 
Aspen and the Dream Walkers

by

Caroline Swart

Copyright © 2013 by Caroline Swart

Edited by

Pam Berehulke, Bulletproof Editing

Smashwords Edition

Second Edition, Revised, September 2014

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

# Chapter 1

Aspen's Dream

Aspen stared at the startling lime-green grass that covered the wide field. White daisies were scattered about, breaking up the expanse of green, and wisps of puffy clouds floated high in the pale lemon-colored sky.

"Where am I? _"_ she whispered, but she couldn't remember a thing. Her fingertips were cool on her forehead as she reached up to soothe the dull throbbing between her eyes.

Birds chirped as a hot breeze caressed her arms. Enjoying the summery countryside, she breathed in the fresh smell of grass and watched colorful butterflies flit from flower to flower.

Soon she began to walk, and her waist-length hair brushed against her arms while soft blades of grass tickled her bare feet.

A grouping of enormous weeping willow trees stood in her path, and she stopped to admire their graceful branches. Water burbled over smooth pebbles in a small stream that ran peacefully between them.

Aspen knelt down, and her reflection stared back at her from the water. Long blond hair framed her thin face, and an old-fashioned cotton sundress hugged her body. Her lips were full and soft, and pale blue eyes peered back at her in the heat of the day.

The water looked inviting, so she stepped into its coolness, enjoying the gentle current that spilled over her toes and swirled around her ankles. She dipped her hands into the sparkling water and touched the multicolored stones that lined the riverbed.

"I know I've been here before," she murmured. "If only I could remember." It hurt to think, and she splashed icy water on her forehead to ease the pain.

As she watched, the water became murky. The clear stream darkened, and she looked up to see the sky transform slowly from lemon to lavender and then to a dark purple. A blast of cool air replaced the warm breeze and she shivered. The sleeveless sundress she wore didn't offer any protection against the cold, and a rash of gooseflesh prickled her arms.

She heard an odd high-pitched sound behind her and spun around. Her eyes widened and she screamed in absolute terror.

Hundreds of spiders crawled out of the pliable bark of the willow trees, tumbling toward her in a mass of hairy legs and beady eyes. Differing in size and color, they headed straight for her on scuttling legs. With a shudder of revulsion, she screamed as loudly as she could.

More spiders poured out of the surrounding trees and crawled over one another in clumps. They spun out in a wave, pouring over the small stones and grass in their hurry to reach her.

There was only one escape. She had to turn back and cross the stream to get away from them. The little brook that, until a moment ago, was tranquil and calm had become a raging torrent. As she splashed through the water, it dragged at her skirt, and she struggled to keep from being swept away.

Hundreds of spiders crawled toward her and, undeterred, sprang across the water to cling to her clothing. She spun in a circle and beat at her dress, trying to brush them away, but there were too many of them. The current tugged at her thighs and she couldn't escape.

Black eyes gleamed hungrily at her, and she screamed hysterically as the spiders' hairy legs skittered quickly up her body and toward her face.

• • •

"Aspen, Aspen, wake up."

Her mother shook her shoulders as she spoke softly to her. "It's just a dream, honey. You're all right."

With a sob, Aspen wrapped her arms around her mother. "Get them off me, get them off!"

"Get what off, sweetie?"

She lifted her head and risked a quick glance at her thighs. Her white quilt was the only thing that covered her legs.

"Where are the spiders?" she wailed.

"There aren't any spiders, honey. You had a bad dream."

After gulping back a final sob, Aspen wiped at her tearstained face. "Are you sure?" She peered down at the bottom of the bed.

"Absolutely sure, now lie down and go back to sleep. You've just had a very nasty dream. It's over, don't think about it anymore."

Reluctantly, she released her grip on her mother's shoulders and leaned back on the bed. She glanced at her legs again in fear. Her mother fluffed the pillow before her head sank back into it. The quilt fitted snugly under her chin as she tugged on it.

"Norma, what's taking so long?" Stephan, her stepfather, shouted down the hall. "I don't want you keeping me awake. Some of us have to get up and work in the morning, you know."

She winced and glanced up at her mother. He was very strict, and Aspen didn't want to upset him.

"Don't worry about him," her mom said softly. "He's being ridiculous. If Miriam were having a nightmare, he'd make me spend the whole night in her room."

Aspen gave her mother a wan smile. Miriam was Stephan's real daughter, and he spoiled her and would do anything for her. He treated Aspen like an intruder, but Miriam could do nothing wrong.

Her mom pressed something small and cold into her hand. "Here, it's a kinetic flashlight. Shake it, it charges automatically. Switch it on if you're scared. I hope the bulb won't fuse, but it doesn't use batteries so you shouldn't be able to break it," she teased.

Reaching out for the plastic flashlight, Aspen gave her mother a grateful smile. For as long as she could remember, whenever she touched something electronic, it exploded or fused, and the flashlight was just what she needed now. She slid the small device neatly under her pillow.

"Thank you, Mom. And thanks for waking me. I think you'd better go back to bed before Stephan gets too mad."

Her mother rolled her eyes and sighed. "I know. Good night, sweetie. I love you."

Quickly, her mom placed a kiss on her forehead and rose from the bed. She switched off the light and pushed the door slightly ajar behind her as she left.

Aspen ducked her head under the quilt, then grabbed the blue flashlight and clicked on the power button, grateful for the faint glow. She held on to it and watched her breath move tiny dust particles past the bulb. The flashlight was still clutched firmly in her hand as she fell asleep.

# Chapter 2

Meeting Dylan

Aspen knocked on the bathroom door.

"Miriam, I'm going to be late. The bus is almost here and I need to wash my face."

"Wait, I'm not done yet!" her stepsister screamed at her.

With a sigh, she walked back to her room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sleeveless cotton top. The quilt was drawn neatly over the bed a few seconds later, and she folded her pajamas into the chest of drawers. After slipping her feet into a pair of sneakers, she ran a brush through her silver-blond hair and pulled it in its usual ponytail high on her head. There was no mirror in the room, so she couldn't see how she looked in the pale blue top she'd chosen to wear.

The sound of a toilet flushing signaled Miriam's departure from the bathroom. Aspen rushed in to wash her face and brush her teeth, then grabbed her backpack and ran downstairs.

"Morning, sweetie."

Her mom smiled as she entered the kitchen. Norma looked a lot like her daughter—with a petite body and slim face—but her blond hair was pixie-short whereas Aspen wore hers long. Her mom's eyes were cornflower blue, much more vivid than the silver-blue eyes Aspen had inherited from her father, but they both had the same wide, bow-shaped mouths.

"I don't have time to eat, Mom," she lied. Because of her nightmare the previous night, she felt sluggish and didn't want to have breakfast.

Her mother frowned and pressed a brown paper bag into her hand. "Here, take this with you, it's a bagel. It should tide you over till you get home." Norma then gave her a hug before she rushed out the kitchen door.

Once Aspen was outside, she slowed as she struggled with the straps of her backpack, but paused when her stepfather's bike roared behind her.

Stephan rolled his huge motorcycle out of the garage, and she stopped on the sidewalk in front of their house to watch him in silence. He looked intimidating with a black full-faced helmet and leather jacket. Miriam stood waiting for him near the garage door under the shade of a huge oak tree, her auburn curls tucked under a helmet of her own.

Her stepfather flipped the throttle and revved the bike loudly, and Aspen stepped back in fright. After swinging her leg over the motorbike seat, Miriam tightened the helmet strap around her chin. The black leather jacket she wore had been a present from her dad, and she wore it together with designer jeans and high heels.

Aspen rubbed her hands subconsciously along the seams of the faded jeans she'd bought at a thrift shop the previous year. Her mother couldn't afford new clothes, and Aspen would never consider asking Stephan for money. So she'd worked during her summer vacation and had bought a few pairs of jeans with the extra cash.

As soon as she'd adjusted her backpack, Miriam wrapped her arms around her father's waist. She turned back to smirk at Aspen as the big bike pulled off the curb in a roar of exhaust fumes.

The two rode away and Aspen watched them pass a line of vehicles parked along the tree-lined road. Her neighborhood had many two-story wooden houses that were sandwiched tightly next to one another. A few had flags flying from their front porches, lending a splash of bright colors along the street.

The pneumatic wheeze of the school bus alerted her as it rounded the corner, and she waited patiently for it to come to a halt next to her.

Mamma Megs was the bus driver, and she gave Aspen a big, toothy grin. "C'mon, sugah, you ain't gonna get to school if ya don't climb on up." Her smooth dark arms gripped the large steering wheel, and she rested her elbows on ample thighs.

With a smile, Aspen climbed the steps until she was level with the older lady. "Thanks, Mamma Megs," she whispered, then strode to the back of the vehicle.

There weren't many kids on the bus, so she chose an empty bench seat. The bus was her only form of transportation to school since her family didn't have a car. Stephan rode the bike to work and back. He could only carry one passenger—Miriam—which didn't really surprise Aspen. This was because he was saving gas, or so he said, but she knew that he was too cheap to buy a car.

She didn't really mind riding the bus. It was quiet and gave her a chance to think before she got to school in the morning. Besides, she wouldn't be able to sit on the back of Stephan's bike; she'd be too scared of doing something wrong.

Mamma Megs turned the vehicle into the school grounds just as his motorcycle growled away down the street, and she was glad that she wouldn't be forced to greet her stepdad at school.

Her stepsister strolled toward her latest boyfriend, Justin, and Aspen watched her walk past the bus through the dusty window. Miriam smoothed out her tangled curls and threw her backpack at him. He hoisted it over his shoulders and pulled her toward his chest.

Justin was a quarterback on the football team and was always surrounded by people. Today was no different; half a dozen kids hovered around him. Miriam spat her pink bubblegum out onto the grass and slid her hands around Justin's neck.

Aspen cringed and looked away as her stepsister kissed him eagerly. After a few seconds, she risked another glance and saw the group moving toward the school building. Justin had wrapped his arm around her stepsister's shoulder, and she had her thumb tucked into a loop on his waistband. When they disappeared into the building, Aspen sighed in relief.

The bus came to a halt in the parking lot. Inside, the air was hot and smelled of diesel fumes and spray deodorant, and she waited until the last person was gone before exiting the bus. She hurried to reach her first class of the day as the morning bell clanged loudly.

English was one of her favorite subjects, and she thumped her backpack on the desk and removed a pen and book before sitting down. The class was rowdy as the students waited for the teacher to arrive. Someone shot a spitball past her head, and she ducked just in time.

"Nope, that was definitely not me." Aspen shook her head vigorously as a girl with short black hair in front of her whirled around with accusing eyes. Her cheek was pink and sticky from the soggy ball.

Miriam sat at the other side of the room and popped bubbles with a new piece of gum. When she'd failed her grade the previous year, Stephan had blamed her teachers, and now she shared many of her stepsister's classes as she repeated the year.

Aspen fanned her face quietly. The day had only just begun, but she could already feel the humidity of the Indian summer day.

Her fellow students were so noisy, talking loudly and laughing, they barely noticed when their teacher lumbered into the room.

Mr. Wright was enormous. He was bald, his nose and cheeks rosy, and his chin was rounded with folds of skin. He always wore baggy pants, which made his oversized shoes appear clown-like, but he was her all-time favorite teacher. Because of his size, she didn't see the person trailing behind him at first.

"Settle down now, students," Mr. Wright called out, his voice booming against the classroom walls. Everyone stopped talking and rushed to take their seats.

When they had settled down somewhat, he stepped aside and said, "We have a new student. This is Dylan Powers."

Aspen sucked in a sharp breath and whispered, "Oh my word _._ " As soon as the teacher had moved, she exhaled and stared at the handsome boy standing behind him. His looks were so striking that she blinked twice and focused all her attention on him.

Mr. Wright clapped the boy on the shoulder, then said, "Take a seat in the third row," while pointing to the empty desk behind her.

Miriam's eyes widened with pleasure as the good-looking boy walked slowly down the aisle.

He was tall and slim and wore khaki cargo pants, a white T-shirt, and thick-soled boots. A half-filled school bag was slung over his left shoulder, and she noticed a dream weaver charm attached to a suede cord around his neck. His black hair was cropped short at the back and longer in the front, and stray strands partially obscured his sapphire-blue eyes.

Aspen caught his gaze as he walked down the aisle. Suddenly his face lit up, and he smiled at her as if he'd just seen his best friend for the first time in years.

She dropped her gaze instantly and stared at her desktop, feeling her cheeks flame with embarrassment. After hearing the scrape of his bag on the floor, a clean, soapy smell enveloped her, and she leaned back to breathe it in.

Something sharp, possibly a pen, jabbed her in the arm, and she stiffened and tilted her head sideways.

"Do you have a spare notepad?" a deep voice whispered close to her ear.

"Huh? Sure, hang on." Reaching into her bag, she whipped out a few sheets of paper and handed them to him over her shoulder. Her hand lingered as he took the papers, and their fingers touched accidentally.

Suddenly, a delicious heat filled her palms and zinged through every cell in her body. It spiraled over her shoulders and tingled down her spine.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. A blue flame licked over her skin in that instant, and she turned around to face him with wide eyes.

"Are you all right?" The new boy looked at her with concern. "What just happened?"

"I'm sorry, it's nothing. Just, um, static electricity, I guess," she stammered.

He studied her face for a moment with sharp blue eyes. "Don't worry. It's probably the shoes you're wearing. The soles generate friction when you walk. You should get thicker soles like mine." Without warning, he lifted his boot for her inspection. "I used to shock people all the time until I got them."

She stared at his long leg as he brought his foot back down to the floor, before dragging her gaze back to his face. "I'll remember that the next time I'm shopping."

"My name is Dylan, by the way." He smiled, displaying pearly-white teeth.

"Aspen." Her face burned again, and she looked away abruptly.

"Class," Mr. Wright announced, "open your books to page thirty-nine and we'll start." He stood in front of the chalkboard and waved a textbook in the air. "Dylan, please share with the girl in front of you for now. I'll arrange a book for you tomorrow."

Her heart pounded—he was going to sit right next to her. With a discreet sniff in the direction of her armpit to make sure she smelled fresh, she angled her thick ponytail over her right shoulder.

Dylan's chair legs scraped loudly on the floor as he dragged his desk next to hers, then dropped into his seat. His shoulders were broad and she was too scared to touch him. What happened if she felt the same burst of heat again? It was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. He looked at her expectantly, so she pushed her textbook over the edge of her desktop so it overlapped his, then pointed out the place on the page.

He kept his distance and after a while, she relaxed in the chair and tried to concentrate on the lesson. The classroom was hot and stuffy. Tiny beads of sweat dotted the back of her neck, but the new boy seemed completely unaffected by the heat.

Thirty minutes later the bell rang, and she closed the book and shoved it into her bag. Rather than move his desk back, he stared at her meaningfully, as though she should recognize him.

"Um, do I know you?" Her voice croaked and she cleared her throat self-consciously.

A weighty look followed by a short sigh was all that she got.

"I've got calculus next," he said instead, and stood up to drag his desk back into place, then held out a schedule to her. "Do you know where I'm supposed to go?"

Carefully, she took the paper from him and studied it.

Students milled noisily around them as they filed out of the class, and someone bumped her from behind.

"Watch out!" Dylan scowled at the offending boy.

She steadied herself and then continued to look at the piece of paper. "Mmm, looks like you're in all my classes. You can walk with me. I'll show you where to go."

As he retrieved his schedule, she looked up and her stomach did a tiny somersault at the megawatt smile lighting his face.

"Lead the way." His outstretched hand urged her forward.

The new boy towered over her tiny five-foot-two-inch frame and he followed her to Mr. Preston's calculus class in a comfortable silence.

"Ah, a new student," Mr. Preston commented as they entered his class.

"Yes sir." Dylan straightened his shoulders. "If you don't mind, sir, could I sit with my friend and share her book until I have my own textbooks?"

Mr. Preston regarded him for a second before he nodded his blond head and pushed tiny glass frames up onto his nose. "I don't see why not."

Dylan smiled broadly. "Thank you, sir."

Once again, he dragged the desk from behind her until it sat right next to hers. He dropped his bag under his desk and slid into his chair, leaning so close that he almost touched her. The clean fragrance that she'd smelled earlier enveloped her again.

Blood pounded in Aspen's veins and her heart began to race. What was wrong with her? He made her feel light-headed. Even though she battled with static electricity and would shock anyone close to her, she'd never felt this way before. It was best not to touch him. She balled her hands into fists to avoid contact and shook her head, wondering how to keep away from him.

"Is something wrong?" Dylan asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She looked up into his eyes and her stomach flip-flopped again. "With what?" she asked.

"Your hands are clenched like you want to hit someone. Have I done something wrong?"

"No, it's not that. I'm just not a huge fan of calculus," she lied.

"Don't worry. I'm not crazy about it either."

He winked at her and she thought that her heart would explode at any minute.

After they'd shared two more classes, she was relieved when the lunch bell rang. Her nerves were strained. Each time his jeans scraped against her leg, she jerked, and every time his hand turned the page for her, she stiffened. She needed the break.

"Do you mind if I follow you to the cafeteria?" he asked as the last ring of the bell faded away.

Aspen packed her books into her bag. "Sure, but I've brought lunch, so I'll just show you where it is."

She rose from the desk and then sat back down when she saw Miriam. Her stepsister was headed straight for her, and it was pointless to try to avoid her.

Miriam turned to Dylan's side of the desk at the last minute. "Well, hello and welcome," her sister purred. She sat down on his desktop, subtly blocking him in his chair with her legs.

"Why haven't you introduced us yet, sis?" Even though she spoke to Aspen, she kept her focus on him. Cherry lip gloss gleamed on her mouth, and she tapped coquettishly on the laminate flooring with one high heel.

Dylan looked up at her and grinned. He relaxed back in the seat and spread his arm over the back of Aspen's chair, which caused her heart to thump all over again.

Miriam glanced impatiently at her when she remained silent.

"Dylan, Miriam. Miriam, Dylan," she said flatly.

"So nice to meet you. I'm Aspen's sister." Miriam beamed.

"Stepsister," Aspen corrected.

With a glare, Miriam turned back to the new boy again. "I'm sure you must be tired of my sister's boring conversation. You seem like someone used to excitement, and you're definitely with the wrong person for that." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Let me take you to the cafeteria and introduce you to some real people. You know, the popular ones."

Aspen's mouth fell open. "There's nothing wrong with my conversation, Miriam." She felt her cheeks heat up. "Besides, he's coming with me." With that, she reached up and grabbed the hand that dangled over the back of her seat. An instant wave of warmth coursed through her body as she touched him, and her limbs tingled deliciously. "He asked me to take him to the cafeteria already."

Dylan tilted his head and studied Aspen's grip on his hand, then a slow smile traveled across his face.

Miriam ignored her stepsister and stared at Dylan, waiting for an answer.

Dylan nodded. "Your sister's right. I did ask her." The satisfied look on his face made Aspen suspect that he'd had girls fighting over him before, and she cursed her eagerness.

Her stepsister's lips thinned. "I guess I'll see you there next break." Sliding her leg over the desktop, Miriam sauntered away with a calculated swing of her hips.

As soon as Miriam was out of earshot, Dylan asked quietly, "Are you fighting with your sister, or do you two usually speak to each other like that?"

"It's my stepsister," she repeated. "And no, I'm not fighting with her."

Dropping his hand, she jumped up. Once she was standing, she snatched her backpack and walked out of the classroom. Dylan called out her name, and she stopped as his fingers circled her wrist and tugged her back around. When the tingling returned, her legs almost collapsed beneath her and she grasped his other arm for support.

"Hey, it's all good. I did ask you to take me to the cafeteria anyway. Don't be so upset." Dylan released her and stepped back, and at once her body stilled.

"Let me carry that for you." He lifted the backpack from her shoulder.

After staring at him, she took a deep breath. "The cafeteria is up ahead. I think we should go before it gets too packed."

They followed the exodus of students and headed toward the cafeteria. Dylan didn't speak and trailed her into the already crowded room.

Aromas of cooked vegetables and grilled meat wafted in the air, and the din of conversation was almost overwhelming.

"I'll grab a table for us," she said once they'd entered the cafeteria. "Get some lunch from the counter. My mom packed something for me already, so I don't need anything."

She pounced on an empty table and Dylan pulled out a chair for her. Placing their bags on a vacant chair, he turned to face her.

"I'll be back in a minute," he promised and then disappeared around a long line of kids.

She watched him glide effortlessly through the packed hall and saw the way that girls stared at him as he passed. He truly was handsome; his white T-shirt showed off tight biceps, and the brown leather strap on his wrist looked good against his dark tan. A small sigh escaped her lips and she wondered how she'd been so lucky to befriend him. The tingling that she felt each time he touched her was weird, though. Awesome, but weird.

After a while he returned and placed an apple and juice in front of her.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"You're welcome." The plastic chair moved slightly as he sat and peeled cellophane from a huge muffin. He wolfed it down in seconds.

Aspen swallowed a mouthful of her lunch and nearly choked as Justin walked toward them, Miriam in tow behind him. He had blond hair that was fashionably tousled, and his clothes were expensive. Many of the girls at school found him attractive, but Aspen didn't. His eyes were too deeply set and his nose too thin for her liking.

Once he'd stopped at their table, Justin ignored her completely, focusing his attention on Dylan. "So you're the new guy."

Dylan nodded without getting up from his seat. He crumpled the muffin's wrapper into a ball and let it roll onto the table.

Justin had his usual posse with him. Amber, Miriam's best friend, sucked in her stomach and batted her eyelashes at Dylan, which made Aspen roll her eyes. Doug and Kyle, two of Justin's best friends and fellow football players, stood like bodyguards at his side.

Justin raised his knee and placed his foot on the chair next to Aspen. He bent down and leaned his elbow on his knee, speaking directly to Dylan. "Miriam says you want to hang out with us. Do you play ball?"

Dylan swung his gaze to her stepsister, and Aspen noticed that her cheeks reddened. "I'm trying out for the new season, if that's what you're asking," he answered evenly.

"What position?" Justin asked casually.

"Center."

Justin smirked. "Perfect. I'll send the girls to get you next break." Standing up, he headed for the exit with his entourage following him.

Aspen's face must have shown her disappointment, because Dylan reached over to touch her arm. She shuddered silently. Heat tingled down her spine and wrapped around her muscles as he traced a pattern on her skin.

"Don't worry about them," he whispered softly in her ear. "I'm with you now."

By the time Aspen got home and climbed into bed later that night, she was exhausted. Thoughts of Dylan consumed her, and she tossed and turned for a long while before finally falling into a restless sleep.

# Chapter 3

Entering Lanta

A cool breeze touched Aspen's cheek. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she noted was that the sky was violet. The location was different, but she knew that she was dreaming again. With a jolt, someone jerked her backward and pulled her against a stone wall.

"Are you stupid?" a low voice hissed close to her ear.

She whirled around in surprise. Dylan stood behind her, his eyebrows raised and his forehead wrinkled in disbelief. Glaring at her, he reached out and drew her body closer.

Too stunned to protest, she stared at him mutely.

"Come with me now!" he demanded, and dragged her toward a nearby open barn door.

An electric current simmered in her veins at his touch. That was just the trigger she needed and she pulled back, nearly dragging her feet on the ground. "Hey, wait just one minute."

"Save it," he hissed. "We've got no time, they're almost here. We have to hide."

She stumbled after Dylan as he pulled her into a small barn and aimed them toward a pile of hay stacked up to the roof. Wooden crates of all sizes were scattered around the floor.

"Get in now!" he ordered.

"Where, why?" Aspen tried to speak but he shoved her underneath the hay without waiting for her consent. Dried grass tickled her nose and scratched her skin. He shushed her as she tried to speak again, and his grip tightened on her arm.

Confusion caused panic to rise in her chest. Her lungs burned from the short burst of energy while her body tingled euphorically from his touch. The light under the prickly hay was enough for her to see into the darkened barn, and she used the opportunity to study Dylan's face as he sat next to her. Breathing rapidly, he peered through the hay into the large room.

The clean, soapy fragrance that she'd smelled before filled her senses, and she wondered why she could smell so clearly while dreaming.

She glanced down at her clothing and grimaced as she touched the heavy linen skirt draped around her legs. So uncool.

Nothing happened. While it was nice to sit next to him, she couldn't hear a thing and the minutes ticked by. Even though he'd released his grip on her, she was hot and uncomfortable from the hay that jabbed her. About to stand up and argue with him, she stilled when a noise drew her attention to the open door.

Three men slipped into the barn. Wearing identical tight black T-shirts tucked into cargo pants and polished black boots, they looked vaguely military and powerful. Dylan raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to keep quiet. The men peeked into the horse stalls and poked around, lifting crate lids and kicking at the hay.

Aspen drew a sharp breath and held it as one of the men came close to where they were hidden. In the dim violet light, he looked in their direction with eyes that were completely black. No white was visible around the iris at all. Dark hair, an aquiline nose, and ghostly-pale skin made him look intimidating, and he seemed to stare straight at her. She froze instantly.

After lifting a rusty pitchfork from the wall, he stabbed at the hay in front of them with deep jabs. A scream worked its way up her throat, but Dylan squeezed her arm and she kept quiet. The man stopped suddenly as someone called, and he turned toward the door. With one last look over his shoulder in their direction, he dropped the pitchfork and strode out of the barn.

Aspen relaxed her fingers, which had been clenched into fists throughout the ordeal, and exhaled slowly. Dylan motioned for her to keep quiet, then released his grip on her and rose silently from the haystack. Her body quivered from the shock of what had just happened, and he reached out to help her stand.

"Don't worry, they're gone," he said softly, his breath feathering against her cheek. "Calm down. See? The sky is changing, so they have to leave."

The darkness had receded and as she looked up, a soothing yellow light took its place.

What a strange dream.

Dylan brushed pieces of hay from her clothing as she stepped away from the haystack. She shook her hair and pulled at stubborn sticks clinging to her braid. Wait, was her hair braided? No way.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts. "You can't use your powers just before Lavendula. Don't you know that? It's dangerous and the Chancellors will find you." His eyes were stony as he glared at her.

"Lavendula—my powers—what on earth are you talking about?" Shrugging her shoulders, she stared back at him.

"Hmm. I suppose you don't know about that yet, do you?" Dylan walked to the door and she hurried to follow him.

"Come, it's safe. We've got some time before Lemona ends. I'll show you where I live."

"Hold on one second, I need some answers here." Following his retreating figure, she called after him and lifted her long skirt. Great, boots and a long skirt. Couldn't she dream up a better wardrobe?

She walked behind him into a wide sandy street, inhaling deeply when she noticed the pleasant scents of apple pie and popcorn filling the air. Large crowds of people walked about normally, and she sighed, relieved that it was safer outside.

A small child raced down the road, ignoring his parents who called after him. Aspen smiled at the sight, then was jolted when Dylan pulled her back to avoid being run over by a horse-drawn cart. The large beasts stomped their hooves proudly as they trotted past, their muscles twitching and glistening with sweat as the cart creaked and groaned behind them. His hand lingered for a second on her arm, and she shivered at the fire that spread in her veins from his touch.

"You have horses here?" she asked.

"We don't use cars in Lanta. We prefer to live a more rustic lifestyle."

"No cars, huh?" My dream gets better every minute, she thought sardonically.

Trailing behind him, she saw busy stores with shop owners who proudly displayed their wares. Tables of plump, juicy fruit and sun-ripened vegetables were arranged under colorful canopies. Candies and chocolates were spread out on other tables, while pretty trinkets and sparkly jewels adorned cloths covering the pavement. A cobbler displayed row upon row of boots in front of his store.

"Boots seem to be in fashion here," she remarked.

"Yes. In Lanta, the heavier the soles, the better." He pointed to her shoes. "You should get a pair like that when you get home."

"No way. I'll be happy not to see these again." Grimacing, she lifted her skirt slightly to stare at the black boots she'd found on her feet. "So, who were those men in the barn?"

Dylan glanced back at her. "They're called Chancellors."

"Why were they hunting us? I was so scared. When that guy picked up the fork, I wanted to scream."

He stood still and waited for her to catch up with him. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know that you'd be here so soon. I wasn't expecting you." Turning around, he walked away and she had to hurry to keep up with him.

After leaving the town, they headed toward rows of cottages nestled along a grassy hill. The dream was peaceful now and she tried to enjoy the rest of it while it lasted.

"The houses look really cute." She smiled and forgot about her shoes and the evil men with pitchforks.

"Look at the one with the chimney smoke. That's mine." He pointed at a white house with a red roof. A picket fence surrounded it.

Walking up to the fence, he opened the small gate and faced her. "Be careful of Goldilocks."

"Goldilocks? Does she live here? Where are the bears?" She giggled.

"That's really funny," he answered. Even with a scowl on his face, he looked good.

Aspen jerked back as a loud quack split the silence around her. She stared in amazement as an overweight white goose waddled toward her. It had a gold beak and the longest black eyelashes she'd ever seen on a bird. Wait, did birds have eyelashes? A bright blue bow was fastened around the bird's neck.

"Careful, she likes to nip people," he warned.

"She's so beautiful. What a gorgeous goose."

The goose seemed to understand her and stuck its chest out. If she didn't know any better, she'd have thought that the goose smiled.

Kneeling on the ground, Aspen opened her arms. The goose waddled straight into them and waggled a short feathery tail like an excited puppy. Soft feathers tickled her face as she stroked the goose's long neck soothingly.

"You are the prettiest bird I've ever seen, yes you are." The tone she used was normally reserved for babies and small animals, and the goose waggled its tail even harder.

"Huh, you wouldn't say that if you knew her better."

"How long have you had her?"

"Not long, she's still a baby. My dad is friends with the Firestones, and they let us have one of their chicks. Trust me, she's going to be huge one day!"

Goldilocks pulled back and glared at him. Without warning she chased him, and her gold beak snapped in the air.

"Whoa, Gold, I didn't mean that." Dylan laughed and dodged the suddenly aggressive bird. He led her in a circle and then dashed toward Aspen, pulled her behind the fence, and shut the gate. The goose was locked outside.

"You can't leave her there. She'll get lost."

"Goldilocks will never get lost. Just rattle her pellet bowl and she'll find her way home," he teased as the bird snapped her beak at him and quacked in displeasure.

"It's okay, Gold, I'm just going to get some pellets inside the house and then we'll visit the lake so that you can eat."

The big goose seemed to calm down once he'd spoken but she remained at the gate, wiggling her tail vigorously. Opening the front door, he allowed Aspen to enter the house.

A small fire glowed in the hearth. Aspen looked around in admiration at the comfortable sofa and wooden floors that gleamed. A shaggy rug lay under a wooden coffee table. It was warm and inviting inside, and so different from her home.

The dream had lasted for a while now, and she really didn't want it to end.

"My parents aren't here, but our housekeeper is in the kitchen. I have to let her know that we're taking Gold for a walk." Dylan left her in the living room for a moment and then reappeared with a short, matronly woman in tow.

Wisps of blond hair stuck out from beneath the hair net around her head, and her apron was smeared with flour and dough.

"Aspen, this is Molly, our housekeeper."

The older woman smiled shyly behind Dylan's back. "Welcome, miss, it's so nice to meet you. We've been waiting to see you for such a long time." Rubbing her hands clean on the apron, she bowed slightly.

Aspen looked at Dylan in confusion. Why would his housekeeper be bowing to her? The woman's accent was odd as well. She couldn't quite place it.

It's a dream, it's a dream, she repeated to herself, then said with a smile, "It's good to meet you too."

"We're taking Gold to the lake, but we won't be long. Tell my dad I'll be back soon."

"That'll be good, sir. I'll be sure to let him know. Good day, miss." Molly winked at Aspen and walked back into the kitchen.

Dylan grabbed a plastic container from a stand near the door and shook it. Goldilocks quacked enthusiastically outside.

"Let's get going. We don't have much time left."

The big bird waggled her tail madly, and Aspen wondered if she would fall over. Dylan opened the container and began dropping pellets on the white stone path behind him, much like a fairy-tale trail of gingerbread crumbs. Goldilocks dipped her head and gobbled up each one excitedly.

They walked for a short distance until the murmur of a brook up ahead could be heard. Aspen shuddered when she thought of the spiders in her dream the night before.

"What's wrong? It looks like something's spooked you," Dylan said.

"I had a bad dream about a river last night. I don't want to go anywhere near water."

"Don't worry. We're not going down to the willow trees. The brook leads into a lake up ahead. Goldilocks loves eating grass next to the water."

She looked at the goose as it shuffled its fat body in eager anticipation beside them, and sighed.

"I suppose it's all right. She does look excited."

They walked on the path for a bit longer. As they rounded a curve on the road up ahead, Aspen gasped at the sight of a lake stretched out lazily before them.

The surface of the lake was calm and glassy in the center, but near the bank the water rippled somewhat where a babbling brook folded into it. Its circumference was framed by lime-green grass dotted with buttercup-yellow flowers, a scene as perfect as a picture postcard.

Aspen couldn't see the sun, but the air was warm on her face. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple, and she grimaced as she looked down again at the hot and heavy skirt she wore, wondering if she could change her clothes mid-dream.

Goldilocks quacked again and waddled quickly to the lake's bank to eat the lush green grass.

She glanced up at Dylan. "It's so amazing. You must love coming here."

"It is and I do." He smiled, and a moment of silence hung between them. Dylan reached for a blade of grass and sat down on a huge white boulder.

"It's the Dream Walker Lake, Aspen. It's a part of Lanta where we live, and it belongs to all of us, including you and me."

She licked her dry lips and leaned over to pluck one of the pretty yellow flowers, then sat down on a boulder close to him. The petals were waxy under her fingertips, and she rubbed them absentmindedly.

"We come here to recharge," he said.

She closed her eyes and smiled as the warm breeze tickled her cheeks. "Yes, I bet you do," she said with a sigh.

"No, really, we come here to recharge our life force."

Aspen lifted a brow and opened one eyelid to look at him dubiously. Dylan stretched his fingers upward and a stream of electricity charged up and down his hand. The blue flames spluttered like an electric bug zapper, and she jumped up.

"Relax, you can do this too." He shook his head and chuckled. "Sit down and raise your hand up like mine."

It's a dream, it's just a dream.

"Um, okay." Slowly she lifted her arms and jerked as blue flames rushed from her elbow up into her hands. Shaking her hands, she screamed.

"Ow! I'm on fire! Oh my gosh, help me!" Instinctively seeking to cool the searing burning sensation that ran down her arms, Aspen rushed to the lake and stuck her hands deep into the cool water. Instantly a burst of electricity hit her so hard that she was flung back, landing in a heap on the grass behind her.

Dylan's body shook with laughter. "Aspen, haven't you been paying attention in school? Water is a conductor of electricity. It'll only make the current stronger."

She rubbed her palms dry on the heavy skirt. At least the skirt served a purpose, she thought. Determined to do it right this time, she once again raised her arms. But as soon as she lifted her hands toward the sky, blue flames of electricity sprang from her fingers again.

"Concentrate and try to stop the current," Dylan shouted as she bounced up and down, desperately flicking her hands.

"Make it stop!" she cried out. Her heart pounded in her chest and she took short, panicky breaths.

Dylan rushed up behind her and pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a soothing manner. His chest rumbled with laughter, then he leaned his head toward her ear and spoke gently.

"Watch. This is how you do it." Pressing his cheek against hers, he rubbed his jaw softly against her skin. Aspen got such a fright that she forgot about the flames. Instantly the blue current stopped, but the warmth she felt whenever he touched her spread from her face throughout her body.

"See? You need to concentrate. Let the power flow through you, because it's a part of what you are. You can control it with your mind."

His hard chest cradled her back and she tried to pull away from him.

"Calm down." He tightened his grip on her and kept his cheek pressed close to hers. "Try it again."

Inhaling deeply, Aspen allowed herself to rest against his upper body. Dylan was so close that his breath puffed against her neck and his heart hammered against her spine. Stretching her hands out, she tensed as soon as flames sprang from her fingertips again.

"Concentrate," he insisted. "Make the power stop. Tell it to flow away from you."

She took a deep breath and concentrated as hard as she could. The blue flames receded as soon as they'd started. Aspen looked at her hands in amazement.

"Just like that?" she asked.

He laughed. "Just like that."

Trying again, she felt the tingling spread until the flames appeared. Her fingertips looked like a blowtorch and she squealed. "I could get used to this."

"There. Switch it off."

After concentrating, the flame disappeared magically. This is such a cool dream, she thought.

Dylan gave her a quick squeeze, but didn't release her. "It'll get easier with practice."

She looked back at him in amazement. "How is this possible?"

His gaze softened. "I think you've seen enough for one day, my little princess." Smiling, he kissed her forehead. "I'll continue our lessons when we get to school tomorrow."

# Chapter 4

Miriam's Revenge

The next morning, Aspen peered through the dirty bus window as the vehicle turned onto the school property, and saw Dylan leaning nonchalantly against the short wall that separated the parking lot from the schoolyard. He seemed to be waiting for someone, and her heart fluttered nervously. At her bus's approach, he stood up and brushed off his jeans, then ambled toward it.

Her cheeks warmed as she remembered the dream, and she wondered how he'd react if she said, _So, Dylan. Thanks for teaching me how to shoot electric bolts from my fingers last night._

Rising from the bus seat, she smoothed the hem of her gray top over her white shorts as she moved to the exit. Having bare legs made her feel nervous, but she'd taken extra care with her appearance and hoped that she looked better than she felt. The cork sandals she wore had a bit of a heel to give her some height, and she knew that they made her legs look longer. She took a big breath to steady herself, then turned and waved good-bye to Mamma Megs as she walked down the metal steps.

Dylan was waiting for her as she turned back around, looking up at her as she paused on the last step. His gaze traveled from her head down to her toes and then back up again. Smiling, he held out his hand.

Aspen didn't know what to do, so she handed him her backpack instead of taking his hand. He looked at the bag and grinned, but grasped it and waited for her to jump down.

