Her eyes narrowed, and she slammed her wooden spoon on the counter. “He did WHAT?” Mom’s breathing shifted as her fury rose. “What the hell does he want after all this time? Are you okay?”
“No,” I admitted. “No, I’m not.”
I told her about collecting dreams, how I harvested the Dust of Dreamers to create an illusion between our worlds. I told her about the flute and my compulsive need to answer the dreamer’s call. Then I told her about the Shadow Demon, and how I didn’t feel safe now that he was getting closer.
As I finished explaining all this, I looked up and said, “Ellyllon offered me a ring that could provide protection, but only if I agreed to stop seeing Michael. He doesn’t want me associating with lesser fae,” I sneered, making air quotes with my fingers. “Anyway, I refused, so we got in a really big argument about it.”
“He has some nerve!” Mom sputtered. “I can’t believe he would do that to his own child. If your father isn’t willing to do what’s needed to protect you, then promise me you’ll stop this ridiculous assignment. Promise me, Cassandra.”
For a moment, I considered showing her the red marks on my arm and telling her what would happen to the dreamers if the Shadow Demon got to them first. Since she would probably lose her mind with anger and worry, I kept that detail to myself. She didn’t need to know the extent of the danger I was in.
I shrugged helplessly and said, “I want to, but it’s more complicated than that—the Fae Realm needs me. I won’t let Dad rule my life, but I promise to be more careful.”
She gathered me in her arms and kissed my forehead. I buried my face in her shoulder and let out a cathartic sigh. “Thanks, Mom.”
A few minutes later, Fred walked into the kitchen, bouncing Elsie on his hip. Mom and I were back to our places, she at the stove and me at the table munching on an apple.
“Hey! I’ve got three of my favorite ladies all in the same place. How’d I get to be so lucky?”
I rose from my chair and hugged him tightly. “Hi, Dad. I missed you.”
“Hey, Sweetheart. I’m glad you could make it for dinner. Why don’t you take Elsie for a few minutes while I help your mother carry the food to the table?”
I nodded and accepted the child in my hands. Elsie reached out and gave me a slobbering kiss when I scooped her into my arms. All I could do was laugh. She babbled incoherently with adoring trills and seemed happy just to be held.
“Hi, Elsie,” I cooed as we sat down at the table. “Aren’t you the sweetest baby? Yes, you are!”
She giggled at my baby talk and gave me another kiss while reaching for my hair. I worried she’d yank on it like babies often do, but she gently stroked the long, blonde locks, fascinated by the silken texture. She pushed it in my face, then placed my curls on her head like a wig, giggling hysterically.
I laughed along with her, and Mom smiled at us from across the kitchen. “Elsie loves her big sisters. Don’t you, Sweetie?” she asked the infant with a smile. “I bet when she starts talking, Elsie will ask for you and Halle all the time.”
“She has good taste,” Fred responded with a grin.
Elsie sat on my lap as we ate the delicious stew together, and she picked at her meal, babbling to herself. By the time we finished, the babe’s head had drooped with exhaustion.
Fred rose and took her from me, saying, “It’s time to put our little girl to bed. Cass, don’t wait so long before you visit. We miss having you around.”
“I won’t,” I promised. After he disappeared into Elsie’s bedroom, I helped Mom clean up. Yawning, I told her, “I should go home. Mondays are always early days for me since I like to get my classroom ready for the week.”
Mom hugged me a final time. “Be careful,” she said and led me to the door.
“I will,” I promised, and headed into the night.
W hen I arrived home, there was a shadowy figure standing on the doorstep. The woman's familiar profile warmed my cheeks, and my eyes widened in surprise as I stepped out of the car to greet her. “Leena! I didn’t mean for you to come all the way down here.”
My half-sister stepped into the porch’s light and smiled tentatively. Her arms were crossed over her chest as we came toward each other. Her long, black hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she had a large bag slung across her shoulder. She was roughly the same height as me, though her build carried more muscle. Her long neck was graceful, and her deep, almond-shaped eyes were intent upon me.
