His expression sharpened. “Another dream visitation?”
“Yeah…but not byit.” I slipped back into my room, and he trailed after me. “This was someone else. His name is C’ael…” I filled him in on the dream.
“This entity could be something else from the prison realm. A force that was born there. Created there maybe? I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”
He chewed on his cheeks. “You should try to get some rest. Piercing a dream threshold takes power, and I doubt you will be visited again tonight. I’ll go now and fetch you a talisman. Protection for your dreamscape.”
“Where are you going to get a talisman from?”
“There is a seller in the night market who I can speak to.”
“Night market?” I stepped closer to him. “You’re going there now?”
He peered down at me, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “Yes. Would you like to come with me?”
“Yes please.”
He chuckled softly. “Go get dressed. Something plain. Trousers, a tunic, a shawl. We want to go unnoticed.”
I was already halfway to the walk-in closet. “What about you? How will you go unnoticed? In case you haven’t noticed, you’rea public figure whose face is probably known by everyone in the domain.”
“I also have the ability to shroud my identity. You will see me as I am, but others will not.”
“Sounds good to me.” I ducked into the room and closed the door. Now what to wear…
I’d expectedto travel by carriage, but Chandra surprised me by offering to teleport us to the market.
“I don’t often use the ability for long distance,” he said. “There is an energy cost to the skill, but traveling by carriage would take too long, and flying you there would draw attention. This way, you can be back in bed in a couple of hours and get some decent sleep.”
He took my hand and drew me close, wrapping one arm around my waist. “Close your eyes, Leela,” he said softly. “I’ve got you.”
I placed my palms to his chest, excitement simmering in my belly, and closed my eyes. My stomach dipped, and a moment later, cool air kissed my brow. A sense of disembodiment bloomed in my belly, my only anchor Chandra’s arms around me.
“We’re here,” he said.
It took a moment for my mind to feel connected to my body, to feel the solid ground beneath my boots. I opened my eyes to starlight.
“Look down.” Chandra gripped my chin gently, angling my gaze to the valley below us.
We were on a rise above a winding river bisected by several bridges, the banks on either side lined with brightly lit stalls. Colorful balloon lanterns hung in the air, suspended on invisible strings so that they looked as if they were floating.
People milled about, some small, some tall and powerfully built. “Chandra…do humans live here?”
“Yes, Leela. The royal domain is home to many humans who tend to the flora and fauna of the domain. The markets are theirs, and Asura often frequent them, so?—”
“You brought humans here to work for you?” I pulled away from him, my neck heating as the sparkle and excitement of this trip dimmed.
He made to reach for me with a sigh, then changed his mind, dropping his hand to his side. “The humans here are well cared for. They’re safe. Tending to the animals and the crops is a small price to pay to reside here, don’t you think?”
“It’s still a price.”
“It is no different than them being on the ground. They would still work to survive. At least here they are safe from the devouring force.”
He had a point, but I wasn’t ready to concede yet. “Then why not bring all the humans up here? Or build more domains?”
“Because not all humans wish to abandon the Earth and live in the sky.”
That stopped me short because if I read him correctly, it meant…“They get a choice?”