"Hi, did you have a good night?' he asked as she joined him on the asphalt.

She squinted up at him. "Um, yeah, thanks. Did you sleep well?"

"I had the best dream ever," he said, smiling broadly.

"I'm glad. Thanks for waiting for me."

"You're welcome. I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is my good friend, Sandy."

He motioned to a small girl with long silver-blond hair as she stood quietly behind him. She smiled hesitantly, then bobbed her chin toward her chest.

Aspen's heart dropped. Was this his girlfriend? They weren't holding hands or anything, and the girl seemed almost scared of her.

"Hey, I'm Aspen," she said, greeting her with a small wave.

The girl lifted her head and gave her a big smile. "Hey, I'm Sandy. I'm so happy to meet you."

They stood and watched each other awkwardly, but Sandy didn't seem interested in Dylan and it didn't look like they were involved, so Aspen relaxed her stiff shoulders and smiled.

"We have the same hair," she commented wryly, lifting her ponytail to show Sandy how similar the length and color was.

"Yes, we do," Dylan's friend agreed.

"It's a pain brushing it, though, don't you think?" she jabbered, trying to fill the silence.

The girl seemed to sense her nervousness and suddenly became animated. "I know. Don't even talk about washing it." Grabbing her hair, she fluffed strands of it upward, causing stacks of shiny bracelets to jingle on her arm. On her other wrist she wore a leather strap similar to Dylan's, and was dressed in a white sleeveless shirt and brown capris.

Aspen nodded. "Yes, I know. Um, okay. Well, I'd better get going."

She claimed her backpack from Dylan before he could protest, and walked toward the school building, threading her way through the throng of students standing around talking and laughing before classes started. Car horns sounded in quick _toot-toot_ good-byes from parents dropping their kids in the parking lot, and a group of girls huddled in a nearby group squealed with laughter.

Dylan called out, "Aspen, wait."

Stopping, she turned to face him.

He jogged to catch up with her and came to a stop just inches away. "I wanted to ask if you slept well last night," he said, and she was convinced that his smile was tender. "Did you have good dreams too?"

Aspen's mouth opened in surprise. He couldn't possibly mean . . . ?

"Um, I can't remember . . . ," she lied.

It looked as if he wanted to say something more, but Sandy had followed behind and joined them, and chose that moment to interrupt. "It's going to be a scorcher today. Do you think it'll get hotter?"

Dylan continued to stare at Aspen over Sandy's head. He inhaled deeply after a few seconds and then said, "Yes, it's going to get a lot hotter today. I'll see you both in class. I've got to get something from the office."

Aspen stood transfixed, watching him as he strolled away. Blue jeans really suited him, and his T-shirt outlined firm muscles. He looked way too good, and she wished the previous night hadn't been a fantasy. If only it weren't a dream.

"So, um, which class do you have first?" Sandy asked.

Aspen dragged her eyes away from his delicious body. "I've got political science. Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure, let me get my schedule." With a flick of her blond ponytail, Sandy retrieved a timetable from her shirt pocket. She opened up the document and Aspen saw the girl's name printed in the corner of the paper.

"Your last name is Walker too? That's cool, so is mine."

Sandy laughed. "Wow, that is a coincidence. We must be related."

"Wouldn't that be crazy?"

"We'll have to get together later and see where we find a connection." Sandy winked conspiratorially and tucked the schedule back in her pocket. "Looks like I've got history first."

"That's easy. Take a right at the end of the corridor, and it's the second door to the left. How about meeting me at lunch and we can go through the"—Aspen used her fingers to form air quotes—"family tree."

"Sounds good. See you then." Giving her a friendly wave, Sandy disappeared into the crowd.

Aspen entered her classroom and almost bumped into Miriam, who stood in her way and forced her to move to the side to get in.

"So, who's the new friend?" she asked as Aspen maneuvered around her.

Ignoring her stepsister didn't work, as proven by the sound of her high heels clicking on the tile floor behind her. She glanced back and noted the familiar pinched expression on Miriam's face, which signaled she wasn't giving up and was itching for a fight. Aspen sighed, not in the mood for the girl's dramatics.

"She looks just like you. Is she an orphan or does she actually have a dad?" Miriam asked hatefully as Aspen dumped her bag on the table.

She whipped around. "Look, what's your problem? Just leave me alone, okay?" Aspen took a deep breath, willing herself to react calmly. Her stepsister loved to bait her, and delighted in embarrassing her. Luckily the room was empty and no one could hear their conversation.

"Another Walker brat," Miriam said with a sneer. "As if we don't have enough running around already."

"Excuse me?" Her mouth gaped. This was low, even for Miriam.

"You heard me. She's scrawny and white as a ghost. She's probably some trailer-trash relative that your mom's been hiding from my dad. I bet you've been stealing money from my dad's wallet just to support her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Aspen asked incredulously. "Where did you come up with that load of crap? I can't believe you just said that." Her fists tingled with static, and she balled them up and lifted them in line with Miriam's chest.

"Huh-uh, not so easy." Miriam shook her head. "I know you've been stealing money from my dad. Now I know why." As she spoke, she held out a thick wad of money in front of her.

Aspen snorted. "You're sick, Miriam. You seriously do need help." Then she stepped aside as a boy walked between them to his desk.

She stared at the cash that her stepsister flapped in her hands. "Where did you get that money from?" she asked. Miriam didn't usually have access to so much money.

"This is the money that my dad will be looking for when he gets home tonight," she answered gleefully.

"What do you mean? Miriam, I've never stolen a cent from anyone in my life."

"Are you sure?" She lowered her head and challenged Aspen with her dark brown eyes.

"Don't play games." Aspen's stomach rolled, and the sour taste of bile hit the back of her throat. "It's not funny anymore."

Her stepsister reached out and fanned the money against Aspen's cheek. It had a musky, sweaty scent, and she wrinkled her nose.

"Oh, I don't know. I think I like this game. I think I'd like to see my dad's face when I tell him that you took his cash."

"I wouldn't do that." Aspen swallowed hard. "You know I'd never steal from anyone." She glanced around at the classroom filling up, and tried not to wince at the kids who stared at them with interest.

"Hmm, I don't think so. I'm sure my dad would be curious to know where you got the money to buy food for your friends in the cafeteria. Dylan ate with you. I thought that your precious mommy made your lunch."

Aspen's heart sank. So this was what the fuss was all about. Her stepsister was jealous. Dylan had bought his own food, but that didn't matter to her.

"What do you want?" she asked flatly.

Miriam pulled the money away from her face. "That's better." She put the cash back into her wallet carefully.

Aspen's heart raced and her cheeks burned with anger.

"So Dylan sat with you at second break yesterday, even after I asked him to join us?" Miriam spoke through her teeth as she shoved the wallet into her backpack. "Do you think it's fun to be turned down?" She ran her hand through her auburn curls. "Did the two of you enjoy your little joke?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, I swear. He just joined me." Aspen shrugged. "I thought you'd dumped him."

Miriam cocked her head to one side, and it was clear that she hadn't thought about using that as an excuse. If Aspen weren't so annoyed, she would have laughed at the manual gear change obviously taking place in her stepsister's brain.

Narrowing her eyes, Miriam said, "Well, yeah, that's right. I don't know what he told you, but I did dump him. But that's not the point."

Trying not to roll her eyes, Aspen glared at her stepsister. Red lip gloss was smeared along the collar of Miriam's yellow top, but Aspen refused to say a word. If she had a real relationship with her stepsister, she would have pointed it out, but this was the meanest person in the world and she hated the fact that she was related to her even in the smallest way.

"What do you want?" she repeated.

"I want you to leave Dylan alone. I don't want you anywhere near him, or else I'll tell Dad that you're stealing his money." Miriam then stepped back and put her manicured hands on her hips. "Stay away from him and I'll put the money back. Keep sitting with him at lunch, and I'll keep the money. My dad will believe anything I tell him, you know that." A self-satisfied smirk spread over her face.

Instantly, Aspen's cheeks burned. She could feel the heat as it crept up her neck and into her hair roots. How did she end up with the stepsister from hell? Her arms tingled, and she tucked her throbbing fists against her thighs. If only she could do something to defend herself. She winced as static electricity shocked her legs where her hands touched her body.

"What have I ever done to you?" she asked, annoyed to find her own voice trembling. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Miriam jutted her jaw and crossed her arms. "Because I want to." She sneered. "You think you're so fantastic with your blond hair and blue eyes. Your mother thinks that she's important too. Well, I've got news for you. You're both nothing in my life, and my dad listens to no one but me."

Aspen reeled back in shock. Cinderella's stepsisters were no match against this girl. How could she feel so threatened by Aspen? She had no possessions and Miriam had everything in life. Why would she want to take the one thing that was special to her?

Anger smoldered inside and she wanted to scream, but she couldn't. Fat tears welled up in the corner of her eyes and caused her vision to blur. She didn't know what to do.

Miriam laughed as Aspen picked up her backpack and ran out of the classroom. "Go on, run away, that's right," she shouted after her.

Aspen could hear her mocking laugh as she shoved open the school's exit door at a full run. Her feet slapped against the sidewalk as she ran, then she paused for a second at the parking lot to shift her backpack behind her shoulder. A car's horn startled her as she tried to cross the street, and anger propelled her forward blindly for the next three blocks before she slowed down.

Rows of parked vehicles lined the street as she ran forward in the shadow of large apartment buildings. Crying openly now, she wiped at her face with the back of her hand, and made her way to the only safe place she'd ever known.

The neighborhood playground lay like a sanctuary between her house and the school. As she'd done many times before, Aspen entered through green metal gates and rushed to a maintenance shed at the end of the park.

Inside the unlocked shed, the smell of wet grass, oil, and gasoline was almost overpowering. It was filled with gardening implements such as rakes and garden hoses, hanging from hooks on a pegboard attached to the walls. A large lawnmower took up most of its floor space, along with a cluttered worktable and a wooden bench. Dropping her backpack onto the bench, she sank down beside it.

As she slowed her breathing in an effort to calm herself, she thought of all the trouble that Miriam had tried to make for her. Despite the warmth of the shed, she couldn't stop shivering, and rubbed her arms briskly to try to warm them. Suddenly a shuddering sob worked its way up her chest and got caught in her throat. With the back of her hand against her mouth, she let loose her emotions and cried freely.

When her sobs eventually began to slow, Aspen wiped her face. Shifting so she could lay on her side with her knees hugged to her chest, she rested her head on her backpack.

Why would Miriam try to stop her friendship with Dylan? He was special, and she didn't want to give him up. Her stepsister could have anything her heart desired, but that wasn't enough.

Aspen couldn't remember her real father, and Miriam had made sure that she wouldn't get along with her stepfather. She wondered if he was so mean to her because of Miriam.

Finally Stephan's poor treatment of her made sense.

Why couldn't her mother leave Stephan and his stupid daughter? Didn't she understand how unhappy Aspen's life had become? Her chest ached when she thought of the arguments that would take place in a few hours' time if she didn't give in to Miriam's demands. With a heavy heart, she squeezed her eyes shut and wept silently.

The heat from the shed made her drowsy and, after a few minutes, her crying subsided and she drifted off to sleep.

• • •

When she opened her eyes and saw Dylan standing before her, his hair tousled and an anxious expression on his face, she knew at once that she was dreaming.

He glanced around the shed, then frowned down at her. "Aspen, where have you been? I've searched for you everywhere."

Sighing, she looked away and said softly, "I can't be friends with you anymore."

The words hurt as she said them, and she realized this was the worst punishment that Miriam could have given her.

Dylan crouched down on his haunches. "Why not? What happened?" he asked, and reached out to pull her into his arms.

Aspen didn't resist and snuggled into his warmth. Putting her chin against his chest, she closed her eyes and breathed in his fresh scent. Her body tingled as though it was charged, and an unfamiliar but pleasant flutter in her stomach made her want to smile.

"Miriam is causing trouble for me," she said, and wiped at her tearstained cheeks.

"It's okay, princess. You'll be fine. Your sixteenth birthday is just two days away, and she won't be able to hurt you then." Rubbing her arms, he kissed the top of her head lightly. "You need to get up and go home."

"She won't let me speak to you anymore."

"It's not that easy to stop me." A muscle flexed in his jaw. "She doesn't have a say in the matter."

When Aspen looked up at Dylan, he hugged her tightly again.

"Don't worry, I've got you." He smiled and brushed a strand of hair from her face, then kissed her forehead gently.

• • •

Aspen woke up suddenly. Long shadows had formed on the shed's dirt floor, and children shrieked with joy in the playground outside.

Her backpack lay crumpled on the bench next to her, so she picked it up and dusted off her shorts and top. She must have slept longer than she thought. The familiar sound of the school bus rumbled past nearby, which meant that school would be finished already.

The walk home took about fifteen minutes. Taking a fortifying breath, Aspen opened the front door and snuck into the house as quietly as possible. The sweet smell of vanilla scented the air, a good indicator that her mom had been baking.

As she grabbed the handrail to head upstairs, her mother called out, "Hey, honey. How was school? Do you want something to eat? I've made vanilla cake and I'm icing it with caramel."

"No thanks, Mom. I'm not feeling so good."

"What's the matter? You don't look well." Norma walked out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel and frowning with concern. She climbed the first two stairs and reached for Aspen's forehead, which was still warm from her brisk walk home. "Hmm, you feel a bit feverish. Go and lie down. I'll get some aspirin to make you feel better."

It wasn't a lie, Aspen did feel sick, but it was because of the morning's tension and she wasn't really acting. After dropping her backpack on her bedroom floor, she walked into the bathroom to splash water on her face.

What is Miriam jealous of?

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she saw a slim face with a small, slightly upturned nose and full lips. She dragged one bottom eyelid down and stared at her light blue eyes. They were probably her best feature. When she was angry, they changed to a silvery hue. Her face was normally pale, but her cheeks were flushed from today's events.

Aspen was pale and fair, with waist-length blond hair and blue eyes. Miriam, on the other hand, was more vibrant with auburn hair highlighted with streaks of copper, and her eyes were chocolate brown. All the boys loved Miriam. Her body was beautiful and she had a pretty face. Why would she feel threatened by anyone, let alone her own stepsister?

There was no explanation for Miriam's behavior, so Aspen shrugged her shoulders and grabbed a toothbrush. After she'd brushed her teeth, she changed into pajamas and crawled under the white quilt on her bed, feeling sore and fragile.

Lying on her back, she stroked the white bedding, running her fingers along the stitching. Stephan insisted on the color white to make sure that she didn't bring food upstairs. The rule was, no eating outside of the kitchen. He was always on the lookout to see if she'd cheated and had made a mess on the quilt.

Her mother switched on the overhead light as she entered the room. Aspen's bedroom was the smallest one, on the back side of the house and shaded by thick trees, so it was dark in the afternoon. She brought a plastic cup of water with two headache tablets, and gave them to her daughter to swallow.

"You must be coming down with a virus," Norma said as she handed back the cup.

"I don't feel so well," Aspen croaked convincingly.

"If you don't feel better tomorrow, you can stay at home. I'll take you to the doctor."

"That's okay, Mom." Aspen continued to play with the edge of the quilt while an old Mickey Mouse clock ticked softly in the background.

"I'll let you rest for a bit." Norma smiled and turned to leave.

"Mom," she called out.

"Yes, honey." Her mother grasped the empty cup in one hand and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with the other.

"Do you love Stephan?"

Her mother gasped. She placed the cup on the chest of drawers and then sat down at the edge of the bed. "That's a strange question to ask."

"Do you, though?" Aspen insisted.

Norma gazed up at the ceiling and thought for a bit. "I suppose I have to. Don't I?"

"No, you don't. You don't have to do something you don't want to," she whispered. Turning on her side, she held her mother's hand in hers.

"Oh, really? Well, just remember you said that." Her mother grinned and playfully pinched Aspen's cheek, then tucked the quilt under her body and rose from the bed.

"Don't worry so much, honey. Things will be fine. Just rest, okay?" Norma blew a kiss at her and pulled the door shut as she left the room.

Aspen jumped up and switched off the light before she slipped back under the covers. Not really sleepy, she lay there thinking about Miriam, and Dylan, and her strange dreams.

Soon Stephan's bike roared into the garage, and she winced when his voice rose in anger at her mother. She couldn't hear exactly what was being said since he was downstairs, but it couldn't have been good.

Miriam's bedroom door slammed shut an hour later, and she shouted, "Great, now my TV isn't working. Did the brat come into my room tonight?"

This was followed by more shouts and door slamming. Aspen squeezed her eyes shut and clutched the quilt firmly, angry at the way she and her mother were treated.

After a while, the house became quiet again. In the pitch dark, she finally drifted off to sleep.

# Chapter 5

First Bolt

"Where were you at lunchtime?"

Aspen opened her eyes and felt the soft green grass under her hands. She blinked at the two shapes above her and sat up. Sandy and Dylan looked down at her.

The sky was a familiar lemon color, and the air was pleasantly warm. It was so nice here; she wouldn't mind having this dream every night, even though she kept dreaming of people at her school.

"Hello. I'm back again," she said as she smiled at them.

Sandy frowned. "I waited for you."

"Leave her alone, it wasn't her fault." Dylan glared at the tiny girl. Her long blond hair was braided, and she wore a faded pair of jeans and a dark brown shirt.

Standing up, Aspen dusted herself off and looked at her surroundings. A gently sloping hill lay before them. It was blanketed in a forest of pine, birch, and sugar maple trees. Patches of red soil broke the line of grass just before it reached the trees. A narrow trail spiraled between the thick foliage and disappeared up the hill.

She felt more confident in her dream and turned to study Dylan openly. It was just a dream, after all. It would be over soon.

He had finely chiseled cheekbones and a strong jaw. His lips were full and expressive, and thick eyelashes rimmed his eyes. Black hair completed the almost painfully good-looking picture, and her heart fluttered as he stared straight back at her. She reached up and ran her fingertips along his collarbone, and shivered as prickles of pleasure danced across her skin.

He stared at her bemusedly.

"I like the way you make me feel," she whispered. "All tingly inside."

"Aspen!" Sandy exclaimed in shock.

Aspen shrugged. "It's true. This is just a dream, so I don't mind saying it." She turned to face Sandy. "I don't feel anything when I touch your skin, but touching Dylan makes me feel good."

"Well, someone's going to regret saying those words soon." Sandy rolled her eyes and grinned broadly.

Dylan ignored Sandy and stepped closer to Aspen. "I broke her TV. Did that make you feel good too?" He took her hand and rubbed his thumb up and down her wrist.

Aspen closed her eyes and soaked up the sensation. Then realizing he'd asked her a question, she said, "Excuse me, but whose TV did you break?"

"Miriam's. She'll have to wait until tomorrow before it can be fixed. Did you like that?"

"Yeah, cool. Thanks." Her dreams were getting better all the time. Even her clothes were playing the game—the skirt had been replaced by a tight pair of jeans, which looked good tucked into a pair of hiking boots.

Sandy smirked and said, "Come on, Ms. Walker, time for your training. We've been waiting for you forever." She motioned for Aspen to follow her, and Dylan released her hand. She missed the contact with his skin as soon as he'd let go.

Following Sandy up the hill was difficult, but her boots made the climb easier, and her jeans and long-sleeved top protected her from scratchy branches. After a while the hill leveled out, and inky openings appeared in the rocks up ahead, a string of caves that were completely hidden under a canopy of trees. Bright green vines wrapped around their entrances, as well as the boulders that were scattered in front of them.

Birds chirped cheerfully in the branches of nearby trees, and Aspen watched a squirrel scamper up and down a tall tree trunk as they approached. A sharp smell of vegetation hung in the air, and the sky was the color of pale lemons.

"Well, we're here," Sandy announced. "Dylan, can you get the table please?"

He glanced around the area for a second before parting the vines obscuring the entrance of one cave and disappeared inside. A minute later, he returned with an old rusty table that he placed just outside the entrance.

Sandy grabbed a few dirty plastic bottles that were strewn around the cave opening and arranged them on the table.

"Help me, Aspen." She pointed to a few more crushed and charred bottles that seemed to have been melted at some stage, and Aspen picked them up obediently.

"Right. Stand back now. It's time for you to see what a Dream Walker can really do." Sandy took several paces backward and indicated for her to do the same. Dylan joined the two girls and faced the table.

"Lift your hands up, but keep your elbows against your sides," Sandy ordered.

Aspen played along, lifting her hands and holding them out until a prickling sensation made its way up her arms. Surprising her, a blue flame of electricity shot out from her fingertips.

"Oh," she cried and dropped her hands, causing the flame to extinguish.

"Come on, girl, we've got a lot to do today." Sandy grinned, then motioned to Aspen to look at her hands. They glowed like blowtorches. "Watch me. You can't control your energy just yet. Dylan and I can do it easily, but we've had years of practice. Concentrate on the feeling in your arms."

Aspen stared at her flame-tipped fingers and found it difficult not to panic. The current was warm and made her feel so alive. Determined to succeed and impress Dylan, she willed herself to listen to Sandy's voice.

"Good girl," Sandy said. "Now imagine that the tingling in your shoulders is hot water streaming in a pipe. You can control it by closing the tap on the pipe. When you close the tap, you shut off the water supply, or power in this case. Got it?"

"Yes." Aspen shivered a little, anxious about the whole situation, but she listened to Sandy carefully.

"Relax, soldier." Sandy stepped closer and spoke next to her ear. "Switch the tap off now," she ordered.

Aspen pretended that a valve had been closed in her mind. The tingling retreated from her limbs and before she knew it, the flames were gone.

"Fantastic." Sandy hopped up and down. "I told you she'd be good."

"That's great, but can you do this?" Dylan smiled broadly and winked. He stretched out his hands and shot at two bottles on the table in front of them with such accuracy that she gasped. The blue flames from his fingers hit the targets instantly and melted the bottles to a crisp.

With a frown of concentration, Sandy joined him and pointed toward the table. A burst of energy shot from her fingertips and the other bottle melted as well.

The smell of burned plastic reached Aspen's nostrils and she wrinkled her nose, then noticed the light above them seemed to fade. She glanced up at the sky.

"Lemona is almost over," Dylan said to Sandy. "Maybe we should wait until Lavendula has passed before she tests her strength."

"Don't be ridiculous, she's new. Her power will be weak until she practices, and they won't notice anything. Come on, we have about two minutes left." She spun around to Aspen. "Give it your best shot."

Aspen grinned. "Watch this." Aiming her hands at the table, she concentrated hard.

Suddenly the entire metal table exploded. It was incinerated in a second, and Dylan grabbed both girls to shelter them from shards of hot steel dropping from the air. A heat wave expanded toward them and it singed her eyebrows.

"Ouch!" she screamed. Sandy and Dylan recovered before she did. They got up from the ground and stared at the total devastation around them. Even the opening of the cave was blackened from the blast. The vines had withered away and the trees around them had been flattened.

"Oh no!" Sandy cried. "It's Lavendula. Quickly, we've got to get out of here."

She grabbed Aspen and pulled her forward. Dylan took her other arm and they ran together.

"What happened?" Aspen shouted as they dashed down the hillside.

"The Chancellors will find us. You've disturbed the fabric. They can sense where we are," Sandy huffed out as they ran.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No, but you're stronger than any of us ever imagined, Aspen," Dylan said through gritted teeth.

They ran in silence after that. Sandy left the path they'd used to climb the hill and ran through the undergrowth instead. Tiny branches grabbed at Aspen's clothing and snagged pieces of material from her sleeves.

Someone cried out behind her and she stole a glance over her shoulder. Branches in the trees were moving, and loud voices shouted in the distance.

"Don't look back, just run." Dylan reached out for her arm and dragged her forward. She ignored the warmth that his touch always created in her body, and ran as fast as she could.

A strange, sweet smell clouded the air. Once, a teacher had used ethanol in her physics class, and the odor reminded her of its rich, sugary fragrance. The sky had changed from lemon to the color of old bruises, and the air was cool around them.

"Run with her, Sandy, quickly. I'll distract them!" Dylan shouted. He loosened his grip and turned back. The girls stared after him for a second.

"Come on!" Sandy yelled. "We've got to hurry. Run as fast as you can."

• • •

Aspen woke up suddenly, completely out of breath. She jackknifed out of bed and picked up the alarm clock. Ten minutes before she had to get up for the morning. Her breathing was still ragged, and she glanced down at her pajamas.

"Oh my word," she whispered.

The pajamas she wore were slashed and ripped at the sleeves, as though she'd actually run through the forest. Jumping out of bed, she yanked the shirt off.

Her pants weren't ripped, but the top was ruined. There was nothing sharp on the floor that could have caused the damage. Maybe Miriam had snuck in and cut her top during the night. She sighed and rolled her top into a ball, then stuck it as far as she could into the back of her clothing drawer.

# Chapter 6

Time to Explain

Sandy was waiting for Aspen as the bus rolled into the school grounds again. She'd let her hair loose, and it hung like a curtain around her petite body.

"Hey." She smiled as Aspen jumped from the vehicle. Other students walked around them in groups, laughing and chatting loudly.

"Hey, where's Dylan?" Aspen asked too quickly, then mentally kicked herself, not wanting to sound eager.

Sandy grinned and played with a small dream catcher that she wore around her neck. It looked suspiciously similar to the one that Dylan wore.

"He had to divert the Chancellors. He'll be here later."

"Excuse me?" Aspen stopped looking at the necklace and stared at Sandy in shock. "Did you just say he diverted the Chancellors?"

Sandy burst out laughing and hugged her backpack. "Yes, dummy. Didn't you know it was real?"

The bus rumbled to life next to her, and she jerked as Mamma Megs honked the horn and waved good-bye.

"Excuse me?" This time she asked the question in a state of shock.

"Ooh, Dylan. I like the way you make me feel all tingly inside." Sandy giggled. "I told you you'd regret saying that." Aspen stared at her blankly. "Hmm, I can see this is going to take longer than I thought." Her friend dropped her smile and sighed dramatically. "Let's meet at lunchtime and I'll explain it all to you."

Nothing could have shocked Aspen more, and she closed her open mouth abruptly.

"Come on, you'll be late for class." Sandy walked toward her class and Aspen followed her blindly. Once they reached her history class, Sandy pointed to the door.

"See you at lunch," she mouthed silently, then disappeared into the throng of kids that surged through the hallway.

Aspen walked to her desk in a daze, barely noticing the scents of chalk and pine disinfectant that permeated the classroom she slumped into her chair in a state of bewilderment. Dylan's seat was conspicuously empty behind her.

After looking around the class, she caught Miriam's angry gaze from across the room. Her stepsister was dressed to kill in a low-cut tank top and a tight pair of Wranglers. Chewing a piece of gum vigorously, she sealed the bubble against her lips before popping it over and over. Aspen looked down and opened her books to avoid any further confrontation.

The lessons dragged on far longer than usual, and it was difficult to concentrate in any of her classes. She couldn't wait for lunch to start. Luckily Miriam hadn't spoken to her at all, and she was grateful for the small respite.

Finally the lunch bell rang and she ran to the cafeteria to search for her friend. Sandy waved to her from a table in a semiprivate alcove. Aspen dashed over and dropped her bag on the floor. Holding out two sandwiches stuffed with lettuce, tomato, and ham, Sandy motioned for her to sit and handed her a juice.

"Here, you look like you're starving. I'll talk while you eat."

Aspen bit into the bread hungrily. The dream catcher charm that dangled from a suede cord around Sandy's neck seemed to glow under the fluorescent lights.

"So, where to begin?" Sandy smiled and slotted a straw into her juice box. "You, Ms. Walker, are part of a very powerful race called the Dream Walkers." She tugged at the straw with her mouth after the announcement.

Aspen couldn't speak after she'd bitten off a large piece of bread, and she tried to chew without choking. Once she'd nodded her head, Sandy smiled and continued.

"We've been in existence forever. Our purpose is to protect children from nightmares."

Aspen swallowed awkwardly and looked around to make sure that they were out of earshot before hissing, "What are you talking about?"

"You haven't been making this all up." Sandy's mouth quirked into a half smile. "We've been waiting for you for a while. A Dream Walker only gets their full powers after their sixteenth birthday, which means you should get your powers tomorrow."

Aspen took a smaller bite of the huge sandwich in front of her. Other students chatted loudly around them, and an annoying fly tried to land on her bread. She shooed it away with her hand.

"My dreams, are you saying they're real?" she asked in disbelief.

"Close your mouth before you swallow that fly." Sandy laughed. "Yes, they're real." She lifted the dream catcher charm in her hand. "You'll get a present for your birthday tomorrow. You'll be wearing one of these soon. It's a Dream Walker necklace."

Aspen reached out and stroked the charm. A hum of energy spilled over into her hands from the trinket.

"You'll be able to tell which clan we belong to by the pattern. We're from the Power clan. We have the ability to control electricity, but there are other clans like the Water clan, the Wind clan, and the Fire clan. All are Dream Walkers too, just from different clans."

Aspen continued to chew, although the bread could have been cardboard for all she cared.

"Each clan consists of people with similar looks. Our clan has fair-haired, blue-eyed girls and dark-haired boys. Members of the Fire clan have red hair and so on. Our goal is to fight and destroy Chancellors."

"The people chasing us?" Aspen asked.

"Yes. They're divided into groups themselves. Each group has a leader with a specific nightmare they're meant to inflict on innocent children. When they succeed with their nightmare, they draw strength and form more Chancellors."

Sandy picked up her juice and pulled a long drink through the straw before continuing. "We have to keep practicing and increasing our powers to stop them. The Chancellors have a small window of time to make a bad dream, only ten minutes, but they grow stronger when children wake up screaming. You'll know when they are about to appear. The sky turns purple, or Lavendula, as we call it, and the temperature plummets." She batted at the fly, and it sparked and sizzled into a tiny pile of ash on the table.

"If it's Lemona, that's when the sky is yellow, they can't come out. We have about an hour between each period of Lavendula in order to find a way to stop them." Sandy sat back in the chair, as if waiting for Aspen to process what she'd just said.

Aspen swallowed the last of her sandwich and said nothing, waiting impatiently as Sandy sucked at her juice.

"There's so much to teach you," Sandy went on. "It's your birthday tomorrow and you'll officially become a Dream Walker. We'll welcome you into our clan, and I'll tell you all about us then."

"You can't be serious," Aspen wailed. "There's still so much I need to know. You can't stop now."

"There's plenty of time, my friend. Right now, we have to deal with someone unpleasant." She motioned behind Aspen, who turned to see her stepsister barreling toward them with Amber, Justin, Doug, and Kyle in tow.

"Great." Aspen sighed. "Just what I need now."

"Don't worry. I'll show you how to take care of them." Sandy winked at her.

Shrinking back in her seat, Aspen waited for the confrontation.

"So, if it isn't Blondie and her sidekick," Miriam huffed as she reached the table. "Did you think you could outsmart me?" she growled. "What did you do to my TV last night?" Grabbing Aspen's wrist, she twisted it sharply. Aspen winced in pain and leaned forward.

Sandy reached over to touch her other arm, and in the next second, a spark of electricity snaked across Aspen's shoulder right through to Miriam.

The surge hit her with a solid smack, forcing Miriam to fall back onto her bottom.

"Ouch! You little freak." Shouting, she pulled herself up using Amber's leg as a support. Amber grunted as Miriam stood up.

"Whatever game you're playing isn't working on me, you stupid dumbass," she ranted.

Aspen didn't say a word and smiled bravely. The air smelled like singed hair, and she wondered when her stepsister would notice that the fine hairs on her arms had been fried.

"Miriam." Justin frowned. "Let's go." He turned around and everyone followed him.

Miriam's face was thunderous and her cheeks were bright pink. "I'm not finished with you, not by a long shot." With that, she stalked off after Justin.

Aspen laughed loudly and clung to Sandy's arm as the group left the room. "Now that was worth every minute." She wiped away tears of amusement. "I think that was the funniest thing I've ever seen. You'll have to teach me how to do it."

Her shoulders shook with laughter for a few seconds longer before she straightened up suddenly. "Hold on, if my dreams are real—I touched Dylan and told him he makes me feel good. Oh no!" she wailed. Her cheeks burned and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

"I told you that you'd regret what you said later." Sandy chuckled and pushed her seat back.

"Don't worry," she went on. "If your powers are so strong before your birthday ceremony, you'll be dynamite after tomorrow. Whatever Dylan thinks won't matter then." She got up from the table and her long tresses swayed against her arms. "Come on, time to go. I've still got a lot to teach you."

# Chapter 7

Birthday Girl

Aspen woke up energized after a strangely dreamless sleep. Today was her birthday! She felt excited as she dressed, and even ignored the fact that Miriam had smeared toothpaste over the bathroom faucet and hadn't bothered to clean it. After wiping the sink, she scrubbed her face, brushed her teeth, and skipped down the staircase.

"Happy birthday, sweetie." Her mom greeted her with a big grin in the kitchen and hugged her. She handed Aspen a small box wrapped in shiny paper with a silver bow.

"Mom, you shouldn't have," she exclaimed and kissed her mom's cheeks.

"It's just something small. Your dad bought it for you when you were a baby. I took it to the jeweler and got a new strap."

Aspen hastily removed the paper and ribbon and opened the box gently. A dainty silver watch lay nestled in white tissue paper. It had a mother-of-pearl face and delicate silver hands.

"It's a wind-up watch. No need for a battery," her mom explained with a smile. "It winds up as your body moves, so you can't damage it."

"It's beautiful." A tear formed in the corner of Aspen's eye, and her throat closed up. "Did Dad really get it for me?"

"Yes, honey. The strap was too small, but I've kept it all these years."

"It's perfect. Thank you!" Squeezing her mom, she added, "I have to go, I'll see you later."

Aspen ran to meet the bus and admired her watch throughout the ride to school. She was so excited about her birthday, more than she'd ever been before. Her hair hung loosely to her waist, and she wore her best thrift-store jeans and a turquoise-blue top. Today was supposed to be special—or so Sandy had told her.

She hoped that they hadn't teased her. If this was a hoax, she'd be so upset. Maybe she'd talked in her sleep and Miriam had secretly heard her and put Sandy up to trick her. That thought plagued her for a minute before she shook her head vigorously. No, today was special, and no one would spoil it for her.

Dylan and Sandy waited for Aspen in their usual spot, and she jumped from the bus to greet them.

Dylan's gaze traced over her body, then settled on her lips as she walked over. She shivered at his intense stare.

Reaching out, he ran the pads of his fingers up her throat and rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. "Happy birthday, my little Dream Walker," he whispered and kissed her on her cheek.

Aspen blushed and smiled at the same time. She was still embarrassed because she'd been so brazen the previous day, but it didn't seem to affect him at all.

Sandy grabbed her away from him and smacked her lips against Aspen's other cheek. "Happy birthday, Aspen. Welcome to our clan."

Laughing, she pulled back. "Enough, enough, guys. It's just my birthday."

"That's the point. It's the most special day of your life." Sandy grinned. "Here." She handed a small gift-wrapped box to her. "You can only open it at lunch when we're with you," she warned.

"Thank you! You didn't have to, but thanks. It means a lot to me."

"This is from me," Dylan said. He stared into Aspen's eyes as he handed her another small box.

"Thank you," she murmured, and looked up to see Miriam standing a short distance away with a scowl on her face. Her stepsister crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head at Aspen. The warning was clear, and as soon as she'd made her point, she turned around and disappeared into the school building.

"Give them back to me. You can't open them until lunch anyway. I don't want you peeking before then." Sandy chuckled as she removed the two boxes from Aspen's hands.

"Oh my word, that's so mean." She laughed. "In that case, I suppose we'll have to go to class."

The thought of what could be inside the boxes made her giddy. Unfortunately Miriam had seen her, and that could only mean trouble. So, even though she was excited, she was wary as well. But this was her birthday, and Aspen was determined to let nothing ruin her day.

After she'd promised Sandy that they would join her in the cafeteria at lunchtime, Dylan followed her to their biology class.

As they neared the classroom, they saw a group of girls crowded around the bulletin board outside. Miriam and Amber were in the center of the commotion, and everyone was talking while some were laughing out loud. Amber turned as Aspen got closer.

"There she is!" She pointed her finger and the girls turned around in unison. They sniggered with laughter and clapped one another on the back. Miriam caught her eye and glared at her, but Aspen decided to ignore it on her special day.

One by one, the girls filed into the classroom, and when they were gone, she finally saw what they were laughing at. A note was stuck on the corkboard, written in big black letters on a white piece of paper.

Aspen Walker Loves Dylan Powers

Dylan tensed behind her and all the blood drained from her face. They were still staring at the note when their biology teacher stepped up to the board.

Aspen winced when she saw it was Miss Thompson. She was one of their strictest teachers, and always wore a suit to school each day. The dowdy woman lowered her tortoiseshell-rimmed glasses and stared at the note for a moment, then patted her short dark curls as she glanced back at Aspen with an expression that almost looked sympathetic. With a sharp tug, she ripped the note from the corkboard and crumpled it in her hands.

"Hurry up or you'll be late for class," she said curtly, then nodded her head toward the classroom.

Aspen was still speechless as she walked inside, but Miriam and Amber burst out laughing at the sight of her, which caused the rest of the class to join in. She walked stiffly toward her desk, knowing that Dylan was just behind her.

"Ignore them." His voice was calm and he touched her arm. Tingles shot through her body and his touch calmed her as she sank into her seat. Looking up, she saw Miriam waving a black permanent marker in the air with a smirk on her face.

Miss Thompson told the students to settle down, and then started her lesson immediately.

Dylan sat calmly behind her and as she moved back in the desk, he gathered her loose hair and twisted it into a ponytail and played with the strands. It felt so good that she relaxed and angled her head so he could get a better grip.

The teacher's voice droned on in the background, and she blocked out the snickers of the other girls and took notes.

"Watch this," Dylan said in a low voice after a few minutes.

With a cry, Miriam jumped up from her desk. "Ouch!" She looked at her seat and sat down carefully again.

