Sam was thrown back.

This is a dream. The boy? Was he real? What did he tell him? Oh no. Morgan is in danger. And he knows about Zeke!

Oh no, oh no, oh no!

Stay calm. You’re driving this dream. Don’t lose it.

That mind. It threw Sam back as if recoiling from harm.

How did it know about Hormiz? Was that Lilith?

No, Lilith’s dreams didn’t feel like that. Lilith would have boasted. She would want Sam to know that she had control over him.

But if not her, then who was that? The flower-man?

He had summoned fire. His torment felt personal.

Is this just another way to torment Sam?

Could it be possible? But how? Hormiz died years ago. Didn’t he?

Didn’t he?

What if… Oh no. Oh no.

That monster! That horrible, cruel, vicious monster! How could she?!

Did Rowan know? Oh God. Did Rowan know?

Rowan! Where are you?

Rowan, I need you! I can’t do this without you!

Rowan!

Rowan? Is that you?

Wait, I’m coming!

Sam opened the door to Rowan’s dream home. Hers was designed of hardened lava flows. Pictures covered the walls of Rowan’s lost family, so she’d never forget them.

Rowan’s dream house was very different from Sam’s. He had built his on an open plain. No walls, no ceilings, just carved earth and open sky. But he had forgotten to go back there. He had been lost in dream space. Rowan’s home was an anchor for his mind to latch onto.

Rowan and Sam embraced tightly.

“Are you alright? How’s Zeke?” he asked.

“I’m unharmed. Zeke is safe. But we need you! What happened? Where are you?”

“I’m sorry. The flowerbugs took me. I’m on a ship covered in light, and they’re taking me to Nod!”

“Shit!”

“It gets worse. I’m so sorry. I told them about Zeke. I told them about Morgan! I’m so, so sorry! I was weak!”

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“Shh,” Rowan whispered. She put her hand on his face. He wasn’t scarred in dream space. “What did they do to you?” she asked with heartbreak in her voice.

Sam couldn’t answer. All he could say was, “I’m so sorry.”

Rowan hugged him again. “No more sorries. We knew this would happen one day. We’ve been preparing for this. Zeke is safe for now. At least, I think he is safe. But something is coming, and I don’t know when. I need to dream deeper. I’ll try to save you, but I don’t know how to reach Nod without the Ivory Blade, and Zeke lost the damn thing!”

“What!? How did he lose it?”

“I can’t tell you now. Lilith could arrive at any minute. Zeke is safe. I have to go. I have to warn Morgan!”

“Wait! What happened to Hormiz?”

Rowan was stunned. She hadn’t spoken of Hormiz since before Zeke was born. “I told you what happened. Why are you asking me this now?”

“Rowan, I think he’s alive. I think maybe Lilith stole him.”

Rowan’s dream house collapsed and Sam found himself adrift.

Imagine home.

Imagine the plains.

Remember that night under a lean to, watching the clear starry sky. Imagine the deer and bugs and snakes. Imagine the cool bubbling stream nearby.

It’s okay. Rest here. She’ll come.

Rowan stepped out from behind a tree. She had lost it there for a second, but she was okay now. Sam was relieved to see Rowan upset. It meant he wouldn’t have to insult her by asking.

“Are you certain?” she asked.

“No, I don’t know for sure. But I think he’s the one interrogating me.”

Rowan faded from focus and then collected herself. “Lilith will have trained him to defeat us. This changes everything. You have to reach him. You have to tell him how sorry I am. How sorry we both are! You have to stay alive! I am coming, you hear me? I am going to save you. I don’t know how, but I will find a way! I will not leave you, either of you!”

“Rowan, it’s a trap! Lilith wants you to bring her the Ikon. You cannot bring Zeke!”

“I will find a way,” Rowan said in that quiet, steely voice she had sometimes.

Then Rowan walked behind the tree and was gone.

Sam was alone again.

No. Not alone. He was being watched. He felt a mind far out in the distance. The same mind as before. Sam reached out but felt a slap.

So Sam sat down by his lean to and started a red and yellow fire. The color of Rowan’s heart. And Sam let his guard down. He opened his mind to the stranger intruding on his dreams.

“So that was her?” said a petulant voice. “That was my other mother, the one who gave me up?”

“Rowan would never have given you up! There’s no way!”

“All she cares about is revenge. She didn’t want me.”

“You’re wrong. She didn’t know Lilith stole you. She couldn’t have known.”

“Then why didn’t she look for me!?” the voice yelled. “Why didn’t you!?”

“We thought you were dead! I didn’t even know you existed until after Lilith took you!”

“Lilith loves me! She’s my real mother! She raised me. She wanted me. She needs me. You both gave me up or left me for dead!”

“Rowan was broken when I found her. She was devastated after losing you.”

“But you sure got over me fast enough, didn’t you?! Had yourself a nice little replacement son. That sword was the only way to take me back, and you gave it up to replace me! You never even looked for me!”

Sam’s dream home was fading out of focus. He was overwhelmed by the hurt and anger hurled at him. He tried to remember the dream.

But Hormiz wasn’t finished. He was in full focus now. His dark kitsune features looked monstrous with hate.

“But I’ll find that little shit! I’ll put him in a cage next to yours. And I’ll make you watch as Lilith puts his soul back in the Ivory Blade! Maybe then you’ll remember me!”

Sam looked at his son, grief-stricken. “I’m so sorry. I promise you, son, I’ll get you out of this.”

Hormiz screamed with rage, and Sam woke up.

Sam opened his eyes weakly.

The flower-man was retching into Sam’s waste bucket.