The Burned Rogue Book

Chapter Eleven: The New Spells

Chapter Eleven: The New Spells

That night, I had two dreams.

The first began in an engine room. Where, I didn’t know. I was crouched behind a table near a couch. There was a figure angrily pacing back and forth, glancing at some maps and blueprints on the table in front of him.

“If we don’t get her soon, the timing will be wrong and it can backfire horrendously,” said a voice I didn’t recognize. The pacing figure stopped.

“I know!” he shouted. That was Ancel. I was having a dream about Ancel. My heart started pumping ridiculously hard. “But she’s always got someone surrounding her—all those Guardians.”

I heard footsteps as the second person walked closer to Ancel: cling, thunk, cling, thunk. Then, there was a hiss. “You need to get her soon, or her power will no longer be at its peak. Her power and the power of the Doctrines of the Burned Rogues—”

“Will be enough to raze the world and start over—raise the undead and build greater monuments. A world of only us magical beings.”

“DON’T INTERRUPT ME, FOOL!” the stranger shouted, shaking the room.

“Or what?” Ancel asked icily. “Look at yourself. You are restrained to an engine room. Until we have the Dreamer’s power, you’re stuck.”

“I KNOW WHAT I AM,” answered the menacing presence. “Watch your tongue, boy.”

“I’m not…not afraid of you,” Ancel stammered. Suddenly, a bright light emerged from where the hidden presence sat, and I had to shield my eyes.

“You better be afraid. Because you know very well what happens if I don’t have the Dreamer.”

“I know,” Ancel muttered, taking a step back.

“With the Dreamer, we can do great things,” the other person said. I heard a mechanical hiss and saw steam come from where the voice was.

“I’ll capture the Dreamer,” Ancel snapped.

“WATCH YOUR TONE, BOY!” the presence shouted, and suddenly fire erupted. Ancel shielded himself, and then the presence made itself known. The creature made itself known—and it was horrendous.

I gasped and stepped back, and both Ancel and the monster froze.

“Did you hear that?” asked the creature. I could feel their eyes in my direction.

“We’re not alone,” Ancel muttered, looking around. He stepped away from the creature and came closer. “And I think I know who it is.”

The creature chuckled and hissed.

Ancel took one more step forward. “Mark my words, Dreamer,” he said, and I could feel my heart pumping at a million miles an hour. “We will capture you. And maybe your Guardian friends too.” And then, he found where I was hiding. “Hello, Jennabel.”

I sat up in my bed, gasping. Sweat lined my face and chest, and the covers were twisted around my legs. I took a deep breath and pushed back my hair. Cornelia was sleeping peacefully in the next bed over. I considered going to the boys’ room to wake Atlas, but that was inconsiderate. I couldn’t go to him every time I had a nightmare. I took another deep breath and settled back in the covers, hoping for a better dream.

The next one came quickly. It was the wheat fields again, but Atlas wasn’t there. It felt wrong to be here without him.

I could see his tree, but there was someone standing underneath it. Her blonde hair was down, and she wore a blue sweater and flowing skirt. She stood still, just staring at the tree, not doing anything. Quietly, I walked closer. She didn’t notice me. She smelled nice, like lilies. I moved so I could see her face, and I gasped.