The Children of Hypnos

[Vol. 2] Chapter 20: His Lonesome Nights Are Over

Emery's night had well been ruined, that was for sure. Even when she promised herself she'd have a good day, the world conspired against her. She danced once with Charles van der Gelt, politely answering his questions about her family and her occupation—and ignoring a particularly tone-deaf question about her future—once with Jacqueline to impart all she'd learned, and once with Wes, to do the same. Wes only seemed to relax when they were together, and despite his protestations, he wasn't a bad dancer at all. The younger Van der Gelt siblings were waiting in the wings to steal him back as soon as she'd finished with him, and within ten minutes he looked like he was going to melt to a puddle on the floor.

She managed to pry Wes out of their hands just before the screaming of the Wilmark Fox pierced again through the night, followed by a sickening wave of pressure from the Dream. All the Dream-sensitive people in the room stopped, buffeted by the sensation; Grandpa Al was among the first to recover, and in seconds was running toward the doors, yelling, "Ares! Moxie!"

The three of them and a host of other dreamhunters vanished into the night. Screams echoed across campus. The non-State guests were corralled into the center of the room by the remaining hunters, where Temper's level voice boomed over them to remain calm.

Emery's hand froze on Wes's arm, crushing his bicep. She hadn't felt that kind of flux in the Dream since Fenhalloween.

"She might be here," Wes said, taking her hand. She wished she couldn't understand what he was saying. "Emery, Morrigan might be here. They both might be here. We have to go. We have to hunt."

His phone went off. "Ridley," he said, eyes scanning the screen. "She said she saw..." His face paled. He let Emery go and started for the door.

She hurried after him. "What is it? Is Ridley okay?"

"She said there's a girl outside her room in a parka and a ski mask." Wes said. Emery realized it was taking all his effort not to break into a run in front of everyone at the gala. They had to get out of the building before anyone stopped them.

They slipped from the atrium. Emery took her own phone out of her dress's built-in bra and called Marcia. Marcia picked up on the first ring.

"Have you seen Klaus?" Marcia asked, sounding rushed.

"No—where did you go? I thought he went with you."

"He didn't come back to the Crossing?"

"No. Marcia?"

Marcia cursed. Emery's heart sank. "But he couldn't be—that wasn't what we felt, was it?"

"If his doppelgänger had claimed his body, you wouldn't have felt anything," Marcia said. "I think that pulse was him falling asleep again. Falling asleep suddenly."

Wes, who had been leaning close to Emery's ear to hear Marcia, said, "Sand?"

Marcia didn't have to confirm. "I found his guard in the elevator. She's dead. Poisoned. We have to find him. He wouldn't do this, but his doppelgänger would."

"Why would his doppelgänger put him to sleep instead of just taking over his body?" Emery asked. Wes pulled her down a dark hallway and started stripping out of some of his nicer clothes so he could form his armor over the top. Emery handed him the phone while she slid from her dress and formed her armor in its wake. "They don't have to be anywhere specific to take over their dreamer."

"I'm on the quad," Marcia said, and hung up.

They hurried out to meet her. Against the snow, she stood out with her black armor and massive battle-axe, and she was in a heated argument with Ares, who was jabbing a finger toward the green fog rolling across the ground where just hours earlier there had been a school-wide snowball fight. Instead of going to help, Emery said, "Ridley first," and the two of them darted around the side of the quad and made their way to the dorms.