Okay, I'm going to be blunt with y'all. I fucking hate this chapter! I know I said that about the last one, but looking back on it now I realize it's not as bad as I thought. But this one...!

I will already beg you for your forgiveness. The last month hasn't been my best and I've this awful cold at the moment. All in all, I just couldn't get in the flow, so the chapter doesn't have a nice flow to it either.

Also, I will apologize in advance for the cliff hanger.

Much thanks to all who have taken the time to review this story, and who are now following it or have added it as their favorite. I appreciate it.

And I owe MillieBelle an apology. She review chapter 10. I hope you will read this. I did not write that particular scene with those intentions and I'm sorry you got the idea I was encouraging toxic masculinity. That was not my intention. You're absolutely right: you can't judge someone's sexuality by appearance. I just wrote it as a bunch of teenaged girls who have conversations like that from time to time. Or at least, in my group of friends we have had conversations like that and teased each other mercilessly about a gaydar being off. My bisexual friend often complains that he wishes his gaydar was better than that of two of my girl friends, because he tends to fall for the guys that are as straight as they come and he finds it very frustrating. Honestly, I meant no harm. Still, I'm sorry...

With that cleared, I hope you lovely readers will at least somewhat enjoy this chapter.

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

Book I - Chapter XVI: Death By Exhaustion (Just Let Me Fucking Sleep Already!)

Updated: 13/11/22

Everything was too much: the sunlight falling through the large window opposite me was too bright; the talking around me too loud; the office too cold; my legs and body too weak, the pounding in my head too painful. My eyelids from reinforced steel closed themselves every handful of seconds, before something jerked me back to the here and now and they snapped back open.

My emotions were the worst of everything. They were all over the place. One minute I was numb, the next I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry, only to proceed to blinding fury.

I was tired. So very very tired.

I just wanted to leave and go to my room, curl up in bed under my nice warm covers and cuddle Kiko to my chest and then sleep for hours, possibly weeks. Tears welled up in my eyes at the mere thought of my bed. Couldn't this wait until I had gotten some much deserved sleep?

"I'm very disappointed in you, Bloom."

Normally those words alone would have moved me to tears, but Faragonda's disapproval did nothing. The numbness had settled back in and she could have accused me of murder, and I wouldn't have blinked or be taken back.

I was standing in her much too bright office, one step away from her desk. She was seated at it, fingers pressed together and staring at me from over her half round glasses. Her lips were pursed and her eyes somewhat narrowed, though she seemed more concerned than actually angry. And that wasn't me reading her aura. I was so tired that her aura was just a haze of faint colours I couldn't distinguish from one another.

Griselda was standing behind her. While initially Alfea's head of discipline had looked awfully pleased with herself, she was now looking at me with slightly tilted head, her eyes constantly running over the endless layers I was wearing. No one had commented on it yet, but I was sure that Faragonda would ask before she sent me on my merry way.

"Am I dismissed yet?" The urge to cry pushed the numbness away. "Please dismiss me. I'm not sure how much longer my legs can hold my weight."

I was a mess. I felt like it and I probably looked the part as well. While Daphne's intentions had been kind, I had not been able to find any rest in Domino's royal palace. Whenever I closed my eyes, whispers of a distant past too terrible to describe would torment me. After trying to sleep but finding myself unable to, I had spent my time exploring the castle. Or what little was accessible, which was not a lot.

I had returned to Alfea about… Well, I had no idea. It could be an hour. It could be a day. An entire lifetime could have passed. Faragonda didn't have a clock in her office and only the Dragon knew how long she had been lecturing me for. I couldn't tell. Time had seized to have any meaning. I just really wanted her to wrap it up and sent me to my room. I could do with a shower, a cuddle session with Kiko and sleep. The latter above all, though a nice warm shower to drive this cold away didn't sound too bad either.

It honestly didn't matter. The point was that I had returned to Alfea with every intention to skip my classes of the day and spent it in bed, sleeping. I was mentally, physically and magically drained.

But Griselda hadn't cared about any of that. She had been waiting for me, grabbing me by the collar and dragging me to Faragonda's office the second I stepped back into my room through the French doors. I hadn't even been able to remove my shoes or hat.

The magical barrier surrounding Alfea – the one which prevented anyone from entering or leaving after being activated – was also spelled to detect the use of transportation spells. The alarm I had thought I had heard, had been just that and I had activated it the moment I had jumped into the portal.

Not when I had called it forth, because that would be stupid. Catching students in the act was after all not useful or anything. No, Alfea's peers liked to wait until its students had actually committed the crime. I suspected the punishment was worse and Griselda got off on it.

And like that wasn't bad enough, the entire school was gathered outside once someone had set off the alarm. Griselda as the wonderful woman she was, counted heads, with name and everything. Which meant the entire school knew I was the one missing and therefore the person responsible for setting off the alarm last night.

I expected more than a few glares and snide remarks to be thrown my way once I joined everyday life. Amaryl would certainly not let the opportunity go to waste. She grew to resent me even more after saving her life in the swamp. Needless to say, should the situation repeat itself I wasn't going to go through all that trouble again.

"I expected better from you."

And with those simple words, the urge to cry made room for fury.

"Why?"

A newly sharpened dagger wouldn't cut as deep as that simple question. I was fed up, with lying Faragonda and her kind and caring grandmother act, with the ever righteous and unsympathetic Griselda, with the whole situation. I was exhausted, stressed, drained, emotional… Anyone with eyes could see I wasn't in a good place right now, yet Faragonda and Griselda looked visibly taken back when I snapped.

"A fair question, don't you agree?" I was faintly aware that my nails were digging into my palms and that my entire body was shaking in anger, but at that moment I didn't care if I blew up this perfect, much too bright office. "I mean, isn't acting out and breaking the rules exactly what you expect when you confide an adolescent to these walls, forbidding them to even take a walk in the garden without a babysitter?" Faragonda quickly sat back in her seat, her hands landing on her desk with a "slap", when I glared at her. "You've been treating me like a criminal rather than a student. Honestly, what did you expect?"

"Not this." Faragonda shook her head with a sigh that just set my teeth on edge. It was both disappointing and condescending "Breaking the rules, lashing out like this… I find it very troubling behaviour. This isn't like you at all, Bloom. Not one bit. Whatever has gotten into you?"

"Troubling behaviour? Not like me? What had gotten into me?" I all but exploded. "The nerve this woman has!" She did not know me nearly well enough to make such statements. Yes, she often looked me up to ask how I was doing but she wasn't my shrink or my confident!

"Bloom!" My eyes snapped towards Alfea's head of discipline when she shouted my name in outrage. Griselda was bristling, her nose scrunching slightly. "Calm yourself at once!"

"Why?" I hissed venomously, fletching my fingers. I could feel the Dragon's Flame roar inside me, its fire spreading through my body and burning just underneath my skin. Begging to be let out, desperate to satisfy this hunger inside me. "Give. Me. One. Good. Reason." I turned back to Faragonda before she could answer, baring my teeth at her. "You want to know what has gotten into me, Ms. Faragonda? I'm exhausted! Completely and utterly EXHAUSTED! How can I not be when my dreams are being hijacked and I'm not Getting. Any. Fucking. Sleep?!" I jabbed a pointed finger into Griselda's direction, noticing that flames were licking their way up to my fingers. "And she?! She gives me detention after detention because I can't FUCKING keep my eyes OPEN during classes, classes I AM STILL following despite being on the brink of COLLAPSING!"

"Bloom, dear…" Faragonda slowly rose to her feet. "You need to calm down…"

"NO!" I slammed my fist to the side, baring my teeth even more at her. Griselda jumped a little on her spot. "No, I don't! I don't need to do fucking ANYTHING!" I actually stomped by foot, balling my hands into fists. "It's what has gotten me INTO THIS MESS, this constant need from people to have me do SOMETHING! The only THING I need to do IS GET SOME FUCKING SLEEP!"

I screamed when what felt like a bucket of ice-cold water was deposited over my head. Like a fire deprived from oxygen, my anger vaporized and instead the suffocating blanket that was numbness settled around me again.

My knees decided to listen to my words and gave out from under me. I slumped on the ground, breathing heavily and staring at my trembling hands. Drops of water were slowly rolling down my arms to them, the little beads dropping to the floor once they had reached my nails.

Slowly.

One by one.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

"I'm tired," I whispered to my fingers and the water drops, my sight blurring and my chest constricting painfully. "I don't want these godawful dreams. It's not fair that I have them. It's not fair that my studies are suffering under them." I pinched my eyes close, gritting my teeth. "I shouldn't be grounded over something I can't even help. I shouldn't be given detention over falling asleep during classes when I still try to attend them. I shouldn't…" The word echoed over and over in my head. "I shouldn't, I shouldn't…" I sniffed. "It's not fair. I just want to be normal."

