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“Are you still sour over my victory yesterday? You can’t win them all.” His voice lowered. “Although I suppose you do win most.”

“Humph.” Angel snapped her folded arms against herself, but her scowl thawed slightly. “I want to win all of them.”

Blaze pulled out a glowing lightning bolt and a carving knife and proceeded to sculpt it into its jagged shape. “I would think you’d be more accepting of your defeats, considering you’re always preaching about the importance of maintaining the balance. Our Weavings don’t seem balanced to me. We should tip the scales more to my favor.”

“If you want that, then you’ll just have to become a better Weaver.”

“Not to worry, I’m working on that.”

Angel’s eyes narrowed. “How? By plotting to steal another batch of my dream dust?”

He visibly stiffened. “Don’t start that again. I’m no thief. You’ve undoubtedly lost your magic by your own incompetence.”

Angel lurched forward but Iris tugged her back. “Don’t, we must behave harmoniously.”

“Harmony is overrated.” Angel tried to shake herself from Iris’s hold, but she held firm until Angel gave up with a sigh and a string of muttered threats about how she planned to crush every nightmare of Blaze’s from now until the end of eternity.

Blaze smirked, triumph flashing in his eyes, before finally glancing towards me. “Why, it’s Dreamer Eden. I haven’t seen you since our little rendezvous at the Dream Library.” His smile grew more sinister. “Trinity took a particular interest in you after she discovered some rather interesting things in your heart.”

I could still feel her slithering stare, sharp and invading, just like her sudden inquiry:Are you really a Dreamer? My heart pounded at the memory. “I don’t recall her mentioning she'd seen anything unusual.”

He studied me with a rather unnerving leer. “You seem to be keeping secrets even from yourself. Perhaps you should have her look again.”

On cue, Trinity appeared beside him and beamed when she saw me, such a contrast to Blaze’s cool hostility.

“It’d wonderful to see you again, Eden.” She looped her arm through mine as if we were the best of friends, a gesture which caused Angel’s eyes to narrow suspiciously. I tried to tug away, but Trinity’s hold was firm. “It’s been too long since we’ve had a chance to visit; I’ve been anxious to see how you’re doing.” Her grin broadened as her gaze rested on my locket. “I’m pleased you’re doing better than when we last met.”

My cheeks warmed. “A little.”

“How wonderful. You wouldn’t mind if we had a little chat, would you?” Her grip tightened. “In private?”

Before I could respond, she tugged me away from my friends, Blaze trailing behind. Angel and Iris looked like they were about to follow, whereas Stardust was suddenly nowhere to be seen. Trinity pulled me down a side street and we were lost in the swarming crowd.

She stopped in a secluded area beneath a bridge, where no exhibits were set up for yards. “This will be the perfect place.”

I rubbed my throbbing arm after she finally released me. “What do you want?”

“To talk. We didn’t have much of an opportunity when we met before, but now is the perfect time.” She smiled again, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Why would you want to talk with me? You’re a Nightmare.”

“Isn’t one of the festival’s purposes to build friendships between our two worlds? What better way to do so than by engaging in a friendly conversation…aboutyou.”

I didn’t like the urgency in her tone, nor the strange hunger filling her eyes. “What about me?”

Trinity’s gaze lingered on my still considerably empty locket. “Although you’ve managed to win a few Weavings, with your abilities you should be crushing your Nightmare partner every night. He sure seems particularly interested in you, although he can’t quite figure you out…but we know better, don’t we?”

My heart hammered, both at her words and the intimidating way Blaze hovered nearby, watching me. I didn’t like where this conversation was going. I glanced around, but the pockets of Dreamers and Nightmares wandering past paid us no attention.

“There’s no reason to be afraid, Eden,” Trinity laid a gentle hand on my arm; I recoiled at her prickling touch. “We want to help you. It’d be a shame to waste your amazing abilities.”

My unease grew, causing my stomach twist in anxious knots. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do.” She looked around, checking that none of the surrounding Dreamers and Nightmares were within earshot before leaning closer and lowering her voice. “I’m talking about your unique ability to see dreams.”

I stumbled back. For a moment I couldn’t speak. “What do you mean? I can’t—it’s impossible—”

“Oh Eden, you know you can’t lie to me,” Trinity said with almost sickening sweetness. “I read it in your heart the day we met, and I can sense your fear at having your secret discovered now.”