Woodbridge Recollection : The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter 22: Dreams of concern

  There's a large door, and it's opening and closing before my sight. Its small and wooden, but behind it is something else. There's another door. One that's large and much more unusual than the first. It opens up in the wall, where I could have sworn there was no door at all. When the door opened, there was a burst of bright light and the roar of an animal reached my ears. A lion maybe? Some kind of giant cat.

Back in the previous room, there's a jewelry box. It's small and made of silver, engraved with vine-like patterns.

I opened up the box and there was nothing inside it other than a large old iron key. Every time I'd reach for it, the key would glow the most beautiful colour of blue. Nevertheless, I can't reach it. Something seemed to constantly stop me.

I gave up on retrieving the key and made my way back up the stairs. I went back to my bedroom, only to find that I was already in my bed. Zacarias was lying next to me, running a hand through my hair while the other stroked some part of me. We were both naked and kissing.

"Oh my God!" I breathed, pressing my hands against my eyes. "Why must you do that?" I demanded, walking out of the bedroom. I shut the door closed behind me. I went outside instead.

The night was dark and cold. The moon hung high and bright in the sky. It was full.

A growl sounded behind me and I turned.

"I'll kill you!" Eustace said, his eyes glowing the brightest colour of yellow. Blood dripped from his nose and stained his hands. He gave me a bark like noise and charged.

With the speed and agility of a wild cat, I drew my sword from my hip and swung it at him. The blade connected with the body of a full grown grey wolf and it cried out.

I breathed out hard and turned to run. But there were more wolves. They were everywhere, surrounding me as they closed in.

"Zacarias!" I shouted.

***

I sat up and searched the dark for signs of danger. The room around me was dark and calm. Nothing was amiss apart for the kitten that scurried away to the end of the bed. I heard him hiss at me and then meow out.

I breathed in deeply and closed my eyes. My heart was racing in me and I felt oddly clammy. Cold sweat dripped from my forehead and I brushed it away with the back of my left hand.

"You seem a little bit distracted," Lilian said as we took a detour off our assigned path. "Is something on your mind?"

"Not really," I admitted. "I just have something to take care of today – are you sure you don't mind the detour?"

Lilian shook her head.

"No," she then said. "What are we going to get?"

"A kitten," I told her.

She glanced at me a little oddly.

"A kitten?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said as I walked onto the lawn of Maximus' and Georgina's house. "I found it at Xenophil's house yesterday and I'm giving it to Serina when she arrives in the market."

"Serina?" she asked. "The gypsy?"

"Yes," I said as I approached the front door and opened it. I went inside the house and made my way quickly through to the hallway. I jogged down it and entered my room. Shade was still inside, sleeping in a ball at the foot of the bed.