One day earlier

Even exploring an underground Grecian city beneath Ferryport Landing, Sabrina didn't expect the wall to start talking to her.

"Hello, Sabrina," said a stone face in the stone wall.

Sabrina gasped.

The face melted into the wall.

Sabrina swirled around, looking for it. It popped out again in the opposite wall.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you in person," the soft words came from a dreamy-eyed stone face.

It melted away again.

"Who are you?" Sabrina held her metal flashlight like a bat.

"I am me. You are you. See, facts can be fun." This time the voice had no face.

"Who are you?" she repeated angrily. "Come out."

Sabrina spun, watching for him. She faced the first wall she'd seen him in, and out he stepped.

He had pale flesh and was dressed in what looked like a full-body black leotard, which was covered in tiny bursts of light or sparkles that looked like stars. He wore a matching hat that looked like a jester's with two long points, though without bells on the tips. He looked about sixteen, and he had brown hair sticking out of his hat.

"Hello, Sabrina," he said again so gently, smiling so kindly, like this was his favorite dream. "I am Morpheus, God of Dreams."

"Uh-huh. And did you come from your gymnastics meet or a renaissance fair?"

He chuckled.

Then he reached out and tried to put a hand in her long blond hair. She swiped at it with the flashlight, and he recoiled just in time.

"I won't hurt you." He bent down from his 6 foot height to look her in the eyes, putting his hands on his knees. "I will never hurt you."

She backed away, brandishing the flashlight. "That's what all the psychopaths say."

He smiled sadly. "Poor Sabrina. You have had more than your fair share of psychopath encounters."

"How do you know me? What are you doing here?" Sabrina kept the flashlight poised to strike at any second.

"I live here." He straightened up. "You don't think this place would be in such good shape if it was abandoned, do you?"

She had noticed that the walls and floors were clean, and that she could see the walls and the floors. It wasn't pitch black like it should be. She didn't even have to turn on her flashlight. It was as if moonlight radiated from the walls.

"The moon lends me light, and I put it in the walls" Morpheus said, as if he had read her mind. "Being the god of dreams has perks. The moon feels more friendly toward me than most." He smiled. "You like the moon, don't you, Sabrina?"

"There!" she jumped. "That. You know my name. I've never met you, never seen you before. How do you know me?"

"I know you because I've brought you dreams. Almost every night recently."

"You're stalking me!"

"No. Of course not. Don't be silly. I give everyone dreams. Well, usually I send my underlings to use the magic I teach them, but I go myself too. There are just so many sleeping people. I've never played favorites before you, but you are irresistible." He framed a pair of perfect lips around a set of perfect teeth to form a perfect, sweet smile.

When her heart jumped, Sabrina almost wanted to put her weapon down, but she snapped out of it in an instant. She was getting better at that, snapping out of enchanting delusions. "You are stalking me."

"No," he insisted and began circling her.

"Hey!" Sabrina spun on him and pointed her flashlight at him as threateningly as she could.

He stopped, and smiled, just barely, almost sadly. "I always planned to meet you face to face. But whenever I was around, you were asleep."

She rolled her eyes. What a loony. What was he up to?

"Where is your family?" He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head to one side.

"Well, I lost them back – Why do you want to know?"

"I know where they are."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Just making conversation." He shrugged good-naturedly. "Come on. I'll take you to them."

He reached for her hand.

"No. Stay away from me."

He smiled. "Alright. I'll bring them to you."

He pushed a hand toward the wall, and it started melting inward. A new passageway formed.

Sabrina watched warily, barely able to keep herself from bolting.

Finally, at the end of the new passageway, her family appeared, looking confused. Puck zipped up to her.

Great.

Not.

"Where have you been cow-pie brain? We've been looking everywhere for your useless butt. We should just leave you to eat yourself to death by starvation."

Sabrina scowled. Her innards clenched in fury.

Puck looked at Morpheus. "Who's this crud-eater?"

Morpheus smiled, charmingly, socially even, and offered his hand for a handshake. "You must be Puck. But must you, really? It's exceptionably horrible. And I say that as kindly as I can."

Now Puck looked confused. He only glared at Morpheus's hand, and Morpheus took it back, putting it on his hip.

Sabrina couldn't keep a corner of her mouth from curling up. Morpheus winked at her out of the corner of one beautiful brown eye, and her heart raced again. She immediately willed it to slow down.

The rest of the family approached them now.

"Liebling, who's this?" Granny Relda stared curiously at Morpheus.

Sabrina crossed her arms. Yeah, thanks, I'm fine, despite being lost and possibly dead as far as you knew.

"Morpheus, God of Dreams." Morpheus shook hands with Granny.

"A god?" Daphne squealed. "Morpheus? I remember you. Oh, you look so much different than I thought. You're handsome."

"Thank you." He said.

Daphne giggled and bit her palm. That was beginning to seem practiced. Like she did it just for show. She wanted people to keep thinking she was cute as she got older, and Sabrina knew it.

"How did that tunnel form?" asked Uncle Jake.

"He did it." Sabrina thrust her chin out at Morpheus. "He lives here." She'd finally put her flashlight down at her side.

Morpheus turned to Granny. "Yes. Sabrina worried about you. She always does."

"Hey –" Sabrina started. He didn't know that! How did he know that? He made her sound…paranoid or something. Well, she was, but…

"Hey, Morph," Uncle Jake said, "we're investigating a murder."

"What kind of murder?" said Morpheus.

"Umm." Uncle Jake looked confused. "A bad one?"

"I see," said Morpheus. "And how may I help you?"

"Well, we were told there's an oracle down here."

"An oracle? Down here? No."

"Yes."

"Oh. Then it's me."