Chapter 57 THE DREAM MASTER
CHAPTER 057: THE DREAM MASTER
"Corvus?" I repeat. "But that's the name of our Headmaster at Duskmoor."
The man's smile widens. "Is it? How unfortunate for you that you trusted someone working for the Hollow King."
My stomach drops.
"You're lying," Alaric says, stepping forward. "Headmaster Corvus has run the academy for decades."
"Has he? Or has the thing wearing his skin run it? Tell me vampire, when was the last time you saw your Headmaster in direct sunlight?"
Alaric's face goes pale.
"He can't," the man continues. "Because the real Corvus died thirty years ago and I've been using his corpse as a puppet ever since."
Kieran shifts, his wolf pushing to the surface. "Who are you really?"
"I told you. Corvus. Or rather, the entity you've known as Corvus. My real name is Caius and I'm what Marvin wished he could be."
"Get out of our camp," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
"I'm not in your camp. This is merely a projection. The real me is miles away, safe and comfortable."
"Then what do you want?"
"To talk. To offer you a choice before I take what I need by force."
Luna moves to stand beside me. Through the bond I feel her fear and determination mixing.
"We're not interested in your offers," she says.
"Not even one that saves your friends?" Caius gestures and the shadows ripple. Images appear in the darkness. The boys, Sofia, Morgana, Mom, all frozen in place like statues. "They're trapped in a dream right now. A nightmare actually. Watching everyone they love die over and over."
"Let them go," I demand.
"Make me."
I reach for my time magic, trying to freeze him.
Nothing happens.
"Dream realms don't follow normal time little phoenix. Your tricks won't work here."
I try anyway, pushing harder. The world stutters but Caius doesn't freeze.
He laughs. "You're persistent. I like that. It'll make harvesting you more enjoyable."
Zev suddenly gasps. His body goes rigid, eyes rolling back.
"Zev!" I rush toward him but Caius's projection blocks my path.
"Your pet incubus is fighting me. It's adorable really. He thinks he can resist." Caius tilts his head. "Should I show you what happens when I stop being gentle?"
Zev screams. His back arches, hands clawing at his head.
"Stop it," I shout.
"Come to me willingly. Let me harvest your power and I'll let them all live."
"I've heard that before. Didn't believe it then. Don't believe it now."
"Your mistake." Caius makes a gesture and Zev screams again, blood running from his nose.
"Please," I beg. "Don't hurt him."
"Then give me what I want."
Zev's voice comes out strangled. "Thalira don't. He's lying. He'll kill everyone anyway."
Caius sighs. "Always the heroes. Fine. Let me show you what I can do."
Zev's body convulses. His eyes open but they're not his normal green. They're black, empty, wrong.
He stands smoothly, movements mechanical.
"Hello Thalira," Zev's mouth says with Caius's voice. "Much better. Now I can be hands-on."
"Get out of him."
"In a moment. First let's test his limits."
Zev's hand shoots out, grabbing my throat. His grip is iron strong.
"One command," Caius says through Zev. "One thought and I make him crush your windpipe. Then I make him kill your sister. Then your friends. All while he's conscious and screaming inside his own head."
I claw at Zev's hand but it doesn't budge.
"Last chance," Caius says. "Surrender or watch everyone die."
Through the bond with Zev I feel him. He's still in there, fighting desperately for control.
"Thalira run," he manages to gasp before Caius reasserts control.
I can't run. Can't leave him like this.
Instead I reach for my time magic differently. Not trying to freeze the world but freezing my own perception.
Time slows. Caius's words stretch out. Zev's grip loosens slightly.
In that frozen moment I close my eyes and dive.
Into the dream realm. Into Zev's mind.
It's chaos inside. Swirling nightmares and fractured memories. But at the center I find him.
The real Zev, bound in chains of shadow and screaming silently.
Caius looms over him, a massive presence of malice and hunger.
"You can't win here girl," Caius's voice echoes. "This is my domain."
"Maybe," I say, walking toward Zev. "But this is Zev's mind and I know him better than you do."
I reach Zev and touch the chains. They burn but I don't let go.
"What did you teach me?" I ask him. "About mental defenses?"
