PROLOGUE

Puck arrived at the entrance to Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park at exactly 2am, just like they had agreed. He waited in the dim city lights. Where was Sabrina? Probably in traffic, New York had it at all hours of the day and night, he shouldn't be worried. But it was already 2:03 and she knew how important this quest was, she wouldn't be late.

Maybe she'd already gone inside to start looking - he flew over the fence and walked around the abandoned amusement park, listening for signs of the sneaky girl. As he made his way past the Nathan's Hot Dogs shop he was almost tempted to break in and start working on a new record, but his worry for Sabrina - who he'd by now decided was officially missing - was filling his stomach more than any number of hot dogs could.

He turned around, he'd go back to the front and surely she'd be there waiting for him at the gate. He didn't take more than a step before something happened. The hum of generators filled the air, all the lights turned on, rides started moving, and carnival music played out.

Uh-oh. Trap.

He turned over his shoulder looking for signs of Kashchey, but all the moving lights and sounds made his mind play tricks and see people where there weren't any. He unfurled his wings, about to fly up to get an aerial view of the park, when out stepped the thin old man, dragging along a semi-conscious woman, her blonde hair streaked with red. A lot of red. Head injuries always looked worse than they were, he told himself, she would be fine. She had to be fine.

He scanned the surroundings; how had they gotten here? And more importantly, how were they going to get out?

SOME DAYS EARLIER

Sabrina was sitting at the bar watching her friends out on the dance floor. They waved her out, but she just smiled and shook her head. She nursed her drink and - while she wasn't one for thumping music and blinding lights - she was glad to be out with her friends. They had insisted she have a full blown 21st birthday party, and while she would've rather stayed in at the apartment and had some friends over for drinks, food, and maybe even cheesy movies, she had to admit this was a fun night.

She was celebrating her 21st birthday like every other girl in New York - like every other girl in the U.S. At a loud bar with friends insisting on a "crazy" night. They had no idea that her definition of a "crazy night" involved magic and fairytales. Their version of crazy was the normalcy she needed right now.

She had just finished her last year of undergrad at Colombia and next year she would start law school at the same institution. Eventually she wanted to take on both human and Everafter cases - but these years she wanted to enjoy in the regular world. She had the rest of her immortal life to get into really crazy stuff, for now this was perfect. And besides it wasn't like she was getting invited into the Fairytale world very often these days anyway. Occasionally she'd get calls from her family in Ferryport Landing about cases they were working on - but usually it was an update, not a consult call.

And even though she was living in Manhattan she hadn't found her way to the statue of Hans Christen Andersen in…well it'd been a while. I mean she was living on the Upper West Side and the statue was practically in Midtown so it really was so far out of her way. And she'd been busy with school. And..and..well she didn't have to justify herself, she could go or stay away from anyplace she liked.

A kiss on the cheek pulled her from her thoughts.

"Sorry I'm late" said Bradley holding a small gift out to her "happy birthday."

"Thanks!" They had to shout over the music.

She smiled up at him and opened the little box. A necklace. Hanging from the chain was a tiny glass jar full of gold glitter.

"Do you like it? It's pixie dust."

Her heart stopped - who told him? When did he find out? Why was he acting so nonchalant about this? And where on earth (or elsewhere) did he get pixie dust - she knew pixies were not keen to giving it out.

He chuckled "Well that's what it said on etsy said at least" he pulled the necklace from her hands to wrap it around her neck "but between you and me I think it might just be craft store glitter."

Oh. He's joking. She let out a deep sigh - the fear of her worlds colliding hitting her harder than she had expected. She shook off the momentary panic and smiled up at him.

"I like it - real fairy dust or not."

"Good because I can't get a refund"

She held the necklace between her fingers - it meant more to her than he could imagine.

Her friends came out of the crowd - exchanging hello's with Bradley. They managed to get her to finish her drink and pulled her out onto the dance floor, laughing and dancing the night away, as her new necklace a gift from her current world reminding her of the old one, bounced against her skin.

Bzzzz Bzzzz Bzzz

Bzzzz Bzzzz Bzzzz

"Ungh it's too early for calls" Sabrina mumbled as she reached her hand out from under the warm covers to blindly feel around for her phone, silently cursing whoever dared pull her from her sweet slumber.

Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz

She squinted at the caller ID - Mom.

All frustration at the call vanished she answered, voice still groggy.

"Morning Mom"

"Morning sweetheart, how was your birthday?" Veronica's voice was good to hear but Sabrina could tell there was something under the surface, she wasn't calling just to check in.

"Good, a few of us just went out for drinks, pretty lame bar but it was still a fun time." She sat up in bed. "So what's up? I mean we talked yesterday, and not that you can't call me two days in a row but…"

Veronica sighed.

"Well I have good news and bad news"

Sabrina tensed up, was everyone okay? Panic built in her throat she couldn't even respond, she just waited for her mom to continue.

"Good news is we'll be seeing you in person soon. Dad, Daph, Basil and I, we're coming up to New York. Today actually."

They'd visited plenty of times before, after all New York was their home too… but with Basil and Daphne still in school the trips were usually planned out far in advance.

Sabrina found her voice "For a case..?"

"That's the bad news" Veronica's voice was terse "it's…it's more than a case. Something is happening and we don't know all the details, but what we do know is concerning. We're meeting in Faerie for the full debrief. And Sabrina I think you need to be there."

Sabrina froze. No, she was supposed to have a few more years of regular life. And even when she decided to go back to the Everafter community it was supposed to be on her terms. Small legal battles, paperwork stuff, not whatever this 'concerning happenings' was. Hadn't she had enough of that in her youth? But she knows her mother wouldn't ask if it wasn't serious.

"Okay. I'll meet you guys in Central Park. Love you"

"Love you too sweetheart."

She hung up and bit her lip in worry. Well she definitely wasn't going back to sleep now. She hopped out of bed and got dressed for the day. She picked up the necklace Bradley gave her last night off of her dresser. Should she wear it? Obviously no one in Faerie would actually think it's pixie dust, they all knew better. But this gift was to a version of her that belonged in overpriced bars and university libraries, not in the Golden Egg or Fae palaces.

She clasped it behind her neck but tucked it underneath her shirt. A compromise between her lives.

She took in a deep breath and headed out the door.