Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers)

by Adele, Danube

  “Not when he continues to act foolishly!”

  “Can’t have it both ways, old man,” Ryder said snidely. “Either she’s a hero for saving the day or I shouldn’t have brought her. Which is it?”

  “You think to become involved with someone other?” The idea was obviously abhorrent to Talon. My self-esteem was taking a real beating in this conversation. Another wave of hurt splintered quietly through my mind. I winced.

  In a menacing voice, Ryder snarled, “I will be done with you.”

  Energy suddenly crackled around me. Power surged up through my feet. Adrenaline spiked and I felt myself capable of seeing through the mental barriers around me. I could feel Miara’s anger that I was causing further strife between her husband and son when she had to work so hard to keep peace between them during moments of calm. They were rarely in the same room together anymore, and it broke her heart, a heart that still ached for the empty room in her home that she’d left as it was, filled with Asily’s personal things. Every once in a while, she sat in that room with the delicately embroidered floral bedcover, when her day had been particularly challenging.

  Ryder and his father had locked horns. There was anger and sorrow swirling through Talon, but he was refusing to acknowledge it. It was as though he’d made a deal with himself that if he didn’t think about it, it wouldn’t be there. By turning off his heart, he’d not only blocked out his daughter’s death, but the joy of remembering her and of sharing a full life with the rest of his family. He kept his focus on trying to bring his son to heel. In turn, Ryder’s bone-deep resentment radiated from him.

  The emotions in the room were overpowering.

  Sorrow that I had a hand in this weighed heavily. I wished I could have just shut up, backed down, left the room. I didn’t want to cause more pain for Miara or any of them. These were Ryder’s parents, his family, and I was forever going to damage their view of me, but this was no small thing. It was a man’s life, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I knew I hadn’t done everything I could to stop this madness from plowing forward without thought or care.

  The energy flow surging through me steadily grew in strength. It was dizzying. The mental door whispered open, briefly, in my mind again. The all-knowing, overwhelming energy that had come to me in the marketplace returned. In the same way I’d known the terrorists needed to be stopped, I knew that this moment in the timeline of Sunan was crucial. Feeling as though a sudden burst of freezing wind whipped my face, I saw the future unfold into two potential branches, all in a fraction of a second, in my mind’s eye. I gasped with the clarity of the vision.

  One way would lead to bloodier warfare than either the Sunan or the Brausahad ever seen or could predict. They would both have access to Earth’s technology, and combining it with their own would lead to a war the likes of which could shake the very foundation of human sustainability. The shrieks of pain and terror from that reality had barely faded before I peered down the other possible path, which showed a cautious truce between the two peoples that had the potential to lead toward peace.

  The Brausiian warrior was the key. He was of great importance to his people. To kill him would set in motion events the likes of which could destroy the fabric of both societies. The power of the vision left me breathing heavily, sweat breaking out on my brow and upper lip. What did this all mean?

  As though no time had passed for him, Talon spoke to me. “We’ve experienced horrors the likes of which you will never understand, which is why we’ve had to develop a system that may seem harsh and unjust, but which keeps us alive.”

  On a shaky note, I asked, “But at what expense? You’re just going to execute the man?”

  “It’s the least of what he deserves,” Talon ground out.

  “This will lead to war! I’ve seen it!”

  Miara frowned at this.

  “We welcome the opportunity to exterminate their pestilence for all time!” Talon shouted.

  “You can’t! This is wrong!” My voice took on a shrill note. The door whispered closed after sharing the terrifying vision, leaving me tired and fragile. At a gut level, this was making me ill, and I turned away, holding a hand to my stomach to calm the roiling nausea, but the anger continued between Ryder and his father.

  “We don’t allow outsiders to come to Sunan,” Talon intoned sharply. “There’s a reason for strict discipline and obedience. Things happen when we don’t meet expectations and rules of governance!”

