The Dreamer

Chapter 11

It was already dark when we got back home, so I just went to bed, telling Rose that I'll explain everything tomorrow. This time for my dream, I'm standing in a room again, but I'm to the side. It's like I'm a spirit watching this happen. I see Zeke and he's sitting on his bed with a notebook resting on his crossed thighs.

He's writing something in it, but I don't know what. I take a step forward but Zeke looks up. It doesn't seem like he senses my presence. It's more like he remembered something. I watch as he stands up and walks out. I follow behind him and I see him standing outside of my door. What is he doing?

He takes a deep breath before he slowly opens the door and peeks inside. I peek over his shoulder and see my own sleeping figure lying there. My back is facing him and I'm bundled up in covers. I look at Zeke who's smiling. He slowly closes the door again and goes back into his own room. Was he worried?

After that, everything was blank up until I woke up. When I woke up, the dream plays through my mind and I start smiling to myself. I knew without a doubt that it really happened and I'm not even creeped out or feel violated in any way. I remember his expression and knew then that he wasn't doing it just to do it. He had a reason, I just don't know what.

"Good morning." I smile as Zeke strode past me and sat down in the chair next to me. "So about what you found at the temple, do you know what it does?" Rose asks as she's standing above the stove cooking. I nod and turn to Zeke. "While we were there, Zeke stepped into a trap and got injured." Rose eyes widen as she turns to Zeke for a second before turning her focus back to the food. "Seriously? Are you okay now?" He nods his head towards me as his way of saying 'listen to the story'. "We went through some tests and got to the room. There was water in this weird bowl and Zeke couldn't touch it, so I did. Next thing I know the water snakes up my arm and just went into my hand as if I'm a sponge." Rose seems amused by the story. "That's when Zeke passed out. I was going to change the strip I tore from my dress but before I could, this weird gold light appeared and healed his leg. He seemed fine after he woke up."

She dishes a few plates and sets them down in front of us. The enchanting smell wafts through my nose and I almost drool. I pick up the fork that's now next to me and start eating. "It's good," I comment, taking another bite. "Thank you," Rose replies. We enjoy our meal before Zeke breaks the silence. "I think I'm also able to stay human longer."

"Really?" Zeke nods. "So far, I think it's about four hours now."

"It's increased by two more hours?" He nods while we finish eating. "I was up last night and realized that I stayed human longer than normal."

"That's good!" I smile at him, remembering last night's dream. "Very good indeed. Why don't you both take a break today? I'm sure it was long, but you need to tell me everything." I nod and we all walk into the library. Rose asks to see my hand and I hold it out to her. She gently takes it and looks at it. "I can feel its power. Can you?" I pause for a moment before I shrug. "Concentrate." I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I focus on trying to find a power and gasp. It feels weird. It's like a wave of energy flowing through me. Stronger than before, though not by much, but it's still noticeable. "See?" I open my eyes and nod. She smiles, but it melts into seriousness. She narrows her eyes at me and let’s go of my hand. "Speaking of which, I feel more than just that power. I felt it before but now it seems even stronger. As if you awakened something."

"Yeah, during our trip in the spirit world, we came to find quite a few new things about me."

"What did you find?" I raise my hand and show her. I create a small patch of ice to show her. "I still can't control it though." She nods, looking at the patch. "You need to be careful with your new powers; they can be dangerous to others and maybe even you." I frown and look at Zeke, remembering the sharp icicle that I created when I was trying to make the bridge. He could've died if I had pointed it at him.

"She can heal," Zeke blurts. I look at Zeke and he smiles at me. "So if she does happen to hurt someone by accident, she can always heal them." I avert my eyes and look down when I start feeling everything from earlier come back to me. I don't know what to think, but I already have an idea of what they mean. "Eira?" I look back up when I hear Rose's voice call to me.

"May I speak to you alone?" I nod and she takes a step towards me. "What's that around your neck?" It seemed so random and I thought she was going to ask me about something else. In fact, she seemed like she was until she got distracted. I look down and spot the golden chain sparkling around my neck and I touch it. "A necklace?" I lift it up to get a better look and I see a charm clinging to the chain. "It looks like a single leaf." A leaf? I look down to see it too but it doesn't look like an ordinary leaf. "And this chain, I've seen it before." She takes a closer look before her eyes widen. "It's a fairy chain!"

"What?"

"A fairy chain. It holds your abilities within each amulet. My dad was a professional at making these! It was supposed to be passed down to the next generation but there are so many fairies that do that now that it didn't seem necessary." She steps away with a smile. "I was told stories, but I didn't know if it was true until now, that my ancestors helped the King to hide everything from Jacomus." Then Zeke steps in. "Helped the King?" Rose nods. "The King you served. You saved his life countless times. It was said he thought of you as a son." I was shocked from what I heard. Turning to Zeke, I see the same look.

"Anyway, you go on and do what you want. I gotta talk to Eira." Then she suddenly shrinks into her fairy size and flits around. She spun around me again and everything around me starts growing. Panicked, I scream and jump, looking around fearfully. "Eira?"

Zeke hurries over and his footsteps thundered against the floor. Wait, I'm shrinking?! When everything stops moving, Rose lands on the ground next to me. "Did you really have to shrink me?"

"If we're to talk alone, yes." I look up, feeling a bit dizzy. "Shall we?" Then she took my hand without giving me enough time to answer. I panic again when I suddenly start floating while Rose is holding my hand and flying. "We'll be right back Zeke! Why don't you practice using your weapons? I think they also add strength to your blows!"

I watch Zeke as he looks at us in shock. Soon, Rose drags me away into another part of the room where there's space for us to land. When we do land, she starts walking away. I quickly follow, not wanting to get lost. "Home sweet home," she says when we approach what looks like a thick tree branch that somehow got in through the walls. Probably the same way the branches of the arch got in.

The branch is decorated with a door at the bottom where it connects to the floor we're walking on. There are leaves sticking out above it to make a shade and I see a few windows above. "This is where you live?"

"No. It's more like a safe place for me, but it's nice, isn't it?" I nod and she opens the door. The interior is beautiful as well. I was expecting something more made out of wood and leaves of different kinds, but it looks like a normal home. There are even cushions. I see a white couch with a coffee table in front of it. There's a bookshelf full of books and small items like statues. There's a dining table with chairs, somewhat of a kitchen (that doesn't have a fridge).  She gives me a tour of the rest of her home. The bedrooms have beds with real comforters and wooden nightstands standing on each side. There are windows with curtains and seats that also decorate the room. Wooden dressers standing to the side and a door that leads to a walk-in closet. There's even a bathroom with working plumbing.

"How did you do all this?" She smiles and we sit down on her couch in the living room. "I had help from a few friends of mine. They're human of course, but as I did with you, I shrank them. Now I have a home within a home. More like my own space for whenever I feel like shrinking."

"And the water?"

"The tree. It doesn't do it any harm of course since it's a...special tree." I nod and she suddenly takes my hand. "Now about that talk." I wait. "How long have you liked Zeke?"