“I thought they were yours? That Navar had somehow stolen them from you.”
His face darkened. “Once given, no power can be taken back…not without certain measures.”
She didn’t know what measures he was talking about. He wasn’t making any sense. “Are you saying you gave a portion of your powers to Navar? Why would you do that?”
“I am not so evil as many would believe. I did it for the good of Teag. And for my generosity, I was betrayed just like your father and everyone else. By the time Navar’s true motives were known, it was too late.”
“I knew the kind of man he was,” she said, still hurt no one believed her, “and Dylan is nothing like him. If Dylan had wanted my powers, he has had plenty of opportunities to take them.”
“His experience is lacking, but he is beginning to understand.” He presented a plate of fruit all gleaming irresistibly. “Hungry? None of it is real, but it will satisfy your cravings for a moment.”
Though he was trying not to show it, Baun’s clipped words revealed his anger. If he had willingly given his powers to Navar, then that was his mistake, not hers. And as for Dylan taking her powers, he wouldn’t.
Kera straightened and pretended to watch the dancers. “I don’t believe you.”
Baun picked up a perfectly shaped and unblemished reddish-green pear and bit into it, his gaze assessing her. “I’m not surprised. The picture painted of me isn’t flattering, but you know I cannot lie. Tell me this. Whenever you and Dylan are together, have you noticed certain anomalies?”
She lied and shook her head, not wanting to believe anything he said.
“His emotions are volatile. His magic is straining to collect yours. It needs yours to be complete. He will never be able to control his powers unless he possesses them all. Think of it as a balance. Without your portion, he is only half of what he should be. Though I wish it were different, mark my words. He will take your powers whether you wish it or not.”
“He would never do that.” She glared into his pale blue eyes. “You don’t know him.”
“I don’t have to know him. I know what he’s going through. The small amount of power I still possess yearns for what is inside him. What is inside you.” He touched her shoulder and she could feel her powers straining toward him.
She jerked away and stood. “I want to leave.”
He slowly placed the remainder of his pear on the table, and said without looking at her, “You can try, but it will do you no good.”
“You cannot keep me here,” she said and prayed she was right.
“I would have once said there are worse fates than being locked in a dream.” A bitter laugh escaped, and he reluctantly looked at her. “I would be wrong. You have taken refuge within a Dreamweaver’s den.”
Kera gasped. Dreamweavers were creatures relegated to horror stories. They fed off their victims’ dreams until their bodies withered away.
“The Unknown has more than its fair share of monsters. Did you not think it odd such a cozy den didn’t have an owner?”
She had thought luck had finally found her. Kera remembered hearing a sweet melody just before she fell asleep. She wasn’t alone in the den.
One moment she could move, the next her legs were bound from the knees down. A rush of bile soured her stomach. Her lips trembled as she sank to her knees. “What is happening?”
Baun picked her up and placed her back in her chair. Squatting in front of her, he cupped her hands in his and squeezed her fingers, his face lined with worry. “Do not think of your bonds.”
She struggled to forget, but how could she when she knew a monster held her captive?
“Trust me, Kera.” He stood, and suddenly his formal wear vanished, replaced by rags and heavy chains that wrapped his body. Just as quickly, his appearance changed and he was back in his perfectly tailored clothes. “I know from whence I speak. Keep your head clear. This is your dream. Anything is possible. Let the fantasy have free reign.”
It took time, but as soon as she committed to the fantasy, she was able to move her legs again. It didn’t erase the fear. Her body flashed hot and cold. She pressed her palms together in an effort to stop her hands from shaking. “What will happen to me?”
“I don’t exactly know.” Pity shone from his eyes. He may not know the details, but he knew. He just didn’t want to say. He held out his hand to her. “Stay for now. Enjoy this moment. All too soon we may find ourselves chained in misery once again.”
A shaft of light appeared above the dancers, illuminating the glitter that covered their wings. As charming and fantastical as the dream appeared, so much of it seemed odd. If it were her dream, why would she create a lavish ball invaded by life-sized pux? And why did it seem as if Baun had as much control as she did over her dream?
Only one answer came to mind. They were sharing a dream. “You said this was my dream, but it’s yours, too.”
“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate. “I did not want to alarm you. I only wish to help, Kera.”
“Can you?”
“If I can think of a way, I will.”
She dropped her gaze to his outstretched hand. He was saying everything she wanted to hear. Did she really trust him?
She had to. Firsts couldn’t lie, and he was her only choice.
She placed her hand in his and stood, dazed by what she knew and afraid of what she didn’t. The music grew louder as they joined the dancers.
“Never give up hope,” Baun said as he twirled her to the music. “After all these years, I still hope to be free, have worked tirelessly for that day.”
If he couldn’t break free of his bonds, how could he possibly help her escape? Unlike him, she didn’t have the luxury of years to work toward her freedom. She had only days. She must think fast and find a solution before it was too late. Not just for her, but for Dylan.
Thinking about him caused tears to well up in her eyes, and she stopped dancing.
“What is wrong?” Baun honestly looked concerned.
She blotted at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. “I was thinking of Dylan and how much I love him.”
Why she admitted that to him, she didn’t know, but the profession calmed her.
Baun’s fingers tightened against hers. “How tragic,” he said without a hint of spite. “It has been my experience that love is a wicked master whose touch is not gentle, nor is its appetite ever satisfied.”
She saw the pain he could not hide, and rising on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. “I am sorry for you.”
That she now pitied him left him speechless.
Without warning, the dream shifted. The walls crumbled. The ground cracked. Couple after couple fell into the chasms. Baun pulled her away from the edge that suddenly appeared near her feet. Everywhere she looked, the edges to the dream were disintegrating. “What is happening?”
A single-voiced lullaby filled the air, and Baun turned to her. His rags had reappeared along with the chains. “Our time is done.”
Without warning, he vanished. Kera became aware of the hard ground, her aching back, and the musty scent of dirt. She managed to crack open her eyes, and though her vision was blurry from sleep, she saw a boy, humming a tune. She blinked, clearing her vision for a split second. That was all she needed. The boy moved his six arms in a hypnotic way that expertly wove sticky, silken threads around her legs, binding her in a half-completed cocoon.
Her heart beat faster, rushing the blood through her veins. She struggled to move, to tear out of her bonds, but it was already impossible. The boy smiled and sang his lullaby sweeter. Soon Kera stopped moving, her eyes fluttered closed, and she tumbled back into the dark portal where dreams waited to be caught.