As soon as I got home from the Maji Guard station, where I gave them my statement and confirmed that Zoe was home with me at the time of the murder, I went straight to bed. A sharp stabbing pain coursed through my head the whole night, making it impossible for me to get any sleep. I couldn't figure out where this migraine came from suddenly. I've had them in the past, but it was never this bad. Though I suspected that part of it was from dealing with the Maji Guard. . . The whole thing was a mess.

     First, they brought me into a room, which was devoid of anything save for a table and a couple of chairs, and they left me there for what felt like hours. Then they pelted me with question upon question upon question. It felt like that were trying to force me to recant my alibi for my sister, but I would never do that. I would never give up on her.

     The entire process felt rigged against her, that they had already assumed her guilt. This was nothing like I had experienced when working with them in the past. I never remembered them being like this. The entire time, I felt more and more as though there were something wrong with this entire case, but I couldn't quite place my finger on it.

     I tossed and turned in bed all night long. At one point, I could hear the door opening and closing, and muffled voices coming from the living area. Moments later, there came a knock at my door before it swung wide open, the light flooding into the room as a dull pain erupted behind my eyeballs and rushed upwards. "Kairine, I told you to stay out of it! Why couldn't you just do what I asked?" screamed Zoe, stirring me awake as I turned over to look at her.

     "You're my sister. . ." I said softly, my vision blurring from the severe headache. "Sisters look out for one another. No matter what. You would have done the same for me. . ." I cracked a smile. "I'm glad you're home. . . Fleur seems really lovely. You're lucky to have her."

     Zoe's cheeks flared bright red as she went wide-eyed. "You. . . You know?!" she said, incredulous that I could have found out. ". . . And you. . . you're really okay with it?"

     I nodded softly. "Of course. . . I'm happy for you, really, Zoe. No matter what, remember?" I sat up in bed looking at her. "It doesn't matter to me whatever stupid laws this country has, or any country for that matter. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. Besides. . . Fleur told me that law is hardly ever enforced, so I don't think you have anything to worry about."

     She turned away from me. "It was never about the law. . . I don't give a crap about their laws. . . I just. . ." she appeared reluctant to say anything further.

     "It's fine. . . Don't worry about it."

     In that moment, suddenly I could feel a wave of relief and calm wash over the room. I closed my eyes, struggling to focus. "You're relieved?" I asked.

     Zoe pursed her lips as she looked at me. "Yeah. . ." she responded softly. "To tell you the truth. . . I was really worried. . . about what you'd think."

     "Oh?" I said, confused. "Why's that?" She never once cared what I thought before. At least, that's how it seemed to me.

     "You're my sister. . ." she replied. "I know I've never really shown it, but what you think. . . it matters to me. I just. . . feel better knowing that you approve. . . it means a lot."

     I stared at her long and hard, my mouth ajar. I was stunned by her sudden admission. She had always kept her feelings tightly closed within herself, never once letting anyone in. Maybe being with Fleur made her more open about her feelings, and she unlocked a secret to her true heart. It shocked me that she would say that. Why was she suddenly being so vulnerable with me, after months of putting up a wall with everyone around her, including me?

     "You've never needed my approval, Zoe. . ." I told her plainly. "Just be yourself. I love you no matter what, and I will always stand up for you."

     She cracked a small smile as she said, ". . . Thanks. . ." before she turned to go, closing the door softly.

     During the night, I finally drifted off to sleep, and I dreamed. . . I dreamed the most bizarre dream I have ever had. . .

     I was back, standing in the middle of that decrepit old house, watching as two figures argued amongst each other, but they seemed to pay me no mind. But as I looked closer. . . My mouth dropped as I realised they were both Dusgelvan. The woman had smokey grey skin with pointed ears and azure eyes, while the man had slate blue skin, pointed ears, and gunmetal grey eyes. And they appeared to be fighting in Dusgelvish; at least, I thought that's what it was. I couldn't say for sure, as it wasn't a language I knew. At one point, the man attacked the woman, lunging for her throat, but she countered as she flung a blast of violet energy at him. It was getting visceral and violent. I could barely stand to watch as the fight continued.

