25.

“Eden…. Eden,” A gentle voice encouraged me to wake up and I tried, but I found myself in a very heavy sleep.

“Eden, come with me,” I grudgingly opened my eyes slowly and took in my surroundings. I was in the middle of a forest, unlike any forest I had ever seen before, although vaguely familiar at the same time. Tall flowering trees surrounded me; all unique, all yielding a distinct, but beautiful blossom of every color imaginable. The forest floor was covered in wild flowers as unique as the blossom’s on the tree. Butterflies and dragonflies buzzed energetically around me, never intrusive, but fun to watch.

I found myself sleeping on a long boulder, but I was not uncomfortable, in fact I was very relaxed and felt slightly sedated. A carpet of vibrant, green grass surrounded me, layered with the petals of flowering trees. The petals in all different colors floated tenderly down to the earth like a beautiful and colorful snow. The sun shone brightly above me, warming my skin and casting rainbows on the rock. I felt completely at peace.

“Eden, come with me,” the voice beckoned to me again and I forced myself to stand, legs unsteady and my head somewhat dizzy. I did not want to leave this enchanted place. However, I followed the voice into the trees, searching for the body it belonged to. I noticed I was wearing my pajamas and felt faintly out of place in a black tank top and plaid, baggy bottoms.

In the trees it was slightly darker, the blossoms blocked out the light of the warm sun. The petals continued to fall around me, tickling my arms as they made their way to the plush ground. Bursts of light shone their way to the forest floor through gaps in the trees, illuminating the way for me. I heard a stream nearby and the sound of the water rushing over rocks gave a soothing lullaby to this perfect place.

I wandered aimlessly, forgetting about the voice. This place seemed familiar, but new at the same time. Vaguely I realized that I was dreaming, but the magic still rushed through my veins awakening my mind more and more.

I walked through a patch of flowering trees and found the stream. The water was breathtaking. The aqua river glistened and sparkled as it flowed over rocks and a shallow bottom of golden sand. The stream itself wasn’t very wide, but created a treeless path that allowed the sun to freely shine down. On the other side of the brook were more glorious flowering trees and behind them I could see the beginnings of foothills.

I dipped my foot in to the cool water and let my toes sink into the sand. The sand glistened like diamonds over my toes. I thought about crossing the river to wander among the trees on the other side, but got distracted by a butterfly that landed on my hand. It floated effortlessly from my fingers to my shoulder and then back into the trees; I contemplated following it, but was interrupted.

“There you are,” Kiran stepped out of the trees and approached me. He had never looked more beautiful. His dirty blonde hair glistened from the sunlight and his perfect blue eyes were clearer than the water. He stood tall against the background of the forest. He was wearing a t-shirt and athletic shorts and his muscular build was clearly defined. I smiled, taking him in and realized that I was not at all surprised to see him.

“Where were you?” I asked as if he should have been here all along.

“I was looking for you,” he smiled, taking my hands. “Should we go for a walk?” he asked, pulling me along, intertwining our fingers.

I leaned close to him, stepping out of the water and laid my head on his shoulder. I inhaled his scent, sweet yet masculine, and felt as though this were the most normal thing I had ever done. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, pulling me even closer. I heard him sigh sweetly; the same sigh I heard during our kiss.

“What are you hiding from me Eden?” his voice was sweet, almost laughing.

“I’m not hiding anything,” I replied without emotion. A feeling of paranoia crept up my spine sending the magic shivering through my veins. But I refused to leave his embrace. Whatever his question meant was not important enough for me to let go of him.

“Hmmm…” he sighed, contentedly, pulling me away from him so that we could continue to walk.

We moved silently through the trees; I allowed him to lead as he seemed to be walking in a specific direction. His fingers tightened around mine and I felt his body stiffen. My magic became more and more alert, awakening my senses and sending suspicion through every blood vessel.

“Where are we going?” I tried to keep my voice even, but it cracked with anxiety.

