Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 375

Chapter 375: Completing the puzzle
Ford stared at Martin as the pieces in his mind slowly clicked into place.

“You met wights in the mine and told them where the tree was,” He repeated. “And it took me a month to find Mia…”

“Are they that slow? That a man with a crutch could arrive and catch up with them?” Seth wondered aloud.

“I’m not sure they can come up from below the surface,” Martin said thoughtfully. “At least, they didn’t act like it, and maybe my directions lacked a bit of specificity…”

“You gave them bad information?” Ford was incredulous at the risk.

“Well, not bad. I don’t know the way to get there underground! Tunneling under a river might get you all wet, I don’t know! So, I told them what I was able to, and got away… but after checking back at the mine, and you were gone, and so was the map, I got a bit worried.”

“You worried about Ford?” Mia asked, addressing the man directly for the first time. Ford noticed she was half-hiding behind Seth, and it bothered him.

He recalled how angry she’d been at him after thinking he was friends with Martin.

Would the old magic-user’s appearance damage the goodwill Ford had built up with her? He didn’t like that idea.

“I felt a bit responsible, and also kinda angry, that he took my map and ran off.”

“Why didn’t you catch up? I wasn’t particularly quick,” Ford shook his head.

“I got delayed,” Martin shrugged. “The wights took my magic, and it took me time to break my way into the emergency store room I keep down on the lower levels.”

“The what?” Ford narrowed his eyes.

“In case something happens, I have what you might call an escape supply. Food, water, the works. I found the shaft and was able to pickaxe my way into it after a day, so I stayed there until my magic came back.”

“How long was that?” Seth’s eyes darted to Grandpa, who was listening intently. The old man’s powers had also been dispelled by the wights, and come back later.

“Long enough that by the time I found out Ford had left, I didn’t hold much hope of catching up with him, so I got supplies and went back down to follow the wights’ tunnels instead. It was a trek, but eventually I found their home… and Trace, as it happens.”

“What did you see? How long ago was that? How is he? Why didn’t you get him out??” Anaisa’s voice rose, and Martin shot her an irritated look.

“This is a lot of talking. I’m thirsty.” He complained.

Ford resisted the urge to roll his eyes and handed the older man a canteen that Grandpa tossed over. After a long drink, Martin sighed and spoke again.

“Several days ago. They were taking him into their castle. Looked like he’d been on a walk with them. Him and another fellow that looked familiar, hollering and whiny. Trace saw me, but then the wights did, too. Told me to leave, and then one of the dragons picked me up and took me back down the tunnel. Barred my way back in.

“Of course, I can tunnel back, but I didn’t really know what the situation was over there, and didn’t want the dragons or other things to off me before I figured it out. Started to head back in the direction of home, but needed to come to the surface for food. There’s crazy creatures around out here, too, have you seen them?”

“We’ve seen them,” Ford confirmed. “A few different ones, in fact.”

“Then that storm,” Martin shuddered. “Brought a bunch of ’em up here, so I went underground to wait them out. Gave it a good long time, but then Ford came knocking, and, well, here we are.”

“Did you see the dark castle? Is it really as big as it seems?” Daniel looked at Martin with wide eyes.

The old man looked at the boy, really looked at him, for the first time. “You wouldn’t, by any chance, look just like your father?”

Daniel pursed his lips and nodded before Anaisa stepped forward and placed a hand on her son’s shoulders. “We need your help to rescue my husband. Please.”

“I didn’t figure he was there voluntarily,” Martin shrugged, “but I don’t see any way to get him out. You haven’t seen what a setup they’ve got.”

“Does it look like this?” Daniel threw an image into the air of the black castle he’d gotten from the royal library’s fairy tale books.

“That’s a neat trick,” Martin observed, glancing at the boy’s face and then back up at the projection. “Yeah, but you’re missing a lot around the base. There’s a big door, and–”

“The forest of golden trees?” Mia stared at him.

“You seem well-informed,” Martin looked back at Mia, and she shrank back behind Seth. It stoked something in Ford to see her act fearfully. A protectiveness.

“We’re going to rescue Trace, with or without you,” Ford informed the man, “but we would very much appreciate you coming along as far as you’re willing.”

“You think you’ll find it without me?” Martin narrowed his eyes, and Ford nodded confidently.

“Yes. We will. We came this far, didn’t we?”

He didn’t expose Mia’s powers, not wanting Martin’s attention back on the girl. He didn’t distrust the man, but she obviously still did.

“You did, yes,” Martin glanced across them.

“Do you have a tunnel leading to the castle?” Seth leaned forward to glance into the hole.

“Not directly. I came up to the surface a lot, as it’s faster to walk than to use my magic every step of the way.” Martin told the man.

“I thought you followed the wights’ tunnels to their castle. Couldn’t you just follow them back home?” Anaisa looked at the man shrewdly.

“Tunnels are full of monsters. Sometimes seems like more day by day. I barely avoided them on the way there, not going to risk getting trapped with them on the way home. I’ll make my own way, thank you very much.”