"Ow!" she screamed. "Miss Thompson, this desk is shocking me."

Aspen's lips quirked as she tried to hide her smile. Dylan pointed in her stepsister's direction, and she could see tiny darts of blue fire as they flicked from his fingertips.

"Ow!" Miriam whined. "I can't sit here any longer."

"Miriam, if you're looking for attention, then perhaps the principal's office is the right place to find it." Miss Thompson glowered at the girl, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"I'm not joking—ow! That hurt," Miriam cried out again.

The other students tittered with laughter, and the entire classroom erupted into chaos as Miss Thompson fumed and pointed to the door.

"Miriam, go to the principal's office now!"

Aspen chuckled as her stepsister grumbled all the way out of the classroom.

Perhaps the day would get better after all. She glanced at her new watch, willing the time to pass quickly so she could meet Sandy for lunch.

• • •

After their morning classes were over, Dylan looped his arm through hers and guided her to the cafeteria. A powerful charge from his fingers trickled through her veins and it felt so good, both soothing and exciting at the same time.

Sandy waited for them with small pieces of iced birthday cake spread out on three paper plates. Soda fizzed in real glasses, and three small birthday party hats lay on the table for them.

"Cool, birthday hats." Dylan grinned and placed the elastic band under his chin. The tiny red hat gave him a jaunty look as it nestled in his hair. Sandy offered a hat to Aspen, and she pulled it onto her head.

"You didn't have to do this," she said with a laugh.

"Nonsense. It's not every day that such a powerful Dream Walker can be welcomed into the clan." Sandy offered her a glass of soda.

"Me? Powerful? I don't think so." Aspen shook her head.

Sandy shoved a piece of cake into her mouth and crumbs flew as she spoke. "That's true . . . ," she mumbled, and took a large sip of soda. "Your father was one of our leaders. In Lanta, you're a pri—"

"Sandy." Dylan looked at her sharply. "Not now."

Looking down sheepishly, Sandy turned her attention to a thick piece of buttercream icing, and licked her fingers after she'd wiped it from the plate.

"Did you bring the presents?" Dylan asked, changing the subject suddenly.

"Ah yes, here they are." She pointed to the two boxes in her backpack, and Dylan set them down on the table.

"Guys, you shouldn't have. This is insane." Aspen beamed. "Which one should I open first?"

"Mine, mine!" Sandy exclaimed. She wiped her sticky palms along her blue jeans and almost jumped in the seat with excitement.

Aspen ripped the brightly colored paper from the larger box and opened it slowly. She felt the energy of the present before she removed it from its cover.

Dylan lifted a light brown leather strap from the box and fastened it around her wrist. It had black markings impressed on it and was tied with two leather thongs that threaded into pressed silver grommets. He held her arm out and admired the band. The static electricity that usually raced through her body calmed instantly.

"Hmm, that feels nice," she said with a smile.

"Never take it off. You won't shock anyone unless you want to now. You'll be able to control the power completely with your mind after this. We all have them." Dylan lifted his hand to indicate the strap on his wrist.

Sandy lined her arm up next to his to show her strap as well. "See, we all wear them."

"That is so cool. I've seen them before, but I've never asked about them. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Dylan said with a smile. "Open the next box."

Aspen pulled apart the shiny red paper carefully. Each gift was special, especially since she'd never had so many presents before.

Her mouth fell open as she removed the box's lid and found a beautiful silver ring nestled inside. The most stunning oval-shaped blue topaz set in intricate silver patterns sparkled back at her, and she inhaled sharply.

"It's so beautiful," she said. "What does this do?"

"Nothing," Dylan said softly. "It matches the color of your eyes." He placed it carefully on the ring finger of her right hand and smiled at her. Aspen's heart fluttered and her body sang as he held her carefully.

Sandy finished the last of her cake and burped gently. "Wow, that was good!" she exclaimed. "Eat up, lunchtime is nearly over."

Aspen withdrew her hand and finished the cake as soon as she could.

"Remember to go to sleep early tonight," Sandy told her. "Your coming-of-age ceremony is going to be awesome."

Aspen's face glowed with pleasure as they left the cafeteria.

Even though Stephan and Miriam didn't wish her a happy birthday when she got back home, she wasn't worried. She tried to get to bed as soon as possible and closed her eyes tightly once her mother had tucked her in and turned out the light.

# Chapter 8

Dream Catchers

The waters of the Dream Walker Lake lapped next to Aspen's head as she woke up from her sleep.

"Thank goodness, I thought you'd never get here." Sandy was waiting for her and helped her to stand up. A girl with similar features stood next to her and waited patiently to be introduced. "This is my sister, Ginny."

The girl was just as small as Sandy, but her hair was braided in coils that were wrapped around her head. She had almond-shaped blue eyes and a long nose. Bowing her head slightly, she greeted Aspen.

"Welcome, Princess," she said.

"Huh?" Confused, Aspen stared at Ginny.

"Never mind," Sandy said and pulled her forward. "Time's running out. We've got to get you dressed."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" She pointed to her faded jeans.

"Come on." Sandy rolled her eyes. "You can't wear that to a royal ceremony."

"What's royal about the ceremony?"

"Never mind, just hurry up." Ginny grabbed her other hand and dragged her along impatiently.

As they walked, Aspen saw a large group of people next to the lake. Men with pitch-black hair hammered planks of wood to form tables and piled logs into a campfire shape. Others assembled wooden chairs and erected sails to create makeshift tents. Women with long silver-blond hair basted pork hindquarters on spits over large fires, occasionally turning the meat to distribute the heat from the flames.

Small black cauldrons contained bread, which baked next to the meat. The smell was incredible and her stomach growled with hunger. Everyone smiled and bowed their heads as she walked past them.

Aspen heard Goldilocks before she saw her. The big bird waddled toward her and flapped her short wings in excitement.

Dylan walked behind the goose, carrying several pieces of firewood on his shoulder, and his muscles flexed under the load. As soon as she saw him, her face lit up and her stomach swirled with nerves.

"You're here." Blue eyes locked on hers, causing a loud thumping to start up inside her chest.

"I made it, yeah." She lifted her chin and rubbed her fingers nervously behind her back.

"My house is ready for her." He spoke to Sandy but stared at Aspen. "She can use my room. Her clothes are hanging on the closet door."

"Thanks. See you later." Sandy grabbed her arm again and tugged her forward.

Even though they were out of earshot, Aspen could still feel his eyes on her. She couldn't help but exaggerate the swing of her hips, knowing he was watching.

"Wow, he is so cute," Ginny exclaimed.

"Who, Dylan?" A surge of jealousy rose so quickly that Aspen missed a step and almost tripped.

"Who else?" Ginny sighed. "He's so dreamy."

"He's okay, if you like that kind of guy." Aspen spoke before she could stop herself.

Ginny looked at her in disbelief. "Don't you think he's hot?"

"She does. Trust me, Gin, she's told him to his face already." Sandy grinned broadly.

"Shut up. I didn't!" Aspen swatted Sandy's arm and then grabbed her sleeve as her friend continued to tease her.

"Forget about him, Gin, he's a marked man." She raised her voice while Aspen tugged on her sweatshirt. The two girls laughed as Aspen tried to hold her back. Sandy slipped out of her grip and ran ahead of her.

"I'm so sorry, I . . . I didn't mean anything by it," Ginny stuttered.

"Don't be an ass, Sandy. He doesn't belong to me."

Aspen stopped chasing Sandy and her friend shouted back at her, "Trust me. You're going to get a lot of interest very soon. He'd better stake his claim." Dodging a soccer ball that bounced nearby, Sandy ran to kick it back to a small group of children, and they cheered her on.

"Goal!" she shouted triumphantly, and then dashed back to her sister and Aspen.

"Are all the people at the lake clan members?" Aspen asked.

"Yes, and a lot more are on their way. We have about four hundred members, so we'd better hurry."

Once they reached Dylan's house, Ginny opened the front door. Molly greeted them with a bow and then led them to a room that could only be his.

Aspen stood still and scanned the room, taking in his personal space. The room was dominated with a large bed that was neatly covered with a gray-and-white quilt. His fresh fragrance seemed to hang in the air, and she reached out and lifted a pillowcase to her nose to inhale his scent.

The curtains matched the bedding, and the floor was made of pine and polished until it gleamed. A lacrosse stick and several footballs were placed neatly in a red box behind his door, and a damp towel hung from a hook above it. A small bathroom adjoined his room, and she could see beads of water as they clung to the glass door of the shower.

He'd just bathed! The thought of Dylan in the shower made her breathing hitch, and Aspen turned around in a hurry.

She cried out in surprise when she saw a beautiful lacy dress embroidered in the palest gold hanging from the closet door. Tiny onyx beads dotted the undulating ribbons, and the material sparkled in the light.

"This is so beautiful." Touching the material softly, she sighed. "Is this for me?"

"Just for you," Sandy said with a smile. "It's your coming-of-age outfit."

"I thought you said jeans would do."

Sandy grinned and pinched her arm. "Hurry up, everyone will be here soon."

Aspen removed the clothes she was wearing and carefully lifted the delicate dress over her head. The fit was perfect, and Ginny zipped the back closed. Then she stepped into a pair of strappy gold shoes that sat on the floor next to the dress, and twirled in front of a narrow mirror on the wall. The outfit was incredible, and she looked even more dainty and fragile than before.

Ginny grabbed a brush with nylon bristles and pulled it through Aspen's long hair in even strokes until it shone.

"You look so pretty," she said as she dropped the brush on the bed.

"Thank you. The dress is lovely."

"Here, use this lip gloss. It's all you'll need." Sandy handed her a cylinder of gloss.

Aspen ran the shiny finish over her lips and as she did, the room darkened and she glanced out the window at the sky. "Oh no, it's Lavendula. We need to hide."

Ginny walked over to where she stood. "Don't worry. The houses and the lake are safe zones."

Aspen raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"It's true. Our elders created potent spells centuries ago, and they've been sheltering our houses and the lake from invasion ever since. We're not scared of Lavendula unless we leave those areas."

"What about the river? I was attacked by spiders there, and it wasn't safe at all. "

"Nope, that's not included in the spell."

Aspen moved to the window and glanced at the ominous sky.

"We'll wait here until it passes," Sandy told her, "and then we can go back to the lake. Everyone should be there by then."

Aspen waited patiently by the window for Lemona to begin. Ginny and Sandy dressed themselves in white clothing and high heels while she stared at the scenery outside.

After a while the sky lightened, and the three girls left the safety of Dylan's house and walked toward the lake.

When they arrived, Aspen was shocked to see how many people were crowded into the small entertainment area. The lake was peaceful and ripple-free, reflecting the hills flanking it. Small insects hummed and buzzed along its banks while the smells of barbequed shank filtered through the air, making Aspen's mouth water.

Row upon row of chairs had been set up audience style with an aisle that divided the two sides evenly. The aisle led to a large fire pit stacked high with logs. A small table covered in white muslin sat next to the pit.

As Aspen approached the chairs, she saw Dylan leaning against a table. He'd changed into a pair of black pants and a formal white shirt. He watched in silence as she walked up to him.

"So, what do you think?" She smoothed the dress against her hips nervously.

Dylan said nothing for a moment, merely smiled at her, and then closed the distance between them until she could feel the heat of his body against her chest.

"You look beautiful," he murmured.

She drew a sharp breath as he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed his mouth on the ring he'd given her. Sparks skipped along the surface of her arm as he touched her.

He reached down to her wrist and gently removed the brown leather strap she'd received for her birthday, saying, "You'll get it back soon." Then he turned her toward the aisle and nudged her forward with a warm hand on the small of her back.

Crowds filled the seats around her. Every person dipped their heads at her as she passed, in what seemed suspiciously like respect. She nodded back, unsure of what was expected of her.

Someone lit a fire in the pit, and the dry wood crackled and hissed as it burned. Aspen watched as two men dressed in white robes approached her.

The larger of the two men looked very familiar, but she couldn't remember where she'd seen him before. He had shoulder-length black hair and a strong jaw. His nose was slightly crooked, but his eyes twinkled like silvery-blue stars. The second man was short and seemed to be of American Indian descent.

"Aspen Walker," the taller man boomed. She shrank back as he reached out for her, but Dylan's touch kept her in place. The tall man's calloused hands held her small ones as she stared up at him.

"My beautiful niece." He smiled broadly and bent to kiss her on both cheeks.

"N-niece?" She stood back and stared into his vivid blue eyes. He did look familiar, and then she realized that he reminded her of her dad. She didn't remember her father and only knew him from the one photo of him that remained, and it was dog-eared from wear. She kept it hidden in her clothing drawer—where neither Stephan nor Miriam could find it.

"Yes, Aspen. You are the daughter of my brother, Roman."

Her cheeks flushed with excitement. "Are you sure? I have a real uncle?"

The man lifted her feet off the ground and hugged her to his chest. "Yes, little princess, you have a real uncle. My name is Leeman, and I am the king of our clan."

Aspen could hardly speak. Tears of joy slid down her cheeks. "I'm so happy to meet you. I thought I was alone—well, just my mom and me."

He placed her back on the ground but kept hold of her hand. "No, little princess. These people are all your family. Look around you." He pointed to the crowd. They all smiled at her and clapped loudly. The sound overwhelmed her; the cheers and applause enveloped her and her heart brimmed with emotion.

The applause died down and her uncle turned her to face the fire pit. Flames of red, orange, and yellow licked at the dry logs, and smoke filled the air.

"Demothi is our spell master. He will create your own special dream catcher to protect you from harm."

The smaller man nodded at her and held out a tiny copper hoop attached to a suede cord. Magically, he drew thread from the air and wound it around the loop. Colorful sparks burst from the thread and bounced into the fire as he wove the strings through and around the circle.

The crowd oohed and aahed with each dazzling spark of red, gold, green, and blue that shot out from the yarn. Aspen was awestruck.

The bright, colorful yarn seemed to solidify and faded into a coppery metal that hissed as it cooled down. Once the charm was completely solid, he handed the necklace to her uncle, who raised it in the air for all to see. The copper gleamed as though it had a life of its own. Slowly, he placed the cord over his niece's head and lifted her hair to allow it to fall around her neck.

She was too scared to touch it.

"Aspen Walker, we welcome you as a Dream Walker. You are covered by the dream catcher and it will protect you wherever you may fight the enemy."

She stared earnestly at her uncle's face. The heat from the fire pit warmed her, and she felt her cheeks flush. Dylan stepped forward and handed her bracelet to the leader.

Leeman placed it around her wrist and tied the thongs. "This is a symbol of your status in the clan. My little princess, I have waited for you to join us for too long. We welcome you as the daughter of my beloved brother, Roman. Princess Aspen, take your rightful place as royalty in our clan."

The crowd erupted into cheers again, and Leeman hugged his niece tightly.

Aspen buried her face against his shirt. What had he said? She was a princess!

The sounds of flute music and drums filled the air and the crowd dispersed, but the noise level escalated. People laughed and squealed with joy, dogs barked, and Goldilocks quacked above the racket.

"Come. Let us eat," Leeman's voice boomed.

Dylan had been standing behind Aspen during the ceremony, but now he walked around and bowed deeply in front of her. When he stood back up and held out his hand, she laughed nervously and took it.

"Don't bow to me. That's not necessary."

"I'm showing you respect and my eternal allegiance, my princess. Of course that's necessary," he said solemnly.

Aspen swatted his arm. "Don't be silly. It's still me, you know."

Dylan smiled and rubbed the soft skin on her hand with his thumb, causing a zing of current to trail up her arm. His gaze didn't drop from hers. "I know it's you."

Her stomach flip-flopped again.

After leading her to the food tables, he lined up behind a row of people and she breathed deeply. They stepped aside for her to join the line, and her plate was heaped within a few minutes. Leeman motioned for her to join him at one of the tables.

Aspen sat down next to her uncle and placed her plate on the cloth. There wasn't an empty seat for Dylan, and he seemed reluctant to join them, so she picked at the juicy pork with a knife and fork and watched him leave.

"What did your mother tell you about us?" Leeman asked, and licked pork grease from his huge fingers.

"She didn't tell me a thing," she replied.

Leeman slammed his fist down on the table. The utensils and plates rattled loudly. "Didn't she tell you anything?"

Aspen dropped her head. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you—this—existed until a few nights ago." She pointed around her as she spoke.

Music drifted sweetly through the air as Leeman took in a deep breath, obviously trying to control his temper. "I'm sorry, little princess. I didn't know. I thought that she'd realize that Roman wasn't joking."

"What do you mean?"

Leeman sighed and adjusted the belt on his robe. A young girl placed a wooden pitcher full of juice on their table and turned to tend to the other guests. Leeman lifted the pitcher and filled his glass and Aspen's before continuing.

"Your father was the king of this clan for many years. He earned that right when he was sixteen years old, after our father had been killed by the Lord Chancellor." His huge hand clutched at the glass.

"When he was younger, he ventured to the other side—your side. He met a beautiful woman and fell in love with her. Humans cannot enter our world, and he couldn't bring her to live here." Leeman sat back while he spoke.

Aspen stopped chewing, mesmerized by his tale.

"He struggled with the thought of leaving this world, but then he found out that his beloved was pregnant and that he would be a father. He came to me and offered up his crown to be with his sweetheart and child."

"That was me," she said flatly.

"Yes, that was you. Roman gave up Lanta in order to be with you and your mother."

Aspen's throat constricted and she took a sip of juice. The sweetness burned and she choked for a second.

"How did my father die?" she asked after her throat had calmed down.

"Roman was a powerful king," Leeman continued. "He was feared by Chancellors everywhere. Once he'd moved to the human world, he took off his dream catcher to protect you and your mother. The Chancellors would be drawn to its power, but couldn't kill him while he wore it. If your dream catcher is around your neck, it protects you from physical harm. Your body may be hurt, but it will recover. Unfortunately, it's a magnet for Chancellors when worn."

He popped another piece of pork into his mouth and chewed. After swallowing, he took a sip of juice and spoke again. "He could only protect himself, not the two of you. That's why he kept it locked away where it wouldn't be a beacon to the Chancellors. They would kill the two of you if they found him with you."

"But they found him anyway?" she whispered.

"Yes, they found him during a storm when he was at work. They didn't know about you at all."

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She glanced up and saw Dylan watching her intently from a tent nearby. He tilted his head slightly, almost as if he wanted to know if she were okay.

After nodding silently at him, she put her knife and fork down. Her appetite had disappeared completely.

"Did my mother know what my father was?" she asked.

"He told her in his own way, but he was scared of losing her. When he came back at night, he would tell stories of how beautiful you were and how he loved you both so much."

She smiled sadly.

"I think he wanted to explain everything once you were older. He couldn't risk your mother questioning his sanity, and he definitely wouldn't cope if you were taken away from him." Leeman looked at Aspen and placed his hand over hers. "But you're here now, and we're here to help you and to teach you how to be a strong warrior."

"I want to learn," she said forcefully. "Tell me how to conquer the enemy. Show me how to destroy my father's murderers."

Leeman chuckled and swallowed another mouthful of food. "Soon, little princess, very soon," he promised.

Aspen glanced around but Dylan had disappeared. She placed her cutlery together on her plate and accepted a bowl of water with a slice of lemon in it to rinse her hands. After she'd wiped her mouth on a small towel, she handed her plate to a server and excused herself from Leeman.

Dylan wasn't in the tents and she couldn't find him anywhere. As she walked past the last tent near the lake, she saw him. He stood next to the most beautiful girl that she'd ever seen.

Thick hair tumbled to the girl's waist in fiery locks of red, and she wore a tiny white miniskirt that showed off her tanned legs to perfection. Her waist was small and she was stunningly beautiful in all aspects. As Aspen watched, the girl stepped closer to Dylan and slid her hands up his chest, then settled them around his neck and pressed herself against his body.

Aspen sucked in a breath.

Dylan didn't push the girl away. Instead, his hand rose up and circled her waist in a move that spoke of complete familiarity.

Aspen didn't wait to see what happened next. She spun around and rushed back into the tent.

# Chapter 9

Roman

The Mickey Mouse alarm clock clanged wildly, and Aspen reached out to bash the ears down. She lay back in her bed for a second before the previous night's dream sifted through to her consciousness. Her eyes widened and she looked around the gloomy room. Slowly, she sat up and felt something around her neck.

In the darkness, she felt a warm, smooth object. It was the threaded dream catcher from the previous night. She lifted the pendant and could swear that sparks hummed around it. Her jewelry throbbed with power; even the leather bracelet seemed to glow around her wrist. She spread her arms above her head and stretched like a cat. Immediately a flame surrounded her hands, and she slammed her arms down to stop the flow.

Carefully, she lifted her hands again, and a blue flame ignited once more. It licked over the surface of her skin and switched off just like a light on command.

Aspen squealed in delight. _This is so cool._

The quilt fell to the floor as she jumped up and ran to the bathroom. She washed and changed into a pair of jeans and an emerald-green top. The dream catcher looked good against the material of her T-shirt, and the ring, watch, and bracelet really made her feel like a princess.

Within seconds, she'd run down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Her mom looked up as she entered the room. "Looks like you had a good night's sleep."

"I did. And I had the most fantastic dream," she said with a smile.

"What's that around your neck?" her mom asked.

"It's a present."

"Let me see. Oh, Aspen. Your father had one just like that." Her mother gasped. "Wait here. I'll get it for you."

Norma left the kitchen and returned with a wooden box a few moments later. She opened the box and lifted a massive pendant, much larger than Aspen's, from the red velvet bed it rested in.

"Look, the pattern is almost the same." She touched the dream catcher. "Where did you get yours from?"

"Um, my friend Dylan gave it to me for my birthday. It would be so cool if you could wear yours too. If I've got one and you wear Dad's, then it'll remind me of him and I'll be so happy."

Her mom beamed. "Well, if it means that much to you, then of course I will." She turned around while Aspen placed the dream catcher around her neck.

"Yes, Mom, it will. Promise me you'll wear it all the time?" If she wore her pendant, the Chancellors would know where she was, and she didn't want them to find her mother. It wouldn't be so bad if they found her stepsister or stepfather, though.

She pulled out a wooden chair and sat down at the table. "Mom, what was Dad like?"

Norma's eyes lit up and she sighed. "He was a total heartbreaker, and he was so full of energy. There wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for me. I swear, he almost didn't seem human at times."

"Why was that?"

"Well, not literally, it's just he was too perfect to be true. I guess I should have known that it would end too soon. It's impossible to be happy for so long." She pulled out a chair and sat next to Aspen. "He had the same eyes as you. Silvery blue. You were his little angel, and he used to call you his sweetest dream walker." She smiled.

The skin on her arms prickled as she listened to her mom. "Did he ever talk about his dreams?"

"Yes, he loved talking about his dreams." Her mom smiled in remembrance. "He said he wished that he could take me with him when he dreamed, and he wanted to take me to his special house. He said he'd built the most beautiful veranda and a lake was close by. He'd made a room especially for you, and he'd dreamed of taking you there while you slept."

Aspen gave her mom a wan smile as her chest tightened with emotion.

"He said he was working with a spell master in his dreams, and he'd be able to take me over someday. I just laughed at his stories. He'd get sad when I wouldn't believe him, so I eventually played along and told him that I'd love to go there. I miss him so." Norma stared at the dream catcher, deep in thought.

"How did Dad die?" Aspen asked quietly.

"Your father had a job as an electrician's assistant at Pilkington's just outside of town. He worked with heavy current. They were setting up electric pylons when a large storm developed. His friends told him to go inside but he wouldn't listen. He said he knew what kind of storm it was and that he was prepared."

Aspen tilted her head toward her mom. "What happened next?"

"The workers say that lightning hit the ground constantly, louder than they'd ever heard before. They were too scared to go outside until much later." Norma shook her head sadly. "They found his melted rubber shoes. That was all that was left of him."

Aspen swallowed with difficulty. Suddenly Stephan's footsteps thudded on the staircase.

"Hide the necklace under your sweater, Mom!"

Jumping up, she grabbed the box while her mother tucked the necklace out of sight. She tucked the box into the back of a drawer and shouted, "'Bye, Mom," then sprinted to the bus stop before Stephan got to the kitchen.

# Chapter 10

Strength

"Hey there. You need to practice your aim today." Sandy met Aspen in the parking lot as soon as she'd left the bus. She laughed and sent a small current of electricity through Aspen's arm.

"Ouch, you witch!" Aspen ran after her friend and tried to return the favor.

"Wait, don't do it." Sandy held out her palm and giggled. "You don't know how strong you are."

"You should've thought about that before you started." Aspen turned this way and that, trying to find an open spot of skin around the top Sandy wore.

"Wait, stop." Sandy gasped, holding up her arms to defend herself and shifting back and forth as she laughed.

Aspen danced around her, looking for a target. She was too scared to shock her friend's bare skin, so she settled for the back pocket of Sandy's jeans. Sandy yelped and jumped into the air, even though the shock was mild because of the leather strap Aspen wore. Luckily it seemed to give her more control of her power.

"No more, no more, I give up!"

Aspen and Sandy were still laughing as they entered the small courtyard in front of the main building. The bell rang and students raced around them to get to class on time.

They were stopped short by Miriam, who stood directly in front of them, blocking their path.

"Aspen Walker!" she rasped. "You're acting like a kid."

"We are kids, Miriam, in case you haven't noticed." Sandy glared at her, hands on her hips. "We are acting our age."

"I wasn't speaking to you, trailer trash," Miriam spat at Sandy.

Static electricity hummed around Sandy, making her pale blond hair rise around her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled with anger. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard me. You're new at our school and you're a nobody."

Sandy lifted her chin and stepped forward menacingly. "It takes one to know one."

Aspen's head barely reached her stepsister's chin, but she pushed Sandy back and stood between her and Miriam. "Leave her alone. She hasn't done anything to you at all."

Miriam smirked. The ugly grin didn't look good on her. "What are you two up to? You're as thick as thieves lately. Don't you know she'll ditch you once she finds out you don't have any money?"

Aspen's temper rose suddenly. Tendrils of power licked within her fingertips, and the hair on her arms lifted up.

"Leave. My. Friend. Alone!" she said, enunciating each word forcefully.

"Or else?" Miriam gloated. "What can a featherweight like you do, huh? You're just as stupid as your mother." She reached out and poked her finger into Aspen's chest.

The anger building inside Aspen exploded as Miriam's touch triggered a blast of energy so powerful that it frizzled her stepsister's red curls and blew her right out of her stilettos. With a jolt, Miriam flew backward and hit the wall, her head connecting with the brick behind her with a loud thud. Aspen gasped as the girl's eyes rolled back in her head and she slid down the wall in slow motion.

Sandy pushed her back. "Wait. Don't touch her," she cried.

"I didn't," she murmured to herself.

Sandy glanced around to make sure that no one had seen what had happened. Luckily there were no witnesses. The courtyard was empty since most of the students were already in class. She bent down and grasped Miriam's chin in the palm of her hand. The girl was quiet for a moment, then groaned as she regained consciousness.

"Ow, my head hurts," Miriam mumbled. "What happened?"

Sandy turned to Aspen and made a shushing motion, then crouched next to Miriam. "You tripped on your high heels and fell against the wall. You've hit your head. I think you've got a lump already."

Miriam reached up to feel her head, grimacing as she touched a sore spot.

Picking up her stepsister's shoes, Aspen slipped them back onto her feet. "These shoes are dangerous—you should try wearing something with a lower heel. Why don't we take you to the nurse to get your head checked out? That bump is starting to grow."

Miriam groaned and allowed Sandy to pull her up. Aspen was too scared to touch her, so she stood back and waited. Her stepsister wobbled unsteadily on the shoes and then took a few tentative steps forward.

The three girls walked slowly through the courtyard into the empty hallway and followed the signs to the school nurse's office. Sandy knocked on the door and handed Miriam over to an older woman dressed in white. She led Miriam to a bed and thanked the girls for their help. Once she'd written down their class numbers, she pressed an intercom button and spoke to their teachers. Aspen and Sandy were excused for being late, and she shooed them out of the office.

Aspen's eyes were huge and she breathed a sigh of relief as they left the room. "Oh my word, what did I do?"

Sandy laughed. "You should see your face. That look is priceless."

"Stop it," Aspen said with a giggle. "I thought I'd killed her. Did you see the way she flew through the air?" She straightened her green top and felt for the dream catcher, which was strangely hot.

"You don't know your strength yet, Princess. I told you not to shock me. You'll have to learn to control your power, otherwise we're going to have fried students everywhere," Sandy joked.

Aspen smiled broadly. "You'll have to teach me tonight." The two girls hugged each other outside of Sandy's class.

"See you later," Sandy whispered before she slipped inside her art classroom.

Dylan waited for Aspen as she rejoined her English class and grabbed her by the wrist as she sat down. Her heart thumped with pleasure. She wanted to ask him about the girl at her party, but she was too shaken after the incident with Miriam.

"What happened?" he whispered tersely, a deep crease appearing between his eyebrows.

"Nothing. Miriam just got a taste of her own medicine, that's all."

He ran a hand through his hair, and she wanted to reach up and push a wisp of hair out of his eyes.

"What did you do to her? I felt a disturbance but I couldn't tell where it came from."

"Nothing, she dug her finger in my chest and I blasted her without doing a thing. I didn't lift my hand, I swear."

Sitting back thoughtfully, his lips curled into a smile. "That's interesting. I didn't know you'd be so strong already. You've only been sixteen for a day."

Aspen winked and gave him a big smile. "That's what happens when you mess with me."

Dylan laughed. He spent the rest of the day with her and carried her bag from class to class. When it was time to go home, he asked if they could walk instead of riding the bus.

Aspen was thrilled. She was comfortable in his company and didn't want to spoil the mood by raising the topic of the red-haired girl at her party. They strolled along the pavement as other students made their way noisily around them.

"I've never seen your parents, do they go out often?"

Dylan scuffed a leaf on the pavement. "They aren't home a lot. They're busy, but Molly looks after the house, and me."

"What do they look like?"

"Ah, same old Dream Walker looks. My dad has dark hair and my mom has fair hair. You know, the usual." Without warning, he shouted, "Race you to the end of the street."

He dashed away and a second later, Aspen started to run after him. Her legs had somehow become stronger since the previous day, and her chest wasn't tight from the exercise. The feeling was incredible and she sprinted with abandon.

She caught up with Dylan and shrieked when he increased his speed. The two touched the pole of the road sign at exactly the same time, though, and the metal zinged with power. They burst out laughing together. Aspen wasn't out of breath at all.

"Wow, this is amazing! What a birthday gift."

"Great, isn't it?"

"You didn't tell me that I would get any other abilities."

"How do you think you'll be able to fight the Chancellors if you aren't strong enough? We need you in fighting form, Princess."

Aspen smiled at his new nickname for her. "So I'm Princess now?"

Dylan reached out and stroked her cheek softly. "You'll always be my princess."

Tiny butterflies fluttered around in her stomach, and she pulled away in embarrassment. "That's my house over there. I guess I'll see you tonight."

Dylan chuckled and handed her backpack to her. "See you later, Princess."

Aspen could feel his stare burning into her back as she ran to the house.

# Chapter 11

Chancellors

"Hey, Aspen."

Aspen opened her eyes to see Sandy and Ginny standing together in a lime-green field. "Hey, yourself. Were you waiting for me?"

"Of course," Ginny said. "You took forever to fall asleep, Princess." Her braided blond hair bobbed up and down as she bent her head.

Aspen let out a little snort. "Cut that out. You don't have to bow to me."

Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "Okay."

She was as pretty as Sandy, but her face was more rounded and feminine. She wore snow-white clothing with a soft flowing skirt and white leggings underneath, and her blouse was made from the finest lace.

Aspen thought that the thick soles of her boots ruined the outfit, though. She wondered if she could introduce prettier clothing to the Power clan. She'd have to find out where they had their clothes made and make some suggestions.

Sandy pointed them toward the village of Lanta. "Come on, let's go shopping. We can practice a bit later."

"Ooh, I wondered when you did normal things."

Sandy grinned. "First work, then play, but we'll make an exception today."

"We need to get you something more suitable to wear, Princess." Ginny touched the skirt that Aspen wore. "This must be uncomfortable when you run. Look, my outfit allows me to run, but yours will make you fall." Reaching around her waist, she ripped the skirt off in a smooth motion. "We have a special material that fastens without stitching, and it can come off easily."

"Is it like Velcro?" Aspen asked.

"Very similar, but we can't make that here, so Demothi has made a spell that he casts on each piece of material to make them special."

She grimaced. "Can he do something about the boots?"

"Relax, kid," Sandy said as they walked toward the village. "Those boots come in handy when we fight. Any stray bolts get deflected when we're on rubber."

Aspen could only see one road leading into the village, which she assumed was for protection. She followed Ginny and Sandy along it, chatting as they walked.

When they reached the town, Aspen was delighted to see Lanta's shops huddled together like seals on a rock, bathed in a soft lemon light. The scene was as pretty as a picture.

"What happens when it's Lavendula?" she asked. "Do the shops close?"

Ginny answered her. "The shopkeepers stay inside. They don't fight the Chancellors. Shops get locked and there are magical charms written around the door frames that stop intruders from entering. The charms keep the store owners and shoppers safe, but the doors must be sealed to make the spells effective."

Aspen walked into the main street and thought about what Ginny had said.

"Look, that's my favorite store." Ginny pointed at a cheerful clothing shop with colorful advertisements decorating its windows. The three girls headed for the entrance. A bell tingled and heralded their presence as they pushed the wooden door open and crowded into the entrance.

"Ooh. They have so many things," Aspen cooed. She noticed a fine black script inked on the door frame as she looked over her shoulder.

"Don't worry, you'll be safe," Sandy teased. "It's time to shop."

Ginny grinned. "Just look at the racks at the back."

Clothes were hung on hangers that clung close together on waist-high metal rails in every imaginable space around the shop. The girls had to squeeze between the layers of material draped everywhere.

A small lady with mocha-colored skin smiled at them from behind the counter. Her hair was braided in a long, thick plait, and high cheekbones and slanted brown eyes gave her a distinct Native American look. Grinning at the girls, she waved a slender hand across the store as she invited them to look at the merchandise.

"That's Mona. She's Demothi's daughter," Sandy whispered in Aspen's ear.

"I like this." Ginny held up a short beige skirt and paired it with chocolate leggings. She chose a wispy white top and handed the outfit to Aspen.

"These boots are cool too." Ginny picked up a leather ankle boot lined with fur. She dropped a brown leather jacket on top of the clothes piled on Aspen's arm, and pushed her gently toward the dressing room.

Aspen did like the jacket, but she'd never thought to pair all the different textures together. Lanta was not like Earth, where cheap clothing was available in every fabric, color, and style. The garments here were made from natural fibers like wool, silk, and leather, and she wondered if Mona had made all of the clothing herself.

After she'd changed, she admired herself in an oval floor-length mirror. The clothes fit beautifully, and she pulled the dressing room curtain aside.

"What do you think?"

The girls grinned at her and nodded. "You look amazing."

"I've got your size now," Sandy called out. "Stay there while I get some more."

Forty minutes later, Aspen tossed her old clothing on the chair and walked out of the dressing room in her first new outfit, along with several more draped over her arm.

"This was such fun. Oh, I forgot." She covered her mouth with her free hand.

Sandy glanced over as she thumbed through a rack of clothes. "What?"

"How am I going to pay for this?" Aspen's cheeks burned, and she shifted the clothing in her arms.

"Don't worry, it goes on the Power clan's account, and it gets settled by the elders later."

"How can they do that?"

"We have to be clothed in order to fight the Chancellors," Ginny explained, "and we don't get paid to fight them. The elders help the shopkeepers in other ways. We don't exactly need money here, you know." She chuckled.

Aspen frowned. "But I've been here in jeans before. How did that happen?"

"We don't know. Sometimes we appear in our earthly clothing, but most of the time we end up in clothing from Lanta. That's why it's best to get outfits that you're comfortable wearing. If you can get something fashionable, then more power to you." Ginny's eyes changed to silver as she smiled.

Feeling better, Aspen walked up to the counter. Outside, the sky had darkened. Mona moved to the front door and closed it just as the air began to cool. She turned a key in the lock and made sure the door was sealed tightly.

Sandy walked up to the large shop windows and gazed outside. "Hmm, we'd better stay in the store. It's Lavendula and the Chancellors will be roaming about outside. I don't think you want to mess up your new clothes before you've had a chance to show them off."

Joining her, Aspen looked out into the street. Chancellors oozed out like sticky black tar from crevices between buildings. She shivered involuntarily as their numbers grew.

"These don't create the nightmares," Ginny said in a low voice, gripping the hanger in her hands tightly as she spoke.

"Really, why not?"

"They're here to make sure that we don't attack the ones who do make them. The actual nightmare creators are outside the village. They can cast a nightmare from the hills or the trees, and even the rivers. These here will do anything to stop us from attacking their casters."

Sandy peeled a poster away from the window so they could see the Chancellors better. They had pale skin and their eyes were completely black. They wore their familiar black T-shirts with cargo pants, and heavy boots on their feet.

Suddenly one of the Chancellors spied them through the window and walked toward the shop. The girls held their spot behind the window, but shrank back slightly from the creature as he approached them. He was tall with dark hair cut close to his skull. A sickly sweet odor permeated through the front door as he approached them.

Aspen held her breath as he faced them directly, and started when she realized that the thin sheet of glass was the only thing separating them. She trembled and glanced at the stern features of her friends. Ginny stuck her chin out and smiled menacingly.

The Chancellor curled his lips upward in a grim parody of a smile, but his mouth had no teeth. A large Adam's apple bobbed up and down his long throat. He raised a bony finger and slowly dragged it in a circle on the glass.

Aspen watched his movements as he traced the symbol on the smooth surface. After he'd completed the circle, his eyes widened and he mouthed the word, "Boo." She jumped as he tapped the window.