Warm arms wrapped themselves around me, forcing my head to rest against something equally as warm. A familiar mixture of expensive parfum, citrus, and lotion wrapped itself around me and I leaned deeper into it. There was something soothing to this smell and the reason why tickled my sides, only to scoot away when I tried to catch it.

"This is what I imagine Daphne's embrace to be like…"

And just like that I started sobbing uncontrollably.

I needed someone to hold me like this, soothe me lovingly and tell me everything would be alright. That I could rest and they would carry my burdens for a while. I needed to be just Bloom for a moment and not Keeper of the Dragon's Flame, Saviour of Domino, and whatnot. Just a girl with powers learning how to control them and having fun with her friends, like I had set out to be after discovering I had ended up in the Winx Club universe.

The truth hit me like a wrecking ball: I was exhausted but not just because I wasn't sleeping. My life resembled a roller coaster ride, that ride being launched when I met Stella. I never caught a break, but just stumbled from one problem right into the next. I was constantly on the move. It was like I had run a marathon, only to discover I had to swim a few more miles in ice cold water against a strong current after crossing the finish. But if I stopped now, or even took a break, I would drown. Yet I was so desperate for a break…

It had driven me to Domino last night, hoping that it would get Daphne and the Dragon off my back. Instead the little trip had given me new nightmares and added more pressure on my shoulders rather than provide me with some relief.

I was a fucking teenager! I shouldn't have to worry about the fate of the Magic Dimension, the health and prosperity of an entire realm, keeping an ancient entity safe from evil, or trying to prevent a devastating war from breaking out! I shouldn't even be grounded because I constantly got myself into trouble! I should be worrying about my midterms, having fun with my friends and scoring a proper date, like any other student!

"I shouldn't be a queen…" I shuddered, curling deep into myself and biting down hard on my lips to keep the desperate cries smothered. "I shouldn't even be here…"

No matter how many times Barbatea repeated it to me, I didn't feel like I belonged in this world. Not really. It was why I still struggled with calling Oritel and Miriam my parents. That seemed to be such a final- such a final thing. Accepting that… Wouldn't it mean that I had to cast aside my parents – Caroline and Leonard Blackburn – and the life I had lived with them? Just dismiss it and pretend it never happened? That it was nothing but a bad dream?

I didn't think I could. No matter how much I hated them, I loved them in equal measure. They were my parents, the people I had always tried to make proud. I had lived to please them and they had scarred me in ways only a parent could, to somewhat quote the always delightful hot mess that was Klaus Mikaelson.

Maybe a small part of me was still waiting for that moment I woke up and found this all to be some migraine-induced dream. Hoping really, for it would mean that this disaster roller coaster ride filled with lies, half-truths, secrets and more lies, wasn't truly my life.

I wanted to be normal. I wanted to return to my dull but uncomplicated life as Sybil Blackburn, where my biggest worry was whether or not my mother approved of me. No Dragon's Flame to protect, no destroyed realm to heal and rule, no cranky Wolf waiting impatiently in Dream Domino, no Trix, no weird dreams.

Hell, if anyone offered me the chance to return to the Blackburn manor, I would have signed there and then and never regret it.

No, that was a lie. Or at least, only half true. I would regret giving up these amazing powers. They were what made me different, extraordinary, and I loved having them, loved that I could make a difference with them. I would miss the girls, Kiko and Mike and Vanessa terribly if I left them behind, knowing I would never see them again. I would even miss Valtor with his questionable motives and secret agenda, especially our banter.

But all these responsibility, pressure, and suffocating worries? No, I would not miss it. Not one bit.

Would I consider giving up this life under normal circumstances? I doubted it. But I was tired and cold and emotional, and most importantly desperate for sleep, and people did crazy things when they needed to get some sleep. Hadn't Hawkeye in M.A.S.H. once tried to bring their latrines to North-Korea due to a lack of sleep? I had cried with laughter, but in hindsight it was exactly what lack of sleep could do to a person. And while I might not have the desire yet to offer the Trix Alfea's own lavatories, I was getting to that point where I was at least considering to just straight up murder them. That would solve a lot of my current troubles and probably prevent more like them in the future.

"How to get away with magical murder…"

I snorted at the thought and before long I was cracking up, tears of joy streaming down my cheeks and mingling with the cold water and my previous tears.

"Step one: be so sleep deprived that your morals disappear. Step two: ambush the ones responsible for your troubles and take them to a remote location. Step three: set them on fire and watch them burn. Step five: dump their bodies on Pyros and let dragons devour them. Step six: go to bed and sleep without a worry in the wor- Wait… Didn't I miss a step?" I hiccupped in laughter, still leaning against the warm shoulder. I was a fucking genius. Yes, that was exactly what I was going to do.

"Bloom, dear…" I flinched when Faragonda's voice ripped through my laughter. She sounded close. Much to close. Something was pressed into my hands. "Drink this."

I was half tempted to throw it away despite not seeing what it was she had handed me. I refused to open my eyes. The room would just be blurry and bright and remind me just how much I wanted to set the place on fire. "Don't want to."

"It will help," argued Faragonda softly.

I still refused, shoving the glass into her general direction. "You drink it."

"Bloom."

My eyes flickered open at the soft voice. "'lora?" And there she was, kneeling down in front of me. She smiled sadly at me, and I noticed her own eyes were red and puffy. "Wh-when…?"

"You need to drink this, sweetie." Flora pushed something back into my hands. "It's a sleeping potion. Ofelia made it for you."

"Wh-when…"

I slowly turned my gaze down to the glass, finding a bubble-gum pink liquid greeting me. Something wasn't right. Something was missing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. But a sleeping potion…?

When was the last time I had truly slept peacefully? With no weird dreams or voices in my head? Just falling asleep in the evening and waking up in the morning, never in between?

"Lifetime ago…"

Flora's warm fingers wrapped around mine, guiding the glass towards my lips. "Just drink it, sweetie. You will feel much better afterwards."

This time I listened, despite my head once more screaming that I was missing something. The liquid didn't just look like bubble-gum, it tasted like it as well. I gagged at the tooth-rotting sweetness that swept over my tongue. I loved chocolate as much as any woman, but I had never quite understood the appeal of sweets, or of sugar. Anything with too much of the latter in it, I would simply skip.

But despite the awful taste, the potion worked like a charm. The numbness previously only present in my mind, soon spread through my body and I swayed forward. Faintly I registered someone catching me, holding me back up, but that was the end of it. I succumbed to the delightful grasp of sleep-

And I found myself right back on Domino.

It wasn't anything like the one I had left a few hours earlier. Instead, the sun was shining down on a world of life and wonder.

I was standing on something of a long bridge leading towards large stone walls. I wasn't alone. People were making their way to and from the stone walls; all halted by the lone entrance, where they were checked by tough looking guards. The guards were intimidating, not just because of their shiny armour and their size but also because of the dog-sized dragons beside them.

Curious about them I neared the guards, holding my hand out to one of the dragons. It sniffed it before letting out a familiar purr. The guards bowed deeply at the sight of me, an odd warmth spreading through my chest at their respect. I was not used to that. While the servants had loved and treated me well back at Blackburn manor, they hadn't respected me. Pitied me, yes, but not respected. To them I had been nothing but a foolish child.

Behind the walls arose a giant garden / forest. Dense forest made up the first acres before I finally arrived at the large open gardens, complete with maze and fountains and endless flower beds.

The gardens were jaw-dropping and my eyes nearly bulged out at the sight of them. Still, they paled in comparison to what they led to: Domino's royal palace. Its torrents reached for the sky, they were almost as tall as the mountains surrounding the valley it called home. Its white stones reflected like fire in the sunlight. My eyes could be deceiving me, but I swore that the reflection took the shape of a dragon and that it danced over the surface.

The roof was a shrill contrast against the white stones, their grey-blue colour defining the start and end of the castle. On it were more dragons, especially in the highest torrents which were completely open. Most were just resting on top of it, but a few younger ones were playing. Their favourite game seemed to be pushing one another of the roof. The sight made me laugh and cry at the same time.

On each corner of the palace and attached to the torrents, was a deep red flag with a stunning golden dragon. The flag happily blew in the wind, not once folding together. My hand grasped my throat unconsciously, though I wasn't sure why. But when my fingers closed around a golden necklace – the pendant an almost exact replica of the dragon on the flag – I wasn't surprised at all.

"Domino's coat of arms, the sigil of the royal family…"

I hurried forward, eager to get to the castle and see the inside. The closer I came, the more the sun started to set. It was dropping below the mountains just as I reached the front gates. Between the gardens and the castle itself, was more water though this one was easier to bridge.

