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I started and almost dropped the book, as if the title itself burned me. What was a book like this doing amongst Mother’s volumes about cultivating and weaving? I started to return it to its shelf, but some unseen force made me pause. I wasn’t planning on opening it, but I was drawn to its pages by a burning curiosity that filled me with an unquenchable need to discover answers to questions I didn’t know I had.

I hypnotically traced the title, my unnatural curiosity about anything nightmare-related eclipsing my earlier abhorrence. Just what sorts of powersdidnightmares possess? Were they more powerful than dreams? What secrets did this book contain, and what was Mother’s interest?

I slowly eased the book open in my lap, the cracking of its already broken spine slicing the silence as it fell naturally to Chapter 14, “Harnessing Nightmares’ Powers.” I just had time to notice a piece of yellowing parchment bearing Mother’s scribbles bookmarking the page when Stardust’s sharp gasp caused me to hastily shut the book.

“Unicorns!” She zipped towards the top of the bookcase, sending me and the book tumbling to the ground with a painful thud.

“Stardust,don’t,” I hissed, but it was too late. Deaf to my pleas, she yankedThe Magical Properties of Unicorn Threadfrom the bottom of a teetering stack.

Crash! Books toppled on top of me, bruising me like pelting hail. The noise was deafening, as was the taut silence that followed.

Mother’s footsteps pounded as she came running towards the study. The lock clicked menacingly and the door swung open to reveal Mother glaring at me from the doorway.

Chapter 8

Time seemed to have stopped as Mother and I stared at one another before she slowly surveyed her study, her mouth agape. Desk drawers hung half-open, the tumbled books lay in a heap, and I crouched in the middle of the paper-carpeted floor, surrounded by her exposed secrets. Dread filled my heart for the impending confrontation. Stardust had disappeared, abandoning ship at the first sign of trouble. Traitor.

“What are you doing here?” Mother hissed through clenched teeth. “How did you get past the lock? It had a powerful…” She trailed off and pressed her hands against her hips. “Well?”

A cloud-shaped bumblebee darted briefly from behind the bookcase, an assurance Stardust hadn’t completely abandoned me to Mother’s wrath after all. Her presence strengthened my resolve.

“Doyouhave an explanation for these magic books?”

Mother pursed her lips. “That’s none of your concern.”

“Of course it’s my concern. You’ve spent my entire life claiming magic doesn’t exist, when all this time—” I blinked back tears. “I deserve to know the truth: do you have magic?”

Mother fidgeted for a moment before, ever so slightly, she nodded. Betrayal, sharp and prickling, washed over me. After all these years of trying to hide my own powers, the fact Mother had them too…

My lip trembled. “How could you keep it from me?”

She sighed. “It was necessary, but please believe that it pained me to do it.” Her tone was calmer and her eyes had lost their sizzle. “The truth is complicated. There’s much more going on than you realize; unfortunately there are some things which can’t be shared.”

“But I’m your daughter!”

“I was planning on telling you when you were eighteen, or sooner if you had shown any signs of having inherited my gift; I even had a locket filled with magic, ready to give you when you were ready. However, after observing you carefully over the years, I was convinced you didn’t possess any magic of your own. It wasn’t until last night when you declared with such certainty that I didn’t dream that I began to wonder…”

Unbelievable. For a moment I was rendered speechless. Mother monitored my expression, her own twisted in distress.

“I didn’t want you getting hurt.” She stepped closer, hand outstretched to stroke my hair the way she usually did, but I flinched away.

“Hurt? Do you have any idea what the villagers whisper about me, or the torment I’ve felt keeping my powers concealed?”

Her eyes widened. “What powers?”

My secret had finally tumbled out, unable to be kept hidden any longer. I extended my hand, palm facing up. My magic came instantly at my command. Mother’s hands fluttered to her mouth. For a moment she simply stared, transfixed, at the shimmery lilac swirls cupped within my palm.

“Who taught you to do that?” she whispered. “Magic that rehearsed—I had no idea; you hid it so well.”

I pulled the magic away. “I taught myself. There was no one I could ask, especially not you.”

“Oh Eden, I’m so sorry. If only I’d known—” She reached for me, but I ducked out of her grasp. “Eden?”

“Leave me alone.”

“Please, just let me explain—”

I didn’t want her apology or her explanations, not tonight. It was too late for that. I headed for the door.