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I shook my head. “No, we had to leave a dream behind, or at least I did. Can’t remember what it was now.”
Nic gently removed the gem from my hand and placed it on Baz’s chest. I’d had to help channel the energy into Dio to return his essence, and I suspected I’d have to do the same for Baz.
Nic placed one hand on the gem and one on his brother’s arm before shutting his eyes. I could feel him drawing on the energy of the land, but as before, the red gem resisted Nic’s efforts. I placed my hand over his, my other on Baz’s arm, managing not to flinch away, and lent my efforts to his.
The energy flowed through us, and the gem melted like molten glass, though it was merely warm to the touch. It flowed slowly, viscous, spreading across his chest.
My hand sank into it, and I could feel the essence reacting to me as if it recognized me. When it started to come toward me instead of sinking into Baz, I jerked my hand back. The essence sent up tendrils of crimson, searching for me.
In a touch of inspiration, I slid my hand under Baz’s back. If the tendrils were going to reach up, maybe they’d reach through him? After a moment’s hesitation, it worked. The essence sank into the real Baz’s chest, seeping into his pores and vanishing from sight.
I pulled my hand out from between Baz’s back and the bed and stood back.
Nic also removed his hands from his brother.
We waited. Baz remained still. The essence didn’t reappear.
“Perhaps it’s been too long,” Robby suggested quietly.
“Maybe it just needs more time.” The exhaustion I’d been holding back dragged at my limbs, and I sank down into a handy chair. Suddenly moving was too much energy.
“Let’s give him some time,” Nic said. “We have little choice in the matter, but also it’s too soon to give in to despair.”
“How about exhaustion?”
Nic moved behind me and massaged my shoulders. “Entirely a different matter. Ember, luv, let’s get you to your suite. Robby can continue to watch Baz.”
The jester didn’t object, so we left. He was a servant of Dream and served as a court jester, which basically meant he was a spy, an advisor, and a whole bunch of other things. I’d met him because he’d gotten stranded in the Conscious Realm when the arches had slammed closed about ten years back. The more powerful dreams and nightmares could survive in the Conscious Realm longer than weaker ones. He’d found me and become my business manager and friend at least partially in hopes that I would lead him to a way home. Of course, I hadn’t known any of that until recently.
Nic tucked my arm under his and let me lean on him as he helped me to my suite.
“Geraint? Dio?” As soon as I said their names, I somehow sensed that they were in their rooms. It was as if I could see a fresh trail that went into each door. Ash had been with both for a while, and then she’d headed back down the corridor.
“What is it?” Nic asked instead of answering my question.
“I can basically see trails where they’ve walked. I even know they’re relatively fresh.”
Nic grinned. “Dio’s powers, most likely. You’re probably smelling it, but your brain is translating it to your vision, since you don’t really have the background to use scent like an animal might. Dio always described it as seeing, too.”
“Wild,” I breathed. The more I looked, the more scent trails I saw. “This could get overwhelming.”
“I believe you’ll learn to ignore what isn’t relevant to you.”
“I hope so.”
We’d reached my rooms, and Nic sent out one of his shadow tentacles, wrapping it around the door handle and opening it for us.
I wasn’t sure if he deliberately pulled the tentacle away slowly, provocatively, or if I was just reacting that way because I knew what he could do with them. I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, not nearly as tired as I had been.
“You know, the bathtub is awfully big for just one person,” I said as we went inside.
“Is it now?” Nic murmured, shutting the door behind us. His soft Kiwi accent soothed me even further.
“Yeah. And I’m pretty worn out. I might need help getting clean.”
“We can’t have you missing any spots,” he agreed.
“And if I’m left alone, I might fall asleep. In such a big tub, that could be disastrous.”