From up close, the palace was even more impressive. It was taller and larger than Alfea, the setting sun seemingly alighting the stones. The windows shimmered in the fading light as well, the larger ones made out of stained glass that depicted the Great Dragon creating the universe, resting itself on Domino, and even granting the royal family his power.

I inched forward. All I had to do was cross the water and step through the large archway and I would find myself in the courtyard. I would find myself home.

In the actual blink of an eye everything had changed. Screams filled the air and rather than the stunning sunset, the sky had gone dark and cold. The reflection of fire against the dark clouds was not the good kind and made me choke. I twisted around, staring in horror as the forest behind me burned, its inhabitants fleeing while more often than not on fire themselves. The dragons who had rested above my head moments earlier, were screeching and crying out, circling high in the air like a whirlwind. Many were disappearing into the direction of the mountains and then beyond them. Fleeing to Pyros…

The ground underneath my feet shook, like an earthquake had hit. But rather than the familiar rumble, a deep menacing laughter arose. It came out of the earth, out of the depths… "Out of hell itself."

Without hesitating for even a moment, I called forth my transformation and took to the air. I needed to get a better look at what was happening. I needed an advantage point.

I gasped at the sight that greeted me. Terrifying monsters were taking over my peaceful surroundings. The bodies of the unexpected people I had passed earlier were scattered over the stone bridge, the monsters feasting on their flesh and passing over them like they were nothing but a rug.

An icy cold ran up my spine and I twirled around in the air, watching as a large shadow crashed into the palace. I screamed, rushing forward to stop it. But the shadow might have tried to crash into the white stones and the torrents, but it didn't truly. Impressive round shields held it back. They surrounded the entire castle, though only became visible when they were attacked.

And they were, over and over.

The shadow wasn't faced by the shields and attacked again. And again. And again. It continued its assault until finally the first shield cracked.

That was when the shadow straightened itself, stopping above the castle and spreading its wings while letting out something of a screech. I shuddered at the sound, clasping my hands over my ears. I should not be hearing that. I should not even be near it. Every fibre in my body screamed and protested, urged me to run and hide.

I trembled, my wings half failing in keeping me in the air while the wind that had picked up. It was even starting to snow, though the first flakes drifting down were black rather than white.

The laughter rumbled out of the ground again, a large hand – no, a large claw abruptly shooting out of the water below me. I screamed as it grabbed me.

"Come here, little fairy," laughed the menacing voice. "I have great plans for you…"

"Let me GO!" I called forth my own fire and slammed it into the fingers around me. The dark laughter turned into a furious growl and the hand let go of me. I quickly flew away, forcing my wings to take me higher into the air and out of that claw's grasp.

The claw was slowly retreating back into the water, disappearing into the darkness with a "plop". I kept my eyes on the spot, my entire body trembling and my fingers clenching into fists. This was not the end. It was coming back. I had to be prep-

Something crashed into me from the side, knocking the air right out of me, and with a breathless scream I tumbled through the air, closer and closer to the ground. To the water where that claw was waiting for me.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to reposition myself, to move my body horizontal and allow my wings to catch the wind once more. That wasn't easy with the cold wind pushing me around like a ragdoll. It reminded me an awful lot of being pulled through the swamp on my back.

A sudden gust of wind got hold of me and lanced me back into the air. My throat hurt from all the screaming but I couldn't help myself. I was in the worst roller-coaster ride of my life and there were no breaks or safety-straps. I was never willingly stepping into another one.

The shadow returned the moment I reached the point where both wind and gravity were equal and I found myself floating for a brief moment. It soared at me with a speed that only left me with the choice of gaping in shock and horror as its sharp talons extended towards me. It was like the time slowed down; I watched motionless as it came straight at me, the talons shining in the faint light, and then everything sped up when it closed the final distance and grabbed hold of me.

They pierced straight through me, ripping my mail and flesh to shreds. I couldn't even scream or cry out, my lungs being popped like a balloon. No, the only sound escaping me was a gurling noise.

"You cannot run from me!" bellowed the menacing voice, having found his laughter again. "You will be MINE!"

"NO!" The shadow was falling and I with it, the wind pulling harshly on my hair. We were falling to the water. To where the claw was waiting. "NO!" But every struggle was only met with burning pain. "It can't end this way! I refuse to die like this! I am a fighter! I will not die without putting up one hell of a fight!" With everything I had in me, I mentally grasped my inner flame and urged it to explode, to unleash all its power, to give me the strength to fight whatever this nightmare of a creature was. "LET ME GO!" It felt like the full power of the Dragon ripped my body into pieces in its quest to obey my plea.

I faintly heard a pained screech and a furious growl, catching sight of everything around me being evaporate by the heat and power radiating from me. Even the shadow which had held me – a bird my numb mind managed to point out – faded into the light.

Then I tumbled back down, too tired to fly. To boneless to react. To numb to even realise I was plummeting to my death. I simply closed my eyes and smiled, enjoying as the wind rushed past me and pretending it was like any other night where I went for a spin, where I took to the sky and experienced true freedom.

"Got you." I groaned when I lost my sense of weightlessness. Hell, it hurt that I wasn't falling anymore. My stomach lurched painfully, like it was still falling while the rest of me wasn't. "What the fuck was that?!" My head just lulled to the side, landing against the most uncomfortable yet best smelling pillow I had ever had. "Red?"

"Red…" The word echoed through my head, instinctively bringing a smile to my lips. There was only one person who called me that. "Wolf."

"Hey." I groaned again when I was placed on something hard. My neck ached when my head was pointedly moved. Away from my pillow. "Open your eyes." A faint sting shot through my cheek. "Red, open your eyes."

I didn't want to open my eyes. I wanted to curl into my uncomfortable but good smelling pillow and sleep. I was so tired…

"No, you don't get to sleep." I murmured in protest when an unpleasant sting shot through me. "Red, I swear I will do something even more unpleasant if you don't open those fucking eyes Right. Now!"

"Tired…" I protested weakly.

"Open. Them."

I sighed in defeat and with what little strength I had, I forced my eyes open. Rather than darkness or snow, I was met with the warm glow of a fire. A fire that was reflected in two familiar grey eyes. Two eyes that were glaring down at me, though something that seemed an awful lot like relief replaced the harshness. My pillow certainly grew a little more comfortable.

"Hi…" I croaked, my voice sounding as weak as my body felt. I was utterly boneless and my muscles had turned to jelly. My head lulled to the side again, my eyes drooping close. They were just so heavy and keeping them open was exhausting… "Can I sleep now?"

Two fingers grasped my chin almost painfully, twisting my head until my eyes caught sight of the grey ones again. "No." I grumbled when another sting rushed through my body. "I want answers first. What was that?"

The fingers tightened on my chin when I closed my eyes. "What was what…?" A sting shot through my cheek, this time sharper. It was like my skin was on fire. "Au…"

"Come on, Red. You can do better than that." Another sting and this time I tried to push away. Whether I succeeded was another matter. I could barely feel my arms. "You need to shake off this fatigue. Fight it."

I didn't want to shake it off, or fight it. Because of Daphne I couldn't even remember when the last time was that I had decent sleep. Now that that blissful oblivion was within my grasp, I would be damned if I let it escape.

A sudden pressure on my mouth broke me out of my haze, I even gasped at the familiar feeling. One I hadn't experienced since breaking up with Andy: the pleasurable tingle that only kissing caused.

My heart abruptly stopped when I caught sight of the person kissing me. Valtor. Valtor was kissing me, his lips practically burning against mine, bruising them, urging them into action. I half swooned at the delightful feeling, my lips parting with a stifled moan. It was like I could feel his own flame touch mine right through our joined lips.

While I hadn't been kissed in months, the last time I had been kissed somewhat like this I had lived under a different name, in a different country, in a different universe. And I had been on coaxing a rather handsome man in his late twenties – one of my father's employees – into an empty room.

"Oh, he is by far the best kisser I have ever had…" echoed through my dazed mind, kick-starting my heart and head again. I was half asleep and being kissed without my consent. Valtor was kissing me while I was half asleep! No matter how wonderful his kiss was, that went against everything I believed in!

I shrieked and pushed away, tumbling out of the arms holding me and onto the hard ground. I stumbled onto my feet and away from him, ignoring my jelly-like legs. "What the FUCK do you THINK you're DOING?!"

Valtor rolled his eyes, not faced at all by my anger. Hell, he seemed awfully pleased with himself. He was even licking his lips! "Sit down, Red, before you hurt yourself."

"Hurt myself…" I spluttered indignantly. "What… I…" I growled angrily, balling my hands into fists. "Oh, I could strangle you right now! What the hell were you thinking?! Why would you do that?!"

