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A chill ran through me as I saw his face, covered in sweat — those blue eyes full of fear …

Nearing the shore, he turned and scooped something up, then jumped into the water.

"Help!" he screamed, voice cracking. "Somebody help! She's fainted and burning up! Help! Please —"

He held the body tightly as he fought wave after wave to reach the shore.

Fuck. That was me …

His gaze searched the beach, but there was no one in sight. Pulling me tighter, he ran up the red-stone slopes to Dragon's Peak.

"Please, Princess," he said, running past current me, voice rough, eyes swimming. "Don't you die on me. I swear — I'll give you anything — I'll stay away from you forever if that's what you want! But saints, just hold on!"

Tears soaked my cheeks and my throat burned as I watched him run up the steep cliff, clutching me so tightly.

How — how had I never seen it? How had I not known?!

I turned to the man in the cloak. "I need to see him. I need to see Jaiel. NOW!"

"Very well. I —"

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

My throat ached as my eyes flew open.

No! Gods, no! I was so close!

But there was no way to go back to the dream. I buried my head in my pillow and groaned. I had no control of when they happened, and they never occurred back-to-back.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

I turned glaring at the offensive door.

A paper slid beneath the crack at the bottom, and I wiped tears from my eyes.

Mind reeling, I stumbled to the door and bent to grab the note.

Stables. 8:30. Be ready.

Fuck! The mission with Tye was a go.

Letting out a breath, I pushed the problem of the dreams into a dark corner of my mind with all the other problems I had no time to fix, then rolled my shoulders and shook my head.

Tye was going with me to get the volunteers I needed. Then we'd capture that monster for Frexin, and the Harlsteds, Liam, and all the other prisoners would FINALLY be free.

Then I would get answers about my dream man and Jaiel, and everything would go back to normal.

Finally.

Chapter 46

Kaiya

"You're sure the Reaper can stop the beast? And that she won't just come here and take back these supplies and the cart afterwards?" the older woman asked as she slung the small pack on her shoulder. Beside her, her husband did the same.

I nodded, but my gut twisted with anxiety.

When we'd set out that morning to find the volunteers, I'd had no idea how fearful the islanders had become over the shadow monster. It, combined with Frexin having "taxed" them a third of their food stores — food she didn't evenneed— had made convincing them to help far easier than I'd anticipated.