     Suddenly, I turned to see Fleur standing there in the doorway, and she was looking straight at me. She mouthed some words to me, but I could hear no sound as the Dusgelvish words from the other two grew louder and louder. I shook my head as I tried to tell her I couldn't make out a thing she was saying. . . but no sound emerged from my own vocal cords. Just then, I could feel a heavy weight come down upon my chest as I struggled to breathe. As all went black, a strange voice echoed through my mind, raspy and cold.

     The Haunter in the Dark awaits in the shadows, and she will beckon the return of the Ancient Ones, it said, its words glued in my mind.

     I awoke with a start, beads of sweat pouring down my head. I looked up to see the light of the double moons seeping in through the sunroof. I exhaled a sigh of relief as I closed my eyes, putting a hand over my breast. I felt the pitter-patter of my pounding heart slow after a moment. Just what in the world was that, I asked myself. I shook my head. I had never in my life had such a bizarre dream. It felt like something from a fiction novel, the kind I would love to curl up in bed with, except this was all too real and it terrified me out of my wits.

     But something told me, as much as I wasn't done with this case. . . This case wasn't anywhere near done with me either. . .

     The next day, as I made my way to school alongside my brooding sister, I couldn't wait to let David in on the strange dream I had the previous night.

     I looked over at Zoe, who wore a scowl on her face as though it was a terrifying mask. "What are you so upset about?" I asked her.

     She shook her head. "I have to go into some meeting with the headmaster and school board about the whole getting arrested thing. . . Argh!" she responded angrily. Her sandy blond hair glistening in the morning sun, sleek and windblown. This morning she was wearing a short purple skirt and a white silk shirt.

     I shook my head as I smirked. It just so happened that the headmaster was Seth, so I was sure that was what she was most angry about. I was sure going into a meeting with our godfather was not how she wanted to spend her morning. As much as she hated school, she probably would have much rather gone to class instead.

     Then my face turned serious as I thought about the strange dream from the other night. . . What could Fleur have been trying to tell me? And what did that strange voice mean? 'The Haunter in the Dark'? I had never heard of such a thing. That's what struck me as the most bizarre of the entire ordeal.

     "Hey Zoe. . ." I said as we walked along the marble-tiled road to the magnificent pyramid that dominated the entire skyline of the district, its walls golden brown, and its glass tip glowing in the morning sun like a sparkling diamond.

     She looked at me with her narrow and deep-set moss-green eyes, confused and irked at the same time. "Huh? Yeah, what?"

     "Have you ever heard of anything like the 'Haunter in the Dark'?" I asked her. I knew I was probably asking an impossible question of her, that there was a very low likelihood she would know anything about that.

     "Yeah, once. . ." she said.

     I looked at her with complete surprise. "What?" I said, as I stopped and turned to face her. "Really? Are you serious?! Where?"

     She rolled her eyes as she seemed to ponder the question. "I'm not really sure. . ." she said after a moment. "Just know I've heard it before. Don't know from where, though. Why?"

     My heart collapsed in my chest as I exhaled in frustration. Where in the world could she have heard of the phrase before? I've never heard of it, and I spend almost all of my time in the library. Someplace she tried to avoid like the plague.

     "I heard it in a strange dream last night. . ." I said, as I sighed. "But I've never heard of it before. I don't know what it could mean, and it's maddening!"

     "Another psychic dream?" She asked me as we continued walking along the road. "You used to get those all the time last year, didn't you?"

     I nodded. She was right now that I thought about it. It's what led me to catching all of those Sechi Legion cultists. But I had had no dreams like that since then. Just what were these dreams? Was she right about them being 'psychic dreams' related to my powers? I couldn't really be sure. I only knew that this one scared me. . . And I had never been so terrified in my life.

