Page 104 of Wicked Knight

I land into the darkness and then the face comes, vague and terrifying.

It’s the man.

His hollow eyes glare at me. Soulless and searching.

He rushes up to me but glares into my mind, then he turns around and I see his back.

He’s shirtless. A snake is tattooed on his back with the words:mori conatur vivere.

Someone says something to him. I hear the words but can’t pick them apart.

The man whirls around to face me and grabs my neck with a rough growl that makes my bones shiver. Then I jump out of my sleep with a scream stuck in my throat.

I can't breathe. My throat is so dry I have to get out of the bed and run to the bathroom to get a drink.

I turn on the cold tap, grab one of the plastic cups on the side of the sink and fill it with water. Then I knock it back like you would a shot.

The coldness actually burns my throat until it feels soothing and calming.

My breathing stills and my nerves don't feel so jumpy.

I set the cup on the counter and rest my hands on the surface, hanging my head down.

My God, I saw more.

I saw more in the nightmare, and it was clearer. I saw the man's body. The snake tattooed with those words on his back.

That's the first time I've ever seen real words or anything so clear in my mind.

Unlike before when I thought I was making stuff up, I no longer think that now. I really do believe I'm getting my memories back.

Since I can't remember seeing a tattooed back like what I saw in my dream, it must be my memories.

Why the hell would I make up a shirtless man with a tattoo I've never seen before?

And the only Latin words I know are the ones in the college motto and a few things here and there.

Surely I would've had to have seen that actual tattoo with the Latin words for me to dream about it.

I splash cold water on my face and gaze at myself long and hard in the mirror. I look terrible. Like someone in their late 90s. I have fiery blotchy skin, red eyes, and limp hair.

This is so unlike me.

Yes, I know I just woke up out of a terrifying nightmare, but I feel awful. I need to tell someone about my nightmares.

The conversation I had with Isabelle weeks ago comes back to my mind.

I’d promised myself that if it got to a stage where I remembered anything important, I would raise it with somebody who could help me.

But who is that person?

My father?

If I'm dreaming about some guy who's linked to Tommy's murder, my father would be the first person who that would benefit, but Dad is away working. I feel like I need to speak to someone right now.

Dmitri comes to my mind and I quickly realize that’s a terrible idea.

Seeing him would be great but I can't go looking for him.

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