But seek alone to hear the strange things said ... to the bright hearts of those

long dead ...

—W. B. Yeats

FIRE

My vision was of a human hospital room, and it was more sound than sight.

I heard the erratic beeping of a heart monitor. Then the flatline.

A doctor's voice said, quietly urgent, "We're losing her. Come on.

Come on."

The flatline cut off. The only sound left was silence, and a sigh.

The doctor's voice said wearily, "I have to go tell the parents."

A new sound came, a new set of footsteps, and then— The doctor said, "Excuse me, ma'am? You can't be in—"

The doctor's voice cut off, and there was only silence again. And a soft light that turned blinding.

A human hospital room, with two fairies in it. Me, as a baby, and the woman with glowing eyes and the military coat.

I really was a changeling. My parents' real daughter had died on the surgical table in my vision. And I'd been placed in that room for them instead. A cuckoo in the nest, and they never even suspected.

The image of the woman was so clear. She burned in my vision ... until she reached out a hand, and there was only darkness.

The darkness was replaced by Aisha's face. I was back in my bedroom, and Aisha looked frantic with worry for me.

"What the hell just happened?"

I took a deep breath, and answered: "I think I saw the fairy who left me in the human world."

I'd been looking to Ms. Dowling for answers, but this woman was the one who actually had them. She was too old to be my mom, but she must know where I'd come from. She wanted to tell me. She wanted me to find her. And somehow, I would.

SPECIALIST

Riven was giving Sky a run for his money at swordplay on the training grounds today, so maybe Sky was off his game. Or maybe Riven was just getting more awesome!

As Specialist Headmaster Silva approached, Sky glanced Silva's way. Silva was looking pretty rough these days. Concern flickered across Sky's face every time Silva so much as shifted his weight. Riven took advantage of Sky's distraction and almost got a jab in.

Silva, whose sharp cold eye never missed a thing, spotted it and called out: "Sky, watch your footwork. Riven, when he favors his left—"

Riven knew what Silva was saying. He made a strike at Sky's right side.

Sky hit the mat.

"Nicely done, Riven," Silva said, and Riven did his best not to grin like an idiot.

Riven offered Sky a hand up, and they headed over to the benches. Sky's girlfriend was there. She didn't appear concerned that her guy had taken a fall. She was, in fact, texting.

Sky was frowning.

If Stella was Riven's girlfriend, he would be frowning every day, and also he would cut his own head off. But Riven suspected this wasn't about Stella.

"Does he seem worse to you?" Sky asked quietly.

No need to ask who "he" was.

"Riven gets a compliment, and all of a sudden Silva's got brain damage ..." Riven grumbled.

Okay, he got it. No need to rub it in. Sky was the most awesome, and Silva would always like him best.

Sky's frown only deepened. "It's been a week since he got infected by the Burned One, and—"

They reached Stella at the benches. Riven started to untape his hands and get changed. He didn't love wearing the Specialist symbol emblazoned across his chest.

Sky turned to question Stella about his all-absorbing topic of interest.

"What do you think?"

"About what?"

"Silva," Sky answered tensely. "How does he look to you?"

Stella barely glanced in Silva's direction. "Fine."

"Dr. Stella, coming through with the zero-effort diagnosis!" Riven cheered with mock enthusiasm.

Stella ignored him. What else was new? Fine by Riven. He'd rather have poison ivy than Stella's attention.

"Are you training later or are we hanging out before the party?" Stella asked Sky.

Sky didn't respond. He was still focused on Silva.

"Sky?" Stella prompted. "He's fine. Professor Harvey still has him on the Zanbaq, right?"

"That just manages his symptoms," Sky fretted. "He won't be better until they kill the Burned One that attacked him."

"And there are people out there looking for it. It's not going to get away from every fairy and Specialist in the Otherworld."

But Sky didn't seem convinced. There was a look in Sky's eyes that Riven had never seen before. He'd never imagined his best friend, the hero of Alfea, actually looking vulnerable. It freaked Riven out.

Clearly, it freaked out Stella as well. She stood up hastily.

"I have class. Stop worrying."

As if it was as easy as that. Stella kissed him swiftly on the cheek, then hurried off.

Poor Sky. Where was he meant to get, like, emotional support? With a girlfriend like Stella. And a best friend like Riven.

Since Riven couldn't provide emotional support, he tried to get to the bottom of the mystery of why Sky had started up with Stella again.

Since Riven wasn't a gentleman, he made a suggestion of a salacious nature about what Stella might permit in the boudoir.

Sky shoved him clear off the bench. Riven landed, sprawling, and then got up laughing. He was hoping Sky would laugh, too. Riven could usually get him to do that, at least.

But Sky wasn't laughing. Riven looked at Sky's tense unhappy face and felt a weird pang in his chest like something small getting broken or going soft. It had been decent of Sky to take Riven under his wing last year. Sometimes he was patronizing and that stung, but Sky was the best guy Riven knew, and he did try to be kind. Someone should be kind to Sky in return. And Stella wasn't stepping up.

This wasn't actually about Riven's feelings. This was about how Sky felt. Sky looked up to Silva so much. Riven lived in constant fear that Sky would copy Silva's sketchy facial hair.

"Well, I'd blame her for your terrible sparring the last week, but ..." He tried to make his voice gentle, though he was pretty sure his voice didn't do that. "I know how close you and Silva are. I'm around if you want to, like

..."

Riven swallowed, trying to find the words. Talk? Cry on my shoulder?

Have me say "it's gonna be all right, man, I'm here"?

Sky's head turned to track Silva's movements. Silva seemed to be trying to slip unobtrusively away from his students.

"I gotta run, okay?" said Sky.

Riven nodded, with a smile that wanted to twist in on itself. It had been a dumb idea to reach out, anyway. Given the choice, he wouldn't choose himself to talk to, either.

WATER

Bloom had to wait to solve her mystery. Aisha dragged her to magic class, where Bloom was presented with a pile of kindling on a table. Aisha sat down next to Bloom and devoted her attention to a bowl of water.

Aisha was actually a little excited for class. Now was the time to hone their skills and build their team.

"I think it's actually impossible," Bloom announced. "Maybe it's a trick assignment."

Aisha, focused on her bowl, muttered, "Maybe it's all the talking."

Dowling prowled by and interjected, "A fire that lays waste to everything in its path is instinctual and impulsive. What about when you need that fire to stop?"

Bloom didn't respond. Aisha feared that hit too close to home.

Dowling continued severely, "Can you light a single piece of kindling and leave the others untouched?"

Bloom focused, and saw one tiny piece of wood start to smoke. She made a clear effort to hold it, keep it going. And then she began to smile big. Holy crap—she'd done it.

Dowling nodded, which was high praise coming from her. Aisha was a tiny bit jealous. Dowling had the stern aspect of a coach Aisha had had once, who everyone had resented for being a hardass ... until she led them to victory. Aisha wished she would get a nod, but she hadn't even made a ripple on the water's surface yet.

