She wasn’t alone.

I held my breath, my gaze focused on the person with her. He was nothing more than a dark blur in the shape of a man. A shadow man. F. It had to be.

Beside me, Eli stepped forward.

“Don’t,” I said. This wasn’t like a normal dream, not even one of the prophetic ones. The world here felt tenuous, as flimsy as a spider’s web. One wrong move and the whole thing would unravel.

Eli held still, and we both watched and listened.

“I can’t tell you that,” Rosemary was saying to the shadow man. “Not unless you tell me why you need to know.”

The shadow man stepped closer to her, first taking her by the shoulders then raising his hands to cup her face. “Because,” he said in a voice made of silk. “I love you, Rose. I need this from you. You love me, too. You want to give it to me. Give it to me now.”

I watched Rosemary’s expression slowly go from alert to dazed, like someone slipping into a trance. There was some kind of magic going on here. I was sure of it.

“Now,” the shadow man said, “tell me who the other Keepers are.”

“I…” Rosemary’s wavering voice matched her dazed expression. “I don’t know any of them. Just me.” She raised her hand. The diamonds on her Keeper ring flashed in the moonlight. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes, beautiful. Just as you are. Now tell me where they’re keeping the sword.”

“Here at Arkwell.”

“Where exactly?” The shadow man’s image seemed to shudder.

Rosemary shook her head.

“Where? Tell me, my love.” He gripped her shoulders again. “Now.”

Huge tears filled Rosemary’s eyes. “I don’t know. They never told me. They don’t want anyone to find it.”

“Tell me.” He started to shake her.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

The shadow man let go of her, uttering a sound of frustration. Rosemary slumped to the ground, whimpering. I stared at her, shocked by the realization that her tears were from guilt at having disappointed this horrible man. The man who had been using her, manipulating her with some evil, black magic.

“Look, Dusty.” Eli spoke so softly that I almost thought I imagined it.

I pulled my gaze off Rosemary and saw that another shadow man had joined the first. This one looked smaller, more diminished, and yet I could tell at once he was in charge by the way the first shadow man deferred to him.

“She doesn’t know,” the first said. “I’ve tried my best.”

The second nodded. “Yes, I know. It’s all right. We will discover the others in time. Now stand her up. We need to finish this quickly.”

The first hesitated. “Do we have to? Isn’t there some other way?”

“No. I’ve already explained to you the nature of the spell. It must be done. It is the only way for you to get what you want. And for me.”

The first hesitated a moment longer, then he stooped and grabbed Rosemary by her arms, dragging her to her feet. He held her there as the other stepped behind her. A chain rope made from some shiny metal hung from his hand, glistening with an iridescent hue like fish scales in sunlight. He wrapped it around her throat. Rosemary began to scream.

Eli took a step forward as if to intervene.

“Don’t,” I said, fighting the same urge. This was just a dream, nothing but shadow and vapor. But there was something I could do that would make a difference—I needed to see beyond those blank faces.

Like I’d done on the clock, I concentrated on the shadow men, focusing all the strength of my imagination, of my magic. I pictured noses, mouths, and eyes. I willed them to come into focus.

“What are you doing?” Eli hissed, pressing his hands to his temple.

I was vaguely aware that the dream world around us was trembling as if from an earthquake. I pushed harder. Sweat broke out on my skin. My whole body began to ache, but I could tell it was working. I could see the faint outline of the shadow men’s faces. In a moment, I would know who they were.

Both of those shadowed faces turned toward me in eerie unison. Their unseen eyes bored into me as they stood frozen in place.

I heard Eli’s quick intake of breath.

“It’s just a dream. They can’t hurt us,” I said. But they definitely knew we were there. And they didn’t like it.

The second shadow man’s form began to change shape. The vague outline of a person gave way to something solid. Something sleek and shining, as black as onyx and with eyes as bright as the moon. It took a moment for me to realize what it was. When I did, a jolt of fear surged through me as if from a lightning strike.

The black phoenix let out a shriek that was both beautiful and terrible at the same time. It made me want to fall down on my face before it, prostrate and willing to give myself up as its prey.

It swooped down at us. Even though I knew this was a dream and not real, I dove to the right on instinct while Eli dashed left. Time to leave. I closed my eyes and pulled back from the dream, willing my consciousness to rejoin my body.

I couldn’t. Something blocked the way.

Terror seized my heart like a clenched fist. Eli was across the cemetery, far away. “I can’t get out.”

“What?”

“I’m trapped. You need to kick me out.”

He started to run toward me, but the phoenix made another pass at us. I hit the ground as the loud whish-whish-whish of massive wings beat in the air. I heard the clack of a sharp beak snapping. The bird shrieked again in its deadly musical voice.