Page 103 of Whisper of Nightmares

How dare he look so confused.

How dare he feign such ignorance.

“I’m not talking about tonight,” she says through gritted teeth.

“I do not know what you⁠—”

“Stop lying to me!” Her voice echoes across the dark landscape. “I’ve seen you before. Behind my home. In my garden. Lurking just beyond town. Beyond sleep. You—” her voice breaks, the truth too difficult to muster. Until she sees her father’s face again as he uttered his final goodbye. “You were here the night that he died. You brought the nightmare.”

He takes a cautious step forward. “I don’t understand.”

“What’s not to understand? My father would be alive if you hadn’t been here.” The truth unravels her, the grief splintering more deeply. “All this time I blamed myself. I left my home. My family. I tried to outrun my sins, but all this time, it was you. You’re the reason my father’s dead.”

A sound of disbelief catches in his throat.

He shakes his head as if he can shake all of this away. “I do not remember any of this, but I swear to you, I would never⁠—”

Euphemia scoffs, and she can’t tell if it’s because she cannot bear to be lied to anymore or cannot bear to believe him.

With the venom of all the snakes in Náströnd, Euphemia sneers, “Well, I hope you enjoyed remembering what you could while it lasted because I am done helping you.”

Euphemia stomps away before he can reply.

She keeps walking.

For hours.

Long enough that the ground shifts from grass to dirt to stone and back to grass again.

She does not know where she’s walking, only that she must put as much distance between her and that meadow as possible.

When a subtle tremor ripples beneath her feet, she knows her time in the dream is ending.

Euphemia sits at the base of a tree. She closes her eyes.

Within a few breaths, the parlor bursts into view around her. The dim light of dawn drifts in through the windows and it takes her a moment to remember.

When she does, Euphemia slams her fist against the armrest and curses Ash’s name. She curses the angels too. Curses God for everything he’s done to her. How he refuses to save her, despite her desperation. Despite everything she has sacrificed and atoned for.

Euphemia sits up on the settee, and realizes the empty space beside her.

The previous night comes rushing back.

Not the dream. Not reliving her father’s death. But a certain sister who seemed far too suspicious for her liking.

Cybele had been here.

She’d known something was off.

She’d even mentioned the nightmare.

And now she is not in the parlor where she should be.

Chapter 20

The Locked Door

Euphemia dashes out of the parlor, feet sliding across the floor.