“Come on, we have the whole of the dreamworld to wander and explore.” Quinn flashed an impish grin, beckoning her to follow him along a well-worn path, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. “We have so much to show you and so many people for you to meet before we have to leave.”
“How long do we have?”
“About an hour this time,” Navid said. “In the future, Quinn and I will stagger our arrivals to give you both more time here.”
“Couldn’t we stay with the other walkers?” Allie asked. She wasn’t limited by a threshold like the dream walkers were.
“Possibly, but at this point, the only walker I trust with my daughters’ safety is Quinn.”
Allie darted a look around, taking in the lovely forest of white birch trees to the right of their path with a riot of vibrant leaves in shades of purple she’d never seen before. To their left, a sweeping meadow with rolling hills stretched into the distance, the green, green grass dotted with exotic flowers. The murmur of the leaves in the wind grew into a rush of white noise.
“Dreamers, right?” Livia said, looking to Navid in question.
“Yes, their voices can grow quite loud outside your dreamscape.”
“Where are they coming from?” Livia asked, gazing into the distance, a look of longing on her face.
“Their call is persuasive.” He took Livia’s hand. “You must ignore the whispers while you travel with us. Dreamers can lure you away and it will be very easy for you two to get lost here if you lose focus.”
“Right.” Livia shook herself to break the spell the dreamers cast.
“Where are they?” Allie asked.
“They sound close, but this world doesn’t operate in simple terms of distance. This part of the dreamworld belongs to the walkers. Dreamers rarely come here, but they are all around us.”
“We are safe here, Allie,” Quinn assured her. “I found this place months ago, just after Santi and I returned home.”
“It’s beautiful.” Allie gave a shiver of foreboding, forcing herself to ignore the whispers on the wind. “It’s so old. Ancient, like it has a life of its own.” She barely registered the Sherpa lined sweater she now wore at the mere thought of how cold she was. Pulling it tightly around her, she followed Quinn into the forest, the fall leaves crunching under her feet.
“This place is the heart of the dreamworld, Allie,” Navid said, walking beside her. “And it hasn’t been seen in centuries. Not until it revealed itself to Quinn.”
“Revealed itself?” She glanced at her friend. Quinn had experienced a lot of heartache in the last two years. He’d gone through hell at Livia’s hand, but he’d found it within himself to leave it in the past. He wasn’t the same guy she remembered. He seemed older and more focused. And now, here he was in his element. Confidence oozed from his aura.
“Watch up ahead.” Quinn pointed to a pair of rusting gates in complete disrepair. “You’ll get your first glimpse there.”
“Of what?” She picked up her pace, responding to his eagerness. Like he was returning home and was excited to show her everything about this part of his life.
“The Commander’s Keep,” he said with a wink. “You’re going to love it.”
Allie followed as the incline increased, and the path widened where the overgrown stood wide open for anyone to enter.
“The gates used to be functional,” Quinn began, “but a previous commander expanded the boundaries of the keep, so the gate and surrounding walls are just relics. I protect our borders now, using my invisibility gift. Brecken and his people have been scouring the dreamworld for the keep, but they don’t know I’ve had it shielded for more than a year. This is where the remaining walkers are gathering to fight, and he doesn’t even know it.”
“Wow.” Allie stepped past him to get her first look. “Quinn, you have a castle.”
“It needs a fair bit of work, but yeah.” Quinn’s eyes crinkled with his smile. “What do you think?”
It was a wreck, complete with a reeking, swampy moat around the overgrown fortress. Part of the outer stone walls lay broken from some long ago battle. A new wall stood in its place. Crumbling walls remained erect on the grassy knoll by some miracle of dreamworld engineering. A broken turret tower rested in the shallows of the moat, its other half a rambling, twisted stairway reaching aimlessly toward the sky. Three rounded guard towers stood intact, with crenelated walls and brightly colored flags billowing in the breeze. A narrow stone bridge led them to the fortress gatehouse, a broad stone facade barring their entry. Behind the gates, an enormous structure rose from within. Beyond the fortress walls, the keep was a solid slab of stone with intricate statues and relief sculpture adorning its strong facade. This place was old. Allie could feel its lifeline in her bones.
