I've had plenty of awful nightmares—the worst of them leaving me soaked in sweat, choking on a scream trapped in my throat. But tonight's was by far the worst. What made this one worse than all the others, you may ask?

There's one subtle difference, and that tiny detail is enough to shift the entire mood. My family is there, hurting, and I can't help. Everywhere I turn, I hear a scream, a choked sob. They seem to be coming from all directions.

I hear Allie's whimpers and Nicole's sobs. I hear Ethan's agonizing scream, the sound filled with pain. I'm in the entryway of Maliwen's castle, where I've stood a million times before. This time, however, I look around like I'm seeing it for the first time.

Nothing looks familiar. I'm as lost as I was the first time I stepped inside the castle. "Ethan! Nicole! Allie! Can you hear me?" My heart is pounding, and fear and adrenaline are choking me.

"Lauren?" I hear Allie's voice, filled with fear. "Please help us! Where are you?"

I can hear her, but I can't tell where her voice is coming from. For all I know, it could be right behind me, and I'd be none the wiser. Another voice fills my ears, blocking out my sister. "'You're already on the path to destruction. Pretty soon, there'll be nothing left.'"

My father's voice fills my mind and heart until I hear nothing else. He's right, I realize listlessly. The nightmares are only omens of what's to come. Why should I bother saving them?

"'You're already on the path to destruction. Pretty soon, there'll be nothing left.'" That familiar depression smothers me, filling my lungs until I'm choking on despair and hopelessness. I forget where I am and what I'm doing.

When that train of thought takes hold, I don't even try to fight it. I collapse on the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest. "Lauren!" The voice is closer this time, and I look up to meet a pair of fearful eyes. "Please! I know you can hear me. I love you. I love you so much."

A sob slips from my lips, tears following soon after that. This time, when I wake with a start, I do nothing to stifle the scream building inside me. My eyes fly open as I choke on my breath. Gwen appears at my side a moment later, concern in her eyes when she pulls me to her. "Oh, my goodness. It was just a nightmare. Breathe, my lady. Everything's okay. You're safe now..."

Her words quickly trail off, the terror, despair, and hopelessness still fresh in my mind. "N-no," I mumur weakly, thrashing against her. My struggles are ineffective, however, as she quickly restrains me. "I—I have to help them."

Distantly, I hear the suite door open and low voices speaking. With every moment that Gwen holds me, the fight drains out of my body until I sag against her. A smooth, deep voice fills my ears, drawing another sob from my throat. "Lauren? What happened? Is she okay?"

I don't hear Gwen's murmured response, but not a minute later, warm, strong arms come around me. When I realize it's Ethan, I scramble away from him, the fear stealing my breath. His agonized scream is still fresh in my mind, and for a foolish, terrifying moment, I'm convinced that it's real. He's lost in the castle, and I can't help him.

"I'm sorry," I sob, my voice catching on tears. "I tried to find you. I tried to save you." Sobs silence my words. 

He doesn't try to hold me again; instead, he puts his hands before him. "You did. You found me. I'm right here." My breath hitches as he reaches out and grabs my hand, pressing it to his chest. "Feel this?" A steady beat pulses under my hand. "I'm here with you. I'm not going anywhere."

After a few minutes, his grip never faltering, I feel my panicked heartbeat begin to slow, and my breathing return to normal. He kisses my head, then brushes a lock of hair from my sweaty forehead. I take a shaky breath and look into his eyes. They are filled with worry as he puts a hand on my cheek.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened yesterday?" His voice is soft, tentative.

"He's in my head," I whisper, voice breaking. There it is—the raw, ugly truth out in the open. "I can't escape him."

Ethan sighs heavily, pressing his forehead to mine. "Oh, Laur," he whispers, his voice filled with concern. "Have you told anyone else about this? Your mom, Allie, Nicole?"

I shake my head vehemently. "N-no! Y-you can't! Promise me!" I clutch his hand, my heartbeat speeding up. The mere thought of opening up that wound again—fresh as it may be—has me perilously close to a panic attack.

He takes my hand, his voice soothing as he nods. "Ok. I won't tell them." I sag in relief. "Under one condition." My heart skips a beat. "The next time you have a nightmare that severe—regardless of what time it is—you wake me up. Deal?"

A part of me immediately wants to say no, refusing to burden him with my fears and worries. But as I look into his eyes, the love and worry in them makes my eyes fill with tears. Finally, I nod, barely a dip of my chin. His eyes hold mine as he kisses my forehead.

I glance out the closest window, surprised to find dawn quickly approaching. Despite the heaviness lingering in my body, I know I won't be able to go back to sleep. Slowly, I rise from the bed and walk into the bathing room.

As soon as I cross the threshold, a knock sounds on the door. I hear Ethan's calm voice as he murmurs to whoever's on the other side (presumably a guard or servant) and then to someone else, ushering them inside. A concerned voice speaks as he shuts the door behind them. "Lauren?"

In a flash, I'm out of the bathing room, flying into Juliette's arms. I don't even realize I'm crying again until the tears flow down my cheeks, and she's rubbing my back, murmuring. I cling to my dear friend, all the exhaustion, stress, and fear from the nightmare coming back in full force.

"I'm here, Lauren," she assures me. "We're both here with you." At her words, I feel Ethan move to my side and place a warm hand on my back as he guides me to my sitting room.

My father's words resurface seconds later, triggering a fresh wave of fear and dread. "'Does Ethan know about your sleepless nights or the nights you wake up soaked in sweat, a scream trapped in your throat? Does he know about the panic attacks, the terror that eats at you daily? Does anyone know?'"

I shake my head as I collapse onto the couch, squeezing my eyes shut as more tears leak down my cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Though the words aren't meant for them, they seek to reassure me.

"Look at me," Ethan says softly, putting his hands on my face as I pull back to face him. I meet his steady gaze, my chest hitching as I try to catch my breath. "You have nothing to apologize for. None of what's happened is your fault."

I can feel Juliette's eyes, so I slowly meet her gaze, worry in them as she stares at me. "Ethan told me about what happened yesterday. He also said you'd been having nightmares?" Concern wedges itself beside worry as the words leave her mouth.

All the blood drains from my face at her words, my body going limp as voices and images flash through my mind, vivid and sharp. I hear my father, his words poisonous and hateful. I see the wicked gleam in his eyes as he delivers that life-altering statement. "'I told you, Laur: you can't escape your past.'"

The unspoken words waiting on my tongue, all of the trapped emotions that I never let anyone see beg to be unleashed. Yet all I can do is repeat that one sentence as the fear and anxiety of the past 24 hours hit me like a train. "He's inside my head," I whisper again.

Juliette wraps her arms around me as Ethan kisses my head. "I won't let him hurt you, Laur," Ethan says softly, his voice calm. "I promise."

Later that night, I lay awake in bed, Ethan's words from earlier stuck in my head. "'I won't let him hurt you, Laur.'"

Tears fill my eyes as I slowly shake my head, despair and hopelessness swelling inside me like a raging tide. "He already has."

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