She looked up and their eyes connected. Damien had forgotten how intense her soulful eyes could be.

“It’s strong,” she whispered, pulling away from his gaze.

“Strong enough to connect people within the dreamscape?”

She didn’t respond. He could tell his words frightened her.

“Strong enough that the Dark Lady will do anything to have that power?”

She clenched her hands and breathed harder. “But that’s not what I want.”

He reached over and touched her arm. “I think I’m beginning to understand. There is a war going on inside of you. You are facing a choice between the Dark Lady and the Light. You have a choice in who you will follow. I don’t know much about the Dark Lady. But I can tell you this: the Light will never force you or coerce you, but he is always there, waiting.”

She glanced over at him. “But then why is the light always moving away from me?”

He thought back to the dreamscape. “Is it really moving away from you? Or are you afraid to move toward it? Perhaps your dream is revealing how you really feel inside. You’re afraid to approach the light, and so it is continually out of reach.”

She let out a shaky sigh. “This is a lot to think about.”

“I’m sure it’s overwhelming. I felt the same way when my family passed away and I was named grand lord. So much responsibility, so many things I didn’t know or feel strong enough to do.”

“Yes. All of that.”

“And there’s more.”

The tone of his voice must have alerted her because she looked up again, bracing for what he had to say next.

“Selene, it would appear you are the new head of House Ravenwood.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Your mother is no longer the keeper of Ravenwood’s secrets.”

“And how would you know this?” But he could see she was already putting the pieces together.

“I was able to tell Taegis about your gift.”

Selene pressed a hand to her temple. “Why me?” she whispered. “I was content to never dreamwalk again, to live a normal life here as Lady Maris. My only desire was to discover the original reason we were given this gift in hope of helping my sisters. Not this. Never this.”

His heart broke as he watched a tear slip down her cheek. Damien closed the space between them and pulled her to his chest. “I believe there is a reason you are a strong dreamwalker: because you also have a strong heart and a strong spirit. We know you can use your gift within the dreams of other people. Perhaps you will be able to help them. Maybe even influence them toward the Light.”

“Or the darkness.”

“You are not bound to the Dark Lady, whatever she may say. The Light is greater than the darkness. It’s your choice. Not hers.”

“I’m still not sure I believe that. My family has followed the Dark Lady for many generations.”