Elora Van Eck | Kaz Brekker

TWENTY-SEVEN | THE DREAMLAND

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  e l o r a

  "What are we doing here?" Elora's face twisted in confusion, her eyebrows nearly touching. She hopped out of the carriage, followed by the others. Slowly, she walked across the green meadow towards a barn. Her eyes absorbed every wooden plank, but Kaz quickly let her know that the barn was not their actual target. "It's merely convenient, so we won't be seen." Gently, as if afraid of pulverizing her bones, he took her elbow and guided her around the barn.

  "Over there," Kaz pointed to a building in the distance. It looked narrow but tall—probably up to ten stories high. Around it was a large garden, enclosed by a huge fence.

  But this didn't clarify things for Elora. Instead, her confusion only grew, as she found it extremely strange that this building and the barn seemed to be the sole structures for miles around. She peered in every direction to make sure. The barn to her right hid their bodies from the residents of the tall building further to the right. To her left, she saw a dense forest in the distance. But the rest of her view was filled with meadows. It almost looked like they were trapped in a dreamland.

  "I don't understand," she told Kaz, but he kept his eyes on the tall building as he replied, "You will understand when the time comes."

  When what time comes? What was Kaz planning? What was so important in that building that Kaz didn't want to leave Shu Han until Elora knew about it? And why didn't he just tell her what was going on?

  These thoughts momentarily blinded her, and she didn't notice that Kaz had moved away from her side. She spun around. Kaz was standing apart from the carriage, speaking meticulously with Dunyasha. Elora was too far away to overhear what they were talking about, but it seemed intentional, as Wylan, Jesper, Koralina, Marcus, and Flynn also stood apart from the two. Elora decided to join her brother. She trusted Kaz, even though the uncertainty lay like a stone in her stomach.

  "What are we doing here?" the girl repeated her question, hoping that Wylan might provide an answer, but he just shrugged. "Kaz only mentioned that he needs me. I don't know any more than that." Jesper, with his hands buried in his pockets, shook his head when she cast him a questioning look.

  Defeated, she hooked her arm through her brother's. She had no choice but to be patient.

  Her patience didn't seem to be tested for long, as the moment quickly ended when Kaz called Wylan over. He squeezed Elora's hand before withdrawing his arm and hurrying over to Kaz and Dunyasha. Elora turned to watch the scene, but even if she could read lips, it would be impossible from this distance to decipher what secret plans Kaz, Dunyasha, and now Wylan were discussing.

  Her thoughts wandered to her father when she had given up her attempt at telepathy. Was he close? What would he do to her if she was caught? What would he do to Wylan? What would he do to Kaz? She doubted Jan would let Kaz slip from his fingers again, not when the last time he did just that, the man had set out to find and rescue Elora.

  "He won't find you."

  Jesper's words pulled her out of her churning mind. She smiled at him, though it was merely a reaction. They weren't soothing words—not when she did not believe them. Her father was a horrible man. He had entrapped her, had wanted to force marriage upon her. Elora had been hidden for months, and it had been her father's doing. He had managed to wipe her existence from the face of the earth. Jan Van Eck was capable of unspeakable things. He would find her someday, she was sure of it. Leaving the country would surely delay it, and that was why she did not understand Kaz's hesitancy. She knew he wanted her to be safe—needed her to be safe, she liked to think.

  Koralina appeared from behind her and slung an arm around her waist. She placed her chin onto Elora's shoulder, holding her tightly. "I can smell your worries," she mumbled.

Were they that obvious?

  "Can you blame me?" said Elora, leaning her temple against Kora's head.

  "No," Kora breathed. She raised her head, locking eyes with her friend. "You'll be fine."

  Then what were we doing here? Elora was confused. Her pulse quickened with every further minute that passed. Jan was on his way, and they were standing around, hiding behind a barn. Despair flowed into her limbs suddenly. She turned and closed in on Dunyasha, Kaz, and Wylan with a sure step. "Please tell me what is going on," she blurted as soon as she stopped, eyes grasping for Kaz's attention. She needed him to understand her fears and her confusion. She needed him to see her. "I cannot bear this uncertainty any longer, Kaz," her voice broke. Her sight flickered to his bobbing throat before she focused on his eyes again. "Please," she whispered.

  Kaz shot Wylan and Dunyasha a nod and both set off towards the tall building without a word. Elora looked after them, confusion carving creases into her forehead. Confusion and worry were the companions she could count on no matter what, though she'd rather they'd finally leave her be. She turned to Kaz at last, and her face took on the question that her lips wouldn't form. He seemed to understand her, though—he always did, and it was such a rarity, to be understood even in silence, that some of her creases softened.

  "I cannot reveal everything to you," he began, holding up a hand as he noticed Elora's attempt to contradict. "Believe me when I say you have to see, Elora."

  Elora sighed. "I do believe you."

  She observed a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, but it was gone in a flash. "There is something in there that you have to see. But I can tell you how we get there," he said. "Wylan is setting up a distraction. Dunyasha is there to make sure that our path is truly vacant. I will bring you inside while the others wait here. It is for you to see. And for Wylan as well."

  His words did the exact opposite of what she was hoping for. Something was in there that the Van Eck twins had to see, and only them. Trying to decipher his words, her mind ran into a brick wall. Maybe she truly did have to see, for she could not, for the life of her, think of anything this important. She nodded at Kaz in understanding, though she understood nothing. She did not know what to say. Her focus lay solely on that building as she turned, staring at it, staring into it. Goosebumps trickled up and down her skin. What the hell was in there?

  Kaz stepped forward, placing his palm on the small of her back. Her goosebumps suddenly swapped reason.

  Kaz and Elora stood like that for long moments, staring at the tall building. Only when a bang erupted and smoke began to rise into the air did Kaz give her a slight push.

  They started walking towards the building.

  Kora attempted to stop them, but a look from Kaz that Elora did not notice had her stopping in her tracks. Elora's focus did not waver from the building. Jesper, Kora, and Flynn stayed behind, but she did not gift them a single glance as she walked towards what may very well be her doom. What if they were seen?

  She shook the thought off immediately. She trusted in Dunyasha's ability to clear their way. She trusted in Wylan's ability to cause a distraction. And she trusted Kaz enough to walk right into that building, knowing with her entire heart that he would not let her head towards her doom.