First of: thanks to anyone taking the time to read this story. Whether you actually favourite or follow it, or you're just a guest who regularly takes the time... Thank you!

Now on with the new chapter! First major time jump since the prologue, as well as some history regarding the other Winx. Also, the plot thickens! ;)

Enjoy the new chapter and let me know what you think!

Usual disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club or the cover of this story.

Book I - Chapter XII: Death By Crime Scene Investigation

Updated: 13/11/22

"What do you think?" Flora skipped into our room with the biggest smile. "Does it suit me?"

I was sitting crossed-legged on my bed, Kiko curled up against my legs, gazing up from my sketchbook when she entered. I smiled at the new blonde highlights in her hair. "Oh, does it ever! It brings out your eyes." I rested my chin on my palm, chuckling as Flora twirled, her golden highlights sparkling in the morning sun. "Are they permanent?"

"Not yet. Suzie insisted that I try a handful of colours first before settling." She stopped in front of our mirror. "I didn't think Stella would be right, but I love it."

I absently chewed on the back of my pencil "And it is that change you wanted without instantly cutting your hair."

"I wonder what Stella is going to do with her hair…" Flora murmured thoughtfully. "Did she tell you anything?"

I shook my head. "Not a word, only that she wanted it to be completely different."

Stella was currently going through a bit of a rebellious phase. Her talk with her parents hadn't ended well and despite the many Solarian messages that had been sent her way, she refused to open them or listen to what King Radius and Queen Luna had to say.

"They will just insist that I'm overreacting and should come home." She had sobbed one evening while Kiko and I had comforted her. "Besides, those messengers could actually be guards. My father has already proven not to be above violence to get me to stay."

Yes, King Radius had ordered Stella's imprisonment after she, Musa and Tecna together with the guys had given their statement on the events and she had once again refused to stay on Solaria. For her own good, he had claimed. Stella had raged and even thrown in her reservations – the ones I had urged her to speak to both her parents – but none of it had helped. The only reason she had managed to get away from her parents and return to Alfea was Tecna's quick thinking and a sleeping spell Musa used. Naturally the guys had helped as well, whisking them away as quickly as possible. Sky had even held the sobbing Stella the whole way back to Alfea and hadn't wanted to leave. Seriously, Faragonda had to call Saladin because he just would not leave.

Stella was putting on a brave face to anyone outside our dorm. She smiled, joked and laughed, and she tormented and butt heads with Griselda. But when we were all back in our dorm, she crumbled and cried. She was switching between not eating to stuffing her face full with anything resembling sugar and chocolate. Either she was bouncing and engrossed with school, or we couldn't even get her out of bed.

The only good thing coming from this mess was that she was reinventing herself, much to the astonishment of our teachers. Stella was suddenly shooting questions left and right, starting a debate with Selim or DuFour – our etiquette and spell pronunciation professor – or knocking on one of our teachers' doors in the evening when she didn't understand something.

I was proud of Stella. Sure, she still didn't bother too much with homework but she wasn't pretending to be dumb anymore or failing classes deliberately. And all things considering, she was keeping it together remarkably well. Yes, Kiko and I were currently crashing with her because she didn't want to be alone, but that was only logical. And I didn't mind.

"I think a different colour would look wonderful on her." Flora sat down beside me on bed with a thoughtful expression. "What do you think?"

I chewed my lip thoughtfully. "I agree… But I don't think she will do something quite as drastic as that. She is still Stella after all."

I didn't tell her that Stella had asked me only last night if I thought short hair would look good on her and I suspected she was going for that. After all, what was a little bit of hair? If she wasn't happy with it, a simple growing spell would easily help her to get it back.

"Well, whatever it is, today has been fruitful," laughed Flora, tugging at a strand of my hair. "I love what you've done with it."

Suzanne – though she preferred to be called Suzie – had listened carefully as I had explained what I wanted with my hair: less wave, a shorter length and most importantly permanent auburn. The wonderful thing about a magical hairdresser was that she could show you what you had in mind and how it looked on you, before actually going through with it.

We had played with different types of red since Suzie wasn't onboard with the auburn, and with different lengths and different waves as well. She had even showed what my hair would look like if she thinned it.

The result?

Well, I was a ginger again. My natural colour. Suzie had shown me that auburn made me awfully pale, while ginger did the opposite. She had added coppery strands through it to further enlighten the colour and give it that bit of extra I missed. My new hair made my freckles stand out, another thing Suzie had insisted on because she had all but swooned over them. As the finishing touch she had reduced the length to my shoulder blades and turned the strands wavier rather than straighter.

It was the complete opposite of what I had requested, but I loved it. It was more me than anything I had before.

"It's all Suzie. If I had gotten my way, I would have looked very different," I chuckled. "I understand why Stella picked her as hairdresser. I am definitely sticking with her as well."

Since Ofelia had come through with her threat and I was now grounded indefinitely, trips to Magix were out of the question. I wasn't even allowed into Alfea's gardens without being accompanied by a teacher. The downside to that had been that my roots had started to show, which I had complained about one evening when Stella and I both couldn't sleep and she had decided to give me a make-over. Stella, desperate for some change as well, had instantly insisted that she ask Suzie – her hairdresser from Magix – to visit Alfea the following weekend. When she and Flora had discussed the golden streaks in my roommate's hair, I wasn't sure but Suzie had been busy with the three of us all morning.

"Are Tecna and Musa still not back?" Flora shot a hesitant glance towards our door. "It is almost lunchtime."

I chuckled. "You know those two, Flora. They are worse than us. Once they have their noses stuck in a book, we won't see them until they have finished it." I stretched my arms above my head, rolling my shoulders afterwards to get rid of the tension. "We will probably have to drag them out of the library." Kiko followed my example and stretched, letting out a wide yawn before climbing onto my shoulder and requesting to be cuddled. "Besides, Barbatea probably roped Musa into doing a handful of things for her again."

Since that week Musa was officially Barbatea's assistant, helping out in the library as a job. Before that she had been slaving an end away as a dishwasher in some restaurant in Magix. But she hadn't told us that.

Instead, we wondered what had changed after our test in the swamp. Musa was always gone, disappearing shortly after our final class and not remerging until breakfast the next morning. Even Tecna would fall asleep in the evening with Musa nowhere in sight. Whenever we asked, she refused to answer and we had accepted that.

Until DuFour had called for a group assignment.

Musa was either fast asleep or nowhere in sight, and while we tried to cover for her, Stella had been getting more and more agitated until finally she had snapped and demanded to know why Musa was never there when we needed her.

Not to the most tactful or subtle way, but the question remained a fair one.

What had followed was a very emotional afternoon.

Musa admitted she had to work after school, not because she wanted an income but because she had to. Otherwise she could not afford attending Alfea, and she had to earn money to help her father survive. After the unexpected weekend at the swamp and her cancelling at the last minute, her boss had given her two choices: either work more hours, or be fired. Naturally she had chosen the first.

And then the story came out, one that was even a shock to me. While I knew that Musa hadn't had an easy childhood, reality proved once again to be so much worse.