Then Dowling turned to another student. An Air Fairy whose eyes glowed gray as she used what Aisha figured was something like static electricity to lift single grains of rice out of a pile. Dowling said, "Impressive, Beatrix. Keep it up." "Got it, Miss D," said Beatrix the Air Fairy.

Dowling shot her a look.

"Headmistress Dowling," said Beatrix.

Ms. Dowling moved away.

Under her breath, Beatrix intoned dramatically, "Your Grace."

Bloom stifled a laugh. Beatrix shot her a smile, conspiratorial and friendly, shared between two people whose class was going great. Maybe Beatrix and Bloom would be friends, easy as that.

Trying to make friends with Bloom had been pretty tough for Aisha.

Now Aisha was sitting in class, the only one whose magic was failing her.

Aisha made a small frustrated noise. She was aware of Dowling hovering near her, breathing down her neck. Before Dowling could speak,

Aisha snapped, "Yes. Control. I get the idea. I mean, I can do this."

She concentrated so hard she felt her brain bend and her eyes glow. All the water sloshed to the center of the bowl, forming a perfect sphere. She hoped Dowling would be just a little impressed.

"Good, Aisha. However, a mass of water is persistent and reliable.

Consider the individual elements that combine to form the whole." Dowling's eyes glowed. A single drop separated from the sphere.

"A drop of water is unpredictable. Vague. Amorphous. Can you isolate it? Can you maintain that which fights form?"

Aisha focused harder. Suddenly, the water splashed right out of the bowl and onto her desk. She'd accomplished nothing but making a mess.

"Something yet to be learned," Ms. Dowling said dryly. Then she addressed the class. "That's all for today."

Everyone packed up, but Aisha took a moment to clench her jaw and try to work through the frustration. She'd been thinking of magic as a team effort, but if she wasn't any good at magic, nobody would want her on their team.

"You cool?" Bloom sounded concerned.

"Just ... tired," Aisha claimed.

EARTH

Terra was only trying to have a nice lunch. A potentially romantic lunch with the boy she really, really liked. It was tricky enough, trying to entertain Dane with witty conversation and ultimately get him to like her back.

But Terra couldn't have a nice lunch because Riven spoiled everything.

He cut in line to get lunch, which was so rude that Terra despaired.

Now Riven was sharing an apple with the Air Fairy in the short skirt. Strange. Unsanitary. A whole apple was too much for either of them to handle?

"She's so weird," said Terra. Who couldn't eat a piece of fruit by herself? Also, who could ever like Riven? Terra felt Riven's weirdness went without saying.

"Apparently, she's also a huge nerd," Dane contributed, offering details about Beatrix's interest in fairy history and a hard-partying lifestyle that Terra certainly wasn't interested in, thank you very much.

She sniffed. "Riven has questionable taste."

Beatrix's questionable taste also went without saying. Dane sent a look Beatrix and Riven's way that almost seemed admiring, but surely not.

Surely, Dane was just too nice for his own good.

On the other hand, Terra bet Beatrix was the kind of girl every guy liked. Terra abruptly felt too sick to eat even a single bite of apple. "Maybe ..." said Dane. "But I kinda think they're not terrible? Plus, they invited me to the party tonight, so—"

"Wait, what?"

"The Senior Specialists party?" said Dane.

"Yeah. I know what it is. They do it every year. It's a mess."

"Does that mean you're not going?"

Terra abruptly realized she was being very uncool, and she badly wanted for Dane to think she was cool. She tried to play it off. "Maybe," Terra said. "Gonna see what the vibe is." There! That was a cool thing to say, right?

Dane smiled. "Then maybe I'll see you tonight."

Was that a signal? Was Dane trying to tell her to come to the party? Did

Terra really have to go to a party? Especially a party like that ...

Terra had grown up here. She'd heard the rumors about the Senior Specialists party.

Oh, what had she done?

FIRE

Having lunch with Musa was nice, but Aisha's performance in class was still bothering me.

"It's just strange seeing Aisha not get something right away," I fretted.

"Agree. Not sure why that makes you feel so obnoxiously guilty, though."

Musa shot me a smile. But I couldn't help bristling.

"I know you have to feel everyone's emotions, but here's a thought: You don't have to broadcast them." I sighed, and tried to explain the guilt. "Aisha's tired. My parents think Alfea is in Switzerland, so they Skype me at nine a.m. Switzerland time. Every morning. Which is ..."

"Two a.m. our time?" Musa sighed. "Yes, we all hear."

Oh good, more guilt.

"Am I loud? I'm trying to be quiet."

"Like every old lady unwrapping hard candy in a theater. But I'm doing fine in class," Musa assured me. "And so is Terra ..."

Musa trailed off, now distracted. Her eyes glowed purple as she scanned the room, eventually landing on what she was looking for.

"Where'd you go?"

I followed Musa's sight line to find that boy Sam weaving through a few students. His gaze found Musa's, and he gave her a brief, warm smile.

"My turn to broadcast your emotions?" I asked Musa.

Musa grinned. "They're still developing. Plus, there's a complication.

So do me a favor and don't broadcast them in front of—"

Terra arrived, dumping her lunch tray on the table with a resounding clang.

"Here's a question," she said abruptly. "When did being a nerd become cool?"

Musa and I exchanged a look. A patented Terra-style rant loomed on the horizon like a thundercloud.

"Don't get me wrong," Terra raged. "It's great. So amazing. Power to the nerds. But suddenly it's cool to talk about fairy history?"

"Um," I said. "What?"

Terra ranted on. "I like school. I like good grades. I like reading alone with a cup of chamomile ... But nobody is sharing a freaking apple with me. Even though, gross."

Musa said slowly, "We're gonna need so much more context for this."

"Beatrix." Terra said the name with loathing. That was new. "I don't really get what the difference is. Between her and me. Why for her it's ... working."

Musa and I exchanged a look while Terra pushed her food around. Who exactly was ready to tackle that remark?

Then Musa's guy held up two Popsicles to her, across the way. A clear bribe. As if Musa needed any bribe.

Musa began to pack up. "Actually. Gotta run. Sorry." She didn't sound sorry.

As Musa headed out, I stared at Terra helplessly. This must be about Dane. Did Dane like Beatrix? But I'd heard that Beatrix was running around with Riven. Terra had spoken at length of Dane and her longing to drown in the chocolate pools of his eyes. She'd also spoken at length of Riven and her longing to drown him in the Specialists' lake.

I hoped Dane didn't like Beatrix. I hoped he liked Terra. She deserved that. And she deserved a friend who knew what to say to her.

Terra sighed. "It's okay. I know the reason. She smokes and she drinks and she looks like her. And I ..." I look like me.

The sentence hung in the air between us.

Before I could say anything, Terra shook her head and firmly redirected herself away from self-pity.

"How are you doing? How's your search for the memory lady?"

"Stalling," I answered honestly. "Does your dad happen to have any old yearbooks?"

That had been Aisha's bright idea.

"Probably, but I'll have to check myself. He's been so busy with Silva, I don't want to bother him."

I'd been trying to avoid thinking of Silva. Whenever I thought of Silva, I thought of Sky.

"How is Silva?" I asked guiltily.

