Page 64 of Bound to the Shadow Queen
The nightmare shifted again, and Kyros was standing over me, pride etched across his features, a smirk gracing his cruel mouth.
Then the memory started over again.
Everly.
Torment. Blood.
Come on, Evy. Wake up.
Another scrape along my skin, and a sob broke its way free from my lips.
It’s just a nightmare.
Sadistic laughter in my ear.
I’m sorry about this.
Something splashed against my face, shocking me into consciousness.
I sat up, sputtering and choking on water.
Wynnie hovered above me with an empty glass, guilt in the tight set of her mouth.
“I couldn’t wake you,” she said, her voice smaller than it should be.
“I—” Freezing drops of water streamed down my face, and I reached up to wipe them off.
My breath still came in pants.
“Evy?” she set the glass down, reaching toward me.
I shook my head. “No. It’s all right. I’m sorry. Go back to sleep now.”
She froze, her hands still hovering like she wanted to help, to offer comfort. “No, I’ll…”
Guilt consumed me. Her normally bronze skin was several shades too pale, and purple half moons hung under her eyes. She had likely just finally drifted off to a fitful sleep of escaping her own nightmares only to be awakened by mine.
“Please, Wynnie. Get some rest,” I said a little more firmly, though I forced a bitter smile. “I’m just going to go dry off.”
Then I slipped out from under the covers, willing her to listen to me. She nodded after a beat, climbing back into bed on shaking limbs.
I padded to the lavatory and took my time gently wiping the water from my face with a soft towel, trying to avoid my own haunted gaze in the mirror. But I couldn’t calm the rapid beating of my heart, or quell the panic rising in my chest.
Not when every shadow looked like the oneshehad stepped out of. The ones he had dragged me into before…
Surely he was dead… Right?
But what if he wasn’t?
What if he was the reason I kept feeling that ominous scraping along my spine? Was he trying to find me again, to punish me? To make sure his poison worked as intended this time?
I tried to take a breath, but my lungs refused to expand. I couldn’t get back in that bed and close my eyes knowing he would be on the other side.
Teal eyes flashed through my mind.
There was only one person who could give me answers.
Moonlight caught on my ring, the band practically tugging me toward him, just as it had tried to do with every passing hour since he brought me back here.
