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 Three "The Court of Miracles has not been half so miraculous since you left. Where have you been? And see, here is Jehan. He could not have been much more than three years of age when you left. Clopin has raised him to be a fine young boy, no? And this is Melisande. Come, you must see how our little Nerien has grown..." He had her by the hand now, whisking her away to show her his whole kingdom. After a few steps she stopped, pulling him back. "Clopin." "We have a new fiddler here too. Charming fellow. You must--" "Clopin. I would have words with you." Her tone was gentle, her voice soft and deep. She led him to his own tent, indicating for Jehan and Melisande to follow. She indicated for them to sit and Clopin unquestioningly followed her silent command, Melisande and Jehan found seats for themselves more slowly. "You are in danger." "No small talk to put Clopin at ease? Not even a preliminary speech that you have come in your capacity as messenger to give us a warning from the world of night visions? Ah, well, you always were one to use words sparingly." "I'm lost," Melisande interjected. Jehan had been frowning and staring at the stranger ever since Clopin had named her, trying to call up vague memories. Now he began to clarify matters for Melisande as best he could. "This is Rayven DreamWalker. She.....travels...in other people's dreams." "Clopin told you he was a fine young boy." Clopin beamed. Rayven reached out and tilted Jehan's head so that they locked gazes for a moment, then let him go again. "There is great pain in him, deeply hidden. But yes, Clopin, he is very fine." Melisande listened attentively, trying to place the foreign accent. "This is not simply a message of warning. I have come here to help." "You already have! What you did for Oiseau and the others-- I have never seen such a thing!" Melisande said. "The threat is not over. I have come here tracking a beast." All present but her shuddered. "A dream beast." Jehan muttered with a strong sense of foreboding. "I have followed it all the way from Egypt, where it killed an entire tribe of our brethren, across Rumania, and finally here. This monster feeds off the life force of others through the nightmares it creates. Those with the most open minds are attacked first, such as prophets, then as it gains strength it invades more minds." "How strong is it now?" Jehan asked worriedly. "Fairly weak, although it has taken the lives of a few street urchins here. And now I have weakened it further. It must feed or it loses power. It only has hold of two minds now, but I cannot remove it's hold from the minds of those two without their full consent." She was staring Clopin down as she said this. He lost the battle of wills and rose abruptly to begin pacing. "Why on earth would someone not give their consent?" Melisande wondered aloud. "If they felt they deserved to be punished. If they were under the influence of a great guilt." Rayven's green eyes watched Clopin's restless movement. There was a long space of silence until Clopin finally stood still. "Who is the other?" Chapter Four