Page 38 of Realm of Dreams & Shadows

“Absolutely,” I say. “That’s what all the cool kids do on Friday nights.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “And you’re really going to…?”

“Heading to a party with Tia. Whitehall House.”

He frowns.

“What?”

“Whitehall isn’t on campus, and it’s not a legitimate fraternity.”

“Does that matter?”

“I think so,” he says. “Most people think it’s a fraternity house because it borders the college grounds. And because it’s owned by a group with a Greek name—the Oneiroi Society—but they’re not connected to the college, which means we have no oversight at all.”

“So?”

“Well, from what I understand, those parties get pretty wild.”

“Unlike every other frat party in the history of time?” I don’t point out that just being invited is supposed to be a big deal—and I’m not sure why I was invited to a party like that at all. And I especially don’t know why a party notorious for being wild might give me a clue about my dreams.

Dreams.

My mind latches onto one word—Oneiroi. I used to consume mythology like candy, and that one is pinging on me. There’s something about that word…

“Promise me you won’t go,” Uncle Finn says. “Hit a movie in town or go explore the nightlife in the city.”

Dreams! The Oneiroi were the Greek gods of dreams!

“Cora?”

“What? Oh! Right. I promise,” I say. “We won’t go to Whitehall tonight.”

And then I give him a hug and hurry out of his office, one more lie lingering between us.

Chapter

Thirteen

The moment I step out of the Admin building, I see Tia sitting on one of the steps. She sees me at the same time, stands up, and hurries toward me—and all of a sudden, the mortification fades, replaced with a desperate need to cry.

“Are you okay?” she asks, jumping up to pull me into a tight hug. “I heard what happened. That must have been really awkward.”

“The word you’re looking for is mortifying. And it was. So please tell me you didn’t hear about it because the entire campus already knows. Quite possibly with memes and a viral video of me freaking out.”

She grimaces. “Yeah, well, it turns out Riley’s in that class too. She texted me because she thought you might want to talk. And when you didn’t come back to the dorm, I figured you went to see your uncle.” She bites her lower lip. “His assistant said you were in with him, so I waited.”

We start walking, the movement calming me as I watch the sunlight through the trees casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Tia tugs me to an open bench under the Widow Maker, then pulls me down to sit. “Dozed off in class?”

Above me, the ancient branches creak as I grimace. “Got it in one. But,” I add, “I think I figured something out. I think I know what the nightmares are.”

Her eyes go wide. “You mean, like where you go? You said it was a place—are you saying you figured out where?”

“Not exactly. But Uncle Finn said that Mom thought my family was part of some sort of royal bloodline.”

“Royal? Like Buckingham Palace?”