into the wall as I could, trembling from head to toe. Without my Dreamcatcher blades, I had no way to protect myself—the Nightmare was going to rip me to pieces.
Heat rolled up the back of my neck. I’d rather Richard had outright killed me.
“Until now,” he said, “Nightmares had no effect on your kind. But I’ve been in your head, Daniel. Oh yes. That nightmare you had was me. I know the poison worked on you. Now, see what will happen once the sickness has infected everyone, including all you Protectors.” He spat out the last word.
The Nightmare gripped my head between its clawed hands, the points of its nails digging into my scalp. I squirmed, whimpering through clenched teeth. Its scaly mouth opened, hovering over mine, its cold breath a nauseating wave of pure sulfur. Bile burned my throat as terror filled my body, hot and stabbing, like I’d overdosed on morphine. Was this what Kayla had felt every time I failed protecting her?
Kayla, I’m so sorry
, I sent off, praying she would hear me. A soft, grayish glow flowed from deep in the Nightmare’s throat. I squeezed my eyes closed as a single tear broke free.
What are you talking about? What’s happening?
she replied.
I love you. Don’t ever forget that.
What? Daniel, no, don’t let go!
A chill, so cold that it burned, exploded in my head and chest. A primal roar ripped from my throat as a hooded person with bright yellow eyes bound me with chains and ripped Kayla apart before my eyes, piece by piece. Her wails tore a hole in my soul. Flames scorched my feet, but I didn’t die. My raw, blistered, blackened body was tossed in a shallow grave and covered with dirt until it filled my lungs. Until I suffocated on the earth and my blood.
I gagged as the Nightmare played my worst fears on a loop, choking on my screams as tears fell from the corners of my eyes. “Kill me, please!” I screamed. Again, Kayla’s cries followed me to my grave. “Please! I’m begging you.”
The Nightmare backed away. I slumped flat on my back, weak and useless, every ounce of energy zapped from my cells. Rasping breaths entered my lungs as I fought for control over my racing pulse.
Richard lingered over me, grasping my shirt in his fist. “Not today. But you can count on it.” He grabbed the wrist that wore the metal cuff—the arm I had broken. The shackle fell from my joint. I yelped, pain forcing white spots in my gaze. I didn’t know how much more I could take.
“Now, go join your friends,” he said. “And do tell my daughter I said hello.”
t took me a few seconds to collect the energy to evaporate. Picturing Kayla in my head, I blinked slowly and willed myself to land wherever she was. The quick
whoosh
of teleportation fluttered around me, then my back touched ground. I stared at a hotel ceiling through watery eyes, lying on the carpet between two beds.
Kayla sat on the one to my left. I tried to call out to her, but I just tasted blood. I’d wrecked my voice with all my screaming. It was Lian who spotted me.
She swore in Mandarin then spun toward my best friend. “Seth, get Trishna now. Screw the evaporation rule.”
Kayla’s head turned. All the color ran from her cheeks as she glanced down. She covered her mouth. When I saw her beautiful eyes and the love and concern on her face, my stomach twisted. Only minutes ago, I’d heard her deafening screams.
My heart shattered, like a bomb detonating in my chest. I squeezed my eyes closed. Someday, I truly could lose her. I’d pushed the thought out of my head for so long, kidded myself into believing I was enough to protect her. But the Nightmare’s torture forced all my emotions—all my fears—to the surface. I wasn’t omnipotent; I’d screwed up before. Who was to say I wouldn’t fail her again?
I swallowed a cry and pressed my fist to my forehead.
Seth returned with Trishna a second later. “I need to heal him in the van,” she said. “Now that you both have evaporated here,
Heat rolled up the back of my neck. I’d rather Richard had outright killed me.
“Until now,” he said, “Nightmares had no effect on your kind. But I’ve been in your head, Daniel. Oh yes. That nightmare you had was me. I know the poison worked on you. Now, see what will happen once the sickness has infected everyone, including all you Protectors.” He spat out the last word.
The Nightmare gripped my head between its clawed hands, the points of its nails digging into my scalp. I squirmed, whimpering through clenched teeth. Its scaly mouth opened, hovering over mine, its cold breath a nauseating wave of pure sulfur. Bile burned my throat as terror filled my body, hot and stabbing, like I’d overdosed on morphine. Was this what Kayla had felt every time I failed protecting her?
Kayla, I’m so sorry
, I sent off, praying she would hear me. A soft, grayish glow flowed from deep in the Nightmare’s throat. I squeezed my eyes closed as a single tear broke free.
What are you talking about? What’s happening?
she replied.
I love you. Don’t ever forget that.
What? Daniel, no, don’t let go!
A chill, so cold that it burned, exploded in my head and chest. A primal roar ripped from my throat as a hooded person with bright yellow eyes bound me with chains and ripped Kayla apart before my eyes, piece by piece. Her wails tore a hole in my soul. Flames scorched my feet, but I didn’t die. My raw, blistered, blackened body was tossed in a shallow grave and covered with dirt until it filled my lungs. Until I suffocated on the earth and my blood.
I gagged as the Nightmare played my worst fears on a loop, choking on my screams as tears fell from the corners of my eyes. “Kill me, please!” I screamed. Again, Kayla’s cries followed me to my grave. “Please! I’m begging you.”
The Nightmare backed away. I slumped flat on my back, weak and useless, every ounce of energy zapped from my cells. Rasping breaths entered my lungs as I fought for control over my racing pulse.
Richard lingered over me, grasping my shirt in his fist. “Not today. But you can count on it.” He grabbed the wrist that wore the metal cuff—the arm I had broken. The shackle fell from my joint. I yelped, pain forcing white spots in my gaze. I didn’t know how much more I could take.
“Now, go join your friends,” he said. “And do tell my daughter I said hello.”
t took me a few seconds to collect the energy to evaporate. Picturing Kayla in my head, I blinked slowly and willed myself to land wherever she was. The quick
whoosh
of teleportation fluttered around me, then my back touched ground. I stared at a hotel ceiling through watery eyes, lying on the carpet between two beds.
Kayla sat on the one to my left. I tried to call out to her, but I just tasted blood. I’d wrecked my voice with all my screaming. It was Lian who spotted me.
She swore in Mandarin then spun toward my best friend. “Seth, get Trishna now. Screw the evaporation rule.”
Kayla’s head turned. All the color ran from her cheeks as she glanced down. She covered her mouth. When I saw her beautiful eyes and the love and concern on her face, my stomach twisted. Only minutes ago, I’d heard her deafening screams.
My heart shattered, like a bomb detonating in my chest. I squeezed my eyes closed. Someday, I truly could lose her. I’d pushed the thought out of my head for so long, kidded myself into believing I was enough to protect her. But the Nightmare’s torture forced all my emotions—all my fears—to the surface. I wasn’t omnipotent; I’d screwed up before. Who was to say I wouldn’t fail her again?
I swallowed a cry and pressed my fist to my forehead.
Seth returned with Trishna a second later. “I need to heal him in the van,” she said. “Now that you both have evaporated here,
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