Orange Roses - REVAMPED

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Reality of Dreams

My body felt cold. I heard Aine scream my name as my body crumbled to the ground (again). 

"Get a hold of the girl," I heard a gruff voice said as I saw the dwarf coming up to me. He plucked the flower from behind my ear. "Not good, not good, why does she have this?" 

"The Rose Queen." Drake said in a dark tone as he reached out and held me to his chest. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. 

Mab twisted a little in the air in a nervous buzz. "Uhm, we did have to go to the graveyard when she was here last with that human boy." 

"Graveyard for the rose for the dream spell," Drake said. So he knew about that. "I wish I could remember what happened in those dreams..." He stopped. "It wasn't going well, I know that." 

"Old spells shouldn't be used," the dwarf said. 

"Aine, what was Matty like when we were under the spell?" Drake asked. 

"She wasn't doing well," Aine answered. "Then suddenly she was fine. She woke up and then you did." 

"A human girl can't face off with a DreamWalker." The dwarf said. 

"Matty. We need to talk. Now." 

Oh hell. 

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The rain felt so cold. Numbingly cold. Why is this dream so cold? Right? This is a dream, right? 

I looked down the muddy road. Warmth started flooding into me and it reminded me of the heat from when Drake held my hand. 

This was a dream. I was becoming very familiar with the feel of dreams and reality. It was easy to miss when you're not familiar with it. Dreams and sleep was supposed to play with the idea of safety. We can relax in dreams. 

Well, we're supposed to. 

I walked down the muddy road. I feel like I've been walking for ages. The muscles in my thighs ached and my feet hurt with the weight of my own body. The bottom of my feet always sensitive since I got back from Faerie the first time. My right leg isn't strong since I got my scars so I can't walk as far. It doesn't matter how many times I kick a bag, it doesn't get stronger. Maybe it's the faerie's magic seeped into the wound to make it impossible. 

The muddy road was empty. There were two empty fields of grass either side of the road. The wind blew the short grass and it looked like a sea of green, but if I stepped in it, I might ruin it. So I stay in the mud and try not to look at the green. I couldn't really tell if this was the human world or Faerie. 

It could be both. My head was weird after all. 

Two statues stood in the middle of the road though. Or they looked like statues. Drake stood in front of the Rose Queen and this time, the Rose Queen has grabbed his face with both of her hands. She looked like she wanted to devour him and the look on Drake's face looked like he might enjoy that. 

But that's not what happened. 

The statue of Drake looked at me. His eyes were wide and horrified. He wasn't reacting to the queen. I knew it. He was reacting to me and I wasn't sure why. 

Erasmus. 

He vaguely knew about Erasmus now. 

Maybe? 

I gritted my teeth. He didn't understand I was stuck. I was stuck in his head. How was I supposed to save him? 

Don't look at me like that. Please.