Page 22 of Into the Dawn (The Arcadians #4)

The next time Kylie opened her eyes, she knew she was dreaming.

A misty white haze clouded her vision, but it soon cleared, leaving her with a view of a massive cavern that looked like it was straight out of one of the fantasy novels she loved to read.

The cavern was large enough to have its own ecosystem, complete with clouds, trees with glowing leaves, vibrant flowers, and a large, glowing purple lagoon.

There was a soft, soothing breeze drifting through the massive space, and the air was perfumed with an exotic scent that smelled like spiced vanilla mixed with night-blooming flowers.

The walls of the cavern had crystals imbedded into it that helped fill the dark and mysterious space with light.

At first, she thought the crystals were simply reflecting the light coming from the trees, flowers, and lagoon, but she saw more light crystals casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the dark stone floor.

The sound of gently flowing water reached her, and she turned to see a small waterfall cascading into the lagoon.

The surface of the lagoon rippled with the flowing water, changing the hue of the glow as it moved.

It was as if she had stepped into a hidden world, untouched by time and filled with magic and wonder.

The otherworldly atmosphere of the cavern should have unnerved her, but she strangely felt comfortable in the extraordinary setting. She even had the urge to pick a piece of glowing fruit from one of of the trees and enjoy its flavor as she sprawled out on the bank of the lagoon.

“Feel free to try anything you like.”

Kylie spun around, and she gasped in shock when she saw the most radiantly beautiful female standing several feet away.

The woman looked like a goddess, with ethereal features and a mass of silver curls that fell to her waist. Her glowing eyes were pools of swirling lavender that matched the color of the gorgeous gossamer gown draped over her stunning body and her skin glittered as if it was made up of moonlight and tiny diamonds.

As she slowly stepped closer, a shimmering halo appeared around her that seemed to grow brighter with every step.

The air around her shimmered and hummed with a soft, melodic energy, adding to her powerful aura.

She moved with impossible grace, every step fluid and lithe as if her feet were barely touching the ground.

Kylie’s eyes widened when she realized the female’s feet weren’t touching the stone floor. She actually was floating a few inches above the cavern floor.

“Welcome to the Isle of Dreams. I am Lunaria, Goddess of the Moons.”

Her enchanting voice was enthralling and soothing, like the gentle tinkling of crystal chimes. What she’d said finally registered in Kylie’s mind, and her mouth fell open in shock.

The magnificent being standing before her really was a goddess.

Looking at her, that was easy enough to believe.

She had learned all about the Goddess of the Moons and the God of the Sun while she had been drifting in and out of Ronan and Dominic’s heads, but their description of the goddess didn’t do her justice.

Then again, they had never met her in person so that made sense.

This really was a vivid dream.

Lunaria’s perfect lips curved into a beatific smile. “This may be a dream, but your spirit is actually here with me in the Isle of Dreams. It is a real place that exists between time and space, and our connection allowed me to bring you here to speak to me.”

“Our connection?”

“I will explain that to you in a moment. Come, let us dip our feet in the pool while we enjoy some of the wine I poured for us.”

As Kylie followed the goddess over to the edge of the pool, she realized that she was wearing a dress similar to the goddess, in a brilliant shade of green that matched her eyes.

She sat down on one of the cushions that had been placed on the smooth rocks at the edge of the lagoon and was surprised when it felt as soft as a cloud.

The goddess settled gracefully beside her in one fluid motion, making her feel like an awkward, clumsy fool in comparison.

Lunaria chuckled softly. “Surely not.”

Kylie gulped. Obviously the goddess could read her mind, so she had to be careful not to unintentionally offend her somehow. Now that she had survived her illness, she really didn’t want to die in a dream. How in the world would she explain that to Ronan and Dominic?

“Have no fear, Kylie. You are free to think and say whatever you like here. Dip your feet in the water. It will refresh you.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Kylie did as she suggested. The water was more like a gel than what she was used to. As soon as she slid her feet into it, she instantly felt more relaxed.

There was a jeweled decanter and two goblets of wine on a silver tray next to a tower of sliced fruit, delicate pastries, and tiny sandwiches set out between her and the goddess.

While the glowing pieces of fruit looked a little radioactive, the tantalizing scents drifting from the food made Kylie’s mouth water.

Could she actually eat if she was just a spirit?

Willing to give it a try, she selected a small piece of blue fruit and popped it into her mouth. The flavor of the sweet fruit exploded on her tongue like sparkling juice. She had never tasted anything like it, and she immediately wanted another piece. Instead, she decided to try the wine.

The iridescent blue liquid looked a little suspicious, but she still lifted the goblet to her lips.

It would be crazy to turn down a drink offered by a goddess.

The first sip of the wine was a symphony of flavors.

It had a light, sweet taste with the perfect hint of crispness before going down smoothly.

The second sip was even better.

It was like drinking liquid joy.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for sending Ronan and Dominic to save me,” Kylie blurted out.

“I feared they would not make it in time. Alas, I do not always have access to the information we need. In this case, I only learned of your existence and connection to the Karos brothers a few days before we sent them to you. And then, we had to wait for the storm to arrive,” Lunaria explained.

“But I am glad your mates were able to save you.”

“I am, too,” Kylie said with a grin. “Can I ask, am I really an Arcadian now?”

