“There’s no time to explain it all. Can you trust me to fix it?”
“I trust you.”
He crashes his lips into mine and desperately slides his tongue against mine. He pulls my body flush against his own and kisses the top of my head. “I love you. Tyler loves you. Remember all the good times. Remember how much he loves you and will always be there to protect you. Can you do that for me, please?”
My brows pull together. “What aren’t you telling me, Toby?”
He rests his forehead against my own. “He won’t be the same person you fell in love with, not after this. I promise you. We will find a way back to you. I’ll make this right. Just remember what I told you.” He shakes his head as some invisible force pulls him away from me.
“Toby!” I scream. I try to run after him, but my feet sink into the muddy sand of the lake’s edge. “Toby!”
“Remember what I said. Find them before it’s too late!” he yells. The screaming shadows of souls past swallow his body.
“Toby!”
“G! G!”
I jolt upright. “Toby, no! Don’t take him. Please, don’t take him!” I wail.
“G, wake up! You’re having a nightmare.”
My eyes open, and I thrash about. I’m being shaken.
“G!”
I blink hard, shaking the dream from my head. I rub my eyes and slowly take in my surroundings. A myriad of furrowed brows and concerned faces stare at me. I breathe hard. Odyssey rests his hand on my shoulder. I’m in my dorm room.
“Who the hell is Toby, and why does he look like half of his body is burned to a crisp in your dreams?”
My mouth is dry, and my throat closes up. I rub the front of my throat. Was Toby taken to the afterlife? Is he gone forever?
“G?”
“Toby is Shadow’s dead brother,” Emily explains from somewhere in my room.
“Okay… That explains why you’re worried about him being taken to the afterlife,” Odyssey slowly says.
“Why were you dreaming about him?” Alexis asks.
I search the room, looking for Liam. He stands by the door with a pinched expression on his face. His diamond earring reflects the light of the sun when he moves his head. I need to talk to him, like Toby asked. He sees me staring at him and backs away from the door to leave.
Odyssey moves off the bed, giving me space.
I push my way through the recruits.
“G!”
I pause to look over my shoulder.
“If you lose him, he’s going to his spot.”
I nod and rush out the door.
I find Liam exactly where Odyssey said he would be. Well, the second place I expected him to be. I went to the climbing wall first.
His legs are pulled tight against his chest, forearms resting on his knees. He stares off into the far distance, overlooking Territory Seven. This is where he brought me when we shared our first kiss, where he pointed to the white hill and told me about his imaginary castle.
“Why are you here?” he snaps.
