They stopped in Kearney, Nebraska. Both agreed that a seedy motel topped sleeping in their cars or trying to drive through the night, especially with Ken’s lingering aches. So, they booked a room on the second floor and settled in.
But when it came time to sleep, Kenna feigned slumber. They only shared a room during missions and travel. It was the best chance to find out what he might use a dreaming talisman for, assuming he actually utilized it. With her eyes shut, she lay in the darkness with her face pressed into a lumpy pillow. Listening. Waiting. Playing detective on the one person who cared about her the most.
Just as Kenna was starting to drift into slumber for real, she heard it, clear as day. “Ke’lenn eta ma,” Dakota whispered. She pried a single eye open ever so slightly—just e
