Dream Walker✔️

7.4

We'd passed from the jungle to a thick temperate forest, and before us lay a steep hill with a stone door set into its side. There was a handprint on the door but no doorknob. Saefera touched the handprint, and the door swung open. She entered without ceremony, but I hesitated.

"Why haven't they made it so the place doesn't open for you anymore?" I asked.

Tail twitching, she glanced over her shoulder with an uneasy look on her snout. "Must've forgotten. Come on. We should move quickly."

"Uh huh." I moved to stand in the doorway.

All I could see was a long, dim hallway that curved up ahead. It was much too small for me to transform in a pinch. It was the perfect place for a trap. Part of me wanted to confront Saefera and maybe shock her into giving me a clue about what was going on, but I doubted that would work. She could undoubtedly sense my unease, even without physical touch. She knew I was on guard. Better I play it safe, just in case she really was on my side.

"If this ends up being a trap for us, you should get out of the way right away. I'll be filling the hall with fire, and I'd hate for you to get burnt while I'm turning Merlin and whoever's working with him to a crisp."

"You can do that, even when you're like this?"

"Yep." At least, I'd been able to do it in my dreams. Hopefully, I could recreate the feat in real life if needed.

She shivered. "I can see why they're so afraid of you."

"If they're afraid of me, it's because they plan to try and kill me. I wouldn't have any reason to hurt them otherwise." I knew I was being a bit heavy-handed with my hints, but I wanted to make it clear that if she planned to turn me over to Merlin, what happened next would be entirely her fault. Maybe that would convince her to change her mind. But probably not.

"Makes sense. Come on now." She trotted off down the hall.

I followed at a distance, keeping an eye on every side hall and doorway we passed. She led me deeper and deeper into a maze of stone passageways in a state of obvious disrepair. Cracks abounded in every wall, filled by viny plants and moss that drank from several streams of water running down the walls. In a few places, the wall or ceiling had collapsed to reveal bare earth behind.

After a long while of walking, I heard voices in the distance.

"Now, now, darling, you'll be okay." A woman sighed. "We'll all be okay."

A child whined. "But you told papa-"

"You shouldn't eavesdrop," a man said. "It's terribly rude."

"Those are the voidcats," Saefera murmured. She stepped aside, as if she expected me to run up ahead.

"You first," I insisted.

"Right." Head low, she trotted around the corner and elicited a chorus of hissing from the voidcats.

I peeked around the corner. There were a series of grimy cells, several with bones in them but only one with occupants--two adult voidcats the size of Saefera and two voidkittens a bit bigger than Fleck. The kittens kept hissing, but the adults paused as I came into view.

"Mars?" the mother asked, breathless. When I nodded, she said, "My, how you've grown. I haven't seen you since you were a tiny egg."

That would've been the night my parents died, when she saved my egg from Merlin and passed it off to Shade.

"Long time no see." I gestured at Saefera. "Come on, let them out."

"I haven't got the key. You'll have to melt it."

This could be a clever way to drain some of my magic before she led me to Merlin. Or I could assume the best and believe she would take us outside right away after this. Either way, I couldn't exactly leave Fleck's family where they were.

"Stand back." I moved to the cell's lock. At least, where a normal lock would've been. This cell door was framed by steel beams as thick as my wrist, and three separate steel bolts kept it locked. I'd recovered a lot since the incident with the spiny dragons, but thick steel would still be a pain to melt. Not to mention, it would probably get hot enough to burn the voidcats, even with them huddled in the far corner. This cell was like a stone kiln with a steel gate. It would hold the heat and magnify it.

I scowled at the lock. "You guys wouldn't happen to have magical defenses against heat, would you?"

The adults shook their heads.

"Didn't think so." I shot a look at Saefera. "You're a big, strong dragon. Come over here and break the bolts."

She giggled nervously but cut off abruptly. "You're serious? You really think I can break that?"

It was a long shot, but I had to ask. Shaking my head, I turned back to the door. I could manipulate the heat, keep it focused around the door bolts, but it would take even more energy. Maybe more energy than I could afford. As much as I hated to reveal weakness in front of Saefera, I had to say it.

"After you guys get out of here, track our scents back to the entrance. And if I pass out, please bring me with you."

"Of course," the mother said.

"Don't look at me, and cover the kittens' eyes. This is going to get bright." I pressed my hands against each side of the highest lock and unleashed the full searing strength of my magic. It glowed white-hot, so bright that even I had to squint. I couldn't really tell whether the bolt was melting or not, so I poked it with my finger every so often until it started getting squishy. After scraping off the outer layer of steel, there was more steel inside to melt.

When I finished with the first bolt, my head was spinning, and darkness speckled the edges of my vision. I sat down to catch my breath.

Saefera watched me from across the hall. She was fidgety, but I had no way of knowing whether it was because she wanted Merlin to find us or was worried he would.

"You sure you can do this, honey?" the mother voidcat asked.

"Only one way to find out."