The First Dream
818 Words
Devon stood alone in the palace corridor, staring at the glowing royal seal above the tower.
The bell had stopped ringing.
But the feeling remained.
Something had awakened.
Something that had been asleep for twenty years.
“Your Highness.”
Devon turned.
Daniel stood at the end of the corridor.
“Uncle wants you in the council chamber.”
“I'll be there.”
Daniel hesitated.
“There's something else.”
Devon waited.
“The guards at the eastern gate found footprints.”
“Human?”
Daniel shook his head.
“We don't know.”
Devon's expression hardened.
“Keep the gates sealed.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Daniel turned to leave.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
“Double the guards around the palace.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He left.
Devon looked toward the balcony.
He couldn't explain it, but every instinct inside him told him Lisa was in danger.
He closed his eyes.
The world around him suddenly became still.
The flames in the wall sconces stopped moving.
The air grew heavy.
A faint silver light appeared beneath his feet.
Devon opened his eyes.
For a moment, his pupils seemed to reflect the same silver glow as the royal seal.
He raised one hand.
The air in front of him twisted.
The palace disappeared.
So did the mountains.
So did Elaria.
For one brief second, there was nothing.
Then the world snapped back into place.
Devon was standing on a quiet street in the ordinary world.
He had crossed the veil.
Without a carriage.
Without guards.
Without anyone knowing.
It was one of the gifts passed through his bloodline.
He could move between worlds.
But only for a short time.
Devon looked around.
He didn't know exactly why he'd come.
Until he saw the apartment building.
Lisa's apartment.
He stood across the street.
A light was on upstairs.
His heart tightened.
He had promised his uncle he would stay away.
He hadn't promised himself.
---
Inside the apartment, Lisa was asleep.
At least, she thought she was.
Then the dream came.
This time, there was no palace.
There was a garden.
A beautiful garden filled with silver flowers.
A little girl ran through the grass, laughing.
Lisa watched her.
The girl looked familiar.
Too familiar.
A woman stood beneath a tree.
She smiled.
“Come here, my love.”
The little girl ran into her arms.
Lisa's breath caught.
The woman turned.
Lisa knew her.
She didn't know how.
But she knew her.
“Mom?”
The woman smiled.
“My little Lisa.”
Lisa stepped forward.
“Mom!”
The scene changed.
Suddenly, the garden was gone.
The palace stood before her.
Her father was there.
A man Lisa had never seen before stood beside him.
They were arguing.
“You promised me,” her father said.
“I promised you nothing.”
“You were my friend.”
“And that was my mistake.”
Lisa watched helplessly.
Her father reached for a sword.
Then the man smiled.
A broken crown hung around his neck.
The dream shifted again.
Her mother was running.
She held little Lisa against her chest.
Someone was chasing them.
“Alexander!”
Her father's voice echoed behind them.
“Take her!”
Amara turned.
“I won't leave you.”
“You have to!”
She kissed Lisa's forehead.
Then she removed the silver necklace from her own neck and placed it around the child's neck.
“Listen to me.”
Little Lisa began crying.
“You must forget me.”
“No!”
Amara's voice broke.
“Forget this place. Forget your name. Forget everything.”
“Why?”
Amara looked toward the darkness behind them.
“Because one day…”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“They will come looking for you.”
Lisa reached for her.
“Mom!”
But the darkness swallowed the scene.
Lisa woke up screaming.
She sat upright.
Tears covered her face.
Her hands immediately went to her necklace.
It was burning hot.
“Mom…”
The word came out as a whisper.
For the first time in her life, she could remember her mother's face.
Not a photograph.
Not a vague childhood memory.
Her.
Her smile.
Her voice.
Her arms around her.
Lisa covered her mouth.
Then another memory struck.
Her father.
Alexander.
The palace.
The broken crown.
She stumbled out of bed.
Something was happening to her.
Something she didn't understand.
---
Across the street, Devon felt the shift.
The silver light appeared in his palm.
The seal was reacting.
He looked toward the apartment.
“She remembers.”
He whispered the words.
And for the first time, Devon understood why his uncle was afraid.
Lisa wasn't simply dreaming.
She was remembering.
Devon looked toward the apartment one last time.
Then he disappeared.
And the ordinary world continued as if he had never been there
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