I'm walking through the corridors of the Unseelie Court. Everyone is so quiet. "Frost? Nana?" I twirled around looking everywhere. There was no one to be found. Ice formed at my feet and spread across the marble tile floor as fear consumed me. Where could they be? I heard a strangled noise in the throne room. "Nana!? Frost!?" I called. "Is it you two? Are you there? Answer me, Please?" The noise continued and I heard splashing sounds. Wary, I drew my hand to my fur boot. Daddy and Uncle Puck both agreed to get me a dagger for my 10th birthday. I pulled it out and held it in a defensive position as I pushed open the door. Everywhere I looked, there was Unseelie fey strewn about. Blood pooled around them and dripped off of every surface. I stepped cautiously around them, my heart pounding in my chest.

At the foot of the throne laid Frost. Her throat was torn out and parts of her were missing. I reached down and smoothed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. "Frost," I whimpered. Her green eyes were dull, staring at the ceiling in horror. Sleet was already falling from the ceiling as I turned frantically around. "Nana! Nana! Nana!" I shouted and wailed. "Where are you!?" I heard that gurgling noise again. Behind me on the throne. I turned slowly and took it all in. I don't know how long it was before I screamed. Nana was sprawled on her throne. Blood everywhere. It was still pooling. I stepped delicately over Frost and gripped her hand. "Nana," I whispered. "Can you hear me?" I tapped her face trying to get a response. She let out a small gasp from her mulberry colored lips. "Nana!" I cried, laying my head against her breast, listening to her heartbeat. She raised a shaky hand and stroked my black hair soothingly. I sniffed against her breast. "Arietta," She rasped. "You must go. Before the thing comes back." I looked at her scared. "Nana, I don't want you to die alone." She smiled gently and kissed my forehead. Her black eyes grew glassy and the last breath left her body. I shook her gently at first then harder. "Nana?" No answer. "Wake up. Please wake up." She grew still and never moved again. I started screaming as her face gazed up at me. I don't know how long I screamed until I woke up.

I woke up to Mama and Daddy shaking me awake. Glitch was standing guard at my door, looking for an intruder. "Arietta, what's wrong?" I cried even harder. Mama pulled me into her lap and I muffled my face into her breast. "It was so terrible," I murmured. "There was blood everywhere. Everyone was dead. Even Frost and Nana!" I heard Daddy take in a sharp breath. Mama patted my back until my wracking sobs subdued into the occasional whimper. "There, there. It was just a bad dream, Arietta. We all get them." I looked up at her and then at Daddy. "Even Daddy?" He crouched down next to us on the bed and placed one of his large hands on mine. "Of course, sweetie. I get them. I had one the night you were born, I had one before Kierran was born. It is natural for us to have a bad dream every now and then." They both sat there holding me. Mama would rock me back and forth and Daddy would sing a lullaby, I once was told that he sang to Mama on one of their adventures. Gradually, my eyes drooped and I fell into a dreamless sleep.