“I had an interesting dreamlast night.”
“What was it about?”
“I was with you, Koriann,Erling, Zac and Onolyn. Other people were there too, but I didn’tknow them. You were teaching a class. When I first woke up, I didn’tremember the dream. I just knew I had a significant one, so Icontemplated on it until bits and pieces came back to me. I heard thehaunting music of a flute off in the distance and a soft, bluishlight all around us. We were in some type of auditorium. I heard youspeak, but I can’t remember what you said.”
“It sounds like a meaningfuldream.”
“Well it was, but what I wantto know is, did it really happen?”
“If you can’t believe yourown inner experiences, how are you going to believe me?”
“You could reinforce it.”
“I could,” he replied,lifting the baby down from his shoulder. Michio held the baby on hisforearm with the infant’s head in his hand. He was so small thathis entire body fit between Michio’s wrist and elbow. “You sureare tiny,” he said, smiling at the baby.
“What an evasive answer. You’reno help.” Toemeka sounded annoyed.
Michio looked up in surprise.“Wasn’t I?”
“You didn’t interpret it,tell me it was real or tell me that you remember it, too.”
“You have to learn to believein your own dreams—not rely on me. You didn’t need any helpinterpreting it. It wasn’t that type of dream. If you want me to bemore helpful, may I suggest asking the Inner Master to take you backand help you remember whatever experience you had? We can discuss itin the morning.”
“Are you saying it was real anddoesn’t need to be interpreted?”
“I’m saying I want you torely less on the outer and more on the inner.”
“All right, I’ll try to goback tonight, but if you’re as evasive tomorrow as you are today,I’m going to beat you up,” she kidded.
“You can always tell a trueseeker by their degree of determination.”
She laughed.
***
Toemeka stood by the cradle,gazing down at her five-week-old baby as he slept. “I wonder whenyour daddy will be home,” she said. “He’s been gone a longtime.” It was a warm spring day; she was barefoot and wore asleeveless dress.
She heard steps behind her andturned around smiling, expecting to see Michio. The color drainedfrom her face when she saw Cadmus standing there instead. The shockwas so great, she swayed on her feet and grabbed the bedpost forsupport. Here was the man she had seen in her nightmares. It didn’tseem real. How could he be alive? Yet there was no mistaking hisdistinctive facial features and large physique. He was the same asshe remembered him, except an aura of negative, psychic powersurrounded him now, as if he’d been studying the black arts.
“Hello, Toemeka,” he said inan eerily calm voice.
His familiar baritone sent chillsthrough her. “I thought you were dead!” she gasped.
“Only seriously wounded. I toldyou once I wanted you and I always get what I want. I’ve come foryou; you’re mine.”
“I’ll never be yours.” Rawterror pounded through her. She took a step backwards, wondering howto protect her infant son.
He noticed the cradle and hiseyes narrowed. “I knew you were married, but I didn’t expect ababy.”
“Don’t touch him!” She feltdark psychic energy radiating from Cadmus as she inwardly surroundedBaymond and herself with a shield of Light. “Please leave us inpeace. I’ve done nothing to you. Go now and there won’t be anytrouble; kidnap me and Jaipar’s military will retaliate.”
“I’m not afraid of Jaipar’smilitary.” He crossed the room and grabbed her by the wrist. “Comepeacefully or I’ll have to teach you who your new master is.”
“Let me go!” She tried towrench her wrist out of his grasp. He twisted her arm behind herback, forcing her to turn around as he pinned her wrist between hershoulder blades.
“Are you ready to comepeacefully?” he asked, giving her arm a hard jerk. She cried out inpain, then nodded submissively. He let go of her wrist and put hisarm around her waist, pulling her against his muscular chest.
“You’re so intoxicating.”He ran his hand through her long hair. “I’ve thought of nothingbut having you for my own. You’ve become an obsession.” Shejabbed her elbow into his abdomen and he grabbed her wrists and heldthem both in one of his large hands, still standing behind her. “Doyou intend to put up a fight? There’s no one to help you. I madesure Michio was gone.”
Terror sliced through her. Herdream was coming to life.
He released her and gave her ashove. “Let’s go.”
She stumbled forward, then swungaround to face him. “Please, Cadmus, don’t take me from my baby.Something could happen to him.”
“Why should I care what happensto your baby?”
“Don’t you have any humandecency?”
“I gave it up when I alignedmyself with Samrat Condor.”
“Let me take some things withme,” she said, stalling for time.
“I’ll buy you whatever youwant.”
“I’d like a few of my ownthings.”
“I’ll give you five minutes.If you try anything, I’ll kill your baby.” He stepped over to thecradle.
Toemeka’s chest constricted inhorror. “Stay away from him. I don’t have any weapons.”
Quickly, she pulled out a travelbag and threw in a few belongings. She glanced at Cadmus who wasstaring at the baby with a glowering expression. She found an eyebrowpencil, scribbled Cadmus on the bag label, and ripped it off.
“What are you doing?” heasked, turning toward her.
“Just getting my makeup,” shesaid in a shaky voice.
“What are you hiding? Do youhave a gun in that bag?” He came over and grabbed it, dumping itscontents on the floor. Toemeka clutched the label in her hand. “Whatare you so nervous about?” he demanded.
“It’s not every day I’mabducted!” she snapped back. “What did you expect? That I wouldwelcome you with open arms?” She dropped the label behind her.
He smiled. “Now you’rebehaving more like the woman I remember. That was a nasty scratch yougave me the last time we were together. It’s time to go.”
Toemeka picked up her bag by thestrap and swung it toward him. He grabbed it before it could hit him,wrenching it from her and throwing it to the floor.
“You intend to put upresistance?”
She glared at him, her angeroverriding her
