My head snaps toward her. “Vivienne,” I murmur under my breath, but she’s asleep.
The bond pulls again, stronger this time, and I feel it more clearly now. Not just fear, but something deeper threaded through it… cold and watching.
A small whimper escapes her as she shifts restlessly on the mattress.
I rise quickly and move to her side. “Vivienne,” I say firmer, trying to rouse her.
Her eyes remain closed, trapped in a nightmare. A soft sound slips from her lips, barely more than a breath, but it twists something in my chest all the same. “No, please.”
Carefully, I brush my hand over her arm. Her skin is warm beneath my touch, but she flinches as if burned. “Vivienne, wake up,” I say sharply, but she doesn’t stir.
“Please, no,” she pleads again.
A low growl builds in my throat as something dark brushes against the bond. This is no ordinary nightmare. This feels like the work of magic.
Worry coils tight in my chest as I sit on the edge of the bed and take her hand. “Vivienne,” I murmur, softer this time. “Wake up, you’re having a bad dream.”
Her breath stutters a moment before her eyes snap open. She gasps, her fingers curling around mine as if trying to anchor herself.
“It’s alright,” I murmur, tightening my hold just slightly. “You’re safe.”
Her gaze flicks wildly around the room before settling on me. “Auren?”
I brush a strand of hair back from her face. “You were dreaming.”
She nods, her chest rising and falling too quickly. “I was walking down a long hallway, and there were these vines everywhere. They were full of thorns,” she whispers. “And I saw these terrifying eyes.”
I go tense. “What kind of eyes?” I ask quietly.
She shakes her head, pressing closer as if she doesn’t want to remember. “Gold,” she murmurs.
“Did you see anything else?”
She shakes her head.
A sharp, vicious instinct rises inside me as I recall the darkness brushing against the bond. My jaw tightens. “It was only a dream,” I say, though I’m not sure I believe that to be entirely true.
She nods, but her gaze is fixed on the far wall. “I’ve dreamed of this before,” she whispers, still shaken.
I frown. “Before?”
She nods faintly. “My father had a mage look into it once. He said it was tied to the Goblin bargain.”
I go still.
“I used to have these nightmares more often when I was younger,” she adds quietly. “And they were always the same. But I haven’t had one in a long time.”
She glances at the ring on her finger. “I thought they would stop once I was wed.”
They should have. The fated bond should shield her from outside magic… especially something like this. Unless there is more to the bargain than her father realized when he agreed to the terms.
Then again, this could simply be a recurring nightmare and nothing more. I’ve heard the bond can work this way… allowing bonded couples to sense each other’s emotions.
Perhaps that’s all this is, and that’s how I was able to feel the pull of fear through our connection. And yet… something about it feels wrong.
I push the dark thought from my mind as Vivienne shivers slightly. I grab the blanket and carefully tuck it around her. “It’s alright,” I murmur. “You’re safe here.”
She swallows hard and nods. “I know.” Clearing her throat, she tips up her chin as her pride reasserts itself. “I’m fine. Truly. I’ve had these before. It’s simply… a nightmare. Nothing more.”
