MAILAH WOKE UP to the pleasant warmth of morning sun—and the far less pleasant weight of Shadow planted on her chest, staring like a furry little warden.
"You're heavier than you look," Mailah groaned.
Shadow meowed—a sound that managed to convey both judgment and demand.
"Fine, fine. I'm getting up."
The cat leaped off with feline grace, padding to the door and sitting with her tail swishing impatiently. Mailah dragged herself out of bed, her body feeling strangely heavy, like she'd run a marathon in her sleep.
The dreams.
They came flooding back in a rush—not the garden this time, but a library. Endless shelves of books that whispered secrets when you passed them. And Grayson, solid and real, teaching her how to navigate the dream realm, how to recognize when she was dreaming, how to wake herself if she needed to.
He'd kept his promise. He'd visited her dreams, but instead of romance, he'd given her knowledge. Tools. Protection.
