“Grass time?” I said instead, lacing my fingers with his as we walked outside the castle.
We didn’t speak as we passed several castle workers, too in our own heads to bother with conversation. Remi and Juno waited outside by one of the only trees, waving excitedly at us.
Nolen leaned closer to my side and whispered, “They’ve missed you.”
My smile was wide as we approached them, and then I was crushed into a hug by Remi.
“We’ve been so worried,” Remi whispered as he held me close. I sank into the hug, enjoying the calming scent of my brother.
“I feel better,” I promised.
“Not from what I hear,” Juno interrupted, hugging me into his side. “Nolen now has to be asleep, too?”
Nolen groaned. “Who told you that?”
Juno crossed his arms. “My dad.”
“Figures,” Nolen muttered.
Remi looked between us. “Is it a bad thing?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. It should be what finally helps me out.” I still couldn’t mention Aiden and I hated that. But there was still a small chance he wouldn’t make it, and I selfishly didn’t want to talk about how my twin brother might die soon, so keeping him a secret was for the best.
Remi and Juno didn’t seem convinced, but we still managed to play around with glamour before I started to sway.
“And that’s enough for today,” Nolen declared, swooping in to catch me in his strong arms before I could faint.
My eyes drooped close and I heard a faint whisper, “See you soon, my darling.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Nolen
“Hold me,” Derek whispered, his body seeking out mine in our shared darkness.
“Always,” I whispered, gathering him in my arms as the darkness continued to exist around us.
“Why are we here?” he asked. It was clear he still feared the dark. But with my arms holding him tight, he could at least keep the fear to a minimum.
“I have no idea,” I admitted. I wasn’t about to tell him the darkness scared me, too. He needed me to be his rock, his support, but not being able to see anything was unnerving.
“You think we’re asleep?”
“We have to be. Mindy pulled me under as soon as we had you back in bed,” I explained. Why we shared a dream was a mystery, though.
His voice was low when he asked, “You think Aiden is alone in his darkness?”
God, I hoped not.
“Maybe, or maybehis dream is full of light,” I said, hoping to convince us both of that.
His tone lightened some, “I bet he’s happily lazing about a flowery field.”
Humoring him, I asked,” Really? What kind of flowers?”
“Yellow ones,” he whispered. “He always liked the yellow ones.”
“He did?” I feared asking more questions than that. Derek shouldn’t have his memories back, not yet at least, from what I knew.
