She put the mop in the closet and paused at the desk. Azura peered up at her over the tops of her glasses.

“Finished cleaning that fast?”

Alice fidgeted, trying to look casual. “Yup, I’m a fast cleaner upper. I’m going to go grab some lunch across the street. You want anything?”

“I’m alright, thanks. Enjoy your lunch, take your time. I’m sure Gabriel will have everything under control if any more fairies come in.”

Alice passed through the front of the shop in time to hear Gabriel grumble to himself, “Oh sure, leave the crazy fairies for the elf. He can deal with them…”

The bell jangled as she let herself out into the cool outside air. The town was so close to the ocean that there was always a little bit of that salty smell on the breeze, and Alice inhaled deeply. It reminded her of the brief time they’d spent when the shop chose a beach town in the Caribbean. The ocean had been in walking distance and they’d spent one dreamy, sun soaked week taking shifts at the shop and lying on the yellow sands each lunch break.

She missed that, but Sidney was nice too. The shops were quaint, tightly packed together and friendly, and there was a bookstore on nearly every corner.

Alice paused on 3rd street, staring up at the green awning above “The Haunted Book and Coffee shoppe”. She decided to duck into the store briefly, just for a few minutes before lunch. There was something relaxing about walking around between the cherry wood shelves and breathing in the musky scent of old books.

There was a bust of Shakespeare in the window, surrounded by faded books and manuscripts, and Alice paused to read some of the titles. They were all very old looking, by Oscar Wilde and Edgar Allen Poe. She turned and pushed threw the door, unsurprised that there was no buzzer to great her. This wasn’t the type of store that appreciated loud noises.

There were a few other people in the shop, a young couple and a child, a little girl who seemed content to sit cross legged and read picture books in the aisle. There was also a wizened old man with a long white beard behind the front desk who beamed at her when she came in, and Alice gave him a friendly nod, turning away to look at the books lining the first row of shelves.

There was a blonde man standing by the window, facing the display of books and the Shakespear bust, he cleared his throat, staring at the statue, and said politely, “I’d like to order please.”

Alice blinked in surprise as the Shakespeare bust slowly rotated on the spot. The statue’s mouth dropped down like a hinge and it said in a low, gritty voice, “Verily, sir. What be your order?”

“Er, I’ll get a peppermint tea, please.”

The bust seemed to take a moment to register this, and then its mouth dropped down again. “Coming to you promptly, good sir.”

“Thank you.”

The blonde man turned, and Alice had her second shock of the day when she recognized the angular features and dark eyes. “Adam?”

“Alice!” Adam’s eyes lit up when he spotted her. “Hello! I meant to come by your shop after this. Wanted to see how you were doing.”

“I’m fine, thanks.” Alice pulled her sweater closed around her, wondering why she felt suddenly defensive. He was in the shop nearly across from Threads. Did that mean he was watching her?

No, he’d just said he was going to come by after. It was probably fine, he’d saved her once, hadn’t he? There was nothing to make her think he meant her any harm.

Was she slowly becoming more and more paranoid until she couldn’t trust anyone anymore? Not even people who’d saved her life the first time she’d met them?

“How are you?” she added hastily, eager to fill the silence. “You got the snake bites, not me. How did you feel after you left the shop?”

Adam gave her a bright smile, and again, she had the unnerving sensation that she had seen him somewhere before. That he was the man in the mask that she kept dreaming of. But how was that even possible?

“I was totally fine. Thankfully you got me to your shop on time.”

She took a step backwards, careful to keep a smile pasted on her face. “That’s great.”

“Hey,” Adam took a step forward, apparently not noticing her sudden case of nerves. He was gesturing to something, a poster hanging on one of the walls beside the bookshelf. “Are you thinking of going to that? I think the entire city is pretty excited about it. Dude is a big deal apparently.”

When he stood closer to her, Alice caught a whiff of something that made her entire body stiffen. The smell coming off of him was familiar. Like a mixture of humidity and perfumes let off by flowers. Like fresh rainwater on soil. The smell of the jungle.

She didn’t seem to be able to say anything, struck dumb. Adam took another step forward, and she realized he wasn’t talking anymore. He’d fallen silent, and now his dark eyes met hers and sparked with electricity. His mouth, red for a man’s, quirked in a smile. She could easily picture him in that black mask. And the way he was moving now. It wasn’t the same as before, it was like he’d fallen back into an old pattern, a smooth, predatory way of moving…

“I have to go,” her voice came out breathless, and Alice turned for the door. She felt herself hit something, pass through it with a cold, shivery sensation.

“Hey!” a voice protested.

Alice stopped, shuddering, and looked back to see the pearly white face of a woman glaring at her. The woman was partly see through, and she was holding a coffee mug in one hand, which almost made it look as though the mug were floating.

“Just because I’m dead, doesn’t mean you can just walk all over me. Or through me,” the woman snapped. She turned to Adam before Alice could apologize. “Here’s your tea.”

Adam took the cup of tea from the ghost, and gave Alice one last brilliant smile before he turned away. Alice turned and fled the book shop, pushing her way out into the crisp air and speedwalking all the way to the front of her shop.

She didn’t stop until she got there, finally leaning against the brick under the windows, panting. Her heart was pulsing in her throat, drumming in her ears. She didn’t care that Adam had saved her, she didn’t feel safe around him anymore. How was it possible that she had dreamed about him before she’d met him? Was it magic? Had he done something to her?

Of course, there was always magical dreams. She’d researched them shortly after she’d had the pirate dream fantasy with Altair. The books she’d found had stated that sometimes strong witches or wizards could link minds in their sleep, occasionally accidentally, sometimes on purpose. The pirate dream had been aided by a spell on top of that, which was probably why she was able to access Altair’s mind, even if it had been an accident.

