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If he’d been in on Anadey’s attack, he’d have to know that her spell hadn’t taken—I was still alive. Unless they really believed the connection could be broken without hurting either one of us. But the others would wonder if I didn’t show excitement. Feeling in a pickle, I opened my mouth, searching for something to say.
Peyton snapped around and interrupted. “So, Cicely, have you decided on a name for the new society yet?”
I flashed her a thank-you. “Yeah, I think I have. We’re fighting shadows. We’re fighting Myst. My thought is the Moon Spinners. Because the moon will expose them. The moonlight can ferret them out.”
“The Moon Spinners . . . I like it.” Rhiannon began serving the soup as Luna passed around the biscuits. Everything smelled warm and cozy and for a brief moment, I could almost pretend that we were just a group of friends, hanging out on a cold winter’s evening.
As I lay in bed that night, aware of the sounds of the house around me, I heard a whisper on the wind. I sat up, suddenly afraid, but Ulean seemed unperturbed.
Do you hear that? I hear something on the slipstream.
Ulean paused. You’re right, but I sense no danger. Only that someone is seeking your attention. It is not Myst, nor her kin. That much I can tell you.
Grieve?
No, or it would have Myst’s signature behind it.
I slipped out of bed and wandered over to the window, gazing out at the Golden Wood. The unhealthy glow that had settled over the forest remained, a thin green light that wavered and shimmered like an aurora. Only this aurora was sickly and felt infested with buzzing insects and rotting things that crawled out of the dark. I focused, turning my attention toward the energy emanating from the woodland, but the summons was not coming from there.
As I turned back to my bed, I caught sight of a shadow creeping along my wall. There was nothing for the shadow to be attached to.
Who are you? What do you want? I sent my thoughts forcefully on the slipstream, tired of games and pretenses.
It’s me, Kaylin. I’m dreamwalking. I need to show you something. May I come into your room?
The whisper echoed and I realized it hadn’t been off the slipstream, but somehow through the tiniest link of connection we’d forged while dreamwalking a week or so ago. The lines of communication were still there.
Relieved, and yet a little irked, I nodded. “Come in, but use the door.”
A few moments later there was a tap and then Kaylin entered the room, in the flesh. He was dressed in black, head to toe, and his eyes were luminous—more so than usual. He slipped over to my side and drew me to the bed, sitting me down.
At first I was a little nervous, remembering his behavior and threats when his demon had been in control, but he didn’t try anything. Instead, he simply put his hand on my arm.
“I was out dreamwalking and found something. You need to see it. Truly—I can’t exactly explain what it is, but I feel you would know. Come with me? I can take you along.”
“I know you can.” I frowned, wondering if it was safe to give in to him, to take off dreamwalking again, especially now. But the urgency in his voice convinced me he’d found something, and I gazed into his eyes. “I have been betrayed twice this week by people I thought were friends. Why should I trust you?”
“Because if I wanted to kill you, I would. If I wanted to fuck you, I’d have raped you by now. You know I have the power to do both and yet, I did not. I truly mean it when I say I have no ulterior motive with you, Cicely.”
“But why help me? I am walking in danger.”
“Yes, you are, but I’ve always walked beside death. I am a dreamwalker; I have a demon bound in my soul. I understand the night, and the dangers within. I understand what calls you under the wilding moon, Cicely Waters. I understand your drive to fly away, to be free.”
I gazed into his eyes, and I knew he was telling the truth. “Where are we going?”
“To the outskirts of the Golden Wood, but outside the boundaries of Myst’s hold. In a far corner. I’ve been exploring—trying to find something of use to us. Let me take you there. Dreamwalking . . . we can get there in no time. We won’t be discovered.”
I slipped into a warm turtleneck and a pair of boots. “Do you think I’ll need a coat?”
“I’d wear one. We may be dropping out of the shadows when we get where we’re going.” He was wearing a Windbreaker, I noticed, along with gloves and earmuffs.
I grabbed my jacket out of the closet and pulled on gloves and jammed a knit hat down on my head, then made sure I had my fan and my blade.
“You really have to get a better blade than that. We’ll go shopping over the next day or so.” He motioned to me and we lay down on the bed.
“Does anybody else know we’re heading out?”
“No, and I don’t think they need to. Not till you’ve seen this.” He held out his arm and I rolled into it, silent and waiting. And then, slowly, we began to blur, merging together, into the universe.
