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CHAPTER SEVEN

FRANKIE

I wanted to talk to Cooper about my dreams. If he could bring Deacon out of dreamland and into reality so that his unconscious mind could play with us . . . then maybe he could understand what was happening to me in my dreams.

There were so many questions. So many things I still didn’t understand. The two people who knew most about astral projection were now unconscious. Henley apparently had a knack for it, but I’d never even met her because she’d been in a coma since before I woke up from mine. There was definitely some research to be done, but first I wanted to see if Cooper could just take a look around, to see if there was something I was missing.

To see how Everest was always lurking in there.

But as much as I adored my Coven-mates, I wasn’t really wanting to voice my concerns to everyone just yet. They were respectful with people’s emotions, but they were also a curious bunch—dangerously curious, especially when it came to magic. But even more if they felt there was a puzzle or riddle to figure out. It made them damn good at what they did but a tad intrusive when you were the riddle, so I stayed put with all the dogs around me, waiting for everyone else to leave the room. Constance and Timothy went around the corner to the back room I assumed to have a meeting about strategies. Kenneth and Landreia stood at the front door with Daniel, making a plan to meet up in a few hours to handle the school stuff.

“Call me when you’re ready, Landreia,” Lennox headed toward the stairs leading down to the guest rooms for non-Coven members. “We’ll get started when we wake back up.”

Warner walked backwards after her with two thumbs up. “Nap time first.”

Easton dragged Lily up the stairs, but she wasn’t fighting him. Willow just rolled her eyes as she followed them. Thiago stood at the base of the stairs watching Royce who was staring at Deacon with tears in his eyes.

Deacon sighed and patted his cousin’s cheek. “I am not dead, Cousin. Go focus on staying alive yourself. Please.”

Thiago walked over and followed Easton’s lead by dragging his boyfriend up and away from Deacon. “Come, my little flower. Deacon has work to do.”

Savannah turned to face Cooper with worry in her eyes. She fisted his shirt and tugged on it. “Come get me in a few minutes?”

He smiled down at her as he reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears. “I will. Go check on everyone.”

She groaned, turned and headed to the stairs, then paused. “Lancaster, let’s go. C’mon, your girl is first.”

He didn’t speak, just nodded and followed after her.

Mona stood and kissed Kessler’s cheek. “Your son has not eaten, so I’m going to bring him something before I go back to bed. See you up there in a few minutes?”

Kessler glanced down to Hunter who was still holding on to Emersyn but then he nodded. “He’ll only want something small that’ll take him work to eat, like an orange he has to peel or something.”

Mona chuckled. “I know. It has to keep him busy and give him something to do or it’ll just rot.” She winked, then hurried into the kitchen.

And then it was just me, Deacon’s projection, and the Bishop family . . . and they were all now staring at Cooper with laser-sharp focus.

Cooper’s face fell. “What?”

Emersyn narrowed those golden eyes. “Were you holding hands with Savannah?”

“Yes.” He cursed and shrugged. “We’re just . . . until ya know . . .”

They nodded.

Kessler stretched his arms. “Are you sure that’s a smart idea?”

Cooper grimaced. “Couldn’t be any worse than I feel now. Or felt yesterday, before we decided to be together.”

Hunter sighed and got to his feet. He walked over and wrapped his eldest son in a hug for a moment before stepping back. He pressed his big palm to Coop’s chest. “A little slice of happiness in the trenches goes a long way. Forgive yourself for something that is not your fault.”

“You have time,” Bentley said softly beside me.

Kessler threw his hands up. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. That’s all.”

Emersyn shuddered. “He’s never fully gonna be okay, but maybe letting yourselves love while you can will help you both find peace in the end.”

Cooper nodded. “I hope so.”

“Maybe see if that pillow talk can give you any ideas for becoming more of a nightmare,” Deacon said from the couch with a cocky grin. “Ya know?”

