Page 141 of Crown of Slumber

Swearing, I turned away from her, then jumped back with a startled yelp.

Sapphire stood in the doorway, her eerie lavender eyes fixed on Aurelia.

“Forgive me,” she said softly, her white hair seeming to float around her as if underwater. “I should not be here, but…” She trailed off, her eyes turning somber as she stared at Aurelia. “My sisters believe it is too late for her. That we cannot help. ” Her gaze shifted to me. “Butyoucan. And I will do what I can to help you.”

“There—There is a way to bring her back?” Hope bloomed in my chest.

“Yes. If you enter the Dream Realm and retrieve her, you can bring her back.”

“How do I do that?”

“The spinning wheel.” Sapphire gestured to the large contraption by the fireplace. I hadn’t noticed it there before. “The Dream Mage has enchanted it. Whoever pricks their finger on the spindle will be transported there.” She leveled a stern gaze at me. “But if you do not have an anchor tethering you to this realm, then you will be stuck there just like her.”

I swallowed. “And… I suppose you’ll be providing this anchor for me?”

Sapphire sniffed in response, as if bestowing such a gift was beneath me because I was a man.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked. “I know you despise me. You’ve made that abundantly clear.” Of the three witches, she had always been the one to reprimand me just for speaking.

“My sisters are far more accepting of what Fate deals us than I am,” Sapphire said. “I, however, enjoy tempting Fate now and again. They would believe that Aurelia is doomed. That there is no hope for her.” Her eyes took on a steely edge as she looked at me with fierce determination. “I do not agree. And although I cannot go into the Dream Realm to revive her, I know there is no one who loves her as you do. No one else who is more fit for this task than you.”

My eyebrows lifted at her praise. “Well… Thank you.”

“It was not a compliment, you foolish boy,” she snapped, then waved at the spinning wheel. “Come. We must hurry. There isn’t much time left.”

“What about my kingdom? The court, the council?—”

“My sisters and I will manage things here for you,” Sapphire promised. “Besides, if this works, it will be as if no time passed at all. That is why she is looking so ill now. She has been there forfar too long.”

Concern wrenched in my gut. Gods, I’d been so busy planning my ascension to the throne while Aurelia had been stuck in this dream world, suffering. I felt so foolish. How could I have believed Mother would leave her alone? Of course the wretched woman would torment Aurelia further. As if kidnapping her dragon and imprisoning her hadn’t been enough.

I suddenly straightened, turning to face Sapphire with wide eyes. “Can I bring a dragon with me?”

Sapphire barely reacted as she said, “You mean the dragon in the hall?”

My mouth opened and closed as I glanced over her shoulder. In the hall, Mal’s familiar grumble echoed.

He was making his way to Aurelia. His size was likely slowing him down again.

I nodded. “Yes. She is bonded to Mal. If I can’t bring her back, then her dragon certainly can.”

Sapphire was silent as she considered this. Then, she nodded once. “Yes. You can bring the dragon with you. I will tether him to myself as well to anchor him here. It should be easier for him, as a beast.”

I frowned. “But you won’t come?”

“I cannot. The Dream Realm is warded against us witches. All I can do is serve as your anchor.”

“All right then.” I drew my short sword and held it above my wrist. “How much blood do you need?”

Sapphire reached into the pockets of her cloak and withdrew a vial. “Fill that please.”

I nodded, slicing into my wrist and letting the blood droplets poor into the vial. When it was full, I handed it back to Sapphire. She corked it, then lifted it, inspected it closely. “I think I was wrong about you, child.” She offered me a wry smile. “You are not as useless as I believed.”

“What a glowing compliment,” I said with a chuckle. Then, I glanced at the witch. “And the dragon?”

“I will get his blood after this so he can join you. Do not worry. Dragons trust witches.”

I edged closer to the spinning wheel. I rolled up my shirtsleevesand took a steadying breath, unsure how to prepare myself for something like this. “Are you ready?”

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