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“That belief is preciselywhyyou need it. The brew is almost ready; it only needs one more ingredient.”

She plucked some rose petals from the tree I sat beneath and sprinkled them into the brew before stirring it with a spoon she’d procured from one of her pockets, humming to herself. With each stir the steam rising from the brew turned a lovely shade of lilac.

I warily eyed the bubbly concoction. “How do we know it will work?”

“We don’t,” she said cheerfully. “But every new path requires not only a first step, but a leap of faith.”

She handed me the vial and I reluctantly accepted it. Despite the doubts I harbored, she looked so hopeful that I couldn’t resist humoring her. I lifted the potion to my lips, and after a moment’s hesitation, took a sip. After witnessing Darius’s disgust after drinking Shade’s latest brew I expected a similar reaction, but to my surprise it wasn’t gross at all, but instead warm, fruity, and a little fizzy.

Shade clasped her hands in anticipation, her gaze locked to my expression. “Do you feel hope yet?”

I considered. “I feel exactly the same.”

Her bright expression didn’t falter, though her lips pursed in what almost looked like a smirk. “We shall see.”

She seemed rather confident. I eyed her suspiciously. “Have you created this brew before?”

“Not this specific one.” But her tone wasn’t convincing. She corked the vial and tucked it into one of her pockets before lifting her gaze to the sky. “We better return before it grows dark; we wouldn’t want to get lost.” But she didn’t appear worried; if anything, she seemed to consider the possibility a grand adventure.

As I suspected I would be, I was reluctant to leave the Dream Realm, but I knew that the longer I remained, the more difficult it’d be to return home, not to mention lingering would make the Dream Council more likely to detect my presence, and then I’d be in even bigger trouble with them than I already was.

I took one last lingering look at all the color and light before turning my back to it and following Shade back over the border to the Nightmare Realm.

Darkness quickly settled, growing thicker with each step, making it difficult to navigate the surrounding trees. We hadn’t been walking long when Shade paused mid-hum. “Well, this is quite the predicament.” I didn’t even need to clarify to know that we were already lost.

But Shade seemed unbothered. She continued to hum as if nothing about our situation was worrying. A green glow lit up her calm expression as she summoned her magic in her palm, a spell I immediately recognized.

“Who are you summoning?” Though the question was unnecessary; the feeling that always accompanied Darius’s presence filled me, even though he hadn’t yet arrived. I took a steadying breath in an attempt to quell my panic.

“Darius always helps me when I’m lost,” she said as she scrawled her message in the air and encased it in a bubble that would fly to Darius. “He has a keen sense of direction and will be able to help us.”

She settled on a nearby log to wait, but I didn’t join her. Instead I searched the surrounding darkness, weighing my options. Waiting would force me to face Darius, a prospect that felt more frightening than wandering through an unknown forest. But the night was penetrating, as was the cold fog cloaking us; it’d be foolish to venture out alone.

But there was a reason stronger than sense that compelled me to linger—despite what had transpired between us, I couldn’t deny Iwantedto see Darius again. While earlier I’d feared our recent interaction had only proven how irreparable our relationship was, my recent conversation with Shade made me wonder whether this path wasn’t entirely closed to me after all. My brow furrowed as I puzzled over this rather sudden change in my perspective.

I sensed Shade watching me. “I think the brew is working,” she said cheerfully.

I gave my head a little shake. “Hope can’t be created by magic.”

“True, but it can help usseeit. Hope is inside everyone, no matter how difficult it often seems to be to find.” She patted the spot beside her, inviting me to sit, and with a sigh I reluctantly settled beside her.

We weren’t waiting long before the feeling of Darius’s presence intensified, followed by the sound of his approaching footsteps. A dark figure emerged from the trees, a handful of glowing flame in his hand lighting his handsome features, causing my aching heart to reach for him.

He didn’t seem to notice me at first as he smiled at Shade. “What adventure were you embarking on this time?” he asked, sounding more amused than annoyed that he’d been forced to stop whatever he’d been doing to come to her rescue. “It better be worth being late for our Weavings.”

“I needed ingredients,” she said simply as she stood; I followed, brushing loose leaves off my black dress.

The movement drew Darius’s attention. When he said nothing, I took a resolving breath and lifted my gaze to meet his, expecting his to be accusatory and hardened like it’d been the last time I’d seen him.

But I was wrong. Instead he looked almost vulnerable. The moment our gazes met, he hastily lowered his.

If Shade noticed the awkwardness between us, she pretended not to. She hooked her arm through mine and tugged me forward. “I’m grateful you came. Eden and I are quite lost.”

Darius hesitated before looking up, his gaze intense as it met mine. “It appears this time you reallyarelost.”

“I was yesterday, too,” I murmured. “There are different ways to be lost.”

By his widened eyes, I knew he’d caught my meaning. His look changed, softening with understanding and even remorse, before he blinked hastily and severed his gaze once more to look back in the direction he’d come. “If you’re lost, I can help you find your way.” His attention shifted back to me. “Would you like me to help you?”