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The depiction of her original idyllic scene appeared in the sphere at her command. She reached her right hand as high as it would go and dragged it down the misty surface. Her desired changes appeared instantly. The first bricks in her path to freedom were falling into place.
***
Stephen was not disappointed to return to the waterfall in the forest. The whirlwind adventures with Liora through the various worlds of her creation had been enjoyable, but after her emotional reactions to the deserted beach the previous night, the wooded pond was a welcome sight. It was safe, it was comfortable…yet something had changed.
Adjacent to the shimmering pool stood a tree much, much taller than the others in the forest. Its needled branches draped over the water, and the top of it vanished into the clouds as it towered over the churning falls. He walked around the bordering rocks until he arrived at the base of the new addition and placed his hand on the trunk. It felt as real as anything else in the dream, an accurate representation of the plant life he’d appreciated back home.
Footsteps in the grass behind him indicated he was no longer alone. When he turned around to face Liora, he scooped her into a crushing embrace, as if his affection for her could protect her from the terrible truths she had learned. “I was thinking about you all day,” he mumbled into her hair. “I was so worried.”
She pulled back and stroked his cheek before delivering a light kiss to his lips. “I’m okay. Or at least I will be.” Leaving his arms, she moved toward the tree, repeating his examination of it.
“What’s all this about?” he asked.
“Tirani helped me with an idea I had. I need to practice my climbing.”
“Climbing?” Glancing down, he noted how this was the first time he’d seen her wear pants.
“Yes!” Liora beamed at him. “Thirvar wasn’t as careful as he should have been. I don’t think he’ll be able to keep me contained much longer.”
Stephen wasn’t sure if he understood, but he trusted her. His trust, unfortunately, did not eliminate his inherent anxiety as he watched her grab hold of the first branch and hoist herself up. He speculated nothing could hurt them while they were encased in the power of the dream, yet he remained concerned as she climbed higher and higher. “Be careful!” he called up to her.
Though she was limber and fearless, she showed signs of struggle as the distance between her and the ground increased. He gasped when he saw her foot slip, and she strained to maintain her grasp. She dangled out over the water by one hand, and when she was unable to regain her footing, she let go.
Stephen awoke with a start and squinted into the emerging dawn. He hadn’t been able to spend much time with Liora before the dream escaped them, but he reminded himself to believe in her plans to reach their ultimate goal. If she was willing to work hard, he had to do the same. All he needed was a way to assist her while they were miles apart.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A swift breeze drifted through the conifers, rattling the aromatic needles surrounding Liora as she clung to her selected tree. Dozens of feet off the ground, the danger of falling prickled in the back of her mind as she fought to keep steady. She had been practicing under the watchful eye of Stephen in their secret domain for many nights, and it was time to put her training to the test.
The wind whipping the sharp points into her face wasn’t the only obstacle she encountered. Her left hand constantly jerked downward, the magnetism of the sphere unrelenting as it kept drawing her back. The bejeweled bangles were still clasped around her wrists, the forces with which they kept her bound too strong to overcome. She had been able to ascend higher than she expected for her first try, but every time she moved to grab the next branch, her body was pulled toward the roots. Terrified of plummeting to the unforgiving earth, she sighed and worked her way down the trunk.
She hopped down the last several feet and wiped her hands on the snug, tan-colored pants she had recently fashioned. Disappointment threatened to smother her like a dense cloud of foul smoke. She shook her head as if to dispel the poisonous negativity. Patience was her strongest friend, and she had to remember her plan would require some time to implement if she was going to take the necessary precautions.
The sphere sat unchanged in the cellar, taunting her with its silent authority. She remained convinced the means of breaking its hold lay within. Settling into her usual habit of laying her body against it, she summoned her favorite fantasy. Stephen would be waiting for her, his unending support driving her forward to freedom.
***
Stephen sat at the edge of the pond, dipping his toes in the water. The great tree towered overhead, casting its shadow over everything he could see. He was surprised when Liora chose to take a seat next to him, rather than heading right for the lowest branch to hone her climbing skills. “No death-defying acrobatics tonight?” he teased.
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I made my first real attempt today. I wanted to see how high I could go.”
“How was it?”
“Not too bad. As soon as I felt myself losing control, I came back down.”
“Good, good.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze and kissed the top of her head.
“I’ll see how far I can get tomorrow. Maybe I can get a little farther every day, and once I get to the top…” She trailed off, and he realized neither of them knew what the next step would be.
Stephen wasn’t too concerned at the moment, however, for he had Liora in his arms and little else mattered. “You’ll get there. And then you’ll come find me.”
“Of course.” She stood up and walked to the bottom of the tree. “Sure you don’t want to try climbing up here with me?”
He let out a low chuckle. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“You can’t get hurt here!”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind watching you.”
