Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 116

Chapter 116: A strange new world
Panic rose in Anaisa’s stomach before she tamped it down. This was a dream. Trace’s dream. She could wake up and escape it anytime… if she wanted to? If Trace allowed her to?

His world before had been one of seas, mountains, plains, cliffs, and amazing, mystical animals. Of freedom and sunshine and stars that streaked through the sky.

This… was not that. Had she hurt him so badly when she broke his world?

A cavern encased them. Stalactites dripped ominously from the ceiling, and enormous columns and stalagmite rose from the floor. A narrow path wound its way amongst them like an alleyway through a city. It was dark and terrifying.

“May I…?” She asked, and concentrated, raising her hand. Imagining a torch in it. Nothing happened.

“This is my dream, so just tell me what you want,” He smiled at her and her stomach fluttered.

“Light, please,” She requested, and suddenly everything seemed suffused with a gentle brilliance emanating from further down in the cave. She frowned, and began to walk along the path.

They passed a great, bottomless pit to the side of the trail that made her shudder. Why would Trace create such a thing?

Walking further, towards the light, she noticed Trace’s steps began to falter.

“Are you all right?” She asked him, a little confused. “You seem… distracted.”

“Tell me what you would like, and I will do my best for you,” He replied in lieu of answering her question. It felt like a riddle. One she wasn’t prepared to solve.

“I want to see where the light is coming from,” She decided, and he nodded, hesitating and looking at her face intently.

She felt strange about his behavior, and loped ahead down the trail. When she reached a bend, she gasped.

Before her, she realized this cavern was one impossibly large room. It must be miles across. From above, great rock formations like crystal chandeliers hung, sparkling and glinting in the light… but it was the source of the light that captured her attention.

A tree. A beautiful tree that looked like it was twisted and woven from golden threads, rose from a hill on the floor of the cavern. Its branches stretched towards the ceiling and bore the most startling leaves imaginable. She moved closer, drawn almost against her will.

Each leaf was not a leaf at all–they were slender, uniquely shaped precious gemstones. Rubies, diamonds, garnets–it seemed every color she could think of hung like beautiful, sparkling drops of light.

She heard a sound from behind her, and turned. Trace had curled up on the floor, facing away from her and covering his ears, as if to block everything out. Anaisa’s heart flooded with concern–what had happened to him?–but another action drew her attention.

There were other people here!

Two others… Trace hadn’t had any people in his previous world… were these his creations, or visitors, like her? She hid behind a stalagmite as the pair came closer. She squinted at them. One she didn’t recognize, but the other… was that Barnabas?

They flickered and disappeared as Trace cried out in pain. Anaisa ran to him as the cave began to shift. The tree fell away, and only the ground beneath them remained.

“Trace!” She cried, falling to her knees beside him, “What happened? Are you all right?”

Grabbing his shoulder, she turned him to face her. His expression was contorted and tortured.

“I’m sorry–” He choked. “I tried–I can’t hold it–”

His words cut off and he shuddered. The cave shook.

“Please, tell me what’s wrong!” Anaisa’s eyes were round with terror. What was happening to her husband?

“I can’t!” He blurted, sitting up so suddenly he nearly knocked her back. “I tried–I can’t!”

She blinked, confused and alarmed.

“All right. First, breathe, and calm down. It’s all right. You don’t have to tell me anything.” She soothed, putting her hand on his arm. Behind her, a grumbling and shaking disturbed the cave.

“I made it all for myself–to remember, to think about, not to–GAH!” Trace lurched forward, grabbing his middle.

“Please–stop whatever is hurting you!” Anaisa felt hot tears build in her eyes. “Please!”

She wrapped her arms around him, and he froze before drawing her closer. Panting, he leaned back against a cave formation. Anaisa tucked herself under one of his arms and nestled against him, desperate to help him chase away whatever invisible force tortured him so terribly.

His breathing slowed, and became more even. Most of the cave had crumbled away, and the people in it were gone.

“I’m sorry,” He repeated breathlessly, but she shook her head.

“I don’t understand any of it,” She admitted. “But I… I don’t want you to hurt yourself anymore. I’m not sure what’s happening to you.”

“I’ll be fine,” He insisted with a ghost of a smile as she tried to piece together what she’d seen. A great tree in a cave with glittering gemstones, and Barnabas coming towards it. What did it mean? Why couldn’t Trace tell her, or even show her?

His words echoed in her mind. He’d told her before. He never said he wouldn’t tell her. He said he couldn’t.

“I wish I could tell you. I can’t,” He’d said on more than one occasion recently. She chewed the inside of her cheek, turning it all over in her mind. There was something strange here, something far beyond her comprehension. Trace was trying to give her hints, at great cost to himself.

“Don’t try that again,” She chastised him, and he frowned deeply at her. As if he wanted desperately to tell her and she was putting more barriers in his way. “At least, not tonight,” She amended, and the lines in his face eased.

“What would you like to do instead?” An exhausted smile played about his mouth, and she wondered at it.

“I… wouldn’t mind terribly, just resting right here, until you feel better,” Anaisa offered, both selflessly and selfishly. She didn’t want him to tire himself out, but she desperately enjoyed the feeling of his arm around her. Laying her head against his shoulder, she felt him sigh.

“I think we can manage that,” He replied simply.