     "What was the dream about?" asked Zoe, suddenly interested.

     I described the entire dream to her from start to finish. When I was done, just as we had made it to the courtyard of the academy, watching as throngs of students entered through the double doors on the front of the pyramid, she was silent for a long time. I felt like the bell for class would ring before she would say anything.

     "Not going to lie. . ." she said at last. "Not happy you're having dreams about my girlfriend," she continued as she glared at me.

     "It's not like I'm doing it on purpose!" I replied, red-faced. Was she going to see through me and realise I was attracted to Fleur?

     "But that's beside the point. . ." she said, laughing at my reaction. "My thought is that, maybe. . . It has something to do with the case. . . You have long had a habit of not letting anything go after all."

     I chuckled at that. She was right, that was for sure. I pondered what she had said. It made sense. Perhaps my mind was trying to tell me something, pointing something out that I had missed. Or maybe it was showing me what actually happened in that house. I couldn't really be sure. Given everything that happened, it was certainly possible that I had overlooked something, something important to the case.

     She turned to face me. "Not that long ago, you told me that you used more than your powers to solve all those cases last year. . ." She told me pointedly. "That you used your powers of perception and observation. If your psychic powers are failing you. . . Maybe you need to turn to, what was it you called it? 'Old-fashioned detective work'?"

     Her words rang true in my mind. I had to admit that she was absolutely right. I had told her that. I never realised how much I was relying on my powers, so much that I completely neglected to use my observational skills. And it took my sister to point it out.

     I smiled at her. "You're right, Zoe. . ." I said.

     "Wait. . . I am?"

     I nodded as I laughed. "There's a first time for everything. . ." I replied. Just then, the bell for class rang. I was already late. "Looks like I will need to go back to that house. . . There might have been something that I missed."

     As I quickly said my goodbyes to her and wished her luck in her meeting with the school board, I started into a run, rushing to get to class. I hated to be late, but I was engrossed in my conversation with my sister. Thoughts rushed through my mind. How could I have completely neglected to observe, in place of my powers? If I knew my powers weren't working, why didn't I fall back on detective work, as Zoe had put it? I knew I couldn't keep beating myself up over the oversight. I had to just get back to that house later and take another look around, and this time, set my powers aside.

     Then I stopped myself. Should I go back alone? Or should I bring Fleur or David along? Both would probably have words with me later if I went alone, so I knew I would likely have to bring one of them. But I couldn't worry about that right now.

     I had to get to class. I was already late enough, and I wasn't known for being late. I knew I would be chastised for that.

     I will call David after class, I told myself. I knew if I asked Fleur to come, my sister would complain. . . Though I suppose I could ask Zoe to come along too if she's not too busy.

     I arrived at the door to my first class of the day, taking a deep breath. My chest felt hot and heavy from all the running, as I placed a hand over my breast. I hoped I didn't have an asthma attack coming on. . . It was an issue I dealt with now and then, though it had been getting worse in the last year.

     Calming myself, I reached for the door handle and opened it slowly.

     "Well, if it isn't Kairine Kamuya. . ." said the harmonic voice of the Cowin professor. "Good of you to join us! I trust you found us alright?"

     I gave a half-smile as I excused myself and quickly went to my seat. I hoped he would leave it at that and not pelt me with more questions.

     I was wrong.

     "I hope the signs weren't all mixed up for you Ms Kamuya. . . Do we need to draw you a map?" he continued.

     "I'm so sorry. . ." I said, bowing. "I was in a serious conversation with my sister and lost track of time." Sometimes the truth works.

     It didn't.

     "Oh, a serious conversation with your sister, you say. . ." The professor rang. "Please enlighten us! I'm sure the class would love to hear more about your sister. . ."

     By this point, the entire class around me was laughing and snickering. Professor Greenhorn was well known for this. And that was the reason I made sure to get to class on time. Usually.

     I knew this was going to be a long class. . .