He also rose to his feet. "I needed you to snap out of it. You weren't reacting to pain. I've learned over the years that pleasure is usually a good alternative."

"So you decided to kiss me?!" He shrugged carelessly. My knees buckled, my heart beating painfully against my ribs, and fury mingling with embarrassment and – dare I say it – pleasure. I wanted his mouth against mine again, to continue what we – no, he had started. I mentally kicked myself and perched my hands on my hips, gripping them extra tightly to apply some pain. To keep me straight and focussed. "You have one twisted mind! How far exactly would you have gone if I hadn't reacted as you wanted?!"

"Depends on the reaction," shot Valtor back, still unfazed. The bastard was even smirking. "Now if you had begged me to continue…"

"Finish that sentence and I swear to every God in existence I will castrate you," I warned through clenched teeth, ignoring completely how my entire body tingled happily and begged for just that.

"For fuck's sake, woman!" A vein was throbbing just above his eyebrow. "Sit down before you collapse!" My knees buckled once more and this time I didn't have the strength to catch myself. But Valtor did, shooting forward with an impressive curse and catching me easily. "What did I tell you?"

I wasn't much happier with him catching me than he seemed to be. I pushed hard against his chest to force him to let me go. My body was practically singing at the contact, of being in his arms once more, and it was clouding my judgement. "Let me GO!"

He didn't, instead bit out another curse. "Retreat your damn claws, kitten. You have nothing to fear from me."

I spluttered angrily. "You KISSED me!"

"And you liked it."

I froze as the words echoed through the air surrounding us. While that was the truth, that didn't change anything about the fact that I had only been half-conscious, that I hadn't gotten a say in the matter. That was when a burning inferno melted all the ice away.

I had never been this angry before in my life. My brain wasn't working anymore and the only thing driving me on was this fire burning in my veins. Seeing red suddenly made a lot of sense, because I was looking at the world through a literal red haze.

"Let me go!" My cheeks were burning brighter than any other part of me and I pushed hard against his chest again. "You don't kiss half-conscious women! That is assault!"

"Oh, sue me," he snarked. "Wait, you can't. I'm already in prison. Well, you will just have to live with it then." With an indignant screech I slapped him right across the face. He froze for a moment, then slowly his eyes darkened and his fingers curled around my wrist, the wrist belonging to the hand that hung half in the air like it could not believe what it had just done. I flinched slightly at the harsh grip, at the fingers digging into my skin. "Don't EVER do that again." I swallowed, putting on my brave face and praying he would not notice how I was shaking. "You need to calm down," he stressed out, still with that shadow over his face. "Damn it, Red. Why are you reacting like this? You already know my opinion on rape. It didn't mean anything."

I glared. "Then why kiss me in the first place?"

He clenched his jaws. "Because that type of attention from me usually gets your heartrate up and I needed you awake." He mentioned towards me. "And you are awake, aren't you?"

The red haze was slowly inching away, his words making sense, but I was still bristling. He had taken a choice away from me! "Couldn't you have tried something else?!"

"Perhaps. But this proved to be the most effective." He arched an eyebrow. "Why are you so mad that I kissed you?"

"I'm not mad that you kissed me," I corrected through clenched teeth. "I'm mad you did it while I was half conscious."

"Hmm…" Valtor observed me curiously, like I was some fascinating science project. "You don't like giving away control. I'm guessing your wonderful mother is to blame for that."

"This has nothing to do with my mother," I growled, giving a final but firm shove against his chest. He still refused to let me go. "I have a problem with men thinking they can just do anything they like! Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm weak or that you get a say in what I should or shouldn't do! It is my life, my body and therefore they are my choices! My Yang or not, you don't get to decide shit for me!"

"I stand by my earlier statement." I glared. He rolled his eyes. "Since you're now fully awake, care to tell me what that was earlier?"

I scowled, crossing my arms. "What what was?"

"You unleashing all your power and then dropping out of the sky like a brick." His brows furrowed a little. "You seemed to be fighting something…"

I froze, my return to Domino flashing before my eyes and the shadow attacking the palace and me. The claw out of the water…

I shuddered, my fingers curling into one another. "It was just a nightmare…"

"Hmm." Something about that made me look at him. He was frowning. Not his usual frown, but one of actual concern. It… No, it didn't suit him. Not in the least. It made him look a lot more innocent than he was. "Possibly…"

"What else could it have been?" I wondered, shivering as the laughter rang in my ears. "It didn't differ all that much from my earlier scary dreams. The ones we concluded were warnings because Darkar realised I was alive."

"Except all your other dreams involved darkness, fire and rumbling. Not a phoenix, a claw, laughter and an actual voice." I shuddered again – the goosebumps prickling my skin uncomfortably and I swore the air was growing colder – and if anyone asked, I would deny that I curled deeper into Valtor's arms, inching closer to his warm body. "Think, Red. What has changed between now and the last time you visited? Which was two months ago, might I point out. We lost precious time."

"Oh, sue me. Wait, you can't. You're a popsicle," I snarked. His chest rumbled against me. I ignored the amusement that was tickling me just below my midriff. "But if you want to file a complaint, take it up with Daphne and the Dragon. They are the ones responsible." Though with the knowledge I had now, I can't exactly blame them.

"Daphne and the Dragon?" Valtor murmured thoughtfully. "What did they want?"

"That I went home." I rested my head against his shoulder, my eyes falling close. So warm- so tired… I yelped when the back of my head was slapped, sitting up with an indignant scowl. "Hey!"

"Don't fall asleep," he bit back. "Now explain."

So I did, between yawning loudly which annoyed him immensely. How Daphne had exhausted me with her dream messages until I had no other choice but to sneak out in the dead of night for a surprise visit to Domino, and in how much trouble that had gotten me.

When I got to the part where the Dragon appeared, Valtor interrupted me. "Back up," he ordered. I snorted at his use of one of my favourite phrases. "The clouds parted?" I nodded, rubbing at my eyes to keep them open. Why couldn't I explain this another time? I just wanted to get some sleep. I wasn't even sure how I had ended up here. Normally that took up all my concentration and my concentration span wasn't currently all that great. Then again… When had I fallen asleep? The last thing I could remember was being in Faragonda's office. "And you saw the sun?"

"It was night. I saw the three moons and some stars," I corrected, biting back another yawn and fighting to keep my eyes open. "But yes, I saw them."

He eyed me sceptically. "Just like that?"

I shrugged, my eyes drooping a little against my will. "Look, I don't know what you are trying to figure out here, but all I know is that I touched the bare soil and then the Dragon emerged and did something and the clouds parted."

"Just like that?" he repeated, more urgently this time.

I sighed in defeat. "Yes, just like that."

"Did you experience some form of strain? Tiredness? Breathlessness? The urge to faint?"

I frowned, because yes, that had happened. "Yes, how do…"

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Valtor pinched the bridge of his nose so harshly I was shocked it didn't break under the force. "That explains it all! Of course he would lash out!"

"What are you talking about?" I made a noise of protest when Valtor rose to his feet and started pacing. There went my personal heater AND my pillow. I wrapped my arms around my upper body, my teeth clattering as I followed him with my eyes. "How does that explain everything? And who are you talking about?"

Valtor paused, pinched the bridge of his nose again, before he strode back to me. I unconsciously leaned back when he knelt down in front of me again. His face was a mask of frustration and a truly frustrated Valtor was bloody scary.

"Nineteen years ago, Lord Darkar created a curse together with the three Ancestresses. A curse I put on Domino. It combined all their powers and after it was activated, Domino was covered under a blanket of utter darkness, enabling Darkar to participate in the attack."

I frowned, biting back another yawn. "Daphne mentioned something about that as well…"

"That is because that is what you broke," stressed Valtor out. "Why Domino was covered in several feet of snow." He gestured around. "Why this is a cold, dark and unfriendly place. It is a representation of the current state of Domino."

"Is that why it doesn't a-aaaffect you?" I wondered, unable to suppress another yawn. "Why you don't get cold? Because you cast it?"

"No." My shoulders slumped. I was still trying to figure out why I was freezing my ass off every time I visited and he wasn't bothered by the cold at all. Or that he could see through the darkness and I couldn't. "Now I assume Faragonda has taught you already something about curses and breaking them."

"Uh…" I grimaced. "Not quite. Palladium did tell us there are different ways to break curses, and that not all curses are easily broken. But so far we have only covered the ones you can break with a combination of magic and potions."

"Rubbish," complained Valtor with a snarl. "What kind of a magic school do you go to? Don't they teach you anything useful?" I started to protest, but he just silenced me with a look. "There are different types of curses, but one thing applies to all of them: the longer they remain active, the more powerful they grow. Add that to the fact that a curse can only be as powerful as the caster…" He eyed me expectantly and this time I understood.

