I lay awake in the strange bed, in the étrange bed, in the unfamiliar room. I don’t even know what Country I’m in! Calanta seems to sleep well, though. I suppose that's good. She seems nice. I can’t stop thinking about the dream. Of course it’s Adrian. As if I need another reminder of everything I lost.

It was a dark time to be a fairy. You couldn’t walk or drive very far without people giving you dirty looks, or seeing Defender Citizens reaching for something on their belts. It's hard to remember that far back. When Le resistance was just a collection of people venting about the Royals and the unfair system in society. A few of my friends were in it, but I didn’t have a reason to be. I worked as a Bartender. It didn’t pay well, and I had to do a lot of dirty work for my boss. Cleaning up the restaurants after hours and whatnot. I was just finishing wiping down the counter when I heard the gunshots.

I had no clue where they were coming from, but everyone who wasn’t as directionally challenged as me was heading towards the town waterway. I ran as fast as I could, speeding past Citizens and some Fairies. My mind races with peur and dread.

Did someone get shot? Was there another shooting? Why do we have guns when we can do Magic!? Did another Fairy get shot? Before I know it I’m in the Square, surrounded by people. I push my way to the front, and then I see them. Their body, mangled and bloodied was nearly unrecognizable. But I recognized them. Their name was Adrian. I don’t think I ever loved anyone else since then, but I knew this. I never forgot the face of the Citizen who shot them. He was talking to some reporters when I fully understood what happened.

“The disgusting Fairy was armed and harassing this poor woman right here,” Said the man. He gestured to a woman standing to the left of him. I raised my eyebrows. She looked fine, checking her hair into the camera. I feel it bubbling up inside me. No. She took everything away from me. Words can’t describe the hate and anger I feel. I feel it coursing, running through my veins. The world goes black and then BOOM. Light streams around me and I hear screams. The world spins and sways. Hands reach out in slow motions, but my knife slips through them, cutting them away. I spin, the rhythm of my heart surging blood and adrenaline through my veins.

And then it's over. I slump to the floor. Darkness closes around me and I hear my head hit the hard pavement.

When I wake up, I’m not in a hospital. Of course I’m not. Fairies don’t get that kind of privilege. I’m in a prison. A concrete wall surrounds me, and a metal door sits opposite to the metal bench where I sit. How long has passed since Adrian...non. Thinking about them will only cause grief. I’m not sad. The y wouldn’t like that. No, I’m mad. A hollow sort of anger. Almost yearning. A yearning for revenge. Revenge for the citizen who killed them. And the woman who’s fault it was. ARE ANY FAIRIES SAFE!? I can’t go anywhere without the constant fear of getting killed. I-

“Flannery?” Calanta’s voice pulls me out of the memory. I haven’t had a flashback like that in a while. “Flannary are you alright? You look like you are going to vomito.” I don’t know what to do. No one has ever been nice to me. Except Adrian of course. I honestly don’t know what to do. I don’t trust this.

“I’m fine Calanta. I can take care of myself. I don’t know why you care so much.” She looks hurt. Zut! I always mess up! Not knowing what else to do, I storm out the door, past a surprised looking Mala and into the hallway. Now I just need to catch my breath and do one of the most difficult things for me to do. Think. Of course, I’m not that stupid, but its hard for me to focus. And I don’t usually think before I act. Unfortunately, thats when I run into Zariah.