"Kartik, don't you dare leave me now!" I screamed at Kartik and clung to his chest tighter than before. Kartik glanced behind him and gasped.
"I won't leave you, I promise." Kartik said shortly after his gasp. I heard Pippa's screeches, but even louder than that were the terrorizing screams of the town's people. I closed my eyes, hoping this evil dream would go scare some other person.
"Gemma?! Please get up!" Kartik shouted at me. I opened my eyes. I gasped, I was in our house! Was it a dream? No, it was a vision. I sat up, only to find that I was wet.
"You started to cry in the middle of the night, Gemma, why?" Kartik asked me, worried. I shook my head.
"Pippa's coming to get us both, Kartik! And the moon, it's a secret exit from the realms!" I babbled. Kartik's eyes clouded in confusion. I looked down at my tear stained dress. I would have to change out of it soon.
"It's alright, Gemma. It was only a dream. Nothing can get you!" Kartik smiled.
"Come on, let's go get you something to eat, it helps you think clearly." Kartik ordered gently. I nodded and followed him to the kitchen. He handed me some water and a large plate of rice and chicken.
"Umm, wouldn't some soup be better or something?" I asked wearily. Kartik shook his head.
"No, this is actually better for you at night, my brother told me." Kartik explained. I sighed, but dug in. The vision had made me tired and hungry.
"Kartik, if you die in the realms, you die forever, right?" I asked, trying to be casual. Kartik raised his eyebrows.
"No, you go to the Winterlands. But a special place in them. Like a prison. If you want to know if Pippa's spirit is still alive, then the answer is yes. Yes her spirit is alive. But it isn't really her anymore. Now it is just a brainless ghost. Stop worrying. She made her choice." Kartik said the last part venomously. I nodded as I swallowed my food. It really was calming me down.
"So she doesn't remember me?" I asked. Kartik froze.
"Well, umm, I really don't know. Maybe. I haven't seen the place for myself, you know. I can't know for sure." He said unsurely.
"She remembers, doesn't she?" I asked, my voice went flat with defeat.
"Yeah, sorry Gemma." Kartik smiled sadly. I turned away from him to put my plate in the sink. The dishes were piling, but they would have to wait until tomorrow.
"You don't think she could track us down, do you? Would her soul be powerful enough?" I asked.
"Of course she course she could track us down! The Winterland creatures have immense power, enough to destroy the mortal world…Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, Gemma." Kartik said at the end of his explaination, taking in my scared, white face. It felt like my brain wasn't getting any blood anymore. I slapped my hand to my head.
"Looks like I'm a better storyteller than I thought." Kartik muttered as he picked me up. He was taking me to bed probably. But that was where I didn't want to go.