"I shouldn't have been able to break a nineteen-year-old curse created by four of the most powerful magical creatures in the universe."

"Especially not unconsciously. You should have been preparing for such a task for weeks before succeeding," added Valtor. "Besides, you are too young and too inexperienced for that type of power."

I chewed my lip, somewhat consciously. "But I did break it. Or, actually… The Dragon did."

"The Dragon is only as powerful as its Keeper. That's why it grows in strength the older they get. They obtain more wisdom, more spells, and more experience." I scowled as he tapped my nose. "If you did not have the power to break that curse, the Dragon could never have done it."

I shook my head. "But you said yourself…"

"If you were any normal Keeper of the Dragon I would have fully stood behind what I said earlier: that it shouldn't be possible." He gave me a pointed look. "But you are not any other Keeper. You are infused with two different types of magic."

My eyes widened. "Are you talking about my creators and how they exchanged my soul?"

"That is exactly what I am talking about. If what that hag of a librarian told you is true, then your "creators" are among the most powerful magical creatures in this universe and gave rise to every other magical creature." He gave me a pointed look. "That type of power combined with the Dragon's Flame makes up for one powerful being."

"Mary Sue…" My stomach twisted at the mere thought. Hell, no! "But Faragonda said my aura is similar to yours."

Valtor's eyebrow practically blended with his hairline. "You talked to Faragonda about me?"

"Uh…" I chewed my lip awkwardly. "You might have been mentioned indirectly during one of our talks about my power aura and how I didn't believe I was the only one…"

"And she said our auras are similar?" I nodded, biting my lip as something of embarrassment flooded my system. "Interesting…" I slapped his chest with a glare. He chuckled. "One of these days you're going to have to explain to me why you hate that word so much." I just scoffed. Like that was going to happen. "Just like you, I'm also infused with two different types of magic: that of the Dragon and that of the Phoenix. And since I'm a wizard, I'm as powerful as the spells I know and can use, and those are practically unlimited. Meaning my power is unlimited."

I rolled my eyes. "Modesty is one of your finer qualities I see."

He ignored me, though I got a nasty look. I smiled innocently in return. "If I know Darkar as well as I think I do – and I do –" I rolled my eyes again. Dramatic ass. I was never introducing him to Stella. Those two would hold a competition on who was more dramatic and then team up against me. "– then he has been keeping an eye on you ever since your return to the Magic Dimension. He must have felt you breaking his curse on Domino, must have seen you returned there. And there is one thing Darkar does when he feels cornered: he lashes out."

My brows furrowed, my throat suddenly feeling more than a little tight. "You're not actually saying that Darkar invaded my mind, are you?"

"Invading is not the word I would use. He created a powerful nightmare, probably by using one of your former belongings, in which he had more control. You can assume that everything you saw, he wanted you to see."

"Former belongings?" I repeated, rubbing my burning eyes. I was surprised that despite being as tired as I was, that I could still somehow manage. That hadn't been the case back at Alfea. Maybe Wolf was doing something to me, to keep me awake. "Can you run that by me again?"

"Alfea needs a new curriculum and a new headmistress." Valtor pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly not impressed with my current education. "To cast such a spell over one or multiple persons from a distance, the caster will need something that belongs to their victim. In your case, I suspect Darkar raided Domino's palace for anything that might have belonged to you as a baby in a desperate try to either find you, or get hold of your powers. Darkar is also a bit of a hoarder, meaning he has not thrown any of that away." He smirked. "Well, whatever survived his tantrums when he failed."

My heart leaped into my throat. "But that means he can do it again!"

"I don't think he will."

I shook my head with a deep frown. Whether he wasn't making much sense like usual, or my mind was all fogged up, I had no idea but he was being cryptic. I didn't like it when he was being cryptic. "What? Why not?"

I swore I heard him mutter something about me being clueless, but honestly, what was new? He should have accepted it by now, not still get annoyed by it. "Because you unleashed all your power on him. While he might not have actually been present, I assure you he will most definitely have felt that. You might even have somewhat weakened him. He will not try that again unless he has absolutely no other choice."

I dropped my head into my hands with a relieved sigh. "Well, that's something…" I ran my hands through my hair before locking them behind my neck. "Why hasn't he tried this before? Why now? Just because I broke his curse?"

"You are not listening," scolded Valtor me. "Darkar lashes out when he feels like he is being cornered. When something intimidates him. Now think." He jabbed his finger against my forehead. "If you were Lord Darkar and you realised a young inexperienced fairy who didn't even know she had powers half a year ago, broke one of your most powerful curses almost effortlessly, how would you react?"

"I would run and lay low, probably consider a career change." He rolled his eyes, a hiss escaping through his clenched teeth. I almost smiled. Sometimes riling him up was too much fun. "But if I was an evil fiend, I would probably try to intimidate her right back. To scare her and make her believe I was much more powerful."

He pointed a finger at me with somewhat of a proud grin. "Exactly."

"But if that plan backfired because she fought back, and instead I got seriously wounded…" I continued, chewing my lip. "I would go back to the drawing board and try to come up with a plan to take her out of the equation."

"Which you can't do because you need her powers to get to your ultimate goal." He arched an eyebrow. "Then what would you do?"

"I…" My stomach turned unpleasantly. "I… I would turn her into my minion." Valtor inclined his head, that somewhat proud grin returning. But the humour was lost on me, this new realisation tilting the world on its axis. The confirmation knocked all the air out of my lungs. "He is going to try and turn me into an evil version of myself."

No matter how hard I would try to keep the Trix off his radar, no matter how much I would not trust Avalon in the second year… None of it would matter. He knew about me and he wouldn't stop until I was- until he was- until…

My stomach turned and I could taste the acid stomach juices in my mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick…"

Valtor pulled a face, all pride and humour disappearing in a flash. "Don't you dare!"

I curled into myself, locking my arms over my head. None of it mattered. All my tries, all the plans… I sobbed quietly. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters. I'm doomed." I tightened my arms over my head, wishing I could suffocate myself. "I want to go home. I want this all to be a dream. Let me go back to being Sybil Blackburn."

"Why would you want to return to that life?" I bit down harshly on my lip to muffle more sobs, praying he would not notice my shaking shoulders or hear my smothered sobs. The last thing I needed was him calling me a whiny child again. "Return to your delightful mother? You would lose everything: your precious friends, the life you have created for yourself, your powers…" I whimpered at the sneer, at the disgust. "And to become what? A brainless society puppet? Puh-lease. You're making me sick."

"You wouldn't understand," I whispered brokenly.

"No. no, I wouldn't." I shuddered at the coldness in his voice. The disgust. "So why don't you try to explain it to me, princess?"

The sneering emphasis on the last word—it broke the last strength I had, the proverbial dam. I just started sobbing uncontrollably. "Sybil Blackburn didn't have to worry about Darkar and the Trix. She wasn't locked up at a boarding school like some kind of criminal, the teachers did not have exceptionally high expectations of her. Sybil Blackburn was just one of many, an anonymous face in the crowd. She was everything I seem unable to be here in this Dimension. And I'm just so tired…" I curled deeper into myself, while also leaning heavily against the warmth behind me. "I don't mean any of this. You're right: my powers are incredible and giving them up would haunt me for entirety. But I'm tired, Wolf. I want to get some sleep and these wonderful powers are just so fucking complicated. They mess everything up. I just want…" I hiccupped, my breath hitching as breathless sniffs ripped themselves out of my throat. "Sleep…" The word slipped past my lips with a desperate longing. "Sleep… Is that really too much to ask for?"

Valtor let out a deep sigh. I could practically see him pinching his nose again with that grimace that he got whenever he considered me especially pathetic.

"I can't believe I'm saying this…" He cursed under his breath but I didn't dare to glance up. Hearing me cry was one thing, seeing my face all covered in red spots and my eyes puffy was another. Yet… He didn't sound fed up with me, nor annoyed. "No, Red. That is not too much to ask for." I hiccupped, finally peeking at him. He was scowling, glaring into the darkness like it had insulted him. He seemed almost upset. No, that wasn't the word. Tortured? What the hell? "Not in the least."

"Does- Does that mean you will let me sleep now?" I brushed my hand past my nose, not bothering with my cheeks since I was still crying. "That is honestly all I want. I don't even know how I ended up here. I wasn't even concentrating on the connection. I can't remember falling asleep…"

Valtor had explained – after his stupid trick with his coat, the one I still needed to get back at him for – that in order to get here, I would need to focus on the connection we shared. He had me mediate while putting distance between us and I would have to track him down, just by focussing on that connection.

