Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (book club suggestions txt) 📕

its way, Aim.” He supplied.
“What for?” Aimee asked him. “He’s awake, and fine!”
“We called one, just in case.” Derrick replied.
“Just in case what?” Aimee turned to him.
“Just in case it was another Djinn attack.” Ariana responded. Before her almost-sister could say anything, she looked Aimee in the eye. “They were just following my orders.”
Aimee scowled.
“He’ll need to be looked at, Aimee.” Luna said softly.
Aimee looked at Aaron, who nodded, agreeing with them.
“Oh well, if it must be done.” Aimee sighed.

II

A week later, he was released from Philbrooke Memorial Hospital. Aimee was there to pick him up.
“Any luck with your voice?” She asked as she drove.
He stared out the window, watching cars drive by. The doctors say my voice is fine. He relayed. I still can’t talk, so I don’t buy it.
“Me, neither.” Aimee echoed.
The rest of the car ride was quiet, and Aaron was lost in his own daydreams. Aimee was worried for her twin, and so was their almost-sister, best friend, Ariana Reading.
She decided to let it go for now, knowing the family would help her get to the bottom of it soon.
As soon as they walked in the door, Aaron headed upstairs. Aimee was met by his adopted-son Bradley Allen.
“What’s wrong with Dad?” Fourteen-year-old Bradley asked. “Is he going to be okay?”
“He’ll be fine.” Aimee stared in the direction her brother had disappeared. “He just has a lot on his mind right now, that’s all.”
“I sent Angel next door with Juliet so I could study.” Bradley told her. “I hope that was okay.”
Angel was Aimee’s six-year-old adopted-daughter. “It was fine.” Aimee said absently. “Thanks for telling me. I’ll be back.”
For the second time that day, Amethyst Schmidt headed out the door, worried.
After explaining her worries to Ariana and Derrick, she left the Readings with young Angel. Now, they were worried for Aaron.

III

“Do you have any idea what really happened to him?” Derrick asked his wife after dinner.
“Not a clue.” Ariana replied. “Until he’s ready to tell us, we won’t truly know.”
Derrick looked at her. “You won’t use your powers on him?”
Ariana shook her head. “I won’t use my Ancient Mystic powers on any of my family, and that includes Aaron. Not like that. It wouldn’t feel right.”
Derrick was in deep thought. “You used them on me.”
“Only because I had to exorcize a Djinn from you.” Ariana said softly. She kissed him. “I wasn’t about to let a no-good Djinn demon take over my husband’s mind.”
Derrick wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed. After a moment of silence, he kissed her again. “I love you, Ariana Moon.”
“I love you, too, Derrick James.” She lay her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat its steady rhythm. “Whatever happens to us in the future, I don’t want to lose you.”
Derrick knew his wife’s premonition power was triggering. He knew she had a vision of hers when he heard her tone. One thing to do was assure her, and set her weary Ancient Mystic’s mind at ease. “You won’t lose me. I’ll stand by you, no matter what.” He made her look into his eyes. “I promise.”
She didn’t seem to hear the last statement. She was staring at him, searching his eyes. Her hand went to his Pendant-Locket, a necklace he wore that linked the two of them together in thoughts and emotions. His gaze followed, and was surprised when he saw the same thing she seemed to see. His Pendant-Locket, which had been forged from two separate charms, was glowing gold. Her own Dream Amulet, with five of the Jewels of the Ancient Mystic Province in it, was glowing silver.
To him it meant something was going to happen, and soon.
“Why are the powers of the Pendant and my Amulet activating now?” Ariana asked.
“Have you sensed something out of the ordinary lately?” Derrick asked back, in his detective mode. “Seen any visions?”
She shrugged. “Just my dreams. That’s all.” She told him, turning from his embrace. Her mind was now in her own detective mode.
“Dreams?” Derrick asked, not happy he hadn’t been able to sense them, or she hadn’t told him about them in the first place. “What dreams, and why didn’t you tell us?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.” Ariana confessed. “So I only told Wolf.”
“You would tell our Companion friend, but not your own family?” Derrick was frustrated. “In Lord Guardian’s name, why?”
“You really want to know why?” Ariana asked in her Young Guardian tone. She was serious, and Derrick knew when to shut up and listen. When he nodded, she continued, silver-blue eyes ablaze. “I’ll tell you why. There’s going to be a war in the Dream Realm soon. I don’t know when, or who’s going to be involved, but I do know this. If we don’t learn how to work together, we’re all going to die there.”
“You’re serious.” It was a statement.
“To put it kindly, dead serious.” Ariana replied. “For now, I need to take care of the baby. Go look on the rest of the children, will you?”
Derrick also knew when to keep his mouth shut and obey.

