The Stone of Salazara (Book 1 of Saga of the Stones)

Chapter 9

The next day, Jem helped out on deck as much as she could. Her eyes were watery, but she persistently helped out. We sailed the whole day, and around dusk reached the dwarf docks. Levilan ordered his crew to stay with the ship and reload supplies, while we went ashore and acquired rooms at the local inn. We stayed the night there, Levilan in one room, Jem and I in the other.

That night, I luckily had another dream. I was in the cave again, and Matt was in a cage hanging from the ceiling. With him was Isabelle's father. The two were talking quietly. Down below, Massadonic was surrounded by his followers.

"Matt's friends have landed at the dwarf docks. Such luck for us, as we are already under them. I need a small squad of dwarves and gnomes to follow them and try to lead them here. Befriend them if you can. Get them to an out of the way place, then bind and gag them. Bring them to me. First to arrive with both Siv and the witch gets his weight in gold. Team up if you wish, but be aware, I will be watching your every move, and if you fail I shall use my wrath upon you."

"What of the elf?" asked on one of the dwarves up front. He laid particular hatred onto the word elf.

"I don't care. Kill him if you wish. He is a son of Lotholian, and if I get rid of him, I'll only have to get rid of one other before I can take over the Elven Realm." He thought a moment. "Actually, whoever captures him, bring him alive for me to torture. Torturing immortal beings is always fun."

I shivered.

Massadonic looked over his followers. He ruled them using power and fear, and he was nothing but a tyrant. I dreaded to think what he would do if he managed to take over the country.

"Everyone know the plan? Good. Head out!"

The group cheered, then started running around getting weapons and things together.

This time, Massadonic didn't realize that I had been viewing what he had been doing, so the dream didn't end with him screaming in my ear. Instead, it slowly faded out.

I woke up to find Jem staring at me from the other bed in the inn room. She was giving me an odd look. "Why were you muttering about Massadonic in your sleep?"

"We need to talk to Levilan. Now!" I said, jumping up and grabbing my night shawl. Jem did the same, realizing it was urgent. We ran into the hallway and to the door next to us, where Levilan was sleeping. I knocked. We heard shuffling, then the door opened.

After seeing so many elves with perfect hair and everything, it was a shock to see a disheveled Levilan in a nightshirt and pants. Jem raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"What is it?" he asked groggily.
"I had another dream, and Massadonic is here!"

Levilan eyes shot open, and Jem's jaw dropped.

"What?" Levilan asked.

"Another dream?" asked Jem at the same time.

I quickly explained the first dream to Jem, then moved into the second one. Both listened intently.

"Why wasn't I told of this first dream?" Jem asked.

"We didn't want to get you're hopes up, in case Massadonic and Matt were really far away," I explained.

Jem looked offended. "Get my hopes up?"

"Well, yeah," I said. "You would get all excited that we had a lead and then if it failed, you'd get sad."

"Or get mad and burn everything down," added Levilan.

Jem looked like she was about to object, but then she nodded. "Clear point."