Dark Side of Dawn: The Nightmare Chronicles (22 page)

Verek raised his brows but said nothing about me taking Noah with us. I suppose he knew there was
no point in arguing. Noah was coming with me and that was that. Against the rules? I’m pretty sure there wasn’t one about taking a human before the Council, since it technically “couldn’t” be done. Also, Padera had threatened him, so he had a stake in this as well.

I “zapped” us to the council chambers, as Noah like to call it. It was quicker than taking the carriage, and quite frankly, I really just wanted this over with. Sometimes the wait to be punished is worse than the punishment itself.

Everyone was already around the table when we walked in. None of them looked particularly surprised that I had Noah with me again. Padera didn’t even give me a haughty smirk. In fact, she looked fairly subdued sitting next to her mother, whose beautiful face was strained and drawn.

I looked at Hadria, who gave me that familiar but strangely comforting serene smile. Then to my father, who looked like I felt. I couldn’t tell from his expression if he was hopeful or not.

Gladios rose from his seat. He wasn’t very tall—maybe five foot ten or so, but he had wide shoulders and a presence that made him seem much larger.

“Mr. Clarke. You will hand over the amulet Princess Dawn gave you.”

Noah shook his head. “No.”

Okay, so this wasn’t entirely unexpected, nor was I all that surprised by Noah’s refusal, but it all made me anxious anyway.

“This is not up for discussion, young man.”

Noah gave Gladios a wry grin. “You’re right. I’m not giving you what was a gift to me. I’ve already been attacked and almost killed by one of your kind. And threatened by your Warden. Next time I’m going to be better able to defend myself.”

“You expect there will be a ‘next time’?” Gladios demanded haughtily.

Noah’s grin widened as he nodded his head toward me. “I’m dating public enemy number one. Yeah, I expect there to be a next time.”

Despite the pessimism behind the remark, I grinned too. Because Noah was sticking with me, no matter what. And damn it, I was going to stick with him.

“Leave him, Gladios,” Morpheus said in a voice that was as dark as the shadows on the wall behind him. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. “My enemies don’t care about the rules; Noah should be able to defend himself, and my daughter.”

“With all due respect, Lord Morpheus,” the elder Nightmare remarked. “I do not believe there is much the Princess needs defending from.”

My father’s pale gaze went from me to Padera. “Except perhaps her own kin.”

Padera didn’t flinch. “But will you give this domain leave to protect itself against her?”

With a bored expression Morpheus turned back to the Council. “If you have made your judgment let us have it. I’m weary of this drama.”

Gladios nodded in acquiescence. “Although the Council does not approve of her methods or behavior, we cannot find Princess Dawn guilty of any willful wrongdoing. Given Padera’s confession, we find that Dawn acted in self-defense, and all prior offenses were committed out of ignorance or genuine concern for humans.”

Oh, thank God. I sagged against Noah. He supported me with a strong arm around my waist.

“As for the Warden, Padera’s actions were a blatant abuse of power with intent to harm, not only to influence dreamers but to harm a member of the royal family as well. We find her guilty of Treason. She will be stripped her of her position as Warden. We leave any other punishment for her crimes in the hands of Lord Morpheus.”

My eyes widened. Damn. That was throwing her to the lions, wasn’t it? I looked at my father. I half expected him to look pleased, but he was anything but.

“What do you think should happen to her, Dawn?” he asked.

Oh sure, leave it to me rather than take responsibility
for your own rotten kid, I thought. There were all kinds of horrible things I could do to her, all kinds of punishment I thought she deserved, but in the end I wasn’t that vengeful. Not really.

“I think stripping her of her power is sufficient.” Knowing how arrogant she was of her power, that seemed fitting. “Maybe she should have some solitary confinement so she can think about what she’s risked and lost.”

Morpheus smiled proudly at me. Obviously he thought I’d made a strong but generous judgment. His daughter would be punished, but not permanently harmed. “A fair judgment.”

I turned my gaze to my sister. “But if she ever threatens me or anyone I care about again, I want her unmade.” I turned that gaze to Morpheus. “Agreed?”

He looked a little surprised—maybe that I would think of such a thing, but I wasn’t dicking around, not when it came to the people I cared about. “Agreed.”

Padera practically snarled at me—and at Morpheus. “It doesn’t matter what you do. Another will take my place. You will fall, my lord.” She glared at me. “And you, you abomination, you will be destroyed.”

