Page 60 of Realm of Dreams & Shadows

“Correct. The Real is the exception. The anomaly, some would say.” His mouth curves slightly. “The rest are collectively what your myths and nightmares have been reaching toward for as long as humans have slept. It’s the root of every myth, many religions, and dozens of epic tales. And hard for a human to grasp.”

“You’re not human?” I ask.

“I’m not.”

I wait for him to say more, then look to Tia when he doesn’t.

“This is a lot,” she whispers. “Multiple realms. Whistler. Him,” she adds with a wave toward Chase. She grimaces as she meets my eyes. “I’m almost sorry you asked.”

“I’m not,” he says. “You both need to know.” He faces Tia. “You have power, Tia, bound or not. But you are not a Dreamwalker. So you need to decide now if you stay or go.”

“You mean for tonight? Or, like, forever.”

He cocks his head. “Does it make a difference?”

She reaches out and takes my hand.

The tiniest of smiles tugs at the corner of his mouth. My grin is huge.

“The King,” I say, moving with Tia to sit on the sofa when he ushers us that way. “Tell me about Adric. And this Bride who Vex mentioned.”

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Tia asks, nodding toward me. “Cora’s the Bride?”

“She is,” Chase says quietly, turning to me. “A prophecy says the King will find a mate of Imperial blood, and the willing consummation of that union between the King and the Bride will shatter the barriers between realms, letting him enter ours and the other realms with his armies.”

“Imperial blood? That’s not me.”

“It is,” he says. “You’re descended from the Emperor.”

I gape. “Yeah, no. I really don’t think so.” But his certainty makes my skin prickle.

“The barriers are already weakening,” he continues. “With you as Adric’s mate, they’ll fall completely. Chaos will follow.”

“But I can’t be this Bride person.” I hear my voice rising with panic. “That makes no sense at all.”

“There’s no doubt, Cora. It’s you. And my most important job is to make sure he doesn’t get you.”

I shudder. “Vex was going to take me to Adric, wasn’t he?”

Chase doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. I know I’m right.

Tia looks between me and Chase. “So you’re saying she’s what? The Chosen One? The only girl in all the world who can stop hell from breaking out all over?”

“Actually, yes.”

“But that’s crazy,” I say. “Billions of women on this planet—or, excuse me, in this realm. Not to mention how many in the other realms. And yet it all boils down to me? That’s insane.”

“Maybe. But it’s true. Now that your mother is gone, you are the only living descendant of the Emperor.”

Tia crosses her arms and glowers, like she’s caught him in a lie. “But there must be more. I mean, this Emperor’s, like, ancient, right? He should have a huge family tree by now.”

“He doesn’t,” Chase says, his voice hard and level.

Tia and I exchange a glance. “So what happened?” I ask.

He draws in a breath, his shoulders rolling back like a soldier taking an oath. “I kept the Brides away from him.” His voice is low and steady as his eyes find mine. “It’s my most sacred duty. To prevent the Nightmare King from claiming his Bride.”

I release a breath as I gather the words close, holding them around me like a cloak, keeping me warm and safe. “Like the way you’ve kept me from him in my dreams.”