Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 339

Chapter 339: Curiosity killed the reader
Anaisa’s dreams plagued her, and she sought to change them. Her turmoil as she spent more and more time away from Trace was wearing on her.

And she hated it. She was strong, and enduring. Even without her husband, she should be able to function. To continue.

She opened her eyes slowly, casting off the despair of her nighttime visions. The emotional upheaval prevented her complete control over them, and she cursed her wounded heart.

Yes, she was hurt, and lonely. Why couldn’t she be stronger than the pain?

Every day, so long as she was talking to the others, her facade of functionality was an easy mask to wear. After all, hadn’t she been forged in the social fires of the capital? Pretending she was fine when she wasn’t came almost as easily as breathing!

And yet, when no one was looking at her, the illusion collapsed. Tears streaked down her face as she listened to her niece’s deep breathing. A shaky whimper now and then attested to the girl’s own nightmares.

Anaisa could do little to help.

She was torn between taking a moment to wallow in her emotions and getting up to start another day. It was close to dawn now; if she gave in to a crying jag at this time of the morning, her eyes would be so red and puffy that even Daniel would notice.

So she once again pushed her angst to the back of her heart and took a deep breath to focus on what was ahead.

“I don’t think there’s much else to know about me, Sir. Nothing of too much note has happened to me except the collapse Martin rescued me from, and I told you about that long ago.”

The quiet voice reached her ears as Anaisa fully embraced the fullness of consciousness. She paused, wondering who Ford was talking to.

“There’s a lot more to you than that, I’m sure,” Seth responded, causing Anaisa’s eyebrows to fly to her fiery hairline. It seemed like a very civil conversation indeed!

“I don’t really know what to tell you,” Ford seemed tired. Restrained.

Anaisa debated internally for several seconds before deciding that eavesdropping was worse than interfering. She scooted up and out of the bedroll, careful not to wake Mia, who usually rose first. The girl deserved some rest.

“Good Morning,” Anaisa whispered to the men, who nodded to her in the dim moonlight. “Sounds like a get-to-know-you session.”

“That’s what I’ve been told,” Ford said before ducking his head, as if wondering if he’d said something wrong.

“What have we learned?” Anaisa turned the question on Seth in a friendly tone, trying to put the young man at ease.

“Not a whole lot,” Seth shrugged, seeming the slightest bit disgruntled.

“Perhaps more specific questions are in order?” Anaisa smiled gently, embracing the distraction from her own emotional state. “Ford, what is your favorite food?”

The young man blinked at her, and she wondered if she should have started with a different question. Something easy and non-invasive seemed a safe place to begin, but the way Seth rolled his eyes made her wonder if her interference would do more harm than good.

“I’m not very picky,” Ford looked down at his hands. “Everything I’ve eaten since meeting your family is better than anything I had before.”

Anaisa’s heart ached a little, and she glanced at Seth. His lips were pursed with skepticism.

“That’s very sweet. I did marry into a family with excellent cooks,” She affirmed. “Tell me, then, the most interesting observation you’ve made about your magic.”

Ford’s mouth fell open slightly in surprise as he considered his answer, and Seth began to show a little interest. Anaisa suppressed a grin of success at drawing her brother-in-law back into conversation with the younger man.

It had been a while since they had discussed Ford’s magic, and part of Anaisa hoped that he’d discovered some new facet of his power that would help with Trace’s rescue. Even if he hadn’t, it was one topic on which he was the foremost expert, so Seth would have only questions, not arguments. It would be good for discussion.

At least, that’s what she hoped. Seth was nearly as stubborn as she was when it came to his only daughter, so if he was determined to argue, he would certainly find a way.

“I suppose that… hiding isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” Ford answered at last, surprising both others.

“What do you mean?” Anaisa blinked at him.

“Hiding the pain made my injuries worse instead of better,” He looked down at his leg that had once been broken, and sighed. “And as for hiding myself, I think more and more that I might have been better off not hiding for so long. That things would be better now if I had just faced them up front.”

Anaisa slid a glance towards Seth, whose face bore a complicated, yet reluctantly impressed, expression.

“A wise observation,” She said softly. “Many people take much longer to learn that lesson.”

Seth ignored her comment, keeping his eyes on Ford for a time.

“Did Grandpa tell you all that?”

Anaisa kept a pleasant expression plastered on her face as Seth leveled the implicit accusation that Ford was parroting something they would want to hear instead of being honest. Ford stared steadily back at the man as he answered.

“Grandpa has taught me alot. He’s probably dropped hints and pieces of most of it along the way for my benefit, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t learn the lesson.”

“Fair enough,” Seth seemed satisfied with the answer, and stretched. “It’s near to dawn now, I suppose we ought to start the day.”

“Yes, Sir,” Ford answered respectfully. “I suppose we should.”

The young man warily got to his feet and began folding the blanket he’d had wrapped around himself.

“You did a good job,” Anaisa whispered when Seth walked away. Ford rewarded her with a half smile before following after the man, leaving Anaisa contemplating a curious object left behind on the ground.