"My dad has been pretty down, so I don't think it's looking good."

Now I'd started thinking about Sky, I couldn't stop. I barely knew him, but I'd never felt such a strong connection to someone so quickly. Thinking of him felt like my fire magic: dangerously close to being out of control.

"I can't imagine how hard this must be for Sky. I know they're close.

Have you seen him today? Sky?"

Terra eyed me, her expression saying she was fully aware of what was happening.

"Sky is a great guy, Bloom. Legit one of the good ones, but Stella ..."

Terra's gaze skipped a few tables over, where Stella sat with a bunch of second years.

"I'm just worried about him, Terra," I said. Too quickly.

Terra gave in, but her face stayed skeptical. Clearly, she didn't buy it. I didn't blame her.

EARTH

After listening to Bloom worry at lunch, Terra darted off to intercept her dad on his way out of the greenhouse, where she knew he was treating Mr. Silva. The moment before he saw her, Terra saw her father's face. There were lines graven around his mouth, worry so deep it made him look years older.

Oh, poor Silva, Terra thought. Poor Sky.

She didn't know Sky well, but last year she'd been thankful to him for taking care of Riven. It had been so nice of Sky to reach out and help someone. Not many guys would've done it. Especially not sons of famous heroes.

Sky was patient enough to put up with Riven and Stella, too. There were so few kind people in the world. Sky didn't deserve this.

"How is he?" Terra asked nervously. "Headmaster Silva?"

Dad's frown of concern was instantly replaced with a smile. Pacifying, and ... Terra thought uncertainly ... a bit patronizing.

"He'll be fine, love. Let me worry about that."

In other words, Don't worry your pretty little head about it, Terra. "Oh yeah. Obviously. But ... Musa and I did bring him back, remember?"

You said you were proud of me then, Dad, Terra thought. Remember.

Dad said, in his my-little-girl voice, "And I'm sure that was very scary." "No," Terra told him flatly. "I mean you can tell me what's going on.

I'm not a kid anymore."

Dad kissed her on the top of her head before he moved on. "Of course you aren't."

Yup, Dad, very convincing. Terra sighed. She did have faith in her father. Maybe she should let him handle this and concentrate on the terrifying prospect of going to a party. Still, it hurt.

Dad believed Terra was a little kid who couldn't be trusted with the truth. And Terra believed Silva was dying.

WATER

Bloom was sitting on her bed, poring over a stack of yearbooks. Aisha was working on a hopeless mission of her own. She was at her desk with a bowl of water, laboring over her magic. Not a single droplet had risen from the bowl since she sat down.

Bloom flipped back and forth between the pages of the yearbooks so they rustled like wind through the trees in a storm. Aisha's eyes darted over to her in silent inquiry.

"The memory is starting to fade," Bloom admitted. "It's getting harder and harder to tell who it could be."

She closed the yearbook as a new idea formed. "But I was thinking ... I had the memory after I used magic to fight the Burned One. A lot of magic. Maybe wherever she is, she could sense it. Or it opened a magic gate in my head or—something. So what if I go to the stone circle and draw on as much magic as—"

Aisha looked at Bloom with grave concern. "Please do not tell me I have to explain why that's a terrible idea."

Aisha felt they had enough problems without Bloom causing a full-on forest fire.

"A few weeks ago, I'd agree with you. But you saw me in class, right?"

Bloom's eyes shone. "I'm way better."

Aisha stared down at her bowl. "Yep," she told her roommate flatly.

"You're killin' it."

The awkward moment was interrupted by Terra, calling out desperately for help.

"Does anyone know how to do a good cat eye?"

They found Terra in the bathroom, standing in front of a mess of makeup. A cat-eye attempt had been made. Attempt was the operative word.

Glad to have something to fix, Aisha dived in to help Terra immediately. She wielded the eyeliner as if flourishing a sword.

Bloom lingered at the door. Aisha knew Bloom wasn't much of a party girl, but she hoped Bloom would stick around. Strength in numbers was clearly called for at this critical juncture.

Musa peeped into the bathroom. "This is weird. What's happening in here is weird."

Musa was even less of a party person than Bloom was, and Aisha knew Musa had her reservations about her roommate.

"Get changed," Terra ordered Musa. "We're all going to this party. And we're gonna show ... people ... that we're cool and fun and—"

Obviously, Terra was thinking about that Beatrix girl again. Her voice went higher and more rapid as she spoke, clearly about to launch into a fullfledged rant.

Then Aisha moved away from Terra's eye, and showed her in the mirror. Aisha couldn't fix her own magic, but she'd fixed Terra's makeup.

Aisha was pleased to see Musa smile at Terra in the mirror.

"Hot," Musa told her reassuringly.

That was when Aisha knew they were all headed to this party.

SPECIALIST

Stella's makeup junk was spread out all over Sky's desk. Even Saint Sky, coming into his and Riven's room, couldn't repress a twitch of irritation. Riven's twitching had become a steady vibration of irritation some time ago.

"Sorry," Stella told Sky airily. "But four first years getting ready for their first party is a nightmare inside a nightmare."

Riven sneered, "Fun fact, if everyone around you is a nightmare ... It's not them."

She'd been complaining about Terra's annoying attempts to do a cat eye for some time.

Undoubtedly, Terra was panicking in a hilarious manner about actually attending a party, and Riven would also have made fun of her, but he didn't see why Stella thought she could do it.

Sky turned to face Riven, who was carefully pouring vodka into his flask. Everyone got party-ready in their own way. Riven was dressed for the party and excited for trouble.

"You're already drinking?" Sky raised his eyebrows.

Riven explained the situation. "She's been here an hour. So I've been drinking for an hour."

Riven was not the one who'd invited Stella back into their room and their lives. Riven was a martyr to Sky's terrible girlfriend decisions.

"Can you take it slow tonight? Last year you vomited in no less than five places."

And what, Sky wanted Riven to be a quitter? He didn't believe he could beat his own record? Riven gave him a disappointed look. Like, have a little faith here, buddy.

Then Stella said that Marco, one of the most badass Specialists in the business, was on the hunt for the Burned One. She was sure that the monster would be taken down and Silva saved soon.

Finally, Stella came in useful. Finally, Sky could relax and have a good time.

But Sky still said he wasn't gonna drink. Riven was all out of ideas. He had no clue what would make Sky feel better.

EARTH

The abandoned East Wing, with its cracked stone and dark corners, was anything but abandoned tonight. Beer was spilling over plastic cups. A bonfire burned and music played. The room was suffused with purple light, as though Musa's magic was filling the air and people's thoughts were painting the walls. Fairies in jeans and sexy tops were shaking their feet in a ring, tossing their arms in the air, and making out.

Terra clung to her Tupperware and tried to cover her nerves by telling the others fascinating historical facts.

"This is the East Wing of Alfea. It was used for war preparations. But since there hasn't been conflict in a while, nobody comes down here." Terra paused. "Except for tonight."

Terra could see Bloom looking a little overwhelmed. That was nice, that Bloom felt overcome as well. It was totally fine: They were the Winx Club, and they were gonna stick together.

