Dreamwalking

Chapter 5: Before I Go

By the time Delinda stopped pacing, her hair was a mess, and Justus was almost dizzy from watching her.

       “Better now?” he said. He raised an eyebrow.

       "I want to see him before I go back. Has it been long enough?"

       Justus looked puzzled. "Who?"

       "You know who. Dallan. Has it been long enough?"

       "Oh! I forgot.” He saw her look and put up his hands in a placating gesture. “Sorry! I should have remembered. I’m sorry, D. I do know how important he is to you. And yes, it’s been long enough. He won’t be so nervous around you this time.”

       “Is that guide there still? He was okay, but he made me nervous. I know he was there to make sure Dallan was alright, but I felt like I was an intruder…which, I guess, I was. I just needed…” She trailed off and shrugged. “I needed to know, Justus.”

       “I know, and Jereus knew that, too. It didn’t hurt anything. If it was going to, he never would have allowed it. Of course, when Dallan ran after you when you were leaving, it did cause some concern, but you helped with that. I don’t think my brother will be around. He’s needed less now. Dallan is a guide in his own right, you know. You should. He’s one of yours now.”

       Delinda nodded. “Where is he?”

       “I’ll take you. I want to talk to Jereus, if he is around.”

       Delinda jumped up again. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

      Justus chuckled. “Well, hang on there, ekcl’in. I’ve got to secure things here. We’ll get there in plenty of time, don’t worry.”

       “I’m not worried. I want to see him!” Delinda walked out the door to wait for Justus. By the time he’d set the locks and wards, she was hopping from one foot to the other impatiently.

       He chuckled again, when he saw her. “Well, that’s a dance I’ve seen before. I’d ask if you’re ready, but I can see that you’re almost gone without me.”

       She didn’t answer, just turned around and started walking fast away from Justus. He ran a few steps to catch up, and then matched his pace to hers.

       Then they were in a huge library, with shelves and shelves of books that reached from the floor to high above their heads. There was a spiral staircase in the center of the library that went all the way to the top of the building. In Earth dimensions, the library would have been 77 stories tall.

       “Which floor?”

       “Just go up. You’ll see him when you get to the landing. He knows you’re here."

       It took only seconds to find the floor he was on, and when she saw him, she couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight. He hugged her back, just as tightly, and kissed her hair.

       “Oh, I miss you!” she said through her tears.

       “Aw, don’t cry, eth alikc, don’t cry. I miss you, too. Are you okay, eth yein?”

       Delinda shook her head and looked up at him. He smoothed her hair back and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

       “What’s wrong? Why are you not okay?”

       “I have to do a job. You probably already know. I’m scared. It’s too big a job. Justus says I can do it, but I have my doubts.”