Then I slink out of the house and back outside, biting down a squeal. Yes, I hurt Ovie’s feelings, but now I’m off the hook!
The sun shines a little brighter as an invisible weight lifts off my shoulders.
Perfect. Now I don’t have to get married.
So why does it feel like I just kicked over a beehive?
Eryx
You can’t sleep, can you?
I close my eyes tighter, trying to block Nightmare’s voice. It doesn’t work.
I bet you could sleep if you found her. Searched the dream world for her.
I pinch the bridge of my nose.I wouldn’t know where to start.
I do. I know where to start—with dreams of ponies and rainbows.
A growl rips from my throat, and I sit up, eyes wide open.
The first thing that hits me is darkness. Deep inky black, but with a wave of my hand, a candelabra lights and the flicker of candles reveals a room with stone walls trimmed in silver. The velvet chaise I’m lying on is hard as a rock, which usually doesn’t bother me.
But tonight everything bothers me.
What are you doing? Are you going to search for her?
At night? No.
I cross to the window and throw it open. A light spray of rain pelts my face. Below, the gray stone buildings of the quarter—myquarter, my Nightmare District—unfold before me.
In the distance the lights of Castleview shimmer beyond the barrier. I can just make out the flickering of gas lamps, the blue witch fire that illuminates those streets.
Here, we don’t have witch fire. We have nightmares to light our streets.
Glass globes filled with swirling dark purple matter throw light and shadows on my buildings. But even that power can’t keep Nightmare at bay.
You have to enter the realm, you know. If you don’t, the nightmares will build up. You remember what happened last time. You didn’t work for a whole week?—
You don’t have to remind me.I pour a glass of water from a crystal pitcher left on a table.I haven’t forgotten.
But it’s prattling on.I kept saying you needed to work, but no, you weren’t interested. You had to avenge your father.
My hand on the glass tightens.
And I warned you. I said, you’ll set yourself on fire if you don’t do what you’re supposed to, and next thing I know?—
I nearly burned to a crisp.
I think parts of you are still singed. Which is why,it adds in a grim voice,you must work.
How can I work with you prattling on? I need rest,I growl.
Touchy, touchy. But I know what you mean. I don’t really feel like plotting revenge today anyway.
Which is a shame. I’d give anything for it to go back to talking about death and destruction. Anything but?—
It sighs dramatically. The sound bounces around my head like an echo in a cavern. I know that sound. It’s what Nightmare does when it wants attention.
