4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ruya

T hat night as I slept, Cicely entered my dreams.

The faun was in his true, unglamoured form here, and I gleefully drank him in with my eyes, the way I only could here, in this enchanted space. Dappled sunlight filtered down through towering, broad-leafed trees, turning his blond curls into gold and making his sun kissed skin glow with warmth. I reclined on a thick bed of moss that was softer than any real-life mattress. His hooves sank into the soft surface as he crouched down beside me.

I reached out and lazily trailed my fingers over the soft, curly brown hair that covered his lower legs, then glanced up to meet his bright green eyes. He was a forest creature, a spirit of the earth and growing things. He looked so at home here, even when he was hiding most of his lower body under long cargo shorts that tried to insert some sense of civility into our dream world.

"You're so beautiful like this," I told him truthfully, still petting his leg. "I wish you felt comfortable being yourself around everyone else."

He huffed a soft chuckle and shook his head at me. "I know you do. Honestly, I do too. It's just… O'Dell was very strict about lesser fae hiding their animal aspects in his court. Silly as it is, I still find it hard to break away from that ingrained demand." He draped his arms over his knees and sighed. His handsome face was so open and expressive. I was used to being blind. I didn't usually spend much time bemoaning my lack of vision, because seeing wasn't something I had much memory of. To me, being blind was just… normal. But here, now, seeing his face made me wish that I could read people so easily all the time.

The look of sadness that crossed his features would have been hidden from me in the waking world, masked by his light tone of voice. I could sense some of his emotions when he spoke to me using his fae mindspeak in the waking world… but everyone else probably missed this. Missed how sad he was sometimes. How he hid his wounds.

"He punished us, you know," he said softly. "Defying him lost me my voice. I saw others mutilated too, belittled and tortured when they put their animal parts on display. You gave me the opportunity and excuse to escape. But I guess I'm still not free of him, after all." He tapped his temple. "Not in here."

"Cicely." I held out my arms to him and he came to me, letting me hug him tight as we lay back on the soft mossy ground. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't pester you about it. Of course I want you to feel comfortable. It doesn't matter if that means wearing glamour."

He wrapped his strong arms around me and squeezed me, returning the hug. Then he rolled us so he hovered over me, our hips pressed together and my silly, flouncy fantasy dress tangled around my legs. "You're too perfect, my lovely, wild, witchy mate," he said with a smile, his expression losing some of that shadow of remembered pain and fear. "The way you simply accept everything about me. About everyone you shelter under your sphere of magic and healing… so perfect." He pressed a brief, enthusiastic kiss to my lips, then pulled back, his eyes sparkling. "But enough of that. I have a surprise for you!"

He rolled off me and sprang up onto his hooves again, nearly prancing in place. I couldn't help the amused grin that spread across my lips. "You came up with a new song?"

Cicely loved to play his pan pipes. There was magic in them, and in the music he created, something linked to his fae nature that let him influence people's thoughts and emotions, to lead them on a journey that was so much more than the tune he was playing. He had lost his real pipes in the waking world, when we escaped from the fae court. But he often played for me here, where the dream world let him re-create the instrument.

Cicely only shook his head at me, his shiny blond curls bouncing around the short nubs of his horns. "Oh, no. It's better than that." He winked at me. "I've worked so hard on this. You'd better be impressed."

I sat up cross-legged and grinned. "I promise to be duly impressed with your efforts. Whatever they are."

He nodded once, satisfied. And I knew I had just made a promise to a fae, one that he would demand I fulfill later. But I was more than willing to give this particular fae any reward he demanded.

He came and sat before me, awkwardly folding his goat legs into something resembling my own cross-legged seat. Then he closed his eyes and sat up straight, his magic surging through him and his face relaxing into a sort of meditative concentration. "The world may change a bit," he murmured. "It will probably shrink or warp. Don't be afraid."

He opened one eye to peek at me and I nodded my agreement. Whatever he was about to do involved his dream magic. And it must be big. Usually, he could manipulate dreams effortlessly once they were established, without any need to really concentrate. I watched in anticipation as he closed his eyes again and a crease formed between his brows.

After a few long moments, the air around us began to waver. I glanced around, watching the world grow fuzzy at the edges, the nearby forest around us turning into a mere horizon, as if the dream world ended only a few feet away now, instead of stretching on for miles.

The world around us darkened, as if the sunny summer afternoon was creeping toward dusk. One of the trees off to my left lost all of its leaves, leaving behind a bare, twisting thing with darkened bark and dying branches.

And then I felt it. Fear. Terror. Aching sadness that made me want to turn away before my nightmares could overwhelm me.

Dusek. I sensed Dusek's dark bubak aura. And a second later, a tall, dark man materialized behind Cicely.

A soft "Oh!" escaped me as I took in what I was seeing. The gift Cicely had just given me that plucked at my heartstrings in a bittersweet symphony of love and wonder.

I had never seen the face of any of my friends and lovers, besides Cicely.

I knew Dusek was tall, but I hadn't ever realized how he loomed. He was long and lean, but with broad shoulders, and an aura that exuded menace. He was dressed all in black—a long-sleeved black t-shirt and black leather pants, black boots. His hair was dark as night, and it fell to brush his shoulders in gleaming black waves. Glowing red eyes watched me intently from a face that was unnaturally pale and chiseled. My eyes wanted to play tricks on me, and I had the strangest feeling… that his face would morph into a skull when I wasn't looking directly at him.

I stood and moved around Cicely, who had opened his eyes and was now watching me appreciate my gift with a soft, fond smile.

"Is it really you?" I asked the dark man as I paced closer, my bare feet rustling the dry leaves of the forest floor. I couldn't take my eyes off the vision before me, but I spoke over my shoulder to Cicely. "This isn't just a… construct. A part of the dream you've made to tease me?" The faun was very talented at making dreams feel real.

