Taegis opened the door, then headed in.

The room was small, with a double bed nailed to the floor, built-in shelves, a single lamp that hung on one side, and a port window on the other. With Damien, Taegis, and Karl, there was hardly space for anyone else. Selene waited outside the doorway, her chest and throat tight as they lowered Damien onto the bed. The rational part of her knew Taegis was probably right that Damien had overexerted himself. But that didn’t stop her stomach from churning with worry.

Karl lit the hanging lamp nearby while Taegis checked on him once more before turning back toward the door.

Captain Stout stepped beside Selene. “We don’t have a healer on board. Do we need to stop at Lucent?”

Taegis shook his head. “No. He simply needs rest. His father, Lord Remfrey, also passed out a time or two after using his gift.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Captain Stout mumbled.

Selene agreed. Sometimes she felt shaken after dreamwalking, but she was never so fatigued that she passed out. It reinforced her opinion that Damien’s gift was the greater one.

Taegis looked at her. “My lady, I would feel better if I could stay with his lordship for a while. I still believe this is caused by fatigue, but I want to stay with him, just in case.”

“Of course.”

He bowed his head. “Thank you. I will stay with Lord Damien until the evening watch, unless something changes.”

Selene nodded. There wasn’t enough room for both of them in the small cabin, and even though she was concerned about Damien, she would let Taegis take the first watch. “Thank you, Taegis. In the meantime, I will be on the deck.”

Taegis bowed his head. “Karl, help me make his lordship more comfortable.” He began to remove Damien’s boots while Karl undid Damien’s cloak.

Selene left the cabin and closed the door behind her. She ate very little dinner in the galley, then wandered along the top deck, watching the moon rise and stars come out over the water.

Why did the Light give them these gifts? Gifts powerful enough to knock a person out or steal someone’s life? She ran her fingers along the railing as a cold wind blew across her face. Damien would say their gifts were given so they could help people. But to wield such power almost cost too much. More pain seemed to come from these gifts than good.

Would it have been better if the Light had left humankind alone?

Selene sighed. So many questions, so many burdens.

What she longed for was freedom and peace.

An image of Damien’s soul entered her mind. She hadn’t visited Damien’s dreamscape in months. An intense longing filled her being to see his light again, a light so powerful it took her breath away. Just a glimpse of that brilliant, peaceful place.

Selene shook her head.

The Dark Lady was hunting her now. And it didn’t feel right to enter Damien’s dreamscape without his knowledge. That was his place. Perhaps the deepest part of him that was connected to the Light.