Chapter Thirty-One WITCHING MOON

Chapter Thirty-One

WITCHING MOON

Week Three, Day One

Year 3000

The Beast roared, and Sachi ran.

Somehow, she was faster than him. It was her only advantage as she hurtled down the unfamiliar hallways and around corners. At first, she thought to hide, but beasts were beasts for a reason. This one would find her, and then—

Fear threatened to close her throat at the vicious snarls that dogged her steps. If Demir caught her, he would savage her, and there might not even be enough of her left for Sorin to chain.

One volley of growls sounded even closer, and Sachi chanced a look back to find him gaining on her.

Help me.

A brick flew out of the wall, crashing through the plaster, and slammed into Demir's head. He stumbled and went down with an animal howl.

Sachi almost stumbled as well, before she managed to skid to a stop. Was it possible that the palace could physically respond to her pleas? As she watched, another brick, and then a third, sailed through the air toward Demir.

He dodged these and climbed to his feet with a rumble that shook the entire corridor. His eyes glowed a sickly green, and dark, mottled fur sprouted from his skin as the bulk of his body began to shift ...

And grow.

"No," she whispered, but it was happening anyway.

The Beast was becoming literal before her very eyes.

He launched himself at her, this massive creature who had to be eight feet tall, and it was no use. Sachi could not outrun him like this, and he was on her in moments, snatching her up in one massive, furry arm. His claws dug mercilessly through her thin gown and into her midsection, drawing bright spots of pain and blood.

The bricks didn't stop him, nor did the carpet jerking from beneath his feet. He batted away the suits of armor that stepped out to intervene, even crushed one poor stone archer beneath his enormous foot as he hauled her up the endless stairs ...

To the open, flat top of the tallest tower.

On a clear day, the view would be unimaginably majestic. Right now, all Sachi could see was the carnage below.

Sorin stood at the edge of the tower, watching the battle rage with apparent delight, as if it were nothing more to him than a play or the tournament he'd staged. Varoka—no, the Dreamweaver —circled him, restless and attentive. Bits of those golden chains flashed from her fingertips, ready to lash out. To entrap.

"Took you long enough," Sorin observed.

The Beast threw Sachi to the stone. The wind whipped her hair as she rushed forward to cling to the ornately carved ledge on the parapet wall.

Beneath her, the world had exploded into blood and violence. A tiny figure that had to be Zanya fought alongside three others she only recognized when they moved—Elevia, Ulric, and Aleksi. The Raven Guard swirled around the field, breaking apart and reforming with the grace of a single unit.

Naia and the Kraken fought from his ship, sending cannonballs and cascades of water into the field. But every volley was turned against them as the Ice Queen exploited their advances, turning them into weapons of her own. Sachi watched in horror as they fell back to regroup.

Then a massive, almost metallic screech surrounded her, and she looked up to see Ash engaged in combat but outnumbered by two hellish-looking dragons. "No!"

Sorin glanced up and smiled. "Ah, yes. Do you know how long it took to perfect them? The first few I tried to pull from the Dream were disappointing, to say the least. But it was ultimately worth the effort. Ash needs playmates who want to bite and claw, and I decided to spare myself the discomfort this time."

"Stop this, Sorin," Sachi choked. "You can stop this before it goes too far."

"They came to my castle and began killing my soldiers," he pointed out, the righteous indignation of his tone undercut by the way he leaned over the parapet and stared down into the vast courtyard. "Rather efficiently, too. I suppose I can see why Nikkon and his pet king were so distracted by your little handmaid. She is relentlessly brutal."

Below, Zanya spun, her blades flashing, neatly cutting down a wide arc of Imperial soldiers. Above, Ash's pained roar split the sky.

Sachi flinched. "What do you want?"

"Truthfully?" He tilted his head. "I want them to know what it's like to lose everything. Would it be callous of us to place bets on who lasts the longest?" At her shocked silence, he only smiled. "Wait, it would be unfair to let you wager before you know what Varoka can do."

The Dreamweaver stepped forward. "Your Majesty?"

Sorin favored her with a smile. "She's been working on this little trick for almost as long as it took me to perfect my dragons." He gestured to her encouragingly.

Varoka studied the courtyard below, then tilted her head. "Gwynira is on the field. She will also be adversely affected."

"What are you going to do?" Sachi breathed. A million possibilities flitted through her brain, each more horrific and deadly than the last.

Sorin ignored her. "Sacrifices are necessary for all great work, Varoka." Then he grimaced and clutched his side, where his bloody, sliced shirt gaped open to reveal the gash over his ribs. "Besides, I'd say she's earned a spot of punishment. Now get to it."

Varoka stepped back, closing her eyes and raising her hands, which spat out pieces of the Dream, sharp and lashing. It was the same magic that Sachi had seen in the ballroom, and in the underwater heart of the palace. Wrapped around Lyssa, chaining her, body and soul.

She hadn't been able to do anything about the first two, but she'd freed Lyssa. Unraveled her bindings in an instant, without even really trying.

Sachi would have to try now.

She took a deep breath and slipped into the space between, the line between the world and the Dream. This way, she could see both. She could see everything.

Varoka glowed . Sachi had never seen anything like it, not even during her visions. Not even in the Dream itself. But when she peered deeper, it was the same as the nexus of energy beneath them—a hollow core, wrapped in a shell made of the others' dreams.

Sachi left her body behind, frozen in stasis, slipped through that liminal space, and seized the Dreamweaver. Around her, they weren't chains, but soft ribbons of wool or silk that would warm and soothe in turn.

But the moment Sachi touched her, those ribbons hardened to armor, a literal shell. Sachi pounded on it with her fists, determined to stop her from gathering the power to cast whatever infernal spell she had planned.

More chains slithered up around Sachi's ankles, locked on to her upper arms. Fool. The voice came from everywhere. Nowhere. If I chain you here, you'll never escape. You'll linger, even after your body dies.

It was far from an idle threat. Sachi could feel the truth of it, the disconnect from her physical form growing with each passing moment.

But she couldn't think about that right now.

Everyone felt different in the Dream. Zanya was dark, luscious, like the spiced cider she adored. Ash felt like a warm hearth, stone and fire, the perfect combination of comfort and safety.

Varoka was a pit, yawning and ravenous. Empty, never able to be filled. She drew in the power of the Dream, had learned to wield it, but it was not hers. No wonder she'd been able to set up this spell, to steal so much power for Sorin.

It was what she'd been doing all her life.

Slowly, carefully, Sachi began to lock her away. It was no different from the boxes she'd built for herself over the years when she needed to hide. It was a lengthy process, but that was all right. Time had no meaning here. This was existence, the root of it all, a single moment and an eternity.

She managed three full sides and most of a fourth by the time Varoka caught on. You think you can imprison me? the voice demanded. And with such weak walls as these? A burst of the Dream hit Sachi like a blow, and she knew only pain. The power wasn't Varoka's, of course, but any child could pick up a hammer and swing it.

It slammed Sachi back into her body, and she found herself kneeling on the cold stone, her hair wrapped around Varoka's fist.

"And he said you were special ," she hissed, then dragged Sachi up by her hair. "Watch. Look at what real power can do."

Down in the courtyard, one by one, the gods began to fall.