Dreamer (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1) by Camille Peters (thriller books to read .txt) 📕

Darius, I need your help. Please.

The words formed in the air as I wrote them, and when I finished they gathered together to form another glowing ball, which immediately flew up in the air towards the Dream World to deliver itself. Stardust stared open-mouthed after it.

“You’re sending for Spiderweb? Are you crazy, Eden?”

“He’ll help me,” I managed breathlessly. He had to, for if he didn’t…I had no one else to turn to. My emotions from the past several minutes overcame me and I found I was too weak to remain on my feet any longer. I leaned against my dream-watching tree and slid down the trunk to the lawn below.

I tried not to allow my mind to drift to my worries as I waited—especially as I realized too late that in my fluster I’d forgotten to tell Darius where I was—but it did anyway. My anxieties played across the stage of my thoughts, and I imagined myself being suspended half a dozen times, as well as what would happen to the Dream World because I’d failed. And I’d felt so close to figuring out how to use my dreams to help them. Now one of the dreams I’d captured was in the Head Nightmare’s clutches. If there really was a way to excavate a dream’s magic, and Ember found a way to accomplish what I hadn’t, she could potentially use it against the world I loved. The thought finally caused my fragile hold on my emotions to falter and my tears escaped.

My worries were so relentless that when Darius appeared, I was emotionally exhausted. He arrived in his usual crack of lightning, his eyes frantic with worry. Despite my earlier concern he wouldn’t know where to find me, I found myself unsurprised that our strange connection had led him to me. Stardust’s gaze was immediately suspicious, but I didn’t care what she thought; after all his help and what had transpired during our outing a few days before, I trusted him.

His worry deepened when he found me slumped against the tree. He stepped forward urgently. “What is it, Eden? What’s happened?”

I weakly tried to stand and he was at my side in an instant to help me to my feet. His concerned gaze first took in my tear-streaked face followed by my scraped palms. “Your mother—she took—” I could barely speak.

His eyes widened. “My mother?”

“She was on Earth, she saw me—she took something of mine, something that can be used to hurt me. I need to get it back. Please.”

It was only after I made my jumbled plea that I fully realized what I was asking: for him to help me against his own mother. How could I be so presumptuous to ask such a thing of him? But even though my request defied sense, my heart had led me to seek his help.

His brow furrowed. “My mother stole something of yours?”

I nodded. “A jar. If she finds out what’s in it—” I clutched my stomach, nauseous in my fear.

His eyebrows rose. Undoubtedly I’d just tipped my hand that the jar of mine still in his own possession was significant after all…though I had no doubt he’d already concluded that. If he hadn’t returned mine, what made me think he’d retrieve the one Nightmare Ember had stolen?

“I’ll get it back for you.”

My mouth fell agape. “You will?”

“Yes.” He gave my shoulders a reassuring squeeze and left immediately. Without his presence I found myself weak again, and I slumped back against the tree.

“Why did you ask him?” Stardust demanded. “The last thing he’ll want to do is help you.”

I had no words to explain why I knew he would; the connection and trust I felt for him seemed to defy reason, though I felt it all the same. “He will.”

“But he’s a Nightmare.”

I was in no mood to endure her prejudice. I wearily closed my eyes and waited, time measured by each frantic beat of my heart. It seemed to take ages for Darius to return, and even when I heard his familiar crack I didn’t open my eyes until I sensed his approach.

My eyes fluttered open. He held out the jar on his palm. My heart swelled in relief and gratitude. “Thank you.”

“It was a challenge; I had to scour Mother’s room before I found where she’d hidden it.” He handed it to me and I cradled it close, more touched by his gesture than relieved that the jar couldn’t be used against me.

“Why did you help me?” I asked.

An intense but equally soft look filled his eyes. “Because you needed me.”

The rest of my fear seeped away, leaving me exhausted. And even though the danger had passed, my tears still escaped.

He anxiously stepped forward. It’ll be alright, Eden. Please don’t worry.

Though I was certain I’d heard him, he didn’t appear to have said anything. I blinked, slightly disoriented. “Did you say something?”

He stiffened, as if the question caught him off guard, before he relaxed. “Just that it’ll be alright. Don’t worry, Eden.” He reached out and stroked my cheek.

I nodded weakly. I wasn’t sure how things would be alright—indeed, the situation had only grown worse than it’d been before my useless attempts to do something to help—but the feel of his touch soothed me nonetheless.

“Thank you, Darius.”

He smiled gently. “Will you be able to do our Weaving?”

I startled as my gaze snapped to the sky, now tinged with darkness. I’d entirely forgotten about the Weaving. “Do I have to?”

He chuckled. “I’m afraid so, but perhaps I can let you win.”

I shook my head. Even though the jar Nightmare Ember had confiscated was back in my possession, I’d aroused her suspicion, and I doubted my winning solely because Darius let me would go unnoticed.

“There’s no need. Tonight’s dream will beat yours on its own merits.” It was a total lie—I hadn’t prepared a dream at all, so intent on doing something about the balance that I’d once again neglected my Mortal.

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