Hunter just shook his head and chuckled. “I’m going down to Devon—and yes, there’s still a bed down there, and that is where I will remain. Wake me if you need me or . . . or if Tegan’s condition changes.”

They all nodded.

Mona emerged from the kitchen with a bowl full of fresh fruit. “Come on, Kess. Let’s go share some breakfast with your son and check in on his mental stability.”

Kessler groaned and followed her to the door. “He’s not going to be okay?—”

“None of us are, darlin’, but that don’t mean we let him eat away at himself down there.”

Bentley stood and stretched his back and neck. “Squishy, Albert, and Olli . . . wanna go back to bed?”

All three of them jumped up and hurried to the stairs after him.

Then Bentley paused and frowned at Cooper. “Talk to Myrtle about . . . this.” He gestured to Deacon, then went upstairs.

Emersyn yawned. “I’m going down to sleep?—”

“Up. You’re going up ? — ”

“I’m not sleeping in our bed until you are?—”

“Butterberry, you need rest?—”

“Which is why I’m going to sleep?—”

“Emersyn—”

“ Deacon. ” She stood, then looked down at him with those flames in her eyes. “If my father gets to sleep on a bed next to Mom’s bed, then I get to sleep down there with you too. There’s plenty of space on that bed for me to be the little spoon. You ain’t that big.”

Deacon smiled lovingly at her. “At least move me over a little?”

“Don’t stay up like this. ” She gestured between him and Cooper. “It’s not safe for Cooper. I have enough family members unconscious at the moment, thanks. Also, I better see you in my dreams, Mr. English.”

“Then I guess you better go to bed, Ms. Bishop.” He waited until Emersyn had gone down the stairs and it was just the three of us, then he grinned. “I’m just sayin’, I bet Savannah’s got wicked brilliant ideas.”

There was my segue. I cleared my throat. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.”

Cooper scowled. “About Savannah’s ideas?”

Deacon shook his head. “Nah, she’s got her own idea.”

“I was wondering, Cooper, if you could, I don’t know, maybe somehow check out my dreams?” I rubbed my hands together as nerves took seat in my gut. Now that I was asking it, I was doubting my idea. But too late to back out now. “Because . . . I’m not really sure what’s happening in there. Am I astral projecting? Are they psychic visions? I don’t know and it’s honestly unsettling. Also, I’m not sure if my body and mind are both actually resting, you know?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” He put his hands on his hips and watched me closely. “I definitely think there’s more to learn with the way Sweyn and Asmodeus liked to play in your head.”

Deacon nodded. “And Everest.”

Cooper glared at him.

Deacon grinned. “I plan to be an absolute menace, yes.”

Cooper shook his head, then turned back to me. “Look, Frankie, that soulmate of yours is something else. He’s terrifying, like even more so than Tenn, and that’s saying a lot. But Deacon isn’t wrong, even if I was hoping to avoid him. Everest talks to you in your mind, right?”

I bit my bottom lip and nodded.

“At Esther’s grandmother’s house, he’s the one who told you about the Holy Ground right?”

“ Yes, ” I whispered.

He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. “And in the Land of the Lore?”

My heart did little flips in my chest at the memory. “He spoke to me.”

Coop turned to Deacon, then back. “I don’t know if you can get into his head, and honestly being Lilith’s son, I wouldn’t dare try it. Which is why I wanted to avoid the Everest element in your dreams. Because Lilith is a risk. But it does seem that he watches your mind, as he pulled you out of several dreams now—including one I created. So perhaps if you just went to sleep and took a little nighty-night stroll in a dreamland park, maybe he’ll come to you.”

My eyes widened. I hadn’t asked with the intention of seeing Everest, but if he thought this might get me a moment with my soulmate, I was going to give it a try. I licked my lips and nodded, afraid to speak in fear that Cooper might change his mind.

Deacon snapped his fingers. “Go down to see Myrtle first. Tell her you need a potion for peaceful sleep, she’ll know what to give you, then come back up.”

