Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 311

Chapter 311: Reappearance
Mia’s heart beat as Ford pulled his hand away. A few seconds later, everyone reappeared.

The man beside her looked as if he hadn’t moved, and she was left wondering if she’d imagined the whole thing.

“Magic in working order?” She asked with a detached tone.

Ford turned his head and smiled. “Yes, thank you. Are you ready?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and his smile grew almost imperceptibly.

“Onward, then.” Mia clicked her tongue, and Harper began to walk forward.

This section of the forest was soothing. Mia was fatigued from excessive use of her magic. The way that Ford had passed out after hiding the entire group from the chimera was strong in her memory.

Was she driving herself too hard? Using her gift too much?

It was a risk she had to take. There was no other way around it.

Pressing onward, she found herself slumping in her saddle. The way forward didn’t change, and so she let her magic lapse. Stopped looking.

Simply continued.

Harper’s plodding steps were quiet on the carpet of grass that covered this section of the woods. It was unfamiliar, and unnerving, but Mia was running out of the energy to pay attention to it.

Despite the sleep she’d gotten the night before, a heavy fatigue had settled on her soul. Mia kept herself from nodding off entirely, but she did lightly doze now and again.

Harper’s steps seemed slower, like a cradle rocking her to sleep.

Forcing her eyes open, Mia looked again for the path to her uncle, which remained straight ahead.

“How much further?” Daniel asked in a chipper voice from behind her.

The boy never lacked enthusiasm or energy.

“We don’t know,” Anaisa was answering him. “We’ll continue until we get where we’re going.”

Since there was no present sign of danger in this quiet place, the others started chatting while Mia continued to feel a drain on herself and her magic. She drank water to keep herself awake, but there wasn’t much else she could do other than intermittently use her magic to make sure they were still headed in the correct direction.

“Getting about supper time, don’t you think?” Grandpa asked eventually from the rear of the group. It was enough to make Mia finally turn in her saddle to face him.

“Are you feeling all right?” Ford tilted his head. “You’ve been looking like you might fall out of the saddle any minute.”

“I’m fine,” Mia covered a yawn. “Just tired.”

“Should we stop for the night?” The man asked with a little concern entering his voice. “I thought you slept well, but if you need more rest…”

“I’m fine.” She insisted stubbornly. She couldn’t give in to exhaustion; the entire expedition rested on her shoulders and her abilities.

“You don’t look it, if you don’t mind my saying so,” Ford smiled a little, but Mia frowned.

“I’m sorry I can’t be perfect all the time,” She snapped, and his eyebrows rose. Ford’s face colored slightly as he glanced back at her family.

They’d fallen silent at the exchange.

It was incredibly unkind of her to throw his words back in his face. He’d called her perfect back when he resented her for it. They were friends now. Well, sort of. Maybe something slightly different than friends?

She had no way to sort it out, no way to consolidate her draw to him as a potential husband with his background and attitudes towards her now. The group needed his involvement; she couldn’t–wouldn’t–risk the success of Trace’s rescue mission on her personal drama.

Another yawn rose up in her, and she turned away, smothering it.

“I just want to look after you,” Ford’s words were quieter than before, and Mia’s resolve crumbled a little at the edges.

“I’ll be fine,” She assured him.

“So, where are we camping tonight, Fine?” Ford tried to joke, but it reminded Mia that she’d only been looking for the path, not the safest place for the night.

She sighed at her incompetence and closed her eyes, searching. Safest place. One that would absolutely guarantee everyone would be all right.

The pull wavered, and dissolved.

Apparently there was no such place.

A tear slid down Mia’s cheek, and she angrily swiped it away as she scaled back her expectations.

The safest place to camp for the night. That was all she wanted.

“Ahead,” She told everyone, nudging Harper into a quicker walk. Wherever it was, the sooner they reached it, the sooner she could lie down. She was so exhausted…

Jerking her head up, she realized she’d let it droop. Mia clenched her teeth. Ford cleared his throat, and she glanced at him. The concern in his eyes was almost too much for her to handle.

Why were her emotions getting the best of her? She already knew the answer to that. Ever since she was little, whenever she got too tired and grouchy or sulky, her mother would send her for a nap. She always woke up better.

Yes, a nap might fix a lot of things, except she didn’t have time for one now. She needed to lead the way. Keep everyone from danger. Make sure her uncle was rescued and her little cousin wasn’t hurt and everyone made it home.

Those were all perfectly reasonable expectations to place on herself….

She scoffed, knowing she was incapable of assuring any of that, yet unable to shake off the responsibility. Why couldn’t she?

“Here,” She finally said when the pull came to a stop. “We’ll camp here.”

The grove of trees had beautiful turquoise leaves, densely crowded to make a sort of shelter in the middle.

“Do we use tents tonight?” Daniel perked up. “And a fire?”

Grandpa sighed, looking around.

“I think… as long as we use dead wood already on the ground, it should be all right?” The old man put the question to the group. “This place doesn’t feel the same as the one last night. Doesn’t feel as… sacred.”

“I agree,” Mia said. “A fire sounds lovely. We could use the light.”