Sandy and Ginny didn't stir, so she squared her shoulders and glared at him. He laughed silently but kept his gaze on her. Even though she was a quivering mass of nerves, she didn't look away. She stared back and refused to show fear.

When the Chancellor marched away abruptly, Aspen breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against Sandy's back. "Whew! What was that all about?"

"Just a friendly game of chicken," Ginny answered. Her pulse flickered at the base of her neck, and Aspen realized that the encounter had rattled her just as much. They watched him until he turned into an alley and was out of sight.

"Well, now that you've seen one up close and personal, would you like a chocolate milk to calm your nerves?" Sandy smiled.

"Yes, thanks, that would be great." Aspen let out a long exhale. The noxious odor had disappeared as soon as he'd left, and she desperately needed a sugar fix to soothe the tension.

Mona collected the clothes draped over Aspen's arm. "I'll wrap these up and send them to Leeman's house. He told me I could send whatever you wanted there."

"Thank you so much."

"I've left some flavored milks on the table in the kitchen at the back. Help yourselves."

"Mona, you're the best. I was just going to ask if you had any left." Sandy gave her a quick hug.

They left the retail area and entered a small room at the back of the shop. Three glasses of chocolate milk sat temptingly on a wooden table, and the girls wasted no time and claimed one each. They scooted their chairs around the table.

"How will we know if the Chancellors are making a nightmare or if they're just defending their kind?" Aspen asked as she sipped at her drink.

"The Chancellors go into a dream state," Sandy explained as she played with her straw, "and we can actually see the nightmare as it happens in front of them. That same nightmare gets sent out to thousands of children at the same time. If we can stop the Chancellor, the nightmare fades and the kids get a good night's sleep." She took a long pull on her straw and then pushed her empty glass closer to the middle of the table. "If we don't get to them, they multiply because of the children's fears. It seems to feed them and gives them strength to reproduce themselves as brand new, fully grown Chancellors."

Ginny grimaced. "The Chancellors casting the nightmares are the dangerous ones. They can send the nightmare straight at you. You've got to be careful of them, they are the worst."

"Yup," Sandy said with a nod, "the nightmare starts in a bubble, but once it becomes big enough, it leaves the bubble and attacks you. We've tried to destroy the protective shield that surrounds the nightmare but we can't, so we've got to wait until it's fully formed and can get out. Your dad was the only one who could break the shield." She kept her eyes down and played with the rim of the empty glass. "The nightmare can go back into the bubble if it needs protection. I'm talking about lions, tigers, spiders . . . anything."

"Ugh." Aspen shivered. "I know about the spider nightmare. That's just terrible."

The sky lightened and moments later, the room was bathed in yellow light again.

"Time for action, girls," Sandy exclaimed.

They washed their empty glasses in the sink and thanked Mona for the milkshakes before leaving.

As they walked away from the village, Aspen tried to aim at stationary targets. A tiny shrub exploded instantly as it was struck by a well-placed bolt.

"Hey, watch it." Ginny smiled. "You're going to set the place on fire."

"Sorry."

"Let her practice, it's okay. She has to learn how much juice she's got before she can control it."

"Well, in that case, how about that tree?" Ginny pointed to the side.

Aspen focused on a gnarled oak tree with a wide trunk and heavy branches. Tendrils of electricity zinged up and down the skin on her arms, and the hair on her head rose.

"Burn that sucker!" she snarled.

"Whoa!" Sandy shouted in amazement as the entire tree exploded instantly.

Jumping back in fright, Aspen dropped her hands in a hurry. Blue flames shimmered on her arms before they died out.

"Seriously, what was that?" Sandy stared at her in amazement and Ginny sat down on the grass in awe.

"What, was that not normal?" Aspen asked.

Pieces of leaves and small twigs floated around them in the air, and a huge hole was left in the earth where the tree used to be. The smell of charred wood floated around them.

"Not normal, not normal? That was absolutely mind-blowing!" Sandy cried and hugged Aspen.

Ginny glanced over her shoulder and announced calmly, "Don't look now, but I think your blast got someone's attention. We've got company."

# Chapter 12

Practice Makes Perfect

Aspen whipped around with fists clenched, ready for trouble.

The two sisters studied a stand of trees behind them and smiled at the sound of horses trampling through the undergrowth. Their hooves struck small rocks and stones while their bodies broke twigs and branches, and they whinnied in excitement as they got closer. A moment later three snow-white geldings trotted proudly into view.

Dylan sat upright on the first horse, and leaned over to speak to Aspen. "Hey there, did we miss anything?"

She held her breath. He looked so good on horseback. Dark wool trousers, a white shirt, and a black leather vest fit his body snugly, and his leather bracelet looked so cool on his tanned arm. His dream catcher charm glinted from around his neck.

"Hey," she said softly.

The second horse nudged against his and a strikingly beautiful girl peered down at her. Aspen gasped. This was the pretty redhead from her birthday party. The one who'd wrapped herself around Dylan.

The girl's hair tumbled past her waist in the brightest flame-red waves. It was thick and luxurious, and nestled on the saddle like spun silk. Her small athletic body was wrapped in tight emerald-green cotton, and a white sheepskin coat hugged her shoulders. Knee-high white leather boots covered her calves. She hugged the horse as though molded to it, and glared at Aspen through clover-green eyes.

"Is this the Halfling?" she asked haughtily.

Dylan straightened up and spoke to her. "Ruby, this is my friend Aspen. Aspen, this is Ruby from the Fire clan, and this is her brother,"—he swiveled around and pointed to the third rider behind him—"Ray."

Ray was the complete opposite of his sister. He smiled broadly at Aspen and slid from his horse in a fluid move. While he held the reins in one hand, he clasped Aspen's hand with the other. His grip was warm and comfortable, but not half as thrilling as Dylan's.

"Well, hello there, darlin'," he said with a broad smile.

Ruby's brother was about five foot nine inches tall and extremely handsome, with dark auburn hair that curled slightly over the collar of his black shirt. When he focused his emerald-green eyes on her that practically twinkled with delight, she had the feeling that they would become good friends.

"Welcome to Lanta, little lady. It's real nice to meet ya."

She smiled shyly. Movement behind him caused her to step back warily. A crowd of boys walked into the clearing, and Ginny and Sandy shouted greetings to them. Ray held her hand in his and tugged her almost protectively toward him.

Ray bent toward her. "It's okay, little darlin'. They're with us," he whispered reassuringly into her ear.

Dylan slid off his horse and wrapped the reins around a nearby branch. He walked over to Aspen and took her other hand. With a small tug, he drew her away from Ray and slipped his arm over her shoulder. Warmth spread from the area where Dylan's skin touched hers, and she closed her eyes for a second to enjoy the feeling. Ray stepped back and his mouth tightened, the atmosphere suddenly very tense.

Ginny jumped to her feet and began to speak. "Aspen, let me introduce you to this motley gang. There are way too many of them and they're not important enough, so I'm going to be quick." She grinned and the group of teenage boys laughed and whooped around her.

"This is Caden, Troy, Ryder, Ethan, Ashley, and Cole." Each boy bobbed his head in greeting as Ginny pointed them out. Two of the boys had shoulder-length blond hair and turquoise eyes; the rest had auburn hair and green eyes.

"Caden and Troy are from the Water clan, and the rest are from the Fire clan," Sandy said from behind them.

Caden moved forward and lifted his fingers to his forehead in a mocking salute. His gaze roamed from her head to her toes and he smiled widely, flashing deep dimples. He really looked good with his thick blond hair and pale blue T-shirt.

The rest of the boys were dressed in T-shirts and jeans, and Aspen could feel their speculative stares.

"Don't mind their rudeness. Honestly, haven't you ever seen a Dream Walker from the Power clan before, boys?" Ginny scolded.

"She's only half a Dream Walker. Maybe that's their fascination." Ruby slipped delicately from her horse with eyes glittering at Caden. She stalked around Aspen in a circle. "We don't get many Halflings around these parts."

Aspen clenched her hands and the fine hairs on her arms rose. Was this girl trying to insult her? She felt Dylan's grip tighten on her shoulder and she glared at Ruby openly. The Fire Walker tossed her tresses over her shoulder and turned away from her as though she were nothing.

Sandy stepped forward. "I'll have you know that Aspen's father was Roman Walker. She's a princess in our clan, and her powers are greater than the best Walker around."

Ruby ignored her and leaped upon her horse. With a flick of the reins, she urged the horse forward. Her hair tumbled in waves of red behind her back as the animal cantered away.

"Did she just try and insult me?" Aspen asked Sandy.

Sandy frowned. "Ignore her. Ruby doesn't like competition."

The group of boys chuckled nervously amongst themselves and walked in the direction that Ruby had taken.

Ray's green eyes trained on her. "Don't mind my sister. She doesn't know you yet."

"It's okay," she said and smiled sweetly at him. "I'm not worried about it."

Ray hesitated for a second before mounting his horse and following his sister.

The air was still warm and the light was pale yellow. Aspen took a deep breath to calm herself. Her muscles fluttered beneath Dylan's grip, and she didn't want to move.

"Come on, girls," Ginny said, interrupting Aspen's thoughts. "We might as well follow and have some fun. They're on the hunt and it's good to go out in numbers."

"Aspen, you can ride with me." Dylan turned her to face the huge white horse that he'd arrived on.

She jerked in his arms. "No way. I haven't been on one of those before."

He pushed her forward gently. "Don't worry, I'll show you what to do. Show no fear and Milky will love you."

"Milky? Is that the beast's name?"

"She's not a beast, she's the most beautiful horse in the world, aren't you, Milky?"

The horse flapped long, sooty eyelashes at him, seeming to understand his words as she snorted loudly. Her muscles twitched and she struck the ground with her hoof.

Dylan climbed into the saddle and reached down for Aspen. She hesitated before raising her arms, holding her breath as he swung her up as easily, then shifted and tucked her into place right in front of him.

He wrapped his forearm around her waist and drew her back against his chest. The heat of his body warmed her back as he kept her from wobbling out of the seat. It felt good to touch him, and her body trembled with pleasure. A current seemed to be flowing between their bodies, and she loved being held by him. As the horse trotted along, she grabbed hold of Dylan's thigh to steady herself. His low laugh tickled the sensitive skin of her ear, and she relaxed in his arms.

Aspen saw Ruby and her clan up ahead, and turned to make sure that Ginny and Sandy had kept up with them. The two girls had bright cheeks but didn't complain as they moved at a brisk pace on foot. Ruby had slowed her horse down to a walk, and she eyed Aspen openly as she leaned against Dylan's chest.

"Where are we off to?" Aspen asked Dylan.

"We're out hunting nightmares."

"Really? Where do you find them?"

"Chancellors make nightmares that we can actually see. We'll see lions, bugs, monsters, and witches, for example. The Chancellors gather around an area during Lavendula and chant for the nightmares to appear."

"What do they chant?"

"It's a call to their maker. They get their energy from the lavender pigments in the sky that their maker channels through to them. They also get energy if the nightmare succeeds in making a child scared or from our powers when we die. That's why they attack us."

Aspen cringed. "That sounds gross."

Dylan paused before changing the subject. "There are castles in different areas of our world. Each castle has a lord and a certain amount of Chancellors."

"Where is the nearest castle to us?" she asked.

"We have one only fourteen waypoints away."

"Waypoint? What's a waypoint?"

Dylan chuckled and answered patiently. "Chancellors use waypoints as entry and exit points in order to travel. They are openings in the ground that allow them to reach their destination quicker. The openings are always guarded, so if they reach their next waypoint, they are generally safe from us. We can't go after them, and we have to journey to the next waypoint in order to get to them."

Aspen swayed back and forth in the saddle as the horse's hooves clopped over the stony ground. She kept silent for a moment and then asked another question. "Why don't they just stay underground and travel that way instead of above ground?"

"Their waypoints don't meet up," Dylan explained. "They can go down one but when they come out, they need to travel above ground to get to the next one."

"That's kinda stupid." She shook her head, distracted by the way her body hummed with electricity wherever it touched him. His vest was made from leather and was smooth against her skin, but the current between them was the most wonderful feeling ever, and she wiggled closer in his grip.

"Yes, it's stupid," he continued. "We try to monitor the waypoints to stop them from reaching them, but there are far too many waypoints for us to know them all. They can also go a lot farther than we do using the tunnels. They use magic to propel themselves forward once they get inside."

"Awesome!"

"You wouldn't say that if you were chasing them. It's so frustrating trying to follow them."

Aspen frowned. "What do we do if we find Chancellors and nightmares?"

"They will deflect your blows by means of a force field. They'll do whatever it takes to save the nightmare. We normally split in two. One half will attack the Chancellors, and the other half tries to attack the nightmare. Our dream catchers help us to deflect the worst hits from them and they help us to heal, so don't lose yours," he warned.

"Wow." Aspen shivered. "This is making me nervous."

The sky darkened as they spoke and Dylan tensed behind her. The trees around them seemed to look more ominous as the air cooled down.

"Don't worry, I'm right here for you," he whispered.

The horses reacted first. The three white steeds lifted their forelegs and whinnied in surprise. Aspen shrieked and held on to the saddle horn for dear life.

Something rustled in the bushes up ahead, and suddenly a huge beast hurled itself at the group.

The horses danced backward and Dylan struggled to control Milky. Aspen looked over his shoulder and cried out again as a one-eyed monster snarled in front of them. The creature's head was connected to its muscled chest with no sign of a neck, and its single yellow eye glared balefully at them over gaping jaws dripping with an unpleasant ooze. It was at least twice the size and height of any of them, and Aspen shrank back at the sight of it.

The creature loomed over them, striking out at the clan members with sharp claws. Ray clenched his fists and shot balls of fire at it. The fireballs were small and bright, but they struck the beast with deadly accuracy. The monster retreated and rolled its massive body on the ground to put out the flames, roaring in pain as the smell of singed flesh filled the air.

Without warning, Chancellors streamed into the clearing. Wearing their black outfits, they scuttled into view in great numbers and raced toward the Dream Walkers.

Sandy and Ginny threw bolts of electricity at them, and the Fire Walkers aimed balls of fire in their direction. Caden and Troy soaked the Chancellors with water, which was the perfect conductor for the electric blasts Sandy and Ginny had created, and gave them more power.

Nothing worked. The Chancellors must have been protected by a spell or an invisible force field, for they seemed unaffected by whatever was hurled at them.

Cole was thrown off his feet by two Chancellors, and Troy was restrained by three of them. A large Chancellor with inky eyes slammed a fist against Troy's face, causing his nose to bleed. All around, Chancellors restrained Dream Walkers and savagely beat them.

"Stay on the horse and call the elders if we lose," Dylan shouted to Aspen as he slid off the back of the stallion. She looked around in horror.

Smoke roiled above them, and screams and shouts filled the air as the battle waged on. The beast roared in fury.

"Kill the monster!" Dylan cried, and the Dream Walkers renewed their efforts to attack it.

A few Chancellors circled the great beast, facing outward, and pointed their hands toward the ground. Aspen gasped as a strong current flowed up from the earth, surrounding the Chancellors and the beast in a large transparent dome. Shocking pink and purple electric streaks arced around the inside of the dome.

At home, Miriam owned a Tesla coil lamp with violet streaks that arced around an invisible shell. Aspen had been fascinated by the lamp, but couldn't come near it as the electricity would arc toward her even though she didn't touch the glass.

The dome acted in the exact same manner. Violet and neon pink bolts of electricity inside its shell strained toward her, and a warm current surged through her body. Aspen stared at her hands. Electricity sparked from her fingers, and the tiny hairs on her forearms rose up from her skin.

"Kill the monster and the Chancellors will disappear," Dylan shouted again.

The Dream Walkers focused their energy on the monster, but all their flames and energy blasts were deflected by the dome.

Ginny cried out as she was struck in the stomach by a vicious Chancellor, and this galvanized Aspen into action. Her eyes blazed and she dug her feet into the stirrups so she stood tall in the saddle.

"Don't you dare touch my friends!" she shouted, and aimed her palms at the Chancellor who'd just hit Ginny.

A bolt of lightning flared from her hands. Hot, raw power shot from her fingertips and raced toward him. He disappeared in a boom of light and smoke, and a chasm opened up in the ground where he'd stood. The noise from the blast was deafening, and everyone stopped fighting for a moment, stunned and gaping at Aspen.

Dylan reacted first. "The monster, kill the monster!" he shouted.

Aspen turned in the saddle to face the monster and hurled as much energy as she could at the beast. The dome creaked and groaned, and tiny cracks appeared along its surface. Arcs of violet electricity surged through the cracks and shattered the shell as it tried to fuse with the bolts flung from her hands.

The entire dome erupted and the explosion was so powerful that everyone was thrown back against the surrounding trees. The monster and Chancellors disintegrated into a pile of ash, and within seconds, only Dream Walkers remained.

Aspen was drained. She sagged into the saddle and stared dumbly at the crater that was revealed as the smoke slowly cleared. The feeling of weakness was overwhelming.

Suddenly the horse seemed very tall.

Oh darn, she thought as her eyes closed and her body went limp. I should've done this on the ground, not on the back of a horse. This is going to hurt.

# Chapter 13

Ruby Red

A loud sound woke Aspen up with a start. Slapping the Mickey Mouse ears on her alarm clock, she lowered the quilt and opened her eyes. The small hand mirror on her table jumped as she grabbed it to examine her face.

"Hmm, no damage that I can see," she mused. After wiggling her toes, she then tested her fingers, stretching them open and closed a few times. Satisfied that all was well, she hopped out of bed.

Pulling out a sweater, a pair of jeans, and underwear in the darkened room, she tiptoed to the bathroom. Miriam had already come and gone, leaving towels strewn all over the floor. After Aspen cleaned up, she got dressed, put on her watch and ring, and caught the bus to school.

Sandy and Ginny waited for her in the courtyard.

"Hey!" Ginny called. Her hair was wrapped in a bun, held in place with a leather hair slide and stick. She raised her hand to high-five Aspen.

"Way to go." Sandy laughed and slapped her hand as well.

"What happened? Everything went blank. Did you guys get home safely?"

"Well, duh. We're here, aren't we?" Ginny smiled smugly. Her dream catcher peeped out through the pink V-necked shirt she wore, and her metallic bangles tinkled as she moved.

"No, you know what I mean."

"Yes, everyone is okay. You're the new superstar back home," Sandy said excitedly.

"I am?"

"Yes, you're all that anyone talks about now."

"No way. Really?"

Ginny nodded her head and laughed while shifting her backpack over her shoulder.

"Did Dylan manage to make it out?" Aspen asked, and Sandy raised her eyebrow.

"Yes, he did. But you can find out for yourself in class today."

Sighing, Aspen looped her arms through theirs and headed for the school building. "Right, let's get the day started."

• • •

The first class of the morning was English, but Dylan was noticeably absent. She sat down at her desk and looked up in surprise as Ray and Ruby were escorted into the classroom. Mr. Wright cleared his throat loudly to get the students' attention.

"Class, we've got new students." He held on to Ruby's shoulder as he spoke. "This is Ruby Firestone and her brother, Ray. They're exchange students from Tuscaloosa High School in Alabama, and they'll be with us for the next semester. Please make them feel welcome."

The male students were completely captivated as they stared in amazement at Ruby's beauty. And she did look spectacular. Her sweater and short skirt were completely white, and her hair was pinned high on her head in a swinging ponytail. The red tresses dipped and swayed as she moved. White Roman sandals with straps wound up her calves and fastened at the knees.

Ray stood next to her with his arms folded across his wide chest. He searched the class and as soon as his eyes found Aspen's, he grinned broadly. Striding over to her, he left his sister alone at the front of the room.

"Can I join you, darlin'?" A small dimple appeared in his cheek as he hovered over her.

Aspen nodded and he took the desk next to her. His clothing had been freshly laundered and he smelled like fabric softener. Tiny flecks of gold sparkled in his eyes as he studied her.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"Ruby wanted to see how Dylan was doing, and I wanted to spend some time with Lanta's new hero." He gave her a lazy grin.

Looking up, Aspen saw his sister watching their interaction and she lowered her head. "Does Ruby mind that you're sitting with me?"

"Absolutely not. How could she mind when I'm with the prettiest girl in the school?" He smiled wickedly.

Heat flared in her cheeks. "Thank you, but I think your sister has officially earned that title right now." She glanced at the smitten faces of the boys around her. Arguments had already broken out over where Ruby should sit.

"Darlin', you're breathtaking. Don't sell yourself short." Ray's gaze wandered over her body with an appreciative gleam.

Aspen couldn't help but smile at him. The Southern charm that he turned on was so sweet and engaging. She decided to relax and enjoy his flirting.

By the time the lunch bell rang, her stomach ached from laughter. Ray followed her around wherever she went. He carried her backpack to each class, and dusted off the seat for her before she sat down. Even though she'd looked out for Dylan, he didn't come to any of his usual classes, and she jerked in surprise when his deep voice called her name in the corridor.

"Aspen!"

Wearing a tight-fitting gray T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans that hung low on his hips, he glared over her head at Ray. She felt guilty that her backpack was draped over Ray's shoulder, and winced when she saw a muscle in Dylan's jaw tick.

"Hey. I, er, I wondered where you were," she stuttered.

Ruby appeared behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "There you are," she said with a sigh. "I've been looking for you everywhere." She squeezed him and slipped under his arm. On her tiptoes, she reached up to press her lips against his cheek.

Aspen's whole body flushed with anger and her eyes narrowed. The two looked so comfortable together, and Dylan didn't pull away from her.

Without warning, Ray turned her to face him. "Come on, let's get some lunch."

Aspen looked back at Dylan, but the imprint of Ruby's lipstick was still clearly visible on his cheek. Her stomach churned at the thought of the tiny Fire Walker tucked up against his body.

She reached out and held Ray's arm, smiling radiantly. "Yes, I think that's a good idea."

Dylan stared at her for a long moment before looking down at Ruby and giving her his full attention. "Hey, Rubes. You're looking gorgeous today."

"Mmm, that's exactly why I wanted to find you. You know just what to say to make a girl feel good," Ruby said with a chuckle. "Let's get out of here."

Aspen glanced over her shoulder as Ray tugged her toward the cafeteria. Dylan had his arm around Ruby's shoulders, and her silvery laughter rang through the air.

It hurt to think of Dylan with Ruby, and Aspen's heart fluttered as a physical pain gripped her chest. She could hear Ray speaking, but she wasn't listening to a thing he said over the rushing sound in her ears. Her mind raced and her veins throbbed with electricity. Everything was going wrong. She wanted to be more than friends with Dylan, and Ruby was going to ruin everything.

Dylan belonged to her, not Ruby. She wanted him so badly that it ached. That was it! She closed her eyes as the words bounced around in her mind, over and over. She was in love with Dylan Powers.

With that earth-shattering conclusion, her mood dipped and she slowed down to think.

Ruby could have anyone her heart desired, and there was absolutely no reason for her to be with Dylan. Aspen, on the other hand, didn't own anything. All of her clothes were hand-me-downs from Miriam, or thrift shop specials, and she hadn't possessed a thing when she was younger.

Her bedding was secondhand. The Mickey Mouse clock was something she'd picked up in the dumpster one day. She couldn't even keep her dad. He'd been taken away from her too, and she hadn't had the chance to know him as she grew up. Dads treated their little girls with love and care, and spoiled them as much as possible. Not experiencing that hurt more than words could say.

Aspen's lip trembled and moisture spiked the corners of her eyes. The dream catcher throbbed softly under her shirt, and she wondered how long it would be before someone would take that as well. She wanted to curse and words bubbled up in her throat, but she bit her lip to keep them in.

"Hey, you're squeezing my hand. What's wrong?"

Aspen pulled her fingers back in shock. The tightness in her chest must have spilled over, and she'd squeezed Ray's hand very hard.

"I'm sorry." She sighed. "I've got to get something. I'll meet you in class after lunch."

With a disappointed look, he let her go and watched her walk away.

She ran into the bathroom and splashed cool water over her cheeks at the sink. As she was drying her face with a paper towel, Sandy walked into the room.

"Ray just walked away with a lost look on his face." She laughed and dropped her backpack on the counter.

"Don't lie. Why would he look lost?"

"Maybe 'cause he has the hots for you?"

Aspen smiled weakly. "He doesn't have the hots for me. He's just a nice guy." She threw the crumpled paper towel into the trash can.

"Hah, that's what you think. He's crazy about you." Sandy smiled and leaned back against the counter.

The door creaked open and Ruby walked into the restroom. Aspen bent to pick up her backpack and stumbled for a second, but then stood upright with her shoulders drawn back.

"Hello, Halfling." Ruby smiled and faced the mirror. After a quick inspection, she smoothed her red bangs against her forehead. Opening a shiny red lip gloss, she reapplied the color to her lips. Aspen assumed the gloss needed to be replaced because half of it was probably still on Dylan's cheek.

Ruby met Aspen's eyes in the mirror. "You did okay yesterday, but you've got so much to learn. Power means nothing if you can't control it." She puckered her lips at her reflection. "You need to practice a lot more before you join our hunts. You could have killed us all if we weren't behind you."

Aspen gasped. Sandy stood next to Ruby at the sink and reached forward to grab her arm.

"How dare you say that to our princess? Apologize now, you idiot." Sandy was practically vibrating, she was so angry, and a small bolt of electricity left her fingers and gave Ruby a mild shock.

"Ouch! Let go of me!" she shouted. Tiny flames licked over the surface of Ruby's skin and burned Sandy's hand, and Sandy dropped her grip instantly. Her palm blistered for a second before the dream catcher around her neck healed it.

"You little witch. That hurt!" Sandy cried and balled her fist in order to blast Ruby.

"Stop it!" Aspen shouted. "Stop it right now, both of you. I've had enough of everyone today." Wisps of hair stood up on her neck as power spiked up and down her body in strong currents.

The two girls stopped fighting and turned to stare at her in disbelief.

"Okay, Aspen, we aren't fighting now. Just relax." Sandy spoke in a calming voice and watched Aspen anxiously.

"You started this," Ruby cried out. "I just said she needed more practice, now look what you've done." She stared at Aspen for a second longer and then stormed out of the bathroom as fast as she could.

"Calm down, Princess, don't get so upset. You can come back down again."

Sandy's voice rang in the distance in Aspen's head as waves of anger crashed through her body. She was mad at Ruby for being so close to Dylan, the only guy she liked in the whole world, and she was livid that her friend had been burned. The power running through her veins fizzled and popped, and she cursed Ruby in her mind. She was so angry that she barely heard Sandy speaking.

"Come down, Aspen. You need to calm down."

It was then that she glanced at the mirror and saw the strangest sight. A blue light flickered around her body like a neon sign, and she hovered in the air about two feet above the ground. Her eyes were silver, and swirled like rough seas. With a cry, she exhaled and dropped to the floor.

"Sandy," she cried. "What's happening to me?"

The sound of the bathroom door slamming against the wall made her squeal as Dylan burst into the room.

"Aspen, are you all right?" He dropped to the floor next to her and pulled her into his arms. The excess electricity that itched up and down her skin arced into his body, and he winced for a second before smiling and closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on. This hasn't happened to me before." She tried to crawl away from him to avoid shocking him.

Dylan's grip tightened on her arm. "No, don't move. It's fine." He kept his eyes closed and drew her closer. "Don't worry. You've just had an overload of power. It can be scary, but you'll learn to control it. Let me absorb it for you."

The heat that radiated between them intensified, and she could feel the tension leave her body as a current buzzed between their arms. After a few minutes, Dylan opened his eyes. A neon glow burned around his pupils momentarily before the color switched back to blue.

"Let me take you home. I don't think it's smart to stay at school." He helped her up from the floor.

"That's a good idea," Sandy said. She'd kept quiet while Dylan was holding Aspen, but now she held up her hand to wave at her friend. "See you later."

Before Aspen could answer, Dylan touched his dream catcher and they were transported instantly to the driveway of her house.

She took a step back and steadied herself. "How did you do that?"

"You can do it too. I'll teach you tomorrow. Come on, you need some food and a nice sugary drink." He walked with her along the driveway.

Her mom's head peered out of the kitchen window. "Aspen, what's wrong?" she called.

"Nothing, Mom. I just felt faint at school, that's all."

"Oh, my darling." Norma's blond bob whipped up as she rushed to open the door and let them in.

Dylan took a second to look around the room, and Aspen looked around to try to see it through his eyes. A big clock hung on the wall above the white fridge, and a small wooden table stood in the middle of the floor with four chairs that were tucked neatly underneath it. Although the kitchen was spotlessly clean, the cabinets were in desperate need of attention; they were clean but unvarnished, and the walls needed a new coat of paint. He probably wondered why Aspen's stepfather hadn't tried to modernize the room.

"Come inside, honey. I'll make you both a glass of sweet tea." Norma seated her daughter and pulled a pitcher of tea from the fridge.

"What happened? Are you okay?" she asked as she removed glasses from the cabinet.

"It's all right, Mom," Aspen replied. "It happened a while ago, and I feel a lot better now, thanks. This is Dylan, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." He greeted her with an outstretched hand. "I think Aspen needs a sandwich with that tea, if you don't mind. It'll build up her strength."

"I couldn't agree more. Why don't you wait with her in the living room, and I'll call as soon as the food is ready."

Dylan helped Aspen out of the chair and walked with her to the living room. Again, the room was tidy but threadbare, and she was embarrassed as he stared at the peeling wallpaper and old furniture.

"I'm just going to dump my bag in my room. I'll be back in a second." She spoke softly as she gripped the handrail.

Dylan put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll take it up for you, you still look tired."

"It's not the best room you've ever seen. It needs work."

"Don't worry. I'm not here to judge," he said with a smile.

Sighing, she handed him the bag and climbed the staircase. It was rickety and old, and she glanced over her shoulder to make sure he was behind her. Her bedroom was as small as a closet, and she could see the look of horror on his face as she led him into the tiny, dark room. Huge trees outside blocked the light from the window, and the air smelled musty and stale.

"Where is the light switch?" he asked.

"No, don't switch on the light, my stepfather doesn't like it. I'm just dropping off my bag. Give it to me, please."

Holding out the backpack, Dylan rubbed the fingers of his free hand together and produced a ball of electricity that glowed on his palm. The blue light illuminated the tiny room.

"Wow, that looks pretty," she exclaimed.

He placed the light on her chest of drawers, and it glowed in a perfectly shaped circle.

Aspen caught a look of pity in his eyes as he turned to watch her, and she straightened her shoulders. She was the king's niece. She didn't need anyone's sympathy.

As though he could read her thoughts, he smiled softly and stepped closer to her. "You can do it too. Just concentrate on the ends of your fingers and mold the power into a ball."

Aspen stretched out her arms and flexed her fingers. Instantly, a ball of blue engulfed her hands. It ran up her arms and covered her body in a pulsating strobe of light.

"Oops, I think I overdid it." She smiled for the first time.

"Pull it back, remember the tap. You can cut off the flow by closing the valve."

Her eyes scrunched up and she wrinkled her nose in concentration. The blue light dribbled back down her body and stopped at her fingertips. Once she'd stopped the current, she spun around, smiling.

"Mold it like putty, turn it into a ball," he instructed.

She pretended to play with a mound of dough and within seconds, a perfect ball of luminous blue hovered on her hand.

"Good girl!" he exclaimed.

Aspen's chest jutted out in pride. With her hand outstretched, she aimed a beam of light toward her bed.

"It's a shame you didn't teach me this earlier," she mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." She smiled wanly. "Let's go back."

Dylan touched the ball of light on the dresser and it was absorbed back into his body. He followed her downstairs and they entered the kitchen just as Norma placed a plate of sandwiches on the table. Two glasses of iced tea sat next to the plate.

The pair sat down and ate the food silently. As they finished the last of the sandwiches, high heels clacked on the pavement outside, which meant that Miriam was home.

She entered the kitchen and stared at Dylan. With an exaggerated eye roll, she dumped her bag on the floor and Norma rushed to pick it up.

"What's he doing here?"

Dylan reached into his pocket, grabbed a small card, and pressed it into Aspen's hand. With a tilt of his head, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Call me if you need me."

Standing up, he faced Miriam squarely. "Nice to see you too." Then he nodded at Aspen's mom as she took Miriam's lunchbox out of her bag and placed it in the sink. "Thank you for the sandwiches. I'll talk to you all soon."

Miriam glared at him as he walked past her and out through the door.

Watching his tall, lean frame leave the house, Aspen had to fight the anger from whipping through her body again. Her stepsister had forced Dylan to go after he'd been so kind to her. She conjured up a small, marble-sized ball of energy and rolled it steadily between her fingers under the table while her mother began to make food. It was warm and tingled in her palm.

Miriam was clearly impressed that she'd made him leave and gave her stepsister a self-satisfied look before flouncing out of the kitchen.

Aspen fumed as she helped her mother wash the dishes.

# Chapter 14

Witches and Lions

"Hey, Princess." Ginny flashed a smile as Aspen appeared next to her and Sandy.

She'd fallen asleep minutes earlier and had woken up in Lanta. A week had passed since she'd last seen Dylan, and no matter where she'd searched, she couldn't find him.

Even though she was burning to ask about his whereabouts, she didn't want to raise Ginny or Sandy's suspicions, but she was at her wit's end. If only she could call his phone. The sound of his voice would make her feel better. She'd need a valid excuse to call him, though, and she couldn't think of one. Texting wouldn't help as she didn't own a cell phone for fear of breaking it. The leather strap had stopped all that, but she would need to work during Spring Break in order to afford one now.

"Hey, Gin, how are you doing?"

The sisters were dressed in khaki pants and black T-shirts. Sandy's fair hair was braided in cornrows, and both girls looked ready for battle. A group of five boys loitered around them in a circle. She recognized most of them; they were all Power clan members. The lake glistened invitingly next to them, and the trees swayed in the hot, dry air as butterflies danced on white daisies nearby. It was a perfect day.

She waved at the clan members.

"Hey, Aspen," they said in a chorus.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked.

"We were just about to go hunting," Sandy replied. "Wanna join us?"

"Yeah." She laughed and rubbed her dream catcher. "I think that's just what I need right now."

"That's great. Dylan couldn't make it, so we're a team member short." Sandy didn't elaborate, and Aspen refused to ask why he couldn't be there.

He hadn't called her the entire week, and she hadn't seen him in Lanta at all. Ray still spent time with her at school and she'd seen Ruby once, although she wanted to avoid her as much as possible.

If Aspen could find out where Dylan was without asking directly, she would, but she kept quiet as the boys walked along the water's edge. She tagged along with the girls behind them.

Sandy gave Aspen a band for her hair, and she swept it up in a ponytail high on her head as they walked. For once, she'd been transported in a pair of jeans and soft boots instead of the usual long skirt, and she felt ready for action.

The lake was fed from a river uphill, spilling into another smaller stream farther down the incline. They followed the water until it became choppy as it was forced by gravity through a narrow passage.

Aspen recognized the place she'd seen when she first arrived in Lanta. Willow trees draped over the gurgling water, and the pebbles looked like gemstones beneath the surface of the stream.

"I remember this place," she said. A small rock on the ground caught her attention, and she bent to pick it up. The sky changed to lavender moments later, and her skin prickled from a fresh blast of cool air.

"That's odd, this is a favorite Chancellor casting place. What were you doing here?" Ginny asked. Her blond braid whipped against her back as she walked up to her friend.

"I don't know. I woke up near this place and had the worst experience ever." Aspen sighed.

"I think something bad is going to happen again," Sandy shouted from behind them. "Take cover, it's a witch!"

Aspen ducked as a bolt blasted into the ground next to her feet. Soil shot up and gritted in her eyes, and she was blinded for a second. With a cry, she rubbed the sand from her face and spat out tiny particles of mud that had formed in her mouth. Turning around, she found an ugly old woman with pitted skin and a pointy black hat standing behind her. Matted hair hung limply on a cloak draped over her shoulders, and Aspen gasped to realize the woman was the embodiment of the witches she'd read about in fairy tales. Before she could move, the crone raised a bony arm to fire another blast at Aspen.

The bolt hit Aspen's dream catcher with pinpoint accuracy, causing the string to snap and the necklace to fall to the ground next to her. A roar sounded above her as she bent to pick up the charm, and a rush of air streamed along her bare skin as something large flew over her.

She screamed as a monstrous lion jumped over her head and landed with a thud before her. It opened huge jaws and roared. Rancid breath hit her nostrils, and its amber eyes locked on her. Behind her, she could hear the screams and shouts of her friends as Chancellors spilled out—much like the spiders had done in her dream previously—along the raging river. The water was no longer calm, forming waves that hissed as they slammed against the rocks next to her.

The sky was really dark but she could only think of the angry beast that faced her. She had to ignore the witch to face the immediate threat. The lion's eyes focused on her, and she sensed it was about to pounce. The mane around its neck was thick and matted, and the muscles in its hind legs bunched together as it crouched, ready to jump on her and rip her to shreds.

Aspen threw her hand up and hurled as much energy as she could at the growling beast. She couldn't use both hands for fear of losing the dream catcher, and she prayed that the power was enough to save her.

The earth rocked as her bolt hit the lion. The huge beast disappeared in an instant, leaving a gaping hole in the ground. Smoke spiraled from the blast site.

It took a second for her to realize that the beast was gone, before she grabbed at the strings of suede on her dream catcher. Her fingers shook as she tied the shortened string around her wrist so that she had both hands free. Without the charm she was vulnerable, but she needed to use both hands to be effective.

Someone screamed and she spun around. The other Dream Walkers must have taken care of the witch because there was only a smoldering spot left where she'd been standing before.

Ginny was far ahead of her, being dragged away by three strong Chancellors. They'd wrapped rope around her arms, and she couldn't lift her hands to fight them. One of them smacked her jaw and she collapsed into a limp heap. He picked her up as though she weighed nothing and swung her over his broad shoulders.

