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Iblinked around me at the forest rising up at the edge of a verdant field. In the distance, the familiar rooftops of Teine reflected the eversun’s morning light. My breath caught as I gazed at the old tree and its bent trunk where the Mist King once sat.

Once. Pain tore at my heart. He wasn’t there now, of course. Because he was dead.

Still, my presence here unnerved me. I’d never dreamt about this forest unless led here by him. But he was gone. I’d stabbed him with the Mortal Blade and had watched the life drain from his eyes. My subconscious was playing tricks on me. Awake, I could not stop thinking about what I’d done, regardless of knowing that it had been my only choice.

My face felt wet. I lifted my fingers to my cheek and found tears. Even in a dream, I was crying over him.Stupid girl.

The dappled forest called to me. I wove through the flowing grass and perched on a branch in the Mist King’s tree. As I leaned back, settling into the bark, I could understand why he’d liked it here. Birdsong filled the sweet air thick with the scent of wildflowers. A tree limb dipped low overhead, its brilliant leaves swaying in the breeze.

It was peaceful here. And quiet.

And it made my bones feel as if they were home.

I tried not to think about the times we’d come here. Before, when I’d thought of him as Captain, that mask had hidden his face from view. For a long time, I’d only known him by those brilliant ice-blue eyes. In memory of his mother.

My chest ached. With a sigh, I swung my legs over the side of the trunk and decided to pay my village another visit. Since this dream was so much like the ones I’d shared with the Mist King, the broom would probably be wrong, but at least—

A familiar roar shook through the dream, knocking me off the branch and into the brush beneath the tree.

I glanced up, heart pounding. That had sounded just like…but it was impossible.

Another roar echoed through my mind.

Jolting awake, I sucked in gasps of frantic air. Midnight stomped his feet, shoving his wet nose into my face. He looked distraught. And outside, a wail whipped through the night.

“Oh fuck.” I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and jumped to my feet, throwing the cloak over my shoulders. I grabbed Midnight’s reins and made for the door. “We have to get out of here fast. I don’t know if it’s a pooka or a wraith or something else, but we have to go now.”

Midnight flicked his ear once.

“Pooka?” I asked him.

I swore the horse nodded.

“All right. We need to move fast.” We ran to the door together. Out in the cold night, the mist flowed like rivers of fog, blinding me to anything that hid in the darkness. I leapt onto Midnight’s back just as a monstrous beast thundered into the courtyard, fangs bared.

Its claws were drenched with blood, leaving behind a wicked trail as it thundered toward us. I took in its matted gray fur, the violence in its beady eyes. The pookas had found me.

“Go!” I shouted.

Midnight lurched forward. I swallowed down a panicked cry as I clung to his mane, gritting my teeth against the rough, jarring speed of his gallop. The monster screamed behind us and took off in our direction with a terrible swiftness. I glanced over my shoulder, watching the beast give chase. He was only a few steps behind us.

I turned forward once more, trusting the horse to take us in the right direction. “Come on, Midnight. Don’t let up. We’re both dead if it catches us.”

Midnight’s skin grew slick with sweat as we hurried onward, tunneling into the darkness.

Another pooka launched out of the shadows, thundering down beside the first. Midnight did not even flinch. He kept charging through the shadows and mists, his eyes locked on the ground ahead. I had no idea what we were going to do once we reached the chasm. We couldn’t stop. If we did, the pookas would rip us to shreds.

My mind raced as we kept moving forward. Would someone spot me if I stormed out of the darkness on a horse that reeked of the mists? Did Oberon have guards stationed on the other side, waiting to capture me if I ever dared to return?

I glanced down at the leather bag that held the Mortal Blade. It was strong enough to kill a king. It would be strong enough to kill a foot soldier. But I had no gemstones to power it. Yet.

Another pooka joined the two hot on our trail. I shot a quick glance over my shoulder, mist stinging my eyes. They were not slowing down. If Midnight faltered for even a moment, they’d be on top of us.

I’d have to risk the bridge. We had no other choice. I could stop on this side of the chasm and get ripped to shreds...or cross into the sun-drenched lands and hope no one had an eye on the bridge.

Clutching the horse’s mane, I leaned forward. “Can you make it to the bridge?”

He let out a soft whimper but nodded. Poor thing. His skin was so slick with sweat that it beaded as he charged. I knew how he felt. My entire body ached, but especially my back, my butt, and my feet. I’d barely slept an hour back in the abandoned village before the attack.