“It’s beautiful,” she finally spoke. “It feels almost … sentient.”
“It is in a way,” Quinn said. “The history and mysteries of the dreamworld are concealed inside the Keep. Come on, I’ll give you the tour.” Livia and Navid followed behind.
“Quinn!” a feminine voice called to them from the nearest guard tower
“Ah crap.” Quinn’s face flushed.
“Get your ass in here,” the girl on the wall called.
“Well, she sounds lovely.” Allie watched the blond woman pace the length of the wall. She moved like a caged panther.
“Who is that with you?” the woman demanded, staring a hole through Allie’s chest.
“Okay, I’m scared now,” Allie muttered.
“Keep an eye on that one, Allie. That is pure crazy, right there,” Livia said.
Most of the woman’s silvery blond hair fell in messy braids to her waist, but one side of her head was shaved, revealing tattoos along her skull, flowing from the top of her head to the tips of her fingers. Dressed in ratty camouflaged pants and a leather halter baring her midriff, she looked feral and unkempt.
“Quinn snorted. “You have no idea. Raina is … Raina. Just … don’t mention you saw her to Santi. Or Sasha.”
“And why is that?” Allie arched her brow.
”She ahhh … ” Quinn scratched the back of his head. “She’s very vocal about … wanting to have my children.”
“What the hell, Quinn?” Allie gaped at the beautiful Immortal woman standing with her hands on her hips, looking like she hadn’t bathed recently, yet she somehow made it work.
“Listen.” He paused at the middle of the bridge. “Some of the walkers here have been under Brecken’s thumb for a long time. And you know what happens when any of us stay here too long, right?”
“You go a little squirrelly?” Allie suggested.
“You could say that,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting in amusement.
“What are you waiting for?” Raina called. “An engraved invitation?”
“She is bad ass,” Allie said, admiring the warrior woman.
“Yeah, but don’t ever forget, Raina is batshit crazy, and I’m a little scared of her. Just don’t tell her I said that.”
“And why, exactly, does she want to have your children?”
“She thinks our, uh, offspring would be unstoppable with two dream walkers for parents.”
“She’s probably right,” Livia said.
“And the idea that we don’t often have natural born children hasn’t crossed her mind?” Allie glared at her sister.
“Raina doesn’t find that reason enough not to try.”
“Has she met Santi and Sasha yet?”
Quinn’s smile twisted into a grimace. “Briefly. Santi tolerates her. Sasha, not so much.”
“You’ve got way too many women in your life, Quinn.” Livia clapped him on the chest as she walked past them.
“Yeah, that’s all probably going to blow up in your face.” Allie followed her sister through the creaking gates of the Commander’s Keep.
“Sounds about right,” Quinn muttered, as he followed.
“So is there a commander in the Commander’s Keep?” All
ie asked, stepping into the vacant yard behind the wall. The keep rose up before them, casting them in the not quite natural shadows of the dreamworld. These shadows gave her the willies.
“We do now,” Navid offered. “For the first time in more than a thousand years.”
“But haven’t you commanded the dreamworld before?” Allie asked.
“I have been a leader here, yes, but that is not the same as commander.”
“What’s the difference?” Allie asked.
“A leader is selected out of necessity. We need order among us. We are often an unruly sort, needing the guidance of an alpha, for lack of a better term. Someone to hold us accountable. A long time ago, I was that leader until our numbers dwindled after the Great War. The few dream walkers who remained occupied our own remote corners of the dreamworld and kept to ourselves.
“And a commander?” Allie asked, taking in the once elaborate main hall of the ground floor. Underneath the rubble and grime, the keep was breathtaking.
“A true commander is born, not made. The dreamworld itself recognizes a commander as its master. The last commander faded from this world eons ago, and the world of dreams has not recognized another since.”
