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Darius froze and his sharp gaze snapped to his partner, full of hatred. The Dreamer’s smirk widened.
“Mentioning her riles you, doesn’t it? Perhaps I should do it more frequently in hopes of distracting you so I finally have a chance of beating you.”
Darius’s jaw tightened and his already piercing glare sharpened. “It’s impossible for you to use her against me.”
Despite my fierce determination not to feel, his words hurt all the same, for they were another reminder that our relationship had meant nothing to him.
The Dreamer raised her eyebrows. “You claim she meant nothing to you?”
“I never claimed—nor will I ever claim—that.” Without another word, Darius threaded his needle and proceeded to weave. His fingers flew through his stitches as he created a mammoth nightmare—bigger than any I’d ever seen him make—each detail stitched together with a blazing, hardened expression.
The Dreamer fiddled with her bag, but before she could even open it Darius had completed his monstrous nightmare and draped it on top of Maci. I sidled carefully and silently down the slates of the roof to get a closer look as the plump nightmare appeared above her. Whatever it was about already had her stirring restlessly in her cradle, her whimpers piercing the night.
If I hadn’t been so focused on Darius’s expression I’d have snuck a peek at Maci’s dream. It didn’t matter I was missing what was undoubtedly one of Darius’s finest creations, woven from his own festering anger. He didn’t even watch his nightmare unfold in his weaving mirror. Instead, he glared unblinkingly at his weaving partner as she fumbled with her dream flowers. Before she could even stitch the first pair together, Maci jolted awake with a cry. Heaps of dream dust twirled into Darius’s locket before he disappeared with a sizzlingcrack, leaving behind a sobbing Maci and his scowling weaving partner. She cursed, shoved her supplies back into her bag, and left.
I acted immediately. Maci’s mother had answered her daughter’s sobs and cuddled her close in an attempt to comfort her. The nightmare still hovered above her without even the slightest hint of fading from Maci’s memory. This was the perfect dream to capture.
Even with Bolt’s concealment bracelet making me invisible, I knew I didn’t need to sneak into Maci’s bedroom to commit my crime. My swirling fury made me powerful. I had no doubt I’d be able to steal Darius’s nightmare even from outside the room, and unlike my countless previous attempts, I didn’t feel the slightest hesitance now.
My movements were sharp, urgent, my agency relinquished to the emotions that had, after all this time, burst free from their prison. In their freedom they eclipsed my senses, causing all my pain, anger, and injustice to guide my hand.
My magic flowed through me effortlessly and shot out to snatch Darius’s dream in its jaws. I yanked it towards me and bottled it, my first captured dream in months. I lifted my empty locket to eye level and waited. It only took a moment before the stolen nightmare flickering in my jar pulled the magic from its creator. I couldn’t see his locket gradually emptying, but I watched mine as several centimeters of olive dream dust seeped into it. After a moment it transformed to lilac, a symbol that what had once been Darius’s power was nowmine.
I smirked as I basked in the euphoria of success and sweet, sweet justice. Revenge was delicious.
...until I returned home. Mother’s dark laugh was triumphant as she cradled my much fuller dream locket in her palm, her glee a sickening sound that clenched my previously elated heart in a vise.
“Well done, Eden. I knew you had it in you.” She pulled me into a motherly embrace, but although I’d spent years yearning for such an affectionate touch, I couldn’t enjoy it.
My gut twisted and I suddenly felt nauseous. This magicdidn’tbelong to me, it had belonged to Darius. After all my months of resistance, I’d finally given in to my hurt. Despite having previously felt there hadn’t been a single glimmer of the old Eden left within me, I now felt as if a part of me had died. As Mother, Blaze, and Trinity praised my horrible actions, I stood rigidly, staring unseeingly ahead, all as I felt nothing except...
Emptiness. Piercing, coldemptiness.
Chapter 6
It was amazing what a difference a single day could make. Whereas yesterday I’d been eager for Shade to tutor me in nightmare construction, today I trudged through the misty forest to our meeting spot with resentment filling my heart. Though my festering jealousy towards her connection with Darius still simmered, it was now a throbbing yet manageable pain that somehow allowed me to continue my gloomy existence...but only just.
Even though I’d relocked my emotions back into their prison, that didn’t mean I wanted to see the object of my envy again, much less receive her advice about how to create nightmares. But I was left with no alternative—Mother claimed to have neither the time nor the patience to teach me, and without any other friends, I had nowhere else to turn. And as much as Shade brought me pain, I wasn’t strong enough to sever the relationship.
I stepped into the shadowy clearing and found Shade perched on a log waiting. Oblivious to my resentment, she greeted me with a radiant smile.
“I’ve been looking forward to this all day. It’s so exciting to think you’re about to plan your first nightmare.”
She patted the spot beside her on the mossy log, inviting me to sit. After checking myself to be sure I wouldn’t throttle her, I rigidly did so, ensuring there was considerable space between us...an effort that was thwarted when she eagerly scooted closer.
“I warned you earlier that I’m not particularly good at weavingwinningnightmares.” She laughed lightly, still all smiles. “But Darius—who’s a genius when it comes to nightmare construction—has been giving me a lot of help, so I feel more confident assisting you, especially considering most of my advice will be from him.”
I stiffened at his name. Unsurprisingly, Shade took no notice. “You receive help from Darius?” I asked stiffly, fighting—and failing—to keep my voice from shaking.
Shade pulled out a notebook and flipped through it. “Quite often. I’m afraid I’m a rather difficult pupil, usually requiring several hours of assistance every week, but he’s so sweet and patient.”
He spenthourshelping her? “He sounds very...attentive,” I said through gritted teeth.
“He is. I’m so fortunate to have him.”
My fists clenched and I resolved to steal Darius’s nightmares every night until I bled his dream dust dry. Then we’d see what dreams he’d construct when he was entirely depleted of magic. The monster within me purred in approval at the thought.
Shade’s brow puckered. “Poor Darius has been having such a difficult time; I’ve never seen him as depressed as he’s been these past several months.”
