Crossroad: TBB Series Book 2

16

"Guys..can you give us a moment please." Ryder's face was uneasy as he asked me to follow him, leading me down the hall so that the other's couldn't listen in. 

"Ryder look, I know what you're gonna say and-"

"There's something I have to tell you. Something I didn't tell you before." He cut off, his tone of voice was low and sad.

My eyebrows pushed together. "Is everything ok? What's wrong?"

He sighed as he closed the door to my father's study. "So remember how we were both able to leave that first time?" I nodded, suddenly weary of this conversation. "Well, I'd made an arrangement with Axelia."

"Ryder you're worrying me, what are you saying?"

He pushed a hand through his hair as he looked away from me. I was ready for him to just come out and say whatever it was he wasn't  telling me, his dread was creeping up as my own. "If one is called to the meadow, it's with reason and purpose, and one typically isn't allowed to leave until that reason and purpose is fulfilled. Axelia is the keeper of the meadow, only she can grant a release once the meadow has spoken to her."

"Well how are we both here?" I wasn't following.

"Because, due to who you are, and the gravity of the situation at hand, Axelia agreed to a bargain with me. She would give you a few days here to find your way, find out what it is that you're to discover, or at least somewhat close to it, but..." He paused as he looked me in the eyes. "Riley if you don't, you'll have to return, and stay until you do. It's just how the meadow works. But through Axelia's grace, I got her to accept me as your....placeholder per say."

"You did what? Ryder what do you mean?" He was scaring me now.

"Riley, your task at hand is far to important, I couldn't allow you to be trapped there looking for answers and getting nowhere when you could be here, doing the same thing, and probably finding out the truth a lot faster. I agreed to go and stay in place of you so that you could continue to seek the truth. She gave us three days in this realm before I must return."

"What?! Ryder why'd you do that? Why didn't you discuss this with me first?" Tears sprung to my eyes. "Who knows how long you could be stuck!?"

"Yes Riley, I know, which is why I did it. You have a family here, you have so much going on, so much you need to figure out, who knows how long you would've been gone. If you go back now, our arrangement will be void, you'll have to stay. It's too much of a gamble."

"Ryder, it's one I'm going to have to take, I'm so close to finding out what all of this means. The only way I can get one step closer is to go back, I have to go back to the woods. I just know I'm missing something."

"Riley listen to me." His eyes were almost pleading. "If you leave again, I don't know if I'll be able to come with you. My entry there the first time, it was a one time favor from an old friend who's too old and too weak to repeat the process a second time so soon after the first.

I shook my head. "Ryder, I...I have to do this. I have to help my father. He needs me now more than ever. He once saved me and now it's my turn to save him." A tear trickled down my cheek as I touched his face. His eyes were sad at the idea from losing my presence for who only knows how long.

"There has to be some other way. You going back there-"

I kissed his lips gently. "Ryder, love...just trust me, I promise I'll come back to you soon." My eyes watered slightly. "I'm so close, I know it....I feel it." 

He rested his head on mine while wrapping his arms around my waist. I could feel his anxiety weighing heavy on my chest. Our connection had grown stronger, and I was finally letting him in, and the idea of being absent from that for a while made my chest constrict.

We stood holding each other for a long while before he pulled back to look me in the eyes, brushing the hair from my face. "Promise you won't be too long?"

I smiled sadly as I pressed my lips to his. "I'll try not to be." He kissed me once more, pressing his body into mine as I relished in the taste of him. I was hoping it wouldn't take long, yet a small part of me was afraid that it was...which meant that I'd be apart from him.

We soon returned to the others and explained what I had to achieve. They all understood the risk of time and were all as anxious as Ryder, and with good reason...our current mission was time sensitive.

"How do you plan on getting back?" Soren asked. "Could I transport you there?"

Ryder shook his head. "I don't think so. The Silent Meadow is a realm within the unconscious, you can't just...go there so to speak without being called or directly sent there. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack...but imagine the needle is the size of an atom, and the haystack as vast as the pacific ocean. Riley only got there on her own because she's a dreamwalker, and like her father and grandmother, she's connected with the realm as one."

The others let out a low breath. "Well, that doesn't sound simple at all. No wonder dreamwalkers are so special." Soren breathed

"I'm curious though, how'd you get there Ryder?" I asked with a puzzled look on my face.

He cleared his throat while rubbing the back of his neck. "You have enough to think about right now, let's save that for another day."

******

Due to the fact that none of us knew how long my trip would take this time around, they were going to put a hold on my parent's mind. The risk of losing a few memories was a risk they had to take with a situation of this magnitude. 

I was going to comatose sleep at Ryder's again, and this time, he'd stay behind while the others would do what they could to help me locate my father. We all had a job to do, and it was time I got to mine.

Ryder sat on the edge of his bed as he kissed me. "So you know how you'll get yourself there right?"

I nodded. "Now that I'm aware of it, and I've done it once before, it should be a lot easier."

He nodded. "I love you." Our lips met once more, burning with an intense passion fueled by the awareness that our connection would soon be momentarily cut off.

"I promise I'll be back soon." With one last kiss from Ryder, and a hug from the others, I laid back and closed my eyes, focusing my mind on what I had to do. I allowed my mind to wander out, sending a call to the meadow, I could feel it in my veins as it answered, welcoming me gladly.

******

A/N

Sorry it took sooooo long to update guys! I know I've probably lost a few readers with it being just months from a year since the last update, but life get hectic. Hopefully you all understand. Thanks for all the wonderful comments and support, you guys really keep me going. Stay posted for the next updates coming soon!