“Since now?” Allie asked, watching Quinn move about the main level of the keep, showing Livia around.
“The keep does not show itself to just anyone who happens to stumble upon it,” Navid replied.
“Quinn?” Allie’s eyebrows tried to climb up to her hairline. “He’s just a kid. He can’t possibly be ready for that.”
“He is older and wiser than his twenty years. And ready or not, he was born to be the Commander of the Dreamworld. This mantle weighs heavily on his young shoulders, as I’m sure you can relate.”
“Allie,” Quinn called from an upstairs landing. “Come up to the third floor, the others are here.”
Allie and Navid made their way inside and up the winding stairway past vast rooms and empty halls. All was quiet in the keep, yet the place seemed to thrive with energy.
“The others here …” Allie wasn’t sure how to phrase her question.
“They respect him,” Navid replied. “Quinn has earned their loyalty, and he will continue to do so until every last dream walker answers to him.”
“And what happens if Brecken and his walkers don’t?” Allie lowered her voice.
“As the true commander, once he has restored order to the world of dreams, he will be like a king. Quinn will have the authority and the power to expel those who oppose him from the dreamworld forever. For us, there is no worse fate.”
“In here.” Navid guided her through an elaborately carved doorway into a lounge room the size of the common room back home. Quinn and Livia stood near the entry talking to a rather handsome looking walker.
Quinn was still the same friend he’d always been, but knowing his fate was so similar to her own—that he carried such enormous responsibility—she felt closer to him somehow.
“Navid caught you up to speed, then?” He stared at her uncertainly.
“Do I have to call you Commander Loukas?” She shot him a playful smile. She knew how important it was she treat him the same as she always had.
“Please don’t, Prophecy-girl.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m still trying to get used to it from my walkers. ”
“Well, I can’t think of a better man for the job.” Allie hugged him tightly. “I’ve got your back if you ever need to talk, or if you just need a good freak out with someone who gets it.”
“Thank you.” Quinn wrapped his huge arms around her. “I’m so glad to have you on our team.”
“Uh oh,” Livia lowered her voice. “Crazy at ten o’clock. She looks pissed.”
“Quinn?” Raina’s voice echoed across the room. “Who’s that you’re hugging?”
Quinn dropped his arms, stepping away from Allie with a ‘heaven help me’ look on his face.
Raina ran across the room and hurled herself at Quinn, wrapping her arms and legs around him.
“Raina, we’ve talked about this,” Quinn said, his hands hanging at his sides.
“I didn’t kiss you this time.” She laughed. “You’re such a prude.” She sandwiched his face between her palms.
“Let’s keep working on a reasonable greeting for next time, so Santi doesn’t kill me.”
“Santi?” Raina frowned. “She can’t come here to the keep, so what’s it matter? I can be your DW-girl, and she’ll never even know.”
“Trust me, she’ll know.” He extricated himself from Raina’s clingy grip.
“Who is she?” Raina pointed at Allie, her nails long and filed to sharp points like talons.
“This is my good friend, Allie. I told you about her and her sister, Livia, last week. Allie’s like a sister to me.”
“Sister?” Raina cocked her head in a weird, bird-like way, analyzing Allie from head to toe. “She’s pretty. I don’t like pretty.”
And I don’t like crazy. Allie took a step closer to Navid, grateful when Livia joined her. This girl was cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.
“Allie and Livia are Navid’s daughters. They are going to help us against Brecken.”
“Right, right.” She nodded, blinking tears from her eyes and shaking her head in confusion. “I don’t like Brecken.” Raina hung her head like a sad little girl, and Allie’s heart melted. She might be crazy and a bit volatile, but she was just trying to find her way back to herself.
“Raina was Brecken’s prisoner for a long time,” Navid whispered.
“I can hear you, old man.” Raina shot Navid a dirty look. “I’m not crazy.”
“Of course not, darling.” Navid reached for her with a careful hand, like a horse trainer working with a skittish, wild colt. “What did we talk about last night?”
