Page 67 of Whisper of Nightmares

Her eyes catch on the curve of her waist.

Two ashen handprints are seared into the pale white fabric.

Euphemia drags her hands down to touch them.

When she pulls them away, ashen streaks mark her fingertips.

Something is wrong with her.

This is more than a dream.

More than a curse.

It is something impure.

She is utterly lost. Madness encroaches upon her sanity like a devil on the hunt.

A knock raps at her door.

Euphemia’s heart leaps into her throat.

“Lady Euphemia?” Asvald calls from the other side of the door.

She throws the covers back over herself as the door starts to creak open, and cries out a hasty, “Do not enter.”

The door stops. Asvald is quiet for a long moment, likely trying to fathom what she could possibly be doing that would require such privacy in the dead of night. “Are you well? I heard screaming.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she silently curses herself. “Yes, I’m fine. It was only a dream.”

She shudders at her own words.

Another stretch of silence follows.

“Do you need assistance?” His voice is quieter now, no longer pressed against the door with urgency.

“No,” she says kindly. “Just…gathering myself. Thank you, though.”

Euphemia presses the coolness of her hands to her cheeks, forgetting about the ashes. She draws them back, mutters quietly to herself at the smears of grey she now knows are there.

“If you insist,” he replies. “Get some rest, Lady Euphemia.”

Euphemia listens to the soft thuds of his boots as he heads down the hall.

But she does not find any more rest that night. Instead, Euphemia spends it staring at the ashen streaks on her hands and occasionally breathing in the lingering scent of cedar and smoke.

Chapter 14

The Town of Thorfell Crag

The next morning, Euphemia is eager to distract herself by exploring more of the manor, perhaps visiting the garden, picking some wildflowers, and brewing some tea.

But she runs into Kelda and Asvald on her way downstairs.

“There she is.” Kelda flashes her a wry smile as Asvald drapes a mantle over her shoulders. “Up before noon today, I see?”

Euphemia chuckles politely. “Figured it’d be best I get an earlier start to my day.”

Kelda nods her approval. “Good.” Then with a smack of the back of her hand to Asvald’s chest, she adds, “Fetch her a cloak as well. We’ll both make the journey today.”