A Breeding Darkness (Complete)

(22)

The Dreamwalkers made their way with the guards out of Koshmar's study and into the hallway. Lucy tried to speak as soon as they were out of Koshmar's hearing, but Bijal pressed her fingers into Lucy's arm and shook her head silently.

"Quiet for now," she whispered. "We'll talk when we're alone."

Lucy looked into her face and saw there a spark that was missing from the others. She wasn't placid and calm, ready to jump when asked to. Bijal saw the strangeness in the others just like Lucy did.

The guards led them out into the courtyard and down a white gravel path toward the residential buildings that the nobility lived in within the palace compound. Bijal and Lucy hung back from the group, trying to make as much use of the short walk as they could. Once they were in the lodgings, a private conversation could be hard to conduct.

"Something is going on," Bijal whispered, keeping her eyes on the Dreamwalkers and guards ahead of them. "I was up all night trying to find a way to contest Koshmar's ban on letting the Dreamwalkers do their job, so Alisdair went home. But when we were summoned to the palace, he seemed different."

"I noticed the same thing with Saul," Lucy said. "He didn't care about our business anymore."

"The same with Alisdair. I know he does not support this ban, but he's been unusually peaceful."

"It's the same with all the others as well. Did you see that Morrigan didn't even blink when Koshmar said we have to leave our homes and live here indefinitely?"

Bijal nodded. "Something isn't right."

Lucy leaned in close to Bijal as they approached a building behind the palace. "Saul's eyes looked blank. It was almost like he was asleep."

Bijal's lips flattened into a thin line. She stared at Alisdair, worry knitted between her eyebrows. "Like Dreamwalkers."

Lucy's hands shook as she stared at her companions and the way they waited patiently for the guards. No one chatted or did anything but stare into the distance with that infuriating look of peace on their faces. These were not the Dreamwalkers she knew. They were bland copies.

The guards started to tell the Dreamwalkers which rooms were for the men and which were for the women, but Bijal and Lucy weren't listening. Instead, Bijal turned to hide her lips from anyone watching, and whispered into Lucy's ear.

"There is something not natural at work here. We need to get the Dreamwalkers back, or we'll never stand a chance against Koshmar and his new laws."

"But what can we do?"

By then the guards were leading everyone into the building and splitting them up. The two managers were to sleep in separate rooms from the Dreamwalkers, and so a guard held out a hand for Bijal to follow him.

Bijal walked backward, her voice low as she said her parting words to Lucy.

"I have a plan. Just gather everyone together once the guards leave."

With that, she disappeared down the long hall and Lucy was taken with Camila and Morrigan into their room.

Lucy sat on the cushion that served as her bed in the room, and watched Morrigan and Camila calmly set their things out. The guards still hung around in the hallway, waiting for the two that had led the men to their rooms. Lucy kept her eye on them, itching for them to leave so that she could gather everyone and find out what Bijal suspected was wrong with them.

Morrigan lay out a blanket that looked like it belonged to a child, and smiled at it as she stroked out the wrinkles. It had to be her son's. The son she left behind without a word, just to obey Koshmar.

"Aren't you worried?" Lucy said, her eyebrows drawn.

Morrigan looked up, a crease forming on her forehead. "Of course. This darkness is terrifying and I don't want my son to grow up into a world where there is no sun or moon."

"Then why aren't you trying to get home? Why aren't you fighting to get rid of the darkness yourself?"

Morrigan sighed, her eyes falling back on her son's blanket as her fingers trailed across a frayed edge. "I want to help. I want to get rid of this never-ending night." She pushed herself to her feet, away from the blanket, and dug around in her bag without looking up at Lucy. "But I just think that it would be better to trust those in charge. Koshmar knows what he is doing, and I'm sure he is looking desperately for Prince Joon."

"How do you know?" Lucy asked.

"Koshmar's daughter was Prince Joon's closest childhood companion. She was by his side almost all the time, up until she died. Koshmar took her death hard, and that has made him view those close to him as even more precious. I don't doubt he will do his best to bring Prince Joon home safe. We just have to trust him."

Lucy didn't say anything more. She tried her hardest to ignore the small tinge of jealousy that flickered like a moth in her stomach at the mention of Mechta. Koshmar's daughter had known Joon forever, and obviously he'd cared about her more than he ever would have about a girl he probably never remembered. Still, it hurt a bit to think of someone else so close to him. 

It took another few minutes for all the guards to finally clear the building, leaving the Dreamwalkers alone in their rooms. As soon as she was sure they had closed the front door, Lucy jumped up and ran to the hallway to look out through a slatted window. Two guards stood on watch, their lanterns glowing, with one facing the road and one facing the building. No one would be going in or out. Lucy sighed and pushed away from the window, heading back to the rooms. At least they could still gather within.

It took her a while to convince Alisdair, Gregor, and Saul to move into the girls' room. Alisdair was especially insistent on ignoring her, which was normal in a regular setting, but not as much when something of common interest was at stake. However, after a few veiled threats and some dangling of the reward of tea, Lucy managed to corral everyone into the room she shared with Morrigan and Camila.

The Dreamwalkers stood in a grumbling clump at the front of the room while Lucy nervously paced in the back. Bijal would need to hurry if she wanted everyone together, because there were already whispers of going back to their rooms.

Gregor narrowed his eyes. "Where's my tea? I was offered tea and I'm going to have tea."

Lucy glanced around the room. She'd bribed them with tea, but she hadn't even thought of the fact that her kettle was at home and that she hadn't brought any leaves with her. Thankfully, Camila stood up in her slow and lonely way, and bustled toward her trunk that was neatly and simply packed. She pulled out a plain kettle and a small tin of orange scented leaves. Handing them off to Lucy, she also pointed out the tiny iron range and the basin of water in the corner of the room.

At least someone had taken the time to explore their surroundings.

Lucy hurried to get a small fire going and start the water boiling. As she was placing the lid back on the kettle and closing her eyes to pray that the Dreamwalkers would stay a bit longer, she heard Bijal's voice from the doorway.

"Hold on, Lucy, I'd like you to use my tea."

Lucy turned to see Bijal walk past the Dreamwalkers and Saul. She held a small golden box, encrusted with shining amber shards and held closed with a latch, and brought it right up to Lucy. Putting it in Lucy's hands, Bijal met her eyes and stared hard at her. "It's specially blended. A little goes a long way, and I think everyone will enjoy the unique flavors."