"Focus on how that made you feel," Mizumi instructs. She grabs my hands and helps me stand before the fountain.

"I...I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing."

"Your magic knows. Just do as I say."

I take a deep breath and exhale, raising my hand to the fountain. Maybe I could make the water take on shape, make it dance through the air. I stared between my hand and the fountain. Nothing was happening.

"Remember the look on your mothers face when you told her that her brother was dead. Feel how you felt when you saw Tudy lying lifeless in the weeds."

My stomach had yet to unclench from telling the story, thinking about it twice in such short period of time just made my eyes sting.

"Feel the heat of that emotion," Mizumi whispered in my ear.

All that anger, self loathing and pain felt like a bomb inside of me.

Tick, tick, tick

The period of loneliness and isolation I went through felt like an inky pail of black paint. My life was a canvas, and the paint quickly swallowed any color there might have been on it.

Tick, tick, tick

"That's it," Mizumi hisses. "Look, girl!"

I opened my eyes, only slightly surprised I had closed them, and there was a huge cracking sound. The fountain split, and then exploded. Rubble and water sprayed out everywhere and I ducked so not to be hit. Mizumi only laughed and offered her hand to me again.

"Very good. I didn't like that fountain much."

"That was me?"

"Well it certainly wasn't me," the Queen laughed again. "It seems I'm going to have my work cut out for me with you."

Before I could reply there was a chiming sound that seemed to vibrate from the numerous pools of water surrounding us. Mizumis smile slowly faded. "That's enough for one day, dear. I've other business to attend to. Try not to explode anything else."

She patted my shoulder and moved past me, back into the castle. I focused on the destroyed fountain again. Maybe I could put it back together? I raised my hand to it again and willed the stone to reform. A rock rolled over into its other side, but nothing else happened.

I sigh in defeat and leave the soggy part of the garden for a dryer side. I settle underneath a tree and watch Cinn fly between branches. I sadness hollowed my heart because I longed to join her. My wings cant support my larger body but oh I missed flying.

I lay down and listened to the trees waving in the wind. The sun shone, causing me to blink and scoot further into the shade.

At some point I had fallen asleep. At least I was pretty sure I was asleep; I couldn't figure out when I had come to a small ballroom. The floor beneath my black slippered feet was a thick, smoky glass. The walls were mirrored. Only one rectangular glass table sat at the front of the ballroom on a clear glass platform. All of the glass and mirrors was sort of disorientating.

I was wearing an unbearably tight black corseted tulle dress. It sparkled and swirls of dark purple and blue and silver swirled the skirts like a galaxy interwoven in the fabric. There were no straps but I had on elbow length black silk gloves. I shivered and hugged myself as I gaped at myself in one of the mirror walls.

My raven hair was pinned up into a bun. My bangs were cut short to rest just above my brows. My face was mostly make up free aside from a faint pink shine to my lips. My skin was naturally pale and a natural blush brought color to my face.

I was so focused on myself that I didn't notice another person in the room. A white gloved hand touched my waist and I jumped. My body instinctively whirling to see my captor, and I yanked away from him as soon as my brain caught up to my racing heart.

"You," I growl. "Stay away from me."

It was Jareth. His blonde hair stylishly messy the way it almost always was. His stupid smirk in place, his mismatched eyes shining mischievously. He wore tight white pants, boots, and tunic and a sparking white jacket. He moved towards me again and forced me into a dance.

"My dear, your fear is intoxicating."

"I do not fear you, Goblin King. I hate you," I corrected as he spun me around the room. I wanted to yank myself away, but something kept me in place.

I just need to wake up, I thought. Just wake up. Just wake up. Just wake up!

Jareth laughed and it infuriated me more. I felt the heat rising into my cheeks as he dipped his face down to mine. "Nyvera, you should give up while you're ahead."

"Your taunting will not sway me. I'm learning magic. I'm confident."

"Are you? You think a Water Fae can teach you how to kill me? I've got 1,000 years on you and can teach you so much more than she can."

He dips me low to the ground, the fingers on one hand skimming my exposed collar. He brings me back up and scoops me into his arms bridal style, spinning us in a semicircle before setting me in my feet again.

"You want me to be your apprentice?"

"Gaylord was an honorable Fairy. Consider this my way of making his death up to you."

That was it. My anger boiled over and I finally was able to rip away from him. "Fuck you!" The floor began to vibrate underneath us. I stormed back up to him and shoved him hard on the chest. He stumbled back but did not fall. "You disgusting bastard! Fuck you!"

Somewhere behind me glass shattered. "Wake up," I screamed. The room began to fall apart around us. Jareth just stood there looking at me with this sad look on his face. As if it was I who had crushed his dreams. As if I were to blame for his misery and loneliness.

Tears streamed down my face as I stared right back at him. And then I woke up to something hitting my face.

I sat up abruptly and blinked rapidly against the sun. The larger of Mizumis daughters stood over me, a huge slice of coffee cake in her fist. The crumbs had been what hit me in the face and dirtied my skirts.

"Hi," the girl said around a mouthful of cake. Someone behind her let out a raspberry of air and I peered around to see her skinny sister. She still held her umbrella and had a raincloud looming over her head. Both sisters were wearing the same style as yesterday. "I'm Drumlin. That's my sister Moulin," Drumlin continues and points to the skinny sister with her free thumb.

"I'm Nyvera," I introduce while I dust off my dress.

"We know," they say simultaneously.

"You were crying in your sleep," Drumlin continues. Moulin stays silent but comes a little closer. Her eyes travel toward the broken fountain.

"That was my favorite fountain," Moulin sighs.

"Um...sorry?"

Moulin offered me a tight smile. "Don't worry about it. I think you could give mother a run for her money."

Drumlin scowled at her sister. "Moulin! Don't say such things!"

"Relax, sister. I meant nothing by it," Moulin rolled her eyes. I felt awkward sitting, so I climbed to my feet and brushed the back of my hand over my still wet eyes.

"Mother says you have high potential," Drumlin croons. "I feel sorry for you."

"Why," I ask. I felt myself getting defensive.

"Because that means she's interested in you," Moulin answers sullenly. "And you better be ready for anything."