by Kim Stokely
Another snake grabbed onto my wrist, preventing me from freeing the monster inside my body.
“Alystrine!”
It was my mother’s voice. I was dreaming. The nightmares the Black Guards had forced into my mind had followed me through the passage. I knew it, but couldn’t pull myself from the vision. The demon serpent writhed inside my body. My lungs remained frozen, unable to suck in air.
Quinn’s voice broke through. Alystrine! It is only a dream. Turn away from it!
I tried, but my strength failed me.
Breathe, Alystrine! Whatever you think is happening isn’t real. You can breathe!
The snakes stopped shaking my body.
Breathe!
I forced myself to draw in a breath, terrified I would swallow the serpent into my stomach. Instead, the snakes scattered as my lungs filled with oxygen. I took another heaving gulp of air. The serpent inside my body melted away.
Someone pulled me against their chest. I opened my eyes, gasping for air. Tegan and Geran stood silhouetted in the doorway. My mother sat on the bed next to me, weeping.
Quinn gently pushed me away. “Better now?”
My body trembled, but I nodded.
Geran stepped toward the bed. “What’s wrong with her?” He glared at Kennis. “You never told me she was prone to fits.”
My mother’s face contorted with anger. “She’s not!”
Quinn held up a hand to silence them. “It’s my fault.”
Geran clutched the Portal’s robe and yanked him to his feet. “What did you do to her?”
“I forgot the medicine to calm the dreams!”
My father let him go. “What are you talking about?”
I rubbed my neck, still trying to catch my breath. “What medicine?”
Quinn glanced at me. “Malina’s been putting an herb in your tea at night.”
“Explain yourself, Portal,” Geran insisted. “What is wrong with my daughter?”
Quinn put a hand on the bed post. “Nothing. But the Breaking of the Black Guards is not something easily overcome.”
My mother groaned. “He was training his monsters before I escaped. They’ve perfected the torture?”
My father’s head tilted to one side. “What did they do to her?”
Quinn explained the horrifying visions victims were forced to watch. Kennis sat behind me and wrapped me in her arms.
I rested my head against her shoulder. “I’m able to block the dreams out when I’m awake, I thought I did the same while I slept.”
“No. It was Malina.” Quinn explained. “She could not bear to see you tormented every night.”
Geran watched me with concern. “How long will it take before the dreams stop?”
The Portal didn’t answer.
My mother stroked my hair. “Quinn? How long before the effects fade?”
His eyes filled with admiration as he stared at me. “No one’s ever survived before, at least not with their sanity.”
My father sat on the edge of the bed. “What?”
Quinn shrugged. “Braedon used it first on the Portals who would not swear their allegiance to him. Most died while under the power of the dreams. If they survived, they either killed themselves as soon as the Black Guards released their minds or remained as invalids, dependent on family to see to their needs.” The Portal placed a hand on Geran’s shoulder. “Your daughter has great strength and power.” He glanced at Tegan, who still stood in the bedroom doorway. “I don’t know of anyone else who could survive such an onslaught.”
Tegan held my gaze for a moment before backing out of the room.
My father folded his hands in his lap. “I’m sorry for doubting you earlier, Alystrine. You are different than I’d imagined you to be but I think, in time and with training, you have the strength to rule.”
Kennis squeezed me tighter. “You will see, Geran. She will make a great queen.”
At the moment, I had my doubts, but I wasn’t going to voice them. I wanted sleep. “Do you have anything?” I asked my mom. “To take away the dreams?”
She stood up and went to the hall closet.
I crawled back under the covers and rolled to my side. My father patted my foot. “Goodnight, Alystrine.”
“Goodnight,” I mumbled as he and Quinn left the room. My mother gave me two blue pills and a glass of water. “I love you,” I whispered.
She kissed my cheek. “I love you too.”
I woke the following morning to the smell of coffee wafting up the stairs. My stomach growled. My head spun as I sat up. No doubt whatever my mother had given me to sleep still tried to work its way out of my system.
