“They’re here.” Savannah grinned and tugged on my hand. She looked up at me. “Saffie and Riah are here. We can go. Let them handle this.”

I exhaled a deep breath and let me magic out with it, letting it tell me where I was needed, not for the first time wishing Tegan was around to talk to. She may have stressed me out but not having her to talk to felt like dangling from a cliff with one hand that was slipping.

“So, you see your answer, right?”

I frowned. “Answer?”

“You were tryna figure out why they want you to look but don’t wanna know.” She snapped her fingers, then gestured around. “Remember?”

“Oh. Yeah . . .” I shook my head. “I still don’t get it.”

She eyed me carefully for a long moment, then sighed. “They’re scared, Coop. More than they let on. I saw their fears and they’re all terrifyingly real and plausible. They just like knowing someone is watching over them when they can’t protect themselves. Sometimes the nightmares chase us until the light comes, but you can make that go away.”

I opened my mouth, then shut it.

“Royce is clearly struggling with his lack of voice, but you were able to let him feel heard. Thiago did not need to relive that moment tonight. You made it stop. Then you gave them each other. That means more than I think you realize. Chutney may not have been with us to talk, but those animals in her mind were still her and she was begging for your attention. And look what you did with that? That’s why, Star Boy. You make them feel safe even in the dark. Do not devalue the significance of that, especially in times like this.”

My throat was thick with a hot lump of emotion. Words weren’t safe for me to speak, nor did I have any to say in response. Instead, I took her face in my hands and pulled her close.

Someone cleared their throat pointedly behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder, then cursed and spun around. “Valathame.” I bowed but fumbled it for sure.

Savannah gasped and clutched her imaginary pearls. “Goddess almighty⁠—”

Valathame cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips. “Yes, I do like that very much.” She winked.

I blinked and shook my head. Valathame stood in front of us looking exactly the same as she did last time, with that snow-white hair falling nearly to the ground and blending in with her sparkling dress made of starlight. The white and gold eyes made me nervous because I did not like the thoughts that came to mind at how much Tegan looked like her when she went white witch.

“You cannot enter her dreams, Cooper,” Valathame said, and even her cadence was the same as Tegan’s. “You’ll be going now.”