Darkness greets me when I wake up. I can't tell the time, but I assume it is early morning. I roll out of bed and look out the window to see the moon high in the sky. I suddenly have the urge to walk out to the Overlook. My nighttime mind doesn't have any second thoughts when I walk out the door. The air is slightly chilled, but I don't pay any mind. My thoughts are fully focused on the bright moon ahead of me. I walk between the barracks to the field. It's not a hard walk. I find my footing with ease. The grass feels good against my legs, which have grown hot. My eyes stay fixed on the moon as I walk aimlessly towards the Overlook.
"Now, where are you going, little lost kitten?" A voice purrs.
Any heat that had been in my body disappears in an instant.
"Don't tell me you were mesmerized by the moon."
I freeze completely. The Fire boy closes the distance between us. He comes to stand in front of me and before I can acknowledge it, I raise my eyes to his. His gray eyes look darker in the moonlight. They have a harsher glint as he looks down at me with brimming smugness. His hair looks like broken silver, sharp enough to cut. My face must have gone pale because his mouth begins to curve in the most frightening way.
"You know what you look like now? A butterfly."
I jerk at the compliment.
"Butterflies. Do you know how fragile they are?" the Fire boy sneers. "You just have to rub their wings and then they can't fly. They starve to death. Or you could just crush them like a bug. Isn't that so?"
"You're cruel," I whisper.
"Oh, my precious butterfly, I'm so much more than that."
He lifts my chin so that my eyes are level with his. His touch burns even though I'm freezing.
"You see, I'm also a figment of your imagination. You're dreaming, butterfly. Wake up...wake up...."
I roll around in my sleep until I realize that the Fire boy's voice is actually someone banging on my door.
"Maia! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!" Clarisse screams.
The banging continues as I scramble to get out of bed. Sunlight beams in my eyes and I realize that I've slept through most of the morning. I shuffle over to the door. I fling it open just as Clarisse is about to begin her pounding again. I watch as a few aggravated Trainees walk behind her, throwing dark looks.
"What?" I ask groggily.
Clarisse waltzes in like she wasn't just banging on my door. "I had to track you down just so I can talk to my best friend about my crush. Is that so hard to believe?"
"Ugh," I say, closing the door. "What time is it?"
"It's a little before high noon. You slept nearly an entire day!"
Did I?
"No wonder I feel so out of it."
"Tria has been hysterical thinking you were kidnapped. Zen had to take her on a little 'alone' walk just to calm her down."
"Sorry to worry all of you," I say, sitting on my bed next to Clarisse.
She waves me off. "It was mainly Tria. Hera could barely bother with the amount of attention Martin was paying her. Speaking of which," she wiggles her eyebrows, "I have lots to talk to you about."
I lay back on my bed, waiting for her to begin.
"Did you know Mire was in our class?"
I shake my head.
