AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A small smile tugged at Aurora’s lips. “For what it’s worth, you were very brave,” she said, searching for his eyes. “Most people run scared, but you faced your fear head-on.”
Tristan lowered his eyes to where her hand was still resting on his arm, her touch warm and comforting. But then she drew it away as though she hadn’t realized how long she’d lingered.
“Sorry,” she murmured, her cheeks reddening.
“No,I’msorry,” Tristan said, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “I should’ve just listened to you and left. But no, I had to go on ahead and put both of us in danger. And the worst part is that while I’m here, fighting illusions, my kingdom is out there, fighting and dying at the hands of King Midas.”
Aurora tensed next to him. “I noticed he was in your nightmare,” she said. “What makes you so afraid of him?”
Tristan exhaled in despair. “My army is not strong enough to win the war against him. He’s too powerful. And he’s been relentless in invading our land.”
Tristan had dedicated his life to fighting for his kingdom, but the odds were against him. As much as he wanted to believe they could win, deep down he knew there was no way his people could come out victorious.
The thought of failure weighed heavily on him, yet he was determined to keep fighting until the end. “My kingdom is my responsibility, and I just…” He trailed off, the words bundling up in a hard lump at the bottom of his throat.
Aurora edged closer, her small hand barely covering his shoulder. A rush of heat shot through him as her mouth inched toward him. “My father always told me that in order to win a war, you don’t need to be stronger. You need to be smarter and know when to strike.”
Tristan arched a curious brow. “Care to elaborate?”
Aurora glanced up at the solar eclipse above them in the sky. “I don’t have time to explain it all now, but I have an idea. If you come back, I'll show you something that just might help you get the upper hand on Midas.”
Tristan narrowed his eyes. “But I thought you wanted me to leave and never come back?”
“Yes, but that was before I knew you were up against Midas,” she said, her expression serious. “This world may not have much to offer, but when it does deliver, it’s powerful. Trust me, your only weapon against him is here. Come back and I’ll show you.”
Tristan nodded, his heart lifting with a momentary sense of hope. “Thank you,” he said, his eyes dropping to her lips. A flurry of nerves nipped at his insides as he thought about how plump they looked. They were so close, it would have been easy to just lean in and discover the taste of them.
But without warning, Aurora shoved him hard with both hands, and he tumbled off the roof. His heartbeat roared in his ears as he hurled toward the rock-hard ground.
AURORA
Aurora sat by the half-built wooden bridge, sharpening the tip of her arrows. Her legs hung over the edge. Heavy fog covered the abyss below, which made it seem like she was sitting above the clouds. Thoughts of Tristan lingered in her mind. She hadn’t stopped thinking about him since he’d left.
She had misjudged him.
Just because he brought light to that darkened world didn’t mean he didn’t struggle with his own darkness. However, it was the first time she’d ever seen someone’s nightmare manifest as a wedding. Normally, weddings were beautiful and an event so special, people lived their whole lives dreaming of when the day would come. She surely had her moments growing up. The thought of dancing to an orchestra of classical music in the middle of a ball wearing a beautiful, bejeweled gown glistening like diamonds had been at the center of her dreams ever since she was a little girl. She hadn’t thought about that for what felt like an eternity. There was no need to dwell on thoughts that would never happen for her.
But why were weddings a nightmare for Tristan? He was a prince, and a very handsome one at that. His eyes sparkled with the vibrancy of the bluest summer sky, revealing not just his keen intelligence, but also his unending warmth. The contours of his face were finely carved, featuring a jawline that would draw any sculptor’s envy, all softened by a radiant smile that held the power to melt the coldest of hearts. Any woman would be lucky to be chosen by him.
The distant chime of the bell tower broke through the silent gloom, and Aurora’s mind jerked back to the present.Tristan.
She rose from the ground and craned her neck to peer up at the sky, searching for any hint of the sunlight. But it seemed as though it had decided to stay hidden away, much like Tristan had retreated into the depths of his own mind during his nightmare.
Aurora wondered if what he’d experienced might’ve changed his perspective of that world. Had that event finally opened his eyes to the true danger of the Dreamworld? Was that the reason the sun had chosen to not appear this time? She knew all too well that the Dreamworld was not to be underestimated. Its twisted illusions had a way of bringing out the worst in people, unearthing the darkest parts of their souls and leaving them exposed in ways they never thought possible.
And Tristan had finally experienced that firsthand.
A pang of sadness tugged at her heart. If it was truly him who had entered the Dreamworld, then she would surely miss the sunshine that often came with his presence.
With a swift whistle, Midnight came galloping out of the woods, his hooves pounding against the ground like a drumbeat. Aurora mounted him with ease, and urged him forward without hesitation into the blinding fog. The mist swirled around them, obscuring her vision, and Aurora firmed her grip on the reins.
As Midnight navigated through the thick haze, Aurora’s breaths came out in frosty puffs, and her cheeks stung with the cold. The air was so frigid that it felt like tiny icicles were forming in her nostrils with every inhale. Aurora tightened her cloak around her thin frame, her leather garments doing little to shield her from the sudden freezing temperature. Finally, they emerged into the heart of a snow-covered forest, and Aurora couldn’t help but marvel at the winter wonderland surrounding them. The trees were coated in a thick layer of white, and the snow sparkled like diamonds with the reflection of the lunar eclipse high above her.
The sounds of approaching footsteps shattered the peaceful silence, and Aurora squinted, searching for the source of the sound. A young girl came running out of the trees, her oversized brown cloak billowing behind her like a cape. Her eyes were wild with fright, and when she stopped in front of Midnight, Aurora could see the panic etched into every line of her face.
Midnight whined and pawed the ground anxiously, sensing the danger lurking in the shadows. Aurora’s heart pounded in her chest, and she gripped her bow and arrow as the girl took off running ahead of them. Suddenly, a snarling wolf burst into view, its teeth bared and its eyes gleaming with hunger.
“Help!” the girl screamed, her voice ringing out over the snow-covered terrain. “Somebody help me!”
