Clarion ran as fast as she could across the border. As soon as she hit the warm air, she threw off her cloak and shot through Pixie Hollow.
Fairy Mary opened her door, not surprised to see Clarion past midnight again. "I see you escaped the guards," she yawned.
"Mary, I think I did something terrible." She hurried in and relayed the events to her friend.
Mary was silent and looked at her. "I think you know what you have to do."
"Go after him."
She nodded. "Send the guards and-"
Clarion laid a hand over Mary's on the table in the kitchen. "I think I need to do it myself to rectify this."
"Be careful, Clarion. And whatever you do, don't go into Neverland."
Clarion took a sac of pixie dust to speed her along and protect her wings against the cold air. She flew hard and fast for everyone knew that if an exiled fairy reached Neverland, the fairy's wings would shrivel to prevent return.
She saw a glow at the second star and flapped her wings hard to catch up. "Milori!"
He was too far and had turned to head straight on until morning.
"Milori!" Her wings were straining, and she knew she was at risk of tearing them. Reaching into the sac, she threw more dust on her wings. And hoped they would hold out. "Milori!"
He stopped and turned. His light started coming back toward her.
A sharp pain shot through her back and she started to fall slowly with only one wing flapping rapidly to try to keep her up.
Milori swooped down and caught her. "Don't fly. I can hold our weight." He lifted her into his arms, his wings giving slow, powerful flaps to keep them from falling through the skies.
She wrapped her arms around his corded neck. "Milori, I'm sorry. Don't go to Neverland."
"Shhh, save your strength. We need to get you home," he said in concern. "Does your wing hurt?" He started flying toward home.
"No," she said through gritted teeth. "My back." She laid her head on his broad shoulder, her face contorted in pain.
He spotted her sac of dust and threw it in the air. It dumped out, and he flew under it.
"That's too much," she panted.
"I don't give a damn about my wings. If a queen's wing is damaged, she fades within the year." He shot forward through the stars.
She felt weak and her light was dimmer when they saw Pixie Hollow and he headed for the talent fairy hospital. "No, you can't be in the warmth."
He ignored her and flew down. He burst through the door with her, and everyone gasped. "Something happened to her wing! We need a healer!" He laid her down on a bed, his brow already damp from the heat.
"Go," she said weakly.
He shook his head, his skin becoming flushed.
A healing fairy ran in. "Get back to winter! I need another healer in here!"
He was pushed back from the bed by the healers.
She turned her head and met his eyes. "Go," she whispered when his wings started to droop.
"I'll come back," he promised and stumbled out the door.