Page 49 of Dreaming of Darkness

There was silence after my words, the soft shuffling of chairs replacing the riotous laughter outside. The game was breaking up and the others left.

The day was ending. My throat felt tight as I banded my arms around her middle. I couldn’t fight the old magic that surrounded the obols. But I would hold until I knew she was safe in her home once more.

“How much longer, do you think?”

I shook my head, “No idea.”

As I spoke, I felt it, the way the magic grew between us–forcing a gap until I was no longer pressed against her. With a hiccup of sadness, Bailey was standing, moving to the center of my room as I ticked the blankets off to join her there. Starting as a shimmering gold speck, which grew and grew as we watched, was suddenly expanded into a Bailey sized shifting, goldrimmed portal roiled in front of her.

Both of us stared into the portal for a long minute, and then turned to each other.

This time her eyes are not tired or mused from sleep or the multiple orgasms. These eyes were sharp and curious.

Worried.

Fuck, I’d messed up somewhere.

“When will you come to visit me?”

My shoulders sagged. There it was, the worry, the reason she was watching me with her entire heart on her sleeve. What we’d shared, it had been almost too powerful. The decisions made; the feelings shared.

And now, a blank statement that I’d be there. Someday.

I reached over, bringing her hand to my lips for a gentle kiss. “As soon as I am able.”

“There’s so much to do…”

“And I will be there for all of it,” I whispered, “I promise.”

She nodded jerkily and stepped forward. Facing the portal, she hesitated. “I don’t want to go back. Not without you.”

My chest hurt, but I managed a nod, cursing myself when I realized she couldn’t see me. “I will be with you soon, little dream.”

“I love you,” she whispered, then without looking back, she stepped through the portal. For a moment, I saw the inside of her clothing storage room in her home. Then I saw the flash of golden hair as she turned on a sharp pivot to stare back through the portal.

Anguish. Worry.

Love.

“I love you too,” I responded, bowing my head to her.

The portal snapped shut a moment later, leaving me standing in the middle of my room alone. The air was still, the humidity around us suddenly too high. I tugged at my clothing, irritation filling my movements as I began to pick up clothing and plates that we hadn’t bothered with last night.

The silence was deafening. At least until a slow footfall sounded outside of my doors. I straightened, waiting. Then a quick knock.

“Yes?”

Zaldi, broad-shouldered and serious faced, stepped into the room. “I wanted to see how you were.”

“Does everyone in the entire village know she’s gone?”

Zaldi shifted, uncomfortable with the harsh tone. “I can feel the power change. You are rather powerful around her, but when she leaves…it pulls at the edges of the stocks.”

I blinked surprised, “My power is that much of an effect on the whole town.”

My younger brother shrugged, “Antheia has been putting up some large power pulls since you stopped dream walking, but I think that’s only because she’s been more focused. Albtraum hasbeen too distracted to do much lately…that leaves you.”

I ran a hand over my hair and horn, “I’m sorry, I should’ve offloaded some of the power from the other night, after I got back from the living world.”

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