“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.