“You sounded worried over the phone,” Leena responded simply. “I came down as fast as I could.”
“Thank you.”
I brushed past her to unlock the door and let us both inside. Leena followed me through the apartment and back into my bedroom. Anything my sister had to say was not for prying ears, and I didn’t want Samantha to start asking questions.
Even though we were related by blood, Leena and I looked absolutely nothing alike. Her dusky skin seemed to glow golden in the moonlight, and her glossy, stick-straight hair fell to the middle of her back. She had a lithe figure, thin and curvy. Her gray eyes, however, matched mine and Halle’s; it was a trait all of Ellyllon’s daughters shared, just like the star birthmark on the top of my foot. Leena’s rested along her collarbone. Like always, she was calm and somber.
I shut my bedroom door behind us and turned to her nervously. Leena took a seat on my bed, so I pulled out the chair at my desk and sat down across from her.
“So, tell me about this boy who is in your class. I’d like to hear more about him.”
“His name is Henry,” I began. “He’s about eight years old, adorable.”
“What made you suspect that he was fae?”
I shuddered at the memory. “Well, the first day in class, Henry informed me that I was glowing.”
Her dark eyes widened in surprise. “He has the Sight?”
“It would seem so. I kept a close eye on him after that. Then one day, he asked me to keep a secret—that’s when I saw his eyes.”
Leena pursed her generous lips thoughtfully. “Eyes? Tell me about them—be specific.”
I shivered and rubbed a hand down my arm to warm the goosebumps that appeared. “One minute they were normal, human eyes, then they shifted. His irises turned yellow and the pupils became black slits, just like a cat. It would have scared the hell out of me if I didn’t know you and Nadia.”
“Did they stay like that, or did it transition back immediately?”
“No, they went back to normal right away. It only happened for a second.”
“Interesting,” Leena mused to herself. “He may not have control over his power long enough to maintain the illusion. Did he seem upset by it?”
I shook my head. “No, everything was fine. He was proud of it in a way and seemed excited to show someone who wouldn’t be scared of him.”
Leena smiled, her gleaming white teeth flashing. “Good.”
Goodness, she was perfect. Though she was over seventy years old, Leena looked no older than twenty-five. Born in India, her olive skin was flawless, and she didn’t need the little makeup she applied. Her body exuded strength–she was a marine biologist and researcher in the Pacific Northwest, and she frequently dove into the ocean to study her subjects. She was naturally blessed with ample curves and plump lips. Her kohl-rimmed eyes drew men like a siren’s call, though she rejected their advances, claiming a string of heartbreaks in her past.
Leena took my measure, and I would have given anything to know what she was thinking.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before I cleared my throat and added, “He’s in foster care.”
She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Of course, he is. Poor kid. It’s common, though. Most parents abandon their children once they realize they can shift. I was one of the lucky ones because Adhira kept me rather than choosing to give me up.”
I softened at the mention of her mother. “But I know how hard it was for you, feeling isolated.”
Leena leaned forw
ard and tucked a blonde curl behind my ear. “It was, but I had someone there to guide me. Henry’s path will be much harder without someone there to teach him. He needs a mentor, someone he can talk to.”
My heart clenched, knowing what she said was true.
“If it’s all right with you, I’d very much like to meet him.”
I snapped my head up in surprise. “Henry?”
She nodded. “Yes, of course. Why do you think I came down here?”
“I would love that! You’d have to come to school with me though, and be discreet about it.”
Leena grinned, exposing a pointed canine, a sign of the lupine shape that she preferred. “I think I can handle that. Just get me to the school, and I’ll take care of the rest. In the meantime, I think I’ll make myself a bed on your couch. That seems to be the most logical solution. Besides, I’m sure you have nocturnal obligations to attend to.”
“That sounds great.”