"I'm real," Dusek answered, his deep voice rippling through me and sparking both fear and excitement, the way it always did in the real world. He studied my face intently. "Is it too much? Have I ruined your beautiful dream?" He lifted a long arm to gesture around us, at the beautiful forest that was now painted in shades of dusk and haunting melancholy.

I shook my head adamantly as I came to a halt before the beautiful man. "It's not too much. It's perfect. You're perfect!" My vision blurred as tears sprang up, emotion overwhelming me. "Hello, Dusek."

He smiled softly, even that expression carrying a hint of sadness. But there was fondness there too, love in his eyes. He was simply afraid—as always was—of scaring me away. He couldn't help the aura of fear that trailed him wherever he went. And it made him distance himself from me. I had no idea how Cicely had talked Dusek into allowing this, but I was so grateful he had.

Reaching out, I took Dusek's hands, glancing down to watch his long fingers wrap around my own, engulfing my smaller hands. I had felt it before, of course. But seeing it was different. New and exciting. I glanced at his face again, hungrily drinking in those strange red eyes and the inhuman angles of him. "Thank you for coming."

He released one of my hands so he could hesitantly reach out and wipe away my tears. His touch sent another bolt of fear racing through me, but I ignored it, too caught up in the sheer pleasure of being able to see his face when he touched me, of being able to easily read the questions and concerns in that expression. "Don't cry," he whispered. "I can leave." He glanced behind me, toward Cicely. "I told you this was a terrible idea. Now I've made her cry. Wake me up, faun."

I squeezed the hand that still held mine. "I'm not upset that you're here," I told him firmly. "They're tears of joy, you ridiculous man."

He didn't look at all convinced, but he didn't argue. Cicely came to join us, and at a mere thought, a comfortable-looking seating area appeared, complete with plump cushions and a low table with teacups and a steaming pot of tea.

"Come sit down," the fawn said with a smile. "As much as I love to see the joy in your eyes, Ru, we do have things to discuss."

"Fine, fine," I said grumpily. "But one thing first."

Then I turned to Dusek and pushed up onto my tiptoes, looping my arms around his neck and shuddering at the shiver of fear that caused. Not giving him time to pull away, I pulled him down to me as I surged upward, pressing my lips to his.

I couldn't stop the moan of combined pleasure and terror that escaped me, muffled against his chiseled lips. But for once, Dusek didn't immediately run away afraid that he had traumatized me. He let me have my way, tentatively returning my kiss, his hands coming to lightly rest on my hips as if afraid he'd shatter me with a touch.

When the kiss ended, I pulled back just enough to look up at him, to study his face and see the tenderness and desire in his eyes, as he warred with what he wanted and the fact that he probably thought he should move away and spare me his creepy presence.

"Satisfied?" the bubak asked, his deep voice slightly huskier than usual.

I grinned. My imagination immediately turned to lusty thoughts of the time Cicely and I had convinced Dusek to join us in our pleasure out there in the real world. It had been my first time having sex with more than one person in the room, and it had taught me so much about the joy of losing my inhibitions. The way I'd felt, every sense heightened, knowing Dusek was there, watching Cicely have his way with me, even if the bubak had refused to take his own pleasure. I was determined it wouldn't be the last time.

"Hardly," I muttered, redirecting my wayward thoughts. For now. "But Cicely's right. We had plans to talk about some things tonight. And I'm sure you'll make a powerful ally."

He arched a black brow at me as I stepped away and sank down onto one of the sumptuous cushions. "And just what do you require an ally for, my mischievous little trinket?" he asked darkly.

I chuckled. He hadn't called me trinket in quite a while. It was what he had called me when he and the others first liberated me from the pocket world. When they went searching for an amulet or a charm—a magical trinket—and found a person instead.

"Robin," I said succinctly, my gaze locked on his. "We have to figure out a way to contain the damage she's about to do to herself and anyone who has ever had the misfortune of coming into contact with the emperor."

Dusek sighed as he folded his lanky form and sank onto a cushion on the opposite side of the table while Cicely came to join us and pour tea. "You wanted to stop her?" he asked tiredly.

But I just shook my head. "Of course not. I know how important this is to her. And to every paranormal under the syndicate's thumb. I just want to keep her from killing innocents—those who feel they have no choice but to severe the emperor, or people who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't think everyone in the emperor's household needs to die."

"And you think enlisting the bubak will help?" Dusek asked dryly. "You do realize, my kind are all about feeding on horror. Maybe I am looking forward to all the fear and carnage. Maybe I want to cause some terror myself."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Bullshit."

Cicely snorted a laugh at my language. Dusek shook his head at me, but one corner of his lips twitched with suppressed amusement.

"You might get something out of causing terror, but I know you. There's no way you're okay with harming innocent people," I insisted.

He relented with a sigh. "I'd prefer to avoid it, honestly. Though, don't get me wrong," he warned darkly, "I will terrorize the emperor and his closest minions, and I will take great joy in their dying of fear. I'm not the sweet, harmless man you seem to have mistaken me for."

I just waved that away. "You'll help though?" I glanced at Cicely. "And you'll lend your calming magic?"

They both nodded.

For the first time in days, I felt an inkling of hope. Robin may very well go on a murderous rampage when we reached the pocket world. But with Dusek and Cicely on my side, we'd have a lot of control over people's emotions. Even our headstrong, stubborn ass of an alpha.

Perhaps this might not be so bad after all.

If only I could manage to escape Robin's wrath when she realized what I had done. But I would worry about that when the time came, I supposed.

Right now, we had countermeasures to plan and plots to scheme.