Her words put a chill in my chest. This wasn’t over, then? I turned to my father with an expression that no doubt bordered on psychotic panic. “What the hell is she talking about?”

Morpheus was grim. “Unless the current Warden is challenged for the title, a new Warden will be appointed from the appropriate candidates.”

I glanced at him. “And there’s a fifty-fifty chance that whoever is appointed will be an enemy of yours?”

He turned his face to mine. “Judging from her expression, and recent events, I’d say the odds are better than that. She wouldn’t have risked her position if there wasn’t another already set to take her place.”

I swallowed. Great. Then, with a sense of finality that really, really ticked me off, I stepped forward, glaring at the woman who’d tried to end my life. “I challenge you for the position of Warden.”

That’s when she lost it.

Padera came at me like a lioness pouncing on a dumbstruck lamb. I truly wasn’t prepared, though I should have been given our history and my not-so-subtle challenge.

What else could I do? It was the only way I could think of to protect my father, Noah, myself, and everyone else I care about. Verek hadn’t offered to do it, so I had to.

Speaking of Verek, he and Noah were the ones who caught Padera and stopped her from taking my face off. I was surprised Noah was able to hold her—he must be more powerful in this world than we originally thought. Surprise, surprise. And I must have been in a thin state
of shock to continue standing there like nothing had even happened.

“Do you accept my challenge?” I asked the redhead struggling against the strong arms that held her from either side.

Pale eyes glittered like shards of glass. “I accept.”

“She cannot challenge for the position of Warden!” A council member I didn’t know shouted as he leaped to his feet. “She’s not one of us!”

Wrong thing to say. My father’s face was impassive, but I knew he’d be watching this man from now on, and Ama would help him if Morpheus found him lacking. “She is of my blood. That makes her Dreamkin. And there is nothing written that states who can and cannot challenge for the position.”

Sour-faced, the man reluctantly resumed his seat.

I turned to Morpheus. “How do we do this?”

“It’s a physical and mental contest,” my father explained. “Whoever proves themselves superior in strength, speed, stamina and, above all, sheer power, will be the victor.” To be honest, he looked a little dubious. I guess his other daughter was pretty kick-ass. Great.

OK, so I could fight physically. I knew I had some degree of power. What this contest meant was letting what I referred to as “Dark Dawn” out to do her worst. That was what was going to be hard—giving over my
control to sheer instinct. I didn’t have a choice. Either I won, or the next person who took the position picked up where Padera left off.

Noah walked up to me. He looked worried. He looked a little angry too. “I don’t suppose you have any idea what you’re doing?”

I shook my head with a faint smile. “None whatsoever.”

He watched me for what felt like forever, dark gaze searching my face. I’m not sure what he saw there, but I think it might have been fear with a healthy dose of determination. And I think he realized that I was going to do this—no matter what.

“She’s a dirty fighter,” he said in a low tone, taking one of my hands in his and massaging it. “Watch her legs. She’ll be fast, but unsteady. Use her anger against her to throw her off balance. Get her feet out from under her and you’ll dominate her physically.”

I smiled just a little. “You like talking dirty like that?”

He chuckled briefly, more like a breath of laughter, but it was there all the same. Then his humor vanished. “Don’t hesitate, Doc. Take every advantage. She’s going to fuck you up if she can.”

I saw how serious he was—how worried. Throat tight, I nodded. “I will.”

Verek approached us. Apparently someone else had guardianship of the Warden now. “It’s time,” he said. His light gaze met mine, piercing and intense. “Good luck, Princess.”

Noah watched the big Nightmare as he walked away. “So that’s my competition, huh? Am I going to have to fight him when this is over?”

I think he was joking, but it was hard to tell. “No. There’s no contest.”

He smiled at me, his obvious relief like a punch to the chest. Then he hugged me and kissed me on the forehead. “Protect yourself.”

“I will.” God, I hoped I could.

No one seemed to care that Noah was going to stay for the event. I guess having a human in their midst was the least of the Council’s concerns right now.

While I’d been talking to Noah, my father had turned part of the room into stadiumlike structure. There was a large mat in the center where Padera and I would square off—and seats off to the side for those watching.

There were more people than I remembered as well. The Nightmare guild was in attendance. There weren’t many of them as Verek had said. But more than Nightmares were there—it looked like a good two hundred Dreamkin were in attendance as well. Who the hell were they?

