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“That’s not going to happen.” In the back of her mind, she screamed at herself to wake up, to not speak to the Black Mage any longer. It felt wrong, felt like he was awake and alive in her dreamworld.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to be enemies.” He waved his hand and the lily left Layala’s fingertips and traveled to his. He looked at it as if it was special. “I can give you power.”

“You’re talking to the wrong person. I don’t want power. I never have.”

He was suddenly behind her, his fingers gliding along her upper back, down her arm. He grabbed a piece of her hair and brought it to his nose. She clenched her teeth but refused to show her disgust.

“Everyone wants power,” he said and dropped her hair. His light steps circled around her. “You want vengeance. I will give you what your heart desires most.”

She turned to watch him on her left. “I can get my own vengeance.”

“Perhaps,” he said. “But your enemies are vast, even more than you know, and much stronger than you are now. You are afraid of your own magic.” He leaned close to her ear. “Afraid of what you truly are.”

Bristling at his closeness, she turned to shove him, and he caught her wrists. She would have sworn he was physically there, gripping her as if his life depended on it. As she tried to wrench herself free, he began to laugh. “You can’t even control your own mind. We’re in your world, in your head. Come on, break free.” She kicked out to sweep his legs and he vanished, appearing behind her. “Over here.”

Whirling around with the dagger, she slashed, and he was gone again. She searched among the bamboo and the exotic flora. A silver butterfly fluttered from one of the lilies and she watched it fly until it led her to him lying on a stone bench, with his hands behind his head. “You need me as much as I need you.”

“You’re wrong,” she said, gripping her dagger tighter. “I have everyone I need already. And one day I will destroy you.”

In a flash, he was in front of her, inches from her face. “Come and find me then,” he hissed. “I dare you to try.”

Layala shot up in bed,sweat soaking her hairline. She clutched the blanket and took in slow deep breaths through her nose. Maker, that was too real this time. Birds happily chirped with the morning sunrise. She could hardly believe the night came and went, when it felt like she barely closed her eyes. Thane’s side of the bed appeared undisturbed. Had he stayed awake all night?

Setting her feet on the soft sheepskin rug, she slipped out of bed and peeked in the other room. Thane lay back in a huge beige armchair, staring up at the ceiling. Siegfried, Leif, and Fennan sat in a half circle around him. None of them slept? What had they been doing all night? That’s when she saw the table between them all was full of silver and blue chips, playing cards and coins. The pile in front of Siegfried was the largest.

“You four stayed up all night playing poker? We have plans today.”

In the middle of pulling his dark-blond hair back tight, Siegfried looked to Layala and stood. “Plans will continue.” He gestured to the chair he’d been in and leaned against the wall.

She folded her arms against the morning chill, even the thick sweater she wore didn’t defend from, and stepped into the room. Thane dropped his chin and smiled. “Hello, my dear. Did you get any sleep?”

She shrugged and sat in the soft, maroon armchair Siegfried had given up. “A little.” Should she tell them about her dreams? About how this connection she had with the Black Mage seemed to be growing? “But I had a nightmare.”

“Oh?” He cocked his head to the side. “Do you need me in there to chase them away?”

She rolled her eyes as the others laughed. “The Black Mage was in my dream. And—this wasn’t the first time.” She pawed at the tangles in her hair, thinking about the venom in his voice with the last words he said.

The four males looked back and forth between each other. Leif grumbled something about his Nana and prophetic visions but rested his chin on his fist and stared at her.

“What kind of dreams?” Thane’s brows lowered and he sat forward, leaning on his thighs. His loose dark hair fell forward. She hadn’t noticed it before, but it had gotten longer. It must reach his mid back now.

She thought about the first one he appeared in. “In the beginning, he would chase me through dark woods. And I was terrified.” She chewed on her lower lip. “But this time… it felt real. Like it wasn’t a nightmare at all but as if both of us were there, in the same garden together, talking.”

Thane kept his face placid. “About what?”

“About waking him up, finding him. He said he could give me power.”

Fennan shot to his feet and cursed. “You can’t let him get in your head. What if it is real? What if he has found a way to get to you?”

“I’m notlettinghim in.” She rubbed the back of her arms, shaking her head.

“But he has,” Thane said slowly, eyes lined with concern. “He has gotten into your head. Is there more?”

Layala looked down, watching her bouncing toes. Angry tears stung. “I’ve heard his voice, calling to me even while awake.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Thane asked. He didn’t sound angry but frustrated and worried.

“I thought it was you!” she stood and began to pace next to the low-burning fireplace. “When we were apart.Come to me. I need you.He sounded so similar to you and when I realized it wasn’t, I didn’t say anything because I was scared of what you would think.” She shoved her hand toward Leif who looked more nervous than the rest. “You’re afraid I’m like him, aren’t you? Afraid that I’ll go bad.”