The Drowned Gods, #2
Stranger Skies
by Pascale Lacelle
Contents
Chapter 50: Kai
Overview
Kai and Luce secretly plan and enter the sleepscape to warn Emory, strengthening a cross-time bond between Dreamers and Tidecallers. Emory’s nightmare escalates, hinting she may be Shadow-cursed. Umbrae attack and target Luce’s soul, forcing Kai to absorb them and inadvertently bring darkness back into the waking world.
Summary
In a hidden library room, Kai and Luce prepare clandestine training while waiting for Thames. Luce explains posing as a librarian to stay near her ancestor Cornelius and recalls using the book Dark Tides to broach her identity. They discuss Clover’s visions and the Veiled Atlas heirloom watch, which Kai notes functions in the sleepscape.
Kai reveals the epilogue page found in the sleepscape and hands it to Luce, who reacts emotionally. They compare dream-bonds among Tidecallers, Dreamers, and Nightmare Weavers, concluding these links transcend time and barriers. Luce proposes a “buddy-sleep” so she and Kai can reach Emory together, on the condition Kai not reveal Luce’s identity.
In the sleepscape, Luce’s presence helps Kai find Emory quickly. Emory, exhausted and despairing, confesses she keeps hurting those around her and fears being cursed. The dream shifts into the Belly of the Beast, where cadaverous classmates and friends crumble to dust; Romie withers, and unfamiliar students die gruesomely. Emory whispers she may be Shadow-cursed, implying a Collapse.
Umbrae breach the dream and seize Luce’s throat, seeking her soul. Kai absorbs the umbrae to save her and forces a wake-up. He and Luce return to the library—but the darkness he drew in follows them back, signaling a dangerous bleed-through from nightmare to reality.
Who Appears
- KaiNightmare Weaver; reveals the epilogue to Luce, enters Emory’s dream, reassures her, absorbs attacking umbrae, and returns with darkness.
- LuceTidecaller from the future posing as librarian; discusses Cornelius and the Veiled Atlas, buddy-sleeps with Kai, meets Emory, nearly taken by umbrae.
- EmoryIsolated and guilt-ridden; confesses fear of harming others, nightmare shows mass deaths, hints she’s Shadow-cursed after a possible Collapse.
- UmbraeNightmare entities invading the sleepscape; target Luce’s soul and are absorbed by Kai, some darkness bleeding into waking world.