The Disillusion Mountains

Chapter 23

"Come on!" They took off as fast as possible. Nimma was in good shape but it'd been a long time since she had to run with an extra hundred and seventy pounds of human draped over her. Nimma had no idea where they were or if there were any uphill areas to shelter in. There was only one direction to run so they took it.

The sound of the water that would drown them was deafening. Nimma knew there was no way they could outrun the torrent. They had to climb but climbing with an unconscious man and another whose hands were bound would be impossible. Just when Nimma was starting to give into despair she saw it. It was like it appeared out of nowhere. A huge silver and white spotted shadow cat missing half its left ear was calmly sitting in a fork in the canyon. The animal got up and began walking down a path before disappearing a few steps in.

Nimma followed it. The path was rocky but went uphill. Jace and Nimma fought up the steep slope. When they reached the top both could go no farther and collapsed. Breathing hard Nimma turned to see the path they had just come up flood with water.        

It didn't come any farther but the flash flood in the canyon still roared on. With nothing left to do Nimma surrendered to exhaustion beside an already snoring Jace and a still unconscious Grant.

🌺

Nimma felt a gentle hand caressing her face. The familiar shape and calluses made her smile. She snuggled deeper into the embrace of the arms holding her.

"Hello Caspian." She smiled and opened her eyes.

"Hello Nimma." It was dark behind Caspian but a gentle gold and purple light lit up his face.

"What happened to your hair? You've never been bald in my dreams before."

"I had to cut it off. When I woke from my coma it was a matted mess. The people who took care of me weren't concerned about grooming. I like your hair." Nimma felt one of his hands run through her long hair.

"I miss you."      

"I missed you too, Dragonlilly. I only ever dreamt of you for the last year and a half."

"I asked you not to say things like that last time. Remember? It makes me cry when I wake up and you're not there."

"You'll never cry that way again. I swear." Caspian brought his face down to hers and Nimma expected to wake before he could kiss her. In the past she always had. That was another reason she cried so hard when the harsh reality that the love of her life was gone forever crashed down. This time that didn't happen.

Nimma kissed him with all the love and longing she felt and was rudely interrupted when someone cleared their throat. "Uhh Nimma?"

Nimma had never felt so irritated in her life. She turned to the direction of his voice. Grant sat on the other side of two purple and gold fireballs which must have been acting as a campfire. 

"Grant. Shut up and get out of my dream! You too, Jace. Shoo." She threw a small pebble at them but instead of dissolving they continued to sit there. "Fine. Stay. See if I care." She turned back to Caspian and ran a hand down his face. "Where were we?"

Caspian did his half grin with the adorable look she loved so much. "Nimma as much as I've missed you I'm opposed to having an audience."   

She shot a glare at the unwanted additions to this sweet dream. "This is my dream why can't I make them go away."

"This isn't a dream," Caspian said gently.  

"Yes it is." She turned to Grant and Jace. "I'm dreaming right?" Both men shook their heads. Nimma sat up and Caspain rearranged his hold on her. Nimma pinched herself and felt pain.

"You see him, right?" Nimma asked frantically. "This man? Here?" She put a hand over Caspian's heart and felt the steady beat she'd missed so much. She didn't dare trust it yet as this wouldn't be the first time she'd hallucinated his presence.  

"We see him. This is Caspian, huh?"   

Nimma had never been the type to swoon but the shock of this was too much and she fell back into Caspian's arms.  

"I'll be here when you wake," Caspian promised with a kiss.