Her mother Matlin had been a talented singer, her father Ho-Boe a composer. But despite their talent, they had struggled to pay their bills. This got worse when Musa had arrived as a loving addition to the family. Ho-Boe found a different job, urging Matlin to pursue her passion and continue to sing. That that had led to Matlin's death he blamed himself for.

At Matlin's biggest – and what turned out to be her last concert – she had collapsed on stage. During her latest tour, she had caught a rare illness that could only be treated by the newest medication. Ho-Boe had invested all their savings – even selling their instruments – into saving his wife, but when the money ran out, the treatment could no longer be afforded and came to an end. Matlin passed away. Musa had only been a toddler.

To make matters worse, Ho-Boe then grew to hate that what he and his wife had loved so much, that which had made them fall in love: music. Nothing like that was allowed in the house, not even a stereo. He turned his back on composing and singing, and expected Musa to do the same. But she couldn't, of course she couldn't.

At the age of ten Musa began to do little jobs to help her father pay the bills. From the age of twelve she worked two jobs. Both she and her father were determined to see her off to Alfea, but Musa had another dream: music. In secret she saved money until finally she had enough to purchase an instrument: her saxophone. She taught herself how to play it, how to sing and write her own songs. But with what little income they had, she still had to work to help her father. Often there was barely enough money to eat, let alone buy new clothes. When they had some wiggle room, she spent it on hand-me-down clothes in whatever size she could find. She couldn't be picky. She literally couldn't afford that.

And suddenly her wardrobe made sense to me. Musa was either drowning in her clothes or showing off too much skin because they were too small. She claimed she didn't care. As long as she could make music, she couldn't care less what she looked like.

Stella, of course, didn't agree and proved to be a real mother hen, eager to take lost ducklings under her wing and nurse them to health. She had already shown that with me, and Musa was no exception. But while no one could ever question Stella's intention, she wasn't the most tactful person. Rather than offering to lend her the money she needed, that she could pay it back in terms stretching over the years, she insisted Musa quit her job and she would pay for whatever she needed.

Musa practically blew up, furious that Stella would offer such a thing. Stella then got mad in return for her overreacting like that while she was just trying to help. She only made matters worse by suggesting she keep her job, but could get her old clothes for free. She would even take them in for her so they would fit perfectly.

The two hadn't exchanged a word for the rest of the week, no matter how hard Flora, Tecna and I tried to get them to make up.

Tecna suggested we would hire Musa to keep our dorm clean. Our own housekeeper so to speak. That way she wouldn't have to work ridiculous hours and it was right here at Alfea, meaning we would get to spend time with her. But Flora and I didn't think it was a smart idea. Musa would probably be offended by the offer. If I had been in her shoes, I certainly would be. But Tecna had put an idea in my head, namely searching for a job for Musa at Alfea.

I had approached Barbatea, explaining the situation and wondering if she knew anything. What I hadn't expected was Barbatea's offer to hire her. She had just gotten her hands on some large but rare collection of books and needed someone to keep an eye out in the library while she sorted through it.

Musa had accepted Barbatea's offer, quit her job at the restaurant, and she and Stella even came to an agreement regarding the clothes: if Stella would swear to do no more charity work on her – which included buying this and that for her, or pay for dinner or lunch – then she would be willing to purchase Stella's old clothes for a fair price. And she would even accept the girl taking them in for her.

All was well in the world, except that Barbatea somewhat abused Musa's presence at the library. Even when she wasn't working, she would ask her to little jobs for her. A quick trip to the library to return a borrowed book, would suddenly take Musa hours. And that morning Tecna and Musa were on research duty.

Flora let out a particular long breath and fell back on my bed. "Are you getting as frustrated as I am about the lack of progress we are making?"

"And then some." I scowled unpleasantly at the person I had been drawing. "You know what would be amazing? A catalogue of the library that would tell us in which section we need to look."

Flora chuckled. "We should put it on Musa's to do list. It isn't nearly long enough yet." I laughed along with her.

The girls and I were searching relentlessly for answers. Stella had become determined to discover just what the three ugly ducklings wanted with her sceptre, which meant we had to dive into its history and creation. That proved to be a lot more difficult than it sounded. Stella hadn't learned an awful lot about its history, just that it had been in her family for ages and that it was something the heir to the throne was given when the ruling king seemed it was the right time. How it was created she had no idea. Who had given it to her family in the first place she couldn't recall either.

That wasn't her fault, though. It seemed that there were little to no records on the damned thing. So far we had found one book which only named all the royal heirlooms. That was it. It was more than a little discouraging, not to mention frustrating. I tried to remember what the cartoon had said about it, but I just couldn't remember. I hated it.

"How are you and Stella doing on that revealing spell?" wondered Flora, hands in her hair and staring at the ceiling. "Things would be a lot less complicated if we could just expose the three ugly ducklings for who they are."

"We asked Wizgiz yesterday," I told her. "He was my babysitter during my garden walk. He said he would look into it and come back to us."

Flora frowned. "Did he ask why you wanted to know?" When I nodded her eyes widened. "And he was alright with it?"

"Flora, all the teachers are being kept up to date by Faragonda. Everyone knows that Stella seems to be a target and that I attract trouble."

"Oh, don't say that." Flora placed a hand on my folded ones. "You don't attract trouble." I arched a sceptic eyebrow and she chuckled sheepishly. "Well, it is not like you can help it."

"I wish I could…" My voice drifted off; my eyes moving back to the person I had been drawing. The person who haunted my thoughts and dreams this last month. "My grandmother…"

I glared at the image. Whenever my mind was elsewhere, I seemed to end up drawing him and lately my mind was otherwise occupied a lot. Despite that, I just couldn't get his eyes right. Something was always missing, but I couldn't figure out what.

Despite his request that I not make him wait another month, I hadn't visited again. Not because I didn't want to. I simply had no idea how. Three times I had been to the Omega Dimension or whatever the hell that place was. Three times and I had no idea how or why. Once I had been unconscious due to an overexertion of power, once I had been drugged by my lovely teacher, and once I had been on death's doorstep. What did those three times have in common, besides me being unconscious? "You bloody tell me."

"Hey, that is pretty good." Flora peeked curiously at my sketch. "Who is he?"

I let out a deep sigh. Now that was a question I had wondered more and more about. "I have no idea."

Flora's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Yep." I popped out the last letter with a frustrated sigh. "But he is plaguing my thoughts. It's bloody annoying."

"Well, he is rather handsome." She giggled when I glared at her. "I'm just saying."

"I thought you were shipping me with Brandon," I accused, deliberately not responding to her observation. I was not attracted to the asshole. I refused to be. "Don't tell me your changing ships."

"No, I am still rooting for you and Brandon," laughed Flora. "But don't tell Stella that. She has officially labelled him He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named."

"Musa and I probably shouldn't have introduced her to Harry Potter." I snorted, shaking my head in amusement. "Riven has taken to calling him Voldemort as well."

"That is a terrible name," protested Flora with a pout. "Brandon is not the villain in this story." I just shrugged. Who was I to argue with Stella and Riven? Those were fights I simply couldn't win.

Stella had joined our little movie night. Or rather said, had taken my place during movie night with me being grounded and all that. Though according to Musa, she and Sky – who had somehow ended up attending the nights as well – barely paid attention to the movie itself and usually left halfway through it to take "long strolls" through the garden.

