SWNOVELS Chapter Talk Me Through It Again
25
TALK ME THROUGH IT AGAIN
There were so many voices all speaking over the top of each other, trying to have their opinion heard. “Astrid,” Dimitri was practically yelling. “I agree that meditation should be the first lesson, but I also think she needs physical
training to start immediately. I think if she is more physically prepared for a fight she will also be more mentally prepared to use and control her gifts.”
The council was summoned together the moment Astrid arrived back into the camp to prepare Nadia’s sleeping arrangements. The
fifteen council members were all gathered in time to see Dimitri bring Nadia’s sleeping and disheveled self into the camp. Whispers spread like wild fire through the council as well as the rest of the Prestarian tribe. Some of the Prestarian people felt pity for Nadia and all that she had to endure. They thought of her as a child that needed protection. Others saw all that she had gone through as nothing compared to what they believed she was destined to face. That group was broken into two opinions. There were the people that believed or hoped Nadia would succeed. The others believed in their deepest fears. They believed that Nadia would fail just as so many others had before her. There were even a few of the Prestarians that never believed in Nadia and never would. They didn’t take the time to form their own opinion. They were ready to side with whoever was ready to side against Nadia. Nothing short of a miracle could change any of their minds, especially since Waylon seemed to be leaning against Nadia.
“Yes, I see your point,” Dimitri was saying to an older council member that had brought up, once again, that they should all know what Nadia could do so they were better able to help train her. “But I am not comfortable explaining to anyone the extent of her abilities, because I don’t fully understand them myself. If the attacks of late are any indication, I am sure you will all be privy to her gifts very soon; much sooner than any of us could hope.”
“All the more reason for us to be made aware now,” Waylon said softly as those seated around him nodded and whispered to each other.
“With all due respect, I am inclined to agree with Dimitri on this point,” Astrid said, silencing the group once more. “It is not important for us to know what we believe she may be capable of, but instead to work with her on what she needs the most. I believe it will be better for her to have one teacher that oversees all the others so that there is consistency in her training. In my opinion, the only and obvious choice is her guardian, Dimitri.”
Whispers broke out in the group, growing louder as individuals started to argue with each other. Some believed that Dimitri was perfect, and others believed Waylon was the wiser choice. Some continued to argue about finding
out everything Nadia was capable of and others were vying for the other trainer positions.
“I believe,” Astrid said, as she raised both her voice and her hand to silence the group. “The other trainers should be chosen based on Dimitri’s opinion of their abilities as a
teacher as well as the gifts they possess. However, as a note to all, we do not belong among the dead and I fear we will not be able to stay much longer. Whether you are chosen to train Nadia or not, we all must be prepared to leave here at a moment’s notice. Do not leave the immediate area without reason and always travel in threes when out of sight of the camp. We all must look out for one another. Now, the council is dismissed to ready your suppers.” With that, the group dispersed back to their own tents still whispering about all that had taken place. “Dimitri, if I may have a word,” Astrid said softly to Dimitri as he got up to check on Nadia. “You are Nadia’s guardian and closer to her than any other, so choose her teachers wisely. You must do it quickly if she is to get any training here. I fear if we linger here too much longer she will be discovered and we all will pay the price. We are a proud people and will protect her with our lives, but that may not be enough. All of Baako needs Nadia more than she knows.”
Dimitri gave Astrid a head nod before she
walked away. He had been thinking along the same lines as Astrid and understood her fears. Dimitri walked slowly back to Astrid’s tent which was the closest to the City Center. He was lost in thought about what the Prestarians had said and who among them would be a good choice for Nadia when a scream rang out from the other side of camp. It did not sound like a scream of alarm but instead a scream of surprise and joy. Dimitri jogged to Astrid’s tent to be near Nadia just in case they needed to make a run for it. Astrid glanced over at her tent, but chose to run toward the noise. Astrid was not out of Dimitri’s sight long when she and Kieran had come running back toward Dimitri.
“What is going on?” Dimitri questioned them as they pushed passed him into the tent.
“Three more Prestarians have awakened from the dreamless sleep,” Astrid said as she walked over to Nadia and took her hand. “They said a young woman let them out. They said they never asked her name, but most did not need to. They remembered it from the first time she had let some of us out. They want…” Astrid stopped suddenly with a gasp as Nadia’s head jerked to the side and a bruise formed on her cheek.
Nadia had fallen asleep with a broken heart, but not with a broken spirit. She was
driven to help others, maybe even to a fault. She could feel how weary her sleeping body was, but she was determined to push through it. Godric’s warning was still ringing in her ears. She ignored it, needing instead to help the Prestarians reunite sooner rather than later.
She popped into the same room she had found with the secret passage way, but this time she decided to use the door. She figured Sergei was not going to hide the Prestarians in the same place, but he would leave bread crumbs for her to follow. He wanted to catch her and if she was a betting woman she would bet the Prestarians would be bait.
She tiptoed down the hallway as quietly as she could because she wanted the element of surprise, unlike her last visit. Her goal was simple. Find the Prestarians and free as many as she could before she was caught. Nadia was not someone who liked big, elaborate plans or really any plan at all. She felt she was better at flying by the seat of her pants. She could hear the faint sound of singing as she rounded her third corner into another hallway. She followed what sounded like a lullaby to a dreary cave-like prison cell. The cell had twelve Prestarians crammed tightly inside.
“Hi,” Nadia whispered coming out of the darkness, so the cells occupants could see her. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
“No,” the woman who had been singing said, quickly. “It is a trap.”
“I know,” Nadia said matter-of-factly. “Now, how did he put you into this cell? There
is no handle or locking mechanism?”
