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well….”
    â€œReally, Cassie?” said Astra, picking up a stuffed twinkelope and tossing it at her.
    As expected, it hit Cassie right in the middle of her forehead. Everyone laughed, Sage the longest and loudest. Cassie scowled (but goodnaturedly) and lay back down.
    â€œSo who do you think will go next?” Piper asked dreamily. Of course, Piper was convinced she knew the answer: she would! Hadn’t her dream said as much?
    â€œI don’t know,” said Vega. “Who here is wishin’ to take on the next mission?”
    Suddenly, Piper sat up in her sack and grinned. “I know! Maybe we can make a mission happen faster with a visualization. Let’s hold hands and visualize our Wish Orbs.”
    She thought Leona or Scarlet might snicker. Neither one was particularly into mental imagery. Instead, they—along with every other Star Darling—reached out their hands. Even Libby seemed to sense something in her sleep and stretched out her arms.
    â€œClose your eyes and imagine our special Wish-Cavern,” Piper began in a low voice. “See the remaining Wish Orbs. Smell the aroma—a little Starlandy, a little Wishworldly.”
    Sage sniffed the air and giggled.
    â€œEach and every Wish Orb is glowing,” Piper went on. She could sense the girls smiling. “Now look closely at just one. That’s your Wish Orb. Watch it glow. Feel the intensity.”
    Piper’s own Wish Orb glowed so strongly she felt its heat. Suddenly, she saw a rainbow of colors shoot from her orb and flow right into the center of the Star Darlings’ circle like a fountain of sparkly hues.
    All twelve Star Darlings sat up with a start. Their faces glowed with wonder. Piper gazed at her friends. “Did you see it, too?” she asked.
    Tessa nodded. “It was beautiful. Like flareworks at the Festival of Illumination.”
    â€œAnd it started right in front of you, Piper!” Gemma added.
    Piper snuggled deeper into her sack. All that powerful wish energy had come from
her
visualization…
her
Wish Orb had exploded with light and color….She was definitely the next Star Darling to go on a mission.
    But what else did it mean? If she succeeded in her mission, would she collect more energy than ever before? And if she failed? What then? The stakes were so high Piper’s toes tingled. She reached for her stone and rubbed her thumb along its edge.
    The visualization over, some girls still whispered about the burst of color and light. Others talked about the boys at the school across the lake. Vega tried to get everyone to play A Moonium Questions.
    But Piper’s eyes were closing. She took a deep, cleansing breath, enjoying the feeling of warmth and heaviness that was overtaking her. Within starsecs, she was fast asleep.

    Piper was dreaming she was moving through a shadowy landscape. A dim shape moved with her—a Starling Piper couldn’t make out, but a dark presence nonetheless. Piper could feel in every star inch of her being that this Starling could not be trusted. She tried to pull away from the Starling, but it was difficult. She pushed herself to run faster, to be stronger. But then she stumbled. And suddenly, she was falling…falling….
    Piper woke up, gasping. She could still see the Starling’s indistinct form, feel the menace. The idea that someone was not the Starling he or she seemed was so powerful, and the dream was so frightening, that Piper was shaking.
    And why was she on the floor? Nothing looked familiar. She shook harder.
    â€œIt’s okay, Piper.” A cool hand brushed her forehead. “You had a bad dream. That’s all. You’re here with us, safe and sound.”
    Piper breathed easier. She was in Libby’s room with the other Star Darlings, of course. She turned to Sage, who was crouching beside her, her lavender eyes filled with concern.
    â€œStar apologies for waking you, Sage.”
    â€œYou