“Not this morning, I didn’t,” I answer.
Grace reaches out and puts the back of her hand on my forehead, frowning. “You’re a little warm, and I can feel your stomach is upset, but you’re being soothed by the cake and the tea. Your nerves feel frayed as hell, though.”
“You can feel all of that with your powers?”
“Some of it,” Grace answers, smiling. “Most of it is just observation. Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you?”
“I had a nightmare,” I say, putting my hand to my temple, which has started to throb. “It was terrible. Something was getting closer and closer to us. It was ancient and unstoppable. The power of this thing—it was immense.”
“What do you remember?” Grace asks, very quietly. “What did it look like?”
I try to think back on the dream, but it feels like my thoughts are blocked by dozens of sharp knives. I wince and shake my head, feeling the headache spreading down my neck.
“I don’t know,” I answer. “I can’t remember any details now, just the fear and dread.”
“They might not be dreams,” she says. “They could be premonitions.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I groan. “Like, really?”
“Yes,” Grace answers, nodding. “It’s a very common skill amongst witches, and it can be very confusing at the start when your powers are awakening.”
“This is all I need,” I groan again. “Premonitions.”
“Like I said, it’s confusing at first, but it will become your greatest power. I don’t really have visions myself, but I do use my dreams to wander.”
I tilt my head. “What does that mean?”
Grace’s eyes take on a strange look, as if galaxies suddenly appeared deep in her pupils, turning with the slow roll of the universal orbit.
“I can walk between worlds,” she says. “Between the living and the dead, the lower realms and the earth…sometimes, between dimensions.”
I shudder a little. “Please tell me I don’t have to do that.”
Grace laughs softly. “Not at all. You’ll have the ability for sure—most mortals even have it—but very few use it.”
“Mortals can do it?”
“Anyone who has ever dreamed could do it if they want to,” she answers. “It’s all about measuring your steps in the otherworld, and building a—oh.”
“Hmm?”
“Sorry, hun. I’m boring you.”
“No,” I reply. “Just confusing the hell out of me.”
Grace chuckles. “Okay. I get it. I suppose the only question left is, what do you want to do now?”
I take another sip of the delicious iced tea, thinking. “I’d like to stay here, for a little while, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is,” she replies. “I’ll keep it to myself for now, too. No one else needs to know you’re here.”
“Won’t that get you in trouble?”
Grace shrugs. “Maybe. I don’t care. You’re more important to me than any silly wolf rules.”
Her words touch me, and tears spring to my eyes again. I reach for her, and she hugs me, Sabrina purring even louder than ever between us.
“Why don’t you go have a shower?” Grace says. “I’ll put aside some clean clothes for you and make a nice, healthy dinner. Then we can watch a movie or something. Sound good?”
