Dreamwatcher | KOTLC

Chapter One - Just a Dream

"Sophie," said a stern, yet inviting voice. Sophie immediately knew it was her adoptive dad, Grady. "Dad, you're in my dream, too?" Sophie said lazily as she opened one of her eyes a tiny bit, which was instantly blinded by the brightness of her room.

"Sophie, are you okay?" Sophie could never forget that sweet, warm voice of her adoptive mother, Edaline. Sophie then decided it was time to wake up. She slowly opened up the other eye to find two more pairs staring back at her.

Sophie struggled to lift herself up, so Grady took her arm and pulled her up to face him.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You had a pretty rough night; you were rolling back and forth, and you waved your arms in the air and yelled, 'My Imparter!' before you woke up. You also mentioned That Boy a couple of times. And Calla." Sophie was so confused. Was that all a dream? Had she imagined it? Then it hit her.

"Wait ー Keefe! Where's Keefe?!"

"What do you mean?" Edaline asked. "Why do you want Keefe? And aren't you guys no longer talking because of The Incident?" Grady nodded his head in agreement. Sophie admitted it; they're right. She shouldn't talk about Keefe ー especially in front of her dad. You know what: just tell them, Sophie thought. Tell them about the dream. Sophie let out a long sigh, which did catch her parents' attention.

"Um, so, I had this dream last night . . ." Sophie started, but she didn't know how to explain it.

"What kind of dream?" Edaline asked.

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain, and it'll be a long story . . . can I tell you guys later?" I have to get ready for school. Grady shook his head.

"Nope. Not getting out of this one. Lucky you; it's Saturday!"

Sophie exhaled. Of all days . . . she thought angrily.

"Can I eat breakfast first?" Sophie asked, in attempts to stall.

"How about I go make you some breakfast while you get dressed?" Edaline answered sweetly.

"You can tell us about your dream while you eat," Grady added. Grady and Edaline stood up to leave, but Sophie stopped them by saying, "Thanks." Grady turned around, confused.

"For what?" Sophie took in a deep breath, and said, "Well, it was just a measly dream that was bothering me, and you both were very willing to help me nonetheless. I feel like I'm taking your kind-heartedness for granted."

Edaline walked back over to the side of Sophie's bed and wrapped her arms around her.

"Sophie, we love you. That's why we care so much, whether if it's that someone is coming to capture you (again), or if it's just a 'measly dream.'" Edaline's gentle smile made Sophie realize how lucky she was to have been adopted by Grady and Edaline Ruewen. After a few moments of pure silence, Edaline stood up and she and Grady walked out of Sophie's room, not saying a word after that.

Sophie suddenly had an idea. She thought about it, hoping it'd be successful ー and it seemed to be ー at least, she hoped so. Sophie sluggishly got out of bed and threw on a simple sky blue tunic and some black leggings. She considered putting her hair up, then quickly thought No. It's not like she was going to see Fitz; she was going to see Dex.

Her plan was to tell her parents about her dream ー well, most of it. Sophie didn't want to worry them by telling them about how Calla / Keefe said a dangerous monster or something was coming for her. But Calla had also said to warn Grady and Edaline . . . no. It was just a dream. It may not even be real. Then, Sophie was gonna tell her parents that she was going to distract herself by seeing Dex. She was, but she had something more to it in mind.

Sophie walked into the kitchen and found her parents sitting at the table beside an empty chair with a plate of her breakfast on it. She went over and sat in the chair.

"So . . ." Grady started, "tell us about your dream." Sophie sighed as she went over to sit in the vacant chair.

"Well, it started off in Alluveterre. I was stranded, with endless dirt roads leading in front of me and behind me. All I had on me was my Imparter, which I eventually lost in the end." Sophie paused, waiting for her parents' reactions.

"I see . . ." Grady eventually said. "Continue."

"Okay, so I got kinda bored of standing there doing nothing so I started walking down the path. Then I saw . . ." Edaline gave a worried look, which was not good.

"I saw, um, Mr. Forkle," Sophie said the first person that came to mind, but now Grady looked completely confused. He didn't look convinced.

"Mr. Forkle?"

"Uh, yeah. But I might be wrong; I only got a glimpse of him before he and everything else started disappearing. When it reached me, I fell into a black abyss, then I woke up."

"Hmm . . ." Edaline said. She still did look worried, but if she really did, then she didn't say anything about it.

"Oh ー right! I was wondering if I could go hang out with Dex today? It might take my mind off of the dream."

Grady nodded, as Sophie finished up her food. Sophie went and put her plate on the counter and yelled, "Thanks!" as she ran to grab her jacket. Once Sophie got outside, she immediately wished she could go back inside and snuggle under the covers. But she couldn't; she needed Dex's help. So Sophie stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets. She jogged over to the Leap Master and said, "Rimeshire."

Even after doing it for so long, Sophie was still fascinated by how when an elf light-leaps, their bodies split into tons of mini particles. And they merge back together once you reach your destination. Once Sophie arrived at Rimeshire, she jogged up to the wooden door. She did a fancy knock (tap, tap, tap tap, tap), and waited several moments until Dex himself opened the door.

"Oh, uh, hey, Sophie. What's up?"

Sophie feared that Dex's parents might be trying to eavesdrop, and she couldn't risk that.

"Could I . . . could I come in? I kinda need your help with something, and it's difficult to explain, and no offense, but don't really want anyone else to hear." Dex seemed surprised by her question.

"Sure," he said.

Sophie walked behind Dex as they went up to his room. She went, sat on his bed, and patted the spot beside, beckoning him to sit down.

"There's something crazy that I need to tell you, and just you. I haven't told Fitz and Biana anything; I haven't even told my parents." Dex made a face which made Sophie think he wasn't buying it.

"Please, Dex. I'm telling you because I trust you. That caught his attention fairly quickly.

"Spill," he answered.

Sophie explained her dream to Dex, about how she heard Calla's voice in her mind, and how Keefe suddenly showed up in her dream as well. As she explained, Dex made a bunch of "Hm. . ." and "Huh" and mostly "Wow."

"That is . . . intense," he finally told her. "Well, aside from that, why did you want me? What about Fitz or Biana?"

"Well," Sophie answered, "I trust them a lot, sure, but telling them just didn't feel right." Dex furrowed his eyebrows.

"So, I was your last option?" he said with a sigh.

"No. No! Of course not!" Sophie quickly answered. "You were my first pick; I was always going to tell you, I just wondered if I should tell them, too. But I didn't want too many to know. That's how rumors start, you know?"

Dex smiled, then said, "So what do you need my help with? That's what you came to ask me, right?" Sophie totally forgot about that part.

"Right. Well, it's rather simple; we're going to see Keefe."