Aisha noticed Bloom's expression, too. "You need a beer." "I need a beer," Bloom confirmed.

Bloom and Aisha split off and headed toward the keg. That was totally fine, also! Terra was sure they'd be back soon, and Musa was still here, and perhaps they could find Dane, and with any luck Dane wouldn't be with Beatrix. Or Riven. Terra craned her neck, looking around.

"Looking for somebody specific?" Musa asked, her voice wry.

"What? No. Just wondering where I can put these down."

Terra was aware fibbing to someone who read emotions was futile, but Musa let her get away with it. Musa led Terra over to a shield case that was serving as a makeshift bar.

Musa started to pour herself a drink while Terra put down her Tupperware. She opened it to reveal brownies. Musa glanced at the brownies casually, but then cocked her head.

"Are those ...? Terra!"

"What?" Terra asked defensively. "I can be a cool nerd." Just like Beatrix.

An annoying voice broke in on them. "Look who made an appearance."

Musa turned swiftly to see Terra's brother approaching. Poor Musa, Terra thought. She would feel she had to make nice with her roommate's brother.

"With Mom's Tupperware, no less," Sam drawled.

"What do you want, Sam?" Terra snapped.

Musa looked startled by Terra's tone. Musa was an only child; Terra was pretty sure. She must not realize how irritating brothers could be.

"Just getting a drink. Relax," Sam told Terra. Then he turned to Musa with an interested air. "Musa, right?"

Musa twinkled. "That's me."

Sam twinkled back, a gleam passing between them. "Hi."

Wow, was Terra's brother trying to flirt with her roommate? Gosh, how embarrassing for him! Terra would have to explain to Sam that Musa was only being polite.

Just then, Sam's attention was diverted. "What reeks?" Sam looked down at the Tupperware, then at Terra.

"They're for the party, not me," Terra said stiffly. Sam shouldn't judge.

Just then, she spotted Dane coming toward them. Okay, it was game time! Party time! Party game time.

"Didn't think you'd make it," Dane said. He looked so cute. That was a great shirt on him.

"Yeah," Terra said, desperately casual. "Decided to come last minute.

Anyway. Brownie?"

Dane reached in to grab one. He was so polite. He was eating her food!

Terra had a sudden misgiving about her food. She'd seen Dane throw up after one drink. Her delinquent brownies might be too much for sweet Dane.

"I'd take a half," Terra warned. "Even a quarter just to be safe. Like, a bite."

Dane took several brownies. It was so nice of him to be enthusiastic about her baking! Terra was chill.

Terra gave a chill laugh. "Or, you know, whatever."

"I'm gonna take a few to Riven and Sky," said Dane, with his charming smile. "See if they want some. Cool?"

Terra continued her mission to be chill. "Totally cool. Cool cool cool."

Silva might be dying, so Sky could have as many brownies as he liked, but Terra had a dark suspicion about who those brownies were actually for.

Just what she'd always wanted—to feed Riven and his apparently smart bimbo.

FIRE

On a bench to the side of the revelries, I saw Sky nursing a water with his eyes glued to his phone. I approached, beer in hand.

"Haven't seen you all day."

"Have you been looking?"

I smiled. Busted. Sky cracked a smile, too. The smile looked rusty, almost painful, as though it was the first time he'd smiled the whole day.

I sat down next to him. "How's Silva doing?" I asked.

Sky sighed. "Rough. But they're closing in on the Burned One. It's just a matter of time before he gets better."

I pushed, gently. "How are you doing?"

It was a simple question. An obvious one. But he looked at me like it was a bizarre query, as though nobody else had asked. I wondered if I shouldn't have.

Then Sky confessed, "I feel like garbage, Bloom. I know I'm supposed to be strong, but ..."

He looked at me with beseeching eyes. I held his gaze, trying to show him that I was listening, that he didn't have to be strong for me. Nobody could be strong all the time.

"Silva basically raised me after my dad died. They were best friends. I know we train to fight. To risk our lives. But I never let myself think that

Silva ..."

This must be so rough for him.

I murmured, "I'm so sorry."

It wasn't much, but I could be sorry and sit with him. Next to me, almost imperceptibly, I felt Sky relax.

"Are you close with your parents?" Sky asked at last.

"That's ... a tricky question," I told him.

"They live in the First World, right? Not many fairies live out there.

That why it's tricky?"

I went quiet, stricken by uncertainty. Would Sky think differently about me if he knew I was a changeling? Besides, he was another girl's boyfriend: I shouldn't pour out all my troubles to him.

Sky, too charming for his own or my good, said: "It's okay. I like a good mystery."

I played it off, waving my beer around. "Don't worry, a few more of these and I'll be an open book."

Sky suggested, "Maybe I'll have one, too. I could use a little distraction."

I offered, "I did hear mention of beer pong, if you want a big distraction."

Sky hesitated, then smiled, shimmering as bright as the party bonfires around us.

"You've just made a huge mistake."

SPECIALIST

It was girls against guys in a match to the pain. Sky and Riven, the ultimate beer pong bros. Up against Bloom, the ginger from the human world, and her roommate Aisha, the sporty chick.

When Sky went up to drink, the redhead's eyes glowed red. He nearly spat the beer out.

"Did you ...? Is this beer hot?"

"Drink up. Them's the rules."

Bloom and Aisha erupted into laughter as Sky downed the drink. On the whole, Riven thought Bloom and Aisha seemed like cool girls.

Riven was up next.

"Get cocky," Riven advised the ladies, "get schooled."

Bloom leaned over to Aisha, whispering. Aisha nodded. Riven shot the ball, but before it landed in a cup, Aisha's eyes glowed blue, and beer sloshed right out.

Then every drop of beer from every cup foamed and spilled out like a tidal wave and onto Riven. Not cool. Riven swore.

"Oh my God," said Bloom.

Bloom and Sky both stifled a laugh, but Aisha wasn't laughing. She looked mortified at the mess she'd made. As well she should. She'd made Riven look ridiculous in public!

Aisha mumbled, "Sorry. Honestly. Sorry. I'm gonna get some paper towels."

As Aisha headed off, Bloom moved to help Sky pick up the cups on the ground. Riven's mood wasn't improved as he noticed both of them were trying not to laugh at him.

"Feel a little better?" whispered cute redheaded Bloom conspiratorially.

"Certainly drunker," Sky conceded.

Riven clocked the sparks flying, and recalled the first day of school. How Sky had got hold of the redhead's number and talked about what he should text her. Until he hooked up with Stella again.

"So much for not drinking tonight," said Riven, and then hesitated. "But this one is a bit more fun than Stella. Reminds me of Ricki." "Who's Ricki?" asked cute redhead Bloom.

Well might she ask.

Sky shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. "Riv," he said warningly.

Riven didn't plan to listen to any warnings. He was soaking wet and looked stupid and felt cranky.

"You live with Stella and don't know what happened to her last roommate?"

"I don't. But I'd sure like to," Bloom said with conviction. Sky glared at Riven, but it was far too late to go back now.

"Ricki was Stella's best friend. Till she flirted a bit too much with Sky here and Stella showed everyone what a legit psycho she was." "What does that mean?" Bloom asked tightly.