  Where had I heard that before, the talk about discipline and obedience? About rules and following them or something? I opened my mind and tried to peer into my memory, but I found myself inundated with the emotions swirling around us all—the rage, the sorrow and the deep familial love and loyalty that was leaving them all conflicted and confused.

  “I needed to keep her safe.” Ryder confronted his father with anger that was vibrating off of him almost violently. Why such a strong reaction? Toward his father, no less? I didn’t sense that his father was a bad man, just hurt and confused, though he covered it up with his force of will.

  “Why wouldn’t she be safe on Earth?”

  “There were men trying to kill her.”

  My mind was being tickled. Flashes of imagery—woodland with dappled sunlight—teased the fringes of my mind without allowing me to fully grasp their significance. When had I been kicking a ball through the woodlands, dodging trees? What was that?

  “How does this become our responsibility?” Talon demanded of Ryder.

  “Talon!” Miara said sharply.

  “Because Ranik is trying to kill her, and he’s our responsibility.” Ryder’s teeth were clenched.

  Don’t let this happen anymore, Taylor. Help them. I knew that sweet voice whispering desperately in my mind. Her energy was calling to me, needing me, pulling me so sharply that I couldn’t resist.

  In the next moment, I was in the woodlands, sitting on a blanket with Asily, drawing a picture of her on canvas. I was using charcoal and could see that it was mostly done. When had I completed so much of it? Curiously, I asked, Why haven’t you gone to them? Let them see that you’re okay.

  I can’t. They have to come to me. You can help them with that. This is your gift. You’ll grow into your power as you practice with it. You have to help them access the Gods’ plane. Not now, but soon. Promise me. When the time is right.

  “Taylor!” I felt like I could hear Ryder’s voice from far, far away. He sounded frantic as he said, “Mom, I can’t feel her! Her energy signature is gone!” I looked around with concern, expecting to see him.

  Why can’t he remember you? We were all together in the same dream.

  Spirits can’t interact outside of the Gods’ plane, Tay. You’re going to have to help him remember this one.

  Oh. So last night wasn’t just a regular dream.

  Of course not, or you would have remembered it.

  How will I remember this one?

  I can help you, but you’re going to need to concentrate on this memory as you go back. Focus yourself.

  Focus myself. Got it.

  Now go back. Asily smiled sweetly, and just that quickly I felt my weight on my feet. I nearly stumbled from the unexpected pressure, but Ryder was grasping my arms.

  “Dammit, Taylor! What happened?”

  “I was on the Gods’ plane,” I breathed, blinking my eyes back into focus. The flood of dream detail, the horror and the bleak pain that continued to poison them all, played through my mind.

  “What are you talking about?” Talon was clearly taken aback. “How would you know about that? Why were you brought here?” Just like that, his anger, now mixed with confusion, was directed toward me.

  I realized this drama had nothing to do with me being here or my questioning of authority. This was a family still grieving over the tragic loss of their da
ughter. This horrible argument was a refusal to accept and grieve in a healthy, meaningful way, which meant they had never been able to move on and live freely. It was hurting all of them. Asily could see this, and she wanted to see them all heal.

  The memory of Ryder’s young, grieving face shamefully confessing his guilt for something that was not his responsibility seared my heart. This was the root. Ryder, the child, was counting on me to protect him, and as I thought of his smooth-cheeked visage bowing his head in shame, my own anger bloomed over the injustice.

  Though I tried to find a calm place in my mind, the punk in me was glaring daggers at Ryder’s father, wanting to bitch-slap him for turning his grief on a defenseless child. As it turned out, I didn’t have time.

  The office door opened suddenly. A young man in black uniform entered swiftly, carrying a hand-size black felt bag, like a coin bag on a rope, something that could be worn around the neck.

  “What is it?” Talon demanded, his voice cracking with the effort to regain control.

  “Sorry to interrupt, Senior Representative, but there was a problem with the Brausiian prisoner.”

  Frowning, Talon asked, “What occurred?”

