A sudden spark of defiance replaced Tanvi’s terror. She didn’t answer to this guard—or any guard.

He’s just an obstacle. An obstacle keeping her from Jai, and she thought she knew how to get past him.

It was worth a try.

Smoothing out her expression, Tanvi thrust an empty vial from her pouch at him. Let him call her bluff. Let him scoff and say he couldn’t see any glowing wisps. I dare you.

For once in this nightmare of the past few days, the gods blessed her. The vial was jasper, red-brown and opaque, and when the guard raised his lantern, the stone trapped its beam, appearing lit up from the inside.

“Fascinating,” the guard said. “Perhaps one day, I also might try one.”

She almost nodded but curbed the impulse in time. Instead, she slowly walked toward the entrance.

Once she was sure he couldn’t see her, Tanvi launched herself into the back passages of the palace, the ones only the dream runners used. Her hair, which she’d left loose, floated behind her like a second shadow.

Quit it, she scolded. No more pointless details.

Still, even as she ran, Tanvi couldn’t keep from registering the gloom of the tunnels. They were so stark, like no one thought the dream runners needed beautiful things. Or even plain old sconces to keep them from crashing into the wall.

And then she wanted to claw that observation out of her head.

She reached Jai’s door, one down from hers, and pounded on it. No one answered.

Her breath coming fast and harsh, she tried again. Had he already left to harvest?

Still no answer.

Tanvi turned the knob. The door opened, and she rushed inside.

The room had basic furnishings—a bed and a table and a cabinet. The cabinet was probably stocked with dreamstones, too. All that was missing was Jai.

Tanvi glanced around again, confused. Her room was the same, wasn’t it?

Her eyes blurred, refocusing to take in specifics. No, Jai wasn’t the only thing missing. The bed had been stripped.

Dread bitter on her tongue, Tanvi opened the bureau. The clothes had disappeared, too.

Already knowing what she’d find, she checked the closet. Nothing.

She was too late. Jai was gone. Gone for good.

Was it because he’d started to dream, too?

Her flagging energy gave out, and Tanvi dropped to the middle of what had once been Jai’s floor.

As she lay there, her face pressed against the cool marble, a long-hidden memory crept to the surface, dusty and faded but still in one piece.

That first day, when they’d been initiated into dream running, Asha had gathered the nervous candidates together in Nayan’s study to hear him speak. This is an honor, she’d explained. Each of you was specially selected for an essential job.