IV

Across the street at the Morehouse’s, Shane knew something was up. He’d known all along, ever since their little run-in with the Djinn God Omri and the Merchant Damian.
He paced his kitchen, searching his mind for answers.
“Worrying isn’t going to make it go away, Shadow.” Luna used his codename to address him. “You know that as well as I do.”
He stopped. “What should I do?” He asked. “Omri’s not through with us. In fact, I’m willing to bet my title Gloriana’s in on it, too.”
“What makes you think that Dominionite is in on anything?” Luna asked. “She’s a lowly demon witch who had herself Exiled to the Unknown to become Orthos’ queen.”
“Exactly.” Shadow’s eyes were glowing gold.
Luna was scared now. “Explain.”
“Rumor has it, she’s loose in the Ancient Mystic Kingdom.” Shadow explained triumphantly. “Another rumor says Sabrina’s been caught by Lord Max in the Grey Area with a lower-level fire demon.”
“If rumors are true, how did they get back to the Dream Realm?” Luna asked. “Neither of them has enough power to simply travel through all Realms in all the Worlds.”
For once, Shadow didn’t have an answer.
It was up to her to figure things out. Maybe it would give him some insight?
“We all know Sabrina’s a Dark Ancient Mystic.” Luna pointed out. “That could be how she returned to the Grey Area.”
He nodded silently, agreeing.
“What about Gloriana?” Luna asked. “Do you think she got a Spell from Orthos’ own Spell-Book?”
He nodded again, still not speaking.
It was irritating her, this one-sided conversation. To her horror, he began to pace again.
“Stop pacing, Shadow.” Luna demanded. “I’ll ask the Ancients if they have any clues.”
He took her in his arms and kissed her lips. “I knew you’d see it my way.”
Without another word, he walked away, whistling.
Luna Morehouse was left staring after him, confused. How did he know what she was thinking?

Part Two:
Secrets From the Past

Prologue:
The Grand Magus’ Plea

That night, as promised, Luna traveled to the Realm of the Ancients as the Dream Realm’s Grand Magus.
At first, there was no one to greet her. Grand Magus knew differently.
The Ancients were Gods and Goddesses that surrounded the Realm. From the skies, a raven circled overhead, telling her the Wind Goddess, Aura, was watching and listening. From the nearby sea, the Grand Magus could hear the whale-calls and dolphin-cries, letting her know the Sea Goddess Brianna was listening in. From a volcano in the distance, she could see a mother dragon and her dragon-mites, which let her know the Fire Goddess Hestia was listening as well.
That left only one Elemental Goddess, and the Goddess of Earth, Dana, appeared as a She-wolf with green eyes.
The Grand Magus bowed as the Goddess changed form in front of her.
“Rise, Grand Magus.” The Goddess smiled upon her. “My sisters tell me you are in trouble, and need our help.”
The Grand Magus nodded her head. “That we are, and do, my Goddess.”
“What do you wish from us?”
“You know of the impending war in the Dream Realm?” Grand Magus asked.
“Aye.” The Goddess was patient.
“Please, you must send help for the battle ahead. I fear we can’t handle it too much longer.”
“How can we help you if you cannot help yourselves?” The Goddess observed. “I have watched you from our Realm, Grand Magus. I must say, I am not happy with you.”
Grand Magus was silenced. “What have I done to make you angry, my Goddess?”
Instead of answering directly, the Goddess shook her head. “You leave me no choice, Grand Magus.”
Somehow, Grand Magus knew what was coming next, and dreaded it.
“You have feared trusting your Empathy power for far too long.” The Goddess implied. “When you wake, you will be burdened with feeling every emotion of those around you. You will be forced to learn control over it.”
“No, please Goddess, don’t do this.” Grand Magus shook her head at the statement. “Please, I beg of you.”
The Goddess didn’t hear, or chose not to.
“You will learn to trust your Empathy power, Aluna Star.”
Before she could reply, the Goddess disappeared, leaving her in tears.
Grand Magus felt her knees give out, forcing her to the ground. She covered her face and waited until her tears subsided before going home again, and facing her family.
From the Realm of the Ancients, she disappeared. When she reappeared, the Dream Realm around her felt familiar. It gave her the feeling of being in the Middle Ages, a time of dragon-fighting knights and damsels in distress.
She stood and turned around to see a pair of horses coming her way. She tried waving her arms and yelling to get their attention, but they didn’t seem to see or hear her.
“That’s odd.” The Grand Magus mumbled. “Dreamers usually see and hear me in their private Dream Realms. I wonder what’s going on?”
The Grand Magus waited while the pair of horses came closer. It was a princess and her knight. As they drew closer, Grand Magus could see exactly who these people were.
The princess was her cousin, Julia Lynne, a woman she’d only met four years before. The knight was Jamie “Jammins” Stewart, only, he was different. He’s dressed as a knight, carrying a sword and riding an all-black horse. Julia was riding a dun-colored horse beside him. Grand Magus saw the daggers hidden in his boots, and guessed this knight was Jammins’ Dream Realm persona.
Jammins saw her as her own Dream Realm persona, the Grand Magus. Meeting her eyes, he grasped his Dream Locket to tell her in thoughts.
Salutations, Grand Magus.
Grand Magus nodded back, curtseying.
“What are you nodding at, Jamie?” Julia mustn’t have seen her standing there.
Jammins turned to Julia. “At how perfect we are together.”
They trot toward her, passing her.
When she turned to watch them leave, they were already gone.

II

Meanwhile, the Young Guardian finished her patrols of the Dream Realm.
Before checking in with her old Companion-Crusader friends, the Stargazers, she changed out of her Guardian’s Gown to her Fighter’s Gear. The Guardian’s Gown was a flowing white gown that made her look like an angel. A multi-pastel-colored wrap hung over her right shoulder, with her Jewels Amulet pinning it together. The gown’s top was partially see-through, and she wore a rose-colored slip underneath.
Her Fighter’s Gear was different. It