Katie followed her instincts through the dreamscape until she climbed the last rocks and saw Rhyn curled in a ball just on the other side of a small ridge on the Sanctuary. Her heart leapt, and she hurried to him. In her last dream, he’d been there one moment then disappeared, just when she reached out for him. She couldn’t help wondering if these dreams were more than dreams. This wouldn’t be the first time she lived out reality in a dream.
“Rhyn? What’s wrong?” she asked, pausing near him.
His teeth were grinding loudly enough for her to hear, and his face was ashen and drawn in a look of pain. He couldn’t answer – that much she discerned at the rippling muscles of his clenched jaw.
She knelt beside him and touched his arm tentatively, waiting for him to disappear again.
Instantly the grinding of his teeth stopped, and his ragged breathing began to slow. He uncurled, and she withdrew her hand before he disappeared from the dream again. Even so, she wasn’t able to shake the warmth of his magic flying up her arm and through her, reminding her of what it was like being near him when she was alive. Even the skin of a half-demon was smooth and warm. She used to resent the way his touch made her feel like she belonged to him, until she’d walked into the Caribbean knowing he might never touch her again.
”What … did you do?” he rasped.
“Thank God!” she exclaimed when he didn’t disappear. “What are you doing? Did you do what Kris said?”
“Toby,” he managed. “He went through the portal.”
“So that coward of a brother of yours sent a kid to face a bunch of demons?” she demanded. She wanted Kris dead in that moment, even if the arrogant Immortal was her sister’s husband.
“Toby went before we could stop him.”
“Oh,” she said. “Is he okay?”
“Trying not to blow him up. I can’t control it.”
Katie watched him stand with effort. The strain on his face was clear, and a tremor of fear crept through her.
“You can do it,” she said.
“I’ve never been able to.”
“Rhyn, you can. I know you can. How else can you protect him and everyone else?”