Sandy was a few feet behind her, fighting Chancellors. Aspen turned to her and screamed, "They've got Ginny, help her!"

Sandy risked a glance over her shoulder, but she was under attack by the Chancellors in front of her. They swarmed everywhere with their black eyes and scary pale faces.

Aspen was the only one free so she ran after Ginny. Electric balls of energy shot from her hands as she darted along the riverbank and chased the Chancellors. Her power was new and she didn't have enough control to risk hurting Ginny with a direct blast, so she followed them and waited for the right opportunity to help.

The Chancellors held on to Ginny and ran toward a small mound of earth near the last of the willow trees. As she watched, they disappeared behind the mound. She was astounded. It was impossible for them to vanish so quickly.

"Ginny!" she cried out.

As she wailed, the sky began to change. The deep lavender color lightened and a pale lemon light brought a warm breeze with it. The remaining Chancellors rushed toward the mound of earth and disappeared in a heartbeat.

People lay on the ground moaning around her, and she stared at them in shock. Realization hit her after a few seconds, and she cried out, "They've got Ginny!"

She ran to the pile of earth behind the willow trees. A glint of metal caught her eye, and she found Ginny's dream catcher and the chain it was suspended from wrapped on a bush nearby.

Sandy rushed up to her. Her T-shirt was torn and dirt was smeared over one cheek. "Where is she? Did they take her?"

Aspen nodded her head slowly and held Sandy as she sobbed and collapsed against her chest. "Shh, we'll find her, don't worry. Let's get everyone together and get help. My uncle will know what to do."

The rest of the Power clan gathered around the two girls as their dream catchers glowed brightly. A yellow light traveled from the charms over their bodies, mending each scratch and cut before her eyes. After the glow had subsided, Aspen jerked forward and grabbed Sandy's hand.

"Come on, we haven't got any time to lose, we've got to get back to the village." Shouting loudly, she raced toward the cottages.

Dogs barked and geese cackled in fright as they entered the village, and smoke from campfires trailed lazily in the air. Leeman walked onto the small veranda of his wooden house to see what had happened. At the sight of the bedraggled group, he ran down the steps and folded Aspen into his arms as she flung herself at him.

"Uncle Leeman, help us please," she cried.

"What is it, Princess, what happened?" He pulled her tiny frame away from his body.

"They took Ginny!"

"Who took her?"

"Th-the Chancellors," she stuttered.

"How did that happen?"

Sandy spoke urgently. "There was a witch who knew we'd be defenseless without our dream catchers, so she broke Ginny's. She couldn't defend herself without it."

"Where did this take place and when?" Leeman's eyes glinted coldly. Demothi, the conjurer, stood behind the leader and chanted softly as he listened to their tale.

"Just now . . . at the first turn in the river." Sandy was shaking and Aspen held on to her arm.

"Gather the warriors! Wait here—I'll be back," Leeman commanded. He ran up the steps of his cottage and motioned to a young boy, who rang a bronze bell that hung from a rope in a wooden structure close by. It had a muffled clang, but the noise carried across the village. The smell of smoke was even more noticeable in the air around them, and dogs continued to bark in excitement.

"What are they going to do?" Aspen asked Sandy.

The girl's face was ashen. "We have to get to Ginny before they take her to the castle. We'll never see her again if they reach their home base."

Demothi chanted softly in the background, but his intonation grew louder and soon he shouted in a strange language.

Aspen gasped as a herd of snow-white horses charged into the village. Their hooves sounded like thunder, and she stepped back in case they got too close.

The horses slowed to a trot and snorted. Throwing their heads back, they flicked their tails and one by one, came to a halt in front of Demothi.

Leeman exited his cottage. He had a strange gadget strapped to his hip and clutched a leather whip tightly in his hand. The gadget looked like a huge G-clamp with a blue head and a short black handle.

"He's taken the Gimler," Sandy whispered.

"What's that?"

"That blue object around his waist. It's the most powerful weapon we have."

A flowing white cape covered his broad shoulders, and he wore black pants and a loose white shirt. The largest horse walked up to him and lowered its head. Aspen watched in awe as it stood still and allowed Leeman to mount it in one smooth move. Warriors slipped out of the cottages, dressed in similar garb. Each one mounted a white horse and joined Leeman, awaiting his orders.

Aspen raced up to her uncle's horse. "Wait, we have to come with you. We can show you where it happened."

Leeman stared impatiently at his niece. His eyes glowed, and for a moment she was sorry that she'd called him back.

"I'll take the girls. I'll look after them. I promise!" Dylan shouted from behind them and ran up to the group. Aspen turned to stare at him in shock. He'd been nowhere to be found all week, and now he stood before them as though he'd never left.

Leeman took a moment to decide. "Protect them with your life."

Demothi started to chant again and nodded his head as three more horses galloped into the village. With a wave at the warriors in the circle around him, Leeman jerked his horse forward and they all thundered through the village in a cloud of dust.

"Where've you been? I've been looking for you everywhere." Aspen stared accusingly at Dylan.

"I've been busy. I heard the sound of the alarm and knew there was trouble somewhere. Quick, mount your horse and we'll leave."

This was not what she wanted to hear, and she placed her hand against the horse's flank. "I've never ridden by myself before."

"These are magical horses. Demothi made them for us and we'll know how to ride them. Trust me."

Aspen hesitated for a second before hauling herself up into the saddle. Ginny was in trouble and she wasn't going to be much help if she couldn't reach her.

Before she knew what had happened, she was seated on the large animal's back. Digging her knees gently into its side, she let the horse canter after the rest of the herd. It felt as though she'd been riding for years, and she relaxed and let the animal guide her. There were about twenty riders, all strong Power clan men, and her horse hurried to join them as they galloped up ahead.

Sandy and Dylan rode up next to her, and she leaned into the wind as the horse's mane whipped in her face. Her ponytail slapped against her arm and her clothes fluttered in the warm wind.

Within minutes they'd reached the spot where the fight had occurred. The willow tree branches waved gracefully over the stream, and she was surprised that the scene was so peaceful compared to a few moments before.

Leeman crouched over his saddle and studied the area carefully. A small dagger tucked in his boot caught her eye as it glinted in the lemon light.

"They've used a waypoint!" he shouted. "Ted, take five of your men and race to waypoint ten. Paul, take five men and head for waypoint nine. The rest of you follow me to waypoint eleven." As he spoke, six riders split away from the group and headed in one direction while another six peeled away to the south.

"Why are we splitting up? Where are they going?" Aspen asked Dylan as she caught up to his horse.

"Chancellors use waypoints to travel. I told you about them before. They're like tunnels in the ground. They can't come out during Lemona, so they walk underground and pop out whenever it's Lavendula. This is waypoint twelve. We're going to head them off at the next waypoint if we can reach it in time."

Aspen nodded her head in understanding and urged the horse along as the team raced toward the next waypoint.

The sky darkened and Leeman lifted his hand to bring the steeds to a halt. A cloud of earth rose around the excited horses and riders, and he jumped from the saddle with a thud.

"Look after the horses!" he shouted at Dylan, Sandy, and Aspen.

The rest of the warriors dismounted and followed him stealthily through a large copse of trees. Dylan and Sandy clutched at the reins and tried to tie the horses to branches as quickly as possible. Aspen rushed to help them.

The sky changed to lavender as they worked, and she'd just tied the last reins to a branch when a sweet odor filled her nostrils. Dylan grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a boulder.

"Duck!" He positioned her in front of him on the ground.

His shirt brushed against her back, and her skin tingled from his touch. His breath puffed against her neck as she crouched behind the huge stone. Sandy joined them silently and knelt down next to her. Soon after, a stream of Chancellors poured out from an opening in the ground a few feet away from them. They looked straight ahead, not moving their pale heads at all. Within seconds, they'd disappeared into the trees surrounding the opening.

"Can't they see the horses?" Aspen said in a low voice.

"Demothi made a spell so they're only visible to us. We have to hide, though—I don't want the Chancellors to catch us." His deep voice whispered against her ear, "Look out for Ginny. She might be at this waypoint."

Her heart thudded nervously. Countless Chancellors continued to swarm out of the opening, but she couldn't see Ginny anywhere. After ten anxious minutes, she breathed a sigh of relief as the sky lightened. A new group of Chancellors slipped into the tunnel and the noxious smell faded away.

"They can only travel aboveground during Lavendula, so they have to come out of the tunnels at some time," Dylan said as he rose to his feet. He reached for Aspen's hand and dragged her up next to him. Her fingers crackled with electricity from his touch.

Leeman and the remaining six Dream Walkers raced toward them. His face was flushed and his blue eyes sparkled with power. "Hurry, they'll be at waypoint ten for certain."

The warriors untied their mounts and galloped as fast as they could. Dylan helped Aspen back into the saddle and together with Sandy, followed the men as quickly as they could. After a while, the team met up with the first six men who'd left them earlier. The horses whinnied with excitement and breathed heavily after the hard ride. Leeman held his hand in the air and motioned the riders to stop in front of a small hill.

"The tunnel is in front of us. We'll take this one. Go to waypoint eight in case they get away," he ordered Ted.

The big warrior didn't move. Instead he murmured sullenly, "That's too close to the castle."

Leeman twisted in his saddle and trained furious blue eyes at the man. "We've got no time to waste, Ted. If we don't find her, she'll be killed. Go now!"

Ted slunk back to his horse while the other men looked sheepishly at the ground. Dylan shook his head in disgust as he watched them mount their horses and head out for the next waypoint.

"I can't believe he just said that," Dylan said to Leeman.

Leeman's expression was bleak. "When you've seen what goes on at the castle, you'll know why they're so scared. We _have_ to find Ginny before they take her there."

After the horses were secured behind the small hill, Aspen peeked her head over the top of the knoll to watch the tunnel below. They waited for another two minutes before the sky darkened and once again, Chancellors spilled out of the opening in the ground. It was a sight to behold. So many creatures appeared with pale faces and pitch-black eyes—completely devoid of emotion—and her nose wrinkled at the sickly sweet smell in the air.

Suddenly, a group of Chancellors pulled a limp body with long blond hair from the tunnel.

Leeman ran toward them and the rest of the team followed. They aimed blue balls of energy at the three Chancellors closest to Ginny. Aspen winced as Ginny opened her eyes and lifted her head. Her face was filthy and her arms were covered in cuts and bruises, but her jaw was gritted with determination. A long rope was wrapped around her arms and waist, and the Chancellors used it to drag her back into the hole. She struggled and wedged her feet apart so they couldn't pull her into the tunnel.

"Shoot them!" Leeman shouted. "Don't let them take her."

That was exactly what Aspen had been waiting for, and she stood up to fire power balls at the Chancellors surrounding the hole. She didn't want to harm Ginny, so she aimed for the creatures a few feet away from her. A tingling rose from her toes and burned through her veins, all the way up into the rest of her body.

Once the feeling had completely swamped her limbs, she rose up and within seconds, hovered about two feet from the ground. With a cry, she raised her hands and hurled blast after blast at the Chancellors. Huge holes exploded in the earth around her and about thirty Chancellors disappeared in a haze of smoke. The remaining Chancellors stood around Ginny and enveloped themselves in a force field. A bubble of energy surrounded them and none of the power balls could touch them.

She was about to aim for the shimmering globe when Dylan shouted at her.

"No, Aspen. Your blasts are too strong. You'll destroy Ginny."

His words sank into her brain. Without thinking, she'd been about to deliver a killer shot, but he was right. She had to stop.

Leeman was the leader of their clan and his power was stronger than hers. Luckily he was experienced and knew what he was doing. He raised the Gimler from his waist and a stream of current zinged between each end of the weapon as he aimed it at Ginny and her captors. A line of power arced from the middle of the Gimler and blasted toward the bubble with an ear-splitting crack. The bubble disintegrated and Ginny stumbled forward. The three Chancellors behind her dropped down into the tunnel as soon as she was freed.

A Power Walker grabbed her just before she collapsed and pulled her against his chest. Leeman stepped forward and split the rope around her arms in half with a tiny current from his hands.

Sandy rushed to her sister's side. "Ginny! Ginny, are you all right?"

The sky was already yellow, but Aspen was too hyped up to realize that the Chancellors had left.

Dylan's voice penetrated her brain distantly. "Princess, it's all right, you can come back down now. They've gone."

When she looked down, she was shocked to see that the ground was still a good five inches from her feet. With a sigh, she fell down to the earth.

Once she was able to walk again, she rushed toward Ginny. Her friend had red rope marks around the tender skin of her lower arms, and her face was tearstained and dirty.

"Ginny, I'm so glad we found you!" she cried, and hugged her friend. The small Dream Walker held on to Aspen for a while until Leeman separated them.

"We need to leave, it's not safe here."

Ginny drew back and nodded at him. "Thank you for saving my life." Her voice was scratchy as though she'd screamed it away.

"I found your dream catcher," Aspen said, and extracted the threaded disk from her shirt pocket.

Ginny grasped at the charm and held it close to her chest. The raw wounds around her arms faded as soon as her fingers touched the dream catcher, and a glow of light encircled her until she'd healed completely.

Dylan swung onto his horse and reached down with an outstretched hand. "Come on, Ginny. Let's get you home." With both hands clasped firmly, he pulled her up onto the white steed's broad back.

The members of the Power clan mounted their horses in a hurry, and a lone horseman cantered away in the opposite direction to tell the others that Ginny had been found.

Aspen's heart swelled with pride. She smiled, happy to have been able to help save her friend's life, and turned her horse to trot behind the rest of the riders toward the village.

# Chapter 15

First Move

The next afternoon, Aspen dropped her bag on the kitchen table. Miriam hadn't come home from school yet, and Stephan's bike wasn't in the garage. With a sigh of relief, she lowered her tired body onto a kitchen chair. There was no sound from upstairs, and she wondered where her mother was.

Pulling her hair free from the band, she massaged her scalp with her fingers and rubbed the nape of her neck as she yawned. Demothi had made a new string for her dream catcher, and the charm felt warm around her neck. School had been boring, and tonight's visit to Lanta would be good for her soul.

Ray was sweet, but he was more like a big brother to her and she didn't want to give him false hope. The feelings that she had for him were nowhere near as intense as the excitement she felt around Dylan, and she constantly made excuses not to sit with Ray at lunch.

Dylan had been missing since they'd found Sandy two days ago. If he didn't show up soon, she might have to call him. She wondered if she were brave enough to do that yet. Maybe she would build up the courage to ask Sandy when she got to Lanta later on.

A soft sob reached her ears, and she sat back in the chair to listen for the source. No, she wasn't mistaken. Someone was sniffling, and the sound was coming from the next room.

Aspen jumped up and raced to the living room. "Mom!" she cried.

Her mother was huddled in a chair. Her body was slumped and her shoulders shook as she wept.

Gently, she reached out to hold her mother's hands.

"I'm s-s-sorry," Norma said with a sob. "I didn't mean for you to s-see me like this."

"Mom, what's wrong? Wait—I'll get you some water. I'll be right back."

Once she'd left her mother's side, she ran into the kitchen and poured a glass of water. The water spilled on her sleeve as she grabbed a bunch of paper towels on her way back into the living room. Norma sniffed, and she handed the towels to her to wipe her face.

"What happened?"

Her mother took a long gulp of water and wiped her nose. "I'm sorry, baby. Stephan and I got into a shouting match, and we both said some nasty things to each other."

Aspen rubbed her mom's back in small circles. "Was he ugly to you again?"

"Uh-huh."

"Mom. Why do you let him do this to you? We should pack our things and leave. He's got no right to make you sad."

"It's not so simple, sweetheart." Norma picked up the crumpled bundle of paper towels. Her mascara had smeared beneath her lashes, and Aspen wiped the sooty stain from her cheek with the pad of her finger.

"Why not? I'll help you with everything. I promise. I'll move our stuff and you'll never have to fuss at me again. I'll do whatever you say." Her voice took on a pleading tone.

"Aspen, you do what I say anyway." Norma smiled through her tears. "You're the best daughter a mother could wish for."

"Why don't we move then?" Once the glass was empty, Aspen nudged her mother's shoulder gently.

Norma sighed shakily. "Stephan won't let us."

Aspen stared at her mother's flushed cheeks. "How can he stop us?"

"I don't have any money, sweetie. Stephan hasn't allowed me to work since we've been together, and I don't have a penny to my name. I don't own anything, and he's threatened to sue me if I take one thing from this house."

"He's such a pig."

"I know, I know. I don't have enough to rent a place, and I don't have money for a bed or food. I won't be able to pay your school expenses. Stephan covers all of that now."

"You'll get a job." Aspen grabbed her mother's hands.

"How? The only thing I'll be capable of doing is waitressing, and I don't have any experience with that either. Where will we sleep until I get a paycheck? We have nothing." Fresh tears rolled down her face.

"Argh!" Aspen shouted in frustration. "He's made sure that we're dependent on him. I hate him!"

"No, don't hate him, sweetheart. Hate your mother because she didn't put you first in her life." Norma's blue eyes shone with tears. "I made the mistake of marrying someone for security because I wasn't brave enough, and I didn't think I could make a life for me and you after your father died. Hate me because I'm weak and stupid."

"Don't be silly, Mom. I love you and I'm so proud of you. I know it was tough when Dad died, and I didn't realize that you felt this way."

Norma rubbed at her eyes with the remaining paper towel and sniffed softly. "Stephan was so nice to you when I first met him. I didn't realize that he only wanted an unpaid housekeeper and someone to look after his daughter. He already had a house, and we were about to be kicked out of ours. I didn't have a job and the rent was due. Before your dad died, he spoke about a new house that he'd been building in his dreams. I wish it was the truth. I've tried to go there in my dreams at night, even though it's not real, but I can't even imagine it while I'm sleeping."

Norma took a deep breath and wiped her nose again. "Stephan was there when I was at my lowest, and his offer of help came at the right time, or so I thought. I never thought he would change into such a mean person." She reached out and grabbed Aspen's knee. "I hate the way he treats you, don't think I don't know what he's doing. I've just kept quiet because there isn't a thing I can do about it."

Aspen hugged her mother again. "Don't worry, Mom, we'll work this out together. I thought you wanted to be with him. I'm older now, you'll see, we _can_ get through this. Give me a little time and I'll have a solution for you. I promise."

Norma gave her daughter a sad smile. "Just remember that I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. Now get up and wash your face. I'll help you fix dinner."

Although Norma was still shaky, she rose from the chair and soothed the creases from her shirt.

Aspen smiled at her and said, "I'm just going out for a sec, I'll be back soon. Don't start dinner without me."

She gave her mom another hug and breathed in the vanilla scent that was so familiar to her. Once she'd released her, she darted toward the kitchen. Her backpack was under the table and she dug around in it for a quarter. The bag couldn't stay there, and she made a mental note to take it to her room when she got back.

After finding the quarter, she raced down the driveway and out into the street. A pay phone was situated in the middle of the block, and she headed straight for it. Dylan's number was imprinted in her brain; she'd stared at it enough times in class. The metal buttons were difficult to press, but she punched in the number and deposited the quarter when asked.

Dylan answered on the first ring. "Aspen, what's wrong?" His voice sounded thin and distant as he spoke.

"How did you know it would be me?" she asked.

"You're the only one who has this . . . Never mind, what's the matter?"

"Can you meet me at the playground on the way to my house?"

Dylan was quiet for a second. "What time?" His voice didn't sound warm, and she worried if she'd been right to call him.

"Um, now?" she said softly.

"I'll be there right away."

When he said good-bye, she replaced the receiver and walked to the park. The overcast sky reflected her mood as she strolled toward the recreational area. Huge oak trees shaded the road on both sides, and she stepped between cars that were situated tightly end to end in small parking spaces along the curb.

She felt Dylan's eyes on her before she saw him. He paced in front of the green metal gates, and once he saw her, he marched over to her and grabbed her hands. A warm glow reached out from his palms and traveled through her body.

"What happened?" His concern was so genuine that she felt a tremor of emotion in her chest. Her mouth tilted downward and he pulled her against him gently. His jersey smelled of wood smoke and leather, and she relaxed her cheek on his chest as his power surged through her veins.

Aspen breathed deeply. "It's my mother. She was crying when I got home."

Dylan increased the pressure of his hug and then allowed her to step back with his hands still on her. Her hair stuck to his jersey, and she concentrated on pulling each strand free as she spoke.

"Stephan had a huge fight with her and she wants to leave him but she's afraid that she'll have nowhere to go and she doesn't want us to be out on the streets but she can't live like this anymore and I'm worried about her . . ." She looked up at him with luminous eyes as she babbled away.

"Whoa, whoa. Hold up there." Dylan held her at arm's length and searched her face. "Did he hit her?" he asked solemnly.

"Nope."

"Did he hurt you?" His blue eyes glinted dangerously.

"No, I wasn't there when it happened."

Dylan relaxed slightly and breathed again. "So does your mother want to leave?"

"Yes. I didn't realize it but she hates him as much as I do. We're stuck and I don't know who to turn to." Her lip trembled.

Dylan kept quiet for a bit. Moments later, he tucked her under his arm and walked into the park. Aspen wondered if he knew how his touch affected her, but she didn't say a thing.

"How long has he been treating you badly?"

Stray oak leaves on the ground formed a perfect target for her feet, and she kicked at them as she moved along the cobbled walkway.

"It's been a while. He doesn't hurt me physically, he hurts me with words. If he struck out at me I'd be able to hit back, but I can't defend myself against words and feelings."

She looked up at the pulse ticking at the base of his neck. Children screamed in delight on the playground equipment, and a dog barked excitedly near them. As soon as she saw her favorite garden shed, she headed straight toward it.

"I can't tell anyone because he does look after me and my mom financially, but everything else that should be there in a family is missing—or at least I think it's missing. I don't know how it's supposed to be, but this just doesn't feel right." She stopped in front of the metal door. "This is my special place. I come here to get away." With a smile, she pointed at the shed.

Dylan stared at the rusty door in disbelief, but opened it for her as she stepped inside.

Once inside, she sat down on the bench and dusted a space for Dylan to sit. "Do you know what I can do to make my mom smile again?" Aspen looked up at him.

He sat down and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll make a plan. I'm going to speak to Leeman to see what can be done. There's a place that you can go to, but your mother won't be able to go there and you wouldn't want that."

"No, I won't leave my mom," Aspen exclaimed. Everything seemed hopeless and she drew her knees up to her chin and wrapped her legs with her arms.

Pulling his dream catcher out from beneath his T-shirt, he stared at her. The metal of the charm shone like spun gold in the light.

"There are things that you need to know, Princess. You're not fully clan—your mother is Earthly. That means you have two ways to get to Lanta. If you sleep at night, you'll dream and your dreams will take you to us. Your body still gets to sleep while you're gone, and that's the best way for you to travel."

He tilted the dream catcher and its reflection sparkled in the small shed. "You can also travel with a dream catcher. Do you see the pattern over here?" The afternoon sunlight shone directly on the charm, and she bent her head to look at an indentation in the design.

"Yes."

"Put your index finger on it and concentrate. You'll need to send a small spark of power to it." Reaching over, she touched the spot and thought about a blue bolt of electricity. Instantly, her arm tingled and a blast of air hit her face. The room became brighter, and in the next moment, she found herself sitting on the soft grass of Lanta. The river gurgled next to her and warm Lemona air filled her lungs.

"Wow. How did that happen?"

Dylan smiled at her. His eyes crinkled at the corners with pleasure. "This is the way I travel. I don't need to sleep because I'm a full clan member. You can travel like this too, but you will grow tired and will need to sleep, so only use this method for emergencies or if you have to travel in the day. Press the same spot and concentrate to go back home."

"That's so awesome." She jumped up and dusted her pants clean. "My clothes!" she shouted. "I'm wearing my normal clothes."

"Yes, most of the time you'll get to keep the clothes you're wearing when you travel with the dream catcher, but it's not an exact science. The dream catcher takes us between Earth and Lanta. It transports us there and back."

"Cool. Can I use it to jump to places once I'm in Lanta?" she asked.

"No, it only transports us between Earth and Lanta, not back and forth in Lanta." His mouth curled into a lopsided grin. "You can travel back and forth on Earth, but not here."

"Okay. I'll have to bring spare clothing when I use the dream catcher and store it at your place then." She smiled brightly.

"I've got a better idea." He grinned and pulled her up. "Come with me."

Silently, she followed him along the river's edge. The water lapped at the pebbles scattered along its path, and the smell of apple blossoms filled the air. Dylan led her toward his house and Goldilocks honked at them from behind the white picket fence.

"Hey, Gold." She greeted the big bird. "I haven't seen you in ages." The big goose fanned her tail feathers and vibrated them excitedly.

"We'll come back soon, Gold. I'll have some food for you then," Dylan promised.

The bird honked loudly as they passed by, but they continued walking. Dylan was headed for a large house that stood apart from the others. Weeds and bushes grew around it. The timber siding was sorely in need of paint, and Aspen noticed places where shingles were missing on the roof.

The porch steps creaked as he climbed them, and he jerked the door open on rusty hinges. With a wave of his hand, he motioned for her to look inside.

"What a beautiful old house." She breathed in awe. "It just needs a little paint and a lot of TLC, and it'll be as good as new."

After letting her enter, he led her into the living room. The room had a high ceiling and wooden floors. Linen sheets covered the couches, and a dusty coffee table was centered between the chairs. A large fireplace faced the furniture, and the ashes from an old fire lay like a carpet over the stones. A can of paint and a paintbrush sat at one side of the room, and it seemed as though someone was fixing the walls. The house smelled of paint and turpentine.

"Whose house is this?"

Dylan took a deep breath and turned to face her. "It belonged to your father."

Aspen's chest burned and her knees weakened. "It can't be. Why haven't you showed this to me before?" Her fingers dug into his forearm, but he didn't flinch from the burst of electricity that shot from her palm.

"I didn't think you were ready to see it."

Aspen shook her head and stared at the room around her. Feeling overwhelmed, she moved forward to see what memories the house held of her father. With her bottom lip clamped between her teeth, she looked back at Dylan as he waited by the doorway.

The floorboards squeaked as she walked through the living room and into the hallway. The first door opposite the living room led into a medium-sized kitchen. Dust and cobwebs covered some of the surfaces, including a large table and chairs in the middle of the room, and an old cast-iron stove and a sink against the wall. A bucket of soapy water and a mop stood against the kitchen door as though someone had cleaned up.

She stepped back into the hallway and turned into the first door on her left. A porcelain claw-foot bathtub stood in the center of the room. Old towels lay neatly across a wooden chest of drawers, and a massive sink hugged the wall. Once she'd left the bathroom, she entered a room to her right.

It contained a single bed, a closet, and a chest of drawers. The curtains were shut, and the air smelled stale. After a quick perusal of the small room, she crossed the hallway and entered the room opposite the one she'd just vacated.

This one was larger, and it contained a big bed and two closets. It must have been her father's. She choked back a sob and picked up a long-sleeved shirt draped over a chair in the corner that could only have belonged to him. It was covered in dust and was brittle beneath her fingers. Evidence of her dad lay around everywhere. A comb rested on top of the chest together with a pencil, and a pair of leather boots rested neatly outside the closet door.

The last room was opposite the master bedroom and she opened the door to peer inside. A white crib and a single bed stood near the window. She walked over to the crib and touched a mobile of small stuffed animals that hung over it. A fluffy blanket was tucked around the mattress, and it peeked out through the slats. This room smelled fresh and the quilt had been cleaned, and the floor had been scrubbed until it sparkled.

"This was your room."

Aspen spun around as Dylan spoke from the doorway.

"Your dad would bring you here because you're a Dream Walker, but he couldn't bring your mother. She's not part of us."

Absolute sadness fell over her as he spoke. "So I've been here with him before?"

"Yes, I've been told that he brought you here at night. He wanted to make a home for you but he couldn't leave your mother behind. Demothi tried to create a spell to get her to come over. We haven't had humans here for centuries, so it was very difficult to do. Your dad died before Demothi could finish the spell."

This was too much for her to process and she collapsed onto a fluffy rug on the floor. "My poor dad. He told my mom the truth all along. He's just been a distant memory for me. I remember him vaguely, when I see someone smile in a special way or if I smell a certain type of aftershave. But I can't picture him anymore," she added sadly.

Dylan held out his hand and she slipped her fingers through his. He pulled her up gently as his power seeped into her.

"It's okay. He would have wanted you to have this. I've been trying to fix the place up and clean it ever since I saw your room. You need somewhere to go when things get rough at home."

A smile crept over Aspen's lips. "Have you really been here all this time?"

Dylan smiled and nodded his head. What he'd done was heartwarming, and she couldn't believe that he'd cared enough to do this for her.

"Yes, when Ruby told me that you didn't need people to look after you, I realized she was right. She said if you were a princess, you'd want to be independent. I thought you'd like having a place of your own, and I knew about your dad's house. Leeman told me it was all good after I'd spoken to him about it."

Aspen jerked involuntarily at his words. The warm feeling she'd experienced evaporated suddenly. "That's so thoughtful of Ruby," she said woodenly. She looked away from Dylan as she spoke. "Has she seen the place yet?"

"She's stopped by quite a few times already. You can't believe how much she's done with the backyard. I cleaned up there initially. I'm working my way forward, but it's so handy having a Fire Walker when you need to burn yard trimmings. Come with me, I'll show you what it looks like."

"No, that's okay. I want to spend a few minutes here, if you don't mind. I'll look outside in a minute."

Aspen's heart was crushed. He'd been with Ruby all this time—she should have known.

Dylan frowned at her silence. It was hard to muster the excitement she knew she should be feeling, knowing that Ruby had been with him all along.

"I'll ask Demothi about the spell he worked on. He hasn't had any success with it before, but he's learned a lot since then. We can keep fixing the place and as soon as the spell is working, your mom can come and live here too."

"Thank you," she said softly, and this time her words were heartfelt.

# Chapter 16

Leeman's Solution

The house was quiet when Aspen finally arrived back. She greeted her mother and ate supper before Stephan returned. After a quick bath, she finished up her homework and slipped under the cold sheets of her bed.

Dylan had said that her body would disappear if she traveled to Lanta with the dream catcher, but it would remain behind if she dreamed. It would be better if she was still in bed when her mother checked on her at night, but she was so eager to get back to her father's house that it took a while to fall asleep.

Stephan's voice boomed and Miriam's music throbbed loudly while she lay on the bed in the darkness. This would soon change, she promised herself. There was no way that Stephan could interfere once her mother was in Lanta. Or was there?

The weight of the dream catcher was comforting around her neck, and her eyelids drooped gradually. With a start, she woke to the warm light of Lemona on her cheeks.

Her father's house was just up ahead, and she ran as fast as the cumbersome leather shoes and skirt she wore would allow her.

Once she entered the house, she saw that her friends were already hard at work.

"Wow. Thank you so much, guys."

"Don't thank us, grab a bucket and cloth and get started," Sandy's sassy voice shouted from the kitchen. Dylan and Ginny were busy in the living room.

"There's a bucket and soap near the sink," Ginny said, and wiped a strand of blond hair from her forehead.

Dylan nodded his head at her and then bent to lift a couch in order to clean the floor underneath it. He wore a white sleeveless shirt and his muscles bulged as he picked up the piece of furniture. It took a few seconds for Aspen to realize that she was staring, and she forced herself to walk toward the kitchen.

"I put some clothes in the closet in your room," Ginny said. "You can work harder with the right gear."

"Cool, thank you so much. I won't be long," she murmured. She rushed into her old room and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.

While Sandy cleaned the countertops in the kitchen, she filled a bucket of water in the sink and soaped up a cloth. She wiped the table and chairs, and within minutes the warm water was filthy.

"I thought we didn't have electricity here." Aspen pointed to the electrical appliances in the kitchen.

"Actually we do, but only for big appliances. We have to get Fire Walkers to repair things if they break, so we only use power for fridges and things like that." Sandy grinned.

"I know what you mean. I've fried so many things in my life that I've been banned from touching them."

"You should be fine now," Sandy said. "The leather wristband absorbs most of the energy, but you have to concentrate, and don't grab the microwave when you're in a hurry. The lights are switched on by sound. Clap your hands when you need them."

"Whew, I'm glad about that. I wondered how we were going to cook food."

After she'd finished cleaning the last chair, Aspen stepped outside to throw the dirty water in the backyard. The house was positioned slightly higher on the incline, and it had an incredible view of the lake in the distance. When she looked to the left, her breath caught in her chest. The yard was beautiful.

The grass was trimmed short, and a striking tree covered in bright pink blossoms hung over a stone fireplace close to her. If she placed a few chairs around the fireplace, it would be an ideal spot for a barbeque. She saw an area next to the fireplace that had been paved with chalky stones. They had a rough, blackened surface, and small pieces of ash clung to the grass nearby. Ruby must have burned the yard trimmings there, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. Trust her to notice that instead of the magnificent view. With a sigh, she turned around and walked back into the kitchen.

Once she'd filled the bucket with water again, she was about to wipe out the fridge when Leeman's voice called out from the living room.

"Hello, Dylan, Ginny. Is Aspen here?"

"She's in the kitchen, sir."

Aspen poked her head around the door. "Uncle Leeman. It's so nice to see you again."

Her uncle's long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail behind his head, and he filled the doorway with his huge size.

"Princess, come here and give me a hug. I've missed you."

The cloth she was holding dropped to the floor as she wiped her hands on her shorts and ran to him. Leeman enveloped her in a bear hug.

"Did you know about my dad's house?" she asked after he'd released her.

Leeman gazed around the kitchen sadly and sighed. "Yes, he was so excited to finish it. He wanted to bring you here permanently. Demothi did everything in his power to help him."

There was a slight pause before he looked at her and pinched her chin affectionately. "Your father was so happy when you were born. He was very proud of his baby daughter, and he loved your mother very much."

The air became colder in the house as he spoke, and Dylan touched his arm as Lavendula fell. "Can you help Aspen, please? She's got a problem at home."

Heat flared in her cheeks and she looked down.

"What's wrong, Princess? Is it your mother?"

She stared at Leeman's huge boots and couldn't get the words out of her mouth. After a short silence, Dylan spoke for her.

"Her stepdad is a bastard. You should see how he treats Aspen and her mom. And he makes her sleep in a room no larger than a closet. Her mom can't say a word because they don't have money or anyplace else to go."

Leeman bent down so that he could look into her eyes. "Is that true, Princess?"

Tightness gripped her chest. The constant feeling of helplessness was difficult to bear on her own, and she looked at her uncle with big eyes and whispered, "Yes."

Leeman reached out and tugged her back into his arms. "Why didn't you say anything, Aspen? I didn't know you were unhappy."

The light had faded in the room, and the cool air of Lavendula made her shiver. She sobbed softly in his embrace.

"Shh, I'll fix it," he said softly. "Don't you worry."

With a sigh, he searched in his pocket and found a handkerchief for her to wipe her face.

"Come on now, we've got some cleaning to do. Where's the broom?" Leeman's smile didn't reach his eyes, but Aspen didn't want to spoil the time she had there by crying. The house needed to be fixed, and moping around wouldn't get the job done.

She stuffed the handkerchief into her shorts pocket and dragged a broom out of the closet.

"Here, catch. We need all the help we can get."

• • •

The next morning was Saturday and Aspen's body felt stiff, even though it had remained behind in bed. Holding the dream catcher, she waited for the yellow glow to heal her muscles and sighed as soon as the light faded. She was eager to hurry back to Lanta to work on the house later.

After eating the sandwiches her mother had made, she was just about to do laundry when someone knocked on the front door. Miriam was at cheerleading and Stephan was at work, so she wasn't sure who it could be. Uncle Leeman's voice was unmistakable and she heard him greet her mother from where she stood upstairs.

Rushing down the staircase, she saw her mother lead him into the living room. He winked at her as he walked behind Norma.

"Mom, who is it?" Aspen asked innocently.

"My name is Leeman Walker." He stopped to address her. "Your father was my brother. You must be Aspen, you have his eyes." He held out a hand and she shook it politely.

"This is your uncle, sweetie. He was in Iraq for a long time."

With a blank face, she followed him into the living room and hovered near her mother. Wearing khaki pants and big black boots, Leeman looked completely out of place in the small living room. He looked like a military soldier, tall and intimidating. Dylan shouldn't have said a thing. This was not going to end well.

"Please, have a seat." Norma motioned Leeman to a threadbare couch. The look on Leeman's face as he studied the room told her he didn't approve of the surroundings.

"So, Norma, how long has it been since I've seen you last?" His huge body settled into the chair but he remained alert, like a watchdog. Aspen sat close to her mother.

"It's been way too long. Over a decade at least. Is this the first time you've come back to town since . . ." Norma's voice trailed off.

"Yes, since Roman died. He asked me to look after the two of you if anything happened to him, but I must admit, I haven't had the willpower to face you after his death. I think of him whenever I see you, and it was just too painful to come back." His cheeks flushed as he spoke. "I know I've forgotten my promise, but someone reminded me and I've come to find out if you're okay. I want to know what I can do for the two of you."

Norma's back was ramrod straight and she hesitated before answering him. "Thank you, but we're fine."

Aspen frowned at her mother.

"I have a house nearby," Leeman continued. His tanned skin was smooth, and his face was handsome even with his crooked nose. "It's much too big for me. It's got plenty of rooms and I have a spare car that you can use. When I left the army, I invested in shares in a newly built power plant. I've made quite a bit because of it. I'm on the board of directors now, and have a say in the running of the company. I'd like to hire a housekeeper, Norma." His steel-blue eyes stared at her. "Tell me that you need a job and it's yours."

Norma's lip trembled. Aspen could see her hands as they shook nervously. Still, she didn't speak.

"Mom, this is what you've been waiting for," she burst out. This was not the time to keep quiet. Help was finally here, and she wasn't going to let it slip by.

Norma glanced at her daughter and tugged her short hair nervously. "You don't know what you're saying," she whispered.

