The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

Blue Jay and Shalon have tea

         

We arrived at Blue Jay's tipi, in a clearing in the woods that recieved the afternoon sun in a fabulous way. I sat in a comfortable, sturdy log chair in the sun and relaxed, while Blue Jay made the tea, which was a process, as he had to start a fire. I thought about how The Family, just a few kilometers from where we sat now, had all this technology at their disposal.

Finally, when Blue Jay handed me a perfect cup of mint and marshmellow tea, I came out and asked him—"How much do you know about The Family?"

He looked down, contemplating what to tell me—it appeared.

I frowned, but waited. He was holding back, hesitant. "You can trust me, you know."

He looked up smiling. "Of course, of course." He put down his tea and took my hand—"of course I trust you implicitly, and you should never doubt that."

Again, the hand holding—I found it unsettling thought I didn't pull away. "But then, why do you hesitate to tell me what you know?"

"Shalon, I trust you more than anyone on this planet, but..."

"But what?" I insisted. "Just say what you have to say." I was beginning to feel annoyed.

"I trust you..."

"But..." I encouraged.

"But..." he looked at me. "You don't trust yourself."

I frowned again. "I don't understand you. What do you mean?"

"I mean that I learned everything I know about the Family from you. All my plans are your plans. All my answers are your answers." He stopped and looked down.

I considered what he said, "You mean you learned about The Family from me in the dream realm?"

He nodded.

"Where we got married?" I said with a sarcastic tone.

He looked at me and I immediately regretted the biting tone, for I could see that I had hurt him. He pulled his hand away.

My hand felt cold and alone suddenly, so I wrapped it aroudn the warm mug of tea. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

When he looked up again, I could see tears in his eyes and he gulped them away. It was then that I realized that he was madly in love with me. But the thought was preposterous. I must be at least fifteen years older than him. He was an attractive man for his age—and seemingly healthy. And here I was, seventy-eight years, falling apart and a frial old woman. I was more than old, I was ancient. There was no way this man could love me. No earthly way. I shook my head, feeling angry, and tried to let my disturbing thoughts go. "So then, tell me everything I know about the Family."

He looked up smiling, and the tense, painful moment seemed to pass. "Okay, I'll tell you everything you know," he winked and we both laughed. "As far as you're concerned, the Family is a dangerous and powerful cult. In the far future—they will strictly control all of the technological resources of the entire world. They will limit the use of that technology to a select, ignorant class of people."

"Wait. Did you say in the far future? How..." I sputtered, confused.

"Yes, Shalon. You have access to the far future."

"But... how—how is that possible?"

"You know someone—you have a very special connection with someone—a powerful young woman who lives in that far future."

The flash of my dream this morning. "Is her name Imorah?" I heard coming out of my lips. Blue Jay nodded. "I don't know how I knew that."

"It's all in there, Shalon," he said, softly placing his hand on top of my head and tapping my forehead with his thumb. "You're so afraid of your own powers. You need to trust yourself." He removed his hand and seemed to change tracks. "And you will trust yourself. You already are—look, you're here. You made it." He paused. "The trust is growing in your, like a flower, you're opening up.