The Dream Charmer

Chapter Four--You Bet.

Here's another chapter post! ON TIME delivery too. Happy New Year's everyone. Thanks for reading. :)

I snatched a book off the stack and flipped through the pages. I dropped it on the desk and grabbed another one—dry. All the pages were arid, parched of all the moisture that dripped from the pages only moments before.

"Really?" Jax lounged back on the bookcase, resting his elbows on the top of it. "You had no idea."

He scanned our link, strumming the strands of our connection for Kellan. But I already knew, Kellan had nothing to do with evaporating the moisture from the volumes surrounding us. If he were here, he would have rubbed this watery victory in Jaxon's face.

Sadness burned through Jaxon's bond to me. "Jax, stop sulking." I took a few steps closer and lounged on the shelf next to him. "It's your talent I have the most experience with."

"That bonfire you lit shot 30 feet in the air, didn't it?" A partial smile graced his face. "Most experienced soldiers couldn't pull that off."

"You're going to need provisions." Astra grabbed a pen and scribbled something on a piece of paper, then tore the page from the pad. "Here."

We both looked at the page in her outstretched hand. "You're going to help us?" I asked.

Jaxon pulled a few stones from his pocket for payment of the supplies she'd approved for us.

Astra stood, folded his hand closed over the stones, refusing the payment. "Wren's my niece. Just promise me nothing will happen to her." She shoved the note into his hand. "Promise."

Jaxon nodded and placed the note in his pocket. "That's not something you need to demand. I already have a vested interest in Wren's safety."

"Hey." I waved at the both of them. "I'm not entirely useless here. I can protect myself you know."

Both of them ignored me. Astra's sight, still locked with Jaxon's wasn't wavering. She awaited his answer.

"I promise," he said, breaking the stalemate.

She gave a curt acknowledgment of her head and reached into a drawer at her desk.

"Astra? I'd like to make sure I get a chance to see my birthday. Are we free to go?"

"We'll have two reasons to celebrate that day." Jaxon reached for my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the door.

"Before you leave..." She pulled a small box wrapped in a pink ribbon from the desk drawer. "I was saving this for your birthday. Here."

The tiny white box rested in my palm. Confused, I glanced at her for an explanation. "You're giving me a gift after all I've done to your books?"

Astra let out a short laugh, genuinely amused by my comment. "Oh child, you've always been a bit of a handful. Why should that change now you've returned home." She gestured I should open the box. "Out of all our members, you've always found a way to repair the damage you've done. More than I can say for a few of our other members."

I tugged on the silky pink strand, letting it fall free from the box. The lid, with a press of a button, flipped open, revealing a shimmering golden-yellow striped stone. Tigress, a protection stone and worn by—

Jaxon's brow furrowed. "You're offering her a position on the Traveler's council?"

"Why so surprised? Wren holds more wisdom regarding the traveling realm than any other member of our guild." She patted my hand. "You've earned the honor."

"Don't worry. The council won't interfere with any royal duties she'll have."

"Why are you looking at me?" He nudged his head in my direction. "If she wants to accept, I'm not standing in her way."

I held my hand to my chest. "You're sure, Astra?"

"I am." She lifted the box from my hand, pulled the stone free from the case and placed it back in my palm.

I rolled the opalescent gem in my fingers, its strength thrumming through my touch.

Jax stood next to me and brushed my hair aside. "Here, let me help you with that."

He fumbled with the knots in the leather string until the necklace fell from my neck and he placed the length of stones in my hand.

I threaded the stone onto the leather and refastened the knot. My fingers rested on the beads around my neck. "I won't disappoint you, thank-you."

"Your official position doesn't start until you turn of age, but I'm glad you like the stone—it was your grandmothers." She picked up the glass ball off of her desk and rolled it between her palms. "Would you do me a favor?"

"Sure," I answered, wondering what she'd want from me.

"Leave my books out of your future schemes?"

Jaxon chuckled. "Then you better ban her from the library."

"Hey." I gave him a playful shove. "It's not like I planned for that book to douse the room and everything in it! It was an accident."

"You know, I believe you're right." He smirked. "I don't think there was any planning whatsoever."

I groaned and turned to face Astra, trying to ignore his insult. "Consider your guild books under protection."

Astra sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Jaxon laughed even harder. "See she does know you. Come on, we should go."

Astra closed her eyes and continued to circulate the crystal in her hands. With each rotation, an inky teal spread through the clear liquid. When the sphere rested in her palm, it looked like a sea-green colored Christmas bulb, wrapped in a thin line of red.

"We'll see you in a few days," I said in a soft tone, not wanting to interrupt her thoughts.

She opened her eyes and looked at both of us. "May the circle harbor your safety and protect your journey," Astra said, reciting the guild's farewell watchwords.

She glanced at the sphere, a hint of a smile held her lips before she placed the crystal back in its holder. Astra and her secrets—I wondered if I'd ever know what she saw. Then again, I was pretty sure I wouldn't want the burden of knowing.

Astra stood and pulled me into a hug. "Stay safe."

When she released me, Jax gestured toward the door. "Ready?"

To fight for my right to live? "You bet."

Thanks for reading! Next update on Sunday, January 7th. Until then, all votes and comments are GREATLY appreciated! HAPPY NEW YEARS!