Not that I thought Musa and Riven did much watching. She hadn't even come back to Alfea yesterday, just joined us for breakfast this morning looking more than a little dishevelled. And when she refused to answer Stella's questions… Well, the world was too small to evade her. The dining hall certainly was.

Poor Musa had blushed every shade of red in existence when Stella had accused her of sleeping with Riven, before loudly protesting that nothing had happened. Just some kisses and then falling asleep on the couch together. Stella hadn't bought that. I had decided to wonder in return what she and Sky had been doing all evening if they left as early as usual. That had shut her up. And had Griselda make an appearance to demand to know what was going on.

"From everything I've heard, I think the three ugly ducklings should be called the villains," continued Flora, staring up at the ceiling again. "We should probably give them a nickname. Calling them the three ugly ducklings just doesn't quite pack the punch."

"How about the Trix?" I suggested with a smile. "It's short and catchy. And they certainly try to trick everyone."

"I like that one!" Flora laughed. "I wonder what they would call us…"

My stomach bubbled in excitement. "The Winx, of course."

"The Winx?" echoed Flora, eyes sparkling and her smile widening. "Did you just come up with that on the spot?"

"During a long sleepless night actually." I shrugged, crossing my fingers under my sketchbook. "It just popped up. I mean, we all have wings and most of them make a shape like an x so why not add that on the end?"

"Winx…" Flora laughed as she tried out the name. "I like it."

"Girls!" called Suzie from out of Stella's room. "I am done!" We both jumped up and hurried to the common area, peeking our heads past the door. Suzie was packing her stuff, shooting us a radiant smile when she caught our curious glances. "You are going to love it!" she assured us. "Take care, girls. Until next time." She blew us a kiss and then sauntered out of our dorm.

Flora and I exchanged an exited look before closing the distance between ourselves and Stella's room. We never got the chance to make it there. We weren't even halfway when the doors opened and out came Stella.

"Oh, Stella!" gasped Flora, clasping her hands in front of her mouth. I could only gape in astonishment.

Gone were Stella's long locks. Instead, she was supporting shoulder-length waves that fell both gently and naughtily past her face.

She shuffled awkwardly, her hands clasped behind her back. "What do you think?"

"You look amazing!" gushed Flora, closing the distance and embracing her tightly. "Oh, now I wish I would have tried something a bit more daring as well!"

Stella's eyes gazed at me from over Flora's shoulders. There was panic in them, like she feared she had overdone it.

I smiled, joining the hug. "Stella, you are drop dead gorgeous. It will take some getting used to, for both you and us, but never think that it doesn't suit you."

"Yes, and when you are ready for something new, Suzie can get it done just as easily," added Flora with a bright smile. "But I hope you will stick to this a little longer. I love it."

That was how Musa and Tecna found us, the three of us locked in a tight embrace in the middle of the common area. They too froze and gaped in utter shock at Stella upon noticing her short hair, before complimenting her on it. Musa even admitted she was considering a different hairstyle and wondered what she would look like with long hair.

"We will schedule you with Suzie next time she comes to visit," promised Stella, her smile finally returning upon receiving such positive reactions to her new look. "She can show you. You won't instantly have to try it out, but at least you will have an idea what it will look like."

I wrapped my arm around Stella's. "Do you know that on Earth cutting your hair short after a significant event or change is something found in a lot of cultures?"

Stella's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Hmm-hmm." I smiled. "I cut my hair short when I first started to struggle with my depressions. With everything that had happened, I just needed something new. Something that would show the world that I was a different person." I grimaced as I remembered that moment, or rather said my mother's reaction to my short hair.

She had been absolutely beside herself. The first and last time I had ever been allowed to make an appointment with a hairdresser without her blessing. Not to mention she had forced me to wear a wig until my hair had grown back to a "decent" length.

"On Zenith we choose a particular hairstyle and colour at the age of eighteen," informed Tecna. "And just as Bloom said, when something drastic happens we often decide to change it."

"What made you choose magenta pink?" I wondered curiously. "I can't imagine you with a different colour, but it does make me wonder…"

Tecna's cheeks flushed a little. "It- uh… It was the most unusual and I- I wanted to stand out."

"Well, you succeeded," chuckled Musa, nudging her roommate with a bright smile. "Both on Zenith and here."

"If you had come back to the dorm earlier, Suzie might have been able to squeeze you in." Flora smiled softly at Musa. "Oh, the things she can do with hair!"

Musa's smile widened. "But then we wouldn't have finally found some answers."

"You did?" echoed Stella, Flora and I at the same time. "What?"

Tecna mentioned towards the couches and we all eagerly took a seat. "We asked Ms. Barbatea," admitted our colourful friend. "Musa was getting fed up with all the books that gave us nothing. So we told her what we were looking for and she pointed us into the right direction. But the books…"

"Tecna here doesn't find them reliable," cut Musa in with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Because they are based on myths rather than science."

Tecna scowled, crossing her arms. "There is no scientific evidence to support the theory that the universe was created by a magical dragon. And even if it did, then that leaves the question: where did that come from, hmm?"

"Uh, I am missing something here." Stella waved a hand through the air to get their attention. "What dragon? What are you even talking about?"

"Okay, according to the legends everything that exists in this world was created by something called the Great Dragon," started Musa. "The realms and universes as we now know, did exist but there was no life on it, nor was there any light. Just nothing. Then the Dragon emerged – yes, Tecna, I know it had to come from somewhere – and with its fiery breath created light. Everything it touched sprung to live and started to grow. According to the book we found, it even shaped humanlike creatures out of the dirt and then puffed life into them which was how we magical creatures were created." She glared at Tecna when the girl opened her mouth again to say something. "Knock it off. You can share your theories once I've finished the story." Tecna scowled and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair with an indignant look.

"Anyway, the Dragon was the force of good, of life, and eventually grew tired after years of protecting and creating. So it chose one realm and decided to rest down on it, and that realm was Domino."

"But Domino is a cold and unfriendly place," protested Flora. "If the dragon represents life, surely Domino would have been spared such a fate."

"I'll get to that later." Musa shot her a glare. "Can I just finish the damn story?" Flora smiled sheepishly. "Thank you. Now, according to the book the sceptre was created by one of the first Guardians of the Sacred Fire, which were the magical creatures that were blessed with the Power of the Dragon. They acted on behalf of it, and they created the sceptre along with some other magical artifacts to restore peace in the different realms. Apparently back then there were a lot of riots and power struggles. And since only those with pure intentions were able to wield those artifacts – being created out of pure goodness and all – they couldn't be abused by those with questionable intentions.

"Now that was where the books about ended and we went to ask Barbatea, since we too wondered that if Domino was supposedly the resting place of the Great Dragon, then how did it end up desolated and cold? She explained that there were many Guardians of the Secret Fire – or Guardians of the Dragon's Flame – on Domino. It became something of a title after peace returned to the Magic Dimension and the Dragon rarely blessed anyone with its powers anymore. She called them high priestesses, who worshipped the Dragon and devoted much of their life to serving it."

