Marit going to buy a sugarplum - that was why I tried to do the same thing the next day. And then I went to bed, but I couldn't sleep. So then I picked up the star bal again and it showed me the story about the kitsune treasures. The stories are shown in order, so it had to be the one right after the sweetshop story. And then suddenly I was out of my body, and I was flying with Elena right over Alaric's car."
"Did you do anything in between experiencing the story and going to bed?"Stefan asked.
Bonnie thought; her rosebud mouth pursed. "I suppose I turned down the gas lamp. Every night I would turn the lamp way down so that it was only a flicker."
"And did you turn it back up again when you couldn't sleep and reached for the star bal again?"
"Um...no. But they're not books! You don't have to see to experience a story."
"That wasn't what I meant. How did you find the star bal in that dim room? Was it the only star bal on the floor near you?"
Bonnie's brows came together. "Well ...no. There were twenty-six. Two others were hideous; I'd kicked those into a corner. Twenty-five were soap operas - so boring. It's not as if I had shelves or anywhere else to put them - "
"Bonnie, do you want to know what I think happened?"
Bonnie blinked and nodded.
"I think that you read a children's story and then you went to bed. And you actual y fel asleep very quickly, even though you dreamed you were awake. Then you dreamed a premonition - "
Bonnie groaned. "Another one of those? But there wasn't even anyone to tel it to then!"
"Exactly. But you wanted to tel it to someone, and that longing brought you - your spirit - to where Elena was. But Elena was so worried about getting word across to Alaric that she was having an out-of-body experience. She'd been asleep too, I'm sure of it."Stefan looked at Elena. "What do you think of that?"
Chapter 28
Elena was nodding slowly. "It would work with what happened to me. At first I was alone out of my body, but then I saw Bonnie beside me."
Bonnie bit her lip. "Well ...the first thing I saw was Elena and we were both flying. I was a little behind her. But Stefan, why do you think I fel asleep and dreamed a whole story? Why can't my version just be true?"
"Because I think the first thing you'd have done would be to turn the light on - if you real y were lying there awake.
Otherwise, you might well have picked up a soap opera - so boring!"
Bonnie's forehead smoothed at last. "That would explain why nobody believed me even when I told them exactly where the story was! But why didn't I tel Elena about the treasure?"
"I don't know. But sometimes when you wake up - and I think you did wake up to have the out-of-body experience - you forget the dream if something interesting is going on. But then you might remember it later if something reminds you of it."
Bonnie stared into a middle distance, thinking. Stefan was silent, knowing that only she could unravel the riddle for herself.
At last Bonnie nodded. "It could be that way! I woke up and the first thing I thought of was the sweetshop. And after that I never gave another thought to the treasure dream until somebody asked for stories. And it just popped into my head."
Elena pushed the deep blue-green velvet coverlet one way to make it green, then the other way to smooth it into blueness.
"I was going to forbid Bonnie to go on the expedition,"she said: this slave who didn't have a gem on her body except Stefan's pendant which hung from a fine chain around her neck, and was Stillin the simplest kind of after-bath robe.
"But if it's something we have to do, I'd better talk to Lady Ulma. It sounds as if time is precious."
"Remember - time runs differently here than back on Earth.
But we're supposed to leave in the morning,"Bonnie said.
"Then I definitely need to talk to her - right now."
Bonnie jumped up, excited. "I'l help!"
"Wait."Stefan put a gentle hand on Bonnie's arm. "I have to say this. I think you're a miracle, Bonnie!"Stefan knew his eyes must be shining in a way that showed he could hardly rein in his excitement. In spite of the danger - in spite of