Page 12 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

I wish Lili was here. I wish I had someone to talk to about my dream. It was just like the last two, only this time I finally saw someone, a woman. I don’t recognize her voice and can’t make out her face. What must I choose? What could this mean? I rub at my chest trying to calm my anxious heart. I know Aidan told me to stay in the house until he returned, but I’m already feeling restless, and the last place I want to be today is in this bedroom alone. My mind is going to go crazy trying to decipher my nightmare, not to mention I can’t get comfortable in this bed after last night. I slip on my boots and open the front door, thinking maybe I’ll go explore a bit and see the horses.

I find Luke sitting on the front steps of the cabin eating an apple.

“Hi,” I say, a bit surprised to find him here. Is he watching me? Did Aidan tell him to make sure I stayed in the cabin?

“Hello again, miss. Can I get you something?” He smiles up at me.

“Just call me Lyra please. What’s there to do for fun around here?”

“Aidan told me he wanted you to stay in the cabin today, Lyra,” he says, almost stuttering.

“Come on, Luke. He’s going to be gone most of the day. We can be back before he is, and he’ll never know I wasn’t safe inside all day. Tonight's the festival. Aren’t their preparations to be made? You don’t have to watch me. I'm sure you have more important things to do.” He doesn’t look convinced, so I push. “Or are you prepared to hold me down in the cabin and keep me there by force? Because that’s what it will take.”

Now I have him. I see the realization crossing his face.

“Okay, but I’m not leaving you. Where would you like to go?”

I’m not sure because I haven’t thought this far ahead. “How far away is the Shifting Forest from here?”

“I can’t take you to the Shifting Forest, Lyra. It’s way too dangerous, especially today.”

I sigh in frustration. “Well, where can you take me? I don’t know anything around here. All I know is I can’t stay cooped up in that cabin all day. Not after last night.” I say the last part to myself but understanding fills his face.

“There’s a really great swimming hole about an hour walk from here. It’ll be freezing this time of year but invigorating, and it’s a nice little hike. I can pack lunch for us to take as well.”

I laughed. “That sounds great. I’m all for invigoration.”

“Ok. Wait here. Give me five minutes to make a pack then we can head out,” he says, hurrying into the cabin.

I sit on the steps and tighten my bootlaces, making sure they’re comfortable enough for our hike. It’s a beautiful morning, with fields covered in frost and mist and streams of sunlight warming the ground. There’s a chilly bite in the air, and the smell of chimney smoke adds to the winter ambiance. Although there’s no snow on the ground this morning, it still feels like winter here. I lean back on the deck and take a deep breath of the crisp air.

“Who are you? And what are you doing?” a deep male voice asks, and then a boy appears.

Gods, my training has done nothing because I didn’t even hear him approaching.

“Um . . . my name is Lyra, and I’m not doing anything. Who are you exactly?” I sit up, raising my eyebrows and waiting for an explanation.

“My name's Rhett. Is Luke around?” he asks, eyeing me up and down. Just then Luke comes out the front door.

“Hey Rhett, what’s up?” He sounds surprised to see him.

“Nothing, man. I just thought you’d be helping set up for tonight, but I couldn’t find you in town.”

“Yeah, um sorry, this is Lyra. Aidan tasked me with watching her today, and we were just about to take a hike up to the old Mudhole. Want to join us?”

“Wait, old . . . Mudhole? What? I thought this was a swimming hole. When you said invigorating, mud didn’t exactly come to mind,” I say.

Rhett looks at me and starts to laugh. “Mudhole is just the name. The water is quite beautiful. Yeah, I’ll join you guys, anything to avoid Marth. He’s ordering everyone around town frantically to prepare the feast for tonight.” He speaks in a deep, husky voice that belies his age. Rhett doesn’t appear much older than me, but he exudes a mature, masculine vibe. With his jet-black hair, tan skin, sharp jawline, and piercing blue Lycan eyes, Rhett is undeniably attractive. He looks much more rugged and manly than Luke. Poor Luke still looks like a young boy who’s not quite done going through puberty. His voice is still a little mousy at times.

“You ready?” Luke asks, looking at me.

I nod, and with that we start off down the dirt driveway together.

“So, Lyra, where are you from?” Rhett asks beside me.

“I’m from the Tempest Moon District. Aidan brought me here to see the festival, although I’m not quite sure why.”

“The Tempest Moon. So are you a Sorceress then?” Rhett asks, beaming at me with a fat smile plastered across his face.