A Utopia Built on Bones

Outside of Trayrock, Present Time

Aislen knew it was a dream and not an ordinary one. This was one of THOSE dreams, which meant she needed to pay attention.

She was not in the aether, and unlike many of the dreams before it, this dream wasn’t full of chaos, smoke, and bodies, that much was clear. She hoped it was another nice dream of the future, like the time she’d caught a glimpse of how the future might be with her mates. She needed another dream like that, she thought, and maybe that was why this one was so peaceful.

She was lying in fragrant grass with the sun warm on her face, so bright against her eyelids that even with them closed she saw halos of light. She could hear people’s voices, the activities of every day, but there was a difference… A missing white noise. It wasn’t the only difference. There was also a difference in the air. It was more fragrant in the way of a garden in spring, with all the flowers in bloom and the earth rich and ripe.

She opened her eyes and squinte