Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

My muscles were so tense after four hours of imaginary foes that I nearly had to crawl on all fours to reach my dorm room. Stopping for food, I was thankful that the cafeteria was on the way. If it wasn't for the wall I could lean on to keep my own weight upright, I probably would have curled up in a corner somewhere for students to see how human and weak their leader truly was.

I drew a scalding bath as soon as I arrived. The jets were magical, so soothing that I felt like I floated into bed afterwards. Exhausted after not enough sleep and a hard workout, I barely had enough thought to tuck the forbidden text about the Void between the mattress and the box spring, and my eyes closed before I tucked the covers under my chin.

The next time my eyes blinked open, I was back in my room in Hidden Springs, once again dreaming of home. I turned at the sound of rustling in my closet and found Scruffy's eyes glowing back at me through the darkness. When I reached out to pet him, he growled, and I stepped back. Did he know I wasn't really me right now? If dogs picked up on that kind of thing, I must be frightening to him.

"You might as well come out, Deryk. I know you're there." I sighed.

What would Suzie say if she knew Deryk was invading my dreams? Would she feel disgusted? Curious? Betrayed? All were valid, but I hoped that she'd consider understanding why I hadn't shared right away when I finally told her. After all, it wasn't my fault.

Considering the other, much creepier ways Darkness had visited me, I was glad it was Deryk. Not that it was ever okay, but at least when Darkness came to visit me as Deryk, it was familiar without pretending to be someone else. Someone that I cared about.

"Deryk? If you don't come out, I'm waking up."

Scruffy growled from within the closet and then cursed.

No, Scruffy didn't curse.

Dogs don't talk.

"Deryk, get out of my closet!"

"I didn't want your parents to see me," he said, pushing the door open with a rakish grin pasted to his face, and I rolled my eyes.

"I thought you said they were always out looking for me?"

"So, you believe me now?" His eyebrows lifted and his smile turned smug.

"I believe what I learned at Glory Academy after I woke up," I said. "It just happens to support what you said."

"I told you!"

"Really? I told you so?" I rolled my eyes and turned to look out the window. "You're dead, Deryk. Don't you think it's time to grow up? Besides, I didn't talk to the Brothers and you conveniently forgot to mention that all this time that's passed could be recovered. They can turn back the hours or whatever, and the time I've been gone will be the same to my parents as it has been for me."

"Why didn't you talk to the Brothers?" he asked, ignoring my explanation.

"Does it matter?"

"Maybe, if I know why they're visiting the Sisters and you don't."

"What?" I turned so that I was once again facing him. Was he able to read my mind or was I somehow projecting what I knew so that he knew it to? "How would you know why the Brothers went to see the Sisters?"

Deryk bent at the knees to pick Scruffy up from the floor and then sat on my bed. Why did I get growled at and he received a tongue bath? Traitorous mutt!

"How can you hold him?"

"I'm dead, genius. Unlike you, I won't mist."

"Then how are you in my dream?"