The spot by the river is calm in the eerie 3 a.m. glow. I'm waiting for Lyra. Well, not actually waiting at the exact spot, but farther away, under the awning of a café, with my back pressed against the cool windows. I'm the only one here, and this business and all the others around it are closed at this hour. I glance down at the raindrop that just made contact with the cobblestones, then back up at the spot where Lyra is supposed to appear. Instead, Sky is there. He turns to me and beckons.

I wake up. But this time, I don't just lie there staring at the ceiling. This dream is too real. I splash water on my face, throw on my clothes, and am out the door in five minutes flat. I run most of the way, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

It's 3 a.m. in real life too. I see it on the big clock as I race through the downtown area and cross the empty street as I approach my final destination. He's there. I glimpse his profile from afar, then as I get closer, he turns to me with a smile.

"What took you so long?"

"How did you know I'd come?"

He's silent and turns to look back at the river. I stand next to him, glancing first at him out of the corner of my eyes, then out at the water. I'm waiting for an answer, but it doesn't come.

"Well?" I say. "What exactly is going on around here? With these dreams, and, and—"

"There's a reason I've been in your dreams. I'm the one who planted them there."

"What?" Without knowing more, a collision of feelings takes over. Anger – How dare he try to control what goes on in my mind? Awe – How can he possibly do this? Disbelief – Can this really be done? Confusion – Why would he even want to plant dreams in my head?

I don't know if he also is a mind reader, but he seems to understand the mixed emotions fighting in my head. He looks almost sheepish and sighs, taking a step back. This doesn't appease me though.

"Tell me what this is all about." My voice is low and controlled. Powerful.

"I had to find you, but the only way was through dreams. I didn't have your phone number or address. I just knew you were in this city. So, I had to find a way to get you to come to me."

"But that crazy dream with my client, James, trying to kill me? What was that all about?"

"That one was random. I mean, I didn't create it, but I tried to get there in time. To save you. To show you I would save you if you needed it."

"I don't need saving! And I don't like the idea of someone controlling what goes on in my mind."

"But Cass, getting into people's minds is your business." An ironic laugh here. "Why is it a problem when someone else accesses your mind?"

I don't like the fact that he actually brings out a good point. I'm too furious at what I see as an invasion of my privacy and an unwelcome attempt to play the knight in shining armor.

"Look. It's different. When I transfer a memory to someone, they've asked me to do so. They're paying me for a service. I'm not doing that without permission."

"But what about recording that memory from someone else? Some innocent bystander who hasn't given you permission."

I feel my face go hot with anger. "It's random, I'm taking a memory without their personal details like names and things like that." I stumble over my words, knowing he's right and hating him for it.

He doesn't smile knowingly or put on any haughty airs that at least would have justified my anger. Instead, he frowns, and his eyes glisten with what looks like sadness. I steel myself against the softening of my heart and cross my arms over it.

"What's this all about anyway?" I ask. "Why did you even want to find me? What business do we have together?"

The soulmate memory is in the back of my mind, but now I'm completely lost when it comes to figuring out how Sky can help me there. Maybe through his ability to plant dreams in people's minds he'll be able to lead me to the answer? Then I brush the thought out of my mind. I'm not even sure I want his help. I can do this thing on my own. I tell myself that over and over and try to forget about my weakening powers.

And right then, Sky answers. "You're in danger, Cass. Someone in this town is weakening your powers. On purpose."

"You mean another memory catcher?"

"A memory stealer."

"This is ridiculous." Even as I say those words, I think of my conversation with Gran. This is her theory too.

We're both silent as the sky brightens with a hint of daytime light.

"Look, I've got to go," Sky says.

"Who is this memory stealer?" I snap.

"You have to figure it out on your own, Cass."

"But you know who he or she is, don't you?"

"Would you believe me?"

I'm silent. And my silence answers the question. We both know I wouldn't.

"I wish I didn't even come down here, wish I didn't even dream of you. And you'd better just keep yourself out of my dreams, OK?" I say the words out of frustration and to sort of save face. I feel like I shouldn't be angry at Sky, and yet I am. Maybe because I was hoping for a solution to my soulmate assignment and nothing more.

Sky nods, then turns to leave, and I turn and run in the opposite direction. Normally, I would have been curious, would have tried following him to see where this mysterious person came from. But I'm just plain old disgusted right now. I'm disgusted that I was so vulnerable, that he'd been able to plant dreams in my mind. And disgusted that he gave me vague information that only led to more questions.