Dreams had never been a comfort to me. As one of the Reviled, my grandmother often warned me of the dangers of frivolous dreaming. That if I wasn’t careful, I could project myself so far into the Ether that I may not be able to return to my body, no matter how hard I searched. I always assumed these warnings to be nothing more than old wives’ tales. Yet, whether the danger was real or not, Gran taught me how to shut down the part of my mind that birthed dreams. To dig out the roots of dreaming from my subconscious, so sleep brought only peaceful oblivion till dawn rose anew.
I was a child the last time I dreamed. If asked, I could not recall the details of said nocturnal hallucination, only that I felt the warmth of my mother’s embrace as if she were with us once more. That was the night I first projected myself into the Ether. The strength of my longing propelled me past the boundaries of our home and out into a sea of twinkling stars. It took me hours to find my way back. To find Gran knelt by my bedside, prayingto all of the old gods that I would return. When I finally awoke, Gran squeezed me so tight I thought I was going to break. That dream was the last time I remember seeing my mother. Even if it was only the image of her imprinted in my mind.
It was supposed to be my last dream. And yet, there I found myself, standing at the edge of a chasm, as if the earth had been ripped open by the hands of an unknown god, and I knew that I had once again succumbed to those empty promises of dreaming.
A flash of light streaked across the dark canopy overhead, illuminating shapeless shadows among the clouds that hung low in the sky. Breaking through the cloudbank, I marveled as a shooting star descended into the chasm below, falling at an impossible speed deeper and deeper till the darkness that stretched the breadth of the canyon swallowed it up, leaving trails of distorted color burned into my vision.
Familiarity coiled around my chest, though I was more than certain I’d never been exposed to such alien surroundings. Somewhere below, down through the layers of shadow and fog, a noise rose above the gentle wind. A terrible groan that set my teeth on edge. It swelled till the very rock I stood upon trembled, and I clapped both hands over my ears to keep from breaking apart.
Just as quickly, the noise dissipated, and I was suddenly aware of the presence of another standing alongside me at the edge of oblivion.
“There you are.”
The words punctured my heart like thorns from a rose, each exacting a swell of pain that I thought would unmake me. As I straightened, hands falling from my ears, I turned to see familiar copper curls and eyes of emerald green.
“Tobias?”
His name was a firebrand against my tongue. Again, a streak of light fell from the tenebrous clouds, cascading downward into the chasm below. He turned to face me, unleashing another wave of agony as his verdant gaze fell upon me for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
“I’m dreaming,” I whispered, tears building in the corners of my eyes that blurred his beautiful face. I quickly blinked them away, abhorring anything that would distort the sight of him.
His lips curled into a soft smile. “As am I. Though I do little else these days.”
I reached for him, longing to experience the warmth of his skin, even if it were only a fabrication of my memory brought to life. His hand rose to meet mine, fingers interlocking as he drew closer, tucking his chin and resting his cheek against my chest. I inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of him, my arms encircling him with a desperation that rivaled madness.
I cared not if I was dreaming, nor of the dangers spoken decades past. Tobias was in my grasp once more, and I wasn’t going to dispel the moment for anything in this world or the next.
“You’ve grown clingy,” Tobias said after a moment, the vibrations of his words against my chest the most glorious of sensations. “Perhaps I should be catatonic more often?”
A grin spread wide across my face. Even if this wasn’t the true Tobias, he retained the spark that drew me to him like a moth to flame. His voice was the sweetest of vices, and I wanted nothing more than to have it wash over me till I was numb with bliss.
“I knew this was a fool’s errand,” he continued, words coming even faster now. “Lenny told me as much. That it would only leave me wanting more. But I had to keep trying. Keep projecting myself till I could reach you here.”
The numbing warmth waned as my mind caught up with his words.
“Projecting yourself?” I repeated, pushing him to arm’s length. “Tobias, is that truly you?”
“It’s me,” he confirmed, a shy smile spreading across his lips. “I’m sorry to invade your mind like this, but it was the only way I could think to communicate while I was asleep?—”
His next words were swallowed up as I kissed him, taking him by surprise. He quickly melted into the gesture, his body folding against mine like a wave crashing against the shore. My mind reeled with so many questions, but they could all wait. The only thing that mattered right now was that this was Tobias. The real Tobias. And I wasn’t going to squander whatever time we had.
“Bast,” he muttered against my lips, and I managed enough willpower to pull away from him. “I missed you, too. But I’m not sure how long I can hold onto this connection. I need to concentrate, and you’re making that very difficult.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered into the crook of his neck, clinging to him still. And though I couldn’t fully grasp why, I kept saying it. Over and over again till my voice cracked and Tobias had to push me away with a firm but gentle hand.
“What for?” he asked me, his brows knitted with confusion.
“I couldn’t figure it out. How to wake you. It’s been months, and I’ve managed nothing. I’ve failed you.”
Tobias reached up, cupping his hands over my cheeks to steer my gaze to meet him. “Oh, Bast. That wasn’t something I expected you to do. That was never your burden to bear. But I can see how it weighs on you. Listen to me now, before anything else is said, I need to make this clear. You have not failed me.”
A broken sound escaped my chest with an exhale.
“You have kept Lenny and me safe,” Tobias continued, his hands drifting down to rest on either side of my neck. “And Ican’t thank you enough for that. Especially for taking care of my sister. I know that it must be difficult, after everything that she’s done, but she’s still a part of me. Now more than ever.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Later. Right now, there’s something that I need you to know. Something that could spell the end of everything.”
