“It’s okay. I’m here.” He scoops me up in his arms, cradling me against his chest. I press my ear against him, needing to hear his heart beat.
“I had a really fucked-up dream,” I say, not wanting to close my eyes and risk seeing any of it again. I gulp in air, looking around my room. It’s the way it should be and still smells like fresh paint. The windows are all open and a soft breeze is blowing through. I can hear crickets and the whir of a car engine as it drives down the road in front of the house.
“It’s okay,” he soothes again. “It’s just a dream.”
I don’t want to let him go, don’t want to fucking talk about it. I went to bed happy, and it’d be nice if this feeling could last more than a day.
“I don’t think it was just a dream.”
“Why not?” Jac lies back down on the mattress, pulling me onto him. I run my hand over the silky inside of his wing, needing to feel him to convince myself this isn’t a dream, too.
“Braeya was there and she gave me a warning. She said, ‘They don’t have much time and neither do you.’ I thought I woke up after that, but I woke up in dreamland and you guys were gone and when I went to find you, three guys in robes were doing some sort of ritual in the woods.”
“You’ve dreamed about Braeya before.”
“Yeah, but usually I’m seeing things through her eyes. Not seeing her sitting on the foot of the bed giving me a warning.”
“It is strange,” he agrees. “But I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“Bullshit.”
“Fine. I don’t want you to worry because I want you to go back to sleep and be well rested in case something happens in the morning.”
“Way to ease my nerves.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No,” I say. “Don’t be. You’re right. I don’t think I’ll be able to fall back asleep, but I do need to prepare for whatever happens.”
“Thomas and Gilbert are outside. If anyone comes by the house, they’ll see them. I’ll have Hasan burn sage and I’ll stay with you as long as I can.”
“Thanks. That does help.” I close my eyes and let out a sigh. “And it could very well be just a dream.”
“Yes, it could be.” He resituates us on the mattress, covering me with the blanket, and starts rubbing my back. It’s not going to put me to sleep like it usually does, but it helps to settle my nerves.
“What’s this?” he asks, fingers catching on a chain around my neck.
“I don’t know.” I sit up, reaching up and feeling a necklace. I didn’t wear one today and I certainly didn’t put one on before bed. The chain is long, and I pull it over my head, holding it up to dangle in the moonlight. I narrow my eyes to see better, and once I do, I almost drop the necklace.
Hanging from the long chain is the golden cross Braeya gave me in the dream.
