Page 69 of Realm of Dreams & Shadows

“In the threshold space,” Chase says from inside my head. “The boundary between realms. This is where you’ll always begin your journeys.”

I open my eyes—or think I do—and find myself standing in what looks like a vast library. But not the ornate, ancient library I’ve sometimes seen in my dreams—a library I know from her journal my mother saw too. This one is modern and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto a starlit sky.

“Is this real?” I can smell old paper and coffee. I can hear the whisper of pages turning.

“Is what real?”

I turn to find Chase standing beside me, his golden eyes more vibrant in the strange light. “You created this space using your subconscious associations with safety and knowledge.” He reaches out, stroking my cheek as he speaks in a way that makes me melt a little. “It’s a good choice for a first construct,” he whispers.

“I created this?”

“Your mind did, yes. It’s one of the most important skills we’ll be working on—shaping your environment intentionally. Not letting its shape form around your fears or desires.” His gaze skims the room, and he nods proudly. “You’re going to do just fine.”

I walk to one of the tall windows and look out at the impossible vista beyond—a night sky filled with swirling galaxies and distant moons. “Am I still in The Griffin’s Nest?”

“You are. But you’re here as well. More here, actually, since only your shell is left behind. Your mind—what makes you Cora—is here with me.”

He reaches for my hand, then twines his fingers with mine. “See? Real.”

He steps closer, and even though I know he’s not flesh and blood—not now—I can feel the pressure of his hand, and my heartbeat increases merely from his proximity.

“Chase,” I whisper, looking out at that star-filled night, not at him.

“Yes?”

“I—” I turn to look at him, then notice the scar on his right cheek. I reach up to run my fingertip over it, and he closes his eyes. “Why do you both have⁠—”

He shakes his head, backing away and breaking contact. “That’s a story for another time. We’re training, Cora. We need to keep our heads in the game.”

We.

Such a simple word, but it seems to fill me up, and in that moment, I’m certain that I’m not the only one who wants to forget about “the game” and just surrender to whatever this is between us.

With some effort, I manage to turn my attention to the window again. “Are they real? The stars?”

“As real as everything else here. But remember, this is still just the threshold. The deeper you go, the more intense things become.”

A chill runs through me. “Intense how?”

“The Nightmare Realm feeds on emotion. Fear, anger, desire. That’s how Adric maintains his power. He draws energy from the dreams and nightmares of mortals.”

“And he wants to use my power to break into our world?”

“Yes.” He moves closer, his brow furrowed, almost as if he’s in pain.

“Chase?”

“Cora.”

My name sounds heavy with foreboding.

“I need to tell—” Before Chase can finish, the library around us shimmers and begins to fade. I feel a tugging sensation, like invisible hands pulling me back toward wakefulness.

“That’s enough for the first session.” Whistler’s voice cuts through the dissolving dream. “You were about to slide deeper without willing it—better to end on a stable note.”

I blink my eyes open to find myself back in the training room, Chase kneeling beside me. “How do you feel?”

“I— Okay, I think. A little weird, like waking up from a nap before you’re ready.”