I then shoved a gun between the mattress and the wall, where it could be easily retrieved but not so easily discovered, and started climbing into bed—only to stop again. I had no idea if Dream would recognize what the charms were, but I didn’t dare take that chance. I walked across to the wardrobe, picked out a semi sheer, long-sleeved nightgown with cuffs wide enough to conceal the charms, and slipped it on. Once under the sheets, I made doubly sure I could reach the gun easily enough, then closed my eyes and dropped into a deep healing state.
I was woken, who knew how many hours later, by a hand on my shoulder, lightly shaking me.
My groan was real rather than feigned—being so abruptly pulled out of the deep healing state always resulted in several minutes of confusion and sluggishness.
The hand shoved me again, a little more viciously this time. I slipped one hand under my pillow in readiness to grab the gun even as I stirred and forced heavy-feeling eyes open.
There were two men in the room. One I knew, the other I didn’t.
And the latter was not only armed but had the sight aimed squarely at my head. At such a close distance, a weapon that powerful would not only blow my brains apart, but take out much of the wall behind me.
“Charles, what are you doing here?”
My voice was little more than a croak. That alone told me I hadn’t been under anywhere near long enough.
“I was worried—”
“I sent you a note,” I cut in, my voice holding an edge of annoyance. “Didn’t you get it?”
Something flickered in his eyes, but I wasn’t entirely sure if it was remorse or annoyance. “Yes, but I heard there was an escaped felon in the area, and I wanted to check that you were okay.”
“How would an escaped felon get into a building as secure as this?” That edge was stronger and it wasn’t feigned. “And how did you get in here?”
“You have to understand—”
“Understand what?” I raised my tone and forcing an edge of fury into it. “That you broke into my apartment with an armed guard? One who still has a gun aimed at me?”
He had the grace to at least look uncomfortable. “Yes, sorry, but Officer Richmond is under strict instructions to remain vigilant until otherwise notified—”
“Notified by whom?” I sat upright. I had no sense that there was anyone other than these two men in the apartment, and it would appear rather odd if I remained lying down in such circu
mstances. I could still reach the gun easily enough if I needed to. “Really, Charles, it's rather obvious there’s no one here but the three of us. Or do you think I’m the escaped felon?”
“No, no, of course not,” he said quickly. “But you didn’t respond when we pressed the urgent call button, so we deemed it prudent to come in and check.”
“And by what right have you done such a thing?” I flicked the sheet off and rose. I didn’t bother controlling my anger, and the force of it was such that he took a rapid step backward. “We might be sexually involved, Charles, but there’s no commitment between us, and you certainly have no authority over any of my actions. So unless you and your weapon-bearing friend have the appropriate invasion order, a complaint will be lodged.”
I stalked past him. The soldier at the door stood to one side but didn’t relax his guard any. I continued to the stairs and headed down. Thankfully, both Charles and the guard followed. Obviously, the latter’s orders had been to keep an eye on my movements rather than search the apartment.
Charles followed me across to the kitchen. “Come on now, there’s no need for that. I only acted out of concern—”
“Does that mean you haven’t got an invasion order?”
“He doesn’t need one,” a new voice said. “Not when I was with him and gave the go-ahead.”
My gut clenched. Though the voice belonged to Karlinda, the foul energy now stinging the air belonged wholly to Dream. I cursed the lack of foresight that had me standing here without a weapon within reaching distance, and swung around to face her.
She strode toward me easily, the chancellor’s frail outer shell so at odds with the force of energy rolling off her. It felt like thousands of tiny gnats were nipping at my skin, and it was all I could do to remain still and not react in any way.
“I wasn’t aware it was within the chancellor’s power to issue such orders,” I replied coolly.
“Generally, it isn’t.”
She stopped on the other side of the kitchen counter and motioned toward my hands. Only it wasn’t a simple indicator of what she wanted, but rather an unleashing of power—something I knew only because the charm on my left wrist began to burn. The fact I wasn’t once again battling to breathe meant Nuri’s magic was effectively countering Dream’s.
Now I just had to hope that my earlier guess was true—that a major part of her physical and magical strength was being sucked away by the rifts, which in turn meant she wasn’t capable of sensing either of the charms.
And if the quick flick of confusion that ran across her expression was anything to go by, she couldn’t.