Cooper nodded and smiled. “We’ll have you sleep on the couch here so we can monitor you.”

“Cool. Be right back.” I jumped to my feet. Then I raced down the stairs before Cooper could change his mind. “C’mon, boys. Wanna see Chutney?”

Myrtle was down here somewhere, but all the doors in the first hall were open and my feet stopped me short. I hadn’t prepared myself to see all the injured down here. Esther was surrounded by her parents and grandmother. They were sleeping in chairs but I didn’t like the pain in their faces. Henley was in a bed in the same room as Deacon’s. I smiled as I spotted Emersyn curled into his side already. She was using his arm as a pillow and holding his hand, and I wondered if the projection of Deacon upstairs felt it. Across the hall I found Devon and Hunter in a full-sized bed together. I hadn’t realized that was what Tegan had meant when she said she gave him a bed.

My boys hurried around me into the next open door where I was definitely surprised to find Chutney on a bed on the ground. As in, not on a bed frame whatsoever. My boys bounced over and climbed right onto the bed with her, curling into her side and going back to sleep. I smiled and shook my head. It was hard to be jealous. She was The Fool Card. Animals were just hers. And with her this injured, I wanted them to give her any comfort they could. I wonder where the other boys went? No sooner did I think it did I hear the clicking of nails on the hardwood floor. I stepped to the side as Olli led the way. He howled and bounced over to the space above her head, then walked tight little circles until the spot was just right. Albert stretched out on the far side of the bed.

“Where’s Squishy?”

“He doesn’t let Bentley sleep alone,” Savannah said from right behind me. I must’ve made a face because she shrugged. “Those two have been through some shit in Seelie, and I don’t even wanna know. So, while fire doggo will usually roam around as he pleases, if Bentley is going to sleep, his little fire hazard is going to lie by his side.”

“How do you know that?”

She shuddered. “Ma’am, I went to ask him a question once and almost had a heart attack when I found a literal ball of fire in bed using Bentley as a pillow.”

I scowled. “What’s the deal there?”

“Seelie. Fucked him up something fierce.” She shook her head and unzipped her hoodie—two little black faces poked out the top. “Girls, you can lie with Miss Ma’am here but only if you behave. If I see them claws and hissin’, I’ll be sendin’ yo’ asses packin’ upstairs. Ya hear?”

They both meowed , then leapt out of her jacket onto the floor where they promptly went over and used Albert as a pillow. His tail wagged against the floor, but he didn’t move. I chuckled.

“How’s she doing, Savannah?”

“The souls are all strong as hell down here,” she drawled, where the word hell sounded like hail. “I just hope they can hang on long enough to cure them.”

“Esther’s too?” There, I said it. I asked the question I didn’t want an answer to if it was bad.

“The Irit bloodline is a strong one.” She sighed. “I don’t have answers for you on their injuries, but the souls are steady. All of ‘em, especially Tegan’s, but Witch’s Shock is hella dangerous.”

“You seem to know a lot about a lot of stuff . . .” I frowned, choosing my words correctly. “What do you know about astral projection?”

She cringed. “That it terrifies me, and I almost got myself stuck in one if not for Devon.”

Instantly, my mind replayed what I witnessed in the Land of the Lore. Something was so very not right about that. “I can’t shake that . . . what happened with Devon. What I saw.”

“Me either,” she said softly.

I opened my mouth to speak when those symbols appeared above her head like they had during my initiation. My eyes widened. I stared at it, burning it to memory so I could try to figure out the meaning.

“You see ‘em again, eh?”

I nodded. “I have no idea what they mean or what to do.”

“Maybe I should do my unlocking spell on you.”

“I don’t know what that means but I’m in.”

She snorted. “You’re one of a kind, ma’am. Zero fucks given. Just grabbin’ the world by the balls and hangin’ on.”

I grinned. “Yeah, I have no idea what made me like this.”