It was strange to hear the murmuring of male voices in our house. Other than Josh, I could count on two hands the number of times a man had visited–an occasional repairman, the Jehovah Witness who lived in the neighborhood and the doctor who had tried to date my mother when I was ten. She’d gone out on one date with him, come home and cried. She claimed nothing was wrong, but she never did go out with him or anyone else, again.
Kennis appeared in the doorway. “You’re up. Good.” She sat next to me on the bed. “I wish I could let you rest longer, but you really need some time with your father and Quinn.” She watched as I rubbed my face with my hands. “You feel like coming downstairs to eat or would you like breakfast in bed?”
The room had stopped spinning, but the fuzzy feeling in my brain still remained. I knew if I stayed in bed, I’d fall back to sleep. “I’ll come down.”
She nodded and gave me a half-hearted grin. “Better put on your robe.” I groaned. Even with the AC on, the August humidity hung in the air. “I know, I know, but let’s humor your father for now. I’m sure we’ll have other, more important, battles to fight.”
I followed her out to the hall but turned to go to my room when she started down the stairs. I opened the door to find Tegan sitting on my bed, flipping through one of my journals. “What are you doing?” I grabbed my robe from the back of the door and slipped it on.
He looked up in surprise but with not as much guilt as I would have expected from most people. In fact, he had no shame at being caught going through my personal thoughts. Instead he seemed . . . sad. “Ye can read?”
“What?”
“Ye know how to read?” He flipped through a few more pages, stopping to look at a doodle I’d drawn along the margin.
I sat down on the bed. Far enough away so there was no hope of us touching, but close enough that I could smell the musky scent of his sweat. He wore the same green shirt and cream pants as yesterday. “Everyone here gets the opportunity to learn.” I shrugged. “Not everyone takes advantage of it, but we all get the chance.”
“And this here,” his fingers traced the words on the page. “Is this yer writin’?”
I nodded. “I talked to Simon, one of the Brethren, about starting schools for the Commoners, so you could learn, too.”
His face lit up, causing my heart to flutter. “Truly?”
“Why not?”
Then his brows drew together and he concentrated on the writing. “I would love to have such knowledge. To know how to write my name.”
“Tegan?” My mother called up the stairs. “Are you up there?”
He jumped off my bed. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Would you like some breakfast?”
“Thank ye, ma’am. I’ll be right there.” He walked to the door, pausing to look at me before heading down. “Are ye comin’?”
I shook my head. “Not right now. My stomach’s a little queasy from the medicine my mother gave me last night. Tell her to save some for me, okay?”
Tegan nodded as he left. I rested my hand against the frame of the closet. I let my breath out slowly, trying to release the tension gripping my shoulders. Looking through my clothes, I picked out a cotton sundress to wear. I’d put a plain white t-shirt under it. That should be modest enough for my father. I shuffled to the bathroom.
My mother stood at the bot
tom of the stairs. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Thought a shower would help wake me up.”
“Try not to get your shoulder wet. And put your sling on when you’re done.”
My lips vibrated as I let out an annoyed sigh. I sounded like a horse. “Yes, doctor.”
She glared at me before turning back to the kitchen. The clanking of silverware on china warned me that the men had already started breakfast. There wouldn’t be much left if I took too long.
I spent most of my time bent over with only my head in the stream of water, letting it rinse out the fuzz in my brain before I shampooed my hair. Scrubbing the soap into a thick lather, I tried to wash away thoughts of returning to Ayden.
I toweled myself dry, slipped my robe back on, then pulled out the hairdryer. I’d never had hair this short before.
I hated it.