"Uh…" Musa shot Stella a glare when she interrupted. "What?" She glared right back. "I am just wondering where this is going."

"I am getting to that." Stella scoffed. "The Guardians had to come from Domino and most often than not, they had a connection to the royal family. The same family that in the last centuries were the only ones who were actual Keepers of the Dragon's Flame."

"I am confused," I couldn't help but interrupt Musa. She threw her hands up in the air in response, clearly fed up with all our interrupting. "What is the difference between a Guardian and a Keeper? Aren't they the same thing?"

"No." Musa shook her head. "In the beginning those who were blessed with the Dragon's Power were called the Guardians. But when no one was no longer blessed with it, it was the title those devoted to the Dragon took on. So the Guardian of the Dragon is now the title those who worship and serve it carry. The Keeper is the one who actually possesses the Power of the Dragon and-" She shrugged. "Well, that person keeps it safe because whenever it emerges, a lot of people start looking for it. And that is what happened to Domino." She leaned a little forward, dropping her voice as if she was telling us a ghost story. "Barbatea told us that Princess Daphne of Domino – the heir to the throne – was the last Guardian of the Dragon's Flame, and that many believed her little sister Eliane – the princess who had just been born – was its Keeper. That was why the Ancestresses attacked Domino not long after Eliane's birth. The entire realm was destroyed and its people killed, including the royal family. Since there are no more people to give its power to, the Dragon abandoned Domino as its resting place and that is why the realm is now desolate and no one dares to go anywhere near it."

"Eliane…" The name echoed through my head like a mantra, bringing tears to my eyes. I could almost hear someone sing it to me, the voice soft and kind. "Eliane of Domino…"

Flora interrupted the silence that had fallen over us after that revelation. "That doesn't explain why the Trix want Stella's sceptre."

"The Trix?" Tecna shot Flora a weird look. "Who are they?"

Flora laughed. "That is what Bloom and I nicknamed our three favourite witches."

Tecna just shook her head dismissively. "But you are right, Flora: it doesn't explain why they want Stella's sceptre. If there is some truth in those legends, then they won't even be able to use it. Not to mention that the Great Dragon most likely didn't even exist and is just a metaphor, a legend, to explain the creation of the universe."

"Well, there have to be people who believe it is real," I pointed out, clearing my throat to get rid of the tightness in it. "Or else Domino would still exist."

"My father has this theory –" Stella choked for a moment, the mere mention of her father bringing tears to her eyes, before continuing shakily. "– that Domino was attacked because its royal family was simply a lot more powerful than others. He always said that when King Oritel spoke, he radiated this power and superiority that made everyone else just instantly quiet down and listen to him, to obey him. A lot of people didn't like how inferior he made them feel and the fact that he had already a very powerful daughter and another on the way…" She shuddered. "Mom hates it when he talks about what happened on Domino."

"And with good reason." Flora grasped Stella's hand with a warm smile. "What happened there was awful."

"But it still doesn't bring us any closer to why the Trix want your sceptre," concluded Tecna.

"No, I think it does," I disagreed, chewing on my lip and wondering how to put this without revealing I knew exactly what the Trix were after and why. "We agree that the Trix are the same as the three witches Riven warned us about. That means they are using some serious dark magic, yet despite all your calculations, they are still alive. And when they were draining you from your power, I noticed a significant change in their appearances." My four friends listened intently, their brows furrowed. "What if the Trix believe that your sceptre holds a fragment of the Dragon's Flame, since it was created by its Guardians?" I raised my hand when Tecna started to protest. "I am not saying that the Dragon existed, but just consider this: whoever created the sceptre was immensely powerful and put a bit of their power into it. Maybe the Trix think that if they can extract that power from your sceptre, it makes them powerful enough to continue using dark magic." I folded my hands. "And if they do believe in the Power of the Dragon, then they might think that your sceptre is one of the artifacts housing it."

"I think Bloom might be on to something." Musa nodded thoughtfully to herself. "We already concluded that the Trix can't actually use the sceptre since it rarely answers to anyone outside the Solarian royal family. And when they drained us from our energy, they grew more powerful. Why wouldn't they be able to do the same with magical artifacts?"

"If what you are saying is true –" Tecna's lips quirked down, worry shimmering through her aura. "– than the only reason they are still alive is because they are draining the magic out of artifacts and magical creatures."

Flora gasped utterly horrified. "But that would mean that they are killing people just to survive themselves!"

I paled. I hadn't even considered that yet, but that would explain how they were still alive despite Tecna swearing that they should already be dead.

Stella turned to me, her eyes wide. "Wizgiz needs to get back to us about that revelation spell. ASAP."

I nodded, chewing on my lip. "And I need to find that spell to bind the Dragon's Flame to me."

Another month passed, but I had no luck in finding that binding spell. I didn't have the nerve to ask one of the teachers, afraid it would get back to Faragonda. After her thorough interrogation after the swamp incident I suspected she knew I wasn't telling the whole truth. She was especially interested in my remarkable healing, and the fact that Flora had told her that my hands had abruptly been engulfed in fire and I had woken up laughing.

I wasn't about to tell her about my grandmother. The fact that Barbatea had urged me to never see or speak to him again, and referred to him as someone evil, was enough reason to never tell anyone that he still popped up whenever I was unconscious. Let alone that I rather enjoyed talking / bickering with him.

The Trix remained oddly quiet, minus the fake note from Sky to invite Stella on a date. When Stella had gotten that and showed it to us eagerly, I had jumped into action and prevented her from being captured, just by wondering why he hadn't just asked her in person. The guy literally made-up excuses to visit Alfea, just to see Stella. There was no way he would leave a note to ask her out. That made her think, and Stella had called the man himself.

Low and behold, Sky hadn't sent the note.

"The Trix must have been more than a little surprised, waiting until I arrived and instead being visited by law enforcement," Stella had laughed after alerting Faragonda of the strange note, who in return had contacted the council. "Oh, I wish I could have seen their faces."

I would have too, though I would have preferred to see them captured but they had gotten away, after draining a handful officers from their magic and leaving their dead bodies behind. Needless to say, the council and Magix were now on high alert and trying desperately to find the culprits, though their existence had so far been kept secret to prevent dimension wide panic.

I knew my time was running out when Alfea was invited to an opera in Magix. We came back to find our dorm trashed and Stella's ring missing. That meant the Trix would soon discover that they had been after the sceptre for nothing and instead would continue their search for whatever did hold the Dragon's Flame.

The day after the theft, I made my way to the library once more with my notebook in hand. Kiko was beside me, tail in the air and gazing eagerly around for an opening to the gardens.

I was missing something, overlooking something, but I couldn't figure out what, which was why I had taken to my notebook again.

The first pages – or rather said half of the notebook – were filled with everything I remembered from the first season, followed by a list of questions that needed answering. Some I had scribbled answers under, like which were the "modern" realms in the Magic Dimension, what holidays and celebrations were normal and how they differed from Earth's – there was no Christmas unfortunately since no one in the Magic Dimension believed in Santa Claus or Jesus – and a whole list of what different auras meant. I was getting a lot better at reading them and tuning them out, though I still couldn't switch them off. Not like the halos.

