SAM

  “And with that, I need to sleep, girls. Thank you for the bedtime story. Let’s do it again soon,” Nanna bid us good night.

  “Love you, Nanna,” I kissed her forehead.

  “Love you too, Sam.”

  We left quietly, and since Rhoda was upstairs, we left a note on her marker board where she kept her to-dos.

  “Bye Rhoda! XOXO- Sam & Cora.”

  Cora took my arm as we stepped out into the crisp night air, and both of us looked up. The sky glistened with night lights. Millions of stars.

  “Think they can see us, Sam?” Cora asked.

  I knew she meant Ryst, Nayth, Peydran, and Ren.

  “Think they’re looking?” I asked back, chuckling.

  “How hard do you think it will be? Getting there?” she whispered.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Well, we know a bunch of people have already done it intentionally, so . . . You know, Cor? No matter how far you go in the 9 Galaxies, you can still see lights in the distance. We’ve never been able to reach those farthest stars since we run out of fuel before we get there, but there must be other worlds out there. Think we’ll find them in the pages of Pitch’s book?”

  Cora shivered next to me, and I wasn’t certain it was from the chilly night of Nineton.

  “Maybe it’s easier than that, Sam. What about our dreams? Think we can find Blennelach? Furry animals from my dreams?” Cora’s voice was a hush, barely there.

  Our footsteps crunching the sidewalk carried more sound than our words.

  “And ruby worlds in mine,” I whispered.

  She squeezed my arm, and there was nothing more to say. The quiet of late night settling around us, we stepped into our cottage.

  But I wasn’t done thinking of miracles and wildness and lovers doing impossible things.

  Cora found herself pressed against the door, my mouth devouring hers, and she met my ferocity with hunger of her own. Bodies alight with need and want and mysteries beyond the stars, we crested and fell.

  Gasping, both of us held on, then giggled at the rosey light filling our brains.

  Then we collapsed into bed, hoping for dreams beyond the stars.

  Hazy violet light filled me with song, and it radiated everywhere. Whole world alight with it.

  Joyful. Overflowing. I couldn’t contain it all. Glorious. Beautiful. Everything I ever wanted.

  I handed my journal to Cora and read the dream she’d just written in her notebook.

  The words echoed mine.

  We’d had the same dream.

  Grinning at me, Cora flicked off the light and curled around me. I nestled against her and closed my eyes, letting the dream pull me under again.