The Nightmare (The Mist #2) - Regine Abel Page 0,30

face.

“Go grab some food, and then I can spill the tea about what you missed while you eat,” Riley said in a conspiratorial tone that had me burning with curiosity.

I headed towards the buffet. It was quite the impressive spread with a hot and cold section. Trays with scrambled and hard-boiled eggs, ham, sausage, bacon, steaks, hash browns, and sautéed vegetables sat near the pancakes, porridge, and oatmeal. Next to them, a variety of breakfast cereals, yogurts in ice bowls, muesli, and fresh cut fruits transitioned into the final section with breads and pastries, from sweet to savory, with a selection of cheeses, cold cuts, smoked salmon, jams, and other spreads. The decadent abundance on display was simply mind-boggling. The cost of the food laid out before me would easily add up to my annual salary of the next couple of years, including the yearly bonuses.

Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I picked up a tray and shamelessly piled on the meat. Being a sucker for hash browns—and potatoes in general—I squeezed a small amount of it on my plate, then filled a bowl with fresh fruits to give me good conscience. As I was putting the spoon down, the sudden appearance of a hand on the other side of the freshly cut vegetables startled me. I realized then that what I had believed to be a set of mirrors at the back of the buffet was in fact a row of food trays catering to a completely different group.

I crouched and was shocked to see a whole other cafeteria with a much larger group. I recognized the faces of some of the candidates that had traveled with me last night or that I had seen in the Observatory. It first struck me as odd, but in light of all the things that had happened to me last night, I could see why Thomson wouldn’t want me openly talking with others who had not made the cut.

Which means Riley also has a Nightmare.

That got me all the more eager to hear what he had to say. After a short detour by the beverage station to get a cappuccino and a tall glass of orange juice, I hastened back to Riley’s table. He burst out laughing at the sight of the mountain of food on my plate. I scrunched my face in embarrassment, and my cheeks heated.

My appearance was quite deceiving. I was six feet tall with not an ounce of fat on me except where you wanted a bit—boobs, hips, and butt. However, if I put my mind to it, I could probably eat my own size. Growing up, my friends had hated me for my crazy metabolism. I settled down across from him, relieved to see he still had some food left on his plate. It would have been a little awkward to have him just watching me stuff my face.

“Tell me everything!” I said while digging in.

“Your Nightmare devouring that Beast naturally had everyone talking,” Riley said with an almost boyish excitement, his light brown eyes sparkling. “We were all dying with curiosity after the agent took you through that door no one else had. Then everything got boring for a bit. Most of the Mistwalkers were just hovering there, looking stupid. A few of them followed some of the candidates, but they were quite subdued. They reminded me of lost puppies looking for a home.”

“Sparks and newly awakened Wishes, I’m guessing,” I said pensively before stuffing a chunk of spicy beef sausage in my mouth.

Riley nodded. “A few more people got escorted out. We all expected to get the boot. Then this one Nightmare came charging in, just killing everything. That freak was making a show of it and enjoying every moment. All the sentient Walkers and Beast hauled the heck out of there.”

“Oh wow!” I whispered.

“Wow, indeed,” Riley said with a troubled chuckle. “It was quite a disturbing sight. But then, when there was nothing left to kill, he started stalking Julia, one of the other candidates.”

My eyes widened, and I instinctively looked around the room for any signs of a civilian woman, but only saw a couple of female agents.

Riley chuckled again. “She’s not here, yet. Julia did go through the same door you and I did, though.”

“She probably slept in like me then,” I said before taking a sip of my cappuccino. “What happened after that?”

“Once Julia’s freak was gone, the Mist Beings came back,” Riley said with a