Page 64 of In the Shadow of a Dream

“Your sire has acquired a wealth of knowledge from which to serve, yes? This perspective—both sides of a coin—adds to his honor, making him a valuable god.”

Luc swallowed and turned the page considering this.

He and Nix spent the remainder of the day moving through each of the books Sister Prudence deposited, but each time they came up empty handed. A handful of unascended gods, but none of them matched.

“Night is coming,” Nix said. “Maybe Brinna has news?”

The thought of seeing Brinna constricted Luc’s heart in the cavity of his chest, which made little sense. Why would he look forward to sleep, to dreaming? “Perhaps.” He pressed his fingertips to his heart, rubbing the discomfort and his worry away.

He looked up to find Nix watching him. “What?”

Nix shook his head and returned to reading.

Sister Prudence stopped at the vestibule, not crossing the threshold into the entry. “Magic,” she said and stopped, tilting her head in that strange way, her eyes seeing something beyond them. “Time.” Her wide brown eyes jumped to Luc’s, then to Nix’s. “I will confer with my brothers and sisters.” Then she turned and left.

“Time?” Luc asked. “What does that mean?”

Nix shrugged.

They left the library and stood at the top of the steps staring out at the Elcadian night. The buildings glowed golden in the midnight blue of the night sky, the spires, the building faces lit up like sparkling treasure. The city and people moving to and fro faded around them as Nix whisked them back to Sol.

The familiar surroundings of Luc’s sky home reappeared and wrapped around him like a hug, which seemed strange to recognize considering he usually longed to leave it.

He squeezed the bridge of his nose and stifled a yawn. “I don’t know how those monks do it all day. I feel exhausted.”

“Good. Hopefully you’ll find Brinna then.” Nix’s subdued and exhausted response worried Lucian.

“I don’t think I will find her. I think she will find me.”

Nix nodded. “Tomorrow then,” he said and faded from view.

Luc ate and rushed through his bedtime routine, anxious to get to sleep, but when he finally settled into bed, he struggled to settle his mind. He was tired, could feel the way it seeped into his bones and eclipsed any other sensation. But when he closed his eyes, he rolled to one side, then the other. He took several deep breaths and counted to one hundred and twenty-seven, but the more he thought about not sleeping, the more anxious he became.

“Brinna?” he whispered. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to fall asleep.” He was breaking his promise to be there. So he spoke with her, first out loud, then silently, until somehow, he drifted into the deep chasm of sleep.

17

Brinna, sitting on the floor next to the bed where her body was lying next to Auri, looked up the moment she felt Lucian slip into sleep. It was a vibration, as if there was an invisible web between her and Lucian, pulling her from the deep gray that was trying to suck her deeper into the spell.

She scrambled to her feet and raced down the stairs and out the cottage door. But rather than being spit out into the meadow within the hedge, she found herself standing in a library.

She twirled in place. It was beautiful, filled with so many books there would be no way to read them even in a thousand lifetimes. The ceiling wasn’t a ceiling at all, but the dark blue sky filled with planets and stars. It moved gently, mimicking the true sky. The room was layers upon layers of books. There were golden lamps and suspended, glowing orbs, tables and chairs, sculptures, stairs, and so many things to see and touch. Brinna pressed her hand just under her throat.

“Lucian?”

“I am here,” he said, stepping into view.

She took a fortifying breath, grateful to see him once more, her link to something tangible to keep her from the spell’s grasp. Except she realized her relief was something more. Her heartbeat knocked an excited rhythm inside her, making it difficult to find her next breath, and awareness of him raced across her skin. For so long, she’d been telling herself that she didn’t like Lucian. She could see that it had been a lie, but had it always been a lie or had her feelings changed somewhere along the way?

He offered her a subdued smile, and she thought he looked exhausted, weighted with worry.

“What is this place?”

He looked around. “My version of the Library of Oracles. In Elcadia.”

“That’s where you’re from?” she asked.

“Elcadia. Yes.” He hummed an affirmation as he walked toward her. “I spent the day here with Nix, looking for unascended godblood—since we’ve never heard of your family.”

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