My body trembles. Air is snatched from my lungs. Pain courses through me with every wound on me. I can't fight them all. He can't fight fight then either. I'm going to lose another person. Ican'tlose the last person the world has gifted me.
Amias isn't going to last. If I don't think of anything now, he's done for.
Wait!
“Stop! I got a prophecy!” I yelp.
The biting and clawing pauses. The dreamscreechers around Amias snap their heads up. Amias perks his head, blood dripping down his cheek.
I breathe hoarsely. “Godusa told me to save him! She needs him alive!”
The dreamscreechers remain silent as they tilt their heads.
“You'll regret killing him!” I pause to catch my breath “I guarantee!”
The dreamscreechers start to whisper among themselves, exchanging looks with each other.
“She wants him alive?”
“No one has seen Godusa for decades besides Vasilisa.”
“Why would she want us to help him?”
Amias’ eyes widen at me. I nod to him to assure him even though my confidence is weak.
“She never got a prophecy! She's lying!” Vasilisa growls. “Rip her and her little boy toy apart!”
“No! I did!” I take a moment to look into the eyes of each dreamscreecher. “She gave me a vision of Amias dying in violet flames. She warned me two days ago. If you don't listen, you'll all pay.”
“And how do we know you're not lying?” one dreamscreecher shouts from the crowd. He steps forward between me and Amias, towering over my body.
I sniffle, fear strumming against my chest. I don't have any proof. I have to hope I'm convincing enough. “I know I can't prove it, but I promise you I did.”
“Why would Godusa want to keep the enemy alive?” another dreamscreecher says.
“This is the blood of her who's killed our kind for centuries,” The dreamscreecher between Amias and I growls. “His grandmother killed countless of our greatest knights. Why should we trust her kin?”
I wipe away tears. “He’s no enemy. He's not like her. Would he still be here if he didn't love me? He knows who and what I am and still fights for me. You know how big this is? To have Amara's grandson fight for us?” As they murmuring among themselves, I look at Amias, who's lying down staring up at the dreamscreechers like a panicked mouse. “Amias is sweet and kind. He'll help restore peace between Amara and Somnia. We won't be plagued by Amara's cruelty any longer.”
Amias catches my gaze, his brows rising like he just realized what was being said of him.
“That's impossible!” Vasilisa snaps. “Amara and Somnia will always be divided.”
Amias’ nose wrinkles. “It's not impossible!” His head whirls to Vasilisa. “I want to prove dreamscreechers can be good. They wanted me to poison dreamscreechers tonight but I refused. If I can prove that dreamscreechers are good, we can repair the damage we've done through all these years.”
The dreamscreechers whisper among themselves once more.
“You fools! Do I really have to kill them myself!” Vasilisa growls.
“Please!” I plead. “This is what Godusa wants!”
If they don't believe me, we're done.
Finally as they stop talking amongst each other, the dreamscreecher between Amias and I looks down at me. “We can't go against Godusa's orders.”
My heart leaps in relief. They're on our side!
Vasilisa snarls. “You idiots! She’s manipulating you to let her and little sex toy go!”
