A Little Night Muse(54)

                She did not look back as she left the bedroom, but when she                     passed the dining room table, she dropped her tears into his dish of stones. The                     pearls, diamonds and rubies made a hollow sound, as hollow as her heart, but at                     least she would leave a part of herself behind in this place that was more                     precious to her than any dream.





                                      Chapter 10

                A ringing phone broke Josh from his restless sleep. Was                     it time to feed the cows? It was always time to feed the cows. Rising in the                     dark mornings of winter was tough, especially when he’d been having such good                     dreams. Dreams of a woman. And such a woman...

                Obviously he had been living alone too long.

                He groped for the annoying cellular buzz. “Hello?” His voice                     sounded slurred, as if he had been drugged.

                “Josh.” It was Vaile’s crisp voice. “We’re back. What’s going                     on?”

                Josh pushed himself upright, blinking hard. He couldn’t very                     well tell his neighbor what he’d been dreaming about. But there was something he                     was supposed to tell Vaile. If he could just remember what. He rubbed his eyes.                     “I can’t...”

                “Did you set the phae wards? Have                     there been any more imps? Where is the musetta?”

                The strange words peppered Josh like buckshot. “I don’t—”

                “Wake up, human!” Vaile’s shout ripped through the lingering                     dream.

                Human. Phae. Musetta.

                “Adelyn?” Josh let the phone fall to his side as he twisted                     around in the bed.

                The empty bed.

                His fairy princess was gone.

                He jolted to his feet. “Adelyn!”

                The silence of the house cut worse than sheet metal, deep yet                     slow to bleed.

                Not complete silence, though. The phone in his hand was                     grumbling. He lifted it to his ear. “She’s gone.”

                “I was afraid of that,” Vaile said. “Wolly is here, alone, and                     there’s a toadstool ring, recently withered.”