Page 25 of Vale of Dreams

The air goes cold around me, the torchlight flickering, nearly snuffing out.

Talan gestures to Cadoc, and the white-haired guard falls to his knees, his eyes open wide. He trembles, screaming. Outside, lightning flashes, and thunder rumbles soon after. Snow whips at the windows.

My thoughts are spinning out of control, frantic as the frozen storm outside. I am going to die here in Brocéliande.

Talan lifts his dark eyes to me, and the expression I see there is positively lethal. “That is what will happen to you if you try to escape, intruder. Understood?”

I swallow, glancing at Cadoc as he twists in pain. “What are you doing to him?” I ask.

“Oh, nothing. He’s merely dreaming. He’s dreaming of pain.” Talan lazily twists his fingers in the air, and Cadoc lets out a shriek.

“Stop it!” I hiss.

“You’re worried about the fate of the man who wanted you executed?” Talan cocks his head at me, then makes a twisting motion with his wrist. Cadoc slumps forward on his hands and knees, moaning quietly.

“Leave now,” Talan says to Cadoc, his voice as smooth as silk. “Tell no one of this, or I’ll pay you another visit while you sleep.”

Shaking, Cadoc rises to his feet and skulks out of the hallway, into a stairwell.

Talan prowls closer, a hunter stalking its prey.

My blood roars.

I’m alone with the Dream Stalker, a fate worse than death.

CHAPTER 10

The wind shrieks like a banshee, snow whipping against the towering windows. If I were worthy of my Avalon Steel torc, I’d jump through that window, shattering the glass and plummeting to my death. Better for a spy to die than be captured.

And yet, what is his plan?

If he wanted me arrested, he would have let the guard stay. He wouldn’t tell him to leave and not say a word to anyone. The prince has something else up his sleeve.

He’s looking at me like a cat watching a glass at the edge of a table. Maybe he’ll smash me, maybe not. But either way, I have his interest. Beyond that, I can’t read his expression, but this arrogant prince on a power trip ignites a molten rage inside my veins. I loathe this man like I’ve never hated anyone before.

The torchlight dances in his dark eyes as he stares down at me. “Let’s start with your name.”

“I’m Severine.”

“No. Your real name.”

“That is my real name.”

He cocks his head, and a lock of ebony hair falls before one of his eyes. “If I desire, I can wrap you in a dream, girl. And in that dream, you will feel compelled to say your real name a thousand times. You will say it for days, for weeks, until you starve half to death, until the word no longer has meaning. So, let’s try this again. What’s your name?”

Thunder rumbles outside, rattling the diamond-shaped glass panes.

I feel it then, a touch of his velvety power, brushing at the edges of my mind. Threatening to wrap around me, to envelop my reality. He really will do it unless I act fast. The shield in my mind isn’t strong enough. There wasn’t enough time to practice.

Lying works best when it is laced with truth. I can give this evil fucker a crumb.

I narrow my eyes at him, jaw tightening.

I should be acting like a meek girl, intimidated by the crown prince. But Raphael’s words still echo in my mind, and the state of his ravaged, tortured body burns my thoughts like a brand.

“Fine, it’s Nia.” I spit out the words. “Vaillancourt.” My words come out sharper than they should, while my mind is whirring, making up a story that would work, that would convince him I’m not worth his time.

“So, Nia. What are you doing here?” His voice is so uncannily familiar, and the sound of his deep, velvety voice as he speaks my name sends a strange rush of heat through my blood.

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