Others remained unanswered, like why the Trix had believed Stella's sceptre was the holder of the Dragon's Flame, who my grandmother was, just where exactly we met up and how I could get to that place, and what had happened that the clearing in Gardena was covered in dark magic. But how I was going to find any answers on those questions I had no idea.

"Hello Bloom." Barbatea smiled at me as I entered the library, folding her hands on top of the book she was reading. "What can I do for you this early in the morning?"

I showed her my notebook while Kiko jumped onto the desk to say hello. "Research. What else?"

Barbatea's brows furrowed, absently scratching my cat under his chin. His loud purr echoed through the silent library. "You and the girls aren't still searching for answers on the Great Dragon, are you?" I shrugged in answer. Better to let her assume than correct her. The ancient librarian leaned back in her chair with pursed lips. "Where does this sudden fascination with old legends and myths come from?"

"Is it truly a myth?" I shot back lightly. "There are a lot of myths on Earth, but most are based on actual events and facts. Sure, over the years they changed slightly and became more dramatic, but that doesn't change that its origins had to come from somewhere."

Barbatea wasn't faced, arching an eyebrow. "Do you believe there is truth in them?"

"There must be." I crossed my arms. "Domino was not destroyed by evil forces just because their king and queen were more powerful than others. I mean, someone went to an awful lot of trouble to wipe out its entire population." I smiled innocently. "Honestly, this is just me trying to learn more about the world I now find myself in."

"Hmm…" Barbatea's aura told me she wasn't buying it, reminding me that she could see mine as well. Another thing to add on the list. If my grandmother could hide his, then surely I could hide mine as well. "Well, you know where to find me if you can't find what you are looking for."

"Will do. Thanks, Ms. Barbatea." I smiled and waved before making my way deeper into the library. "Kiko, come along." My cat meowed, giving Barbatea a final cuddle, before quickly shooting after me.

In the last three months I had gotten more familiar with Alfea, especially after being grounded. There was only so much entertainment that my dorm provided and staying out in the gardens all day was torture on my skin. Yes, Stella had perfected her sunburn healing spell, but I preferred to go without it. While it made the redness disappear, the soreness remained for several days. And since I still hadn't lost my painful cough after the swamp incident, and I could only just put full weight on my former broken ankle again, I preferred to go without any more injuries.

I hummed to myself to break the silence, my fingers dancing over the backs of the many books in search of one that would spark my interest. I had learned that reading the titles was often useless. It was all about intuition.

The books which barely reacted when my fingers brushed them were not the ones I was looking for. No, the ones which had actual flames dance over my skin or that I could juggle between my fingers like my grandmother had done were my targets.

"I have to give him a better name, don't you think, Kiko?" My cat just tripled in front of me, every so often stopping and glancing back at me to check I was still following. "I think he might have had a point that first time we talked. If I'm Little Red Riding Hood, then he is the big bad Wolf." I quietly laughed. "That does fit. After all, the Wolf did pretend to be the grandmother in the story."

Of course, it would be even better if he just told me who he was next time we saw one another. "If we ever seen one another again." I let out a deep sigh. "Come on, there has to be something in one of these books that can point me into the right direction."

With how persistent the Trix were proving to be, I was becoming desperate. I would rather die than hand the Power of the Dragon over to them, even if they forcefully removed it from me. Naturally, I would prefer to remain alive but if it came down between them getting the Dragon's Flame or my life, then I would make damn sure they wouldn't get it.

"Daphne sacrificed her life to get me away from the three Ancestresses." My eyes watered, my throat suddenly tight. "I would dishonour her memory if I just handed it over without putting up one hell of a fight. Bloody hell, her sacrifice would be in vain."

The fact that I was in fact the lost princess of Domino – princess Eliane – was slowly settling in, though not less unnerving. With the king and queen – it was still too weird to call them my birth parents – absent for the last eighteen years and presumed dead – and I would know since I had checked the records – the rule of Domino fell onto the shoulders of the next in line. And since I was the last one living…

I shuddered. "Don't think about that. That is a burden a little too big to carry."

There were mornings I couldn't even get my ass out of my bed because of the expectations the teachers had of me as their most powerful student. I would crumble underneath the pressure and demands that came with ruling an actual kingdom. Even if that kingdom was destroyed.

Kiko meowed worriedly and I smiled, easily picking him up and draping him over my shoulder. "It's alright, little guy. I am just dealing with my worst enemy: my own thoughts." He purred and curled himself around my neck. "Come on, books," I prayed as I continued to touch the many backs. "Give me a sign."

My prayers were shockingly answered not even a minute later when my hands were abruptly engulfed in flames at the touch of a particular book, like my own fire had been awoken by it.

I didn't even pause to put the flames out, just grabbed the book. It had no title, but was old and leather bound with visible burns. When I opened it, the pleasant scent of fire and ash filed my nostrils. I hummed in delight. This might not be the book I was searching for, but it was right up my alley.

I grinned at Kiko. "It would be a right shame if I just put it back without taking a peek first, hmm?" My cat simply purred. "Let's continue our search. Barbatea will definitely ask question if I check out just one book."

But the rest of my search proved to be pretty unfruitful and I left with only three books: the one which had called me, one on healing, and one on more recent history. Barbatea and I hadn't quite gotten to the last three decades. Instead, she was still explaining how the different realms were created and how their royal families obtained rule over them. I meanwhile was growing more curious about what exactly had happened eighteen years ago on Domino and in the Magic Dimension, but Barbatea had so far refused to indulge me.

Luck was on my side, though, because it wasn't Barbatea behind the desk. It was Musa. They had switched places sometime during my stroll through the library, though where Barbatea had run off to she couldn't tell me.

I assured her I would take the books only with me to the study hall and would bring them back when I was finished there. Barbatea hated students taking her books to their dorms. They tended to be brought back in a different shape then they had left.

The study hall was pretty deserted and I took up my favourite spot: a table nestled in a corner overlooking the gardens. I noticed Flora was helping Palladium again, dressed in her usual overalls and wearing her favourite worn gloves with her hair pulled up in a bun on top of her head. Like Musa, Flora had found a job at Alfea and was now officially helping to maintain the gardens.

I was a little jealous of them. I knew I had to find a job myself, but I hadn't found the time to start my search. Besides, where was I supposed to start looking? With six magical schools in Magix, there were plenty of students eager for a job and I was just a clueless girl from Earth. Not to mention that my power aura certainly intimidated people.

"And then there is the tiny problem that I'm still grounded…"

Kiko jumped down from my shoulder and draped himself by the window. The sun was shining and that meant he would lie in it until he was too hot to touch or the sun was gone.

I absently petted him while placing the books down. For appearance sake, I opened the two on random pages before focussing on the book which was practically calling my name. A single touch had new flames arising and surrounding my hands, and I bit down on my lip to suppress the giggles fluttering in my stomach.

"I haven't felt this light-hearted or giddily since…" I frowned instantly. "Since getting high on my own power." My fingers gently brushed the cover, the tips tingling and urging me to let out more flames. "What secrets do you hide…?"

Much to my astonishment it was a spell book reserved specifically for those with the "gift of life", as the book called it. Since my own magic was responding so eagerly to it, I had a pretty good idea what "the gift of life" meant.

