Dreamscape: Saving Alex

by Kirstin Pulioff

  “But is that safe?” Even if everything went according to plan, danger was guaranteed.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” He grinned and squeezed my hand.

  “Arrow, I’m serious.” I pulled my hand back and walked around the supplies.

  “I’m being serious too. What do you expect to happen once we get to Berkos’ castle? Can a larger team make it through?”

  I narrowed my gaze but thought about what he said. “No, you’re right. It doesn’t make sense to have more men. They would either get in our way or slow us down in the castle.”

  “Yes, the fewer people with us, the smaller our chance of getting caught.”

  Or killed, I wanted to add.

  “So, it’s you and me…and a couple of horses,” he said. “I have to run back to get them and give the final instructions to General Amos and General Tanner. Is there anything else we might need?”

  “No. As far as I can tell, we’re ready,” I said, surprised that my voice remained so calm.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, stopping at the threshold to look back at me. “It’s going to all work out.”

  “Our next adventure,” I said, forcing a smile.

  He grinned, then turned around and hurried back into camp.

  “Just me and you,” I said to myself, picking up a roll from one of the leather bundles. Something strong nagged at me, something more than the imminent danger we faced. I didn’t want to admit it, but the thought of being alone with Arrow for a week scared me. Even after our night in the trees, all of this was new. I didn’t want to ruin things.

  I closed the door behind me and leaned against the cottage. Dried paint sprinkled the ground as I nervously picked at the wall. How long ago had it been since we walked through the hidden gate into the Grove? Not as long as it felt.

  “Hey, Alex!” an angry voice cried out. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  I turned at my name, confused. I hadn’t seen anyone this morning, let alone done something wrong. Melody strutted towards me, her dark eyes glaring beneath a wave of black locks. My heart fell. Maybe that’s why she was mad.

  “Melody,” I said, smiling, meeting her at the trail. “I’m glad you found me. I looked for you but didn’t see you.” A little white lie never hurt anybody.

  Her face softened, and she winked. “That’s because I was saying goodbye to General Tanner.”

  “Ah, I understand,” I said, biting a nail as she adjusted the fringe and feathers on her vest.

  “But you wouldn’t have left without saying goodbye, would you?” she asked.

  “Never.” I shook my head and bit my lower lip.

  “Then get over here and say goodbye properly,” she said. “But no crying! Heroes don’t cry.”

  I gave her a small smile. “Maybe not, but friends do,” I tightened my grip around her.

  “No more of that,” she said, pulling back and glancing behind me. “Are you ready?”

  “It looks like it,” I said. “Arrow certainly packed enough for us.”

  “Well, I hope there’s room for a couple more things. I brought presents.” She dangled two items in front of me.

  “What are those?” I leaned in, trying to grab them.

  “Not so fast,” she said, hiding them behind her back. “Is he here?” she asked, peeking over my shoulder.

  “Who? Arrow?”

  “Yes, silly. Is he here?”

  “No, he went back to grab the horses. Do you want to wait for him?”

  “No,” she said. “These are for you.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I just wanted to make sure you were taken care of. He doesn’t always think of things the same way as we might. I wanted to give you these.” She unpacked a roll of freshly cut vines and handed me two necklaces.

  “Aren’t these from the tables yesterday?” I asked, pinching the leather string around the pouch etched with black flowers.

  “I know you said you didn’t want anything to do with dragon weed, but it’s one of our most powerful defenses, and I thought you might need some. That’s the powder, and the vial is full of its essence. Make sure none of that gets on your skin, though. It can burn through anything if it sits there long enough.”

  “Perfect,” I said, cringing as I hung them around my neck. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do any of this.”

  “Of course I did. You’re a friend…and as a friend, there’s just one more thing.” She hesitated. “It’s about Arrow.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “What about him?”

  “I need you to promise that you’ll take care of him,” she pleaded, reaching for my hands.

  “Of course. You know I will.”