And there was my mother, sitting next to Morpheus on the sidelines. Fabulous. Like I didn’t have enough pressure on me.

“The opponents will come to the center of the circle,” Gladios intoned, in a voice that filled the room.

Noah gave me another hug and kiss before taking a seat on the stands beside my parents.

Padera had changed her clothes. She wore loose pants and a tunic suited for fighting. I willed my own clothing to change as well—into a pair of calf-length sweatpants, flats and a T-shirt. My hair was up in a clip—no ponytail for the bitch to grab.

We faced off, both braced and tensed for action. When the council head boomed, “Begin” I almost jumped right out of my skin.

Noah was right. The Warden was fast, but her rage messed with her control. She also used her legs a lot. I figured that one out the second her foot connected with my skull and knocked me onto my back on the mat.

Stars danced before my eyes. And then a sharp pain tore through my side. She’d kicked me. Kicked me while I was down!

“Get up,”
a voice in my head insisted.
“Get up and kick her ass.”

It was easier said than done, but I managed to roll to my feet and avoid another kick at the same time. The
next time I saw her foot flying at me, I grabbed it and the leg it was attached to. I twisted it hard and kicked her other one out from underneath her, throwing her away from me as she fell.

Noah shouted out in encouragement. His voice filled me, mixing with the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I bounced on the balls of my feet, stretching my neck like I’d seen boxers do in the ring. I felt confident. Hell, I felt cocky.

Big mistake.

Padera was back on her feet and snarling like a pissed-off tiger. She ran at me and I leaped to meet her halfway. We grappled, clutching at each other’s arms. She pivoted her upper body and I had a second of disbelief as my feet left the mat. The next thing I knew I was sailing through the air, the wall on the far side of the room coming fast to meet me.

I hit the wall hard. I think I heard it splinter under the impact, but that might have been my teeth knocking together. I fell to the ground in a great breathless, agonized heap.

That shouldn’t have happened. You should have reacted better.

The voice was right. The Nightmare part of me that I had buried for so long knew what to do—it was in my blood the same as knowing how to breathe. I just had
to let it take over. It shouldn’t be too hard—I’d let that part of me out during the fight with Karatos. I could do it now.

I rose to my feet, refusing to stagger. When I raised my head I saw the Warden coming at me with lightning speed. She was smiling. It was the smile that ignited that familiar burning in my eyes, the fire in my soul.

She stopped smiling when I picked her up and tossed her like I had tossed Verek before. Watching her hit the wall above the spectators gave me something to grin about. I cast a glance at Noah and saw him watching me in astonishment. Did I scare him? My confidence wavered, and then he grinned, and sweet relief washed over me.

“Dawn!” It was my mother who cried out. I turned my head in time to see Padera launching a new attack. This time she had a sword. I recognized it as a Morae blade, the weapon of all Nightmares.

I managed to duck, dodging the razor-sharp blade as it swung at my head. I couldn’t die here, but I didn’t want to test the theory of whether or not I could be decapitated. Pain was pain, no matter the outcome. Plus, if she took my head, I was pretty sure that would count as a win for her.

I rolled to my feet—me, the kid who could never do a summersault in gym class, tucked and rolled in one perfect, graceful movement. When I jumped to my feet,
I had my own blade in my hand, having summoned it without being aware. Usually it took the form of a dagger, but since my opponent had a sword, I made mine a sword as well.

When the blades met it was like that scene out of the first Highlander movie when Chris Lambert and Clancy Brown are fighting on top of the sign. Sparks flew. Metal screeched against metal and I felt the reverberation all the way up my arms. It must have made the Warden’s arms feel like noodles.

Or maybe not. She whipped that sword around and sliced my cheek with a swiftness that dropped my jaw.

“First blood goes to the defender,” the council head boomed.

First
blood? That insinuated that there was more blood to come, didn’t it? OK, so this didn’t count as a win for her. I could still do this. I could still win, but I had to get a grip on myself.

When she came at me again, grinning like a maniac, my first reaction was to keep my blade up in deflection, but my arms wanted to do something. I listened to my arms, bringing the sword down in a wide arc and twisted my body in a swirling turn so that the tip of my blade severed her Achilles tendon. Padera stumbled, but didn’t fall. Her cry of pain echoed throughout the room. I shouldn’t have felt so self-satisfied, but I did.