Soon enough I was doodling in my notebook, copying different spells and their meaning to give them a try later on. There was one which could be used to have actual fire become a healing touch to all those brave enough to put their hands in it. That one originated from Domino, which was written under it. People from far and wide came to Domino's sacred healers to ask for aid, no one knowing what they had to do to see it done and therefore many not passing the test when they refused to touch the fire.

Another was more playful and created little animals out of fire that were as alive as I wanted them to be. That one I loved and tried out right in the study hall. Kiko was just as delighted and happily played with the fiery bunny I had created.

There were several healing spells that seemed to fit me better than Ofelia's. Just writing them down was enough to make the air around me crack with magic, while Ofelia's spells took large amount of concentration and even then, they tended to go haywire: they either worked too well, or not well enough.

"I want this book." I almost moaned at the many spells that seemed to be written down specifically for me. Protective shields, fire extinguish spells, teleportation, pyromancy, spells that allowed magma manipulation, fire absorption spells… It had it all and then some, all fire based. "Would Barbatea notice if I embezzled it?" I almost scoffed at my own thoughts. "Of course, she would. She probably counts all her books before going to sleep."

I turned another page and abruptly paused. "Sleeping spells…" I murmured out loud. "Fire based sleeping spells. Interesting…" The word had barely left my lips before I hit myself in the forehead. "Damn it! Why would you use that word?!" Someone cleared their throat from somewhere in the hall and I blushed, realising I had spoken a little too loud. "Sorry…"

My fingers danced over the many sleeping spells. Most required the victims to stare into a flame and use that to lull them to sleep. How long they would remain asleep differed with each spell. One was a combination of sleep and healing, lasting for as long as the person needed to mentally heal from whatever horror they had seen. Another lasted not even half an hour and granted the caster excess to someone's true thoughts. It basically was some type of truth spell.

I was only just reading the spell under it, wondering what the words "sagus ustrima somnium" meant – there was no translation mentioned – when something hard and heavy slammed against the back of my head, knocking me straight out.

I didn't even feel my forehead hitting the table, instead I sat up while falling forward. Was that even possible? Well, the feeling was an odd one, that I was sure off.

I gazed around, my heart jumping slightly at the sight of all the snow surrounding me. "Am I back in the not Omega Dimension?" I instantly dismissed that notion, scoffing at the instant excitement that had bubbled in my stomach. "Don't be pathetic, Sybil. He is not THAT handsome. Besides, you can see, silly. When you are with Wolf, it is all darkness, remember?"

Not only could I see, but I couldn't feel either. I observed the fluttering snow from my comfortable spot in it – I was half buried – but no cold seeped into my bones, no harsh wind was nipping at my skin.

"Bloom…" called a pleasant silvery voice in the distance. "Bloom… Come to me… Follow my voice…"

Now that sounded familiar.

"Huh?" I gazed around, trying to find the source of the voice. "Wait a minute, am I dreaming about Daphne? Am I already supposed to be dreaming about her? Should I even be dreaming about her since I already know who I am?"

"Bloom…" The wind nudged me gently. "Come to me, Bloom…"

I gazed around again as I rose to my feet, but the only thing I saw was endless amount of snow. There were some mountains in the distance, but other than that nothing. A smooth white surface as far as the eye could see. It was remarkably peaceful. Then again, winter had always been my favourite season.

"Bloom…"

"Coming…" I murmured. The wind was blowing the voice into a particular direction, but I had no idea if I was even going the right way. "Where the hell am I?" I constantly looked around me to get an indication, but everything was buried underneath layers of snow. A sudden thought slammed into me, knocking the air straight out of me. "Wait… Am I… Is this…" I froze, staring around in horror, my throat suddenly tight. "Is this Domino?"

"Yes, Bloom," answered the voice. A shiver ran down my spine as it seemed to wrap itself around me, almost like an embrace. I choked back a sob, tears running down my cheeks. "Welcome home."

"Home…" I gazed around, my heart sinking. Endless amount of snow was all that greeted me. It was more than a little discouraging. "I have a lot of work to do before this even remotely resembles a home again."

"Yes!" The voice laughed, the pure joy in it bringing a smile to my face despite the sadness brought on by being here lingering. "Yes, Bloom! Come with me! I will lead the way!"

I took a deep breath in, focussing on my inner core, before pushing it out. New flames surrounded my hands and as I placed them on the snowy ground underneath me, they jumped away and tore through the snow, creating a path straight through it.

"Oh, God." My breath hitched as the snow pulled back and revealed dead ground. There were no flowers, no grass, no trees and shrubs. Not even the dead kind. Just rocks, cracked lifeless earth and more snow. "What did this?" I gazed up to the sky, searching for the familiar voice. "This cannot just be the Ancestresses work!"

"A battle took place," answered the voice, the wind nudging me again. "An all-destructive battle against evil. Nothing in its path was left unscathed." I swore I felt fingers brush my cheek lovingly, wiping my tears away. "But what is broken can be mended." I closed my eyes leaning into the imaginary touch. It was familiar, safe and kind, and I could almost hear a lullaby being sung. "Come, Bloom…"

I let out a deep sigh of regret when the touch disappeared, my eyes flickering open again. "Where are we going?"

"Come…" The voice was further away now. "We don't have much time…"

I broke out into a run to keep up, but still I was losing ground, the voice ever growing fainter. If I didn't speed up, I was going to lose it.

"Oh, what the hell." I stopped with a frustrated groan. "Why am I even running when I can fly?" I focussed again, this time tapping into my core and forcing its power to spread through my body. The familiar heat exploded in the tips of my fingers before rushing up my arms and through my whole body. I grinned as I felt the hidden wings jump out and with a loud laugh of excitement, I jumped and flew off.

After earning my wings, I had struggled with unlocking them again. I didn't even know how I had earned them, or how I had transformed. Stella and Tecna had both tried to help me discover what triggered my transformation, but without any luck.

Oddly enough, I had only recently learned how to do it. I was so fed up with being locked in doors that I was dying to sneak out of Alfea and just explore the night. That frustration had been the key. If I focussed on my inner core – the place where my powers seemed to originate from – and imagined that all that power coming out and flow through me, I transformed.

Which I had then proceeded in doing every night for the last two weeks, just to get out of Alfea.

"Yes!" laughed the voice, I spun through the air chuckling at the delight. "That's it, Bloom! Come!"

"You do know Bloom is not my real name, right?" I wondered as I flew, doing more spins and even some twirls, as well as a dive here and there. I was never freer as when I was flying.

"Do you want me to call you something else?" chuckled the voice, the bell-like laughter reminding me an awful lot of my own. "I could call you by your birthname."

I wrinkled my nose, shaking my head resolutely. "No, thank you. I haven't known about my birthname for the longest time and it would be odd being called that."

"What about Sybil then?"

My heart fluttered. "Somehow that does still feel like my real name, though Ms. Barbatea told me that it is actually the name our creators gave me. Being called that feels wrong somehow, though it is still the one I most identify with."

"How about Red?"

My cheeks flushed instantly. "Absolutely not!" The voice laughed wholeheartedly and I wrinkled my nose in dismay. "How do you even know about that?"