I liked to call it the Red Thread of Fate, which I had read about in one of my fantasy books. I had been obsessed with it for a time, reading all about it and discovering it originated from China.

There that thread meant: "An invisible red string that ties two people together who are destined to meet, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but will never break."

I thought it was the most romantic thing and while I still considered it that, I wouldn't exactly call what I had with Valtor very romantic.

"Neither were you the first three times," he reminded me easily. "When you are in need, you will instantly be pulled here."

A tiny smile twitched on my lips. "My hero…"

Valtor visibly shuddered, pulling a face like he was in pain. "Stop that this instant," he barked at me. "And never call me THAT again. Got it?"

I silently chuckled at the threat he spit out, but it was muffled when something hit my head. Before I had the chance to remove it, it was wrapped tightly around me. I let out something of a squeak and pushed some of the fabric away so I could actually see Valtor again. His coat was gone again, though that was hardly surprising with me being hit in the head again. And he was lying down beside me.

I eyed him confused, sniffing against the tears that just continued rolling down my cheeks. "What are you doing?"

"You have a fondness for my coat." He merely arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms behind his head. Damn it all to hell and back, that was a sexy look on him. Then again, was anything not a sexy look on him? Ugh! My teacher crush was getting seriously out of hand and that damned kiss certainly hadn't helped. "Or do you dare to correct me on that?"

"Your coat is nice and warm while it is awful and cold here. Why shouldn't I have a fondness for it?" Nope, my cheeks were not reddening. That was just the light. The sceptic eyebrow he tilted along with that half-crooked smirk screamed he wasn't buying it either. I slapped his chest with a glare, sniffing audibly. "Stop that."

He smiled innocently. "Stop what?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You know exactly what." He just kept smiling. God, a man sentenced to the Omega Dimension for eternity should not be allowed to look that innocent. I could almost forget I was dealing with the most feared man in the Magic Dimension. I sighed, rubbing my sore eyes. "What are you even doing?" I asked, tiredness dripping off each word. I did not have the energy to deal with him now. "Why you are lying down?"

"You want to sleep," he pointed out, my suspicion flaring at the half smirk edging towards his lips. "And a reliable source informed me that I am an uncomfortable but nice smelling pillow."

"Oh, God!" I slapped my hands before my face in mortification, my cheeks practically exploding. "Is really nothing private anymore?!" I slapped his chest when he let out that low laugh of his, though I was more annoyed then truly angry. Him using my thoughts against me was as normal as us bickering and him throwing his coat at my head. "In my defence, I was half drunk with sleep."

He just chuckled, gesturing with a hand towards his chest. "Have at it, sweetheart." And for just the cat who got the cream grin, I decided I would definitely not be doing that. I would not give him the satisfaction.

"Nope." I curled into his coat, lied down and turned my back pointedly at him. "I'm good."

"Have it your way." He sounded entirely to careless and instantly my suspicions were sparked again. There was something as too careless with Valtor, and it usually meant he was up to something… Every single hair on my body abruptly stood straight as a hot breath slipped over my ear and down my neck. "I hope you will enjoy your nightmares."

I shuddered as Valtor whispered in my ear, his voice dancing over my skin like a gentle caress. But while his voice was pure sin – and made my insides clench in a way that I definitely shouldn't be experiencing around this man – his words were anything but.

I twisted to him, sighing once more tiredly and pointedly ignoring how he was looming over me, how he only needed to dip or I tilt my head just slightly to have our lips acquaint themselves again. "Explain."

He arched an eyebrow, that annoying half-smirk reappearing. "You're being bossy again, princess."

"And you are being an annoying shit. What did you expect?" I threw back, suppressing my own smirk despite the tiredness and the tears. I had missed this, more than I had realised. "And that is queen for you."

"Oh, terribly sorry, Your Royal Redness." I couldn't keep in my snort, slapping a hand over my mouth to suppress the sound. It was too late. The smug smirk spread. "Was that a laugh?"

I bit my lip, to keep the laughter at bay, and shook my head. "You haven't answered my question."

He arched a challenging eyebrow. "You're doing that evading thing again."

"Am I?" I mimicked the arched eyebrow. "Seems you're the one evading my question."

"Oh, you asked me a question?" he dared. "I only heard a command."

"Valtor." Something flashed over his face as I drawled out his name in tired annoyance, but I couldn't quite catch what it meant. While I tried not to read everyone's auras constantly, the one person whose aura I was most curious about was invisible. Bloody annoying if anyone asked me. Valtor wasn't an easy person to read and his aura would have been most helpful.

"Chances are that the moment you drift off, your mind will conjure up more warnings against Darkar." My heart plummeted. Seemed my desire to finally get some proper sleep was just another hopeless dream. "I can help you to sleep dreamless, but I will need actual contact to keep the spell up."

Now that sounded sketchy in more ways than one, even if my heart was beating hopefully against my chest. "Really?"

"One-time offer, Red." He arched a daring eyebrow. "Take it or leave it."

I barely needed to think on that. Whether this was one of his schemes or not, if he could truly help me sleep dreamless, I was taking that leap. "Fine."

Valtor snorted, lying back down and locking his hands behind his head again. "Would it really hurt to sound a bit more grateful?"

"Keep dreaming, old man." I smiled just a little when he bit out a curse in response. "Besides, I told you: you are going to have to wait an eternity for that thank you." I carefully inched closer to him, placing my head somewhat awkwardly on the spot where his shoulder joined his thorax. Something which he found utterly hilarious. "Stop laughing, pillow," I complained when he made an amused noise in the back of this throat, clearly enjoying my misfortune. "You're moving too much." I froze when an arm curled around my shoulders, my cheeks burning with new embarrassment. "Just what…"

"Want me to kiss you goodnight?" he whispered in my ear, the mocking tone in it impossible to miss. I bristled, on the brink of changing my mind when fingers landed on my forehead. "Sleep well, Red."

And then there was only darkness.

"Are you sure you are up to visiting Magix?" Flora eyed me worriedly as we made our way to the bus stop just outside Alfea's borders. "You're still really pale…"

"I just spent three days in bed with the mother of all migraines. Of course, I'm still pale." I gritted my teeth when we passed the gate. Half a year and I still had the urge to pass out when I came close to the damn thing. I had asked Barbatea about it several times, but she only tended to nod and claim that that was normal, that she had a similar reaction. Not why, or what I could do against it, just "yes, that is normal". "But I'm not willingly spending another day locked up in these walls when I have my freedom back. Not when I will freely lock myself back up the upcoming weeks."

My memories were still a bit blurry, but the girls had managed to fill me in a little. When Griselda had dragged me off to Faragonda, the girls had followed. When they had heard me scream, Stella had busted through the door to come to my aid. They had found me on the floor, a startled Griselda and Faragonda in front of me. Stella had instantly rushed to my side – which had explained why I had recognized the warm embrace and smell – and held me tightly while Flora, Musa and Tecna defended my case. All the while I had been mumbling nonsense to myself, staring unseeingly into the air and responding to absolutely nothing for more than half an hour, occasionally bursting out into maniacal laughter for no apparent reason. At some point during the story, Faragonda had called Ofelia to her office with a sleeping potion. One I had refused to take – grumbling about it being poison, which Musa had only gladly shared with me – until Flora had almost forcefully coerced me into drinking it.

Afterwards I had spent three days in the medical wing, under Ofelia's watch. Not only was she more than a little upset about me not coming to her earlier about not sleeping, she was also very concerned about the agony I found myself in whenever I came to for even a second. And thank God those moments were only seconds.

Though I really should thank Valtor. He was the one who had held me and kept me practically comatose during one of the severest migraines I had ever had. Never once complaining or throwing a snide remark at me or even making fun of me. I really did owe him some gratitude, even if I would never say it out loud.

The only good thing coming from this mess was that Faragonda had lifted my house arrest. I had thanked her thoroughly, until she notified me that after my midterms I would be stuck in detention for two months. For sneaking out, for the way I had spoken to her and Griselda, and for using my powers unauthorized.

I had grumbled and complained, but given it a rest after she had threatened to prolong it. It was perhaps a small price to pay now that I was no longer restricted to Alfea's grounds.

"Sweet freedom…" I tilted my head slightly to the blue sky above our heads, wearing a large sunhat to protect my shoulders and face, and some thick sunglasses. "Now I understand what inmates feel like." Flora shook her head somewhat disapprovingly.

Musa and Stella – and even Tecna to some extent – agreed with me that the detention I had gotten was out of proportion, especially while taking into consideration I had been stuck in detention for things I had no power over. Flora was more on Faragonda's and Griselda's side. She understood why I had done what I had done, but nonetheless agreed with them that it was against the rules and I should face the consequences.

