Page 50 of Phixmery

“We have your back, Ravina. There’s no getting rid of us now. Squad four is four-ever,” Roz says, holding back his laughter. “Get it? Four-ever?”

Ember rolls her eyes, moving away from him, but the tightness of her mouth shows me that she’s holding back a smile as she gestures at the stone wall where the exit is hidden. “Someone mind letting us out so we can get to bed? Apparently the rest of Wing One still isn’t back, and I don’t want to have to deal with Major General Rune’s Physical Training from hell with very little sleep.”

I smile slightly as Nero chitters in amusement. My steps are hurried as I place my hand back on the wall and watch as the stone slides to the side. We all exit and I replace the wall, successfully hiding my—now our—training space. We begin to make our way back towards the main part of the tunnels, where the walls are smoother and it’s more fae-made, when I stumble to a stop.

Standing before me, looking confused, is Bracken. His face lights up when he notices us. “There you guys are. I tried to follow you down here but I lost track of where you were. It was like you disappeared. Why are we down here?” He glances at the guys, giving them harder looks before his features soften as they land on me.

Panic claws in my chest again. “Just out for a late night walk,” I shrug, nearly wincing at my lame-as-fates excuse.

Rozen comes to my rescue, though. “I found this place and wanted to show it to Ember, but Ember wouldn’t come without the others, so we made it a group thing. We’re heading back to bed though. I’m sorry we woke you,” he adds, with a friendly smile, and fates, I’m almost convinced he was telling the truth.

My lungs constrict with tightness as I wait for Bracken’s reply, hoping that he buys it.

He searches my face for something before his grin returns. “No worries, I’ll join you on the walk back though. Maybe next time I can join you?”

Like hell you are.

Nero snorts as he hears my thoughts. “This male just doesn’t know how to take a hint.”

“Apparently not.” There was less anxiety with my friends finding me down here then there was with Bracken down here in the tunnels.

“Ah,” Lennox adds, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, being careful not to disturb Nero. “It was a bust anyway, so we probably won’t be exploring down here anymore.”

“Ah that’s fine.” He waves him off, his eyes narrowing on where his arm is sitting. “Maybe just the two of us can come down and explore?” he throws a hopeful glance at me.

I lean into Lennox and pat his chest and thankfully he plays along by throwing me a soft smile. Lennox has been more of a brother figure in our friend group and, as attractive as he may be, I don’t hold those sorts of feelings for him, but maybe it will be enough to get Bracken to leave me alone. “No it’s okay, it’s kind of boring down here. Thank you though.”

His face twists into a sneer before he masks it. “That’s fine. I’m sure there’s something else we can do, without the group.”

Ember steps forward. “Get the hint, Levine. She’s not interested. Now if you don’t mind, we’re all tired and I want to get some sleep before it’s too late,” she snaps, taking my hand and pulling me past him, Mel, Roz and Lennox following closely behind.

A relieved sigh escapes me. “Thank you,” I whisper to her.

She nods in response and we swiftly make our way back to the South Tower, where Gregor and Bren are still sleeping soundly.

Everyone crawls into bed, and when Bracken tries to come over to me, I shake my head. “I’m not doing this right now. I’m tired,” I whisper loud enough for him to hear, but not to wake the others.

Ember watches him carefully as he stops, nods and heads back to the opposite side of the room where his bed is. “I don’t trust him,” she whispers.

“I don’t either,” I reply.

WHEN I LAY my head down, I pass out promptly and there’s no nightmares, but I wake in my dreamscape to a familiar sight and I nearly squeal with excitement. I’m not sure how I did it, but I found my way back to this place without suffering through a nightmare first.

This time, the white dragon is already laying in its spot, and when he realizes I’m here, his head snaps up. “You’re not supposed to be here, Little Dream.”

I tilt my head as I amble close to the great beast. “Why not? It’s my dream, don’t I control it?”

He doesn’t reply but watches me carefully as I approach him for the first time. His scales are as white as the snow and even the thin membrane on his wings is nearly translucent with how pale they are. He snorts, and frost forms at his nostrils, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me. Something warms in my chest as I slowly reach out, placing my hand on his snout. His scales are firm, yet soft and shockingly warm. A purring noise erupts from his chest, which brings a small smile to my face.

“They say dragons are terrifying beasts that are bloodthirsty creatures—at least the one I saw was. You don’t seem too bad,” I murmur.

A warm and intoxicating laugh reverberates through my mind. “You would be mistaken. They are extremely bloodthirsty. But you’re safe here. Now tell me something, what do you mean the one you’ve seen’?”

I pull my hand away from him and glance up into lavender-colored eyes with not an ounce of fear to be found. “On my way to Phixmery, I watched a male get snapped up whole by one of your kin.”

He raises his arched neck up, peering down at me from a great height with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean you’re at Phixmery? You’re not supposed to be there. You’re supposed to be hiding in a village far from the war,” he hisses, sounding slightly unhinged.

“I didn’t have a choice but to leave Shalo and come here. I plan on escaping, though. I’ve been trying to find my way back here so I can plan. Wait, why am I explaining this to my subconscious?” I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter.”

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