"Stella used her magic to blind her. On purpose. She blinded her best friend."

The words sounded too real when Riven said them, the weight of them crushing out the happy party sounds. Sky wasn't smiling anymore.

"That can't be true," Bloom breathed.

Sky cleared his throat. "That's—yeah. That's the story."

Having spilled the tea, Riven headed out to dry off. Yeah, Riven was a jerk. You can count on him to be that.

But the redhead had a right to know what she was getting into. And Sky should really think more about what he was climbing back into.

Riven tried to wring out his dripping shirt as he stomped off.

This was a terrible party. Where was Beatrix, the sexpot who actually liked him? Failing Beatrix, where was Dane? Probably with Terra, but he shouldn't be with Terra. How was Riven supposed to mentor Dane and teach him to be awesome if Dane was never there?

FIRE

I wandered through a side hallway in the East Wing, trying to avoid fairies making out. This party made me think of lines from a poem, "the lonely of heart is withered away, / While the fairies dance in a place apart ..." This abandoned wing was a place apart all right, and I was feeling pretty lonely. And I was desperately attempting not to think about Sky, and what Riven had said about Stella. I searched the corridor for Aisha, for company and help, but instead I saw piles of framed photos leaning discarded against the wall.

There was one in particular that stopped me. Because standing in the middle of the students was a woman wearing a military-trimmed coat with sunken eyes and an intense expression, her thin mouth set in a grim line and her shining blonde hair pinned back.

She was the mystery woman from my vision.

I pulled out my phone to record the evidence when a girl's voice startled me.

Beatrix's words were very slurred. "Are you photo collaging at a party?

How are we not friends?"

I turned to see Beatrix. Remembering Terra talking about Beatrix's interest in history and realizing in a flash of inspiration that Beatrix might know something, I picked up one of the pictures. I pointed to my mystery woman.

"Do you know who this is?"

Beatrix's face shifted. It was almost imperceptible. Almost.

"Why?" she asked in an odd voice.

"I just know you're all about history—I thought you might know." "Still curious about the why," Beatrix said archly.

I shifted, uncomfortable. The why was tough to explain.

"I'm not trying to sound mysterious or anything, but ... I just ... I can't tell you."

"You might not be trying to sound mysterious, but you are succeeding."

Beatrix eyed me, eyed the picture, and then her shadowy expression suddenly flipped to a bright smile.

"Doesn't matter, anyway," she told me in a chipper voice. "I have no idea who that is. Enjoy your arts and crafts."

Beatrix exited the room, moving urgently as though she had a specific purpose. Maybe she wanted some of Terra's brownies.

I looked back at the picture. A little more carefully this time, and I recognized yet another face.

I murmured aloud, "She's standing next to Ms. Dowling."

MIND

Musa and Sam had found a quiet hallway, filled with moonlight. Even in the midst of a party, Sam could find stillness.

"Lotta people," Sam said now. "Doing your head in?"

He was so chill about her power, but still considerate of her. Most boys would be horrified by her magic. Most people were horrified by her.

"Never underestimate the power of cheap beer to dull sharp emotions,"

Musa said lightly, then, more seriously, "It's a party. People are happy." She looked at Sam in the moonlight. Just doing that made her happy.

"I am, too," she added softly.

Sam's gaze went especially warm, even as he continued to banter with her.

Musa worked up her nerve to ask: "You and Terra? Are you close?"

There was a little line between Sam's eyebrows. "We weren't around a lot of kids our age growing up, so yeah ..."

They hadn't seemed that close, but Musa wasn't an expert on families.

Was it good or bad if they were close?

Sam smiled, already wise to her. "Is that why you and I are sneaking around? Terra?"

"She has a lot of feelings about a lot of things. As her roommate, I get to experience all of them."

Right now, Musa was experiencing many feelings of her own. She leaned in a little closer.

Musa whispered, "How do you think she'd react to ... this?" "Oh, we're a this, are we?" Sam asked lightly.

Musa was instantly mortified. "Not anymore. It's all over. Who are you again?"

Sam smiled. They both laughed, and the laughter turned into a sweet silence, then into a kiss that was even sweeter.

Until Musa felt an unwelcome ripple of emotion, and pulled reluctantly away.

"Sorry, just ... getting a very strong and sudden read of social—"

She gazed at Sam in sudden panic. Terra rounded the corner to face Musa. Who was frozen in terror for a moment, before she saw Sam had disappeared from her side. He waved at Musa from the opposite alcove before he melted through the wall.

"There you are!" announced Terra happily, and then with a rapid onset of nerves, "Why are you alone; are you okay?"

Terra, who was clearly a little drunk, didn't wait for Musa to respond. She was onto the next topic, and by the feel of her, this one was going to be a doozy.

"So I haven't wanted to ask, but ... like, what's the point of having a roommate who can tell how people feel, if you don't ... not that that's all I think of you, but ... Dane. Me. Could it be a thing?"

Musa was stunned for a second. She'd been expecting something else. Clearly fearing the worst, Terra said: "Oh God."

Musa rushed to reassure her. "No, it's just ... When you and Dane are together, he feels comfortable. I don't know what that means specifically, but he does like you."

With painful, transparent hope, Terra asked: "So it could be? A thing?" Musa gave a measured smile as Terra beamed all over her face.

Here it was. A way to make Terra like Musa, and all it took was Musa, the girl who made it a policy to hide nothing. Hiding way more than a kiss with her roommate's brother.

FIRE

I was justifiably filled with outrage. I was angry in a reasonable manner and I had to express it!

I was maybe a little drunk, but that didn't matter. The alcohol was actually helping me to think. I poured myself another as Aisha watched me with worried eyes.

"And you're absolutely sure this is the woman from your memory?"

Aisha asked. "Not another, maybe?"

"One hundred percent. Which means Dowling knows something. And she's keeping it from me. Again."

I didn't know why I kept trusting Ms. Dowling. I didn't know why I wanted to trust her. I was a fool.

Aisha said in a pacifying manner, "Okay. We'll talk to her tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" I repeated.

"Let's go home. You're pissed off and a little pissed. And I can do some more homework—"

Aisha clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation. "She lied to me. I'm not waiting until tomorrow to get answers." Aisha gave me a long, considering look.

Finally, she said, "Okay then. Have fun."

She turned to walk away. I reached out my hand to stop her.

"You're not coming?" I asked in a small voice.

"You wanna see the headmistress at midnight, wasted? Go for it. While you're at it, why don't you hit the stone circle and nuke your magic? Maybe you'll get another signal from your long-lost fairy guide. 'Cause that makes sense."

Aisha, who was always understanding, Aisha who was my one real ally at Alfea, looked utterly exasperated with me.

"I'm done pulling you back from the edge, Bloom," she announced. "You wanna jump? Jump."

SPECIALIST

Sky was in the middle of a fight with Stella when it happened. He was demanding she tell the truth about what had happened with Ricki.

"Staying with you after you purposefully blinded your best friend makes me look at best like an insensitive jerk, and at worst, like an absolute psycho," Sky said, realizing how true it was even as he spoke.

