I don't own anything. All rights go to their rightful owners.

"I'm afraid of the outcome, Milori."

"We cannot predict the outcome, but we can change it."

Night drags by, dawn seeming to never arrive. I lay awake, my eyes open in the darkness, too restless for sleep to claim me. Milori lies asleep, his chest falling and rising in even breaths. He sleeps in only his pendant, the small silver opal hanging from his neck, though I cover myself with a thin blanket. Tonight was supposed to help me forget, to give each other a moment of pleasure instead of pain, but my thoughts remain with the missing fairies. I had tried to assure Milori that I was fine, though he knows me far too well. Now, we sleep at separate ends of a cold bed, goosebumps on my skin and a deep sadness within my heart.

How can I lie still when Pixie Hollow is being threatened at it's very roots?

Turning to face away from the sparrowman, I sigh. Closing my eyes in the darkness, I force my taut muscles to relax.

His voice startles me, "Clarion, my love..." against every word in my head, I lay still, hoping he will think I'm asleep. There's a sigh in the darkness, followed by footsteps. When I open my eyes, I find myself face to face with Milori, his features barely visible in the night. "Clarion?"

"I'm sorry, Milori." I sigh. Pushing myself up, Milori sits beside me, his hands in my own.

"You know I worry for you, Clarion." his voice is thick, the accent it carries sending chills down my spine. "Have you nightmares returned?"

For a moment, I'm uncertain as to how to reply. "No." I assure him, "I'm concerned with the blackouts I keep experiencing." his eyebrows raise in the darkness, a movement that I barely see. "I hear the same voice every time. He talks of taking Pixie Hollow, of harming fairies, of killing our family..."

"You never told me this, Clarion." I feel his thumb brush across the back of my hand as he talks. "Who could do this?"

"I don't know for certain, Milori." I remain silent for a moment, contemplating what decision to make next. A moment quickly turns into several, with my energy quickly becoming depleted. "We will figure this out in the morning." I say slowly, sleep claiming me as myself and Milori lay beside each other. He moves a blanket to cover me, knowing his cold touch makes my body temperature drop. In the last moment of my consciousness, I kiss his lips goodnight.

At first light, Tristan shakes me awake from my slumber, his eyes lit with enthusiasm for the new day. Pushing myself up, I find piles of paper scattered on the floors, the remnants of the previous day still present. A cup of liquid waits beside me on the nightstand, sitting next to the large book about ghosts and ghouls.

"Morning, Tris." I croak, my throat dry as I take a sip from the cup. Bitter Red Berry juice fills my mouth.

Tristan plants a kiss on my forehead, "Good morning, Clarity." he says, passing me a purple covered book.

"What's this?" I ask, flicking through the pages until I find a page that's been heavily annotated with sticky notes. The page talks of dream talent fairies. "Dream talents?"

"I wondered if the beings behind all of this was a ghost, or if they were some kind of pixie, but I thought, what if they're quite simply a fairy? So I looked through a few books from the library-" his voice quickens. Perching beside me on the bed, he pulls the book to rest between us. "All of the things that have been happening lately match up with the abilities of a dream-talent fairy."

I raise my eyebrows at the blue-haired sparrowman, a look of accusation plastering my face, "You can't mean Muna?"

His features soften, "It's the only explanation-"

"-it's a baseless theory!" I interrupt, my wings lifting me to the bathroom door. Opening the door, I frown, "When you find some evidence proving your theory, let me know." before locking the door behind me.

When I resurface from the bathroom, my clothes now a mint pastel dress, Tristan is gone. The once messily scattered papers now remain in a tidy pile on my desk. Our bed is made and the window is open, a light morning breeze blowing through.

"Now I feel like a jerk." I mutter, slipping on my shoes before flittering out of the Home Tree. Flying over the Fairy Circle, I stop in my tracks when I notice the crowds of people gathering. Moving to land, I find the unmissable fairy queen addressing the audience.

"Fairies and sparrowman, please settle down." she calls, her golden glow fainter than usual. In the crowd I find Tristan, who's perched on a toadstool with Milagro, Agua, Cassy and Tort. I sit on the same large mushroom as Milagro and Agua.

My brother politely greets me, though his voice is tense, "Good morning, Clarity."

"Morning, Mil." I respond, my eyes focused on my mother. "I didn't know there was a meeting today."

"There is no meeting today. Everyone began gathering when Mother was being asked about Muna." he explains, his fingers firmly laced with Agua's.

I send a scowl towards Tristan, though he doesn't seem to know I'm here. "Muna? Did Tristan say anything to you about Muna?"

"No, he did not." we sit silently for a moment, my eyes to the floor. Surely Tristan didn't start these rumors about Muna?

My mother's voice rings throughout the Fairy Circle, her hands clasped in front of her with anxiety, "As of late, Pixie Hollow has been suffering from many strange events. After meeting with the Pixie Hollow Council, we have discovered the disappearances of seven fairies over the last seven nights. Last night was no different." my heart sinks with the knowledge of another kidnapping. "Muna the dream-talent fairy has disappeared."

My eyebrows raise, my heart sinking lower, "Did you know she'd be kidnapped, Milagro?" I murmur. Other mutters and gasps fill the circle.

He shakes his head in response, "I did not, Clarity. I think this is news to everyone." glancing around us, I see he is right.

"She must've ran off!" a voice calls from the east end of the circle.

Another voice snorts, "It was her all along!"

"Muna did this to Pixie Hollow!" my heart races in my chest with such accusations. They have no proof! How could they accuse such a sweet and kind fairy? The same fairy who saved my mother!

Without thinking, my wings take to the air, my feet quickly landing beside Mother. "She did no such thing!" I growl, my voice silencing the commotion. "She saved my mother - our Queen! Why would she do this if she wanted Pixie Hollow to fall? Why would she risk being banished from the one place she can call home?"

"Clarity, dear-" I hear the gentle voice from beside me, but I'm not finished.

"Your Highness," I stress my words, "You of all people cannot believe this...this nonsense?" my eyes watch as her features soften.

"I believe that eight fairies are missing. We have no proof to suggest that Muna is apart of any of this evil doing." her hand gently touches my shoulder, forcing me to calm myself. "Princess Clarity, please continue your search for the missing fairies. Tonight must not be the same as the last."

"Of course, Your Highness."