Chapter 35

Author's note: Readers, I'm hoping this workaround of replacing text of uploaded old chapters and posting them as new chapters works-I know some of you are on story alerts, so hopefully this will work for you. Let me know if this works, and I'll keep doing it until the server is fixed. (Sorry, I have to note to myself the chapter in the upper corner because my file nomenclature is all messed up.)

Juudjv and milarionized, thanks for the advice. :) I ended up posting the tweaked chapter 1 and left in a "footnote" of the old version for new readers who were curious. I already have 50% of chapter 1 readers moving on to chapter 2! (Unless it's you doing rereads again, esmblossom. ;D J/K, I'm glad you like it enough to do rereads. :))

Clarion cracked an eye open in bed and sighed when she saw it was morning. The charade with Bernard was exhausting, and Milori wasn't exactly her favorite fairy right now either. She rolled over in bed and delayed getting up as long as possible. Now she regretted leaving Milori do quickly last night because she really had no plan-Milori probably would have been full of them, she thought to herself in irritation.

She was moody all day and kept snapping at Bernard even though she tried to control it. In autumn when they were visiting the tinkers to see the repairs, there was a large piece of wood in the way, and Bernard took her hand to help her step over it.

She jerked her hand away and snapped, "I think I can manage walking without having my hand held." She blinked, not even sure herself where that had come from.

Bernard looked startled and immediately let go.

"I didn't mean that," she said quietly. "I must be coming down with something. I feel so irritable."

He frowned. "Perhaps we should visit the healing fairies after this. I'll tuck you into bed and take care of you, sweetheart," he said and wrapped an arm around her waist.

She had to turn her head to roll her eyes so he wouldn't see. Being trapped in bed with him hovering was the last thing she needed.

A healing fairy came to the castle that afternoon. She packed up her bag. "I can't find anything besides a slight fever. Perhaps you're coming down with a cold or it's stress. Are you eating and sleeping enough?"

"I'm having trouble sleeping lately, but I usually have bouts like that," she frowned and buttoned her dress.

"Try drinking a glass of warm flower nectar before bed, and let me know if anything gets worse."

"Alright, thank you." Clarion heard Bernard ask the healer what the diagnosis was. Clarion stayed in her room, completely unable to stomach Bernard a moment longer.

"Love?" he knocked.

"I'm so exhausted, I'm going to nap," she lied.

"Alright, dear, I'll be right here if you need anything."

Her instinct told her that this wasn't simply stress or a cold. If anyone would know, Dewey would. She climbed out the window with her cape and thought to herself that she really should get better guards.

She flew over to the border and hid in the grass. She blew her whistle that made no noise. She frowned and looked at it, ready to blow again when she heard a screech. Mountain came into view a second later. She climbed on quickly and they took off to Dewey's home.

There was an odd screech on the way, and Mountain suddenly flew up above the trees. A glow moved toward them rapidly as they hovered, to her confusion.

Milori flew up to them, his eyes worried. "What's wrong?"

"I just need Mountain. I'm fine."

His eyes narrowed and he laid a hand on her rosy cheek. "You have a fever," he frowned. "Are you ill?"

"No. The healer said I just need to sleep more."

His brow furrowed. "You saw a healer? You're too stubborn to see a healer for that. What else is wrong?" He was far too perceptive.

"I'm so cranky I can't stand it, and I feel achy."

His eyes filled with concern. "Let's go to Dewey. Bernard probably drugged you or something, the damn bastard." He climbed on MounTain in front of her and started off.

"I was going to see him," she ground out.

"You were headed the wrong way anyways. He is at the library most of the time."

"Milori."

"Clarion, I know you're frustrated with me, but I want to be there with you," he said over his shoulder.

She sighed, a little relieved to not go alone, and rested her head against his cool back.

Dewey looked surprised to see them.

She looked around the maze of ice books stacked all over the floor, piles and piles of knowledge. Never had she seen anything like it.

Milori held her hand and wove them through to the podium where Dewey was writing.

"How d' do. Is everything alright, Milori?"

"No. Clarion is ill, and the healers don't have an answer. You're our next hope."

Dewey frowned and flew around the podium as they told her the symptoms.

"Would you show me your wings?"

She pulled off her cape with Milori's help to see them glittering like normal.

Dewey gently touched her wing. "Milori, fold one down."

Milroi looked at Dewey in confusion but carefully did. "They're not as stiff as normal," he said nervously.

"One more thing. I need a drop of her sugar."

"It'll be alright," he said gently and looked into her eyes as he fastened the last button. "Whatever it is, we'll fix it together. I'll come to every treatment or whatever needs to be done no matter what season it needs to be done in. Don't be scared." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her head.

She wrapped her arms around him, feeling calmer. She felt his hands shaking against her back, though. "Milori, it's probably just a cold or something."

Dewey fetched his quill, which was very sharp on the tip. "I'll prick your finger."

Milori held her close as she held out her hand and Dewey pierced her skin. Her heart stopped when specs of silver leaked out amongst the gold.

"Dewey, what's wrong with her?" Milori asked in an unsteady voice.

"Let me check my book. Sometimes I get so much knowledge I get things mixed up, so I write it down as soon as it comes in my head."

Milori held her tight, cradling her head on his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered, ready for the worst. "I swear if Bernard is behind this, I'll arrest him myself," he growled, terrified what was happening to her.

Author's Note: Sorry, I received a comment asking about the silver specs. Fairies' "blood" is sugar in this story, which we have seen so far to normally be gold. Clarion's is coming out a mix of gold and silver, which we don't know what that means.