Seeing Bloom's beautiful, shocked-still face when Riven spilled the story had made that crystal clear. Sky didn't want her to think badly of him.

Bloom was the one person who cared what he was going through. Why was he carrying on this charade, why was he trying to be with Stella again despite everything, when Stella wouldn't tell the truth? Far more importantly, when Stella didn't even care about Sky's fear for Silva? When Bloom seemed to care more about Sky than his longtime girlfriend cared?

It made a guy wonder what he was doing, being with Stella at all.

And then the text came, saying Marco and his team had killed the Burned One, and all thoughts of Stella and Bloom faded.

Silva was going to be okay.

Sky was so happy. He had to see Silva right away.

He turned and left Stella without another word, running for the Bastion training area. He walked in to find a single light shining by the benches. Silva was sitting there alone. Sky went over to him, feeling his face flush and a smile start on his lips. It had been so difficult to smile, for days, but now it was easy.

"How do you feel?" Sky asked, joy singing in his heart like birds. "The wounds should be healing already, right?"

Silva shifted toward Sky. With an effort. He was clearly still in pain, but he shouldn't have been in pain at all. When Sky looked down, he saw fresh blood on Silva's side.

The scars were not healed.

Voice distant in his own ears, Sky said: "You said they killed it."

Silva said, "They did."

Sky's voice faltered. "But then why—"

Silva's hard gaze didn't even flicker. Silva carried an aura of steeliness around with him that was almost impenetrable. Sky had always thought Silva made an exception for him.

But maybe not.

"The one they killed must not have been the one that attacked me.

Clearly ... there's more than one of these creatures out there."

Tensely, desperately, Sky said, "So the battalion will keep looking. It'll find the other one, and—"

With his first sign of real pain, Silva responded, "It's too late, Sky. It's over."

Sky stared down at his own hands. Trained to grasp weapons, to fight, to protect. But when the one person he cared about more than anything was in trouble, Sky had done nothing to help.

"You told me ... to wait." "It was all there was to do." Sky stood up, fast. Furious. No.

"The one thing you always told me about my dad was that he died fighting. And now you're just gonna lie down and take it?"

They stood staring at each other. Sky was sure neither of them knew what to say. He'd never spoken to Silva like that in his life before. He'd always trained to be the best, to make Silva proud. He was forgetting all his discipline.

Sky whirled away so Silva wouldn't see his face. He was supposed to be Silva's perfect soldier. He wasn't meant to cry.

FIRE

Ms. Dowling's expression went dark as I burst into her office, interrupting her in the middle of a meeting. Too bad for her. Too bad for Aisha. I knew what I was doing.

"You should be in bed," said Ms. Dowling.

I fired back, "And you should tell the truth."

Dowling threw a look at Professor Harvey, Terra's dad. He nodded and exited.

Triumphantly, I produced my evidence and showed Dowling the picture on my phone.

"What is this?" asked Dowling distantly.

"This woman! The one standing right next to you in this picture is the woman who left me in the First World."

Dowling looked to the photo and back to me. With a curt nod. "Rosalind," she said briefly. "How do you know this?" Rosalind. I savored the first scrap of information that I had.

"Who is she?"

Dowling closed her eyes for a moment. She looked so tired, I almost felt sorry for her. But I needed answers too badly to have time for regrets.

"She preceded me as headmistress. I was her student. Then her protégé."

"So you were here sixteen years ago when she did it."

An edge appeared in Dowling's voice. "I told you. The circumstances surrounding your birth are as much a mystery to me as they are to you."

I couldn't keep the note of accusation out of my voice. "You can see how that's getting harder and harder for me to believe, right?" Ms. Dowling eyed me with sudden coldness.

"You're drunk. Perhaps we can have this discussion when you're not."

"Every picture of her was shoved into the abandoned East Wing. Tell me that's not suspicious."

Dowling said crisply, "Rosalind was headmistress during a difficult period in Alfea's history. It's not a time we're keen to celebrate."

"I want to talk to her."

"That's impossible."

"Really? Because a week ago, I had a vision. A memory of the day she left me in the First World."

A glint of curiosity appeared in Ms. Dowling's eye. Finally, she was interested in something besides shutting me up and shutting me down.

I continued eagerly, "She said, 'Find me.' I want to talk to her."

It was all so clear to me now. Ms. Dowling wasn't the one who would give me the answers I craved. She was just the path to finding this other woman. Rosalind would help me.

Dowling said simply, "She's dead, Bloom." I was so dazed, I couldn't process it.

"What?"

Dowling said, "She's been dead for years."

I stood in the headmistress's office, swaying slightly. I was so desperate for answers, yet I could see my last hope fading away.

Dowling continued, not unsympathetic, but terribly final: "So. I don't know what you saw, or why you saw it, but that is where this ends."

SPECIALIST

Riven, shirtless, his hair still wet with beer, smoked a joint as he flipped through the armor next to him. Dane perused the armor as well, and asked Riven what he was looking for.

"Something cool," said Riven.

He found an awesome helmet, handed Dane the joint, and started to put it on. Beatrix rounded the corner, shook her head, and grabbed the helmet off him.

"Never cover the face," advised Beatrix. "It's one of your few good qualities."

"She's not wrong," Dane contributed.

Inwardly, Riven preened.

Beatrix gave a meaningful glance to the joint in Dane's hand. "Oh.

Shotgun?"

Dane appeared confused. Riven shook his head.

"You're hopeless. Inhale."

Dane obeyed Riven. Then, Beatrix moved to Dane, and with a smile that said she knew exactly what she was doing, Beatrix urged: "Now exhale."

Riven saw the exact moment when Dane finally clued in, then Dane blew the smoke into her mouth. She held it in for a beat. Riven moved to her. She returned the favor.

Dane was leaning against a table when Riven and Beatrix came up for air. He looked very pleased with himself, as if this was exactly what he wanted from a party. He also looked a little dizzy.

"Don't know how you can smoke so much after Terra's brownies," he commented.

Riven's mood darkened. He'd known as soon as he saw Dane bring over the brownies. Oh, Terra had it bad. Riven had eaten all four brownies and refused to let Dane have any more.

Dane looked unhappy. What did he think he was, Terra's knight and protector?

"Don't be an idiot. She made them for everybody."

"No, she didn't," Riven snapped. "She made them for you."

Dane looked totally puzzled. So, since Riven had appointed himself teller of unwelcome truths at this party, he felt it was his duty to break it to Dane that Terra was totally thirsty for him. He felt it was best for Dane to know. And best for Terra to get her heart broken sooner rather than later. Terra liked Dane. But Dane didn't like Terra. Dane liked him.

FIRE

I had only one more plan to get answers. So despite Aisha's warning, I stormed through the night and entered the ancient stone circle on the outskirts of Alfea. I was too furious to care about the consequences.

As I entered the circle, I felt my power surge. Flames ignited in the torches around me. Fire formed above my palms. I kept pulling more magic to me. It felt like tendrils of fire were escaping from my spine.

