“My godson?” I asked.
“He is safe,” Fan’twar answered. “As is his sister. They have found a new babysitter. Dragons are quite fond of tending humans, as you have found out.” I stared past Fan’twar to see Jeremiah. He stood with his silly grin, hands behind his back.
I wanted to hug him tightly but only managed a small embrace. Jeremiah handed me a bouquet of red fairy mushrooms. Tiny fairies peeked from the windows.
“They’re beautiful.”
“I think if you keep them in water, the fairies won’t fly away.”
“That’s right.”
His face grew serious. “Olive, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Have you ever had a bad dream? Like something really bad? But you couldn’t remember what it was about?”
My heart missed a beat. “Sometimes that happens.”
“Has it happened to you?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer. “Yes, a few times. But the best thing to do is try to fill your mind with happy things, and then pretty soon you won’t even remember the scary stuff.”
“What kind of happy things?”
“Well—”
“Like toys and playing and that kind of stuff?”
“Yes, like that.”
“All right. Then maybe I should go play? The dragons are teaching me how to catch nobbinflies.”
“I think that would be a great idea. You’re a very smart boy, Jeremiah. And a very brave one, too.”
He gave me another smile. “You think so?”
“Yes. I know so.”
He hugged me. His skin felt warm and soft, the way I remembered him. “I love you, Olive,” he said softly.
“I love you, too.”
He turned and skipped out of the room without another word.
Fan’twar watched him go. As soon as Jeremiah disappeared, I turned to my stepfather.
“You erased his memories, didn’t you?” I asked.
“I thought it would be best. Although I’ve taken his memories, I cannot erase the emotions he felt while in the dreamstate. It is fortunate that he has you as his guardian.”
“I’ll watch over him. When his suppressed memories start to bother him, I’ll be ready.”
Although I felt glad that the sky king had removed Jeremiah’s memories, I knew the boy still had a long road ahead of him.
Sissy entered the room and walked to me with guarded footsteps. She looked different. Maybe it was the defiance that was missing.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hi, Sissy.”
When she got to me, she exhaled, as if she had a lot on her chest that she wanted to get off. “I wanted to tell you…” she started, “about Mrs. Dickinson. I tried.”
“You knew who she was?”
She nodded, her eyes pressed closed. Tears leaked from the corners. “I didn’t know what to say. I knew everybody would think I was crazy.”
“You can tell me now.”
She nodded. “I found her in my brother’s bedroom a while back. She’d done something to him. He looked different, like all the life had burned out of his eyes. Then he started acting different. He wouldn’t play anymore, wouldn’t talk to anyone. I knew something weird was going on.”
“What did you do about it?”
“I tried to tell people, but nobody listened. That’s when I found my foster mom using a mirror. She’d disappear and then come back. It scared me. I didn’t know what to think, what to do.” She sniffled.
I grabbed her hand. “You can keep going.”
“Jer kept getting worse, so I thought I’d find out what my foster mom was doing. I went to her mirror. Next thing I know, I’m holding that dream catcher. I must’ve come here, but I don’t remember anything.”
“What did you do with the dream catcher?”
Her chest rose and fell. “What I told you about those LEGOs, it wasn’t the whole story. I was mad at him, and I wanted to get back at him. I didn’t know what that dream catcher did. Honest. I was only trying to scare him. I left it on his pillow for him to find, but when he touched it, that’s when he passed out.” Her grip tightened. Her body shuddered with sobs, and I pulled her close.
“It’s okay,” I whispered.
“It was my fault.”
“It was never your fault, Sissy. Your foster mom was an evil person. She used her magic to taint something that had been intended for nobler purposes. It was her intention for you to give him the dream catcher. You can’t blame yourself.”
Her sobs continued. Kull looked on. He gave me a weak smile, as if to say, it’s okay. After her crying quieted, Sissy pulled away.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“You don’t have to be.”
“But I am. I’m sorry for what I put you through. I’m taking Jer back home. Dr. Hill is helping us find a new family. I’m not gonna run anymore. I can’t. I have to be strong.” She swallowed. “For Jer.”
I patted her hand.
She glanced at Fan’twar and then back to me. He gave a slight nod, hinting at some unspoken communication between the two of them.
“Can I tell you something else?” she asked me.
“Go ahead.”
“My mom told me something before she died. She said she was sending a guardian angel to watch over us. Every night after she died, I looked out my window, wondering why my guardian angel wasn’t flying down from Heaven to watch over me. But now I know that my guardian angel didn’t have wings. Now I know who she was talking about. Thank you, Olive. I don’t think I ever mentioned it before.”
Her gratitude had me at a loss for words. I’d always worried she’d turn out like her mom, but now, I didn’t have to worry about her. She was growing into a beautiful young woman, someone who could inspire the world for good if she put her mind to it.
“I gotta get back to Jer.” She gave me a quick hug. “Thank you again,” she whispered and then left the room.
Kull cleared his throat. I glanced at him. I had the uncomfortable problem of thanking him for saving my life. I wasn’t sure how to say it. Words didn’t seem like enough. I turned to Fan’twar