I blew a raspberry at my reflection. What could I possibly do with this tragedy? Maybe I could get an hour to go to a salon and have someone actually give me some kind of style. I found mousse in the medicine cabinet and decided to make an effort at looking respectable. Fifteen minutes later I had my hair blown out, added mascara, blush and little bit of lip gloss. I took another look in the mirror. The mascara brightened my eyes but something wasn’t right. I barely recognized myself. My cheeks looked hollow. I pulled the scale away from the wall and stepped on.
A hundred and twenty pounds. I’d lost twelve in the five weeks I’d been in Ayden. I went back to my room and closed the door to see my reflection in the full length mirror that hung on the other side. I slipped off my robe.
For the first time in my life, I could count my ribs. I didn’t have six pack abs, but the muscles in my legs and arms were lean and well defined. I wouldn’t recommend the Ayden diet for everyone, but it had worked for me. I thought I might even look a little too skinny and promised to let myself indulge in a pizza before I went back.
I dressed in a white tee and the sundress I’d picked out earlier then found my sling in my mother’s room and got that on. I breathed in the aroma of bacon and coffee as I made my way down the stairs.
Empty plates sat in front of the men while Kennis bustled about in the kitchen. “You want some milk?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been without caffeine for five weeks. Give me that big travel mug. Two sugars and lots of cream!”
Tegan drained his glass of milk. “I’ll sit outside, if you’ll excuse me.” My father eyed him with suspicion. Quinn gave me a half-smile while Geran’s attention was turned away.
It will become easier. I promise.
I lifted an eyebrow. How do you know?
His smile dropped as Kennis sat down and gave me my coffee. I have sacrificed as well. The heart mends. Slowly, but it heals.
Geran turned back to us. “Is there someplace we can go to train her? We need open space, but privacy as well.”
My mother looked to me. “What do you think? Sleeping Giant Park?”
I took a large swig of coffee. I held it in my mouth before I swallowed, relishing the bitter but sweet taste. “That would probably work.”
Quinn frowned. “There are giants in this world?”
Kennis and I did a double take before breaking out in giggles.
“No.” My mom tried to catch her breath. “No giants.”
I wiped a tear of laughter from my cheek. “It’s called that because the hills make an outline of a man sleeping.”
They discussed the best way to get to the park while I ate my bacon and pancakes.
“Are you done?” Geran asked.
I took another mouthful of coffee. “Yeah.”
He pushed himself up from the table. “Then let’s start your training.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Better Tell Me the Rules
I slid into the back seat of the Camry with Quinn, letting Geran sit up front with my mother. Tegan had stayed behind. I’m not sure if it was because it hurt to be close to me or because of my father’s withering stares. Both Geran and Quinn turned a sickly shade of white as Kennis pulled out of the parking lot.
I leaned over to Quinn and told him the same thing I’d told Tegan. “Try and think of it as a horse-drawn carriage.”
His hand flailed out, seeking something to grab onto for balance. I pointed to the strap above the window and he grasped it.
I didn’t like the gray color of his lips. “Mom, better open up his window.” The fresh air pinked him up a bit. My father seemed to be doing better. But then, he’d probably been in the car before.
I smiled to myself as I tried to get used to seeing Quinn in blue jeans and a button down shirt. It looked too weird. Kennis had tried getting him to put on shorts, but he wouldn’t do it, thank God. That would have been even weirder.
Geran peppered me with questions about what I’d experienced in Ayden. Quinn and I filled him in on all the details except my betrothal during the thirty minute drive until Kennis wound her way to an empty parking lot at Sleeping Giant State Park. We walked slowly down one of the dirt trails so Geran didn’t tire too soon. Kennis led the way to a secluded meadow we had found several years ago on one of our own excursions. It had become one of our favorite picnic spots.
The warm, late summer breeze danced around the fabric of my sundress, puffing it up away from my legs. The grass rolled like ocean waves in the wind. We made our way to the center of the field and sat in a circle.
“How do we do this?” I asked.
