Cat's Paw — Barbara Hambly

A novelette in the Winterlands series, 18,000 words. John Aversin and Jenny Waynest are summoned by a succession of hideous prophetic dreams about a monster... only there's no monster in sight when they reach the targeted realm of Teruvar. And, moreover, there's supposedly a supernatural Guardian there already to prevent such things... So in that case, reasons John, why expend all that energy calling us? And what do those dreams have to do with the ancient legends of the Night Gods, or the present intrigues of the dysfunctional royal family?