  “Not just make sure he doesn’t get hurt. No matter what happens out there, we need him back. I know he’s determined to save the queen, but we can’t afford to lose him. Do you understand?” She tightened her grip.

  “I do, and I promise he’ll be fine,” I said.

  “Take care of us, too,” she added, more softly. “One thing this rebellion has taught us is that you never know how much time you’ll have. There’s no time for games or hesitation. We live and love full. So, even though we just met, I want to let you know that you’ll always have a friend here.”

  “I feel the same,” I said, feeling tears start to well up again.

  “And Alex? If you see my dad…” she said gravely.

  “Uh-huh?”

  “Make him pay.”

  I nodded, feeling a lump rise in my chest. Unable to speak, I watched her run back into the crowd, passing Arrow on her way.

  Arrow gave her a curious look before turning back to me. On each side, he led a horse, complete with saddles and pack bags.

  “What’d Melody want?” he asked, tying the reins around a branch.

  “She just came to say goodbye,” I whispered.

  Arrow nodded and disappeared into the house.

  I walked over to one of the horses. Sharing my breadcrumbs, I looked the steed in his eyes and wondered what we were getting ourselves into. How did I go from playing a game to leading a rebellion? What if I was wrong, what if things were different? I thought back to Marix’s manor, and the small things that had tripped me up. A guarded castle held more danger than a baron’s estate. I leaned against the horse, trying unsuccessfully to push the negative thoughts from my mind.

  “I think this is everything,” Arrow said, coming out of the old house, arms loaded with boxes and bags.

  I laughed and helped him load the horses. To my surprise, everything fit.

  “That’s the last of it. Are you ready?” he asked, strapping the final bag to my horse.

  I nodded, not wanting my voice or words to give away my concerns.

  He strode to my side and wrapped his arms around my waist, looking into my eyes before lifting me on the horse.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “This will all be over soon.”

  What if that was my biggest worry?

  “But before we go, it appears some people wanted to say goodbye.” Arrow nodded behind me and turned his horse.

  “What, who?” I asked, following Arrow’s nod.

  I gripped the reins tightly. An unsettling feeling burned in my chest. Everyone in the Grove had stopped their preparations to see us out. A level of solemnity surrounded us, squeezing the breath from my chest.

  In the front, General Amos and General Tanner stood at attention, faces unreadable. Others knelt or bowed their heads. Cale removed his hat and blew a final ring of smoke in our direction. Boris stood at his side, eyes closed. Around him, some of the other men from Flourin followed suit. I scanned the crowd, memorizing faces and the expectations painted on them.

  My gaze lingered on a small group of young girls. They giggled behind their hands, tossing braided vines at us. Bracelets of red scars marked their wrists. Their faces, now free of dirt and welts, wore smiles, and their eyes held hope.

  “What’s going to happen to them?” I ask
ed.

  “Thanks to you, they’ll have a chance at life.”

  “It’s all worth it then. Let’s do this.” I tightened my lips and let the memory of freeing them slip away. It no longer stung.

  Arrow clicked his horse forward, taking the lead. The long braided vines and fabric at the entrance parted around us, revealing the hidden trails of the forest. I turned around for one last look at the Grove, but it camouflaged seamlessly into the rest of the forest. A sense of loss I hadn’t expected hit me.

  Arrow must have seen my face or heard me sigh. He slowed his horse to my side and tightened the restraints across my legs. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

  I nodded and bit my lower lip. “I just realized that I won’t see the Grove or its people again.”

  He furrowed his brow and gave me a sad smile. There was nothing he could say to diminish the truth. Melody’s warning came back to haunt me. Leaving was going to be much harder than I ever imagined.

  “Let’s ride. It’s a long way to the castle, shortcut or not.” Arrow nudged his horse forward.

