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.”