I never got my answer. Instead a giant fire dragon suddenly emerged out of the ground before me, wrapping itself around a large ice formation and melting it away. I gaped as the snow dripped away, revealing a castle.

Once it had towered above the lands, high up on an island with torrents and watch towers. But that was all gone. Archways had collapsed under the weight of the snow, torrents were missing and stones scattered.

"The royal palace…"

The dragon floated before me, its fiery eyes gazing straight at me. "Come home," whispered the voice from out of it, the urgency and desperation in it slicing right through me. The tears welled up in my eyes. "Come home and heal."

"I will," I swore, my voice breaking. "I swear I will. But I have to keep you safe first. I cannot let the Trix get their hands on your power. It is meant for good, not for dark magic."

"Red…"

I twirled around when the familiar voice of Wolf reached me but no matter where I gazed, I did not catch one single glimpse of the eyes that haunted me day and night.

"Return to him." I turned back to the dragon when it spoke, feeling more than a little desperate. "He has the answers you seek."

"I don't know how," I protested, my voice shaking. Time was running out. I had no idea how I knew that, but I just did. If I was to grant the dragon its wish, then I needed to act quickly. "How do I get to him?"

"Search for him." The dragon was fading, as was the world around me. "You are two sides of the same coin, different but connected. Search for him…"

"Wait!" I called out desperately, jerking forward with my hand stretched out to grasp the dragon, to ask it to clarify. But all I caught was air. "Wait! I don't understand!"

I gasped when a gust of wind knocked into me, toppling me back.

BANG!

I groaned as my back hit the floor, my eyes gazing somewhat disillusioned to the ceiling above my head. "What…?" Blurred shapes danced before my eyes. "What… How… Where am I?"

"Bloom." I blinked at the sound of my name. "Bloom." The voice of the dragon lingered still in my ears, tears prickling my eyes as I remembered the love, the comfort. "Bloom!"

Finally I snapped out of the haze. The blurred shapes were the faces of Faragonda, Griselda, and Barbatea. I was back at Alfea, at the study hall. My chair and I were lying on the floor, apparently toppled back. But did that mean it was all a dream?

"Hi…" I croaked, pressing a hand against my forehead. It was like my head was literally spinning on my neck. "Uh… Sorry? I must have fallen asleep." Griselda let out a disappointed sigh. "I really am sorry. I didn't get an awful lot of sleep last night," I explained, slowly getting up. "I am still crashing with Stella, you see…"

Just as I bend forward to straighten my chair, I caught sight of my hands. I was wearing fingerless gloves that shimmered red. Fingerless gloves that were attached to familiar dark red mail.

I practically jumped back. "Fuck!"

"Bloom!" scolded Griselda instantly. "Mind your language!"

I paid her no heed, instead checking whether I was truly seeing what I thought I was seeing. Yep, dark red-almost black mail covered every inch of my skin, minus the golden-yellow crop top with short sleeves made out of golden armour and the high-low flowing skirt that wrapped itself around my thighs like a snake.

I gazed horrified at the three women. "Did I transform while I was sleeping? Is that even possible?"

"Normally that doesn't happen, no." I swallowed at the intense look in Faragonda's eyes. "You must have been thoroughly distressed. Only then can your magic respond like this."

I took a deep breath if before slowly pushing it through my lips. Like a fire extinguishing by water, the magic dancing over my skin retreated and settled back into my core. Gone were the mail and my translucent batlike wings, instead I was wearing jeans and an oversized navy blue sweater that fell off the shoulder.

I plucked at the sleeves, grimacing uncomfortably. "I'm really sorry…"

I almost expected Faragonda to smile and assure me with her usual "think nothing of it, dear". She didn't, instead stared intensely at me from over her glasses. "Bloom, may I inquire after the subject of your dream?"

For a moment I contemplated lying. I certainly couldn't tell her the truth. But Barbatea was there and she would notice straight away. While the two of us shared a secret, I had come to learn that Barbatea's main priority was keeping me safe, especially from myself. If I lied, I was pretty sure she would tell Faragonda.

"A dragon," I finally admitted timidly, deciding on half-truths rather than straight up lying. "I was dreaming about a dragon."

Faragonda's intense stare did not waver. "And that startled you?"

"Not particularly…" I chewed on my lip. "It told me to follow it, but I was losing it while running. So I transformed. But I didn't mean…"

I cut myself off when Faragonda shot me another intense look. "This dragon… Have you dreamed about it before?" I shook my head. "Do you have any idea why you would dream about it now?" I shook my head again. "Hmm…" Faragonda pursed her lips, still gazing intently at me. "Ms. Barbatea has informed me you are curious about the Great Dragon."

"Uh, yes, ma'am." I swallowed, plucking at my sleeve again. "It was mentioned when the girls and I were trying to find answers on why the witches were interested in Stella's ring. I was just curious about it, and about the legends the Magic Dimension has. On Earth people are divided into believing the universe was created during the Big Bang and through evolution, or that a divine being breathed life into it. I thought that latter story and the Great Dragon were rather similar and I just wanted to learn more…" I was rattling and quickly snapped my mouth close.

"Yet…" My heart leaped in my throat when Faragonda turned to the desk I had been at. Oh, no! My notebook was still lying open! If she examined that I was in some deep shit. I was about to call out, rush forward to stop her when—"You were reading about recent history and healing?"

"Huh?" I gazed past her, a strangled noise slipping past my lips when I noticed that the book I had been reading and my notebook were gone. I shot forward, looking underneath the table and under the books for them.

Nothing.

"Where are they?" Panic clawed at my throat. "They were right there when I fell asleep!" If someone had taken my notebook… Oh, I didn't even want to think about that! That would be disastrous!

"Bloom?" Barbatea eyed me worriedly. "What is it?"

"My notebook is gone," I explained, my breath coming out in pants. "And the other book. The one I was reading before falling asleep."

"Well, they can't just have disappeared," scoffed Griselda. "Are you sure you took them with you?"

"Yes!" I shot the woman a furious glare. "Ask Musa. I borrowed three brooks from the library!" I turned to Barbatea, my heart beating painfully against the suffocating fear that was tightening itself around it. "And you saw me enter it with my notebook! I had my notebook with me and I went straight here from the library!"

The woman nodded, a deep frown nestled between her brows. "She did have a notebook with her when I saw her earlier." Her frown deepened as she gazed around. "Bloom, where is your cat?"

A fist slammed itself into my stomach when I finally noticed my kitten's absence. "Kiko!" My knees buckled as I gazed around. He was nowhere in sight and my cat rarely left my side. Was he taken along with my notebook? He had to be! "Oh, no. Oh, no. No, no, no, no…" Tears jumped into my eyes. Someone had stolen my cat! "KIKO!"

A loud meow answered my scream. I let out a cry when he came pattering to me, tail swishing and eyes wide. I fell to my knees in front of him and hugged him tightly to my chest. He meowed softly, giving my chin a soft lick.

"Oh, Kiko…"

"Bloom." Faragonda let out a sigh, grasping my shoulder gently. "I think it is best you go back to your dorm and get some rest. You are clearly quite distressed…"

"But what about the book?" I protested, still clutching the grey-white kitten tightly to me and completely ignoring the tears streaming down my face. "And my notebook?"