“I’m not crazy. I’m healing.” She rolled her eyes, lifting her hands in air quotes. “I’m not supposed to say “crazy” anymore.”
“That’s right. Now, why don’t you introduce our guests to the others?”
A bright smile lit Raina’s face. “Come with me!” She grabbed Allie and Livia’s hands and hauled them farther into the room.
Allie couldn’t fathom what Raina had been through as Brecken’s captive, but the girl was quickly growing on her. Sasha and Santi might not care for her obvious infatuation with Quinn, but Allie could see through Raina’s hard exterior and odd behavior to the injured, but child-like young woman hiding beneath her hard exterior.
“This is Commander Quinn’s quarters,” she babbled, “but he lets us all hang out in the great room here. The walkers have rooms downstairs. We come and go frequently since we can’t always stay for long periods. Especially me. I only get a half hour a day right now, but Mr. Navidie tells me I can get back to my normal threshold in a few months if I behave myself. I used to be able to stay for nearly two hours at a time.” She sighed wistfully.
Raina abruptly changed direction and dragged Allie and Livia over to a fireplace big enough for Allie to do handstands. The smooth stone floor was covered with threadbare rugs while the antique tapestries looked perfectly preserved. Light illuminated the room, but the source was questionable. The light wasn’t electric or gas; it was just there. A rough and rowdy crowd of men and women fell silent as Quinn stepped into the room behind Allie.
“Commander,” the murmur of respect echoed around the room. At a glance, Allie recognized three kinds of walkers sitting on the couches and chairs around the fireplace. The severe, Navy Seal types with tattoos, dark clothes and cold stares. And those who might appear more at home in a motorcycle club, wearing leather, piercings, and even more tattoos. And only a few like Navid. Older, more reserved, and ready to stand behind their youngest generations, giving guidance where it was needed.
“Everyone, this is Allie and Livia,” Raina said, pointing at each of them, mixing them up.
“Allie’s the short redhead.” Quinn chuckled. Livia’s the one who looks more like Navid in a wig.”
“Watch it, Comma
nder,” Livia murmured as she analyzed each member of the group, sizing them up.
“Right.” Raina crossed her arms, so she was pointing at Allie and then Livia. “Allie, Livia, this is everyone.” She seemed to lose interest then, and drifted away to sit with her friends.
“So she finally did it,” a military type said with a slow clap. “Welcome to the keep.” He gave Allie a wink. “I’m Brigs.”
“Only took her, what, seven attempts to figure it out?” another added. “Not too shabby since she’s not a real walker.” He stood to shake Allie’s hand with his rough, calloused one. “Name’s Mac.” He nodded, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. “Glad to have you.”
“Don’t listen to this bunch, Allie. They’re lazy assholes sitting around busting each other’s balls waiting for their next battle,” Quinn said.
“But we’re pretty amazing over here,” a brunette woman said. She was the least severe looking woman with a glossy, high ponytail and a variety of tiny symbol tattoos around her eyes. “I’m Danica. These are my girls, Hale and Scarlett.” She introduced the two women sitting beside her on a large red sofa.
“Name’s Sawyer,” a tall military type said with a nod.
“Dominic.”
“Rocco.”
“Maddox.”
“Silver.”
“We’ll never remember all your names, but it’s great to meet everyone,” Allie said, nudging Livia to say something. The way she stood silently staring at them made Allie nervous, so Livia was probably freaking them all out.
“Yes, right,” Livia said, clearing her throat. “Lovely to meet you all.”
“So, how are your daughters going to help us in battle?” Silver asked. “It’s great they’re here, but do they know what they’re getting into?” She looked to Navid for answers.
“We know,” Livia said. “And we’re prepared to do our part the next time you face Brecken.”
“We’ll take care of the dreamers, so you don’t have to worry about their safety,” Allie added, not really sure if they were all that worried about the dreamers if she were honest.
Emerge- The Betrayal Page 12