She had never reminded me of Hermione Granger more.

"Hey Bloom, hey Flora." Katy – one of our classmates and unfortunately a friend of Amaryl's – smiled timidly at us when we joined her and her friends by the bus stop. While Amaryl's friends did not dislike me or the girls as much as she did, we weren't exactly buddy-buddy. We tolerated each other at most and tried to be civil, but if we didn't need to be in each other's company, then we certainly wouldn't look one another up. "Are you two heading to Magix as well?"

"Hey Katy," I greeted back. "Yes, we are. It's the last weekend we can with the midterms truly kicking off next week. I don't know about you, but I'll spend my weekends studying."

"Do you even need to study?" snarked Amaryl with that usual edge in her voice. "You're going to get high marks anyway."

"Amaryl." Caroline – another one of our classmates who unfortunately had the same name as my mother – elbowed her with a glare before smiling apologetic at Flora and I, like she was responsible for Amaryl. I almost narrowed my eyes. Caroline was only this civil when she wanted something from us, usually gossip. Caroline was the biggest gossip in Alfea. "Same here. I never feel like I know everything well enough."

Flora nodded in agreement. "I have that problem as well. Even after Bloom quizzes me, I'm still not sure whether I know enough."

"You and Musa are the worst," I complained fondly, wrapping my arm around hers. "You are always going on how you don't know nearly enough and that you are terrified of failing. Only to completely ace the test, usually top of our class as well."

Flora blushed, shily pushing a streak of hair behind her ear. "Well, what I lack in power I try to make up in knowledge."

I elbowed my floral friend with a wink. "You ought to have a little bit more faith in yourself, Flora darling. You are plenty powerful. Honestly, there are days I wish my powers were a little more like yours."

"As if," snorted Amaryl bitterly. I rolled my eyes. And Valtor claimed I was ungrateful. "I'm not buying that one bit."

"Lay off, Amaryl." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Power isn't all as cracked up as you think it is. You are allowed to call me out on it after you've ran a marathon in my shoes and not a moment earlier." She just scoffed and crossed her arms, tilting her chin in the air with that haughty snarl of hers.

"Where are Stella, Musa and Tecna?" wondered Katy, after clearing her throat awkwardly. "You five are usually as thick as thieves."

"They are already in Magix," answered Flora with a smile, clearly pretending Amaryl and I hadn't been at it again. Flora was overall the only one of us everyone got along with. Not surprisingly since she was the epitome of kindness. "We decided to take it easy this morning, but Stella was desperate to get some shopping done and because shopping alone is boring, she forced them to go with her."

Caroline chuckled. "That must have delighted them."

I snorted. "Yeah, as delighted as criminals being led to the gallows." The girls shot me an odd look and I shrugged. "Ignore I said that. Earth phrase."

At that moment the bus to Magix arrived and we got on. Usually Amaryl dragged her friends as far away from us as possible, but this time Caroline and Katy had other plans, taking a seat behind Flora and I, thereby forcing Amaryl to enjoy our company a little bit longer. That confirmed my theory that they wanted something from us.

I did not have to wait long.

"Hey Bloom, I was wondering about something," admitted Caroline, pretending she had only just remembered. She was no shadow in the night. "This is the first time I've seen you out of Alfea." She giggled when I arched an unimpressed eyebrow. "And there've been rumours going around…"

"Really?" My lips quirked in a wry smile. I did not like gossip all that much, but it often proved to be hilarious and I could use some entertainment. "Do tell."

"Bloom, you shouldn't listen to rumours." Flora pursed her lips disapprovingly. "They rarely hold any truth and usually only causes harm."

"Might be so, but they are often hilarious." My lips twitched up in a grin. "First time I had a migraine at my old school and had to go home, the rumour went around that I had stroke and had to go to hospital. And when I didn't show up the next four days, they literally thought I had died." I winked. "I magically arose from the dead. You can imagine their shock when they saw me, and my amusement when I discovered what the rumour mill had produced." The girls laughed, even Amaryl's lips twitched up for a moment. "So have at it. At this point nothing will surprise me anymore."

"Well, there is one that the council has forbidden you from leaving Alfea in fear your aura will cause dimension wide panic," started Caroline, only more than eager to share. I let out an unflattering snort. Oh, I was going to tell that one to Valtor! "There is another that claims a group of evil wizards are hunting you, hence why Alfea is the only safe place and you can't leave."

"Where do these things come from?" gasped Flora, her jaw slacking. "None of those are even remotely true!"

I placed a hand over her mouth. "Hush. This is just getting good." I mentioned towards my mother's name-sake. "Go on, Caroline."

She giggled. "There is the one that you are supposedly carrying the child of the prince of Eraklyon and thereby the future heir to the throne of Eraklyon. I like that one in particularly, since it is well known fact that Stella is dating prince Sky and anyone with eyes can see you're not pregnant."

"You're forgetting the one where she is some lost princess that has to be protected at all costs," cut Katy in, blushing a little when my eyebrows shot up. Now that wasn't all that far from the truth. "And the one where you do actually leave in secret and visit Gamera's headmaster, with who you have a scandalous affair."

"Ugh!" I grimaced. "Not even if he was the last man in the Magic Dimension."

"What's the real reason?" wondered Amaryl, crossing her arms and scowling a little when I arched my eyebrow at her. "I mean, none of those things are even remotely true. Obviously. But there has to be a reason why this is the first time in half a year we actually see you outside of Alfea." She tilted an eyebrow at me. "Without one of the teachers accompanying you."

"Faragonda grounded me." I shrugged. "Ofelia insisted on that after a little too many incidents with me returning hurt in some way after leaving the school."

The three gaped. "Seriously?"

I shrugged again. "Apparently I attract trouble."

Amaryl gaped. "No way. You're not telling me that the teachers' favourite is actually breaking the rules by sneaking out of Alfea?"

"No, I did that a few nights ago. Hence the alarm," I deadpanned with a roll of my eyes. Not that I needed to remind them of that. I had gotten more than a few glares this morning when I had joined the living. "Got me two months of detention, but at least she lifted the house arrest this morning."

Katy cocked her head. "But you're here. Shouldn't you be with Griselda?"

I shook my head. "Due to the circumstances, I will be doing my time after midterms. Thank God for that. Can you imagine having to study and take your exams while spending hours in detention as well? I wouldn't survive."

Amaryl huffed, crossing her arms. "Figures. When I'm out of bed after curfew I can kiss my free time goodbye, but when you sneak out, they delay the punishment."

"Hey, I got my fair share of detention beforehand," I shot back moodily. "Unjustified might I just add. Faragonda seemed to agree and it isn't like I only got a slap on the wrist."

Amaryl just scoffed, not impressed with my counterargument. "I stand by my statement: you get away with everything."

I narrowed my eyes. "Of course I do."

"Bloom!" gasped Flora shocked, staring at me like she could not believe the words that had just come out of my mouth.

I ignored her, tilting a daring eyebrow at Amaryl. "They don't want a recurrence from twenty years ago. I mean, anything can happen if someone truly pisses me off." Amaryl's face fell. I inwardly cringed when I noticed the hint of fear in her aura. Oops. "I'm kidding, Amaryl," I drawled with a huff. "Damn, you have no sense of humour."

Amaryl scowled and that was the last word she spoke during the ride to Magix. She barely gave Katy and Caroline a chance to say goodbye to us when we arrived at Magix station, just dragging them off.

"That wasn't very nice of you, Bloom," scolded Flora me softly. "You scared her."

"Not intentionally," I swore. Flora eyed me sceptically. I grinned sheepishly. Busted. "Well, maybe I wanted to scare her a little, but I didn't mean to put the fear of God into her."

Flora's brows furrowed. "The what?"

"I never learn." I sighed. "Earth phrase. It means I didn't mean to terrify her. Besides, how was I supposed to know she would take it literally? I was just fed up with her constantly nagging that I get away with everything."

"Well…" Flora hesitated, chewing her lip. "You can't exactly deny that you have certain privileges."

"No, I can't. Nor can I that those privileges go hand in hand with exceptionally high expectations." I jabbed her side gently. She screeched and jumped away. Flora was very ticklish I had come to learn. "Besides, you have privileges as well. You and Musa can saunter through the castle long after curfew without getting into any trouble. And you can't do anything wrong in Palladium's eyes. He is practically in love with you." Flora's cheeks flushed bright red. "I got hell the one and only time I forgot to do my homework, and with you it's perfectly alright and "that can happen"."

"Bloom!"

I chuckled at how appalled she sounded. "I don't mean in the literal sense. He can't help it. He is an Elf and Elves just love nature. You're the embodiment of nature." I shot her a pointed look. "I would have been more shocked if he didn't have a soft spot for you."