  “We missed this object when we caged the prisoner. We tried to retrieve it this morning while he was investigating it, and he flew into a rage. Several officers were injured and have been transferred to the medic ward.”

  “Will they recover?” Talon asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, what is it? Slide the contents out on my desk.” They walked to Talon’s desk, and I trailed Ryder to bring up the rear.

  Here was that frightening sense of inevitability again. I almost didn’t want to know what was about to happen. I was afraid, but I walked toward the desk with everyone else anyway. There was a tug of energy from the pictures framed across part of the desk. In one picture, the profile of an older woman holding an infant caught my attention. Somehow I recognized her and was drawn to her, which was impossible because this was Ryder’s family, and I obviously didn’t know anyone but Asily.

  And yet it was like she was reaching out to me, soothing me, telling me it was going to be okay.

  Why did I need soothing? The feeling of dread doubled, and I suddenly wished I could be anywhere but right here. Hadn’t I been through enough? Couldn’t I just go home and pretend none of this had happened? I’d already accessed the damn Gods’ plane! I wanted to be done.

  The officer tipped the bag sideways. As though in slow motion, out tumbled an achingly familiar heart charm that made me draw in breath. No, no, no more! I couldn’t handle all this volatile emotion. No. I didn’t want to know anymore. I’d had enough! Please!

  My chest tightened. My breathing grew heavy. My vision grew tunneled. Blood rushed loudly as I tried to deny what I could see with my own eyes. It couldn’t be.

  “Is that all?” Talon asked skeptically, dismissively.

  “What is that?” Miara asked, picking up the charm. “It’s familiar to me. It must have significance. I’m sure it does.”

  “He’s an animal. What significance can anything have?” Talon said with disdain.

  “Taylor, are you okay?” Ryder was grasping my arms. “You’re like ice.”

  Tell them, Taylor.

  “Dreya?” I whispered shakily, hearing her voice in my head and suddenly knowing just who it was. Like a baseball bat to the head, dream memories slammed into my mind. For a few precious moments, it was like I couldn’t breathe, trying to gulp at the air like a fish out of water. The picture called to me, and my eyes were soothed as I saw Dreya’s profile on the edge of the desk. “Dreya, is that you?”

  “My grandmother?” Ryder asked. “How do you know her?”

  “Is she talking with you now?” Miara’s face was a study of shock.

  Tell them. This is your part to play. You understand this truth now, don’t you?

  “No. Please.” I whimpered as panic boiled over, and I shook my head, rejecting the evidence before me. “Why?”

  “What is it, lin’de?” Ryder pulled me around to face him, looking concerned. “What’s wrong?”

  You must. You know this.

  “No!”

  Your mother will be in danger if you don’t do this. You don’t have time to lose.

  Silence stretched. Once again, all eyes were on me, with varying degrees of awe and confusion. I covered my face with shaking hands and felt on the verge of a breakdown. My world was being ripped apart, the pieces put back together in a random collage that was leaving me reeling, without any sense of self or foundation.

  Taylor?

  “Yes, I understand,” I whispered, and the other proverbial boot hit the ground with a magnificent, booming echo. The truth—the sick, awful truth of the charm, and its very telling meaning—hit home with a vengeance.

  “Taylor, what’s happening? Why is my grandmother talking to you?”

  With tears welling up in my eyes, fearful of what this news would bring, I looked back at the charm. Pulling my arms free of Ryder’s grasp, I gently took it from Miara with shaking fingers and cradled it in my palm, holding it before him. “My mother told me it’s a love charm. The hearts represent each married partner, and the pearl in the center is the newborn child protected by their love.”

  Ryder’s eyes turned sharp. He went from having an expression of bewilderment to staring at me with fierce intensity, his look telling me that he was remembering the last time I’d shared this with him. He knew there was something important to this exchange, something he just wasn’t seeing.

  “I’ve heard this.” Miara’s eyes snapped to me sharply. “When a child is born, a Brausiian child, this is the gift from the warrior to his life mate. I saw one of these. Long ago.”