  Content to follow his lead, I fell in line behind him, winding through the narrow trails. The normalcy of the forest compared to the Grove threw me off. The trees moaned with the wind, bending under its force. Without the bridges holding them steady, they flailed against one another, dropping leaves and branches without concern.

  The burning in my chest subsided after we’d ridden for a few minutes. Something about the fresh air brushing my hair back relaxed me and replaced my nagging worry with pleasant thoughts. We rode all morning without stopping.

  When he did slow, allowing me to catch up, I barely recognized him. Dark circles dominated his face, and he could barely keep his eyes open.

  “Arrow, you need sleep. We should stop,” I said, looking around at the overgrown forest around us.

  “No, we can’t stop. I can sleep while we ride. I just wanted to make sure you knew the way before I dozed off. The horses should guide us straight along the path, but if they stray, just bring them back. We take this path to the base of the mountain. You can wake me there.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

  “Come here.” He pulled his horse next to mine and kissed my forehead. “Stop worrying. This is the easy part of our journey.”

  With that, he closed his eyes and slumped forward in his saddle.

  I rode beside him, watching the tightness around his eyes disappear.

  I settled back into the saddle and kept a safe distance behind his horse as it led us along the trail. We moved at a slower pace, but that didn’t bother me. The rhythm of the chirping birds guided our steps. The synchronicity of it all put me at ease. Maybe this was what Arrow had meant about the joy of adventure.

  All my doubts couldn’t be erased though, and in the back of my mind, I worried about more than the battle ahead. I had given myself to this cause and to Arrow’s people willingly, but the more invested I became, the more painful the end would be. I looked over at Arrow’s peaceful face and sighed. Complications that I’d never imagined clamped my heart.

  As the hours stretched out, the forest slowly changed. The dark green leaves lightened with sprinkles of snow, and its dense foliage opened to meadows and flatlands as we approached the mountains. Sharp crags replaced the lush vegetation, and the dusty trail choked out the few wildflowers that had tried to bloom.

  “Whoa.” I slowed my horse and tightened my ponytail. The trail ended, but when I looked over at Arrow, he still slept. The horses stopped at the junction, sniffing the ground for the sparse remains of withered grass. A twisted tree marked the intersection, and weathered signs hung haphazardly from the gnarled limbs. Faded paint identified a dozen forgotten paths. I didn’t recognize any of the names.

  “Arrow,” I said, shaking his leg. “We’re here.”

  “Hmmm,” he mumbled, opening his eyes.

  I smiled and poked his leg. “We’re here.”

  “Already?” He sat up and looked around, disoriented.

  “Well, you’ve been asleep for more than a few hours. Which way do we go, left or right?” I reached into my bag and threw him a roll.

  He caught it with a smile. “We go straight.”

  “You want us to go through there?” I asked, nodding at the darkened canyon nestled between the two towering mountains.

  “Hey, you’re the one who wanted to take the shortcut.” He smirked, taking a bite of the roll.

  “To the castle, not to my death,” I said, feeling the oppression of the dark canyon settle over me.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The sinuous path up the mountain gave way to a steep and treacherous route. Sharp drop-offs edged the sides of the trail, if you could even call it a trail. Slippery roots entangled our steps as trees crept closer, shrinking the path to a single-file road.

  Arrow led the way, pulling his horse up and over the spindly roots. As the trees crowded together, the ground turned into a web of roots, each limb knotting around the other. My gaze didn’t leave the ground, afraid of the inevitable slip ready to send me over the edge. There were countless ways to die in Lockhorn, and I feared my own clumsiness topped the list.

  “I’m not so sure about this anymore,” I said, my voice quivering as my grip tightened around the reins.

  He took one look at my pale face and white knuckles and slowed his gait. “As long as we stay on the trail and are careful, we should make it through the mountains and Shadow Alley without a problem.”

  “Shadow Alley?” The name sent shivers down my spine.

  “There are reasons people don’t take this path, Alex, and it has nothing to do with how steep the trail is. This is just a small part of what we’re going to face. Shadow Alley is a place I didn’t want to show you. Almost nothing is, from this point on.”