Flora opened her mouth to respond, still blushing furiously, when she was interrupted.

"Bloom! Hey, Bloom!" I glanced over my shoulder. Brandon was waving while practically running towards us.

I smiled as he came to a stop in front of us. "Hi, Brandon. Long-time no see."

"Yeah…" His blue eyes practically lit up. "It's really good to see you." I smiled, my heart fluttering just a tiny bit at the adoration in his eyes, and he instantly smiled back.

Despite my fluttering heart, the attraction and tension I experienced around Valtor was absent. There was no pull, no impropriate thoughts, no attraction. His interest in me was flattering, but that was about it.

Ugh, why couldn't I have crushed on someone a bit more normal? Brandon adored me already and enjoyed spending time with me. He wasn't unnecessarily cruel or talked down on me, he didn't call me an annoying child, and he would definitely never kiss me while I was half-conscious. Sure, he was overprotective, easily jealous and currently lying to me about who he was and being single, but hey! No one was perfect. And his eyes were one of my favourite shades of blue. He would be the smarter choice, the sane choice.

"Maybe I should spend more time with him. While I might not truly fall in love with him, he could at least help me get over my stupid crush." Flora coughed from beside me, making me realise we had been doing nothing but staring and smiling at one another. "Awkward…"

She shot me an amused grin, her eyes sparkling deviously. She clearly hadn't gotten over her Bloom x Brandon ship yet, despite Stella interrogating me about my mystery "teacher" in front of all the girls and declaring we "were so happening". I couldn't wait until she discovered just who my teacher was. After all, she had claimed he looked somewhat familiar when I had shown her a sketch. It was only a matter of time before the penny dropped.

"Right…" I awkwardly cleared my throat, my cheeks heating up a little. "So what brings you here, Brandon?"

"The guys and I needed a break." Brandon jerked his thumb back and I smiled when I noticed Timmy, Sky and Riven on the other side of the street. The spot Brandon had just come from. Riven was the first who caught the sight of me when I waved eagerly at them. He elbowed the others, grinning and waving back, and they made their way to us. "Codatorta has been pushing us to the extreme lately, with midterms coming up," continued Brandon. "And on top of that we have the annual exhibition in a few weeks. He wants it to be perfect, which is why we're already training for it despite it still being so far away." He laughed, scratching the back of his head. "All in all, it's a bit much."

"The exhibition?" I wondered. "What's that?" My smile brightened when the others joined us. I practically attacked Riven, wrapping my arms tightly around him. "Riven! Boy oh boy, have I missed you!"

"Of course, you have," drawled Riven cockily, but his arms tightened around me for a moment. "You've probably been going right out of your mind without my company."

"Oh absolutely!" I snorted sarcastically. "I barely survived." I winked teasingly. "The same I can't say for you. After all, you had Musa to keep you company during our long movie nights." I sniggered when Riven's cheeks flushed a little and he awkwardly cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. I waved a finger at him. "You better treat her right because if your intentions towards her are anything but honourable, I will NOT give it my blessing."

Riven arched an eyebrow, his lips quirking up just slightly. "What are you? Her father?"

"No, but she is one of my best friends and as such, it is my duty to look out for her." I playfully narrowed my eyes at him. "Which means if you hurt her in anyway, no one will ever find your body." I turned to Timmy and Sky. "The same applies to you, gentlemen."

Timmy gulped, but Sky was not intimidated. He just snorted. "Hate to break it to you, Bloom, but you're as intimidating as a…"

"I swear to the Great Dragon that if you call me kitten I will set your hair on fire," I interrupted, gritting my teeth and glaring harshly. This time Sky gulped a little. Valtor had a new nickname for me other than Red and needless to say, I did not like being called "kitten". "I'm growing real sick of being called that."

"Someone is calling you kitten?" I turned to Brandon as he practically bit that out, something of a snarl resting on his face. "That is – uh – a rather peculiar pet name."

I opened my mouth to answer when Flora replied innocently: "Actually he calls her Red." I narrowed my eyes at her, not amused at all. She shot me an innocent smile back.

"He?" Brandon pulled a face like he had just swallowed a fly. "He who?" Riven rolled his eyes dramatically.

"No one." I jabbed my elbow in Flora's ribs when she wanted to answer, shooting her a warning glare. "Just someone who is helping me out with my powers."

"Bloom –" Riven draped an arm over my shoulders, grinning teasingly. "– are you telling us that one of the teachers at Alfea has a pet name for you? Which he uses during your private lessons?"

I crossed my arms in front of my chest with a huff. "What makes you think he is a teacher at Alfea?"

Riven arched an eyebrow. "He has to be. You are – were – grounded. Where else would you meet someone who could – how did you put it? – help you with your powers?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm sure he is helping you with a lot more as well, hmm?" I froze, my lips tingling when I remembered Valtor's lips on them, the pressure and warmth they radiated, or the way his body had felt under my head and hands during the last handful of nights. "Ah!" Riven grinned, pointing at my face. "I knew it!"

"Knock it off, Riven!" I elbowed him hard, he doubled over with a gasp. "That is private." I narrowed my eyes at him again. "And for your information, he is NOT a teacher at Alfea."

"Bloom." Riven's eyes twinkled naughtily while leaning with his elbows on his knees, a shadow of pain still resting over his face. "Are you telling me you sneak out to meet up with him? How absolutely scandalous."

I decided to ignore him – I was done talking about this – and turned to the other three. Sky and Timmy were exchanging a look I couldn't decipher while Brandon had the misfortune to have bitten down on a lemon after swallowing a fly. "So what is that exhibition you mentioned?"

"Oh, just a little something Red Fountain organizes at the end of each year," answered Sky after clearing his throat. Somewhat awkwardly I might add. "A lot of important people are invited, along with the parents, caretakers, family, friends, etc. During it, we show off our skillset. Usually the seniors land jobs after the exhibition, others are noticed due to their skill and are followed throughout their training. Occasionally they get a job offer years before they graduate."

I arched an eyebrow at him, asking the first question that came to mind. "What about you?"

"Huh?" Sky blinked. "What – uh – what do you mean?"

"You're a prince," I pointed out, not even having to pretend to be suspicious. Even if I hadn't known, these were some valid questions. "You don't need a job." I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes a little. "Now that I'm thinking about it… Why is a prince – the heir to the throne of Eraklyon – even attending Red Fountain? It's not like your parents can't afford to have you trained by the finest warriors in the Magic Dimension." I crossed my arms. "And if you're in so much danger that your squire has to attend the school as well, just to keep you safe, then surely leaving the safety of your home is…" I shrugged. "Well, dumb. I don't have another word for it, honestly." I snapped my fingers to get Sky's attention back when he glanced at Brandon. Timmy and Riven were also looking at Brandon. Riven was even smirking smugly. "Do they know…?" "Why are you looking at him? He's not prince Sky, now is he?" All four stiffened. I arched my eyebrow, ignoring the smug tingle in my stomach. Speaking about busted. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh…" Sky cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well…"

I perched my hands on my hips with a firm glare. I was not backing down now. I had him in a corner and since he and Stella were already at the physical part of their relationship, I was not allowing him to hurt her like he had in the cartoon. This was his opportunity to come clean and if he wouldn't… Well, I was already planning on telling Stella the truth or at least planting seeds of doubt before it could get to that point. I just wasn't quite sure how I was going to do that exactly… "Come on, it's not exactly a difficult question, now is it?"

I never got my answer. Just when Sky and Brandon seemed to come to a silent agreement, my phone rang.

"Hold that thought," I half ordered, quickly searching my bag for it. A familiar magenta pink head was flashing on the screen. "Oh, it's Tecna." I sniggered. "Stella is probably driving her up the wall." I answered my phone with a laugh. "Hey, Tecna. Flora and I just arrived…"

"Bloom!" cut Tecna in with a groan, sounding completely out of breath. I froze at the panic in her voice, at the dark laughter in the background and the voices shouting spells back and forth. I recognized the voices of Stella and Musa among them. "We need your help!"

"Tecna, what's going on?! Where are you?!"

Flora grasped my arm tightly, giving it a firm shake. "Bloom, what's wrong?"

"Tecna!" I called into my phone, trying not to pay attention to her or the others. "Tecna, where are you?!"

Tecna groaned. We're-" she started, the strain evident in her voice. "We're-" She never finished. Instead, my phone beeped, the call disconnecting.

Once again sorry for the cliffhanger and I truly hope I will be able to post a new chapter soon. I will try not to wait another 50 days.

But hey, they KISSED! Who saw that coming? :P

writermarievs DOT tumblr DOT com