I was ready to set the sky ablaze, and the thought scared me enough to stop.

"Bloom?" Sky's voice said behind me.

I turned to see Sky approaching. Decked out in lightweight Specialist armor, a sheathed sword on his back. Looking more like a knight than ever before.

"What are you doing out here?" Sky asked.

I hesitated. I could be cagey or coy, or I could just spill it.

"I'm a changeling, Sky. That's my tricky family story. I don't know who the hell they are."

There was no judgment on Sky's face. Just an acknowledgment that this was a huge deal.

He swore.

"Yeah," I said. "And I'm out here ... like a crazy person ... because I'm apparently willing to do anything for the possibility of an answer."

There was a pause as Sky took this new information in.

"I have no idea how being out here gives you answers, but ... I get it." I appreciated that. Nobody had ever got me before, but I could believe Sky might.

"Uh," I said. "Why are you wearing armor?"

Sky's face was grim. "Silva is dying. The Burned One they killed wasn't the right one. It's still out there."

I paused, putting it all together. "And you're planning to go find it yourself?"

Sky's mouth twisted. "You're not the only crazy person. I can't sit around and do nothing."

I get it, Sky had told me. Looking at the pain in his face, I could've told him the same thing.

My eyes were drawn away from his face, toward the forest. A sound echoed in my ears. Strange whispers, becoming familiar to me.

Slowly, I told Sky, "You might not have to."

SPECIALIST

Terra kept trying to drag Dane off and have a special party moment with him. Riven, in his capacity as Dane's hot mentor, couldn't allow that to happen. So he challenged Terra and Dane to a beer-pong match.

"Nah, I'm good," said Dane.

Riven waited. He knew Terra had a little problem with challenges. Her problem was that she loved them.

"Fine! Don't think I haven't noticed you're wearing Dane's shirt," Terra snapped at Riven. "You made poor Dane give you his shirt just because

Aisha got yours wet! Why are you such a bully?" Riven shrugged. "It amuses me."

Beating them at beer pong would amuse him, too, he figured. Only then his so-called friend Kat let him down, and Terra and Dane won.

Terra and Dane had a victory hug. Terra was clearly loving the shirtless victory hug. Seemed like Riven had, in fact, done Terra a huge favor by taking Dane's shirt.

Dane was clearly thrown by the lingering hug. Riven shot him a told-ya look. Terra didn't see it.

Just then, Stella approached Riven and pulled him away from the others when Riven didn't wish to be taken away. How like Stella.

Riven quickly shook her hand off his arm. He wasn't ready for physical intimacy of any sort with the princess, and he wanted to make that clear.

"Have you seen Sky?" Stella asked impatiently. "He's not answering my texts."

"Have you looked for Bloom?" Riven inquired innocently.

Stella blinked. "What?"

"Whoops," said Riven, then cackled. "They are totally just friends. One hundred percent. Nothing going on. No need to blind her." Stella's carefully made-up face became a frozen landscape.

"I wouldn't waste my magic on a changeling, anyway," she spat.

Riven's spine felt electrified. Oh, here it was. Sky was attracted to Bloom. So, of course, the girl was a disaster. "Wait. Bloom is a changeling?" "Whoops," purred Stella.

Before Riven could respond, Stella's phone buzzed. Across the way, so did Terra's. From the look on both girls' faces, the texts were important.

Terra snapped into take-charge mode. "Come on, Stella! We have to go."

She abandoned Dane and ran at Stella, seizing her wrist.

"Wait, wait," said Riven. "Where are you going?"

"I don't have time for you right now, Riven," snapped Terra.

"Something important is happening. Gotta go, enjoy the party, leave poor Dane alone."

She rushed off, leaving Riven and Dane behind. Riven found that to be unwise.

Leave Dane alone, she said? Oh, Terra, Terra, Terra. Didn't she know how Riven felt about a challenge?

FIRE

The whispers rose in my ears as Sky and I hunted through the woods. They were louder than before, terrifying. I could almost make out words. Sky unsheathed his sword.

"It's close," I warned.

I turned around. We stood back to back.

"Do I want to know why you can track these things?" Sky asked.

Hunt Burned Ones now, Sky, I thought. Talk later.

"One of the many mysteries of my life we could be solving in the protective embrace of the Barrier."

Suddenly, Sky spun to see a Burned One bearing down on him. He was clearly thrown, but he got a strike in. Everyone said Sky was the best warrior training at Alfea. Maybe he could just kill the monster and we could go home.

The monster shrieked, then tossed Sky aside and turned. It leaped at me, knocking me down. The Burned One reared back to strike, and I knew in a moment of moonlight-cold certainty that I'd been as foolish as Aisha had warned me, that I was doomed, that I didn't stand a chance.

Stella's voice called out, "Close your eyes."

I shut my eyes, trusting, as the Burned One raised its arm to deliver a killing blow.

The blow never landed. Instead, I saw the pale impression of a blinding light behind my eyelids. When I opened my eyes, the forest was still illuminated. The Burned One was staggering back, stunned.

My suitemates were all around me. I'd texted them, and they had come running.

Aisha raced forward, helping me to my feet. The monster was back on its feet and heading straight for her ... until a chain of ivy wrapped around its legs, pulling it to the ground. Terra caught my eye and grinned.

The Burned One broke through the clinging ivy without trouble. But Terra had slowed it enough for me to summon my magic again. Flames moved in straight, sharp lines toward the creature. But they didn't reach it.

I yelled, "Aisha!"

Aisha summoned a massive wall of water in front of the flame, and when our fire and water met, the forest erupted in steam.

We saw the dim shape of the Burned One staggering toward us, disoriented, lost in the whiteness. Until out of the fog, a blade gleamed true. Sky's sword pierced the monster to the heart, and the Burned One fell to the ground.

As the steam cleared, we moved toward the Burned One's corpse.

"Wait," Musa said behind me. "Stop, I don't think it's—"

I was within reach as the monster reared up suddenly to strike, but then it was paralyzed by a light emanating from within its own blackened body.

Before our eyes, the Burned One incinerated from the inside out.

"No," came Ms. Dowling's cool voice. "It wasn't dead."

SPECIALIST

Sky watched from across the room as Professor Harvey treated Silva. It felt just like the last time he'd had to watch this, helpless to aid Silva, hope and fear seeming to tear his heart in half with every beat. If he'd killed the wrong Burned One, this had all been for nothing. He didn't know, he couldn't be sure, but Silva seemed to have more energy.

Silva told Sky, in a strong, furious voice, "You're an idiot."

"I know," said Sky, hardly daring to hope. "But is it better?" Silva continued ranting, "You're a stupid, reckless, impulsive ..." "Professor Harvey?" Sky begged.

Sky turned to the professor, desperate for any sign. Harvey looked up with a smile that gave Sky the answer he wanted to hear.

"Don't smile at him!" Silva ordered.

Silva turned, and Sky saw what he'd been desperate to see. The wounds were healing.

Silva was scowling. Sky had spent his whole life trying to please Silva, fearing to inspire that look on his face. Yet in this moment, Sky didn't care one bit. He rushed to Silva, pulling him into a hug, and held on tight. He hadn't failed, after all. He wasn't letting go. He wasn't losing someone else that he loved.

