Chapter 24 : Rude Awakenings

*Sasha*

I could feel the air change around me as Lucas stretched his hand toward me. Panic gripped me and I let the orb slip from my fingers to reach for him. But he vanished as the now-glowing blue sphere took me away.

This time the trip was instant, and I found myself on my back in a space that was cold and musty, nothing like the Goddess's temple.

The floor beneath me was made of stone, my hands lay criss-cross on my chest, the orb cradled in my palms. There was no Lucas. There was no stranger. There was no train, no chasing rogues, and no evil priestess.

There was, however, an assembly of people in dated clothing, looking at an altar at the front of… well… a temple–not one for the White Queen, but another temple for certain.

Low murmuring and chanting echoed in the air, dying off as the people turned to look at me.

I stood to my feet, clutching the orb to my chest. There was only one of me and perhaps a hundred of them. I hated the stupid thing, but it was my only defense and possible way out if something went wrong.

It sure felt wrong.

Suddenly, people began screaming, rushing to get away from me, and running for the exit. As the doors to the temple burst open, I could see a castle, dark and foreboding, not far off. The people were running straight that way.

As everyone else cleared out, however, one man stayed. He had been at the front of the altar, leading the chants.

I stepped backward as he approached me, his eyes fixated on the orb.

“Where did you get the Slipstone?" he demanded, stalking toward me.

I took a step back, mentally willing the orb to return me to Lucas. “I… l found it."

“Lies," the man said. He was more richly dressed than the others had been. And he was… familiar somehow. His features conjured up… something, something troublesome in the back of my mind.

He moved like quicksilver to close the space between us, gripping my arm.

“It's the truth," I insisted. After all, it was half true. Lucas found it.

The man chuckled darkly. “Then, I suppose you won't mind me taking it back from you." He pulled a dagger from his belt.

I tried to wrench away but his grip tightened painfully.

Everything in me knew the last thing that ever needed to happen was this man getting his hands on the orb. I backed all the way to the wall, holding the orb tighter.

“Please, Goddess, please take me back," I whispered.

The orb began to glow.

He looked at it and then backed up staring open-mouthed at me. “Dream dancer.... You have the mark, the star?"

I clutched my arm to the side and felt my stomach drop.

“The prophecy… has it come to pass?"

“I… I don't know what you're talking about!" I shouted and he rushed me again, pushed me to the wall, and pinned me in place.

Sasha....

heard Lucas's voice,

man sniffed my neck, then grinned

Sasha....

will," the man chuckled. “You will." He sheathed his dagger. “May you be the fulfillment of it, dream

clear to me now. My eyes widened and I gasped in

his hand up, and the orb pulsed

gone, lost in a memory, or maybe meandering my way back through time. I saw

looked at her through my fearful child eyes and saw my mother's

find her,"

me. I looked over to see it was the same man. He was much, much older, but

a new bone,"

her head.

have to pull a tooth for a new potion, and this time, we need

heart thundered in my chest as I remembered the pain and torment of what followed. I wanted to stop them

I struggled, fighting against her hold that was

“Sasha!"

his secure embrace as

cried with my eyes shut tight. “Get them

it's just the bed sheets and blankets, I

an unfamiliar room. It had the feeling of an inn, or rather

And there was Lucas.

upper arms soothingly as I tried to reorient myself to

wondering if I'd

you

I looked around me. “Where is

bag sitting on the luggage stand near the closet.

pulled us onto the train,"

up. Luckily,

bed, and we were so close we were breathing the same air. He leaned forward and bumped his forehead against mine. “I was so afraid," he whispered. “I was so afraid you wouldn't

trembling hand to Lucas's cheek. “I was afraid, too. I was afraid the orb wouldn't get me back to you. There

over mine. He threaded our fingers together, then brought my hand to

were wearing old clothes. They ran away when they saw me, or rather saw the orb–all except him. He wanted to take it away from me. He even pulled out a knife, but

thumb along the back of my hand in

Slipstone and told me to give it back, until he figured out I was a dream dancer. Then he started going on about a prophecy.

what, princess?"

old… and with my

Lucas frowned. “Your mother?"

shook my

the memories of what he did, what my mother's superstition

gave me knowing that I would have to tell him everything destroying that bracelet

my mother, but so much older

would he be

you broke my

“What does that… I don't understand.

protection. My mother believed it would help hide

“Hide you from who?"

“My father's pack."

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