Leena pulled me into a hug and wrapped her slender arms around me, saying, “I’m glad you called. It’s been a long time since I saw you or Halle.”
“Yeah, it has.”
Her smile widened as she stood up. “Maybe don’t wait so long to call me next time. I’m always here for you.”
“Thanks. Love you, Leena.”
“Love you, too.”
She picked her bag off the floor and waved goodnight before disappearing down the hallway. I let out an exhausted sigh and glanced toward my bag. Luna’s melody started playing immediately, and I groaned. Why couldn’t I get a single night off?
My stomach tied up in knots, and I worried about the dangers I would face. Without Ellyllon’s ring, I had no defense against the Shadow Demon except speed. The melody grew even louder, so I huffed in exasperation and took the flute from its case. I brought it to my lips and began to play. Luna appeared, shimmering in the darkness, and my wings sprouted in a flutter of fairy dust. Soon we were flying through the night sky toward the next dreamer.
We flew beyond the city limits to a nearby suburb. I landed in a tastefully decorated, large bedroom with an impressive ocean view. I wished I had time to admire the crashing waves but my dreamer, a slight woman in her thirties with long, brown hair and a wrinkled brow, tossed and turned in her sleep. I walked to her slowly, sat on the edge of her bed, then touched her forehead.
At the moment of contact, I was pulled into her subconscious and sent reeling through the void between realms. I landed gracefully in a mirror copy of the bedroom. The woman paced back and forth across the floor and paused when she saw me standing there.
“Who are you?” she demanded sharply.
“I’m whoever you need me to be tonight,” I responded. “Why don’t you tell me what brought me to you?”
The woman glared at me, taking inventory of my wings, and said, “What’s your name, fairy girl?”
My butterfly wings beat gently in an amused response. “Call me Cassandra. What can I call you?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and began pacing again. “Sheryl. My name is Sheryl.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sheryl. Why are you so troubled?”
“My lying, cheating husband had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to get back together. He’s unbelievable.”
I frowned. “I’m sure that comes with some mixed emotions.”
Sheryl barked a laugh. “You don’t know the half of it.”
This was a common enough dream, someone needing to vent about the person who hurt them the most.
“Well, do you still love him? If you can forgive him and get past the hurt, would you want to give your marriage another chance?”
Her lips pursed in thought, and she said, “It’s not that simple. Matt betrayed me, and I wanted to get back at him—make him feel the same pain I did.”
Oh, boy.
“I only slept with Chase because Matt had been doing this to me for years. He broke my heart. It’s not my fault that I enjoyed myself enough to keep going. I fell in love with Chase.”
My stomach clenched as she finished speaking. “You had an affair?”
“Aren’t you listening?” the woman exploded. “He cheated on me first!”
“I’m listening,” I assured her. “I’m just trying to understand.”
Sheryl seemed to accept my words and started pacing around the room. When she turned, I noticed the subtle bump that protruded from her belly. It was slight, barely noticeable at first, but Sheryl placed her hand over it absentmindedly when she glanced away, and I knew what she hadn’t told me.
“How far along are you?” I asked quietly.
The woman snapped her head to me in surprise. “Ten weeks. How did you know that?”
Ignoring her question, I said, “Do you know who the father is?”
She shook her head as tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes. “No. I thought we were getting divorced, that he didn’t love me anymore and Chase and I could be together. I stopped caring about what Matt thought and lived my life without him. But my husband and I… we’re addicted to each other. No matter what we do, we can’t seem to shake each other. Even though I know he’s a son of a bitch, I can’t stop loving him. We slept together a couple of times even though we’re legally separated. I know it’s stupid, but there’s something about him that I just can’t resist. When I found out I was pregnant, I ended it with both of them.”
Matt? Why does that sound so familiar?
Realization struck me like a ton of bricks.