They glanced around at each other. “We don’t know,” the woman said again. “We were separated from each other the last time you came and upon waking yesterday we found ourselves in this cage.”
“Hmmm?” Nadia thought to herself. “I have an idea, but I need all of you to lean against the walls and don’t move.” She studied the room for a minute before she closed her eyes. Then, she popped into the center of the cell. One of the Prestarians gasped audibly, before covering her mouth. “Okay, you and you come here.” She pointed to a woman that was clutching an infant and an older woman. They crossed to Nadia quickly and Nadia grabbed both of their arms tightly shutting her eyes again. Nadia felt the pull of wakefulness and let go as she sent the women to their sleeping bodies and Nadia back into the dream realm. She hunched over, winded, but felt successful. “Next two, you and you, quickly.” She grabbed the arms of an older man and a teenage girl before concentrating again. After she sent those two to wakefulness, she stumbled and fell from weariness that soon turned to dread.
“Nadia, Nadia, Nadia,” Sergei was saying from outside the cell. “Once again you surprise me with your own selflessness and stupidity.”
“That’s so funny,” Nadia said from the ground, still trying to collect herself. “Because I was just thinking about how surprising your ugliness and odor is.” Nadia stood up in time to see Sergei reach through the bars as if they were not there and punch her across the face. She went sprawling to the floor again as three Prestarians stood between her and Sergei.
“Get out of my way, you idiots,” Sergei said through his clenched teeth. “Or I will destroy you.”
Nadia reached out and grabbed the hands of two other people and mouthed for them to grab the hands of one other person. She knew only a few would be left behind so she risked speaking aloud to everyone. “There are only seven of you left,” she said quietly but clearly. “Grab on now.” Not one Prestarian hesitated as all seven grabbed on to each other. Nadia closed her eyes and allowed wakefulness to pull her and her burden out of the dream realm. It was very hard for Nadia to carry such a load and it took her a long time to wake up fully. When she did wake up she felt wretched all over.
“Nadia?” Dimitri questioned, allowing concern to color his voice.
“Ow,” Nadia said, as she struggled to sit up. Both Dimitri and Astrid had to help Nadia steady herself. “Awesome,” she said with a small smile. She could only imagine what Sergei was doing right then and how angry he would be that she got away again with all the Prestarians in the cell. Nadia didn’t think that trick would work again though. After all, the more she learned about the dream realm the more difficult Sergei made it for her to free anyone. She also knew she spent a lot of time freeing the Prestarians in groups. But releasing seven made her feel like she had been run over by a herd of stampeding buffalo. Nadia could feel that her face was swelling where Sergei had hit her, and it brought her back to her reality. She was shaking slightly and hurt all over, but nothing on her body felt as bad as her face. “Dimitri, will you do me a favor? Will you fix my face? It hurts really badly, and I think it is nowhere near done swelling.”
“No,” Dimitri said stubbornly. Both Astrid and Nadia looked at him. “I will not heal you until you promise not to go back to the dream realm for at least the next few days.” He took a step away from her and crossed his arms like a pouting child.
Nadia was exasperated, but thought he sounded a lot like his older brother. Nadia knew that Godric and Dimitri were right, but only because of how awful she felt. She needed to
learn more before she faced Sergei and the dream realm again. She was getting wiped out too fast and needed to figure out why. She was intrigued by how Sergei had reached through the bars as if they were not there. She knew he could manipulate the dream realm, but she wanted to know how. “Okay,” Nadia said, and then it was Astrid’s turn to look at Nadia.
“Really?” Dimitri questioned. “Is she telling the truth Kieran?”
“Hmmm?” Kieran said with a look of concentration on his face. “Ask her again please.”
“Nadia of Earth,” Dimitri began formally. “Do you promise not to enter the dream realm for the next two days at least?”
“You are ridiculous, Dimitri of Baako,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But yes, I, Nadia of Earth, swear not to enter the dream realm for the next two if you promise to heal my extremely painful face.” Nadia could no longer see out of her right eye because of how swollen her face and eye had become.
“Yes,” Kieran said, surprised. “She is telling the truth.”
“Done,” Dimitri said as he placed his hand gently onto Nadia’s cheek. “You know you must take dreamless sleep powder.”
“No way,” Nadia said, jerking her head
away and almost falling off her small bed. She gritted her teeth hoping that would stop the room from spinning. “That was never part of the deal.” She slowly sat herself back up.
“How else can I guarantee you won’t go back?” Dimitri asked reaching for Nadia’s face once more.
Nadia slapped his hand away weakly. “Not gonna happen. I’d much rather be in pain than feel the way too much dreamless sleep powder makes me feel, all loopy and nauseated. No sir.” She stubbornly crossed her arms like Dimitri and he stared at her. Nadia knew she was not going to lose this argument, so she just stared right back. Finally, Dimitri sighed, and Nadia relaxed a little.
“Okay, how about a compromise?” Dimitri asked with a sly smile. “It will mean no more night watch for me for at least the next two days. Are you okay with that Astrid?” Astrid nodded her head politely as Dimitri continued. “I think Waylon will not approve of my plan either. He is so conservative in all his views, but especially when it comes to relationships between a man and a woman. We will need a new place to stay. Does anyone in camp have an extra tent?”
“Why?” Nadia asked confused. “We have a room in the City Center.”
“I’m not sure you should go back in there
any time soon,” Dimitri said as he glanced at Astrid.
“What?” Nadia said sarcastically. “A couple of little possessions and we run scared?” She was very worried about the ghosts and what they could make her do, but she didn’t want Astrid or Dimitri to worry about her.
“Three actually,” Dimitri mumbled.
“Three?”