“Be that as it may, this lark comes with a warning. Neither of you will know the content of Gemma’s dream until you enter it. The possibility exists that it will reflect her current situation, which could be … upsetting, to say the least. Are you prepared for that?”
My amusement died quick. Hadn’t even thought of that. Despite Mingo’s reassurances, that djinni could be doing anything to the poor girl, which was detestable in and of itself, but Kerry was crazy enoughnotknowing. If he knew for a fact she was being tortured… Well, the Big Apple might become theFriedApple.
I wiggled closer to Rome and he obligingly dropped his arm around my shoulders.
“If it means I get to see Gemma and talk to her, I’ll handle it.” Kerry tilted his chin up and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll do anything I have to do to see her.”
“Can we be sure Darius hasn’t handed her over to his master?” Rome pulled me closer until I was snug against his side, my shoulder in his armpit. “For all we know Hubler’s already—”
“We’d know if he had,” Amanda cut him off. “From every corner of the world, our sources and operatives report the prince’s bounty still stands. Also, the Diabolical would flaunt such a victory in our faces.”
“I’ll make sure when I talk to her.” Kerry blew out a heavy breath and his eyes bounced from Amanda to Lilas. “Youcan pull me out at any time, right? I don’t wanna get trapped or anything.”
“Yeth.”
“Uh, I’m thinking there are some things in your memory bank that a kid shouldn’t see.” Rome raised an eyebrow at Kerry.
“Heh. There are some things in thereno oneshould see.” The good side of Kerry’s mouth hiked up. “You hear that, Lilas? Stay out of my memories. They’ll give you nightmares.”
“No problem.”
“So, do we need to wait until I fall asleep? And how do we know if Gemma’s asleep at the same time?”
“She ith,” Lilas confirmed.
“Want me to knock you out, buddy?” Rome held up his big fist.
“I have a better way.” Amanda waited until Kerry looked at her, then flicked her fingers at him. “Sleep.”
White glitter frosted his face and he woulda face-planted on the carpet if Rome hadn’t moved in a blur and eased him down to the floor.
Lilas settled beside him, held his hand, and closed her eyes.
“And now,” Amanda murmured, “we wait.”
36. Can’t Breathe Without You
Gemma
“It had to be a bikini.”
My lips curled up at that familiar midnight-velvet voice. I loved when I dreamed of my boy.
“Itisthe beach, sweetheart,” I murmured.
“I’ve never been to the beach before. It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t compare to you, angel.”
Sliding my sunglasses down my nose, I looked at Kerry where he lay on his side next to me in the sand. His head was propped up on one arm, and he wore a tight t-shirt and red trunks. I recognized it as the same outfit he’d worn the first time we’d gone swimming in the school pool.
I pouted for half a second. He was usually shirtless in my dreams.
“If that shirt gets any tighter, the seams are going to burst,” I purred. “Why don’t you take it off so I can appreciate all those drool-worthy muscles in the flesh?”
“Gemma. I’m really here. Lilas is weaving our dreams together.”
“What?” A bucket of cold water couldn’t have shocked me more.
The corners of his eyes crinkled up as he grinned.