Wait. She couldn’t be Matt Christensen’s wife, could it? There is no way…
“You need to make a decision,” I told her firmly. “Do you want to reconcile with your husband, or start a new family with your lover? Both options are valid, but you need to be honest about what happened with whomever you decide.”
Sheryl faltered while tears trickled down her cheek. “I…I want to be with Matt. I shouldn’t have dated his friend; it was a stupid mistake. If he finds out I’m pregnant, and there’s a possibility it’s not his child, he may never take me back. This could be a new start for us, but I don’t want to lose him for good.”
“Then you need to tell him that. Tell him the truth, and maybe he’ll surprise you.”
The cold chill of the Shadow Demon crept up my neck, and I knew I was running out of time. Silently, I willed Sheryl to hurry and change her mind, but she was stubborn and had such anger in her.
Sheryl blinked tears out of her eyes. “Do you think he’ll want to raise this child with me, even if it’s not his?”
“I don’t know. But I can see that part of you still loves him, and he still loves you. Come together just once, apologize for your part in all this, and I’m sure he’ll do the same. Then move on. Once you tell him, you’ll figure out if you’ll repair your marriage. If it doesn’t work out, use that love to let each other go peacefully so you can find your own happiness again.”
She sniffled, and her tense posture relaxed. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. “Maybe you’re right.”
The Shadow Demon was getting closer; I could feel it. Tension grew thick in the air, and goosebumps rose on my arm. I picked up a distinctive sour smell that was only present when the demon drew close.
Hurry, hurry, hurry.
Sheryl nodded to herself. “Thank you, Cassandra.”
The Dust of Dreamers floated around us, and I scooped as much as possible into my pouch while she watched in wonder. I smiled one last time and, as I saw the darkness slithering out of the corner of my eye, willed myself back to the mortal world.
My heart pounded from the close call. Ellyllon was right; I had to be faster in the Realm of Dreams if I was going to survive.
Sheryl, thankfully, sighed and turned onto her stomach, relief etched on her features. My work here was done.
Stardust
Chapter Eleven
I didn’t sleep after returning that night.
After “meeting” Sheryl, I had too much on my mind to re
st. Part of me wondered if Luna was testing me, taking me to riskier dreams to see if I could handle the rising challenge. I spent the night curled up in bed, wondering about how I was going to handle the situation.
Maybe I could subtly hint to Matt that he should call his wife the next time I saw him? On the other hand, was it my place to get involved? I didn’t know the answer. All I knew was that Luna showed me certain dreamers for a reason, so I felt compelled to do something.
Before my alarm went off, I slipped into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. Soon, the aromatic beans began to fill the room, and I heard Leena stir.
“Mm, good morning,” she mumbled blearily as she rose from the couch and followed me into the kitchen.
“Morning. Coffee is on. It should be ready in a couple of minutes.”
“Okay, what time do you need to head to work?”
I glanced at the clock, saying, “I was going to leave in about forty minutes. Take your time getting up. I’m going to go shower and then get dressed.”
Leena yawned while nodding in acknowledgment and waved me off.
After what was arguably the world’s fastest shower and changing quickly into what I hoped would be a professional-looking outfit, I walked back to the living room with my purse and phone in hand. Leena was already up and dressed, sitting at the table with a mug of coffee in her hand by the time I made it back. She wore practical clothes–a pair of black pants with more pockets than I could count, a beige blouse that flattered her athletic figure, and sensible flats. Leena didn’t dress for fashion; she felt her clothing should be functional and comfortable.
Samantha whirled through the apartment in a flurry of activity after sleeping through her alarm and waved goodbye to us as she exited the front door. Leena watched her with amusement, and we both chuckled before following my roommate out. She and I made small talk on the drive to Canopy Oaks, then parked in the faculty parking lot.
After I put the car in park, I turned to her and sighed. “Okay, what’s the plan?”
Leena smiled, and her eyes flashed obsidian before responding. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to be you.”
Chasing Starlight: Cassandra's Story (The Daughters of Night Chronicles) Page 12