"Walls," Zev gasps. "Build walls."
I picture the strongest wall I can imagine. Not ice or stone but something else.
Trust. Love. Connection.
The things Caius can never understand.
The wall builds around Zev's consciousness, golden and bright. The chains start to crack.
"No," Caius roars. "This is my realm. My power."
"Not anymore."
I pull on everything Zev taught me. Every technique, every defense, every trick.
The wall solidifies. Caius's presence is pushed back, back, back.
Zev's eyes meet mine. "Together?"
"Together."
We both push.
Caius screams. The sound is inhuman, endless.
Then suddenly I'm back in my body. Zev's hand releases my throat and he collapses.
I catch him before he hits the ground.
His eyes flutter open. Green. Normal. His.
"Did we win?" he whispers.
"We won."
Around us the others gasp awake. The dream spell broken.
"What the hell just happened?" Kieran demands, on his feet immediately.
"Caius," I say. "One of Marvin's accomplices. He possessed Zev."
Alaric moves to check Zev's pulse. "He's alive but weak."
"He'll be okay," I say, hoping it's true.
Luna helps me lower Zev to the ground. "Where's Caius now?"
"Gone. I forced him out of Zev's mind."
"He'll be back," Zev says, his voice barely audible. "He won't stop."
"Then we kill him," Kieran says simply.
"It's not that easy," Zev argues. "He's powerful. More powerful than Marvin ever was."
Sofia appears beside us. "Also there's a bigger problem."
"What problem?" I ask.
She points to the treeline.
Hundreds of eyes glow in the darkness. Red and hungry and patient.
"He sent an army," Luna whispers.
The eyes start moving closer. I can make out shapes now. Corrupted wolves, bears, creatures that shouldn't exist.
All of them moving toward our camp.
"Run," Kieran says. "Now."
We scramble to grab our things. Zev tries to stand but his legs won't hold him.
Cassian scoops him up. "I've got you."
"Can't run carrying me," Zev protests weakly.
"Watch me."
The corrupted creatures hit the edge of our camp and stop. Like they're waiting for something.
Then a voice echoes through the forest. Caius.
"You embarrassed me Thalira. Made me look weak. I don't appreciate that."
"Good," I shout back. "Come face me yourself instead of hiding behind puppets."
"Oh I will. But first my children are going to soften you up."
The creatures charge.
We run.
Kieran shifts mid-stride, his golden wolf form leading the way. Kira and her scouts shift too, forming a protective circle around those of us who can't.
The corrupted things chase us through the forest. Fast and relentless.
"We can't outrun them," Alaric shouts.
"We don't need to outrun them," I gasp. "Just need to reach the academy."
"How far?" Luna asks.
"Two days at normal pace."
"We don't have two days," Zev says from Cassian's arms.
He's right. The creatures are gaining.
One leaps at Sofia. Morgana's shadows catch it mid-air and slam it into a tree.
"I can't hold them all off," Morgana pants.
More creatures pour through the trees. Dozens become hundreds.
"We're surrounded," Kira says.
Kieran skids to a stop. We're in a clearing with nowhere left to run.
The corrupted things circle us, snapping and snarling but not attacking yet.
"Why aren't they moving?" Sofia whispers.
Zev lifts his head weakly. "Because he wants to watch."
A figure materializes in front of us. Not a projection this time. Real flesh and blood.
Caius stands there, scarred and smiling.
"Hello Thalira. Let's continue our conversation, shall we?"
Behind him, stepping from the shadows, are two more figures.
A woman with white hair and eyes that glow silver.
A man covered in burns, his skin melted and reformed.
"Meet my colleagues," Caius says. "Seraphine and Dante. We've been waiting a long time to meet the famous Phoenix twins."
"Three of you," I breathe.
"Three of us," Caius confirms. "And we're done playing games."
His hand shoots out and Luna screams.
She's yanked forward by invisible force, dragged across the ground toward Caius.
"No!" I lunge for her but Dante moves faster.
His burned hand grabs my arm and pain explodes through me.
I'm burning from the inside out.
The last thing I see before everything goes black is Mom screaming my name and the boys trying to reach me.
Then nothing.