adabelle said. “I mean, our father’s agent—a tall, bald man with green eyes is all I have to go off—has withdrawn it under our father’s name. Aside from that, I have no idea where the money’s gone. I’ve taken it upon myself to keep an eye out for the bald man, though. I’ll begin that tomorrow while I have a spare moment. I can’t exactly go out wandering the streets, but I might be able to do some research, though I have no idea where to begin.”

  “I’ll help wherever I can,” Rhene chimed in. He was pulling on his Dreamless uniform now, arms thrusting through the coat sleeves. “I might not be much help, but Matthon knows an awful lot about Dreamer history. He might have connections somewhere.”

  “I’d really appreciate that, Rhene,” Adabelle said.

  “Looks like things might finally be looking up for us,” Charlotte said, her tone hopeful.

  “Don’t imagine the pot of gold before the nightmare starts,” Adabelle replied hesitantly, “but yes, I certainly hope it is myself.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Dreamless’ Betrayal

  It was only a short visit from Charlotte, given that it was dangerous to have her within the Barracks for too long. It was difficult enough apparently to sneak her in, let alone sneaking her back out again. Rhene did so successfully, though, returning to his room an hour later to find Adabelle sitting rather contentedly on his bed with a book to keep her busy.

  “Thank goodness you’re back,” she said, throwing the hardback tome aside. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming. The book was rather boring, really.”

  “Well I have to be careful,” Rhene replied, closing the door behind him. “The Dreamless Barracks are meant for no one else. Anyone else intrudes and our entire operation could be thrown out the window.”

  Adabelle took his hand. “Thank you for doing that.”

  “You can thank me by surviving this whole ordeal,” he replied, jokingly.

  She laughed. “So long as you promise to look after Charlotte regardless of what happens to me.”

  “I was already doing that before you returned,” he retorted.

  “I know,” she said, “but I need to be sure she’s in good hands. You are, in truth, the only other person in the world I’d trust with my sister. You and Professor Berne Oakley, it seems.”

  “Who is this professor? Is she nice?”

  “He,” Adabelle corrected, “and yes, he is. He’s the professor at the University who knows the most about Dreaming. I don’t think he’s a Dreamer himself—I mean, I’ve never seen him in the Frequencies�
�but he knows an awful lot. I know I can trust him.”

  “Do you think the Professor might have some information on this fellow who stole your money? He could be a good line of inquiry.”

  “It’s possible,” Adabelle replied, “but I doubt it. He’s more a theoretical kind of person. He doesn’t like to get involved; just study things from a safe distance. I might head down that track if your leader has no answers for us.” She glanced hopefully at Rhene. “At the very least, if Berne has no answers, we know he won’t hand me in. He thinks I’m innocent.”

  “And so long as someone thinks your innocent, we know we’re not entirely lost.”

  The thought of innocence reminded Adabelle of Therron. She had almost forgotten her entire exchange from the night before, given what had transpired afterwards. He swore to protect her, should the need arise, but only if she announced her guilt.

  She shook her head of the thought. That can be my last resort, she thought. I cannot let him win just yet. The second I do that is the second I am forced to release him.

  She wondered if when the time came would she be able to drag him out of the Dream with her, or whether his theories would be proved wrong and the both of them dragged into Oblivion. This line of inquisition then led to her pondering the possibilities of intentionally entering Oblivion. When faced with freeing Therron, or an eternity of nothing, would she have a choice?

  Is that one of those moments where I have no choice? she thought. Can I force my way into Oblivion? she wondered. She didn’t consider the matter any further. The amount of stupidity it would take to forcibly make one’s self suffer Oblivion was too immense for her to consider.

  No, she corrected herself. Not stupidity. Bravery! Facing eternity, one would have to step forward bravely. It was a bold person who faced a fate worse than death head on. It took an even brasher person to then step into it. Could I do that willingly? Could I be brave when the moment comes and act without hesitation? She imagined there would have been a struggle the second Therron knew her intention.

  Would there be a struggle? she wondered. Or would it be instantaneous? Would he know what I intended?

  If only she wasn’t a Sturding. If she were just a regular Dreamer, the rules would break and the Frequencies would compensate for the loss by deleting their existence. Permanent end. Oblivion.

  Aptly named, really.

  Through all these questions, of one thing she was certain: she was the one who would have to do this. No one else would suffer on her account. Rhene would offer, but Therron needed his own flesh and blood. Charlotte was the only other living family member, and she couldn’t Dream anyway.

  Would she be a Sturding, too, if she could Dream? she thought. All hypothetical questions. All pointless to consider in her present situation. For the time being, she dealt only with facts and knowledge; only then would she be able to solve this problem.

  “What is the plan for when Therron is gone?” asked Rhene.

  Lost in her thoughts, Adabelle didn’t hear him the first time. She had him repeat it, and then she fell silent as she considered him.

  “I don’t think it would be good luck to plan that far ahead,” Adabelle said, as she realised how realistic the possibility of Oblivion was. “Who knows what could happen between now and then.” It was like, in that moment, she made a wordless agreement with herself. If the moment came, when the choice was Oblivion or freedom for Therron, she would chose Oblivion. She would make that choice; no one else.

  I have to trust in myself to do this, she thought. No one else will suffer because of me.

  Adabelle spent most of her day in Rhene’s room, sneaking out on occasion to use the bathroom. She was brought more books to keep her company while she sat alone, and Rhene seemed quite happy to take requests. They weren’t particularly long days for him, but they were long enough that Adabelle got bored.

