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“Then it would explain why they suddenly attacked,” Elian finished. He scrubbed a hand across his face, letting all of the information sink in. “We need to tell Artus. If Lavender is truly responsible, maybe he will restore the alliance.”

“Do you even think what I saw was real?”

“Your sister has been able to influence your dreams before,” Marcellus said. “You are stronger than her. What is to say you can’t influence hers, as well?”

“Lavender has been influencing your dreams?” Elian said, eyes wide.

“That is what I just said, Delmore,” Marcellus grumbled.

Elian’s eyes slid to him, the corner of his lips tightening almost imperceptibly.

“We need to get back and tell Caspian to organize an emergency meeting,” Lotta said, smoothening her skirt as she rose. “If the Soumort Princess realizes we have learned about this…”

Then losing Bilya would be the least of their worries.

Marcellus waited at the end of the alcove, parting the astromeia vines and holding them out of the way as they passed through the narrow opening. Thicket threw one last glance back at the tunnel.

What had she seen while under the jellyfish venom? Was it a true memory? She was skeptical to believe that with the way it kept blending the Dream World with this world. The jellyfish venom was supposed to show her who she truly was, or the version of reality she craved. She wondered what that meant, for her to be so divided between two worlds.

As she stepped out onto the beach, a shiver wracked her body. Her damp clothes and hair were a beacon for the wind, kissing her face and coiling around her skin. A heavy weight draped across her shoulders. Thicket jumped, spinning around right as Elian finished settling his coat over her.

“The last thing we need is for you to get sick,” he said.

“T-thank you.” She bunched her hands together, cheeks blooming as the warmth settled over her. The crunch of their footsteps followed them across the beach as they continued on.

Elian grabbed her hand, slowing her pace so they fell behind the others. “Why didn’t you tell me Lavender was haunting your dreams?”

Guilt twinged in her gut. She hadn’t meant to leave him out, but she had. She knew how it felt to be on the outside and now she had unintentionally been the cause.

“I didn’t want to bother anyone.”

“But you told Marcel. And Lotta didn’t seem surprised.”

Thicket wrapped her arms around her waist, warding off the remaining chill. “You know how Marcellus is, always in everyone’s business. He sort of found out on his own and then he forced me to tell Caspian, who told Lotta. If I had it my way, I wouldn’t have told anyone. It is no one else’s burden to bear.”

Elian’s lips pinched together. “You wouldn’t have bothered anyone. We all want to be there for you. I want to be there for you. Unless there is some reason you don’t want me to be?”

Thicket shook her head. “Elian, that’s not—”

He plastered on a smile. “Forget I said anything. You don’t need to worry about me. You have enough going on as it is.”

“But—”

“I just let some of my old insecurities crop up. It is my fault for not managing them better. Come on. We should catch up with the others. You need your sleep before the big meeting tomorrow.”

He started back across the sand, but Thicket was rooted in place, as though the memory of his previous words had crawled from the dunes and wrapped their spindly fingers around her ankles.

I guess this time I wanted to be the one to whisk away your worries.

She had thought he had been upset about what the boy had said earlier. But now she couldn’t help but remember all the other times darkness had clouded his expression.

“Wait!” Thicket darted after Elian and grabbed the sleeve of his tunic. Elian glanced over his shoulder, surprise flitting across his cobalt eyes. “I want you to come with me tomorrow. To the meeting.”

Elian’s usually impeccable posture folded, as though whatever thoughts plaguing his mind was stripping him of his ability to appear as the unflappable, exuberant prince. “They won’t let me.”

“You were at the last one.”

“By happenstance. Tomorrow will be a formal meeting. I am not the Crown Prince anymore. I am not even technically your fiancé. I hold no position of influence.”