“Nineteen years. I’m just waiting for my pension to kick in. Then it’ssayonara.”
“How’s this dress?”
“It’s a lot of pink. If that’s your thing.”
“It’s my thing.”
“Then try it on and let’s see. There’s a changing screen right there. Do you need help?”
“No, I’ve got it.”
“Good. My old bones are too tired to play dress-up today.”
I move behind the screen and start tugging off clothes. “So what did happen to Eryx’s dad?”
“He was murdered.”
I pop my head around the screen. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Saw the whole thing. All of us did. Killer was never caught, neither. Just vanished into thin air. Eryx has been looking for her ever since.”
I let that sink in, but Nancy continues.
“Yep. His father was killed for his nightmare power—but the magic didn’t go with the killer. It went into Eryx before that could happen. Violent thing. Just a mess. Nearly drove him mad, too.”
This is so juicy I almost forget what I’m doing.
“You gonna put that dress on, or what?” Nancy asks.
“Right. Sorry.” I straighten and slip the dress over my head. “Why did the power almost drive him crazy?”
“Because that Nightmare voice, from what I hear—don’t quote me on this—it’s very demanding.”
“Wait.” I pop my head out again. “Did you say, nightmare voice?”
“Yeah, you know. It’s in his head telling him to do things—turn right here. No don’t go left, that’s the wrong way. Eat all your Brussel sprouts. That kind of thing, except darker.”
There’s a long moment where I just stare at her, my hands frozen on the dress.
Eryx has a voice inside his head.
A nightmare. Living inside him. Demanding things.
Was it Eryx who reached out to me on the balcony?
Or the nightmare?
Does Eryx even want this marriage, or is he being forced by the voice in his head?
When he looks at me—when he kissed my hand—is that him? Or is it the thing inside him?
My chest tightens. This changes everything. I thought I was marrying a man. A complicated, secretive man, but still—a man.
What if I married the nightmare instead?
What if Eryx is just as trapped as I am?
“You didn’t know about the nightmare, did you?”