“Second blood goes to the challenger,” I taunted as she limped around for another go. Her blood pooled onto the floor just as mine ran down my cheek and neck, soaking my shirt. This might not be a battle to the actual death, but it sure as hell felt like it.

She stopped and faced me, sweaty and flushed. “Let’s try this another way, shall we?”

What now? Like a dolt, I stood there and watched as she held her hands out to her sides and begin to chant in a low voice. Behind me I heard Verek shout, but I couldn’t make out what he said above the noise of the crowd and my heart pounding in my ears. Shit, what now?

By the time I figured it out, it was too late. As my heart leaped into my throat I knew that Padera was going to kick my ass well and good.

She had summoned the mist. I should have known. She’d used it against me before, and being the kind to always exploit a weakness, she’d brought it back for a second go at me.

My sister actually smiled at me as the undulating wisps of fog wove around her like little puppies wanting attention. To me, they were piranhas circling, waiting for blood.

What the hell was I going to do? As the mist slowly moved toward me, my mind went blank. I didn’t know
what to do. It was going to bite and claw and rip me apart and no one would stop it. Oh, I’d heal at the end, but the damage would be done.

I stood still as the first tendrils brushed against me, closing my eyes against the fear that rose up in my chest, flushing my cheeks and making my head swim. Just kill me and get it over with.

Padera was still talking. What was she saying? Urging it on, commanding it to do its worse. I should have told Morpheus to fry her ass. I don’t care if she’s blood—she’s a fucking psycho.

A sharp sting on my wrist made me flinch. Third blood goes to the mist. Fourth and fifth as well—on my ankle and the side of my neck. Blood trickled from the wounds, and I imagined the mist’s aggression mounting, like sharks moving in for the kill.

In my head Verek’s voice rang out.
“You have to command it to respect you.”

Okay, there are ways to conquer fear, and the first is to face that which you are afraid of. I opened my eyes and forced myself to look into the mist.

And gasped as wispy claws raked my back. At this rate the venom would get me before anything else did.

I concentrated on my breathing, trying to ignore the sweat pouring down my face and neck. The wounds stung and burned, and fever was already heating my
blood. I had to act fast, and that was so not my strong suit. I was impulsive, yes, but for the most part I thought too much, and that was my problem now.

Clearing your mind is a lot harder than it sounds, especially on demand, but I really didn’t have much of a choice. Right now I had to let go of everything that I thought and let instinct take over—and not the instinct that told me to slice at it. That was my human instinct. I had to reach deep down inside and let that part of me that I thought of as dark take over. In this world, she knew what she was doing. I just hoped I could control her once I let her out.

I didn’t have to dig far. I think she was waiting. I was so going to have to get into some Dissociative Identity Disorder therapy when this was over.

Another bite to the back of the knee, scratches to the face. I stumbled as the mist wrapped itself around me and squeezed. All the while, the multitude of voices within hissed and cursed at me.

I was on my hands and knees, panting for breath when I felt heat explode behind my eyes. At first I thought my retinas had exploded from the poison. Then I realized that I could see better, sharper. I could make out shapes in the mist—faces both monstrous and sweet, hands and mouths, eyes and ears. Creepy. Some of these shapes were humanoid and some weren’t. There was a little bit of everything in the mist.

Wait. Hadn’t Hadria said that there was a little bit of everything in me? That’s when it hit me.

I didn’t have to fight the mist. I didn’t have to defend against it. All I had to do was become it. The mist thought I didn’t belong. I had to make it see that I did. God, it was so simple! Why hadn’t I thought of it before? That time at Hadria’s I had reached out to it—and absorbed part of it. That’s why it had left—why it stopped hurting me.

Suddenly it wasn’t so hard to concentrate. The part of me rooted in this world had no problem with such things. She grabbed on to the idea and held on for dear life, pushing and pulling the fabric of the Dreaming—of me—until I was no longer whole. I was no longer me. I was mist—light and insubstantial, yet sharp as razor wire and strong as steel. Stronger.

The rest of the mist sparkled with confusion. I could hear the voices inside me, and I added my own to it. “I don’t want to harm you,” I whispered. “I’m not a threat to you or this world.”

I entwined myself with other tendrils as I spoke, rubbing against them as I had witnessed them behave with Verek and Padera. I felt like part of something—something so special and strange I couldn’t help but laugh with glee. How could I have hated this incredible, powerful being—these
beings
?