Page 219 of Ex Somnis

Light.

Everywhere.

A soundless slam of it, and the black floor drops away as all of us are ripped out of elsewhere, and I hit sand.

Soft sand, warm under my hands, a bruise-colored sky, and a thousand colored doors standing closed along the waterline.

The beach.

Tessa’s beach.

A sob breaks out of me.

I’m sprawled half in Ridge’s lap and up before I’ve finished landing, on my feet, soaked through with tears. I run back toward the doors, to the one that stands a little to the side, to go back in, to drag her out, because I am not, I am not leaving her there.

Ridge starts to laugh, and I round on him. He’s sitting in the sand grinning up at me like a lunatic, and I could kill him. I could actually kill him right now.

“What is funny?” My voice tears. “Why do you think that’s funny, Ridge? How could you hold me back? You promised.”

“Sweetheart.” He’s still laughing, but his eyes are wet too. “Look around.”

I look around.

Nevan-Tessa is standing a few feet away in the sand, looking deeply confused.

On the ground in front of him, unconscious, is another Tessa.

The standing one stares down at the unconscious one with his mouth open.

“What?” Nevan-Tessa asks in his own voice. “What the fuck is happening? This Man threw me out, and I landed here. Then another Tessa walked past me and went in through the door. I tried to follow her to get back in, too, but she wouldn’t let me.”

Ridge climbs to his feet and rushes to the unconscious Tessa on the ground. He crouches down beside her, then he glances up at where Derek is standing, white-faced.

Tears are still streaming down my face, but the desperation is tempered by confusion now.

“What the hell is going on?” I look at Paul, who shakes his head.

“Derek, get over here. Help me sit her up.” Derek hurries to Ridge, and they prop the unconscious Tessa between them.

Derek gently brushes a strand of hair off her pretty, slack face.

“This is the real Tessa,” Ridge murmurs.

What?

As if she heard her name, she groans, and her eyes crack open. The second they meet, I know he’s right.

“How?” I gasp out. Her eyes flutter shut, then Tessa’s whole body flickers, there and not there, like a signal going out.

Is she locked in the in-between again?

I drop to my knees in front of her. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s waking up,” Paul says, looking at all of us. “Everyone, brace yourselves. We’re about to get kicked out of this dream in about thirty seconds.”

Derek makes a sound like he’s been hit. “Angel.”

Ridge grips his shoulder. “Go. Wake up. Be the first thing she sees when she actually opens her eyes.”