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“No, the actual portal lies within the cave. But don’t fret,” Chatter said, seeming to perceive my worry. “Animals steer clear of here—they can sense the energy and it scares away most of them. Oh, we might find a rat or mouse or some such creature, but I wouldn’t worry about large predators.”
“Spiders?” Peyton asked. “I’m not afraid of them but I don’t like them.”
“This time of year? Unlikely.” He brushed away a snowflake that drifted down to light on his nose and stooped to enter the cave. “Come on, let’s move.”
The sky had turned deep indigo now, the indigo of twilight, and with the silvery clouds that covered the area, it illuminated the entire valley below with a bluish glow. I gazed at the wonderland. Myst had brought winter with her. Though she might be terrifying and ruthless, she was also beautiful and breathtaking, and so was her season. The air was chill and I listened to the slipstream, lowering myself into it to see what I could pick up, but the only sounds were those of burrowing animals.
As Peyton bent to crawl into the cave, I happened to catch a glimpse farther down the mountainside. Gleaming in the odd light, three Ice Elementals strode through a secluded clearing, their bodies faceted and angular. They were not hunting—I could tell from their stance—nor did they appear to take any notice of our movement. If they were aware of us at all, they gave no sign. They swept through the clearing with strong footsteps, focused on their journey, and against the evening sky they shimmered like diamonds. Another moment, and they were hidden beneath the tree cover again.
As I scrambled to join Peyton and Chatter, all I could think about was the incredible beauty that such a harsh and unyielding season contained.
Chapter 6
The minute I passed through the opening, I was pleasantly surprised. Though the entry was low, the inside of the cavern was not. Chatter had lit the flame in his hand again, and now he blew on it and it flew off, a globe of light, to spread through the air and illuminate the chamber.
The cavern was a good twenty feet high by thirty feet long. Dry and snug against the elements, it was still cold, all right, but the snow did not enter here, and I had my doubts whether rain made it through.
Chatter glanced around.
Peyton tapped him on the shoulder. “What are you looking for?”
He let out a long breath. “The portal. It’s hidden to keep yummanii who might be in the area from stumbling into it. I think a few of their shamans know about it, but the Court of Dreams is no place for the unprepared, regardless of background.”
After a moment, he stood back and closed his eyes, his hands outstretched in front of him. Taking a hesitant step forward, he faced to the left, then opened his eyes.
“There you are!” With a wave of his hand and a whispered chant that I couldn’t quite pick up, an archway appeared against the solid rock. He turned back to us. “There’s the portal. Once we cross through, be cautious not to stray out of my sight. It’s easy to get lost in the Court of Dreams. There are nightmares there, as well as your heart’s desires. And sometimes, they overlap. I know the path to the King of Dreams, so follow my lead. It’s not far from the entrance.”
We fell in line behind him, with me second and Peyton bringing up the rear. And then, without another word, he stepped through, and we followed.
At first, the transition was black, and everything around me felt like it was swirling in a vortex of endless night. But then I gradually began to make out colors in the wash, sparkling lights that twinkled in and out faster than I could pinpoint them. My stomach rolled with the feeling of being on water, in a big boat surging over the cresting waves. My feet met no solid floor, no sense of resistance, and then it felt like we were traveling a hundred miles an hour, the sparkles turning into tracers.
I could barely see Chatter’s back in front of me, and when I tried to ask Peyton if she was still with us, my mouth moved but no sound emerged.
After a time, the kaleidoscope of lights began to subside and then, within a single blink of an eye, my feet hit solid ground and I tripped against Chatter’s back. We were standing in a misty valley, with a rolling fog wafting hip-deep.
I quickly turned, relieved to see Peyton standing behind me.
“Are the both of you okay?” Chatter asked.
We nodded. I glanced overhead. The sky was hazy, and no sun shone. I didn’t even know if they had a sun here, but the land was bathed in a mix of shadows and the colors of sunset. Trees, straggly and barren, dotted the landscape, and boulders jutted out from the fog that swept across the ground as far as I could see.
“Follow me, and do not speak to any who pass you unless I give the go-ahead. There are dangers here I cannot even begin to describe.” He looked around, gauging our whereabouts, then motioned for us to follow him to the right.
We moved through the mist, cautiously, unable to see the ground. I was afraid of tripping over a root or a rock, but for the most part, the lay of the land was even and level and Chatter seemed to instinctively skirt obstacles in the path. I followed his lead carefully, and Peyton followed mine.
As we came to a fork in the road, Chatter turned to the left, but something to the right caught my eye. I turned to look and gasped.
Krystal, my mother, was standing there, holding out her arms.
“How . . . what . . .” I stared at her, wanting to believe, wanting so badly to think it was her, and yet I knew she was dead. How could this be? Was she a spirit? Was I hallucinating?
I found myself walking off the path, mesmerized by her sudden appearance. Krystal, my mother. Krystal, the woman who was never a mother to me. But now she was wearing a loose-fitting dress that seemed as ethereal as the fog. Her hair hung loose, but no longer stringy. She laughed when she saw me and her eyes were welcoming, no longer jaded with crack and horse.
“Honey, I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry I had to leave you; please forgive me. Please, give me a chance to make all those unhappy years up to you.”
I gazed at her face and thought, My mother is beautiful, but then I stopped. Something was off.
Cicely! Cicely—can you hear me? Cicely!