Geran bowed his head as if in prayer. When he lifted it, he took my hand. “It’s been many years since I trained an apprentice. We do not have time to take slow steps. I need to know how strong your powers are now, so I know what you’re capable of.” He squeezed my hand. “Hopefully, when we are back in Ayden, we’ll be able to increase your strength.”
“What do you want me to do?” I asked.
“I want to test your abilities as a Portal. We’ll start with a short distance.” He looked around the meadow. “Do you see that dead tree?”
It stood about two football fields away.
“See if you can make a passage there.”
I frowned. I’d only really done this when I’d been thinking of being with Tegan, I’d never been able to just travel somewhere.
Quinn put a hand on my knee. “Remember, Alystrine. Find the passages within the air. Imagine yourself being carried over to it, then push with your thoughts.”
I stood up, clearing my mind and concentrating only on the wind. It caressed my skin and ruffled my hair. I used my trick of imagining the air as a stream of water, trying to visualize myself being carried along on its current to the tree. I felt the now familiar tug as my soul separated from my body, but I forced it back inside and pushed out with my mind, all the while keeping the image of the tree in my head. The wind picked up, filling my ears with white noise. For a moment, I was weightless, then my forehead smacked against something hard. I fell back and stared up at the clear blue sky. My hand rubbed across my forehead. I winced when I felt a knot along my hairline.
Are you hurt? Quinn asked.
Not really. Just a bump.
I swear I heard him chuckle inside my head. It’s best not to visualize the tree so closely. Picture yourself next to it!
Thanks for telling me now! I stood up and looked back to the others. My mother ran across the field toward me. I waved and she slowed her steps. I closed my eyes again, trying not to focus on the pain and instead thought about Kennis. This time I pictured standing several feet in front of her. Again I let the wind pull me toward my goal. When I heard my mother squeal, I opened my eyes.
“Hey! I did it!”
My mom stood with her hands by her face as if I’d surprised her in a dark hallway. Her fingers brushed aside my bangs. The way she sucked her breath in through her teeth reminded me of the snakes in my nightmare. “You’re bleeding.”
I touched my forehead and then examined my fingertips. “Not much.”
She strode back to Geran. “Aren’t there rule
s she should know about? Like ‘don’t imagine yourself hitting a tree?’ Can she go through walls? Can she travel too far?”
“There are no boundaries that I know of, unless the barrier has been placed by The Messengers or one of the Fallen,” Geran explained. “Each Portal has their own distance limit, unless they’re using the Chrysaline to give them more power.”
“Why did you build passages?” I asked. “If you can travel without them?”
Geran folded his hands on his lap. “For a Portal to travel between Ayden and this world takes a tremendous amount of energy. Very few can do it without harming themselves. When the idea first came to King Gedeon to attempt a passage through, he was shown how the building of a physical structure to channel the initial burst of energy could save the Portal’s strength.”
“Who showed him?”
My father lowered his head a moment before looking at me. “One of the Fallen, disguised as a Messenger of Light, fooled Gedeon into building the first passage. The Mystics of your world had created their own stone circles to harness the power of the Fallen. By linking the two, Gedeon could travel between both worlds without destroying his body. With his remaining strength, he could transport others with him through the passages.”
“Enough of the history lesson.” Quinn stood up. “These are things we can discuss at any time. Let’s see if she can travel to a place she can’t see.”
Geran shook his head. “That’s too advanced for a first time.”
Quinn smiled. “I don’t think so.”
I rubbed my forehead again. “Could I get stuck in something if I’m not careful?”
“What do you mean?” Geran asked.
“Like actually get myself stuck inside a wall or in a tree if I don’t push hard enough?”
My father chuckled. “Unless you visualize yourself inside the tree, your mind won’t take you there.” His smile faded. “The danger comes in not pushing far enough and failing to get to your destination. You may end up someplace unfamiliar and get lost.”
I shrugged. “That shouldn’t be a problem here.” I thought about it for a moment. “How about I try and get to the car and back? Even if I don’t make it, I can take the trail.”