Unquiet Slumber Read Free Page B

like having a warm blanket wrapped around her and sometimes, if she concentrated hard enough, she could swear that she heard nature whispering in her ear.
     
    Although the village of Trille had been home for her entire life, she had never felt like she belonged there. She had a nagging feeling that she needed to be somewhere else, and she knew that someday she would have to leave and try to find where she did belong.
     
    She sighed and decided it was time to head back to Zarin’s.
     
    When she arrived home, she relaxed into her evening routine of straightening the inevitable wizard clutter. Since wizardry was a male trait it was hard for others to accept her chosen future, but being taught by Zarin had given her life purpose. He was a strict, determined teacher and it was clear that he was trying to prepare her for something. When asked why, he would say it was because he saw talent in her and wanted her to be the best that she could be. He was very patient and always praised her frequent successes, becoming like a second father to her. She worked hard and tried to live up to his expectations. She wondered if maybe he was trying to prepare her to meet some of the magical creatures he had told her about.
     
    From a very young age, Zarin would tell her about wizards so powerful that they could influence earth, wind, fire, and water. Her favorite stories were about creatures that could shapeshift from human into animal forms. She wasn’t sure if she believed his stories of shifters, but the idea fascinated her. She would love to be able to shift.
     
    She enjoyed the stories he told her about people called the Inari that lived as one with nature. They lived in forests and could speak to plants and trees. When Tianna would walk through the woods, she secretly hoped that an Inari would be standing there waiting for her. It hadn’t happened yet but she kept hoping.
     
    He also told her stories about the Faye, beautiful, transparent spirit beings with hair and eyes similar to Tianna’s. In fact, when she was younger and did one of Zarin’s lessons exceptionally well, he would call her his little Faye. She asked him once if he had ever met a Faye, and he said that he had, but refused to give any details. He said it was a private moment that he would share with her someday.
     
    Not everything he told her was nice. He also spoke of creatures that frightened her—demons and creatures so twisted that even hearing the words made her tremble. One story in particular was about a race called the Dregg. They were horrible creatures that lived underground and took over human bodies to either enslave or turn them into evil creatures of war. Although she didn’t want to believe in these stories, for some reason, she did. She knew that one day she would have to face this evil with only her skills to protect her, so she studied hard.
     
    Most of the time when he told her stories she would have wonderful dreams. Dreams where she was able to shift into an animal that could either fly high above the ground or could run swiftly and silently through the trees. Sometimes she would turn into a beautiful woman that everyone loved and respected.
     
    Not all of her dreams were pleasant. She hadn’t wanted to talk to Zarin about her recurring nightmare that included the Dregg. It was always the same storyline; she walked along in an unknown forest, called by an unknown dark figure, and then rotting arms would come up out of the ground and try to pull her under. She guessed that she had these nightmares because she knew that these evil creatures were out there. She could feel it in her bones. Although she loved to spend time in the woods alone, she tried to stay off the ground whenever she could. She even taught herself how to travel in the trees, jumping from branch to branch, and how to sleep tucked safely above ground.
     
    Last night’s dream had been different. This time, the black figure approached and called to her with words she