  I nodded and bit my lip. I had to suck it up. Arrow had chosen this path at my insistence, and I had to accept these unknowns. No matter how much they made my skin prickle.

  I kicked my horse and followed him up the steep trail. The wool cloak barely kept the cold out, and my breath mixed with the fog, clouding my vision as we went higher. Icicles broke when I hugged the interior side of the trail. Crystal daggers clung to the ragged edges of the cliffs.

  Then we breached the fog barrier and stepped out into sunlight.

  “How is this possible?” I gasped. The air shimmered, birds flittered around us, and trees swayed gently in the breeze.

  “Anything is possible when you rise above the storm.”

  “But this—”

  “Is spectacular.”

  “I thought you said there wouldn’t be anything beautiful up here.” I swiveled from side to side, taking in every angle of the panorama.

  “I said almost. Nothing is ever complete darkness. Beauty always finds a way through. Sometimes when you least expect it.” He dismounted and walked to my side, patiently waiting as I unhooked my legs from the saddle and tethers.

  I nodded, unable to find any words to adequately express what I felt. Beautiful seemed too small a word to capture the grandeur around us.

  Streams of sunlight broke through the clouds, casting their rays on the falling flakes at a perfect angle to make each piece glitter. Gusts of wind altered the snow’s slow descent, making it swirl until it coated the trees. A weighed-down branch tipped over, dropping the snow in a cluster and snapping back into position.

  Stretching my hand out, I ached to catch the snowflakes. The frosted crystals landed, hesitating a moment before melting. Another snowflake collected on my hand and then another, until my hands burned red and a pile of snow built up along my cloaked arm.

  Arrow watched, amused, as I stuck out my tongue on impulse. “Are you done playing?”

  “Never,” I said, leaning my head back, feeling the cold prickles of snow speckle my face.

  “I don’t know what to do with you.” He shook his head, hiding under his cloak.

  “That’s part of the adventure, right
?” I winked and went back to catching snow.

  He took that opportunity to let the horses rest, and once I had caught enough flakes to satisfy me, we watched the snow fall to the ground in silence. Unlike the silence I had subjected my mom to for the past month, this was pleasant, like the world didn’t want to breathe and break the beauty. It was a comfortable moment where speech came second to experience. Those didn’t occur often, but the longer I was with Arrow, the more of them I seemed to have.

  “I could stay here forever.” I reached for one of the icicles dangling off the branch above us and missed, pulling a branch and a puff of snow down on top of me.

  “It’s tempting. You still need to be careful though. They’re beautiful but dangerous.” He pulled me to his chest and out of the way as a bigger branch gave way beneath the weight of the snow. Ice chunks sprayed outward, and glassy shards dropped where I had stood.

  “How did you know it was going to fall?” I asked, liking the way his arm wound around my waist.

  “I’ve become pretty familiar with things that are both beautiful and dangerous.” His heart sped up beneath my palm.

  “That’s a good thing,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

  We didn’t talk. We no longer needed to, content to marvel at the falling snow as we walked. The silence echoed around us, only broken by the soft shuffling of the horses and our own feet.

  Being this close felt right, and I was tired of hiding behind the excuse that I was afraid. I couldn’t deny the feelings surging through my body. Every inch of me trembled at the thoughts running through my head. Thoughts I had never had. Never felt. Was this what love was supposed to be like? Anything I’d felt before seemed small, insignificant, almost laughable in comparison.

  I bit my lip, looking at him. How would I even begin? I had been afraid for too long. I thought about my regrets, moments in the past when I hadn’t acted. If I had simply talked to my parents, the anxiety of moving might have been calmed, or if I had really listened to Brian, maybe I would have realized long before that I deserved better. Apprehension and anticipation clawed for a way out.

  “Arrow,” I said, surprised my voice was strong. Quiet, but steady.