Domain of Power-The Dreamer (Book 3)

Chapter 18: When Justice Cries

With a sudden jolt, I catapulted out of bed, gasping for air, only to collapse onto the soft mattress. My frantic body convulsed amidst the chaotic mess of tangled sheets, desperately seeking the source of Gaius' unexpected strike from behind. The room echoed with the sound of my heavy breaths, while the scent of fear hung heavily in the air, filling my nostrils. I groped in the dark only for my hands to come back dry.

I shut my eyes, and the next time I opened them, I saw Cornelia.

Her lips quivered as she rushed to my bedside.

"What is wrong, Troy? Did you have another bad dream?"

I nodded. She knew me too well. There was no telling how long she watched me convulse in bed. My voice was shaking now. "I c-cannot go."

She bit her lip as she fiddled with the long garment draped around her arm. She was responsible for getting me dressed for the trial. The one who made certain every curl fell into place. And now I was about to tell her to throw all those instructions out the window. But I could not bear to see Gaius. Not after what happened in the dream.

Cornelia rested a hand on my shoulder. "But my lord Troy. You must go. Your family would be expecting your presence. What would they think of your absence?"

At that moment, I did not care what they thought. All I knew was that I could not trust Gaius. I could not look at him the same, even if it was only a dream.

She chewed on her bottom lip when she must have realized I was not budging from the bed. "What should I tell your father and grandfather?" she asked.

"Tell them I do not wish to see the man who confined me in this bed."

Cornelia hesitated before answering, "But this would be the last time you would ever have to see him again."

I wanted to believe her. But I was starting to think that the 'dark rider' was not who everyone thought he was. Gaius knew more than he was telling my brother and father, but how could I prove it without evidence.... the letters.

I sprang from the bed, causing Cornelia to jump out of my way. When she asked where I was going, I replied that I had to find something in the study. As I stumbled past the family shrine to the atrium, I bumped into Apollus.

"Are you blind?" he snapped.

I ignored him as I scampered into the atrium and into the study. Someone had cleared all parchment and styluses from the table where I often sat for instruction. I stared at its smooth cedar finish, imagining the two letters lying side by side. I glanced up at the shelves and began digging for anything that looked like a single sheet of parchment until I found the apology letter signed by Gaius. Now I just needed to find the confession letter. I looked under one of the clay jars stuffed with styluses and dried ink. No letter.

Did Father take the letter?

"Troy?"

I almost dropped the letter in my hand.

I looked up to find Apollus staring at me with both arms folded against his chest.

"Did I startle you? You look like a scared rabbit," he scoffed.

I kept silent.

"Are you looking for the letter?"

I nodded. "Do you have it?"

"No."

"Where is it?"

"I gave it to Gaius after dinner for safekeeping. He will bring it to the trial to be read."

I almost forgot we invited him to dinner last night. I knew how the dream ended, but when did it start? Now my head was spinning.

Apollus made a joke that I needed to go back into my room to dress before presenting myself to Father at the triclinium, but my head was still spinning. I needed the letter to prove to myself once and for all if Gaius was truly the dark rider. But I had no way to confirm if the suspicions were true now.