funny.”
“I thought so,” he said. “Alright, where to?” I gazed around, searching for an open piece of wall. “How about here?” Ash pointed to where I could just see a small nail protruding from the ceiling.
“Yeah,” I replied. “That works.”
Despite being a head taller than me, Ash still needed to stand on my couch in order to fasten the dreamcatcher to the nail. The operation took only seconds. We stood back to admire it.
“Awesome,” I breathed. “Best addition this room’s seen lately.”
“It’s pretty cool,” Ash agreed.
“Come downstairs,” I said, turning to the door. “You can meet my dog.”
Oscar was in the kitchen. Taking him by the collar, I led them both outside. Ash picked up Oscar’s favorite ball and threw it far, watching as my retriever tore after it in a frenzy of excitement. Walking to Ash, I linked my hand in his with a timid squeeze. He squeezed back and smiled, his honeyed skin reflecting gold.
“Ready for more Dreamdrifters?” Ash asked.
“Absolutely,” I said. “Let’s go!” Running upstairs, I grabbed my keys and my phone. Returning to the cave, I saw Ash perusing the bookshelf by the pellet stove.
“Wow,” Ash breathed, pulling a book from the shelf. “Check this out!”
“What is it?”
“Die Traumdeutung.”
“What’s Die –” I began.
“The Interpretation of Dreams,” he interrupted. “Freud’s book and an original in German too.” Ash flipped through its pages. “Where did you find this?”
“I have no idea,” I replied. “Dad collects old books. Anyway, was Freud right?”
Ash grinned. “As right as any human can be.”
“Nicely put,” I said. “Ready to go?”
Magic was parked beside Score. Ash’s toy bus looked happy in the sun, her yellow and white dazzling in the bright light. Hopping in beside Ash, I was suddenly struck with a question. “Was Freud a Dreamdrifter?”
Ash maneuvered into first. “It’s hard to tell,” he said. “But I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” I followed up.
Ash thought for a moment. “Sigmund was definitely onto us but some of his theories are just wrong.” Flooring the clutch, Ash turned at the top of my driveway. “Some of our historians think he was a Dreamdrifter on the defect. We’re not supposed to expose ourselves.”
“Says who?” I asked.
“Everyone!” Ash exclaimed. “That’s like the one law unifying the Holurns.”
“What are Holurns?”
“Holurns are Dreamdrifter tribes,” Ash answered. “They’re mostly regional but some are ethnic.”
I was intrigued. “Are there many of them?”
“Oh yes,” he said. “Europe has hundreds and Asia has thousands. The distribution is based somewhat on the size of the local human population. Secrecy is our only common law.”
“Why do Dreamdrifters have to live in secret?”
Ash shook his head incredulously. “We Dreamdrifters have a job to do. We don’t walk around the subconscious to laugh and point. We have a purpose. Working in secret allows us to fulfill our purpose undisturbed.”
“What is your purpose?” I asked.
His words were matter-of-fact. “We help people.”
I was taken aback by the simplicity of his answer. “You help people?”
“Yes.”
“How?” I asked.
His cheeks twitched. “How would you expect?”
“By infiltrating their subconscious?”
Ash laughed. The sound was like a stream of tickles down my body. “What are we, secret agents? You’re right, I guess. We enter their subconscious minds.”
“At night?” I asked.
“Not necessarily,” Ash replied. “A patient doesn’t need to be unconscious for a Dreamdrifter to enter his subconscious. Any Dreamdrifter worth his pepper can enter anyone’s subconscious anytime and anywhere.”
“Can you do that?”
He paused. “Yes.”
“Can Adia?”
“Adia,” he began slowly. “Adia is very good at it.”
I smiled, provoking him. “Better than you?”
“Without a doubt,” he said, surprising me. “Adia is a –”
“Will she be where we’re going?” I interrupted.
Ash shook his head. “I don’t think so. Speaking of which, we’re almost there.”
We had passed Westminster and were now approaching the southern border of Carroll County. The scenery was country although farmland had partially surrendered to forest.
“Everest,” Ash said finally, pointing.
“Everest?”
“Home,” he clarified.
I could see it now, a white building rising from the trees. The enormous, triple floored house sat centered on an acre of cleared lawn surrounded by trees. A large deck encircled its base while the third story windows jutted from black shingles. A circular tower projected above the roof, its sides baring windows. Everest made sense now.
