Page 124 of Crown of Slumber

It softened the blow of my departure, knowing I would return. I wasn’t sure if we would reside in his court or mine, but I knew we would be together. That was all that mattered.

I found myself drifting to sleep against his chest, our legs still tangled together, my mind sleepy and content.

A flash of distorted images seared through my mind. Blurry faerie lights. Dancers with butterfly wings. Green-faced ogres leering at me.

Then, one scene came into focus with stark clarity: a circle of red-cloaked witches, hands clasped as they chanted in an ancient tongue.

The witch in the center stepped forward, lowering her hood. She dragged a blade down the center of her own palm. Blood dripped to the ground. In a powerful, echoing tone, she said, “I give my blood to the earth and stars. Let it seal this spell forevermore.”

Her face was mine. Hervoicewas mine.

The witch was me.

I jerked awake, my eyes flying open. My heart pounded painfully in my chest as I glanced around the darkened forest, searching for that circle of witches.

But Fenn and I were alone. His slow breaths filled my ears as he continued to sleep, blissfully unaware of my vivid nightmare.

How long had we been asleep? Was the fete over? I couldn’t hear the music anymore, but we were deep enough into the forest where the sounds of the river could be drowning out the echoing strains of music.

Slowly, I extracted myself from Fenn’s embrace, despite how I yearned to curl into him, to burrow my face into his bare chest and chase away my fears and worries.

As I eased away from him, I hastily adjusted my bodice and skirt. It was rumpled and damp in a few places, but there was nothing to be done about it. I found the lavender glass vial from the three witches resting in the grass nearby, and I quickly slid it back into my bodice.

After patting down my hair and tucking the wild strands behind my ears, I looked at Fenn one last time. I knew I should wake him. I still needed stardust from him. And if he found I had slipped away without saying goodbye, he would be livid.

But if he looked at me with that dark, sensuous expression again, if he kissed me once more, if he gathered me into his arms, I knew for certain I would be unable to leave.

Besides, I could scoop up a handful of stardust from the Celestial River. Surely, I wouldn’t need more than that.

I blew Fenn a kiss and murmured, “You have my heart, Fenn. Guard it well.”

Then I turned and walked away before the sight of him pulled me back. Tears streaked down my face, and I impatiently wiped them away. This was silly. Wewouldbe together. This parting was only temporary.

Then why did my chest constrict so tightly that I couldn’t breathe? Why did a chill of foreboding ripple along my spine, warning me this would be the last time we ever saw each other?

Shaking these irrational thoughts from my mind, I made my way through the forest, emerging to find the bridge empty. I frowned. Perhaps the fetehadended. I wasn’t sure how long I had slept.

The air was eerily silent as I crossed the bridge. Even the river seemed quieter than usual, the babble soft and ominous.

When I reached the other side of the river, I scanned the emptyfield and courtyard. No music. No dancers. The faerie lights had dimmed.

Something was wrong.

My blood ran cold as I realized what it was. The braziers along the river were no longer lit. The strong Nightfire that Mal had provided must have burnt out.

Panic pulsed in my chest as I whirled toward the bridge, prepared to dash across it and rouse Fenn.

I found myself face-to-face with a huge, four-legged beast. It leered at me with a dozen milky white eyes, large fangs protruding from a wide mouth. Each leg was thin and hairy like a giant spider as it inched toward me. Foam dripped from its open maw.

I scrambled backward with a terrified yelp. The creature scuttled toward me with frightening speed, its legs completely silent on the grass. That was how I hadn’t heard it approach. It didn’t make a single sound as it closed the distance between us, filling my nose with the scent of cobwebs and decay.

Panic surged through my veins, spurring me into action. I spun and fled, my feet scrambling up the steps of the courtyard. Before I could make it to the castle doors, two more beasts appeared in my path, one with large pincers that snapped at me hungrily.

I felt the blood drain from my face.Oh, gods.I glanced behind the beasts, thinking perhaps if I screamed, someone from the castle would come to my rescue.

The doors were sealed shut.

Dread coiled in my chest. Did the staff think Fenn and I were inside? Or had these beasts devoured everyone while Fenn and I had been sleeping?

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