"Mom, are you happy living like this?" Aspen waved her hand to point at the room. "Do you think that Dad would be happy if he knew how we're treated every day? You're just a slave, and I'm nothing more than a mental punching bag for Stephan."

A tear slid slowly down Norma's pale face, and her big eyes shimmered in the dark room. Aspen grabbed her hand. "Mom, you always said you would leave if you could. Well, guess what? Now you can." She stared into her mother's face.

Her mom cried openly and Aspen held back a sob. This wasn't the time to be weak—her mother needed her to be strong.

"Norma, what is it? What's happened since Roman died?" Leeman stood up and knelt before her, placing his huge hand over hers.

She remained silent, and her petite body trembled.

"Aspen, go pack your bags!" he ordered.

Without being told twice, she jumped up and Leeman took her place on the couch next to her mother. The cushion sagged beneath his bulky figure.

"Norma, I'm here now. Things are going to be okay. I've got more money than I'll ever need, enough to look after you and Aspen forever. You'll never be scared again."

"He won't let me go," Norma whispered.

"He'll have to," Leeman said tersely. A muscle in his jaw ticked as he spoke. "Pack your things, and I'll wait for you downstairs. My car is in the driveway. I won't let him hurt you anymore."

Norma trembled as she stood up, but listened to Leeman and headed for the stairs. Aspen climbed the staircase ahead of her.

"Bring all of Dad's stuff with you, especially the dream catcher. Don't leave any of it behind, Mom."

Norma nodded her head and felt for the dream catcher around her neck as she walked up the stairs to her room. Aspen was so glad that she'd continued to wear it.

Once she'd grabbed a laundry bag and shoved a few jeans and T-shirts into it, she placed her dad's photo on top and pulled the drawstring closed. The sound of Stephan's motorcycle roaring into the driveway made her freeze.

"Keep on packing!" Leeman shouted from downstairs. "I've got it covered."

With a beating heart, she reached for her shoes under the bed. What was going to happen now? She winced as Stephan's loud voice boomed in the living room. The two men shouted at each other, but she continued to pack.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Aspen nearly keeled over with fright. Miriam stood in the doorway with red cheeks and a scowl plastered on her face.

"We're leaving," she said without emotion. Her hands were shaking as she walked over to the chest of drawers and scooped up the Mickey Mouse clock.

"Says who?" Miriam said snidely.

"You can't stop us. My uncle has come to get us, so I'm not going to be your scapegoat anymore."

The sounds of the men arguing downstairs became louder, and a sudden bang made the two of them look at the door simultaneously.

"Dad!" Miriam cried out. She left her stepsister and charged down the staircase.

Aspen glanced around her room for the last time and then dragged the stuffed laundry bag and her school backpack behind her. After grabbing her toothbrush and towel from the bathroom, she made her way downstairs.

"What did you do to my dad?" Miriam cried in a shrill voice as she entered the living room. Stephan was unconscious on the floor, and his daughter sat next to him on her knees.

Leeman walked past the two, carrying Norma's bags out to the car. He grabbed Aspen's bags as well. "Go and help your mom in the kitchen." He nodded his head toward the other room and then walked outside.

A low groan left Stephan's mouth, and Miriam's face darkened as she rose to confront Aspen. "This is your fault. You're a useless, skinny piece of trash." She seized Aspen's arm and twisted it backward.

Pain exploded in Aspen's shoulder and she gasped. Without thinking, she pointed her free hand at Miriam and blasted her with a powerful blue current. Her stepsister sailed through the air and landed in a heap on the floor.

Norma chose that moment to enter the room. A perfect _O_ formed on her lips, and her eyes widened.

"It's not what you think, Mom," Aspen tried to explain. Her eyes tingled, and she flinched as her mother moved away from her in fear.

Leeman marched inside and snatched a box of kitchenware from Norma's hands. A panicked look crossed her face and she cringed in fright. "Let's go," he said. "I'll tell you everything later."

Touching her arm gently, Aspen tried to reassure her. "It's still me, I haven't changed."

"W-what did you do to Stephan?" she stuttered, then looked to Aspen. "And to Miriam?"

"They've just had a mild shock. They'll wake up in a minute or two."

Stephan groaned again and Norma pressed her lips together, then nodded her head as if she'd come to a decision.

"They'll be fine, Mom," Aspen promised. "And so will we. You'll see."

"Okay, but you've got a lot of explaining to do, young lady," her mother said as she followed them to the car.

# Chapter 17

Second Move

Leeman's house was bigger than expected. He hadn't exaggerated about the amount of bedrooms; there were eight in total. Aspen had been told to pick a room, and she'd walked through each one before carefully choosing a large corner room upstairs with massive windows that faced the south. It had plush carpets and pale curtains. The bed could accommodate two people comfortably, and a door led from her room into a private bathroom all her own.

She sank back on the soft quilt that covered the bed and sighed in contentment. The house overlooked the playground she was so fond of visiting.

Warm rays of afternoon sun heated her skin pleasantly, and she could smell the meat stew her mother was cooking for dinner. Her stomach growled in anticipation, and she rolled off the bed to follow the aroma.

The kitchen matched the rest of the house in size. A sturdy table and chairs stood in the middle of the room, and modern appliances graced the counters. Norma stirred a pot on the gas stove, and Leeman sat at the table with his hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.

He glanced at Aspen as she entered. "Do you like the room you've picked?" he asked.

"It's fantastic." Aspen grinned. "It's the biggest room I've ever had. I've even got my own bathroom."

Leeman smiled broadly. "I've just boiled water. You'll find cocoa in the middle cabinet and milk in the fridge." He pointed to the massive stainless steel double-door fridge behind her.

"Thank you. Can I get you a cup, Mom?"

"No thanks, honey. Uncle Leeman already offered."

Her mom seemed more relaxed than when she'd first arrived. She'd chosen a room close to her daughter and had unpacked her meager belongings quickly before she'd rushed down to make a meal. She hadn't mentioned the scene with Stephan and Miriam yet.

Aspen poured hot water into a mug of hot chocolate and laced it liberally with milk. She stirred three spoons of sugar into the brew and swallowed noisily.

"Sorry about the sound effects." She smiled. "It's just so good."

Norma placed the wooden spoon on a dish next to the stove and planted a kiss on Aspen's forehead.

"Don't worry, sweetie, no one is going to moan about that here." She stood back thoughtfully. "This feels so different. I can hug and kiss you without being shouted at."

Leeman fisted his hand, and the knuckles on his fingers turned white. "I should've hit him harder," he said with a scowl.

"Don't worry, Uncle Leeman, you were fantastic. Thank you for bringing us here. I've never been so happy in my whole life." Aspen's face was radiant.

His eyes softened as he looked at her. "Sorry it took so long, Princess. I didn't know. You didn't tell me your life was so bad."

Norma looked at the two and frowned, probably wondering why Leeman would say that since he'd supposedly never met Aspen before.

Aspen glanced nervously at her mom and wondered how to distract her. "Will I have time for a quick bath before dinner, Mom?"

"Absolutely, honey. The stew will hold till then."

"Thanks, I'll be back soon." She washed her cup, dried it, and darted out of the room.

After running a deep bath, Aspen lay back and soaked in the hot foamy water. The bathroom was light and airy, with white tile and chrome finishes. There was a wide sink in the corner, and an enormous shower stood next to the tub. It felt strange not to bathe in shallow cold water. Miriam normally used all the hot water in their dingy old bathroom, and Aspen had to hurry whenever it was her turn.

Now, the warm water relaxed her muscles and she breathed in the rose-scented bath salts she'd sprinkled into the tub with a contented sigh. A motorcycle spluttered and roared outside, and the sound made her sit up instantly.

That had to be Stephan's bike; the sound was unmistakable.

She reached for a plush towel and dried herself quickly, her calmness forgotten. After throwing on a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt, she ran downstairs in her slippers as fast as she could. A tiny drop of moisture from her ponytail splashed on the floor as she wrung it out in the kitchen.

"Uncle Leeman. Is that Stephan outside?"

"Relax, Princess. He doesn't know where we are. He's just riding up and down the street because he doesn't know what else to do. Our SUV is in the garage, and there's a high wall out front with a locked wooden gate."

She trembled slightly but forced herself to be calm. Stephan wasn't as strong as she was, and he couldn't hurt her anyway.

Her mother stood nervously in the kitchen with a wooden spoon in her hand, her eyes wide with fear.

"Mom, I'm starving. When do we eat?" Hopefully that would distract her.

"Supper is ready, sweetie. Can you help me set the table, please?"

While they all tried to ignore the drone of the motorcycle's engine, Leeman opened the cutlery drawer and showed Aspen where everything was stored. He then reached for three plates and placed them on the tablecloth between the knives and forks she'd arranged in a _U_ formation around the table.

Norma spooned rice on each plate and ladled steaming meat stew over it.

"Hmm, it smells great." Aspen sniffed appreciatively.

Her mom smiled. "Dig in, sweetie, before it gets cold."

Without hesitation, Aspen loaded a fork with rice and meat, then blew at the steam that rose from it. She crammed the food into her mouth and repeated the process until her plate was empty. No longer able to hear the motorcycle, she relaxed and finished her supper.

"Wow, looks like you were really hungry." Norma grinned.

"Absolutely famished."

Leeman scraped his plate and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "We need napkins. If you keep cooking like that, I'm going to embarrass myself and lick the plate." He chuckled.

A flush of color tinged Norma's normally pale skin. She hadn't been complimented much in the past, and she obviously didn't know how to react.

"I'm glad you liked it," Norma said shyly. "I raided your fridge and whipped up whatever I could find."

"That was really awesome. We'll go shopping tomorrow and you can buy whatever else you need."

"Thanks." She smiled. "I've made dessert too. I don't know if you want some just yet, but I've baked an apple pie."

"Norma, that's the best news I've heard all week." Leeman smiled at her lazily and she blushed again. "But first, I have something to show you." Pushing his chair back, he motioned for them to precede him to the kitchen door. He led the two women out into the huge backyard. Maple and oak trees lined the enclosed garden, and a long wooden garage was tucked behind the house to the left. Wild roses curled along the side of the garage wall.

Aspen followed them curiously. Once they'd reached the garage, he opened the doors and escorted the two of them inside. It was dark in the room, and he felt for the light switch.

As the fluorescent light flickered to life, Aspen saw a late-model white Honda compact. The car stood in the middle of the floor, and she rushed up to it and ran her fingers along the sleek metal surface.

"I'd like you to have this car," Leeman said and touched Norma's shoulder.

She gasped in surprise and shook her head. "Is this for me?"

He nodded and pushed her gently toward the vehicle. It took a moment before she walked up to it and stroked the hood reverently.

Aspen opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. The car smelled of new leather, and she sank back into the upholstered seats.

"No, this isn't possible. This can't be true." Norma stared in wonder at Leeman. Her face crumpled suddenly and tears rolled down her cheeks. "This . . . this is too much," she said as she sobbed.

Leeman walked up to her and enfolded her in a bear hug. "It's okay, Norma. You deserve to be spoiled. This is just the beginning."

"Wow, Mom, now you can teach me how to drive." Aspen laughed as she climbed out of the car.

Her mother smiled and wiped her eyes. "I promise I'll teach you soon." She studied the car while Leeman kept his arm draped across her shoulder.

"Didn't you say there was dessert?"

Norma beamed up at him. "I'll make you the best dessert every night."

Leeman walked Norma back to the kitchen as Aspen closed the garage door and switched off the light. Her mother's face was so animated, and she couldn't be happier for her.

Once they were inside, her mom asked them to sit at the table and then dished up the pie. She placed a portion in front of each person, along with a small fork for each. Aspen jumped up and filled their glasses with juice before they began to eat. She sipped her drink and licked the tines of the fork slowly, savoring the sweetness of the pie.

Minutes of absolute bliss passed, and she couldn't remember when last she'd been so happy. With a sigh, she pushed back her chair and said, "I've had too much to eat. Thanks, Mom, that was delicious."

Leeman agreed. "Yes, thanks, Norma." He leaned back and rubbed his stomach. One of his shirt buttons had come undone, and Norma noticed the dream catcher as it gleamed against his skin.

"Hey, you've got the same necklace as I have." She pulled her dream catcher free and held the disk up in the air. The ridges reflected light in soft waves. "It's so pretty. Aspen has one as well. Did Roman give it to you too?"

Leeman and Aspen remained silent and looked at each other warily.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

"No, Mom, it's all good," Aspen reassured her. "Uncle Leeman, I think it's time that you tell Mom what we are."

Rather than argue, he reached for his dream catcher. It glittered magically.

"What do you mean?" Norma asked. "Aspen, you're scaring me. Does this have something to do with what happened to Stephan earlier?"

"Mom, relax." She placed her hand on her mother's arm.

"It's okay, Norma. Aspen and I have a secret that we need to tell you."

Norma covered her daughter's hand with her own.

"My surname is Walker, right?"

Norma nodded her head.

"Roman comes from a long line of Walkers—Dream Walkers. Dream Walkers have been on this earth for centuries. We live in a plane parallel to Earth."

Aspen could feel her mother tense up, and she gripped her hand tightly.

"There are good and bad people living on this plane. The Chancellors are the bad guys. They become powerful and multiply on fear. Fear is what feeds them. Nightmares are ideal for creating fear, so they try and make as many bad dreams as they can. A small child in the middle of a nightmare is the perfect vehicle for strengthening Chancellors. They live on the energy created by that fear."

Norma's lips tightened, and Aspen could tell that her mother thought he was crazy.

"We're the good guys." He smiled. "Our mission is to stop nightmares before they start so children don't suffer and Chancellors don't multiply. We live amongst you, but we can live on both planes. Dream Walkers have different clans. We come from the Power clan, and live in the city of Lanta. There are other clans, because our magic alone is not always sufficient to stop the Chancellors. One of our close clans is the Fire clan in Vega, but we all have a common goal, and that is to stop the Chancellors. Roman was the leader of the Power clan."

Norma pulled Aspen toward her and edged away from him.

"Wait, I'm telling the truth." Leeman leaned forward. "Roman saw you and fell in love immediately. He wasn't supposed to find an Earth girl, that's not our way. Nothing that I said helped, he was determined to have you and he asked our magic man to find a spell to let you live in Lanta. We've had humans living there before, but that was centuries ago, and the spells have been forgotten."

"Leeman, you're not making sense, but it's okay." Norma stood up. She pulled Aspen up with her. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, but I think it's best if Aspen and I leave now."

"Mom, wait." Aspen drew her dream catcher from underneath her T-shirt. "Uncle Leeman isn't lying. Watch this."

She pressed her finger into the indentation on the charm and concentrated hard. A burst of energy rushed through her body and she closed her eyes. Seconds later, she stood in her father's house in Lanta.

Ginny held a broom and swept the floor. She blew a strand of fair hair from her forehead and looked at her suspiciously. "Hey, are you here for the day?" she asked.

"No, sorry. I'll be back soon." Touching the dream catcher again, Aspen felt herself transported through planes, and a feeling of warmth traveled through her body. Once she'd opened her eyes, she was back in Leeman's kitchen.

Norma stared at Aspen in shock for a few seconds. Her eyelids flickered and she fell backward. Leeman caught her as her body crumpled, and he lifted her easily.

"Help me," he said and strode through the kitchen into the living room.

Aspen ran in front of him and moved a cushion on the couch so that her mom's head could rest on it. Leeman placed Norma carefully on the comfortable sofa.

She looked so pale against the dark brown fabric. One hand on the coffee table served to balance Aspen as she knelt next to her mother on a wool rug.

Leeman paced up to the stone fireplace and back, waiting for Norma to stir. After a while, she groaned and opened her eyes slowly.

"Mom, are you okay?"

Norma lifted a trembling hand to her cheek and said, "I think I've had enough surprises for one day."

"I'm so sorry." Leeman bent down and ran his finger lightly against her forehead. "I wish that it could be easier on you, but we had to tell you the truth."

Aspen nodded. "Yes, Mom. It'll be easier if you know what's going on. Above all, we need you to keep wearing your dream catcher."

Norma clutched her necklace and rubbed it gently.

"It'll protect you from any Chancellors crossing into our plane. Daddy wasn't wearing his when they came before . . ." Her voice trailed off.

Norma sat up slowly with her back against the arm of the sofa and spoke to Leeman. "Can you disappear just like Aspen did?"

"I'm the leader of the clan, Norma. Our family has been regarded as the most powerful Dream Walkers since the beginning of time. That's why I'm in charge now that Roman is gone. Of course I can disappear."

He held the dream catcher and was gone in an instant. Seconds later he reappeared with a handful of yellow flowers.

"These are for you—from Lanta."

Norma buried her nose in the bright blooms and sniffed deeply. "Thank you. Roman would bring me the exact same flowers, but he wouldn't tell me where he got them from." She looked up at Leeman as he towered above her.

He gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry that we had to keep this secret from you. Aspen is special in more ways than you can imagine, and you're under the protection of the clan from now on. You'll never have to worry about being alone again."

Norma smiled and stood up. Hugging her, Aspen smelled the fresh fragrance of daisies in her mother's hands. The dull roar of a motorcycle outside didn't make her mom tremble anymore.

# Chapter 18

No School

The next morning, Aspen got up bright and early. Sunlight teased small patterns across her bedding, and she stretched her slim arms high above her head. The headboard knocked against her knuckles. It was odd to have a headboard. She was used to the feel of the cold wall before, and she'd never had bright sunlight in her room. It would take some getting used to, but she loved it.

Leeman had told her to stay at home. He didn't want her going to school until he had a chance to speak to a lawyer he knew. Stephan wouldn't bother them again once his friend was done.

The air in her room was warm, and she hopped out of bed and freshened up in the bathroom. Thirty minutes later she'd washed, brushed her teeth, and wore a pair of jeans and a sleeveless blue top. The silver watch looked dainty on her pale skin, and she tilted the ring that Dylan had given her in the light and smiled as it glittered back at her. She brushed her pale hair until it shone, and twisted it into a ponytail before going downstairs.

Norma looked refreshed and calmer than she was yesterday. She'd added a touch of makeup to her face and wore a pretty yellow summer dress.

"You're looking good, Mom," Aspen said as she entered the kitchen.

"Thank you. I had a good night's sleep and feel so much better. Is your room okay?"

"Yes, thanks, it couldn't be better. I'm so much happier here."

"We made the right move, didn't we, honey?" Norma placed a bowl of cereal on the table and poured milk into it.

"Of course we did."

She handed Aspen a spoon. "Eat up."

"Thanks, Mom. What do you want to do today?"

"I want to bake a cake. I haven't made one in ages, and I'm in the right mood. What do you think?"

"Great idea, I'll help. What can I do?" Aspen scraped the last of the cereal from the bowl and headed for the sink.

"Get the eggs from the fridge and the flour in the cabinet. I'm defrosting meat for dinner tonight. Leeman's fridge is so full that I don't need to go shopping for another few days at least."

Norma opened a drawer and retrieved utensils for baking.

The front door opened and voices hummed in the entrance hall. After washing the bowl, Aspen dried her hands on a towel and went to investigate.

Her heart pounded instantly as she caught sight of Dylan talking to Leeman. He looked incredible in a pair of jeans and a tight black T-shirt. The material hugged his upper arms, showing off his biceps to perfection, and his dark hair gleamed. He stopped talking and stared at her intently.

Leeman turned around and noticed Aspen standing behind him. "Princess, Dylan came to see how you were doing."

"Hey, Dylan, come on in." With a breathy voice, she motioned for him to join her. "My mom's in the kitchen. We're about to bake a cake."

"Perfect timing." He grinned and walked toward her.

The faintest trace of soap enveloped her and he neared, and she breathed in his clean smell. His hand touched the small of her back as they walked and electricity danced along her spine. She was conscious of every step he took behind her, but she managed to lead him to where her mother stood, sifting flour over a bowl on the table.

"Mom, Dylan's here."

Norma looked up.

"By the way," Aspen added, "he's a Dream Walker as well."

Her mother's eyes flickered in surprise, but she recovered quickly. "Hey there, come on in. Honey, get him something to drink. I'm making a chocolate cake." She pointed to a chair at the table, and Dylan eased into it as Aspen opened the fridge door.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said politely.

Aspen poured a glass of juice and placed it in front of Dylan. His eyes followed her as she returned the juice bottle to the fridge, then grabbed the baking pan to grease it with butter for the cake mixture.

"Mom, Dylan and some of our friends have been helping fix up the house that Dad built for us in Lanta."

"Oh, really? Well, thank you so much, Dylan. How much longer will it take?" Norma placed the dirty utensils in the sink and walked back to the counter. She cracked two eggs on the side of the bowl of cake mixture, and stirred.

"We've been working on it for a while, so hopefully it'll be finished soon. I've asked Demothi if you'll be able to see it, and he said he'd let me know soon," Dylan told her.

"That would be incredible, thank you." She dribbled liquid from a small bottle into the bowl, releasing the scent of vanilla into the kitchen.

"Mom, would you mind if I leave and go to work on the house for a bit?" Aspen threw the buttered paper in the trash can and placed the cake pan next to her mom.

Norma smiled. "Of course not, honey. Just make sure you're back for supper at six tonight. I'm making beef casserole, and there'll be chocolate cake for dessert."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Leeman walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "If you're late, then I'll have to eat your share."

"No way. I'll be here, Uncle Leeman. See you all later." She placed her hand on Dylan's shoulder and zapped the dream catcher. Within seconds, the two stood in her father's house.

"Wow, warn me next time." Dylan's eyes widened and his mouth gaped. He'd grabbed her arm as they'd traveled and he let it go slowly.

"Sorry." With a mischievous smile, she left him in the living room to walk into the kitchen. The room was sparkling clean and neat; it was such a beautiful place.

Life was good right now. Aspen was in a fantastic mood, and the day couldn't get much better. Her mom had left Stephan and they lived with her real uncle in an incredible house and they were safe. She was in her dad's old home with Dylan and she didn't have to go to school for a few days. Yeah, life was perfect.

Musing over the changes in her life, she felt Dylan's presence next to her. "I've run out of paint," he said, "and I think we need some more furniture polish from the store."

The sound of his deep voice next to her ear made her shiver. He had such an effect on her, and she glanced over her shoulder at him. He looked so handsome in that tight black T-shirt. It looked like he'd run his fingers through his dark hair recently, and his smile showed perfect white teeth. Her heart pounded as he stepped closer.

"I think Ginny broke a mop, so we'll have to replace that too," he added.

Aspen sighed. "Okay, let's go."

She opened the front door and skipped down the steps into the lush grass outside. The air was hot and dry, and the sky was light. Dylan walked down the steps and surprised her by threading his fingers through hers. He pulled her along and she laughed as her skin hummed pleasantly from the current in his hands.

There was no reason for him to keep holding her hand, but he did so until they reached the village, and she couldn't be happier.

The small village looked like a scene in an old Western movie. Wagons drawn by horses made their way slowly past the general store, and the only road through town was dusty, with no sign of tar. A few Dream Walkers were in the street, and small children raced past and shrieked with joy. Someone played a piano nearby, and the notes tinkled softly in the air.

Mona's shop was to the left of them, but they walked past it to reach the store at the end of the road. As they climbed the wooden steps of the shop, a loud noise rumbled behind her, and she turned around. Dylan's hand fell from hers as a group of horses thundered down the road.

Ruby's red hair rippled in the wind, making her look like a goddess on the back of a roan steed. She maneuvered the horse expertly into the open space in front of the shop, and sprang nimbly from the saddle. The huge beast snorted with exertion and tossed his head back. His eyes widened as air rushed into his lungs, and Aspen's good mood faded quickly.

"Dylan." The word slipped out of Ruby's red lips like a caress.

"Hey, Rube."

"I'm so glad I found you here," she said as her green eyes glowed. With a flick of her hands, she drew attention to her flat stomach by retying the ends of her white shirt into a knot above her navel. The skin on her midriff was smooth and tanned, and she tilted her head to toss her long locks back.

Ray trotted up behind her and guided his monstrous black horse next to Ruby's. "Aspen!" he shouted. "You're back. I'm so glad you're here." He grinned and focused his attention on her, and her cheeks reddened at his frank appraisal.

Jumping off the massive animal, he patted its heaving flanks. Cole took the reins from his friend and Caden, the Water Walker she'd met before, remained on his horse as it trotted up behind the group.

Ray marched up the steps and swung Aspen off her feet in a massive bear hug. "You haven't been at school and I've missed you, pretty girl."

Aspen laughed. Maybe her mood wouldn't be ruined after all. Ray could charm the birds out of the trees if he set his mind to it.

She pretended to struggle out of his arms, but he kept her off the ground against his chest. Dylan stiffened next to her, and Ruby climbed the stairs to join them.

"Put me down, you big oaf," she said with a chuckle. "What are you doing here?"

His eyes twinkled as he squeezed her, and then he set her down on the landing. He reached into his jeans and whipped a piece of paper from the pocket. "Our ma needed some things from the store, and I'm not upset that I had to come and get them anymore. As far as I can tell, this shopping trip just got a whole lot better."

Aspen glanced over his shoulder to see Dylan's eyes darken.

Ruby walked up to Dylan and before Aspen could step away from Ray, she'd hooked her arm around his waist and had slipped right up against him.

"Walk me in?" She smiled.

Dylan's nostrils flared as he glared at Ray. He looked down at Ruby and hugged her tightly against his chest. "It's so nice to see you again."

A shiver snaked down Aspen's back as she watched the two of them. Why would he look at Ruby like that and not her? She hadn't asked Ray to be so friendly. Dylan had held her hand a few moments ago, for heaven's sake. It was still warm from his touch.

They swept past her and she was sure that Ruby was putting on a show. Surely she didn't think that Aspen was jealous? Hah! She wound her arm around a surprised Ray and walked into the store. He didn't waste any time and pressed her to his side. A lump formed in her throat and she hoped that she hadn't encouraged him by mistake.

As they walked along the aisles, she peeked over his shoulder at Dylan and Ruby. Everything that Dylan said seemed to make her laugh, and her face was beaming with pleasure.

The sound of her laughter made Aspen's jaw clench, and she tightened her grip on Ray's waist. His arm remained on her shoulder.

After a long while, Dylan hoisted a can of paint onto the counter along with a mop and a container of polish. He asked the shop keeper to have it delivered to her dad's house.

Once Ray had found the flour that his mother wanted, he grabbed it and raised the package in the air. He hugged her spontaneously, and Aspen allowed him to wrap his arm around her shoulder again. She looked up to see Dylan staring at her darkly before he pulled Ruby against his body.

"It's going to be Lavendula soon. Do you want to hunt with me?" He spoke against Ruby's hair while leveling his gaze on Aspen.

"I'd like nothing better."

Aspen couldn't bear to watch the two of them any longer, and released herself from Ray's hold to stride out of the store.

Caden had dismounted and held the reins of Ruby's horse. He didn't look happy when she exited the store with Dylan, but Aspen was too upset to wonder why. The familiar thrum of energy sizzled down her arms. She had to stop being so emotional or she would lose control of the power inside her.

Ray walked out and placed the flour and a few other items in a saddlebag that hung from the side of his black horse. "Are you going to hunt with me?" he asked Aspen. Walking over to her, he winced as he tried to touch her.

"Ouch, I thought your wristband stopped you from shocking people?"

"I'm sorry."

"Dylan, you can ride with me." Ruby tried to pull him toward her horse, but he wouldn't budge. He stared at Aspen.

"I'll have to use Ray's horse. Aspen won't be able to sit behind Ray on the saddle. She hasn't learned to shut off her power, and he'll be shocked until she can control it."

Aspen's cheeks burned with embarrassment as he spoke.

"You can't be serious?" Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Ruby will ride with me," Caden offered. "You can use her horse."

Aspen turned to look at him. He was a tall Water Walker with sun-streaked blond hair and pale eyes, and he walked confidently toward Dylan as he spoke.

"Absolutely not!" Ruby exclaimed furiously.

Caden ignored her and handed her horse's reins to Dylan. He marched over to Ruby, and his lean fingers wrapped around her wrist as he pulled her toward his dappled horse.

Dylan didn't hesitate after he'd grabbed the reins and mounted Ruby's horse quickly. He held out his arms to Aspen. "Let me help you up."

The tension in the air was noticeable, and it took a lot for her to move forward. Once she was next to him, Dylan reached down and swung her onto the saddle behind him. Her hands trembled in anger, and rather than wrap them around his stomach, she kept them on her thighs while he nudged the huge animal away from the store.

She was upset because of the attention he'd given Ruby. How could he have said that she couldn't control her power? The small hairs on her arms rose, and her fists throbbed with electricity as her anger grew.

Ray mounted his horse in silence, and the band of riders trotted out of the small village.

After a while, Dylan spoke up. "Relax." His voice had the opposite effect and made her jump.

"What did you say?" she croaked.

"Relax, you're wound up like a spring." He turned in his seat and looked at her. "Touch me."

"What?" She gasped.

"Touch my skin. It will help you to release your energy. Ray really worked you up, because your eyes turned silver when you spoke to him. Your hair is standing on end." He pointed to strands that had escaped her ponytail.

Why wouldn't he stop insulting her? Now he was saying that her hair looked bad. Aspen was so furious that she couldn't speak. Before she could stop herself, she'd lifted Dylan's shirt away from his waist and placed her whole hand on his bare skin. She wanted to shock him and make it hurt as badly as he'd hurt her.

Her body trembled as her fingers came into contact with his smooth skin. Electricity danced through her fingertips, and Dylan inhaled suddenly, as though she'd touched him with an ice block. Instead of hurting him, her blood sang, and all the pent-up electricity was absorbed like water in a sponge into his hard body. The current was sucked right out of her veins and then returned in a wave of warmth that glowed through her limbs. It left her winded. All the anger she'd felt was soaked up and given back in a calming charge of power. It was so good that she relaxed her chest weakly against his back.

Dylan released a deep breath. "Does that feel better?"

"What did you do to me?" Aspen's cheek touched his T-shirt as she spoke against his back.

"We can discharge power this way instead of hurting others. Power Walkers use this to calm down. I can absorb your overload and give it back safely, so you don't lose the power. You'll be able to do the same with a bit of practice."

Aspen dragged her chest away from his back and gazed around. They'd reached the river and Ruby sat ramrod straight in front of Caden. It looked as though they were arguing.

The two were clearly in a heated discussion, and she swung a dainty foot over the saddle and slid down onto the ground. Caden mouthed something at her and then turned his horse away from the group. He dug his heels into the animal's side and galloped off angrily. Ruby was visibly upset and her shoulders shook as Ray jumped off his horse to speak to her. As he consoled his sister, the sky darkened and changed to lavender. The sticky sweet smell that Aspen hated permeated the air.

Four Chancellors appeared from behind the tree trunks, but Dylan had his back to them and couldn't see them. Aspen tugged at his shirt and pointed them out. They were tall and skinny, their skin as pale as their blond hair.

Without warning, Dylan pulled her from the horse and aimed a bolt of energy at the Chancellors, but they had an invisible force field protecting them. It was dome-shaped and the current struck it and ran like blue liquid down the sides.

The Chancellors turned to face the Dream Walkers and raised their hands as they chanted. Aspen shouted as the gentle brook reared up into a giant wave next to them. Five slippery fingers of water took shape before them, and a huge watery hand sloped downward and plucked Ruby from the group.

Ruby screamed and tried to strike the wet hand with fire, but water splashed over her and killed the flames. Within seconds, her long red hair had been plastered to her face and body, and she spluttered as water backed up in her throat. If someone didn't help her, Ruby would drown. The eerie hand held her in a firm grip and then submerged her under gallons of water.

Aspen knew that the only way to stop the nightmare would be to stop the Chancellors. If Caden had been with them, he would have controlled the water, but the Fire and Power Walkers were the only ones who could attack the Chancellors now. Ashley and Cole sprayed the force field with fire, and Dylan shot bolts of current as fast as he could. He tried his best to wear the bubble down.

"Help me, Aspen!" he cried.

There was no time to think. The smell of smoke hung in the air, and water misted against her skin. Shuddering as energy curled through her body, she lifted her arms and aimed for the bubble. Dylan did the same, and together they blasted the invisible shield.

It creaked and groaned, then exploded like a giant mirror that had cracked. The four Chancellors looked around in complete shock. Aiming her outstretched hands, she disintegrated them in a blast of electricity. The ground erupted, leaving a crater where they'd been a moment before.

Just as suddenly, the watery hand evaporated and Ruby was dropped into the river. Stunned, she flailed in the water and gasped for air. Dylan jumped in and dragged her out onto the riverbank. Almost tenderly, he pushed strands of hair from her face. She looked so frail in his arms.

Caden's horse thundered into the clearing. He jumped from the saddle before the animal had time to stop and pulled Ruby from Dylan's arms, pressing her against his chest.

As everyone huddled around the soaked girl, Aspen decided it was time to leave. She grabbed her dream catcher and sent a small zap of power through it.

Seconds later, she found herself back in Leeman's house.

• • •

The smell of meat stew hung appetizingly in the air as Aspen wandered into the kitchen. Her mother was busy at the stove, and she replaced a lid on a steaming pot and turned to face Aspen.

"Hey, honey, I'm so glad you're back. You're just in time."

Aspen pushed the vegetables and meat around on her plate once they were seated, but couldn't finish anything. Her appetite wasn't as good as it could be. After dinner, they gathered the plates and washed the dishes before she went upstairs to soak in the bath. Dressing in her fluffy slippers and pajamas, she joined her mother in the living room to watch television. Leeman had already left for Lanta.

"This is the first time that I've been allowed to watch TV in the living room," she commented as her mom flicked through the channels.

"I know. I'm so sorry, honey. I know that things were rough before, but they're changing now."

"It's okay. I'm just happy that things are different."

"You don't look very happy," her mother remarked. "What happened today? Do you want to talk about it?"

Aspen sighed and sank back into the couch. She couldn't put her feet on the sofa yet; it was too soon and she didn't feel comfortable enough to do that in her uncle's house, even though she knew he wouldn't mind.

"Does this have something to do with Dylan?" Norma prompted.

She sighed again. "Yes."

"He seems like a nice kid."

After rolling her eyes, she looked at her mother. "He's not a kid, Mom."

Norma's lips tilted into a half smile. "What did he do?"

"Nothing, everything, argh! I don't know. I don't know what I want from him, Mom. He makes me happy and then he makes me angry. One minute I like him, and then I hate him in the next. I don't know what it is."

She stood up and paced around the sofa. "There's this girl and she's so pretty. When she's around, it's like I don't exist. I can't stand her. She's always hanging on to him."

"Does he fix up her dad's house and go to visit her like he does with you?" Norma asked softly.

"No, I don't know. Maybe he does, I don't know. She's got this brother who likes me but I don't like him, and I'm flirting with him just to make Dylan mad so he'll notice me, but it's always about her."

"I'm sure he notices you too, Aspen. It certainly looked like he wanted to be with you when he came here today."

Aspen turned to face her mother thoughtfully. "He did, didn't he? Argh! I'm going to pull all my hair out. I'm so frustrated."

Norma chuckled and got up. "I'll go and make some hot chocolate for the both of us. That should calm you down. Why don't you skip your visit to Lanta tonight and stay at home? Maybe he'll miss you more."

"That's not a bad idea," Aspen mused.

After the TV program had ended, her mother tucked her into bed and kissed her good night. Aspen lay in bed and listened to the street noises. The house was big, but it was in a well-populated area and close to the school, so she could hear cars as they passed by outside. She willed herself not to travel to Lanta in her sleep, and concentrated hard to not cross over. It didn't help, because as soon as she'd drifted off, she woke up in her father's house.

Darn. I didn't want to be here.

Voices in the living room made Aspen turn around quickly, and she tiptoed to the door.

# Chapter 19

Clean House

"Helloooo?"

"I told you she's not here."

"I'm sure I heard a noise in the room."

"Whatever, you just want to go looking for her. There's plenty of work to be done. I finished the kitchen yesterday, but there's a lot of work left in the bedrooms."

A half smile played across Aspen's lips. Ginny and Sandy were in the house. She walked into the living room. "Here I am."

"Princess, you gave me heart failure," Sandy cried and clutched her chest.

"I'm so glad you're here," Ginny said with a grin. "Sandy wanted to start without you."

"Thank you, both of you." Aspen threw her arms around her friends and hugged them. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"The sooner we get your house livable, the better."

"Uh-huh, and I want to invite everyone over for a barbeque." Ginny gave a cheesy smile.

Aspen grinned back. "Well then, let's get on with it."

The three girls went to the kitchen to get the brooms, mops, dust cloths, and furniture polish that the store had sent over earlier. Sandy filled up a bucket of warm soapy water, and Ginny grabbed a bunch of towels.

They tackled the master bedroom first. Aspen's room had already been cleaned, but it needed new furniture. The crib wasn't going to stay.

Inside the master bedroom, Sandy grabbed the bedding and pulled it from the bed. Aspen dusted the top of the chest of drawers and the dressing table. Dragging the chair up against the window, Ginny tugged at the curtain.

"So, what happened when you were captured, Ginny? You haven't told me the whole story in detail." Dust drifted toward Aspen's nose, and she wrinkled it in annoyance.

"It was terrible." Speaking softly, Ginny unclipped the curtain. "The Chancellors dragged me down this awful tunnel, and I scraped myself on the rocks. They wouldn't let go. The hole was dark and damp, and they stink."

Sandy picked up the shirt and boots that lay on the floor, and added them to the pile of bedding outside the door.

"I know, they have a sickeningly sweet smell, right?" Aspen asked.

"Right, and their hands are as hard as handcuffs. It's like being held by strips of steel." She continued to pull down the material. "Anyway, then they forced nightmares into my mind."

Aspen stared at Ginny in horror. "No, they didn't."

"Yes, they did. The first one was of a lion and he chased me. I ran into a room and tried to close the door to shut the lion out, but I couldn't close the door properly. His giant paw was wrapped around the door frame, and it batted at me constantly." She climbed off the chair and carried the first curtain outside, then tossed it on the pile of dirty laundry outside the door.

