Evie opened her eyes. She was no longer in the council chambers. She was back in her apartment in America, the one she had shared with Dave.
No, this was not real. This was the test. Elder Sophia had said it would show her fears.
But it felt real. The worn carpet under her feet. The smell of cheap coffee and old furniture. The sound of rain against the windows.
"There you are."
Evie turned. Dave stood in the doorway, smiling that smile she used to think was charming. Now it just looked cruel.
"This is not real," Evie said out loud. "You are not real."
"Of course I am real," Dave said, walking toward her. "I am the voice in your head that never went away. The voice that tells you the truth."
"You only ever told me lies."
"Did I?" Dave asked. He circled her slowly. "I told you that y
