18. (DANE POV)

(DANE POV)

Getting Jo ready for her first class was an exercise in precision and care. I braided her hair, meticulously ensuring each strand fell perfectly into place. She needed to look flawless, the epitome of perfection. Beneath my meticulous preparations, I harbored a quiet optimism that she would embrace her role more gracefully today.

I couldn't help but amuse myself by her reluctance to tell me anything about her dream. She didn't know it and hadn't mentioned it, but I was already privy to its contents.

I'm the one who created the content.

The realization that I had the power to shape her dreams and was acutely aware of them was something she hadn't pieced together yet. In time, she would understand that there were few secrets she could keep from me, least of all those firmly in the fabric of her subconscious.

Stepping into her first class with her was an experience that bordered on the ethereal. I quietly observed, a silent guardian in the background, watching her assimilate