I don’t even hesitate. I jump up and take his hand. I open my eyes and see Sly leaning over me. We’re in the spare room at the manor.
“Sly,” I say happily, flinging my arms around him.
He pulls me up and hugs me. “You’re safe, sweetheart. It was just a nightmare.”
“How did you know I needed help? Did you get my message?” I ask, pulling back.
He shakes his head. “No. I’ve been awake for a while. I got concerned when you didn’t wake up, so I took a peek at your dreams and saw you were trapped in the house, so I went in and pulled you out.”
“Something I am truly grateful for,” I say.
Suddenly, I hear Cam in the hallway. “I need help, something’s wrong with Nix.”
We look at each other and jump out of bed, throwing our clothes on and rushing out as Kean comes running out.
“Something’s wrong with Titus.”
“We can help,” Sly says. “I’ve just pulled Ebby out of a nightmare. Eb, you help Titus, and I’ll help Nix.”
I follow Kean into their room and see Titus lying on the bed. “Can I sit on the bed and touch his arm?”
Kean nods. “Whatever you need to do, have at it.”
“Thanks.” I sit on the side of the bed next to Titus and touch his arm. I close my eyes and look for a way into his dreams, but whatever I try doesn’t work. Dark magic is surrounding his dreams. I draw back, frustrated, and look at Kean. “I can’t find a way inside to bring him out,” I confess.
“You need dark magic to get out. I take it Sly brought you out?” Justice asks from the doorway, Alfred by his side.
I nod. “He did,” I stare at Justice. “Your magic is almost black.”
“It is. Let me help Titus.”
I move out of the way and watch Justice take my place.
“Justice can make his magic go dark grey, almost black, and still stay good,” Alfred tells me.
“Someone, Sal needs help,” Jude calls from the hallway.
I hurry out of the room. “Sly and Justice are helping the others and will help Sal as soon as they’ve finished. If it is the same thing that Justice and I had, he’s stuck in a nightmare that only dark magic can bring us out of.”
Just as I finish, Sly and Justice meet us in the hall, Cam, Nix, Kean and Temp with them.
“I’ll come and help Sal. Sly, do you want to check on Ernest?” Justice asks.
“He needs help as well,” Adhan says, rushing over to us.
“I’ll come and get him. He’s trapped in a nightmare,” Sly tells him.
“I’ll take the children downstairs and get them settled in the lounge,” Emily says, holding Connie.
I’ve no idea when they all arrived.
“Thanks, Emily,” I say. I look at my brothers. “We’re okay,” I assure them.
Enoch gives me a relieved smile as they and Nora go off with Emily.
“Let me come and help Ernest,” Sly says, taking my hand as we follow Adhan to their bedroom.
I wonder if all the dreams are the same, with some of us dying in the haunted house. I really hope not.
