Page 52 of Runaway Magic
Marshall sent Jack to inspect the towers then instructed Adelle to see if she could find any underground passages. He didn’t need to set up a link to join the team this time. In the ’Scape, it took nothing more than a thought to communicate with another dreamwalker.
As Marshall explored the outer bailey, he yawned and rubbed his eyes, idly noting the absence of animal life. Not that there had to be, but why would the Blaike family’s subconscious create a perfect replica of a medieval castle and not add in the ubiquitous horses, dogs, and cats one assumed they’d find there?
Now that he thought about it, the fact that he had ruminated on the concept long enough meant that at least a mouse should have manifested itself by now.
It wasn’t until he passed though the inner portcullis that he noticed the strange thrumming sensation building under his skin.
It was time for him to check in with his team, so he sent,:Everything is perfectly normal here. Did either of you see anything interesting?:
Adelle’s thoughts touched his.:All I could find was a set of catacombs stuffed to the rafters with a lot of really gross dead people. Otherwise, not a single soul to be seen. Perfectly normal.:
:Jack?:
No response.
:Addy, have you seen anything alive here? Anything at all?:
She gave the mental equivalent of a shrug.:No, but that’s…:
:Perfectly normal? Yeah, there’s a lot of that going around.:
Marshall should have been more worried about not hearing from Jack, but for some reason, it seemed like it wasn’t a big deal. Marshall closed his eyes, and the thrumming intensified, making it difficult to think.
:Addy, I think you should get back here.:
:Are you okay?:
:Perfectly normal.:
:I’ll be right there.:
Marshall leaned against the wall of the inner bailey, and the rhythmic vibrations became so strong he could feel his teeth rattle. He let his body slide slowly to the ground, needing a minute to rest and gather his strength.
That wasn’t right.
He put a hand against the stone floor and tried to lever himself back to standing with limited success.
A dreamwalker didn’t get tired in the Dreamscape—the source of all their power literally flowed all around them, continuously creating reality. The only time a dreamwalker got tired was in the Real after using too much magic.
Panting, he forced himself up and held out a hand, for the first time in his life calling out for power in the ’Scape. All hefelt was the thrumming sensation growing stronger. What if he wasn’t the only one this was happening to?
:Jack! Report!:Marshall tried to sense him but was getting too much interference from whatever was affecting him.
“Marshall, I don’t feel so well.” Adelle walked to him slowly, looking wan and bleary-eyed.
“Same here.”
“It’s perfectly normal, though… right?”
“Yeah.” Marshall’s eyes fought him for their right to close shop early, but he forced them to stay open.
Pain. Tentacles coiling around his body. Trapped. Cruel eyes behind a sharp beak. Too many, too close…
“Jack!”
A massive pulse of rainbow energy battered Marshall's senses, and his vision dimmed as the world spun around him. Adelle's sharp nails dug into his arms as she held him up, helping him to focus.
Marshall braced himself and pushed her away. “Addy, get out of here, I have to find Jack.”