“We haven’t got much time,” Kiran replied breathlessly. “Eden what are you hiding from me? Quickly, I need to know,” he stopped moving and faced me, taking my other hand in his. His sapphire eyes searched mine, looking for the answer to his question.

For a few seconds I pondered his question, deciding what to tell him. With my hands in his I began to feel a sense of calm wash over me. My magic slowed down to a normal rhythm and my suspicion began to fade. My senses seemed dull and slow and I couldn’t think of a good reason not to tell him.

I opened my mouth, not sure of what I would say, but nothing came out. I didn’t know what I was hiding; I could feel there was something that I shouldn’t tell him, but I had no idea what it was. His cobalt eyes gazed into mine intently, willing me to speak, but I remained silent.

“Eden, what is it? You have to tell me so that I can keep you safe. I need to protect you, love.” He begged quickly.

“There’s nothing to tell you,” I stepped back from him, trying to free my hands from his grasp, but he held on tightly.

Suddenly my senses were clear again and the magic pulsed through me at an alarming rate. Immediately I became ready for battle; my muscles flexed and I tore my hands away from Kiran’s. A hooded and cloaked figure stepped through the trees and I immediately was aware that he meant us harm.

“I am stronger than you in this place,” Kiran spoke calmly and measured, but I could hear the underlying current of rage in his tone. At first I thought he was speaking to me, but when I looked up at him, he was facing the masked man, arms stretched out as if shielding me.

“It doesn’t matter; I’m not here to kill you; only to protect her,” he nodded with his chin in my direction and a surge of magic rushed through my veins.

“I should kill you,” Kiran growled while stepping in front of me and blocking my body almost completely from the other man’s view.

“Don’t touch her,” the dark figure lunged forward, but caught himself before he was within Kiran’s reach.

They stood there staring at each other menacingly. The petals continued to fall from the trees sweetly and calmly. Complete silence surrounded us; I wasn’t sure what to do. Seconds ago I felt the urgency to flee from Kiran, but now I felt as though I must protect him; he clearly had the same instinct for me.

Confusion washed over me. Although I didn’t know who the cloaked man was, I could feel with every fiber of my being that he meant me no harm. A vague sense of familiarity flowed between the hooded man and me; his magic was very memorable. Despite the man’s peacefulness towards me however, I did recognize that he meant Kiran harm, and I refused to allow that to happen.

“Eden it’s time to wake up,” the hooded man said firmly, and I knew somehow that he was right. There would be no happy ending to this dream if I stayed.

“Please don’t be angry with me,” Kiran turned around to speak to me, his eyes pleading. With his back to his enemy, completely exposed, he gave me his signature smirk and leaned down to kiss my cheek.

I closed my eyes, feeling the magic turn to electricity, making every hair stand on end. Kiran’s warm lips on my cheek made me forget about the other man, the man that meant him harm. Such a small gesture, but his gentle kiss had me reeling with dizziness. The last thing I heard in the dream was the other man shouting a scream of rage; I felt Kiran disappear and knew that I could now wake up.

My eyes shot open and I felt the bed all around me. I was in my room, in my bed, striped comforter surrounding me, pillows piled everywhere. I took in a big breath to slow my rapidly beating heart. The dream felt so real, the forest so vivid, Kiran’s touch so authentic.

I touched my fingers to my cheek, and a slow blush rose to the surface. Usually my feelings for Kiran were so confused, but in that dream they were crystal clear. I smiled, remembering that in my dream his feelings were the same for me.

I forced my mind to remember reality, his crown, his girlfriend, and their betrothal. My smile disappeared and I slammed my head back down against the pillows. I covered my face with my arm and audibly groaned.

My dream was not only about a sweet moment between Kiran and I, it was about his betrayal. My dream was also about his desire to know something I knew I could never tell him, although I didn’t even know what it was myself. Finally, my dream was about the hooded figure that we'd met in the forest; the man that haunted me even in sleep.