“This is your home?”
“Yup,” Ash replied happily. “And we share it.” Parking Magic against the deck, Ash got out and took a moment to stretch in the sunlight while I took a moment to watch him. An early-teenaged boy was sitting in a chair on the deck. A pitcher of lemonade sat beside his glass on the table next to him. He smiled as we approached. “My little brother,” Ash introduced.
Wayfara Wildecore was without a doubt his brother’s brother. His cheeks were shallower and his lips weren’t as full, but those same hazel eyes gazed at me and that same dirty blonde hair splashed onto his shoulders, although it was much longer than Ash’s.
“I love my dreamcatcher,” I said. “Thank you.”
“It’s already hanging in her room,” Ash cut in. “Thanks to someone.”
“Great!” Wayfara exclaimed. “I made it, Ash hung it, and now those nightmares are gone forever. Let’s celebrate with a round of lemonade!”
“Maybe later little bro,” Ash said, walking to the door. “Annie should meet the others first.” Following Ash, I suddenly turned back to Wayfara. “Thanks again for the dreamcatcher!”
Wayfara waved my thanks away. “No worries!”
Ash stopped at the door, his hand resting on the handle. “I forgot something.”
“Where’d you leave it? I asked. “In my bedroom or –”
“Not like that,” Ash interrupted.
“Yo!” Wayfara called. “Is there a loose herd of wombats in there? What’re you doing?”
Ash turned to his brother. “I forgot to tell her about the Utopians.”
Wayfara’s expression was delightfully incredulous. “How could you forget?”
Ash scowled. “Not helping.”
“I will help,” Wayfara offered, taking up the challenge. “Annie, you’re about to enter the Twilight Zone.” He waved us inside. “You’re good to go!”
“Thanks for nothing,” Ash said, turning back to me. “Some…” He stopped. “Some Dreamdrifters,” he began again. “Look strange.”
“How strange?” I asked.
“Just take her inside!” Wayfara laughed. “She’ll adjust to the zombies soon enough!”
Ash looked furious. I touched his hand to distract him. “They’re not really zombies, are they?”
“No, they’re not,” Ash said.
“Maybe not!” Wayfara piped, provoking his brother. “But they are mutants!”
Swiftly, I took Ash’s hand. “He’s right. Let’s just go inside.”
“You sure?” Ash asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
The door opened into a large kitchen. Marble countertops shined in the direct sunlight of windows everywhere. A huge island contained a sink and a dishwasher. Cupboards lined every inch of space while a stained glass chandelier hung over everything. Ash listened carefully.
“Are they here?” I asked, my nerves eating me.
“They’re in the living room,
” he said, leading me. The next room was a library.
I stared around at the masses of books. “This is fantastic.”
Taking my hand, Ash squeezed it gently as his lips brushed my ear softly. “You haven’t seen anything yet,” he whispered. His smile widened against my ear. “Wait until you see them.”
“Should I be nervous?” I squeaked.
Ash retreated until I felt the warmth of hazel eyes. “They’re nothing you haven’t seen before, or –” he amended, smiling to the ceiling. “Imagined before.”
“Show me,” I whispered.
Tightening his grip on my hand, Ash led me forward. We finished the length of the library and then entered the living room.
And then I saw them.
There were two of them.
And both were sitting on separate couches.
I doubted whether both could have fit on one. I tried to register more but couldn’t. All else existed on the periphery of the shock, on the periphery of my numb consciousness. It was too much. They were too much. I could only stare, flabbergasted.
“She alright, Ash?” One asked.
“Looks pale to me,” said the other.
“Wi – win,” I stammered, my tongue dead in my mouth. “Wings!”
“Found a smart one, Ash,” continued the first. “I like her already!”
Sitting only feet away were two people, but they didn’t look like normal people. They had wings! Ash’s voice was gentle. “Annie, I’d like you to meet Julian and Cassandra.”
“Cassie!” Sitting with crossed legs, she looked dainty even while her wings took up most of the couch. Her curly black hair brought forth vanilla eyes. She arched her back and reshuffled her wings, losing a feather in the process. “I’m Cassie and pleased to meet you.”
“Don’t mind Cassandra,” laughed the male. “Call her whatever you want. I call her Huggles!” Julian dodged as Cassie threw him a kick, her wings spreading in mock anger. “Just kidding, Huggles!”
Julian’s sculpted body was