“Only on a good day.”
“Is it true you can curse us with nightmares?”
“Now why would I do th?—”
That’s when it hits me. Nightmare’s constant presence, the feeling of being gripped around the neck by a fist, has suddenly vanished.
Nightmare?
The only reply is silence.
“Excuse me,” I tell the crowd, weaving my way to the back of the ballroom and out the doors.
Nightmare! Answer me!
My stomach drops as I race through the manor. “Excuse me…pardon me… Has anyone seen…?”
Seen what? Nightmare magic? Something that’s supposed to be latched to my very blood, but is now either not answering or has left me?
As I dart down the halls, threading my way through wizards and witches who eye me curiously, I poke around inside myself, searching for its cold presence. Looking, until?—
An explosion of power makes me stumble back. I clutch the wall to steady myself, my vision blurring at the edges. The only way to hang on is to bend over, breathe.
I suck down a staggered breath and exhale. I’m shaking. My hands. My knees. My legs.
What in the hell just happened?
Power the likes of which I’ve never experienced gushes into my bloodstream. It’s powerful, familiar. Feminine.
Oh shit.
Nightmare!
One of my men, Stave, approaches. “Sir.”
He reaches for me, but I lift a trembling hand. “Where is she?” I grind out.
“Who?”
“The woman. The one I danced with. Chelsea.”
“The north balcony.”
I race past him, back through the crowd, pushing and darting, threading and weaving. The music plays on, the melody light, romantic.
I curl one of my hands into a fist.Nightmare, what have you done?
Seconds later I burst through the doors and find two witches staring at…roses…dozens of black and gold roses lining the brick floor, crawling up the exterior wall.
I rock back on my heels.Nightmare. Are you here? What were you doing?
Since it hasn’t answered me every other time I called, it surprises me when a quiet, sly voice replies,I’ve been seeing what we can do.
A chill runs through me. Nightmare's voice sounds…different. Distant. Like it's not fully inside me anymore.
I didn't leave,it corrects, listening to my inner thoughts.I reached out. There's a difference.
What are you talking about? You reached out to her?
