To Walk Through a Dream Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven With Wavering Footsteps Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Stone Song Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three A Tale of Winter Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Destiny Inescapable Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Epilogue The Cycle's Continuing Beginnings Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Two Spirits Akin

To Walk Through a Dream Chapter Two Melisande clutched the pouch to her chest and ran, but still took a circuitous route even in her hurry. Keeping the entrances to the Court of Miracles hidden was more important even than keeping the herbs dry. She thought she saw the shape of a person through the driving rain and slush, and she ducked behind a tombstone. When she peered out again the rain had let up slightly and a crack of lightning illuminated her view. There was a person out there, a lady, half-dancing her way towards the main entrance of the Court of Miracles, with the storm dancing around her. As she drew nearer she changed her path and headed straight towards Melisande until she stood directly before her. She wore a white blouse, a blue skirt, a scarf around her waist, and a large pouch. The only thing she wore below the hem of her skirt was a beaded ankle bracelet. Her bare feet in the slush seemed untouched by the cold and only slightly muddy. Her hair was half black with a tint of red and half gray, and would have reached to just below her shoulders if the wind hadn't been blowing it around. Her earrings were made of interlocking rings that jangled in the wind, and her eyes were nearly closed. She was humming softly, an aimless tune that somehow made itself heard over the thunder and crash of the storm. The strange woman turned suddenly and headed for the entrance again and Melisande followed complacently. The woman had a limp on her right leg, but she moved so gracefully it seemed she was dancing. When Melisande forgot to give the password at the first hiding place of the gypsy guards, they did not stop the two women. When they reached the Court, the stranger went straight to the tent where Harpine lay sleeping restlessly, consumed by fever. She seemed oblivious to both his wife and Melisande as her humming increased in volume and he climbed out of bed and followed her to the tent where Rubis lay. Most of the tribe had gathered to watch by the time the stranger had reached Oiseau's tent and all four fortune tellers stood before her. There seemed to be a collective sigh, a sense of release as the stranger raised her hands in the air and Harpine, Rubis, and Oiseau collapsed. Only Marya gave a small cry, like that of a frightened bird and remained standing a moment longer before collapsing like the others. The woman stayed like that, arms and head upraised for a moment or two, then slowly began to lower them. Melisande noticed that the humming had stopped. The crowd was gathered around the fortune tellers, guiding them back to their beds as they, after weeks of nightmares, smiled weakly and told friends and family that the black beast was gone. Marya was silent. Melisande snagged Jehan and they followed the stranger as she slipped away from the crowd. While Jehan and Melisande stared, a tall, lean figure burst abruptly out of the crowd, ran to the woman and embraced her. "Rayven!" Chapter Three