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She flinches. “I can’t believe his words.”

“What if what he said is true?” I ask softly.

“I’ll have to deal with it.” She lifts a shoulder. “It would be easier to ignore it. Go on as if he were never here.”

“Denial is always easier,” I sigh, brushing her hair away from her face. “I’ve done it for years.”

“But not the best choice.”

“No.” I tilt my head. “I should still be trapped in my nightmare. Days would pass, living in hell. You pulled me out. It’s going to take some time to realize I won’t have to see the worst day of my life again against my will. You did that. We can deal with anything, as long as we're together.”

“You’re right.”

We stare at each other, knowing we're a team.

“Savy,” Lace calls on the other side of the door. “I didn’t let them in, but Gwen, Aria, and Mateo are outside the house.”

“Shit.” Savy drops her forehead to mine. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“Then I’ll tell them to go away.”

“It’s probably better to get it over with,” she sighs, releasing me.

“Probably,” I grumble, standing and helping her up. “I want everything resolved, so they'll leave us alone.”

“That sounds nice.”

We walk to the door, and Savy opens it to see an anxious Lace, her hands twisting.

“I left you alone until I heard you talking,” she says.

“How long?” I ask.

“Five hours.”

“It felt like minutes,” I say.

“The dream world works differently.” Savy moves forward, and Lace backs away.

“I guess,” she mutters, walking beside us. “I was tempted to call Rome.”

“He would have eased your fears.” I lead Savy to the living room, and she frowns. “I’ll let them in.” I nod, and she lifts her chin slightly. I glide my knuckles down her cheek before walking to the door. Glancing over my shoulder, I see her take a deep breath. Lace sits at the table, the owl gripping her arm. I open the door and hold my hand up as Gwen opens her mouth. “Savy is ready to listen. At any point, if she has had enough, all of you will leave without protest.” I relax my arm and tilt my head.

“Agreed,” Mateo says.

“Fine,” Aria whispers.

I look at Gwen, and she nods tightly. Allowing them to pass, I secure the door and move quickly to the couch, sitting next to Savy. Mateo slides a chair from the table and places it so it faces us. Aria sits on the opposite side of the couch, and Gwen eases onto the recliner, perching on the edge. She licks her lips and clears her throat.

“Did you know?” Savy asks Mateo.

“No,” he responds softly, and she nods.

“I know you're upset.” Gwen glances at Aria. “Both of you. I haven’t explained to Aria yet. I wanted to tell the story once. Even though you might think I’m heartless, remembering my mistakes isn’t pleasant.” Her eyes shine. “Your sister told me about Betty and Travis. We haven't been on the best of terms, but I’m sad, and filled with regrets.”

“It’s understandable.” Aria clasps her hands tightly.

“Tell us everything,” Savy says quietly.