Dreaming

Chapter 21 - Friend or Foe

Cass jumped out of bed. "Parris you lived! My dream... I didn't kill you!"

Parris opened his bedroom door. Cass tumbled into his arms and into his room. After a few steps back he managed to keep them upright.

Cass was squeezing him tight.

"It worked?!"

She beamed at him. "Yes! It was awesome. I've never had a normal dream, but without all the blood, it was just nice. Oh Parris, thank you!" She stood on her tip toes and kissed him.

She was suddenly very aware that she was in his room.

She pulled away. "And I think I have a clue about Ann." She ran out saying she was going to text Jake and write down a phone number.

Somehow it had worked.

Cass told Helen about the flour and phone number over breakfast.

"On the way to Magna's we will call, best not to do it from this house."

"Think it will be traced?" Parris asked as he cleared his plate.

"Most definitely. But this is good information about Ann." She handed the phone number back to Cass. "It might lead to nothing but it's a great clue."

"Do you know anything about poisons? Is it even possible?"

"I know very little about them but Magna might." Helen took a sip of coffee.

They were all in high spirits as they prepared to visit Magna. Each one was hoping for answers.

Magna lived in a village up the coast. They walked down to a taxi. The roads were bumpy and narrow and often times right on the edge of a cliff.

They stopped at a public phone in a small village. Helen fed it coins and Cass punched in the numbers.

"It's an answering service, asking for the country." Cass punched the 4 for USA and followed the next set of prompts for State.

After several clicks, "We are unable to verify your information. Thank you and have a nice day." The line went dead.

"That was weird." Cass had really hoped for more.

Helen kept looking around the empty plaza. "I don't have a good feeling about this."

They got into the taxi, before they could make it to Magna's village, a black car was following them.

"They aren't turning!" Cass couldn't keep her eyes off the car behind them.

Helen tapped on her watch. "They aren't from the order. But let's try to stay calm."

Parris held Cass's hand. "Should we split up?"

Helen looked at the following car "I don't know. They are powerful! If they found us this quickly, they might even have the backing of a god." She looked out the window. "This isn't good. Driver we need to disappear."

The cabbie stopped the car in a side alley. "Get OUT now!"

He reached for his glove box and the three of them scrambled out as fast as they could, not wanting to see what he was reaching for.

They ran into the back of a small shop. Weaving through the store, Parris said, "Well that didn't work!"

Cass looked to her mom, "What now?"

They went through the front door which opened to a small plaza. It was market day. The little street was filled with people and vendors.

"You two stay together. If you can, make your way to the top of the village. Magna's house is the one with a yellow and white door."

Helen hugged Cass. "Be safe Cassandra." She vanished into the crowd before Cass could say goodbye.

Parris never let go of her hand. They slowly made their way through the market, trying their best to not draw attention.

A woman with bright green eyes stepped from the shop. She scanned the market. They were here but she couldn't see them. She touched her ear. "I'll search the perimeter, Sir; they are close."

The woman searched the market; finding her target, she stalked her prey.

She put her hand on an arm. "Helen we have some catching up to do."