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“Five.”
She poked her head out of the mound. “Do you know which ones they are?”
I examined the contents of each of my remaining bottled dreams. “The tornado nightmare, Darius’s favorite spider nightmare, and the one about darkness coming to life to consume his Mortal...as well as a few others.”
Suspicion fully settled over her expression. “Aren’t those the nightmares you told Trinity about?”
She’d finally voiced what I’d been afraid to even privately consider. My pulse palpitated wildly as I glanced over. “Are you sure?”
With a bristle of pride, Stardust morphed into her detective notebook and frantically turned the pages, pausing to tip one towards me. There in vivid detail was an entire transcript of my conversation with Trinity, along with thorough commentary by Detective Stardust. Sure enough, three of the missing jars were the very ones I’d told Trinity about.
I blinked, slightly dazed. “That’s right, you took notes.”
“Of course I did,” Stardust said. “I’m a trained detective.”
Despite the foreboding tightening my stomach at the implications of what our discovery could mean, I couldn’t help but feel admiration and gratitude for my wonderful friend. I seized her in a hug. “You adorable and brilliant cloud. I love you.”
She lit up at my declaration, but her smile quickly faded as her expression became grave. “It’s clear that Trinity is undoubtedly the culprit. It’s no coincidence that three of the jars you’re missing are the only ones she knew about. I bet my morphing powers she stole them.”
My hands tightened into fists. It was as I’d feared. Trinity’s observation had picked up on the subtle differences between the jars in order to be able to steal the very ones she needed. “What do you think she’s planning on doing with them?”
“Likely nothing good.”
I gritted my teeth. “Not if I can help it.” I stomped from the room. Stardust morphed into a clip and settled herself in my hair so she could witness the upcoming confrontation.
I found Mother, Blaze, and Trinity in the kitchen hovering around the table examining a parchment with scribblings and outlined diagrams. The moment I entered, Mother hastily rolled it up while Blaze glared at me and Trinity offered one of her fake smiles with a look like she knew exactly why I was here. Considering she hadn’t even attempted to cover her crime—otherwise she wouldn’t have taunted me by returning my jars to my shelves—she undoubtedly suspected a confrontation and was prepared for it.
“Hello, Eden,” she said with false sweetness.
I glared at her, not in the mood for forced pleasantries. “Where are they?”
She blinked innocently. “Where are what?”
“Don’t feign ignorance. My nightmare jars. You stole them, Iknowyou did.”
Her smile faltered and her eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play games with me. You stole the nightmares I told you about...amongst others.”
She dropped her feigned friendliness and folded her arms across her chest with a dark scowl. It was a relief for her to remove her usual mask. “Accusations, Eden? And against your own family, besides.”
I tightened my jaw. “Don’t play that game. You know my accusations are the truth.”
She glanced towards Blaze and Mother, whose own eyes were narrowed with disapproval. “I do believe that dangerous Nightmare has put dark ideas into her head. Poor, misguided Eden.”
Frustration swelled. “Stop toying with me and misdirecting my accusations. This has nothing to do with Darius, this has to do with the fact that you’re a thief.” Her powers would have made the task all too easy—she’d undoubtedly read the rebellion in my heart as easily as my worry that my temporary hiding spot would make the jars easy to take. “You saw exactly what you needed in my heart to accomplish your scheme.”
Trinity’s responding smirk was enough to confirm my suspicions.
“Enough, Eden,” Mother’s voice was sharp. “Think about what you’re insinuating. You truly believe that sweet Trinity—your very aunt—stolefrom you? Why would she do that when she cares for you?”
Trinity raised her brows in challenge and I rolled my eyes. “She doesn’t care for me at all, just what I can do. You all do.”
Mother’s expression darkened. “Now Eden dear, do you really believe that of your ownfamilyafter all we’ve done for you?”
I folded my arms across my chest. It was the moment of truth. “I do.”
Her eyes flashed. “I’d be very careful if I were you, dear. Don’t forget who granted you life, whose home you’re in, and who is not only accepting of your special abilities but is trying to help you develop them. You wouldn’t want to lose any of that, would you? Or more importantly, you wouldn’t want to loseme? Because if you’re not very careful you will, I guarantee.”
