The Reverie - Part 7

Sunlight poured over the bed as Abby woke in the early hours of the morning. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and smiled at the lace curtains glowing with the morning rays.

Danielle had let her choose everything she wanted for her room, just as Ben had. Books of her own choosing were neatly arranged on the shelves, while a soft cushion framed with pillows sat invitingly on the window seat.

The days following King Torvius’s freezing by Kroor were a blur of anticipation and excitement for a new era between realms.

Joy and unity became the words spoken throughout Asherath and Haliden. Queen Agrath wisely visited Redmoor as soon as Berold had sent word of the king’s demise. Though she had once hoped Torvius might have a change of heart, she understood it to be impossible after so many innocent lives had been lost in his quest for power.

Shortly after her arrival in Redmoor, the queen saw how desperate the people had become and how the city had fallen into disrepair. Her own realm needing her undivided attention, she appointed Berold as emissary to Haliden until a new leader was crowned. Though he was a bit gruff, the captain of the guard had a good heart and a fierce dedication to serve the people. The queen had looked at him with a twinkle in her eye and said it wouldn’t surprise her in the least to see him crowned the next ruler.

Abby readied herself for the day and smiled when she saw Ben’s bed already made and his room empty. When Caleb had mentioned going fishing, her brother had jumped at the chance to join him. It made her heart soar to see the change in his demeanor. Though still shy, he was slowly coming out of his shell.

It was shaping up to be a busy day, one filled with packing boxes of jams she and Danielle had made to sell at the farmer’s market. When Caleb and Ben returned from fishing, they would all head into town.

Placing the last jar inside a box, Abby saw Caleb’s truck pull up to the back door. “They’re home!”

Danielle shook her head and laughed. “It’s about time. I was worried they’d fallen in.”

The door burst open, and Ben rushed in, yelling, “I lost a big one!”

Danielle looked up at him. “You lost a big fish?”

“No! I lost a big tooth right in the front!” He pointed proudly at the noticeable gap.

“How’d that happen?” Abby asked.

“I fought a fish,” Ben giggled.

Caleb came in laughing. “You did not fight a fish, though you did enjoy releasing all of them.” He mussed Ben’s hair affectionately. “The tooth fell right out. He didn’t even feel it.”

Danielle took the tooth in question and wrapped it in a napkin. “Leave it under your pillow when you sleep, and you might just have a present from the tooth fairy.”

“Like money?” Ben exclaimed.

Danielle and Caleb just laughed as they grabbed boxes to load the truck.

Abby smiled at her excited brother.

He leaned closer to her and whispered, “It’s okay to be loud sometimes, ’cause they still love us.”

Abby hugged him tightly. “Yes, they do.”

The market was bustling in town now that the gates were open for trade between realms, with magical creatures walking freely beside humans along the streets.

Abby knew it was only a matter of time before Redmoor became full and flourishing once again. She knew because she saw it in her visions, and she made sure to write it down in the beautiful leather-bound book Queen Agrath had given her.

Abby could almost see the magic drifting from the pages each time she wrote another lovely vision. She continued to learn more about her abilities and how to decipher her visions with the help of Caleb, who had once again taken up writing in his own book.

The queen was ecstatic to have found two reveries and hoped many more would be discovered.

There was still so much to learn about the magic of the reveries—mysteries even the queen herself could not yet explain. Caleb had grown stronger in his magic as soon as he began writing again, becoming both a guide and an anchor of support for Abby. The power from his words could already be felt across the Realm of Magic, strengthening the borders between Asherath and the Isle of Chaos.

While Abby was thrilled to hold magic of her own, she remained cautious in her writing, slowly growing more comfortable with such an awe-inspiring ability. Every morning she woke to a house filled with love and laughter, she remembered the heartache it had taken to get there. Though the journey had been difficult, it had been worth it to find a home again.

It had been a successful day at the market. Danielle had sold almost every jar, while the others bagged each item for the customers.

As the afternoon sun began to set, a flurry of activity rose around them, with many people pointing toward the sky.

A loud screech made Abby grin.

“Kirro!” Ben shouted happily.

Landing gently in a field beside the market, Galien jumped down from the magnificent bird and waved at the family before joining them.

Ben ran to hug him, grinning from ear to ear.

Galien pointed at his toothless mouth. “Hey now, what’s this? Did you wrestle a beast since I saw you last?”

“We went fishing.”

“Ah. Must’ve been a big fish,” Galien teased.

They all laughed as Ben tried to show just how big the fish really was.

Abby waved when she saw Valora arrive on Spiri. The swiftguard had become a legend in her own right for completing a mission from the queen and earning a leather armband marked with the sigil of the golden feather.

Galien turned to Abby. “We were hoping for a bit of a race. Kirro and Spiri have been itching to see who’s the fastest. We thought you and Ben might like to join us?”

Ben’s eyes widened. “Oh! Can we?”

Caleb shrugged and looked at Danielle. “Up to you.”

She pointed at Galien and smiled. “Only if you have them back before dinner—and you and Valora are welcome to stay for it.”

He grinned. “We can do that.”

Danielle sighed. “You two be careful. Hold on tight.”

Ben ran forward and hugged her waist unexpectedly. “Okay. Love you.”

Abby held out her hand and led Ben to mount Kirro with Galien.

Danielle dabbed at her eyes, trying not to look affected by Ben’s words, while Caleb placed his arm around her shoulders.

“Did you hear that?” he asked softly.

She smiled through her tears. “I did.”

They waved as Kirro took flight and Spiri sprinted out of view.

“I thought when we lost our little girl, our lives were over,” Danielle whispered. “Now, I see we have a brand-new life ahead.”