"The second nightmare was when wild dogs were after me. They hunted me and I had nowhere to go. I climbed into a tree, but they made yipping noises and stood up on their hind legs and tried to reach me. The branch wasn't high enough and they nearly got me."

"Ginny, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that they could do that underground."

"Me neither, but apparently they follow the rules of Lemona and Lavendula there as well. My powers didn't work, though." Ginny moved the chair over and removed the second curtain. She didn't speak for a while.

Sandy walked over to her sister and put her hand against the small of her back. "It's okay, you don't need to talk about this if it's too difficult. We understand."

With a sad look, Ginny smiled down at her. "I think it's better for me to speak about it than to bottle it up. It's good that we're keeping busy as well. I just felt so helpless when I was there. They locked me in a closet, and it was so dark that I couldn't breathe."

Aspen was stunned. "In the tunnel?"

"No." A small smile flitted across Ginny's face. "In the nightmare. Each one lasted for about ten minutes, and then they would stop for a while. I don't know how long I was down there, but it felt like a few minutes in between nightmares before I was woken up and dragged through the cave again." She shivered.

"Let me make some hot chocolate, I think that will help," Aspen suggested, then dropped the dust cloth on the bare mattress and reached her hand out to help Ginny off the chair.

"That's a great idea." Gathering up the laundry, Sandy walked in front of the girls to the kitchen.

While Sandy loaded the washing machine, Aspen filled the kettle with water. The whir of the washing machine blended with the sound of the kettle as it heated up.

"Did the Chancellors tell you what they wanted from you?" Aspen asked as she spooned hot chocolate into mugs.

"They didn't speak to me, but I heard what they said to each other. They wanted to take me to their castle. Apparently their lord was looking for someone like me. They said I'd make a good match for the other Dream Walker they already have."

"Another Dream Walker?" Sandy asked.

"Yes. It seems I wasn't the only one they've captured." Ginny nodded her head in thanks as Aspen placed the mug in front of her.

"I wonder if Leeman knows they've got another Dream Walker in captivity."

"I can't think of any Dream Walkers that are missing. So far, they've only ever killed us. No one has been reported missing."

Aspen sighed. "I don't know whether to be happy about that or not." The fragrance of detergent made the kitchen smell like baby powder, and she leaned against the counter deep in thought.

A knock at the door startled them, and Aspen put her mug down and walked to the living room. Leeman barged inside and hugged her as soon as she opened the door.

"Hello, my little princess. How are you doing?" His hair was loose today, and hung to his shoulders.

"I'm good, thanks, and you?"

"Just stopped by to see how the house is progressing." He looked around in wonder. "You kids are doing a great job."

"Thanks. The kettle is still hot. We're having hot chocolate, would you like a cup?"

"That sounds incredible."

Aspen grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen. Once they'd entered the room, he moved to the window above the sink. The view of the lake was at its best from there, and he took a deep breath and sighed.

"The house is starting to take shape. I'm really proud of what you're doing."

Aspen stirred his hot drink and placed it on the table. "It's going to take some time, but I've got some willing slaves helping me." She winked at her friends.

Sandy laughed. "Yeah, wait until we give you the bill."

"And I thought this was all for free." Aspen grabbed a dishcloth and flicked it at her friend's leg.

Sandy yelped as she jumped out of the way and held on to her sister's shoulder. "Wait, Ginny needs to speak to your uncle about the prisoner."

"Prisoner, what prisoner?" Leeman asked.

"Tell him, Ginny." Sandy raced off safely behind the kitchen table, leaving her sister to face Leeman's intimidating stare.

"The Chancellors said they have another Dream Walker locked away in the castle." The words rushed out of Ginny's mouth and she sat down on one of the chairs.

"That's very interesting." Leeman's eyes glinted. "Are you sure that's what they said?"

She nodded. "Positive."

"In that case, I'll have to contact the clans and see if anyone is missing. There's been no talk of anyone being taken before. I'll have a meeting with my warriors and see if we can launch an attack on the castle. We haven't attacked them in years. It couldn't hurt for them to see how strong we are now." He stood suddenly, so large that his presence filled the kitchen. "Thanks. I'll discuss this with my warriors and get back to you."

The girls followed him to the door, and he bent to kiss Aspen on her forehead. "Take care, little one. I'll see you later when your mom is awake."

After waving good-bye, Sandy and Ginny returned to their work in the bedroom while Aspen stood and watched her uncle walk away. In the distance, she saw a figure on horseback. Ray whistled as his horse trotted toward her. He greeted Leeman as they passed and continued on to the house.

"Aspen!" he shouted. As soon as he reached her, he dismounted. A pair of blue jeans and a dark green shirt made him look very handsome, and his chest seemed even broader than she remembered. If only his good looks could make her heart speed up like it did when she saw Dylan.

Ray sprinted up the wooden stairs and grabbed her small hand in his, looking down at her with excitement on his face. "There you are sugar. I wanted to thank you personally, but I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Thank me for what?"

"You saved my sister's life yesterday, and I'll always be in your debt."

"That was nothing. Don't even think about it." Aspen shrugged. "I'd have done it for anyone."

Ray looked crestfallen at her words and she tried to correct herself as she twined her fingers through his. "I mean, thanks. I'd have done that for Ruby anytime."

His eyes sparkled again. "You're something else, sugar." Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her against him. Her feet left the ground and his warm cheek pressed against her neck.

"Ruby says thank you, and I'll owe you forever."

With an effort, Aspen held on to him and put her arms around his neck to keep from falling. "You can't pick me up like this, Ray," she said with a chuckle.

"Who's gonna stop me?" He grinned and rubbed her cheek with his nose, and she felt his mouth smiling against her neck.

A sudden movement to the left caught her attention and she peered over his shoulder.

Her eyes widened. Dylan stood a few yards away, watching them intently. She tried to wiggle out of Ray's arms, but he held her tighter.

Dylan's fists balled against his sides and he didn't speak, but before Ray could release her, he turned and marched away in the opposite direction.

Aspen bit her lip as Ray lowered her slowly down his body and pressed a soft kiss next to her mouth.

"Tell Ruby I'm happy she's okay," she muttered, and left him standing there as she raced into the house.

# Chapter 20

Trouble at School

Norma parked the Honda outside the school and twisted to face her daughter in the seat next to her.

"Did you ever think you'd see the day I'd be doing this?" She reached out and pinched Aspen's cheek lightly between her thumb and forefinger.

With a smile, Aspen grabbed her backpack from the backseat. "I think it's about time."

"Look after yourself at school today, young lady. I made lunch for you, and packed a can of soda."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Don't go near Miriam. Uncle Leeman got the divorce papers and a restraining order against Stephan so he won't bother you. If he does, go straight to the office. Do you understand?"

Norma tucked Aspen's dream catcher back under the neckline of her light blue summer dress, and combed her bangs away from her face with her fingers.

"Mommm." Aspen dragged out the word.

"Have a good day, honey. I love you."

"Love you too," she said as she climbed out of the car.

"I'll pick you up here after school."

Before her mother could say anything else, Aspen waved and sprinted toward the school building.

She raced into the first class of the day and hesitated when as she spotted Dylan sitting in the chair behind her desk, a vintage Led Zeppelin T-shirt stretched tightly across his chest. He watched her carefully as she entered the room. Without looking at him, she pulled her shoulders back and walked to her desk.

So what if he'd seen her with Ray yesterday? Dylan hadn't stopped Ruby when she'd been holding on to him. It wasn't as if they were in a relationship anyway, and if he thought that she was going to sit around and wait for him to make a move, then he had it wrong. She puffed at a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail. Maybe it would do him good to see how she'd felt last night.

Sitting still proved to be difficult, and she moved forward in the seat. The longer she pictured the two of them at the river, the more her temper flared, and soon her cheeks were flushed. If Dylan poked her with his pen, she would grab it and throw it on the floor. Her hair lifted on her arms, and she forced herself to calm down and breathe slowly.

Dylan didn't speak to her but she could feel his presence, and his clean soapy fragrance enveloped her. After a while, Aspen sat back in the desk, but his warm breath tickled her neck. A rash of goose bumps erupted on her forearms, and she jerked forward in the seat once more.

His deep voice chuckled behind her, but she wouldn't let him see how badly he affected her so she ignored him completely. As soon as the bell sounded, Aspen sprang up, grabbed her bag, and charged out of the classroom.

Time dragged after that, but once it was lunchtime, she slipped into the bathroom, thankful that Dylan hadn't talked to her in any of her classes up till then.

After she'd checked out her reflection in the floor-length mirror and smoothed her summer dress against her thighs, she redid the elastic on her ponytail and washed her hands in one of the sinks along the wall.

With a quick tug, she pulled a paper towel from the dispenser and dried her hands. Miriam walked into the room just as she was about to leave, and she froze instantly.

"You little twit. I hate you! Do you know that?" Miriam sneered.

Aspen rolled her eyes. Nothing good ever happened in this bathroom, and she would definitely use another restroom in the future.

"You're the cause of all my problems. I absolutely _hate_ you!" Miriam continued and advanced toward her. "My dad is crying at home. He doesn't eat and he can't get dressed in the morning, and it's all because of you. I know you told your mom to leave."

Aspen didn't speak and stared at Miriam. If Stephan wasn't eating, it was probably because her mother wasn't there to make meals, but she didn't say a word.

"He's a total mess and you've ruined my life," Miriam went on. "I used to enjoy going home, but now the kitchen is filthy and the rooms are a wreck."

Her lip trembled, and Aspen could see that she was really upset.

"Dad keeps arguing with me and nothing I do is right anymore. I hope you're happy now."

Miriam stepped so close that her breath puffed against Aspen's cheek, and she poked a stiff finger in her chest. Luckily, the leather bracelet stopped Aspen from shocking Miriam. She felt a bit sorry for her stepsister, and didn't want to add to her misery by electrocuting her. If Miriam needed a chance to rant, she would let her. The long mirror pressed coldly against her back as Miriam crowded her. The girl's eyes were watery and red, and her clothes were wrinkled.

"Your mother destroyed my life. I've got no clean clothes to wear and I don't get supper anymore." Miriam raised her voice again. "Your mom is a complete slut, running away with another man."

Aspen gasped. She'd felt sorry for Miriam at first, but no one insulted her mother. "Don't you ever speak about my mom like that. Why don't _you_ wash the dishes and make supper yourself? Maybe if you weren't so lazy, you'd be okay. And he's my dad's brother, by the way."

It was as though Miriam was waiting for Aspen to challenge her. She raised both hands and grasped Aspen's cheeks with a bruising force, then slammed her head against the mirror.

Aspen's skull hit the solid surface, and she cried out in pain. The mirror shattered instantly from the blow, but didn't fall apart. She reached up to touch her head and felt a sticky moistness in her hair.

Without warning, Miriam slammed her head back again, and black spots appeared in Aspen's vision. Her legs wobbled as Miriam smashed her head back once more. This time, the mirror broke apart and small pieces pierced her scalp as she collapsed on the floor. No one entered the bathroom, and Aspen's head throbbed so badly that she couldn't think. She opened her mouth to call for help, but no sound came out of her throat. She was dazed and almost lost consciousness.

Just as Miriam pulled back her foot to kick her, Dylan shoved open the bathroom door. He grabbed Miriam's arm and shocked her violently, and she jerked in his grip.

"What are you doing?" he shouted.

Miriam shrank back with wild eyes and flicked her fingers to rid herself of the pain. "I'm reporting you to the principal. Get out of here!" Then she dashed out of the room without a second glance at her stepsister.

Dylan knelt down next to Aspen and cradled her head carefully in his lap, dusting pieces of mirror from her face. Tears rimmed her eyes.

"Th-thank you," she spluttered. Her body was weak, and she struggled to remain conscious.

"It's okay, baby, I've got you. Shh." Turning around, he pulled a paper towel from the dispenser on the wall and wiped blood from her forehead. It trickled down her face in a steady stream.

"Here, let me heal that for you." It took a second for him to free the dream catcher from his T-shirt and to touch it while holding her hand. A yellow glow blanketed her, and Aspen felt the steady charge of his energy together with the healing properties of the necklace as it rushed through her body.

Although she was weak, she couldn't feel any pain when she touched her head. The cuts were completely healed.

With a groan, Dylan let the dream catcher go and hugged her face against his chest. "Aspen, what did she do to you?"

Miss Thompson rushed into the bathroom, her eyes frantic as she took in the blood and glass that covered the floor. "What's going on here?"

Dylan looked up. "Aspen's stepsister did this. She's got a restraining order against her stepfather, but they didn't get one for his daughter, Miriam."

Miss Thompson bent down and helped Dylan as he lifted Aspen. "You poor thing. We need to get you to the nurse right now."

Aspen's voice was shaky as she said, "No, I want to go home, please. My mom will help me. Just keep Miriam away from me."

"Of course. Let me help you." Miss Thompson held on to Aspen and dusted pieces of glass from her clothing. As soon as she was standing, Dylan wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her back against his chest. Once she was nestled in his embrace, he dialed a number on his phone.

"Leeman, Aspen's been hurt. Miriam attacked her and we need you to get over here as soon as possible . . . Yeah, we'll wait for you in front."

He ended the call and slipped his hands under Aspen's knees. She gasped as he lifted her into his arms. Warm fingers grasped her thighs as he shifted her and tucked the material of her skirt under her legs.

"I'm all right, you can put me down." Although he'd healed her, she couldn't say that in front of Miss Thompson, and she wondered why he'd picked her up.

Dylan looked down at her and his face softened as he winked. "I'll take care of you. You've lost blood and could faint again. I guess saving you in the bathroom is going to become a habit."

Even though he smiled, nothing could hide the look of concern on his face, so she lifted her arms obediently around his neck and dropped her face against his chest. He smelled clean and earthy, and his aftershave mixed with the warmth of his body. Students watched as he carried her down the hallway, and she snuggled deeper into the fabric of his T-shirt to avoid their curious stares. The teacher had already run ahead to get help.

A steady current flowed from his body into hers and made her hum with pleasure. She felt herself growing stronger in his arms. Dylan rubbed his thumb against the bare skin of her thigh as he walked, and she wiggled in his arms.

"What happened?"

Aspen opened her eyes as Leeman spoke next to her.

"Miriam slammed her against the mirror in the bathroom."

"What!" Leeman was so angry, his eyes flashed from blue to silver in a steady pulse.

"Your eyes, Uncle Leeman," she chided him softly. "They're silver. You need to calm down. I'm all right, Dylan healed me already."

Leeman looked at her for a long moment and then glared at Dylan. "Then why are you carrying her?"

"She's still in shock." Without thinking, Dylan tightened his grip on her.

"It's okay, you can put me down now."

Dylan shook his head. "Uh-uh. Not until Miriam is in the principal's office."

A commotion up ahead made Aspen twist around to see Miriam being escorted into the principal's office. She shrank back against Dylan's broad chest as her stepsister glared at her, but he'd already turned her away from Miriam's stare.

"Besides, you're as light as a feather, and I kinda like this," he whispered.

His words made her forget about Miriam. When she blushed and tucked her cheek against him again, she could hear his heart pounding in her ear.

Leeman stayed behind to talk to the principal as Dylan carried Aspen to their car. As soon as Norma saw her daughter, she ran to meet them.

"Aspen, are you hurt?" she cried.

"No, Mom. Dylan healed me. I told him to put me down, but he said no."

Norma glanced at Dylan, and he gently dropped Aspen's legs so she could stand on the ground. Even though she felt better, he kept his arm around her waist, and she tried to brush her skirt down as quickly as possible.

"Leeman said you'd heal her," Norma said, her eyebrows drawn together in concern, "and told me to wait at the car so he could sort things out. I wanted to come in, but he wouldn't let me."

"I'm fine, Mom. The blood looks bad, but I don't even have a scratch anymore."

"Luckily the wound wasn't too deep, otherwise my dream catcher wouldn't heal you that quickly," Dylan added.

"Get in the car, honey. Your uncle will be out in a second."

As soon as the SUV's door was open, Aspen climbed into the backseat. Once inside, Dylan followed her and closed the door behind him. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and drew her up against him.

Leeman returned from the school building and Norma got into the passenger seat. After checking on Aspen, he turned the ignition and the heavy car fired up instantly.

They were about to leave the parking lot when Stephan's motorcycle roared past them. He raised his hand to stop them as he recognized Norma, and then made a turn in the road. With a brush of the throttle, he began to follow them.

Norma panicked. "Hurry, Leeman, don't let him catch us."

"Relax. You've got a restraining order. I'll call the cops if he comes too close."

Whatever Stephan wanted to say must have been serious, and he trailed them right up to the house. Once they'd stopped, he ripped off his helmet and flicked the bike stand down. He looked menacing in dark chinos and a black biker's jacket.

"Norma!" he shouted.

Leeman got out of the car first. His long black hair flapped against his shirt as he strode toward Stephan.

"She's got a restraining order against you, idiot. Now get out of here before I call the police."

Although Leeman's figure was imposing, Stephan ignored him and shouted out to Aspen's mom again. "Norma, please. I just need to see that you're okay."

Both men glared at each other but when Stephan tried to walk forward, Leeman held up his hand and jolted Stephan with the raw energy surrounding him. Leeman was so powerful that he didn't even need to make contact.

"No, don't," Norma called from the car. Opening the door, she climbed out.

"Mom, don't go," Aspen pleaded from the back.

"Shh, Aspen. Your uncle has this under control." Dylan pressed her into the seat as she tried to get out of the car.

"Norma, I need you," Stephan cried again.

Aspen's mom tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and played with the dream catcher that hung from her neck. She walked toward the two men.

"Stephan, you need to go. I'm not coming back to you anymore."

His face crumpled in dismay as she spoke. "I need you, Norma," he repeated.

She frowned at him and said sadly, "Exactly, you don't love me and you never have. You needed me to clean and cook for you, nothing else."

Instantly, Stephan's expression hardened. "That's not true. I took you in when you had no one."

"You're right, and I repaid you over and over for that. When you met me, I told you that my daughter was a part of me. We're a package deal. I've seen how you've treated Aspen, and it's broken my heart."

The moment she mentioned Aspen's name, his mouth twisted in disgust. "That little runt has caused so much trouble. You left me because of her, and Miriam is in the principal's office because she reported her. Don't tell me that I should like her," he said with a sneer.

"No, you're wrong, I've wanted to leave forever, but you made sure that I had no money or possessions. You forced me to rely on you and only gave me what was necessary to survive, never to stand up to you. Well, I'm standing up to you now, and I'm telling you that you're a snake and an evil man for treating me and my daughter the way you did. If I ever see you or Miriam anywhere near us, I'm going to call the cops to arrest you."

Stephan's cheeks flushed with anger.

Even though Aspen was tense, her heart swelled with emotion after her mother defended her and told Stephan how she'd truly felt. Her mother had wanted to leave after all. The fact that she'd been mistreated had not been ignored. There was truly nowhere else her mom could have gone.

Following the scene outside the car, Aspen relaxed her clenched fists and smiled. Dylan had scooted over to the far window to make sure that the situation was still under control. His collar stood up, blocking some of her view, but she could still see her stepfather if she looked over Dylan's shoulder.

Her smile dropped as Stephan saw her in the car and glared at her.

"It's all your fault, you little tramp!" he yelled.

Her temper flared and before she could think, she'd unlocked the car door and slipped outside. It took Dylan a few seconds to realize what she'd done, and he sprang out of the car too. Aspen marched toward Stephan.

"You're the disgusting one. You're just a bully." With a snarl, she walked right up to him.

Stephan's eyes bulged and he raised his hand to strike her. A ball of electricity surrounded her and crackled along her skin, raising the hairs on her body. Power rushed from her in a wave and struck him with a huge bang. It swept him off his feet and dumped him into the hedge surrounding the boundary wall.

Still shaking, she didn't notice that Dylan had joined her until he laid his hand on her forearm. Glancing at him, she saw his eyes glowing with rage.

Stephan groaned from within the hedge. He extracted himself painfully from the hard twigs and branches that had broken his fall.

Leeman strode over to where he struggled in the undergrowth. "If you ever speak to my niece or my sister-in-law like that again, you won't be let off so lightly," he promised. "Get up and get out of here. I don't want to hear that you, or your daughter, are harassing my family in any way again. If I do, I'll make sure you suffer so much that you'll regret the day you met them."

Dylan shouted at him too. "Stay away. Don't come near Aspen again." A muscle ticked in his jaw and his face was dark with anger.

Stephan stood up unsteadily and brushed a hand over his face. With a groan, he bent down to pick up his helmet. Fear laced his eyes as he rushed back to his bike. Muttering something that sounded suspiciously like _freaks_ under his breath, he turned the key to start the engine. He pulled the helmet over his head and flipped the throttle. The smell of exhaust floated in the air as he raced off.

Once he was out of sight, Aspen wrapped her arms around Dylan's waist and let out a sigh of relief. Power flowed from his body to hers, instantly calming her. He pressed his chin onto her head and clasped her against his chest for a long hug.

# Chapter 21

Making a Stand

"If a train is four point eight miles long and traveling at a speed of seventy-five miles per hour, and you are waiting at the railroad crossing for the train to pass, approximately how many minutes will you wait from the time it enters the crossing until it has completely passed?"

Dylan looked up from his textbook and stared blankly at Aspen. He was so handsome with his strong jaw and startling blue eyes that she had to remind herself to breathe.

Without a moment's thought, he answered, "Three point eight four minutes."

Her mouth opened in shock as he lowered his gaze and wrote something in a book. "How do you do that?" she asked, and tapped her ankles together in the air.

The living room carpet was soft and they lay on their stomachs while Aspen crossed her calves above her. The bright yellow sundress she wore was tucked neatly under her body, and her feet were bare.

When he looked at her again, he flashed a smile that displayed his perfect white teeth. "Do what?" A grin played across his lips.

"How do you know the answer to every one of my math problems? It's not fair."

"If you remember the formulas, you can work out most math problems."

She sighed. "Tell that to my brain."

It had been a week since the incident with Miriam, and thankfully she'd been expelled from their school. Even without her presence, Dylan had stuck to Aspen like glue and followed her everywhere. He came home with her each day and helped her with homework in the afternoon.

It was hard to tell if he was protecting her because she was important to his clan, or if he really liked her. The slightest brush of his hand against her arm and the way he guided her with a palm in the small of her back when they walked made her nerves sing, but whatever he felt was kept well hidden, and she wasn't about to question him about it.

Both of them turned to look up at Leeman as he entered the room.

"Hey, kids."

"Hey, Uncle Leeman."

"Do you have a lot of homework left?" he asked and collapsed into a comfortable couch next to them.

"Nah, I've got my own calculator here, and he's just finished my last problem." Even though Dylan rolled his eyes at her, she knew he liked her compliment.

The smell of fried chicken drifted into the living room from the kitchen, and pots clanked noisily.

Leeman arched an eyebrow. "That's good because after dinner, I'm planning an attack on the castle."

Dylan perked up and closed his books quickly. "Wow, that's amazing. Can we come along?"

After studying him for a second, Leeman scratched his head and said, "I suppose that'll be okay. I'm getting the Fire Walker clan to go with us. We're going to find out if the Chancellors are holding any clan members in their castle."

"Ooh, that sounds exciting. How many people will be coming along?" Aspen crawled in front of her uncle's chair.

"There will be about forty Power Walkers and thirty Fire Walkers. Some Water Walkers want to come too."

As Leeman spoke, Dylan packed his books away and picked up Aspen's homework as well.

"I've asked the Fire Walkers to create a diversion while we enter the castle. I want to get as many Chancellors away from the castle as possible. You can both come along, but you'll have to hide outside the castle. I don't want you inside."

With pouty lips, Aspen frowned. "You know we can help too." Even though she was only five foot two and looked fragile, she was still powerful. She knew she still needed training, but once she was ready, not many Dream Walkers would challenge her.

"I know, Princess, but just stay close to the Fire Walkers and don't enter the castle—under any circumstances. Am I making myself clear?" Leeman stared at her with mock severity, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, sir," she said and gave him a mock salute. A second later, she jumped up and sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Your mother is cooking chicken for dinner, so put your books away and wash your hands and we'll eat. Dylan, you're invited. You can leave with us afterward."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'll show you which bathroom to use if you'd like to wash up," Aspen told him as her uncle lifted her off the chair and onto the floor. Her hair was loose, and she brushed it over her shoulders and away from her face before leading him up the staircase.

Once upstairs, she grabbed a towel from the linen closet and handed it to Dylan. A gentle current flowed from his skin into hers as their fingers touched, and he seemed to savor the feeling. He breathed deeply and a strange look flashed briefly over his face.

"I'll be down soon." His voice was gravelly and lower than usual.

Reluctantly, she let go of the towel and rushed to her room. She didn't say much while they had dinner later, and was relieved when Leeman said that it was time to go.

The three Dream Walkers said good-bye to Norma, then clutched their dream catchers as they disappeared in a warm glow of light.

• • •

Lanta was bathed in pale yellow, and the whole village was a hive of activity. The sweet sounds of a wooden flute piped through the balmy air.

With a quick wave, Leeman strode off to his house to get prepared. Ginny stood talking to a man Aspen hadn't met before, and she and Dylan walked over to greet them. Tracing her hands along the seam of her jeans, Aspen was glad she'd changed her clothing at her mom's house.

Ginny dragged the man over by the arm to introduce him. "This is my dad. Dad, this is Aspen, and you know Dylan."

Ginny's father was tall and thin, and his eyes glowed with pride as his arm circled Ginny's shoulder and he dipped his head in respect. He had shiny black hair like the rest of the Power Walker men.

"Greetings, Princess. I'm honored to meet you, and doubly so because I've been told that you helped save my precious daughter's life." With that, he hugged Ginny close to his side and shut his eyes.

"My life would be worthless if you didn't find her," he went on. "I'm forever in your debt, and if you ever need anything, no matter how small, please let me know. I'm your loyal servant."

Nothing could stop the rush of heat that flooded Aspen's cheeks, and she didn't know what to say.

"Thank you, Arthur," Dylan said on her behalf. "I'm sure that the princess appreciates your kind words."

"It was my pleasure," she managed to say.

Once Ginny and her dad had turned around to leave, Aspen ducked behind Dylan's back. "That was awkward," she whispered.

"Arthur loves his daughters more than he loves himself. He's a good dad."

As she raised her eyes to look at him, someone called his name.

"Dylan!"

He spun around. "Wait here," he ordered, and walked over to a man who bore an incredible resemblance to him.

Aha, Aspen thought. This had to be Dylan's dad. He had the same unruly dark hair and striking blue eyes. His jaw was wide, and he was about six foot two with a broad chest and long legs. He must have been just as handsome as Dylan when he was younger. The two spoke for a bit and then walked toward Aspen.

People gathered in the area around them, children ran past her, and raised voices could be heard everywhere. Dogs barked, and men shouted orders as supplies were bundled up and packed away. Excitement was almost tangible in the air, and she took a deep breath to settle her nerves.

As soon as they reached her, Dylan made the introductions. "Aspen, this is my dad. Dad, I've told you about Aspen before."

With a low bow, his father looked up at her with twinkling eyes. "I'm David. I'm so glad to finally meet you, Princess. My son can't stop talking about you."

A mortified look crossed Dylan's face before he clenched his jaw and stared into the distance.

Aspen smiled shyly. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"Dad, enough already." Dylan's eyes drilled into his father's.

Nothing could stop the smile on his dad's face, though, and he chuckled. "Are you two coming too? Leeman said that we're leaving soon."

A group of clan members walked in front of them, and Aspen stepped back to let them through. "Yes, Uncle Leeman said that we could tag along."

"Good. Demothi is rustling up some horses for us, so I'll see you both later." He ruffled Dylan's hair and then walked away.

A lump rose up in Aspen's throat as she watched Dylan's father leave. Meeting both the girls' and Dylan's dads in one day reminded her of the father she would never have, and she wished she'd known him too. She envied Dylan and Ginny and Sandy. They were privileged to have spent so much time with their dads. The love they shared was clearly visible, and her eyes filled with tears. Life wasn't always fair.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dylan trailed a finger across her cheek.

She blinked. "Yes, I'm fine, thanks. Let's find Sandy."

As she looked at the crowd, she saw Ray and his sister arriving on horseback.

As soon as Ruby caught sight of them, she maneuvered her horse in their direction. Ray waved wildly at Aspen and with a jerk on the horse's reins, he followed behind Ruby.

"Looks like you've got company."

Aspen glanced up at Dylan as he spoke. His eyes remained on Ray as he approached, and she wondered why Dylan wasn't looking at Ruby.

"Hey, Dylan." Ruby's smile was as bright as her lips were red. Her green eyes lit up as she slipped from her horse and rushed toward him. With a happy sigh, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his chest.

Aspen forced herself to breathe normally as a rush of jealousy swamped her, and she barely noticed Ray dismounting.

Ruby nestled closer and spoke again. "I'm so glad we caught you. Are you going with our party?"

A large group of riders chose that moment to enter the village and she pointed at them. The Fire Walkers formed part of the group, and Aspen saw Ginny waving at Ashley and Cole while Caden followed closely behind. For some reason, Caden was glaring at Dylan, and didn't seem happy at all.

As soon as the riders dismounted their horses, the noise in the village escalated and before she could protest, Ray had scooped her up in a bear hug that left her breathless. He planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Howdy, little darling. You're as pretty as a picture today."

She blushed and peeked at Dylan. His lips were pressed together tightly, and he looked really upset.

Ray dragged her by the arm. "They say Demothi's gettin' more horses ready. I love to watch him. Come on."

Running with Ray proved to be a mission as his legs were longer than hers, and she ended up being dragged behind him. She squealed in protest and glanced back. Ruby was still wrapped around Dylan, but he seemed to be more interested in watching Ray tugging Aspen along.

Luckily, Ray didn't run for long and stopped in front of a huge bonfire. Heat from the flames warmed her cheeks and smoke stung her eyes.

"Look." He pointed to the left where Demothi, the Power Walker's magic man, chanted. A white robe covered his short frame, and moccasin boots peeked out from under his pants. Blue and red sparks flew from the long stick he held, and the flames hissed loudly each time he raised it. His eyes were closed, and the long braid of hair draped over his shoulder swayed from side to side with each step he took.

It took a while, but Aspen finally heard the words he was chanting.

"Sun ka wa kan hiyu, sun ka wa kan hiyu."

Before she could move, Ray pulled her up against his chest and rested his chin on her head. "Do ya hear that?" he asked against her ear.

"I hear it, but I don't understand what he's saying."

"He's calling to the horse spirits and asking them to appear to us."

Suddenly she was tugged out of Ray's arms. She spun around to find Dylan hauling her away with firm hands.

"Get away from the fire!" he yelled at Ray. "The horses will be here any minute."

Being pulled around like a rag doll was not her idea of fun, and Aspen stamped her foot in the sand. Just as she was about to shout at Dylan for being so rude, the ground shook and a deep rumble filled the air. Huge horses hurtled out of the flames and crashed to the ground next to her. Their whinnies and snorts sounded like thunder, and she grabbed her ears in vain to block out the noise. The white stallions barely missed her as they jumped out of the fire, and their tails whipped her arms and drops of saliva dotted her face.

Dylan grabbed Aspen and wrapped an arm around her waist. With a jerk, the earth moved away from her feet and she rose up in the air with him. Automatically she grabbed his neck and hooked her calves around his hips to hold on for dear life.

After a few seconds, she dared to look down. Dylan had aimed an electrical current at the ground and the force was lifting the two of them up in the air. Power flowed from his hand in a direct line to the soil. The stream was as thick as a telephone pole, and it snaked toward the earth in neon-blue sparks.

Horses continued to catapult from the flames, but now she looked down at them instead of being trapped next to them. She saw Ray as he waved his arms at them frantically from below. He'd managed to move out of the horses' path completely.

After releasing her death grip on his neck, she turned wondrous eyes toward Dylan.

"Wow. I'm sorry for attacking you like that, but I didn't know what was happening or that you could do something like this."

Dylan's mouth curled upward. "There's a lot you don't know about me," he murmured, and his gaze dropped to her lips.

The shock was beginning to wear off, and Aspen could feel her entire body humming with electricity. She glanced down again. "I think we can go back now. The stampede seems to be over."

Dylan laughed softly. "Whatever you want, Princess."

When Dylan decreased the current in his hands, they descended slowly. A stiff breeze whipped strands of her hair against his face as they made their way back to earth.

"You can let go now," Dylan said and smiled at her.

"Huh?" She blushed when she realized they'd landed, but her legs were still wrapped around his waist. Instantly, she dropped to her feet and stepped away.

"Aspen, are you all right?" Ray asked from behind her.

"No thanks to you," Dylan snarled at him.

Ignoring Dylan, Ray grabbed her hands. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think the horses were so close. I would never hurt you intentionally."

Aspen shook her head. "It's fine, don't worry. Wow, look at these horses. I know I've seen them before, but they're just so magnificent." Hopefully the subject change would defuse the tension between the two Dream Walkers.

Ray stepped back. "Yeah, they're beauties, all right. Demothi conjures them up when the Power Walkers need them, and sends them back once the job is done. We have our own horses, but there's nothing like a white Arcadian. They're magical."

"Come on, let's get our horses and get going," Dylan said, his voice icy. "Leeman is waiting for everyone already."

Still reeling from the quick flight, Aspen was shocked to feel Dylan's hold on her hand as he pulled her toward Leeman's house. What was his problem now? She wasn't someone's favorite toy that could be dragged back and forth like this. She sighed and followed behind him, watching as warriors saddled the horses and stowed supplies in bags.

Dylan found a smaller horse and strapped a saddle onto its back while Aspen stood behind him. Once he was done, he reached into a container on the ground and pulled out a small hunting knife. He handed it, safe inside its sheath, to Aspen.

"Keep this with you in case something happens."

Nodding, she took the knife from him solemnly. This wasn't a game, and the odds of their getting hurt were high. She swallowed a lump in her throat as Dylan saddled his larger horse. The animal stood patiently until he'd finished.

After Dylan was done, he turned and whisked her up into the air as if she were as light as a feather. Before she could protest, she sat on the smaller horse. Lifting her leg over its broad neck, she tucked her foot into the stirrup on the other side.

Dylan tightened the stirrup on both sides before handing her the reins. It felt good knowing he was looking after her. With little effort, he jumped up on his own horse and turned its head so the two animals faced the same way.

"Listen up, folks." Leeman's voice boomed above the loud noise in the village. "The Power Walkers will be headed for the castle, and the rest of you will create a diversion for us. Aspen, Dylan, Sandy, and Ginny, you'll be in charge of the horses once we get there. I don't want to see you anywhere near the castle. We'll get back to you once we're done. Understood?"

Sandy had joined Ginny earlier, and the two girls angled their horses next to Dylan and Aspen. The four bobbed their heads in unison.

"Right then, let's get on our way." Leeman's command was followed by whoops and catcalls of excitement.

The massive train of horses filtered out of the village and made its way past the river.

"It's about an hour's hard ride to the castle, so we'll go through at least one Lavendula before we get there," Ginny said, and patted the twitching neck of her beautiful white horse. "Leeman is taking us away from any known waypoints so we don't come across any Chancellors by mistake."

"It's a shame. A lot of kids will have nightmares tonight and they won't know why." Sandy grimaced.

The horses picked up speed once they'd left the river, and soon they galloped through fields of daisies and green meadowlands.

Thick strands of blond hair flew wildly behind Aspen, and the warm breeze prickled her cheeks. Her T-shirt was pressed firmly against her body by the wind, and she breathed in the smell of leather, sweat, and horses as she dug her knees into the beautiful white steed beneath her and allowed it to take control.

After a long ride, the sky changed color, and Leeman reined in his horse and raised his hand. Everyone stopped as his powerful voice shouted over the loud group. The riders behind him jerked their animals to a halt, and the small but deadly army of Dream Walkers gathered around their leader.

Aspen struggled to control her horse until Dylan whistled behind her. The beautiful white beast slowed down and then stopped. It turned its muzzle into his cupped palm as he pulled his horse next to hers. She watched it nibble the small piece of apple Dylan held, and he petted its head soothingly.

"That's a good baby," he murmured. While rubbing the horse's ears, he stared straight into her eyes, and her heart thumped in her chest.

Leeman spoke up again, and they all turned as one to give him their attention.

"Listen up, everyone. Stay together and Demothi will cloak us in case the Chancellors come out this far. We have to wait for Lavendula to finish before we can go any farther."

She watched her uncle with pride as he sat up on his horse, easily commanding the army of people around him. Long black hair was tied back from his face, and a heavy belt circled his hips. The Gimler hung innocently from it. There was no mistaking the weapon's power—she'd seen it in action firsthand—and she smiled as she thought about all the damage it could do.

Leeman looked strong and intimidating, and she loved the fact that he was related to her. Not having a father to protect her like her friends did was awful, but she knew that her uncle thought of her as his own child, and would do anything to make sure she was safe. That knowledge made her feel good.

"Once we reach the outskirts of the castle, we'll leave our horses with Princess Aspen and her followers. Then the Fire Walkers will start their distraction so that we can enter the castle. We're concentrating on the dungeons. I want to be in and out as soon as possible, no wandering anywhere else in the castle. Everyone must be out as soon as we are done with the dungeons, understood?"

The crowd murmured their agreement, and Leeman nodded his head before he turned his horse around. Demothi chanted and waved his wand in the air, and Aspen knew that they were safe from detection. The lavender sky cooled the air on her skin, and she sat back in the saddle and turned to face Dylan.

Ruby chose that moment to walk her horse through the group of animals and stop next to them.

"Hi, sweetie." She grinned and sidled up to Dylan. Tendrils of auburn hair had escaped her ponytail that was loosely tied, and they framed her pretty face. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Ruby." Dylan nodded his head at her.

