Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 152

Chapter 152: A new plan
Trace was still reeling from the sudden jolt of forcing himself awake when he apologized and helped Anaisa to her feet. He wasn’t paying close enough attention, and pulled her so hard that she wound up almost bumping into his chest.

Her breath caught, and she blinked up at him with her long, dense eyelashes fanning her cheeks. If it weren’t for the other people so close nearby–

“We need to get going,” Anaisa’s voice trembled, and she began to step away.

Swiftly, he brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back before releasing it. A promise. A declaration.

“Someday we’ll get to be alone again,” He whispered, and her eyes widened as her face turned only a shade lighter than her hair.

“We can talk about that… later,” She responded nervously, and hurried away.

He frowned. She’d called him ‘readable’ on more than one occasion, but he couldn’t always say the same about her.

Was she excited? Anxious? Dreading it? He didn’t think the last one, but the way she hurried off… maybe she was eager to be further from the city. He certainly was.

He helped her mount her horse and then got up on his own. They rode in front to scout ahead while the doctor and Deborah took up a place behind. While the road was wide enough for the horses to travel four abreast, the animals seemed to prefer a little more space than that.

Trace nudged his animal into a swift walk, not quite a trot that might disturb the sleeping little prince. He wished they could gallop at full speed, but he didn’t want to risk jostling the fragile little one. Speed and physical safety were to be balanced.

Weighing in their favor was the fact that, at least for now, Oakdown didn’t know anything about Ewan’s existence. Hopefully he never would.

It was late afternoon, nearly early evening, when Trace finally felt it. The muddy stamp of the Count’s command on his soul finally crumbled into dry dust and fell away.

“YES!” He suddenly shouted into the cool air. “YES!!!”

He pumped his fist, which made his horse turn his head to stare at the rider with a wary eye.

“Oh, Um, Sorry, there,” He apologized, patting the animal. “I won’t do that again.”

“May one ask the reason for your sudden delight?” The doctor asked curiously.

“You may! Absolutely you may!” Trace leaned in his saddle to at least partially face the man. “You may ask me anything you want! I don’t think I shall ever keep a secret again so long as I live!”

“That doesn’t seem like a bit of an overreaction?” Anaisa quirked an eyebrow, clearly having caught on to the reason behind her husband’s sudden exuberance.

“No. Not at all. Secrets are terrible and I refuse to have any!” He doubled down on his outrageous declaration.

“I’m a little confused,” Deborah admitted. “For my first question, I would like you to explain… what’s happening right now?”

“Excellent first question, Deborah!” Trace declared. “We just passed the furthest reach of Barnabas, Fake Count of Oakdown’s, powers. He had me under his command not to reveal his evil plots or reveal his identity, but now, I may freely do so at my leisure!”

He was thankful they were still in a well forested area and not in a town where his strange behavior might draw unwanted attention.

“Under his command? The Count has magic?” Deborah blinked. “The kind that can command people?”

“Isn’t it awful?” Trace shook his head. “But now, I, at least, am free of his horrible influence! He blackmailed me, and threatened my family, and I’m sick of it. I couldn’t even attempt to thwart him before, but now I will do so much more than attempt. I will bring that man down and make him face the justice of the kingdom for his treason!”

“He threatened your family?” Deborah’s brow furrowed, and Anaisa cleared her throat.

“I wanted to talk to you about your family,” She interrupted Trace’s answer. “I think the man that threatened your family, that offered you that job, is the same person that originally blackmailed Trace. Do you remember his name?”

“I don’t. I had been trying to put him out of my mind before the accident. Connor, maybe. Something like that.”

Anaisa and Trace exchanged a look.

“Conlan?” He asked.

“Yes, that must have been it,” Deborah frowned. “What did he blackmail you to do?”

“He wanted me to plant dreams for him–I’m a Dreamwalker, did I mention that? I’m a magic user. It’s not as useful as healing or making things, but Oakdown wanted it anyway. First during the war, and then within the palace. It was part of his plot to take over. I gather he orchestrated the war in the first place, but—”

“What??” The doctor demanded, baffled.

“Oh, so you both will be interested in this, being magic users,” Trace warmed to the subject. “There’s a magic tree by the border with Foundrel, deep in a cave. It grows gemstones on its branches, and if you try to pluck one it crumbles to dust in your hand and you get magic powers. That’s how Oakdown became someone that can command others!

“But some young people from Foundrel also seemed to know about it, so Oakdown needed to make sure that there was a war to keep it within our territory, so that when he took over and became king, it would be part of the area he ruled. At least, that’s what I’ve pieced together. From there… I’m not sure, exactly, whether he intends to create a magical army and rule the world, or what the next step is.”

He shrugged, and his brow furrowed. “Now that I’m free of the blackmail, I guess the next step we need to undertake is to free Sanders from it, too, but that involves finding the cave. His sister is a prisoner in it, and we would need to free her…”

“I’m sorry, may I interrupt with another question?” Deborah put in. “Did you say… this magical tree grows gemstones?”