  He warned her a number of times to not enter the Dream Frequencies while within the Barracks, as Matthon kept an eye on that part of the world, and Rhene didn’t want to consider how he’d react to an intruder in the Barracks. He promised that her patience wouldn’t be for nothing, as he intended to question Matthon that day.

  Sure enough, Rhene returned from his day’s dealings with some answers he had gathered from Matthon.

  “So I was able to piece together that this bald man is a gentleman named Giles. Mr. Giles Corbine. Not a very nice man, from the looks of thing. He’s a lawyer, who often represents criminals. Judging from his background, he knows how to free them, too.”

  Adabelle had been hoping for a more positive result, but answers were answers.

  “Anything else?” she asked.

  “Well he worked with Therron in the very early days of his career. He worked out agreements for the land where the Halls of the Oen’Aerei were to be built. Apparently, he set it forth originally as a church of some kind. It was defined as a place of worship, which meant he was exempt from certain taxes and laws that would otherwise limit his building. I mean, a piece of land on the river front is hardly cheap. To then build a building with that sort of majesty is astounding.”

  “Our parents did have quite a sum of money,” Adabelle said. “I don’t think Charlotte and I would have lived as comfortably after their death otherwise.”

  “True, true,” Rhene replied. He dipped into his bag, pulling out a stack of papers.

  “How did you get all that without raising any eyebrows?” asked Adabelle.

  “I just said I wanted to do my research on people I would have to look out for when the battle finally arrived. He was quite happy to hear that.”

  Adabelle nodded in agreement.

  “Now once Therron was charged with a string of murders, Mr. Corbine represented him in court and despite all evidence to the contrary, he was found innocent. No other enquiry has been made into the murders or the trial, but somehow he was able to convince the jury he was innocent.”

  “I think I remember some of that,” Adabelle said, speaking partially to herself, partially to Rhene. “In fact…yes! I remember his face. I was only very young. Mama was pregnant with Charlotte. Only just, though. And then father disappeared for a while, and mama told me we wouldn’t see him again for a very long time.”

  “It says here,” Rhene interjected, “that your mother testified in court against your father. She was found innocent of any involvement from the beginning. Apparently your father swore she was innocent. He reassured them all that he wasn’t involved either, but regardless, he let your mother go.”

  He was proud of very few things, Adabelle thought, her heart chiming with the pain of the thought. But he did love his daughters. And I suppose, at some point, he had to have loved my mother. At some point. She paused. The thought sounded alien and inconceivable, and yet it was fact.

  “Then your mother was put in the care of the University.”

  “Wait,” Adabelle interrupted, “how is it allowed to say that. Surely these are classified court documents.”

  “After so many years, they’re released,” Rhene said. “That’s how Matthon had so much information. He seemed to be a rather big collector of information on your family. Your father especially.”

  “Obviously,” Adabelle said. “My father was the most dangerous Somnetist of the modern age. I don’t doubt for a second he has a lot of information.”

  “From the University, your mother then disappeared after your father was found innocent. The trial was quick and over after only a few weeks. A record for the Odilla court in finding someone innocent of murder. It doesn’t say what happened in these intervening weeks.”

  Adabelle paused. Images came rushing back to her. Scents and tastes and sights and sounds. A sensory barrage of memories.

  “My father took my mother away,” she said. “He left me in the care of Mrs. Abeth at the University. He took my mother, still pregnant, away for a while. I remember her coming back—her stomach was so much larger! It must have been weeks of her being away! Months! She said we ha
d to run away for a while. I remember, we stayed somewhere private. And then Therron came after us again. He chased mother through the Dreams, and from there I lived at the University.”

  It seemed so odd to remember all this now. She thought of Mrs. Abeth’s words, on the beauty of the human mind. She remembered how it could lock away things and release them. At that moment, she was beginning to understand the beauty of it all.

  “My father must have placed the mind lock on Charlotte’s mind just after birth then.”

  “It does say your father was eventually caught and sealed away by the Oen’Aerei. It continues to speak of the Oen’Aerei from there. How they became an army for a short time—so they do have the capacity for war—and how they became a service and a school for Dreamers who wished to learn.” He looked up from his notes. “Now it’s basically accepted that anyone who can Dream must enter those halls.”

  “Now, now,” Adabelle tutted, wagging a finger, “that’s now completely true, is it? Look at us.”

  “Well, Yes,” Rhene said frankly, “but in our defence, you’re father built that place, and I’m part of the army that intends to tear it down.”

  “He’s not my father,” Adabelle said, more defensively than she had intended to.

  “He is your father. It has your family tree right here.” He held up a sheet filled with names and lines. A quick glance at it and she saw all those that had died because of her father. Nynette. Larraine. Charlotte’s name was there, and while she hadn’t died—and won’t die, she added—she had still been touched by his dark powers.

  “No, not any more. A father loves his daughters and protects them. He doesn’t put mindlocks to hide secrets or kill close family. He is not my father. Not even a little bit.”

  Rhene had nothing to say in response to that. He simply nodded, accepting the answer without question.

  “As far as my family history is concerned, my mother dreamed me up one day and then pulled me from the Dream and that was the end of it. Same with Charlotte. This man…this monster that’s chasing us. He’s not my father. He’s a fiend and a beast and a devil.”