Her smile vanished and her blue eyes darkened but then she shook herself. “The why might not be important. That old soul of yours just has opinions.”

Old soul? What does THAT mean? I started to ask, then decided I didn’t want to know what that meant. I had enough worry on my plate. “I guess. All right, well, Cooper and Deacon are gonna put me to sleep and go playing in my dreams in hopes I can lure Everest . . . so if anyone needs me, that’s where I’ll be.”

She grabbed my arm. “Be careful. You may not fear his darkness but the shadow of his mother clings to him. You don’t wanna be caught in her sight. Pretend you’re Frodo with the one ring and you can’t let Sauron know you’re there.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. A cold chill slid down my spine. “Right. Got it. I’ll be careful.”

Savannah nodded, then walked over to kneel beside Chutney. I hurried out of the room before I saw whatever she was about to do. I found Myrtle standing in the doorway of the next room. She wasn’t looking at me though, she was watching Kessler and Mona fuss over Tennessee and Jackson who sat in chairs in the middle of the room. Bettina was in the bed on the far side of the room while Tegan was in the one closest to the door. The two soulmates looked equally wrecked, though poor Tenn had to worry for his soulmate and sister. Not that it was a competition of grief. Kessler and Mona were giving both boys oranges, and I watched in amusement as they both focused all of their attention on peeling them.

Myrtle must have finally registered my presence because she turned and smiled at me with bright-silver eyes. That diadem on her forehead glistened under the lights. She reached out and took my hand. “Come, my darling, you have needs.”

“I do, yes.” I frowned as she led me around the corner and into another room full of potion bottles and vials and lots of ingredients. “Are you psychic—Whoa, what is this room?”

“No, I’ve just lived a long time.” Myrtle gestured around us. “This is the Coven’s private apothecary. Where we, they, brew potions and such for whatever needs they have.”

My eyebrows rose. “I have to make potions.”

“Yes, you do. But that is not why you’re here now.” She sat on a wooden stool and began filling a little vial with stuff. “Tell me.”

“Deacon suggested I come down and talk to you. Cooper is going to rummage through my dreams and see if he can make sense of some things. Deacon suggested you give me something for sleep.”

“The Devil understands the subconscious mind better than anyone else.” Myrtle smiled. “I actually had a whole conversation with Deacon in my dream before Tegan called for that meeting, which is why I told her to allow him to be present. And yes, Deacon has been hiding in the shadows of your dreams since you got here. He’s been trying to sort them out too.”

I gasped. “Did he?”

She shook her head. “There are things happening in your mind that I have not seen before, but that does not mean we need worry. Everest will have more answers for us.”

I groaned. “I need him here with us. I can’t handle knowing he’s over there in danger at every moment.”

Myrtle smirked. “Your Everest is not in danger at every moment. Sometimes I wonder who is more powerful, Everest or Tegan. They are equally matched in their trickery.”

“Everest is that powerful?”

“Yes, dear. He is in control and knows how to protect himself . . . and how to attain the freedom he so desperately wants when the time is right.” She stood up and walked over to me, then cupped my face in such a motherly gesture. “Everest is only in danger when you are, for that is when he becomes unstable. If you want to keep him safe, try to remain out of Avolire or away from Lilith’s creations. Here, drink this.”

I took the vial from her hand and chugged it, barely tasting the vanilla flavor. “Because he worries about my safety.”

She nodded. “I know you want him out of there but be patient. You have tasks ahead of you that do not require going into enemy lands. Handle those. That prophecy says release the son, betray the vice. Everest is coming to our side, finally, so it is our job to prepare for his arrival, for it will be ugly once that declaration is made.”

A yawn ripped through my body. I shook it off. “Whoa, that’s a potion all right.”

She laughed and removed her diadem from her head, then placed it on mine. “I do not recommend trying to reach Everest. Lilith lingers around him and only he can control her. Try once, let him know the line is always open to him, then get back out. You don’t want her finding you in his mind. It would be fatal for him.”