“Aye, you are. Normally, we would have waited until you returned to Arcadia to go through the conversion, but your body would not have survived the return trip. We did not inform the brothers that the tonic would change you since they may have hesitated if they knew you would suffer. So, do not blame them.”

“I don’t. The pain was nothing compared to a second chance at life. Or I guess I should say a brand new life with my mates.”

“You have given them a second chance at love, so it was well worth it.”

“I’m excited to move to Arcadia, but I just…to be honest, I don’t know why I deserved this chance. I’m grateful. Really, really grateful. It’s like winning the cosmic lottery, but a part of me keeps wondering, why me?”

“It was fated,” Lunaria said simply. “We are seeking those who will help bring magic back to the Arcadians, but I do not know who the next will be until it comes to me in a dream. Unfortunately, it is a slow process. I think you will enjoy living on Arcadia. Raven and Allie, the two other former humans we have brought over, are excited to meet you. Each of you is helping bring necessary changes to the world, which aids us in reaching our goal.”

Kylie’s brows furrowed. “What changes can I bring to the world?”

“I am sure you will figure that out,” the goddess said cryptically. “The world as a whole needs to change, but it is not something that can be done in an instant.”

“What is the goal you mentioned?” Kylie asked curiously.

“To bring the Arcadians back to their former glory. They used to be a peaceful race, gifted with magic and powerful abilities. They were advanced in almost every aspect and had traveled to other planet to study other races and seek more knowledge. Over time, the Dragon Warriors changed, growing restless and straying from their destined path.” Lunaria sighed.

“We made a mistake by binding their shifter abilities, hoping that would cure their bloodlust and savagery. Unfortunately, it only made things worse.”

So, that was how they lost access to their magic.

The goddess nodded. “Aye, but we left a trace of it inside of them. True Arcadians are able to use their magic to connect with their dragon spirit. That is what allows them to shift into their dragon forms. Bringing you and other potential mates back to Arcadia will allow others to see what real mating bonds are like. They need to believe in order to find their true selves again.”

Kylie remembered what her mates had told her about the Goddess of the Moons and the God of the Sun. They had been punished severely for whatever they had done to the Arcadians. The mates were forced to live in separate worlds, only allowed to spend a few hours together when day turned into night.

It had only been a short while since she had been separated from Ronan and Dominic, and she was already missing them.

She could only imagine how painful it would be to be separated from them for centuries.

She could definitely understand why Lunaria and Silas were determined to make changes on Arcadia.

If that was the key to ending their torment, then they had a personal stake in the outcome.

“Aye, we do,” Lunaria admitted. “Now, for the main reason I brought you here. There is a task I need to ask your help with.”

“Anything,” Kylie replied.

Whatever the goddess asked of her, she was willing to do it. She owed her that much for saving her life.

“Do not worry. It is nothing bad. In fact, it might even be beneficial for you. Your friend, Layla, is the next human destined to come to Arcadia.”

“What?” Kylie gasped. “Seriously?”

“Aye. It was a surprise to me as well. However, there is an issue. In order to bring you, Ronan, and Dominic back during the next storm, it might be a while until we can bring her over. Transporting someone across the universe takes a lot of magic and energy. Added to that, time works differently here in the Isle of Dreams. It is not linear as you are used to. If we wait, your friend could have aged several years by the time we are once again prepared to bring her over.”

If that was the case, Layla could be married with a family of her own by then. That clearly wouldn’t work.

“So, what can I do to help?”

“You can convince her to come with you.”

That might take a while, but she was sure she could manage that.

Layla was always up for an adventure. Her smile slowly faded.

Unlike her, Layla had a family. It would be hard to leave her parents and siblings behind.

For Kylie, leaving was necessary. The world thought she was dying, and she couldn’t miraculously recover without causing a huge scandal.

Layla didn’t have that excuse, and that would make her decision even more difficult.

“Unfortunately, you will not have long to convince her. If my predictions are right, the next storm should be about a week from now, Earth time.”

A week wasn’t a lot of time. “Who are her mates?”

Lunaria hesitated before answering. “That is the other problem. We do not know yet. That means she would have to come to Arcadia without knowing.”

That complicated things.

It would have to be a blind faith decision.

To be fair, Kylie hadn’t known who her mates were until they had arrived on Earth to save her. If Layla was destined to be with Arcadian brothers, then their feelings would develop naturally once they met. But there was no guarantee Layla would want to take that chance.

“What if she doesn’t want to come with me?”

“Then, she would be condemning her mates to a life without her,” Lunaria said bluntly.

Ouch. That was a direct hit.

Sighing, Kylie nodded. “I will do my best to convince her.”

“That is all we can ask. You must go back now. Once you return to Arcadia, we will be able to meet again. This time, in person.”

Kylie suddenly felt her eyelids growing heavier, making it almost impossible to stay awake. But before she left the dream world, there was something she needed to ask the goddess.

“How were you able to bring me here? You said we were connected?”

“Aye,” the goddess confirmed with a smile.

“In order to convert you, my mate and I had to give you some of our blood. That is what was in the tonic. It was the only way to heal you in time. With that blood bond between us, it sort of makes us family. Rest easy, Kylie. Have a safe journey back to Arcadia. We shall meet again soon.”