It could actually be my fault. Alice could feel her face go hot from just thinking about it. She knew nothing about Adam. It could be that he was a wizard, someone who’d been sucked into her dream accidentally. But if he had any experience, he would have realized what had happened and…

…and come looking for me. Was that why he’d found her on time while the gorgon had been attacking? Because he was already trying to track her down?

What was she supposed to do about this? Did she tell Azura? Maybe she would know what to do. But then, what if Azura asked why Alice hadn’t told her before? The truth was that Alice had been enjoying the dreams up until now.

She put one hand to her cheek, feeling how hot she was blushing.  One thing was obvious, she couldn’t keep having the dreams. It didn’t matter if Adam had somehow done something to her, or if somehow their subconscious, dreaming minds were reaching out to one another. It had to stop.

“You want a what?” Shakra propped her bare feet up on Alice’s coffee table. She had agreed with very little questioning when Alice had invited her up for tea, which Alice loved her for. Azura was currently out with Maya, picking up some supplies, and Altair was still out with his sticky-fingered friend.

“A dream catcher,” Alice repeated. “Is there such a thing?”

Shakra curled a piece of dark hair around her finger. “Is this because I’m Indian? You know I’m east Indian, right? Not the same…”

Alice rolled her eyes. “I’m asking because you’re a sorceress. Do you know if they work or not?”

“Are you having bad dreams?” Shakra had both of her dark hands wrapped around the earthen tea cup, and now she took a slow, careful sip of the hot liquid, staring at Alice over the rim of the cup.

Alice chewed on her lip briefly before answering. “Yes.”

Her face felt hot. She was ridiculously grateful that Shakra didn’t seem to be able to read minds. Or if she did, she never let on. Azura seemed to have an uncanny knack for knowing what other people were thinking just by looking at their faces.

“Uh huh,” said Shakra. She didn’t sound convinced, but she set her tea cup down carefully on the coffee table. “If you get a powerful enough dream catcher, they work, yes. Has to be made by a real witch though.”

“Think I’ll be able to get one here?”

“I think there’ll be loads of them in the tourist shops. But you may have to search until you find one that actually works.”

Both of them jumped as the multiple clocks on the far wall went off, and Alice sighed and sank deeper into the cushy arm chair. She was certainly jumpier than usual. “Okay, so I’ll know because the real ones will have actual threads woven into the patterns.”

“Exactly.” Shakra sat up a little straighter and picked up her tea again. She glanced over at the kitchen table, where Alice’s lap top was still sitting. “Are you alright, Alice?”

“I’m okay,” she said quickly. “Just…my mind is busy right now. Lots to think about with the new gift from the Halfmoon Order and stuff.”

Shakra narrowed dark eyes at her. “The Halfmoon Order?”

Alice blinked, heart jumping into her throat. She realized that they’d never actually established it was called that. It was just what the blogger had called it. Her hand drifted to the halfmoon charm on her bracelet. “Yeah.”

“Something you care to share?” Shakra quirked one eyebrow at her.

Alice swallowed, thoughts flitting back and forth. The dreams were one thing, they were embarrassing, but this….

She’ll think I’m an idiot for agreeing to meet him. She pushed the fear aside and said, “Alright. I found a blog online.”

“What’s a blob?” Shakra said.

Alice nearly snorted her tea back into the cup. “I’ll just pretend you didn’t say that. I found a site online. A kind of conspiracy site. It talks about this secret order that fights the gods. The blogger, his name is Bingo…I guess it’s a code name or something. Anyways, they call this mysterious group ‘the halfmoon order’ which makes sense, because the woman that talked to me last time, before Athena came…”

“She was wearing a halfmoon necklace,” Shakra murmured. She glanced down at the silver charm bracelet Alice was running between her fingers. “And your aunt, she was in it.”

“Yes, at least…I think so.”

“So, this blogger didn’t tell you anything else?”

Alice hesitated. “He’s…meeting me. Next week.”

“Alice…”

She waved a hand at Shakra to forestall any further protest. “I know, I know.  Don’t worry. I think he’s more paranoid than I am. Besides, we’re meeting in public, at a book launch at the community hall this weekend.”

“I hope you know we’re going with you.”

“I don’t know…” Alice faltered when she saw the stubborn light flare to life in Shakra’s eyes. “Alright, I guess you won’t be convinced otherwise.”

“Certainly not,” Shakra said primly. “And what’s more, I expect you to tell Azura right away, as soon as she gets back.”

Alice sighed and gave a mock bow. “Yes ma’am.”

“I expect we’ll all insist on charging in there with you.” Shakra looked smugly self satisfied, curling her legs underneath her on the couch and sitting back with her tea.

Alice rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “This poor computer geek doesn’t know what’s coming. You lot will scare him out of his wits.”

That night she debated running out and trying to find a dream catcher before it got dark. But she doubted the shops would be open still. She should have gotten one earlier, but she’d spent most of her evening convincing Altair and Azura and a very agitated Gabriel, that the blogger she was meeting wasn’t some kind of axe murderer, and that she’d be perfectly safe without a full on arsenal by her side.

Of course, they all insisted on coming, and Gabriel swore up and down that he was going to disguise himself as a potted plant and stand right between them while they talked. Altair had told him quite nicely, that he’d make a lovely fern.

Alice chewed her thumbnail nervously. One more night couldn’t hurt, could it? When she thought about the dreams her skin prickled, and she was ashamed to admit to herself that it wasn’t fear she was feeling. Anticipation was a better word.

Altair’s voice from the doorway made her jump with a guilty start. “You look as though you’re debating jumping into a pool of cold water, not getting into bed.”