POV: Ashina
Mira confirmed Ashina's fears over breakfast.
"Dream walking is an advanced form of dark magic," the old healer said, her weathered hands wrapped around a cup of tea that had gone cold while she listened to Ashina's account. "It requires a connection between the caster and the victim. Usually blood, or a personal item, or..."
"Or the residual magic from a binding ritual," Ashina finished, understanding dawning with sickening clarity. "When I broke the symbols on Marcus, when my blood touched his chest, she felt it. Felt me. And now she has that connection."
"Most likely." Mira's expression was grave. "The good news is that dream walking is exhausting and can only be sustained for short periods. She can't control your dreams fully, only intrude on them. And she can't actually harm you while you sleep—only frighten you."
"That's the good news?" Ashina set down her untouched breakfast, her appetite gone. "What's the bad news?"
