Gold as the Crown

Chapter 8

(/Mare/)

I jerked awake, almost smacking my forehead against the ceiling of the room. My chest rose and fell rapidly, and my vision was still blurry with sleep. Rubbing at my eyes, I tried to chase down the fading tendrils of my dream. A nightmare, just a nightmare, I told myself as my vision cleared and my thoughts began to settle. I hadn't had a nightmare like that in a long time, and I did not miss them for obvious reasons. Even now, I could feel the goose bumps on my arms from the horrifically realistic sensations. In fact, the voice, I knew that voice, the one that had been whispering to me in the dream. It had been like a forgotten lullaby, something that had been sung to me as a baby and that I only remembered bits and pieces of now. I felt like I should know it though, like I should know exactly who had been speaking to me in the dream. The more I tried to remember it though, the more it faded away. I shook my head to clear it completely then, and glanced to the side. A pair of amber eyes watched me carefully, the darkness making them all the brighter.

Cal was silent, his expression expectant as he watched me slowly return from my nightmare. He was waiting for me, waiting for me to explain to him what had happened. I laid back slowly then, feeling his arm slide around me and pull me toward him. Inhaling around the tight band that had wrapped itself around my chest, I closed my eyes and whispered, "Nightmare, it was just a nightmare."

"I know," he whispered against my hair as he rested his lips there. I breathed slowly and easily, the band around my chest slowly fading as I gripped his forearms like they were anchors. I could feel his chest rising and falling against my back and I set my breathing to his pace, hoping to fall asleep again. Dreams eluded me though, and they did the same for him.

"The mission we're going on tomorrow," he murmured, his breath stirring the hairs on top of my head as he spoke, "was it part of your nightmare?"

I shook my head slowly, and then squeezed my eyes shut as I replied, "There was a room, and I was alone, tied down at this table..." I hesitated, the band coming back and squeezing as I spoke about it, "and there was someone, whispering, telling me things about myself, rumors and truths."

He didn't move, simply listened, his breath hot on my ear. Eventually though, when my breathing settled again, he whispered in my ear, "It was just a dream."

I nodded, agreeing with him, happy that that was the truth. He sighed softly behind me, and then tried to fall asleep again. I still couldn't though, the fear of that nightmare kept me up. Instead, I watched the others in the room.

Julian and Sara had tried their best to make ends meet in the tiny bed, but they were more squashed than Cal and I were. Mostly they slept back to back, it was the easiest way for them to have space. Sara slept with her face toward me, and I watched her cheeks twitch in her dreams. Did she have nightmares about Elara ordering her tongue cut out? Did she dream about screaming for help that didn't come because no one could hear her? I wasn't sure I wanted to know, but it looked like tonight her dreams were pleasant. I tried not to be jealous of that, and was only partially successful.

Below them, I could just make out Maggie platinum blonde curls in the dim light. She was strewn across her bed like always, and was snoring softly. I felt a small smile tug at my lips at that fact. No matter what happened, I would always be happy that everyone was safe. We were together too, not scattered across the country like we could have been. I squeezed Cal's forearm one more time as I closed my eyes and settled back against him. Whatever came, as long as we faced it together, I had no doubt in my mind that we would be able to get through it.