Barbatea straightened and I flinched when I saw sparks of anger in her aura. Of course she was angry. I had lost one of her precious books. Next time we would meet up for a history lesson, she would do something much worse than drugging me. "What was the name of your third book?"

"It didn't have one," I answered meekly. "But it was a book full of different spells, all based on fire."

Barbatea's brows furrowed. "Are you certain?"

"Yeah, it…" I swallowed the other words, rising to my feet. I held out my hand, taking a deep breath in and then whispering: "Effio lupus." Flames curled together in my palm and the bunny reappeared, its little nosing twitching as it gazed around. "That was one of the spells. When I read it, it sounded so much fun that I instantly gave it a try."

"I have never…" stuttered Barbatea, her eyes wide and staring at the fiery bunny. "I… Are you… I have no idea what book you are talking about!"

I frowned, closing my palm around the bunny. "But I got it from the library. Just ask Musa. She saw it as well."

"Hmm…" Faragonda murmured softly. "Barbatea, if you'd be so kind to check with your assistant whether this is true. And I do believe it is best you go and lie down, Bloom. Griselda, could you please escort her back to her dorm?"

Griselda straightened her shoulders, tilting her chin in the air. "Of course."

"But…" I started to protest again. But Faragonda silenced me with a single raise of her hand.

"We will see if we can get to the bottom of this," she assured me, though the intensity of her stare made me nervous. "And in light of recent events, I do urge you to stop looking into the Great Dragon, Bloom."

I frowned, a twinge of frustration shooting through me. "Why?"

"We weren't called here because you transformed," answered Faragonda sharply. "But because you set half the hall on fire in your sleep."

My heart jumped into my throat. I had done- "What?!"

"You scared the other students quite badly," continued Faragonda. "Luckily the flames were harmless and caused no damage. But it seems to me that your research into the Great Dragon has sparked some peculiar dreams which in return activate your powers. This time things ended well. But let's not test fate again, shall we?"

Heat assaulted my cheeks but not in embarrassed. In anger. I remembered from the cartoon that Faragonda had known about Bloom's identity but kept it a secret from her, resulting eventually in Bloom going home to Earth because she felt she didn't belong in the Magic Dimension. That in return led to her losing her powers. It seemed that was happening here as well.

She knew but was keeping it a secret.

"If she thinks she can stop me, she has another thing coming."

Still I ducked my head and gave her what she wanted. "Yes, Ms. Faragonda. I will stop searching for more books on the matter."

Faragonda gently tilted my chin up, smiling sadly. "I understand you want to learn more about our world, Bloom –" She pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "– but some forces are better left in peace. I only have your wellbeing in mind."

The sincerity in her voice and in her aura made it impossible for me to consider her a liar. Still, I believed strongly that keeping such big secrets – even with good intentions – was wrong. If she had told Bloom early on that she suspected she was the daughter of Oritel and Miriam, then a lot of things could have been prevented. And if she had told her the whole story regarding Domino's demise – and Darkar's and Valtor's roles in it – then she would have been taken less by surprise when they had emerged. The only reason that that wouldn't happen now was because I already knew the truth.

I ducked my head again, clenching my fingers into fists to keep a lid on my frustration, my anger. "I understand…"

Faragonda probably noticed I wasn't happy with this, but she let it slide. Instead, she sighed deeply and turned to Griselda. "Griselda, if you please…"

"Come, Bloom." Griselda grasped my shoulder and led me away. "Let's get you back to your dorm."

During our walk back, I kept my lips pressed tightly onto one another. Griselda was explaining that Faragonda truly had only my best interest at heart and that there were still so many things we didn't know about my powers, that it was best to tread carefully. I nodded at the appropriate times, but didn't say anything. First, I was afraid that if I spoke my real opinion on the matter would become clear. Second, I was with my mind completely elsewhere.

"Who took my notebook and the book? Why did Barbatea truly look shocked when I displayed one of the spells? It was her book. What did the dragon mean with "search for him"? I have been doing nothing but!" I absently stroked Kiko's fur as I followed Griselda. "And what did it mean…? Two sides of the same coin, different but connected. Why does that sound familiar?"

My thoughts were still reeling when we reached my dorm. Griselda opened it for me and I dragged myself inside, murmuring a thanks. Griselda just nodded, eyeing me worriedly. "Get some rest, Bloom. You look like you need it."

I thanked her again before dragging myself to my room. I doubted I could actually get some sleep with my mind working overtime, but lying down might just be what I needed.

Kiko jumped out of my arms the moment I closed the door behind me. I did not follow him leaning heavily against the door and taking in the quiet and abandoned room. Flora was probably still helping Palladium in the gardens, but I had no clue where Tecna and Stella were. They certainly weren't here. Things were too quiet to have them be in.

My bed stood untouched at the end of the room, since I had been crashing with Stella these last two months. Her nightmares – often about her being abandoned – were getting better, but she still didn't like to be alone. I had decided to just camp out in her room during the nights until she thought she was ready.

I let out a deep sigh, my shoulders slumping. "Today is not going as I wanted." Kiko draped himself in the sunlight coming through the French doors. I scoffed a little at how at ease he was. As if I hadn't nearly set him on fire earlier…

The realisation hit me like a punch, my eyes watered. I could have hurt him – killed him – in my sleep! Him and a lot of other innocent people.

I sank to the ground, wrapping my arms around my legs and pressing my face against my knees. Out came the tears. Tears of shame for what had happened, of fear that I had hurt someone or done something to my cat, but also tears of grieve and frustration. For what happened to Domino and how I simply couldn't figure out how to keep the Dragon's Power safe. How I couldn't even find my way to Wolf.

"Return to him…" echoed the Dragon's voice in my head over and over. "He has the answers you seek."

"I don't know how," I sobbed into my knees. "I just don't. Please, I need help. Some guidance." I sniffed, raising my head and staring into thin air. Willing the Dragon to appear and answer my questions. "I am scared," I admitted brokenly. "I am scared because I don't know what to do, because someone has my notebook and they might discover the truth about me. I'm…" My voice hitched and I hid my face again. "I'm just scared."

Kiko meowed softly, striking past my legs, and without even glancing up, I wrapped my arms around him and cuddled him to my chest again, pressing my face into his furry coat. And as the good cat he was, he allowed me to do so for as long as I needed.

I had no idea how long I had sat there against the door, huddled together with Kiko tightly in my arms. But when the doors on the other side of it slammed open and Stella's voice echoed through the air, I knew my privacy had come to an end.

A tiredness that reached all the way to my bones washed over me. "I am not ready to face them…" I let Kiko go and hoisted myself onto my feet, stumbling to my bed. "Maybe a nap is just what I need…"

I flopped down on my bed, face first and instantly shrieked, my head landing on something solid rather than my down pillow. I pushed myself up onto my elbows and nearly screamed at what I saw.

On top of my pillow were the book and my notebook. The book was closed but my notebook was flipped open, still on the same page as where I had left it. Except beneath my own handwriting was another's. One which was a lot more elegant and cursive.

"Search for him."

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