Gruffly, into Sky's hair, Silva muttered: "Your dad would be proud."

LIGHT

"So Dowling can do more than one kind of magic?" Bloom asked. "That's a thing?"

Poor, foolish Bloom. What did they teach kids in California? It seemed a lawless place.

Stella was feeling benevolent about everything. She'd used her magic to save the day! Sky and her Winx suitemates were no doubt extremely impressed. Her mother might be proud when she heard.

A party was only as good as the clothes you wore to it. A battle was only won by the power you brought to it.

"If you're strong enough," Terra told Bloom.

"Which she is. Obviously," Stella chipped in helpfully. Ms. Dowling was strong, and she was teaching Stella to be strong, too.

"So of course we pissed her off," said Musa.

Musa was not a very positive person.

Stella began to feel slightly negative herself as the sound of heels approached. They all stood as Dowling turned a corner to face them, putting her phone away.

"That the lot of you and Headmaster Silva are alive doesn't change how thoughtless you were," Dowling said crisply.

Stella was relieved at this piece of good news. Silva was alive. They had succeeded, and Sky would be fine now, back to his usual self.

But Dowling remained harsh. "We'll discuss consequences in the morning."

As Dowling walked away, Musa's eyes glowed purple. Aisha leaned into her, whispering.

"Is she, like, detention pissed off or expulsion pissed off?"

Musa said, "I'm going with the first one. But only because of the very tiny bit of pride I also felt in there." More good news.

Just then, Sky entered. He looked steadier than he'd looked since Silva was hurt, and Stella relaxed at the very sight of him. Sometimes she felt as though she was a bit of Terra's beloved ivy and could only flourish with his support.

Then Sky glanced between Bloom and Stella, and for a moment Stella felt a weird tension in the air, as if he was trying to weigh something heavy. Make a decision. Stella felt like Aisha, trying not to let water slip through her fingers.

Bloom took action, making the decision for him. "We should get upstairs."

Stella was annoyed by how grateful she felt to Bloom for that, but this was no time to dwell on it. Not now, when she felt as though everything might finally go smoothly.

Stella was truly thrilled for Sky, and surely Sky would forgive her for being a little weird before. They had all saved Silva together. She remembered seeing him in the woods, wielding his sword like a knight. He was so brave. And it made sense, that a knight was destined for a princess.

As she looked up at Sky, though, she saw an unfamiliar look on his dear, familiar face, and felt panic clutch at her heart. Was it really that he was mad at her, or was it that he wanted Bloom?

Maybe Sky wasn't brave about everything.

Don't go, Stella thought. Don't leave me alone in the dark.

SPECIALIST

Now that Sky was feeling better, apparently Stella liked him more. She drifted toward him, clearly wishing to catch his hand and cling.

"I was awful today. I'm sorry. Seeing you scared and vulnerable? I couldn't handle it."

"I know," said Sky. "I felt it." It had been pretty obvious.

"You're the only one who knows the real me, Sky," Stella whispered.

"That's your choice, Stella."

"It's not, though. I am the heir to the Solarian throne. If you knew the kind of pressure I'm under ..."

"I do. You know I do."

If he didn't, nobody did. He and Stella had known each other so long, he knew her pain as well as he knew his own. He saw her pain now, written all across her beautiful face as she struggled to speak.

"Your strength is my safety net. I have to know it's there if I fall."

Their patterns together were so set, he could fall into them without thinking. Every cell in his body was telling him to put his arms around her and comfort her, the same way he did every time she revealed her vulnerable side.

Only every time before, he hadn't known she would never reciprocate. "And what if I fall?" Sky asked. "Who's there to catch me?" He turned and walked away from her.

He kept remembering the warm feeling he'd had, just from having Bloom sit down next to him at a stupid party. He'd made the wrong choice on the first day of school. He wished, so much, that he'd sent Stella away from his room, and that he'd sent that text to Bloom instead.

EARTH

In bed, Terra scrolled through her Instagram stories, and found Beatrix. No doubt being cool. Sharing a single piece of fruit. Terra didn't want to see it.

She clicked on the video, anyway.

It was a shaky video of Riven, and a shirtless Dane. Riven winked at the camera. Dane put his arm around him.

"Hey, Riv," he slurred. "Shotgun me." "What about your girlfriend?" Riven asked.

Dane said: "Who?"

And then they were mocking her, Dane suggesting Terra should get with a flower, Riven snickering. Having fun at her expense. Riven, the meanest guy in Alfea, and Dane, the boy of Terra's dreams.

Riven took another hit, and Beatrix moved into the frame.

"My turn," she said, motioning to Dane, and then added with all the easy, sexy confidence Terra would never have, "Come on, third degree."

Riven exhaled into both Dane's and Beatrix's mouths. This time, all three of their mouths touched. It looked messy and out of control, and Terra felt messy and out of control.

Dane, who she'd thought was so sweet, who she'd thought really liked her. But no, of course he liked Beatrix, who was everything Terra could never be. And somehow, for some reason, Riven was involved.

Overwhelmed by shock and pain, Terra's hand trembled as she slowly put her phone down on the nightstand. She couldn't process this. Not tonight.

FIRE

Aisha and I got ready for bed, still humming from the near miss, and I filled her in on what I'd done. And more importantly, what I hadn't done. I hadn't summoned all my magic in the stone circle and burned down the forest. I thought she'd be proud of me.

Aisha seemed more worried than proud. She turned to look at me, where I sat on my bed, and I could feel something big coming.

"Bloom, I know you want to find your birth parents, but ... What if there's no big conspiracy? You said Rosalind was headmistress." Aisha selected her words with obvious care. "Isn't it possible you're just the daughter of a student? A scared teenager who got pregnant and didn't know what to do?"

Put that way, it sounded plausible, but I shook my head. "There are just too many things I can't explain."

A steely note entered Aisha's voice. "You know, some people would kill to be a natural with magic like you. Even if it meant they were just a regular fairy."

Aisha glanced over at the bowl of water she couldn't master, and plunged ahead.

"Magic is ... not easy for me. I had to work really hard to get into this school. And I'm gonna have to work really hard to stay in it. But you ..." "What? Are you saying I should be grateful?" I never wanted to come here. I wanted to go home.

"I'm saying you should be realistic," Aisha told me.

I knew Aisha was only trying to help, trying to be sensible.

"Do you even know what that means for me, Aisha? Being realistic?" I stared up at Aisha, totally vulnerable, begging her to understand me.

"It means my real mom didn't want me. That she looked at me when I was just a baby and gave me up. And if you don't think I've thought about that every day since I found out I was a changeling ..." I struggled to speak.

"I have to believe that there's something more. I have to."

And with that, I collapsed on my bed. I couldn't push away tears anymore. Aisha ran to me and threw her warm arms around me, and I relaxed against her, leaning into her strength.

I loved Aisha. I loved my new friend. I really did. But she was wrong.

She had to be wrong.

There must be more to the story of me and Rosalind.