  “During the movement for peace?” Ryder asked.

  His mother nodded, narrowing her eyes on me.

  Tears spilled down my cheeks because I felt the significance. I looked up at Talon. He remained coldly impassive, staring down at me, but there were shadows there as he waited. I recognized them, now that I’d seen them on Ryder’s haunted visage.

  “I was in his mind. His wife and child were killed in what he thinks of as an attack by the Sunan, and he holds you all responsible. He wants revenge.”

  “But how would you know the symbolism of the charm?” Miara asked quietly. I sensed a core of strength in her to match Ryder’s and Dreya’s. They were good people just trying to survive. We were all survivors, but that didn’t mean we were all going to be friends, especially with the information I was about to share.

  I looked up at Ryder and held out my arm, my mother’s bracelet glinting under the lights. Shiny and bright, the love charm that always brought tears to my mother’s eyes when she looked at it hung there. Clearly, the two charms were identical.

  “It looks like my dad was a Brausiian warrior. He gave this to my mother when I was born, and before she disappeared, she gave it to me.”

  Ryder’s face transformed almost as soon as he understood what I was saying. He stepped away. Angry dismay curled his lip. “What the hell are you saying? You don’t know what you’re saying. You have no idea about this.”

  “Your mother received this charm from your father? You are Brausiian?” Talon’s tone was low and menacing. He pulled his mechanical device from his pocket. To do what with, I didn’t know.

  “Yes.”

  “She doesn’t know what she’s saying,” Ryder ground out.

  “She’s our enemy,” Talon responded contemptuously. “Isn’t it obvious in the way she was arguing for the animal’s life?”

  “I haven’t done anything to you,” I protested on a choked sob. My lungs squeezed with emotion, but I still backed away from him. “How could I be your enemy?” But it was so clear now. The animal. I was just poor white trash. I was tra
iler park. I was alone.

  “Talon,” Miara said sharply. “Leave this.”

  “We must protect ourselves! Our children!” Talon turned to the young soldier and commanded, “Make a cell ready. Take the prisoner.” The young soldier turned to me and grasped my arm with a firm grip.

  “No!” I yanked on my arm to be free. The soldier’s fingers caught on my bracelet, and it broke. All of the charms scattered like confetti. I gasped. For several seconds, the silence echoed through my mind as I stared at the lifetime of dreams so carelessly scattered on the floor.

  “No, no, no.” My anguished whisper came from the depths of my soul. The pain burned in my chest as I saw the representation of my mother’s heart and spirit scattered like rubbish.

  Ryder growled through clenched teeth, backhanding the young man. He flew back on his ass. Ryder roared, “Do not touch her!”

  Miara’s voice rang sharply. “You forget yourself, Talon. It’s not your place to assign imprisonment. Our laws shepherd the way, and as the judiciate, I can say that she is free to go. She is not a citizen of this world and has done nothing wrong.”

  “Miara!” Talon scowled down at her, his expression so reminiscent of Ryder that my heart ached just seeing it. He was just another lost, angry male.

  “You’re wrong, Talon. In this you are wrong. She put her own life in jeopardy to save our people. Be at peace. Come. Let’s give them a few moments to collect themselves.” Miara led the way out with the young soldier following. Talon exited reluctantly. A look of disdain shadowed his face.

  Ryder didn’t wait long. Breathing heavily, his face flushed with rage, a crazed look in his eyes, he beheld me from a distant place and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t know,” I cried insistently through my tears. Letting him see the truth of my heart and mind, I opened to him completely. I wanted him to stop hurting. He’d hurt enough. We’d all hurt enough.

  “How could you not know?” Disbelief punctuated his words. “How could you live for more than twenty years and not know where you come from?”

  Desperation edged my voice as I laid heart bare and explained. “I don’t know anything about my father. My mother never told me. She left before I could ask her. My aunt doesn’t know. My grandmother is dead. There is no one who can tell me. I c-care about y-you, Ryder. I w-would never lie to you!”