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Back Dreams Lie Beneath Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. Part 1
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. Part 2
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. Part 3
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. About the Author
  53. Books by Rebecca Ross
  54. Back Ad
  55. About the Publisher

That prompted him to crack open his eyes and look up at me. “Which means I have asked a very good question, because you don’t want to answer it.”

He was beginning to read me rather well, which stirred my apprehension. I resolved to be more careful around him. And I hadn’t thought of myself as performing a role, but I should have, from the moment we’d had our interview.

“Anna Bailey is my true name,” I said. “I chose Neven for myself after my mother died, to hide me from a few of her old acquaintances who might give me trouble. She had some old debts that she never paid before she passed away. That’s why I haven’t told you much about me.”

“You could tell me who she owes a debt to, and I will pay it.”

I frowned. “No, Phelan. I don’t want you paying my mother’s debts.”

Go to sleep, I thought with desperation, and listened as his breaths pulled deep, his eyes closing more and more with each stubborn blink. I delayed a minute more, just to be certain he was asleep this time, before I began to edge my way off the bed.

“Don’t leave, Anna,” he whispered. “Stay here with me.”

I wondered if he truly wanted my company, or if he was worried about me slipping away into the night without him. But I lingered.

Eventually, though, I couldn’t deny my weariness. I found a dreamless remedy in Phelan’s side table and drank it, surrendering to the soft embrace of the bed. And I fell asleep at his side.

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23

“Miss Neven? Miss Neven!”

I woke to the shock and horror of Mrs. Stirling. She stood at the foot of the bed, her face blanched as she stared at me. Why did she look so upset? I wondered, groggily wiping the drool from my lips.

And then I realized this bed was unfamiliar, and Phelan was sleeping close beside me, his chest exposed and scarred and sewn up, his fingers entwined with mine. . . .

The memory of the new moon flooded through me and knocked away the last gossamer of sleep.

“Mrs. Stirling. Don’t worry, he’s all right,” I started to say, but my voice died when I saw another figure step forward. One that sparkled with diamonds and moved with terrible grace. I recognized her. We had crossed paths in the art shop last month. The countess. Phelan’s mother. Her blue eyes studied me with icy reserve, and I suddenly felt as if I were naked.

“Miss Neven, this is the Countess of Amarys,” Mrs. Stirling rushed to introduce us, but she couldn’t smooth away the tension in the air. “Lady Raven Vesper.”