The Fae King's Dream (Between Dawn and Dusk #2) - Jamie Schlosser Page 0,129

out of the tree trunks are familiar, and heavy fog from the waterfall mist hovers low to the ground.

One of the witches is sitting on a log about ten feet away. She’s sharpening her machete, running a stone over the blade repeatedly. The rough scraping noise gives me the creeps because it’s the only sound. No birds chirping, no wind in the leaves.

According to the barrage of visions I had just minutes ago, this one dies by drowning.

I’m just not sure which way to make her go, and her dream isn’t helping. The details of her surroundings are lacking. When I try to see beyond this area, there’s nothing but shadows.

She’s definitely not a Dream Weaver—not even close—which makes sense if she’s spent most of her life blind.

Shutting my eyes, I grip onto the silence and nothingness in the distance.

I’m trying to find that place between asleep and awake. The mental strain on my brain is intense, but it works. My consciousness bleeds into hers. As I drift around in her thoughts, I realize it’s a scary place to be. She’s focused on one thing—murder. She wants my blood. Damon’s, too.

Then I hear it.

Rushing water. It’s faint, but it’s there.

The waterfall and the pond. They’re close, just ahead and a little to the left.

That’s convenient.

“Baby?” Damon leans over to catch my gaze. “What are you waiting for? It’d be a bad time to start having remorse.”

Ah. He thinks I’m feeling guilty. Maybe having reservations about taking so many lives in one night. While I’m not going to get any joy out of this, I won’t regret it either.

“I’m good,” I say. “I just had to tap into her subconscious to figure out exactly where we’re at.”

“You did what, now?”

“If I’m going to make her sleepwalk, I need her location,” I explain, blushing under Damon’s impressed look. “It’s not a big deal.”

I shrug and yawn at the same time.

Narrowing his eyes at my gaping mouth, Damon asks, “Am I making you tired here?”

“I don’t think it’s you. Dream hopping really takes it out of me.”

“Then let’s get it over with.”

I nod. Thanks to my vision, I know what comes next. “Merina’s the key here. She’s the only one they’ll all listen to.”

Tugging me in front of him, Damon wraps his arms around me. “Have at it, dream girl.”

Concentrating on Merina’s physical appearance and voice, I make her form in front of the witch.

At attention, the faithful subject stands. “Merina, I’m sorry the girl got away.”

Damon holds out an arm. “Pause button.”

“What’s wrong?”

He clears his throat before projecting, “You’re in my kingdom now, bitches.” Moving his eyes to me, he gives me a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I’ve always wanted to say that. Carry on.”

Shaking my head at his antics, I go back to Merina’s image. “What are you going to do when you find Whitley?”

“Kill her, of course.”

“Why?” I push the question at her, my own curiosity demanding answers.

“Our ancestors.” Confused by the conversation, the witch cocks her head. “They said if the girl won’t join us, she must die so the king will perish as well.”

“What would be the consequence if we let her go?” Okay, so I’m taking the conversation a little off track, but I want to find out why these bitches have it out for me.

The witch huffs. “The dream king would be the end of us. We’re wasting time. As long as Whitley and the king live, the coven will be demolished. Prophesies are hardly ever wrong. We have to make it right.” She raises her weapon. “I’m ready for her.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I share a look with Damon. A prophesy. That’s why they’ve been so desperate to kill one or both of us.

I make Merina nod. “You’re right. I know where to find Whitley. Come with me.”

Satisfied with the promise of some action, the witch trails behind Merina through the woods. As she sleepwalks, her footsteps are sluggish, and she trips over sticks and other debris.

It only takes a couple minutes before we get near the pond and the sound of the waterfall makes its way into the dream.

When the witch gets to the sandy bank, she stops at the water’s edge. “Well? What next?”

“You must get in,” I order through Merina, pointing at the deep end. “That’s where Whitley is. She’s hiding at the very bottom. Sink down and stab her.”

“But I can’t swim. How will I get back up?”

Merina reaches out to pat her shoulder. “You won’t, but you’ll be saving the rest