"Are you having fun yet?" Her full lips curved into a smile, and she reached over to stroke the flank of Dylan's horse right next to his thigh.

It took all of Aspen's control not to smack her. Ruby was way too familiar with Dylan, and the way she spoke to him made Aspen want to scream.

Just as she was about to butt in, someone called her name.

# Chapter 22

Dungeons and Castles

"Aspen!" Leeman angled his horse toward her. As he neared, she overheard Ruby's last sentence.

"Why are you playing with her, Dylan? Seriously! She's a Halfling." Ruby pouted her bow-shaped mouth and shook her head.

Dylan's silence was heartbreaking. It was impossible for Aspen to hide the hurt in her eyes, and she refused to look at Dylan. All she could think of was that he hadn't defended her. Did he need to, though? Was Ruby insulting her?

"Come with me, Princess. Demothi wants to show you how to hide the horses when we leave." Leeman grabbed her bridle and pulled her horse toward his, and she had no choice but to follow.

As she left, she saw Caden on his dappled horse. His lips were narrowed in a thin line as he glared at Ruby, but Aspen was too upset to give it more thought.

Wiping her reddened eyes, she tried to process what she'd just heard. Did Dylan think less of her for being a Halfling? What did it matter if her mother wasn't a Dream Walker? She was a princess—surely that counted for something? Why didn't he stand up for her? Did he think she was inferior too?

"Aspen, are you listening to me?"

She jerked as her uncle tried to get her attention. This wasn't the time for tears, and she straightened her back in the saddle. Demothi sat on a pure white horse right in front of her. It was the same size as Leeman's, but was so much scarier. This beast had angry eyes that blazed as it snorted and shook its massive head, definitely warning her not to get too close.

"Demothi needs you to help us," Leeman said.

"Of course, I'm sorry. What can I do?"

"Take this." Demothi leaned forward in the saddle, holding out a smooth black wand.

Aspen looked nervously at the diminutive man. His face was wrinkled, and his eyes were as dark as the night. Taking the shiny stick from him, she jerked as raw power latched onto her hand. Her palm felt like it had been clamped in the jaws of a powerful dog that hadn't bitten, but was waiting for the slightest move to do so. She couldn't drop the wand even if she tried.

Demothi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "I knew she'd be able to hold it." He beamed at her. "Her bloodline is royal. Only royalty can handle the magic the wand contains."

Leeman seemed to be pleased, and she smiled weakly back at him.

"We have a spell to call the wild horses of Arcadia. They are bound to the wand, and will be released and returned after chanting magical words," Demothi continued. "When we get outside the castle, I'll give you the wand and tell you which words to say to return the horses to Arcadia. As soon as we are ready to leave, you can summon them for us."

"Why can't you do it?" she asked. The wand gripped her hand tightly.

Leeman stared carefully at her, as if taking her measure. "If we have a problem and can't get out, I'll need you to be prepared to summon the horses and get our people away as fast as possible. We'll be too close to the castle for the cloaking spell to work."

Although his meaning was clear, she reminded herself again that this wasn't the time to worry about his safety, and she sat up with the wand raised in the air.

"You'll be coming back, I don't doubt that at all, but I'll learn how to do the spell just in case." Aspen sat ramrod straight in the saddle and smiled at her uncle.

"Good girl, keep the wand in this pouch. Demothi has given you his spare. It's a bit difficult to hold for too long," he said with a grin.

She sighed with relief as she took the slim pouch and slid the wand safely into it. "That was intense."

Ginny and Sandy trotted up to her on their beautiful white horses. Her uncle nudged his horse and left with Demothi after he'd given her hand a squeeze, and she turned in the saddle to face her friends. They were both dressed in black jeans and long-sleeved sweatshirts. Sandy wore her trademark bangles, and they tinkled softly with each movement of her arm.

"Well, Ruby is in top form today." Ginny chuckled. "When she wants someone, she pulls out all the stops."

Aspen turned back to look at Dylan, and her face crumpled as she saw Ruby's crimson fingernails wrapped around his bicep.

"Ginny, shut up." Sandy's eyes were as sharp as daggers as she glared at her sister.

"What? What did I say?" Ginny lifted her palms in the air.

"It's okay. I think Dylan's the only one who doesn't know that I like him by now." A forlorn smile crossed Aspen's mouth.

"Honey, she wasn't talking about Dylan. Besides, he's stupid if he can't see what he's got in you." Sandy rubbed her shoulder soothingly. "He should have realized you liked him when you told him he makes you feel good."

A ghost of a smile reached Aspen's lips.

"Cheer up, girl," Sandy said. "There are plenty of ways to make him notice you. You don't need to worry about Ruby. She's flirting like that to make Caden jealous." Both of them turned to look at Dylan and Ruby again.

"Caden? The good-looking Water Walker? Why would she do that?"

"It's a long story, and I'll save it for another day. We're going to fight the Chancellors now and I need you to focus. Think you can do that?" With a smile, Sandy reached out to touch Aspen's chin.

She exhaled. "You're right, time for payback."

Within a few minutes, the sky had lightened enough for the group to continue. Aspen ignored Dylan and rode alongside her friends for the next forty-five minutes.

Parts of the castle became visible through a break in the tree line as they neared their destination. Circular towers constructed of white brick with black conical spires reached out to the sky. They were so tall that small clouds touched their black tips. She wondered how they would they ever find any Dream Walkers in such a huge complex.

Leeman motioned for the riders to halt and gather around him. Horses snorted and flicked their heads as they tried to still their heaving flanks.

"Listen up. Power Walkers, leave your rides here. The Fire Walkers need to create a diversion as soon as Lavendula starts." He pointed to the left. "I need you to operate from that side. Come back as soon as Lavendula ends. We'll be leaving as quickly as we can."

There was no doubt that Aspen's uncle was ready for a fight, and his hands gestured wildly as his silver eyes sparked with excitement.

"We'll be going on foot as soon as Lemona ends, so good luck, everyone. Fire Walkers, take up your positions now."

The group split up. Aspen watched Ruby wave at Dylan as her team trotted behind her. Caden followed Ruby, and Aspen had to admit that he didn't look too pleased. Ray looked embarrassed but smiled at her as he left behind his sister.

After they had left, Leeman commanded the team again. "You can dismount now."

Everyone sprang from their horses and removed the items they needed from their saddlebags.

Aspen was about to dismount when Dylan held out his hands to help her down. Her heart skipped a beat. He had such a handsome face, with his windswept hair and glittering blue eyes. The look he gave her was different from any she'd seen before. It was heated and raw, and it made her stomach flip nervously.

No, she wasn't going to give in to him. He hadn't defended her when Ruby called her a Halfling, and she couldn't forgive him for that. She ignored his hand and slid from the big animal as quickly as she could. Without looking at him, she marched over to Demothi and withdrew the wand from the pouch.

"I'm ready, Demothi. Show me how to use your magic." The aching bite of power in the wand made her shudder as it gripped her firmly.

Demothi raised rheumy eyes to watch her, and the lines around his mouth crinkled as he began to chant. "Sun ka wa kan iyaya, sun ka wa kan iyaya. Say it with me."

She chanted in time with the old man, "Sun ka wa kan iyaya, sun ka wa kan iyaya." The short stick waved from left to right, and power was absorbed from her fingers into the wand in a body-shaking rush that left her feeling slightly dizzy.

Within seconds, the horses of Arcadia disappeared. Aspen stared openmouthed around her. Warriors crept forward with Leeman, not worried that the huge animals had left their presence. They'd probably witnessed this before but it was novel for her, and she blinked her eyes to make sure it wasn't a dream.

"You need to say 'Sun ka wa kan hiyu' in order for them to return," Demothi added.

"Sun ka wa kan hiyu?" she repeated.

"Yes, take this paper. I've written the words down for you in case you don't remember." He pressed a small note into her hands.

"Thank you, and good luck. Please be careful and look after my uncle." Her eyes welled up with tears.

Demothi hugged her against his chest. "Don't worry, I'll look after him with my life," he promised. Once the old man had released her, he walked toward the rest of the team.

After everyone had left, Aspen wiped her eyes and looked around to study the area. Leeman had chosen a perfect spot amongst a large grouping of trees. A few boulders were scattered here and there, and she could barely see the walls of the castle through the thick foliage.

The three girls and Dylan were the only ones left behind. As the sky changed, the air cooled rapidly, and Dylan called out to her.

"Aspen, come back here—we need to hide behind the boulders. It's not safe where we are. The Chancellors outnumber us, and I don't want to take any chances."

Although she wanted to ignore him, a huge explosion rocked the ground, and she scrambled to his side.

Shouts and screams echoed in the distance, and Aspen stood as close as she could to Dylan without touching him. He laced his fingers through hers and smiled encouragingly at her. The warmth of his power snaked up her arm and rushed through her body, calming and exciting her at the same time.

When Sandy grinned at her knowingly, Aspen blushed and tried to release her fingers, but he wouldn't let go and only firmed his grip.

The sky lit up with a stream of fireworks and the ground shook again. Magic was definitely being used. Only Demothi could create such an elaborate display.

"I wonder what's happening?" Ginny asked. She clutched her sister's arm and peered around a boulder. Her thick blond hair hung forward over her shoulder as she tried to see through the trees. The smell of smoke reached their nostrils, and Aspen wondered how Ray and Ruby were. Clearly, they'd started a fire, and the distraction was working.

"Wait here," Dylan said. "I'm going to climb that tree to see what's going on."

As soon as Dylan released her hand, she missed his warmth and wished he would come back again. He picked a thick trunk and swiftly climbed to the highest large branch.

Glancing at his retreating figure, she stepped out from the safety of the boulder and watched nervously to make sure he didn't fall. This is stupid, she thought. He could do that power thing with his hands if he needed to save himself.

Just as she was about to move back, a Chancellor appeared in front of her. He was so close that his empty black eyes and pale skin made her panic, and she was glued to the spot. Suddenly a blast of power hit him and she screamed. Dylan had aimed from the tree, and the Chancellor's skin shriveled in front of her. The ball of power seemed to consume him until all that was left was a pile of ashes that smoldered on the ground.

Aspen was too shocked to move. The ground shook as she stared at the remains of her enemy, and she screamed again as a huge arm lifted her from the ground. A band of steel wrapped around her waist, and she turned frightened eyes toward the creature that had her in its grip. One look at her captor made her scream even louder. A grotesque monster with yellow fangs and a huge horn centered between narrow eyes had lifted her in its clawed hand. Saliva dripped from its open mouth and a scarlet tongue flicked around its lips in anticipation.

Dylan shouted at her, "Use your power. Shoot him!" He'd climbed down from the tree and stood below her, firing power balls in quick succession at the huge beast.

Ginny and Sandy joined him on the ground. They aimed their blasts at the monster, but its scaly skin repelled their attack. The creature held one of her arms in his hand and tried to rip it from her body. Pain exploded in her chest, and she screeched like a banshee.

"Shoot the thing. Kill it!" Dylan screamed at her and used a power stream to fly up to the giant's face. Blue electricity trailed in a thick current between the ground and his hand.

If she didn't do something quickly, she would die. The monster wanted to kill her. Even though the pain was excruciating, she concentrated hard and blasted it with all the power she possessed.

Dylan aimed a ball of electricity at the huge horn in the center of the monster's forehead, and Ginny and Sandy aimed at the beast's knees.

The combined power was too much for the creature, and its thick skin shriveled in the same way as the Chancellor's had. Just as she was about to hit the ground, Dylan scooped her up and clutched her to his chest with one hand. He lowered the two of them to the ground.

The monster's body dissolved into a massive pile of ash that fell to the earth with a loud plop.

Aspen sobbed as they reached the ground. Her arm felt as if it had already been torn off. Dylan hugged her to his body and knelt on the ground. Smoke surrounded them in thick clouds, and Sandy and Ginny raced to her side.

"Are you okay? Talk to me! Are you all right?" Sandy tried frantically to speak to her, but Aspen's head spun and black spots flashed behind her eyelids.

"Where's her dream catcher?" Dylan shouted at Sandy. "Mine's next to the tree, get it quickly so I can heal her." As he spoke, the sky changed around them.

"Thank goodness it's Lemona. The others will come back now." Sandy retrieved his dream catcher from the ground and ran back to give it to him. Apparently he'd broken its cord in his haste to leave the tree. The two girls searched the area for Aspen's dream catcher. Her charm had been ripped from her neck in the attack and was nowhere to be seen.

As Dylan held on to the necklace, power spread over her body. Her tissue knitted quickly and her bones popped back into place. The charm glowed brightly and heat covered her limbs. Carefully, he held her head against his chest and rested her body on the ground. There wasn't enough energy in her arms to hold his hand, and she lay back listlessly in his embrace. She was as weak as a kitten and wondered why his dream catcher hadn't healed her completely.

"I hear the soldiers. They're on their way back." Ginny jumped up and ran toward the edge of the trees. The fire had spread and smoke was already clouding the air around them. The undergrowth crackled as the hungry flames approached them.

"Can you call the horses, baby?" Dylan whispered against Aspen's cheek. He hugged her tightly, and the glow of the necklace and the rush of power his touch always produced made her feel so much better. With a nod of her head, she used her good hand to reach for the wand that protruded from her jeans pocket. Sandy and Ginny jumped behind her.

The wand bit into her hand and she grimaced as it drained the small amount of power she'd regained. After murmuring the words of the spell, she waved the wand from side to side.

Within seconds, the powerful white horses of Arcadia leaped in front of her and thundered on the ground, away from the wand and those behind her.

Voices came from the bushes, and she struggled to see through the black smoke. Dylan allowed her to turn her head against his chest so she could watch the Power Walkers as they made their way back.

The large figure of her uncle appeared through the trees, but he was dragging someone with him. A tall, thin man clung to him, and Leeman held on with an arm around his waist and a hand on his shoulder. The man was obviously weak and very bedraggled.

Aspen wondered if her uncle had actually found a prisoner. Even though she wanted to get up and greet her uncle, a wave of dizziness swamped her. Her eyes fluttered shut and she slumped into unconsciousness in Dylan's arms.

# Chapter 23

Bolt from the Blue

Tiny beams of sunlight danced on Aspen's eyelids, and she yawned and stretched languidly. She opened her eyes and pulled the quilt in front of the offending sun. It took a few second for her to remember the events from the previous night, and she felt her arms to see if they were still bruised. Her body was uninjured, so she hopped out of bed.

A soft knock on her door made her turn around to see her mother poke her head around it.

"Ah, are you awake?"

"Hi, Mom. Yeah, I'm awake. How did I get back?"

"Dylan brought you back. He said you were very tired."

"Oh." She looked down and noticed she still wore her T-shirt from the previous night, but her jeans were folded over the chair opposite the bed. Her dream catcher was lying on top of the jeans, so her friends must have found it and returned it.

"How did I get into bed?" she asked hesitantly.

"Dylan carried you upstairs and put you to bed. You were exhausted."

"What about Uncle Leeman?"

"He said he would be home later. They found a prisoner and he's looking after him. He said you should go to school today."

"Great. I almost forgot about that. Am I late?" she squealed.

"No, sweetie, I'm taking you there so we'll make it in time. Have a shower quickly, you smell like smoke. I've made something to eat that you can take to school."

"Thanks, Mom."

Norma smiled and left the room. Aspen rushed through the shower and towel-dried her long hair before slipping into a pair of white shorts and a lilac T-shirt. She grabbed a pair of cork sandals and her dream catcher, and rushed downstairs with her backpack over her shoulder.

After her mom dropped her off at school, she searched for Sandy and Dylan without success. With Miriam being expelled, she didn't need to worry about being confronted by anyone during classes.

Once the last bell of the day had rung, she picked up her backpack and walked outside.

Norma waited in the Honda outside the school gates, and Aspen opened the passenger door and slumped into the black leather passenger seat.

"Any word?" she asked.

"No. Nothing. How was school?" Her mom smiled brightly. With a bit of makeup and a sleek new hairstyle, she was looking much better. Aspen studied her mother's face carefully. She was actually a very pretty woman.

"School was okay. I didn't see Sandy or Dylan, and I'm dying to know what happened last night."

"Why don't you use your dream catcher and visit Lanta?"

"I'll probably do that if they aren't back soon. I've got some homework to do before I can go." She leaned her head against the headrest as Norma maneuvered into traffic.

They drove through the tree-lined streets for a short while and turned into the driveway of Leeman's house. The gate was closed, and Aspen jumped out to open it so her mom could park the car.

Once Aspen had settled in her room, she tackled an English essay first and then studied for a physics test. Norma had changed the television to a music channel and hits of the nineties played downstairs. Not too loud to interfere while she studied, but loud enough for her to sing along with as she turned the pages of her books.

Although she was tempted to leave everything and transport to Lanta, she was still embarrassed about the previous night. Dylan had seen her at her weakest, and probably thought she was a poor excuse for a princess. No doubt he agreed with Ruby about Aspen's Halfling status. Nope, she could wait a while before seeing him again.

She'd just completed her homework when Norma called her downstairs to help with dinner, and she decided to wait until bedtime to cross over.

"Can you set the table, sweetie?" Her mom stirred a meaty stew that smelled delicious.

"Of course. It smells great." Aspen sniffed the air appreciatively.

"This was your dad's favorite. He used to sneak downstairs and heat up a bowl of the leftovers in the middle of the night." Norma placed the spoon back on the counter and stared out the window. "He said the stew tasted better after soaking for a while." She smiled sadly.

Aspen walked over to her mother and hugged her. "It's okay, Mom. Things are getting better now."

Holding her daughter against her chest, Norma whispered, "I know. I just miss your dad sometimes."

They heard the front door open and people speaking in the living room. With a frown, her mother released her and the two walked to the front of the house to see who'd come to visit.

The prisoner from the night before stood with Leeman in the living room. He'd obviously been cleaned up and his clothes were new. Although he was painfully thin, he held his shoulders back with pride, and Aspen was convinced that he was someone important.

The man's eyes made contact with her mother's and a huge smile broke out on his face. Norma shrieked and ran across the room as fast as she could. Aspen watched in amazement as her mother flung herself into the man's open arms. She hugged him tightly and burst into tears.

This was a shocking sight. Her mother had never acted like this before. Who was this person? The stranger closed his eyes and rested his chin on her mother's head, seeming to draw comfort from the fact that Norma was in his arms.

Gooseflesh prickled along Aspen's skin as her mother drew back and touched the man's face reverently. "Roman," she whispered.

Aspen froze.

"Roman, you're here. How is this possible?" Norma pulled his face down and pressed kisses all over his cheeks. The man lifted her up into the air so that her feet dangled, and squeezed her as tightly as he could.

"Norma, my precious. I've missed you so much." His voice was gruff with emotion, and the two clung to each other for a few moments.

Aspen stared at the man in a daze. This couldn't be true. She looked at Leeman for answers, but he was beaming with joy.

Once Roman had placed Norma back on the floor, he stoked her face tenderly, as if he wanted to memorize her every feature. In a state of shock, Aspen cleared her throat, and he glanced up and caught her eye.

"My princess."

Stunned, Aspen stood where she was, her feet practically glued to the floor.

Her mother looked back to stretch her hand out to her. "Honey, come and say hello to your father."

Aspen felt blood rush into her cheeks and she swayed slightly. "My f-father," she stuttered.

"I can't believe how beautiful you are." Roman's thin face broke into a smile and he stepped toward her. "I've tried to imagine how you would look after all these years, but you've left me speechless."

She stood still as he approached her. Norma clung to his arm and walked with him as he reached out to touch Aspen's face.

"Dad?" she said softly.

Her father pulled her against his chest and wrapped both arms around her, hugging her tightly. "My sweet, sweet princess. I thought I'd never get a chance to hold you again."

Aspen's throat closed up and her heart swelled. A sob rushed through her chest, and she jerked as it hit her airways. She bawled out loud as an old ache that had long been suppressed beat against the walls of her heart and finally exploded.

Roman hugged her even closer against his body and rocked her from side to side. "Shh, my precious angel, my little princess. I've got you. You don't need to cry anymore."

She couldn't help herself as huge tears spilled from her eyes to wet her father's shirt.

Her father waited for the worst of her sobs to subside before gently pulling her away. She tried to wipe her face and runny nose, and sniffed loudly.

Leeman dug into his pocket and hauled out a handkerchief, and she took the cloth gratefully.

"How did you survive?" Aspen asked when she could finally speak. "We thought you were dead."

Roman held both her hand and Norma's, and led them over to the sofa. "I have to sit down, I hope you don't mind. I need to build up some strength, and it's going to take longer than one day, I'm afraid." He sank onto the soft cushion and grimaced.

"Oh, my sweetheart, what can I get you? You look so pale." Norma's face was pinched with worry.

"Sit down and relax, I'll make everyone some coffee. I think Roman has a lot to tell us." Nothing could remove Leeman's smile, and he walked into the kitchen to make a pot.

Roman snuggled Aspen under his arm and looked at Norma. He gripped her hand as though he couldn't bear to let it go again. "I've missed you so much. I still can't believe you're with me." With a sigh, he shut his eyes tightly.

Aspen could see tiny nicks under his chin where he must have shaved in a rush. His skin was so pale that small blood vessels were visible along his throat, and dark chest hairs peeked out from beneath the collar of his shirt. She breathed in his scent. It smelled so familiar and comforting.

His bright blue eyes snapped open and he reached for Aspen's watch. "You still wear this?" he asked.

"Yes, it's all I had of yours," she replied, and he hugged her against his body for a second.

"What happened to you?" Norma lifted her hand and touched his cheek. "They told me you were dead. They said your body had been incinerated and there was nothing left." Her lower lip wobbled, and this time Roman pulled her against his chest.

"I didn't wear my dream catcher to work. I didn't want to draw attention to myself because of you and Aspen. The Chancellor Lord, Andreas, had been looking for me everywhere. I wanted to bring you back to Lanta where I could protect you, but our magician, Demothi, hadn't completed the spell."

He released his wife and looked into her eyes. "You must believe me. I tried everything possible to bring you over. I built a house for you and . . ." Tears welled up in his eyes and he stopped talking for a few seconds.

Aspen wrapped her arm around his thin chest. He must have borrowed Leeman's clothes, because his shirt was baggy, and she wondered when he'd last eaten a good meal.

"It's okay, I know about the house, and so much more. Oh, Roman, why didn't you tell me about yourself? I'd have followed you to the ends of the Earth," Norma said shakily.

"I wanted to. I hinted a few times, but I was so happy when Aspen was born that I thought it could wait until Demothi was ready, and I could surprise you with our new home." He sighed and then stared at the wall in front of him. "They attacked when I was at work, and I was helpless without my dream catcher. I could fight but I couldn't heal myself, and they overpowered me. Hundreds attacked me at once. I'd given the Gimler, our most powerful weapon, to Leeman when I'd left, and handed my title to him. I couldn't lead my people and leave you behind."

Aspen's heart pounded as he told his story. It must have been awful to make a decision like that, and she felt so sorry for her dad.

"Andreas ordered his people to take me to the castle and made them chain me up to a machine that drained my power. It only worked because of my bloodline. There was enough power in my body to conjure the most damaging nightmares. I've been locked in that blasted machine ever since." A single tear spilled onto his cheek, and he wiped it away with a swipe of his large hand. "The only thought that kept me going was seeing the two of you again."

His fingers dug into Aspen's arm as he pulled both her and her mother against his chest. He pressed a kiss on Norma's forehead and cast a troubled stare up at the ceiling.

Leeman entered the living room just then with a tray of coffee cups. Once he'd placed the tray on the table, he handed a cup to Roman, who disentangled himself from his daughter and wife. Aspen leaned forward and snagged a cup for herself. The coffee was hot and sweet, and it soothed her raw throat.

"Roman says that the Chancellors heard about a very powerful Dream Walker girl," Leeman said, looking at Aspen as he spoke. "They couldn't capture me because I'm always surrounded by warriors and I have the Gimler, so they took Ginny instead. They were actually after you, Aspen."

"Yes," Roman added. "Andreas used to taunt me, saying I was going to get a companion. They built a new machine especially for you . . ." He had to stop talking again and bit his lip.

Leeman grinned smugly. "I destroyed both machines before we left."

After putting her cup back on the table, Aspen dipped her head under her dad's arm to snuggle back against his chest. Norma took Roman's cup so he could hug his daughter again.

"It's okay, Dad. It didn't happen and I'm so, so glad you're back. I couldn't have wished for anything more in my entire life. It's like this nightmare has finally come to an end."

Her father squeezed her shoulder. "Leeman said you've been fixing the house. I can't believe you finally got to see it."

Aspen grinned. "Yes, it's looking so good."

"I can't wait to see it again. This is the happiest day of my life."

Norma hugged her husband once more and then jumped up. "I forgot—there's stew in the pot and it's your favorite. Let me get the plates out and feed you. I'm sure you're hungry and exhausted."

"That's sounds so good," Roman said, and closed his eyes for a second. "I've been dreaming about coming home for so long. I don't think it could get much better than this."

Norma pulled the large dream catcher out from under her shirt and lifted it over her head. "I think you need this," she said softly.

Roman took the necklace from her and slipped it over his neck. A golden glow emanated from the charm and washed over his body. His skin seemed to regenerate wherever the light touched, and Aspen gasped in surprise as the fine blood vessels disappeared and his skin changed into a healthy blush. Almost instantly, his frame filled out and the gaunt lines around his face disappeared.

"Haven't you been healed by a dream catcher already?" she asked.

"I have, but each dream catcher is designed individually with our essence. While any dream catcher will heal you superficially, only your own dream catcher will restore you completely."

Norma was astounded and could only stare at her husband. "Are you sure you need to rest?"

Roman's eyes gleamed. "Yes, I could do with a nap," he teased.

Norma blushed and swatted his shoulder with her hand. She squealed as he lifted her in the air and carried her to the kitchen. "Feed me, woman."

Leeman and Aspen laughed as they watched the pair leave the room. She was so happy. This day was so unexpected and absolutely incredible—it was almost too good to be true.

Now that her dad was home, she could show him the house in Lanta. Would he like the changes she'd made, and would he be able to take her mom to see the place too?

If only Dylan could be here to share her happiness. She wondered if he'd be in Lanta when she went to sleep later that night, and if he'd be as happy as she was about the fantastic news. But mostly, she wondered where he was.

Leeman watched his niece thoughtfully. "He won't be visiting today."

# Chapter 24

Revelation

"Huh?" Aspen turned to look at her uncle.

"I've sent him on an errand. He'll be back soon."

"Who?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

"Dylan. He went to get something important for me. Don't wait up, he'll be gone for a few days."

A lump formed in her throat. "Okay," she mumbled, and stood up to join her parents in the kitchen.

For the next few days, Aspen basked in her father's attention and laughed at her parents' antics. They were so obviously in love; their faces glowed with happiness. She'd never seen her mother so youthful and radiant, and her dad had said that her mother wouldn't age so quickly because her essence was tied to his again.

She'd gone to Lanta with her father every day after school and they'd worked on the house. Soon the house looked like new, and every room was painted and cleaned. The furniture in the living room was polished, and the curtains and linens smelled like newly washed laundry. Roman had worked hard to transform the front yard, and the outside of the house was neat and freshly painted.

"I wish your mother could see the house now." Roman sighed and held his daughter's hand as they stood back to admire their handiwork.

"Demothi is busy with the spell. It shouldn't take much longer."

"You're right. I guess I'll have to be patient. Let's get back to your mom, she's making fried chicken tonight."

Aspen's face lit up with delight. "Race you back!" She chuckled and grabbed her dream catcher.

Within seconds the two had reappeared in Leeman's house, and Norma shooed them out of the kitchen.

"Wash up, both of you. I don't know what you were up to at the house today, but you need to freshen up." She pretended to wrinkle her nose.

Aspen laughed. "I'm going to have a quick shower. Keep my food warm for a bit longer, please."

Once she'd washed her hair with green-apple shampoo and scrubbed her skin clean until it was rosy, she pulled out a baby-pink dress with a mid-length sleeve that was perfect for evening. She towel-dried her thick hair and then wrapped her hands around the long strands and concentrated. A tiny burst of electricity spread from her fingertips to envelop the long locks, and within seconds her hair was dry and hung straight down to her waist. Ginny's tip about using her power as a hair dryer worked well, and she'd have to thank her when she saw her friend again.

Norma had made an effort with the meal tonight, and Aspen wanted to dress for the occasion. White high-heeled slip-ons looked good when paired with the dress her dad had bought for her two days ago. He'd replaced every item of clothing in her closet with brand new, fashionable clothing, and assured her she'd never have to wear thrift-shop seconds again.

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror before she left the room. The face that stared back at her was radiant—her eyes were pure silver and her skin glowed in the light. She wondered when Dylan would come back again, and if he would ever see her as anything more than a Halfling. It would be difficult to face him, knowing that she loved him, if he didn't accept her for what she was.

Maybe things would be better once they'd had a chance to talk. He hadn't been in touch with Ruby either, she'd heard, and she wasn't sure what to think. The smell of fried chicken was stronger now, and she sighed and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

Someone knocked on the front door, and a thousand butterflies filled her stomach. Was he back?

"Answer the door please, Princess," her father's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"I'll get it."

As she reached the door, she placed a hand on the handle and pulled it open quickly. Her heart pounded in her chest and a deep breath caught in her throat.

Dylan stood on the step before her, looking so handsome in the light of dusk. The sun had just set behind him, painting the sky in shades of pink, lavender, and blue, with the bright evening star above his shoulder.

A slow smile teased his lips as his gaze roamed over Aspen from her hair to her feet, and then back up to her mouth.

"I've missed you."

His first words surprised her. In the fading light, his blue eyes seemed darker, and he stared at her intently. Slowly, he reached out to touch her hand, but this time he jerked slightly. The drugging zing of electricity snaked along her hand and tingled all the way up her back.

Dylan closed his eyes and sighed in pleasure. "Ah, that feels so good."

"Why, what do you mean?" Aspen looked at him in surprise.

Gently, he tugged her hand until she stood on the ground next to him, and then enveloped her in his arms. Dipping his head, he ran his nose along her chin.

"Did I tell you that I missed you?"

Her skin hummed. "Um, yeah, you did."

She pulled back from his hold and looked into his eyes. His gaze was steady and he ran long fingers down her spine. Around them, the trills and chirps of crickets became louder in the evening air, almost drowning out the loud thud of her heartbeat.

"Did you know I feel the same way you do when you touch me?" he whispered against her ear.

Gooseflesh ran down her arms, and her eyes widened as his words sank in. "Um, no. You didn't tell me."

Dylan tucked her completely against his warm body, and she shivered at the charge that ran across their skin. "I couldn't. I didn't want you to know how you affect me."

"But I thought, you and Ruby . . ." Her sentence hung in the air.

Dylan shook his head. "Ruby is just a friend."

"A friend with benefits." It was difficult to keep her voice low. "It's obvious that she wants you, and you don't seem to mind."

"Ruby is trying to make Caden notice her. We've been friends for years—she's like my little sister."

"If that's what a little sister acts like, then you've got family issues. You might think she doesn't want you, but you haven't seen the way she looks at you."

Dylan's lips quirked. "Are you jealous?" He brushed his mouth against her jaw, and she inhaled sharply.

"She called me a Halfling."

He stiffened. "I was mad at her when she said that, and I told her to apologize. She knows she went too far. Her brother likes you, and she thought you were playing me against Ray. All Fire Walkers have short fuses, and her temper took over."

"Ray? No, I've never liked him the way I . . ." With a mental kick, she clamped her mouth shut.

"The way you what?" Dylan smiled and his expression softened.

"Nothing."

A light switched on in the living room, bathing the front yard in a balmy yellow glow. Tiny insects immediately circled the illuminated area.

"Ah, Aspen." Sighing, Dylan pulled her back into his warmth. She stood still while he rocked her back and forth gently.

Scared that he would stop holding her, she asked quietly, "Where did you go?"

"Demothi needed an ingredient for his spell. I traveled to the city of Muda with Caden to get what he needed. He's finally completed the spell, and your mother will be able to come back with us."

Pushing away from his chest, she cried, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, we can tell your parents in a second." He threaded his fingers through her long tresses and held her head in the palm of his hands.

"I want to tell you something before we go back to Lanta." The burning look he gave her caused the blood to pound in her veins. "I think you're amazing."

She blinked. Her voice was a whisper. "Really?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell you that you are beautiful and that you drive me crazy. Crazy for you." He brought his lips in line with hers and pressed a tiny kiss against them. "I think about you," he kissed her again, "all the time." He left his mouth next to hers as he spoke, and her lips curved into a smile next to his.

She could feel soft stubble on his chin, and she breathed in his clean, soapy scent that combined with the fragrance of the evening air.

"I want to know if you feel the same."

It took a second for her to understand him, and she didn't respond right away. Dylan tilted his head to kiss along her jaw. "It's okay, I can wait," he said in a tight voice.

She reached up to touch his cheek and saw the wounded look in his eyes. "I do. I mean, I feel the same," she answered finally.

With a groan, his face lit up, and he squeezed her against him tightly, then lifted her in the air and spun her around. Aspen let out a shaky laugh, and her heart flipped over in her chest.

Once she was on the ground, he looked at her tenderly. "Will you be my girlfriend? I want everyone to know you're mine."

This time she was absolutely speechless, and the zinging feeling in her muscles threatened to overwhelm her.

"I don't want to share you with anyone," he went on. "I want people like Ray and anyone else to know that you're taken."

Without being told, Aspen knew her eyes had turned silver. Her skin raced with electricity from the emotions that swirled in her chest, and she felt as if she'd fly up into the air at any moment.

Dylan seemed to sense that and held on to her tightly. "Will you?" he repeated.

"Yes, I will."

He dropped his head and his lips met hers tenderly. With fingers splayed around his neck, she kissed him back and melted into his chest. After a second, he deepened the kiss, and every nerve in her body sang with excitement.

At the sound of someone clearing his throat behind them, and Dylan released her abruptly.

Holding a hand over her reddened mouth, Aspen turned around. Her dad stood in the doorway with a stern look on his face.

"Dylan, good to see you back here, son. Do you have any news?"

As though protecting her, Dylan threaded his fingers through hers. He pulled her behind his back and stepped forward. "Yes, sir. Demothi has completed the spell and says you can try it out when you're ready."

Roman smiled broadly. "Excellent. That's the best news ever. Come on in, son. There's enough supper for all of us."

"Thank you, sir. But if you don't mind, we'll be there in a minute." Dylan ran a hand through his hair nervously.

Roman stared at the two of them. "Don't be long then. We'll be taking Norma to her new home straight after dinner."

"Yes, sir." Dylan nodded his head and as soon as Roman had turned his back, he pulled Aspen into his arms again.

"My pretty princess, you've made me so happy. I love you. Do you know that?"

She stared at him in wonder and then buried her face against his neck. It was so good to be in his arms, and he made a deep sound in the back of his throat that made her shiver in delight.

"I love you too," she whispered. "I'm so happy that you're here. I don't think my life can get any better than this."

Dylan smiled down at her. "I think I fell for you the moment that I saw you in class. You looked so pretty, and I wanted to keep you all to myself. I couldn't handle the way that Ray was touching you. I've been planning something bad for him for a while already."

"Hah! You have no clue how close I came to letting Ruby drown. I couldn't stand it when she wrapped herself around you." Aspen punched his shoulder lightly.

Dylan lifted her chin and ran a thumb over her bottom lip. "Maybe we should go inside and eat before your dad comes to get us." He smiled. "I belong to you now, and no one is going to come between us ever again."

After pressing one more kiss against the side of her mouth, he wrapped an arm around her waist and they walked into the house together.

THE END

#  Acknowledgments

A huge thank-you to my husband for his support and for putting up with all the hours I've spent in front of the computer. I'd also like to thank my amazing son, Jared, for sharing my interest in the written word and for being my inspiration in life.

A special thanks to Pam Berehulke of Bulletproof Editing. I was so lucky to find someone with such sage advice and thorough editing skills.

Thank you to my niece, Aspen Swart. She asked me to write a book for young adults, and I created the world of Lanta for her. The letter she wrote was the catalyst I'd been waiting for, and I named the main character after her. In fact, a big thank-you to all my friends and relatives, whose names have been used as characters in my stories. But most of all, thank you to all those who have taken the time to read my book. I really hope you enjoyed it.

# Also by Caroline Swart

Liquid Gold

Dream Walkers series:

Aspen and the Dream Walkers

Ruby and the Fire Walkers (coming Fall 2014)

# About the Author

Caroline Swart spent three years as a professional singer in a band touring South Africa before studying to be a computer programmer. She is an avid reader, and wrote her first book for friends in middle school.

After living in Atlanta and New Jersey and touring parts of Europe, she moved back to her hometown of Port Elizabeth in South Africa, where she runs a software development company with her husband.

She has a passion for writing, art, music, and programming, and her son, Jared, is following in his mother's footsteps with plans to publish his own work shortly.

Visit her website at:

www.carolineswart.com

Or follow her on Facebook:

Caroline Swart Author

# Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Aspen's Dream

Chapter 2 – Meeting Dylan

Chapter 3 – Entering Lanta

Chapter 4 – Miriam's Revenge

Chapter 5 – First Bolt

Chapter 6 – Time to Explain

Chapter 7 – Birthday Girl

Chapter 8 – Dream Catchers

Chapter 9 – Roman

Chapter 10 – Strength

Chapter 11 – Chancellors

Chapter 12 – Practice Makes Perfect

Chapter 13 – Ruby Red

Chapter 14 – Witches and Lions

Chapter 15 – First Move

Chapter 16 – Leeman's Solution

Chapter 17 – Second Move

Chapter 18 – No School

Chapter 19 – Clean House

Chapter 20 – Trouble at School

Chapter 21 – Making a Stand

Chapter 22 – Dungeons and Castles

Chapter 23 – Bolt from the Blue

Chapter 24 – Revelation

Acknowledgments

Also by Caroline Swart

About the Author
