For a few moments after she woke up, Anusha couldn’t recall where she was. Early morning light filtered into the room under the drawn shade, casting a pale glow on the wall.
She saw Japheth. He lay next to her, his limbs half-tangled in the coverlet. Then she remembered.
The man’s breath buzzed softly, and his eyes were closed. An old scar puckered a line up his thigh onto his hip. She reached out and lightly traced it.
Japheth’s eyes opened. He smiled, and his hand enveloped hers with a firm grip.
“ ’Morning,” he said.
“I’m glad you came by last night,” she replied.
He chuckled, “I wanted to come by ever since we returned,” he said. “I would have earlier if …”
She nodded, then sat up, drawing a portion of the coverlet around her.
“Japheth, now it’s time to talk,” she said. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not,” he said. But his smile faded as a line of worry creased his brow.
Anusha pressed on. “I like you,” she said. “A lot; that’s obvious. Problem is, I just don’t know if I can allow myself to fall for you. Anyhow, I’d like to-”
“I understand,” Japheth said. “It’s my traveler’s dust; you’d be crazy not to be worried about that. And my new pact. You’re wondering if you can really be with someone who …”
He trailed off when she touched a finger lightly to his lips.
“Yes,” she said. “But, let me finish-that’s something we absolutely need to discuss. Before that, though, we’ve got something even more important to attend to.”
Japheth’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Xxiphu,” he said.
“Yes,” she replied. “Because of what you did to save me, not allowing Raidon to destroy the Dreamheart when he first had the chance-”
His face hardened.
“I’m not saying you should have acted differently,” she continued. “Thank Torm you didn’t! But, because of that, we have a responsibility, both of us, to take care of the problem.”
“You said we should try to sink it,” Japheth said,
She nodded. “If possible,” she said.
He cupped her face with one palm, leaned forward, and kissed her. “I agree. It is our responsibility.”
Anusha smiled. If Japheth was with her, convincing the others would be easier.
“Maybe there’s hope for you after all, warlock,” she said.
“I’d like to think so,” Japheth replied.
Anusha glanced around the salon. How different it looked with everyone assembled. The table was so full that Raidon and Yeva deigned to stand. The scent of smoke stung the air; it curled up from the bowl of Captain Thoster’s pipe.
Anusha cleared her throat. “Thank you, everyone, for being here,” she said. “I’d like to discuss our next move.”
“Our next move?” said Seren.
“Yes,” said Anusha. “What are we going to do about the fact a petrified aboleth city followed us to the surface?”
“Bah. What can we do?” replied the wizard. “You know what lives in Xxiphu-we barely got out alive, and that was before Raidon decided there wasn’t a vintage or spirit in the city he didn’t like.”
Anusha glanced at the monk. The half-elf scowled at a spot on the floor only he could see.
Anusha began again. “If we decide-,” she said.
The captain interrupted. “The city is looking for something,” he said. The swagger was gone from his voice, replaced by a nervous conviction.
“It is?” said Seren.
“Yes,” Thoster replied. “I remembered yesterday. When it came up out of the Sea of Fallen Stars, it sent out a call. We all heard it, that terrible music …”
“I don’t remember any music,” said Seren.
“Well, that ain’t important,” said Thoster. “I heard it. And I finally figured out the command woven into the tune. The city, or whatever controls it, wants something called the Key of Stars.” The captain inhaled smoke from his pipe.
“Key of Stars?” said Japheth.
“Yes,” said Thoster. “And as awful as Xxiphu is all on its lonesome, I get the impression that if this Key of Stars is found, a whole new meaning for awful would have to be invented.”
“How so?” said Anusha.
“I can’t say; just a feeling I get,” said the captain.
Seren rolled her eyes.
“Why does that name sound familiar?” Japheth said. “Sounds like something I heard in a dream … Something about a Key anyway. Anusha was in it.”
Anusha clapped a hand over her mouth. “I had a dream like that!” she said.
“You know, I think I did once too,” said the captain.
Raidon stepped forward. “And I,” he said. He pointed to Anusha. “You stood in a realm of twilight mist. You were trying to tell me something about a key, though I couldn’t understand what you wanted of me. Something that made you sad.”
Everyone looked at Anusha. She felt her face grow warm. The reactions of her body were much harder to control when she wasn’t in her dreamform.
“The fact all of us have shared a similar dream is incredible,” she said. “I don’t know what it means. But I’ve had variations on it too, from the same perspective as you described; I saw myself. I just thought it was a recurring nightmare.”
Japheth rubbed his chin. “I’ve dreamed it on at least three occasions, maybe more,” he said.
Raidon nodded in agreement.
“I’ve only had it once that I can remember,” said Thoster.
“Well, I’ve never dreamed anything like that,” Seren exclaimed.
Raidon frowned at the wizard. Then he turned to the faux golem. “How about you?” he asked.
“Actually-yes,” Yeva replied. “Just before I came awake and saw you trying to stab Japheth … I recall fragments of seeing Anusha standing in a many pillared temple, crying …”
“What does it mean?” said Anusha.
“That Seren didn’t have the dream?” said Thoster. He blew a smoke circle at the wizard.
“No-well, maybe,” Anusha said. “But that most of us did share the same dream? I don’t recall seeing that misty expanse beneath Gethshemeth’s island or anywhere inside Xxiphu.”
“Maybe because what all of us saw in our dreams hasn’t happened yet,” said Japheth.
Seren snorted. “That’s a leap,” she said.
Raidon addressed the warlock. “How could we see the future without some sort of ritual of divination?” he said.
“If a future event is significant enough, who’s to say rumor of its approach wouldn’t echo into the past ahead of its occurrence?” Japheth replied. “Such things have happened before. And besides, Anusha seems to be at the heart of this-her connection to the realm of dreams is obviously important.”
Seren affected a dubious expression, though Anusha noted she didn’t gainsay Japheth’s theory.
“What event?” Anusha said.
Japheth shrugged. “I can’t really tell what’s going on in the dream; it’s just fragments.”
“To be so significant, it’d have to be pretty terrible, I’m guessing,” said Thoster.
“Very likely,” replied Japheth.
“I have some experience with psychic phenomena,” Yeva said. “I agree with the warlock. We are sharing the same dream because we are all entwined in what may happen. We all have some stake in the outcome, more so than others, anyhow. Anusha especially, since we’ve all seen her in the vision. She at least will survive to transmit her dream warning from the odd location we all saw.”
“I wonder where that is?” said Thoster.
Anusha shrugged. “Nowhere I’ve ever visited,” she said.
“By what you all describe, it doesn’t sound like any place on Toril,” said Seren. “More like one of the echo planes; either in Shadow or even a remote corner of Faerie, where things become wild.”
“I thought you didn’t believe any of this,” said Thoster.
“I didn’t say that, you cantankerous pirate!” Seren said. “I-”
“Stop it,” said Anusha, raising her voice. “Let’s not fight, please, not in my house.”
Seren raised a hand in acquiescence.
“Well, regardless of anything else, Xxiphu is looking for something-this Key of Stars,” said Thoster. “I’m fairly certain we don’t want to let Xxiphu find it. If we’re going to do anything, it might do to find this Key before Xxiphu or Malyanna.”