AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Despite my reservations, our connection was undeniable. Would my desperation to fit into the Dream World force me to bury the romantic feelings just beginning to bud between us, or would I embrace them and walk the path that would risk all I’d dreamed of?
Chapter 25
The rosy, golden light of dawn glistened across the festival grounds, dancing against the floating bubbles and sparkling confetti that twirled in the gentle breeze and the garlands of jeweled, vibrant blossoms that hung from the eaves like wisteria. Mouthwatering scents ofpastries, fairy floss, flower nectars, nebula cream, and fruit filled the air. Everything burst with celebration, magic, and good cheer.
We met up with Angel, Iris, and their clouds in front of the sunrise and sunset display before exploring the various exhibits. Stardust carried me through the gold-tinted streets, her jabbering drowned out by the peals of laughter coming from the crowds pressing against us on all sides.
I warily eyed the Nightmares we passed. While some had distinctly eerie styles—the one oozing mildew was especially startling—several could almost pass for Dreamers if it weren’t for the aura of unease that shrouded them.
“How can you tell whether or not they're Nightmares?” I asked.
Stardust carefully maneuvered around a group huddled in front of a map, recoiling to avoid accidentally brushing against them. “You just know; it’s a feeling that radiates from them, which makes them easier to avoid.”
“We shouldn’t avoid them,” Iris said. “The festival is meant to bring everyone together to increase the harmony between our worlds.”
Angel rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t look like anyone is building bridges of harmony to me.”
Sure enough, the two groups eyed each other with suspicious gazes and gave one another a wide berth whenever they passed, the unease between them palpable.
Iris wrung her hands, on the verge of tears. “This is awful. No one is even attempting to build relationships. This never happened at previous festivals.”
“What do you expect with the increasing Nightmare happenings?” Angel asked. “I refuse to interact with any Nightmare, not when one is a dream dust thief.”
I frowned. Both her and Stardust’s aversion would make it difficult to sneak away and meet with Darius like we’d arranged, a challenge I hadn’t foreseen when I’d accepted Darius’s invitation. It was difficult to reconcile the feelings slowly developing between us with the reminder that we came from different worlds with a history of animosity.
You already have a difficult time fitting in, my ever-present insecurities reminded me.If anyone learned that not only do you not avoid a Nightmare, but you actuallylikeinteracting with him…
I was pulled from my uneasy thoughts as my friends began discussing where we should explore first. Angel consulted her program. “A cloud chiseling contest is starting in a few minutes at the rainbow pavilion; I have to do my part to ensure a Dreamer victory by participating.”
We witnessed Angel take third place for a rather impressive dragon sculpture, and then, to silent Stardust’s pleadings, we strolled over to the unicorn petting zoo, enclosed in a meadow of dancing wildflowers. The only unicorns I’d ever seen were the occasional illustrations within books of legends or their rare appearances in dreams I’d watched. Unlike their pencil drawings or fuzzy dream counterparts, real unicorns were shimmery, beautiful creatures that radiated light. I stroked a marigold unicorn’s mane, smooth as silk. Iris cooed as she nuzzled a violet one while Angel perched on her cloud, Sprinkles, while filing her nails.
The unicorn’s lips tickled my palm as I fed it miniature sugarplums from a nearby bush. “I wish Earth was home to such creatures. They're amazing.”
“All beings with magic reside in the Dream World,” Iris said. “Unicorns live in the Rosewood Forest, so usually the only ones who see them are the Gatherers who collect herbs for Brewers to create new senses for the Mortal World. Unicorn hair is a powerful weaving thread, but it’s extremely expensive; only Weavers with multiple mortals who win most of their Weavings can afford it.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if Darius could afford such thread, considering how many Weavings he had the frustrating habit of winning. But rather than this thought annoying me as it once might have, it only caused me to smile.
I turned my attention away from the unicorns to subtly search the surrounding throng for him, but he remained nowhere to be seen. How would I ever find him? We should have arranged for a time and place to meet.
I continuously scanned the crowds as we left the unicorn exhibit, making it difficult to follow my friends’ conversation. My attention abruptly returned at Angel’s sharp gasp.
“Oh no, it’s Blaze.” She yanked me and Iris behind a balloon cart. Coldness seeped through me at the mere mention of his name. Crouching low, Angel craned her neck and peeked through the bundle of balloons. “I was hoping I wouldn’t see him. It’s bad enough being forced to interact every night.”
I peered around the cart. A muscular Nightmare clad in an outfit patterned with lightning bolts stood with his back to us. I didn’t need to see his face to recognize him as the Nightmare from the library, which meant Trinity lurked nearby.
“Rather than hiding, shouldn’t you talk to him civilly?” Iris asked. “After all, the festival was created as an opportunity for Dreamers and Nightmares to build—”
“Be quiet, he’ll hear us,” Angel hissed.
Iris pursed her lips in disapproval but made no further comment.
After a minute of huddling we all began shifting restlessly. “This is boring,” Stardust whined. “I want to do something fun.”
Angel glared at her before stealing another glance. “Oh good, the coast is clear.”
“Think again, Dreamer.” Blaze walked behind the balloon cart and smirked at seeing us squashed together. “I saw you before you ducked out of sight, but it was too entertaining imagining you attempting to hide from me to spoil your fun. Good morning, Dreamer.” But the way he said it didn’t sound like a good morning at all.
“Blaze.” Angel’s attention was fixated determinedly on her pink fingernails.
