Skylar sat on the thick carpet floor surrounded by multiple beautiful handmade toys.

"And look at this one!" Thalia chirped, waving a little wooden unicorn at her. "It has real hair! Touch it! It's so soft!"

"Yes, it is, Kitten," she said absentmindedly, taking the toy in her hand.

She was confused. Her mind felt blurry and sluggish as if she had just woken up from a long sleep and was not entirely conscious yet. Something was not right here. She knew it. But one look at her daughter's innocent and happy face banished all doubts away.

It was a perfect place to be.

"Guess what, Mummy!" the girl exclaimed, her dark eyes shining.

"What, sweetie?"

"There is another room full of toys!" she squealed and jumped at Skylar's lap, wrapping small arms around her neck. "We can play with horsies now and then go see the rest of them. Or we can play hide and seek! This place is huge!"

Skylar closed her daughter in a tight embrace and inhaled her familiar scent. It was all she needed. Life was good, and she didn't seek anything else. Just holding Thalia in her arms and listening to her lively talk and cheerful laugh was enough.

The girl slipped out of her grasp with a mischievous smile on her little face.

"Let's play now! Count to ten, and I'll hide!"

"Thalia, wait! It's not a good idea. I don't know this place!" Skylar called, but her daughter was out of the door already, her little foot pattered through the empty hall. She groaned and stood up while counting out loud.

"Ten! I'm coming to get you!"

She left the little room behind and entered the vast hallway. The walls in both directions were lined with countless doors. She turned right, where she heard the disappearing footsteps.

"Come out, come out! Wherever you are!" she called.

She noticed one of the doors slightly ajar and smiled.

Skylar stepped lightly to ensure her feet did not make any sound and crept toward the door. She grabbed a handle and pulled the door wide open.

The room was dark and full of glass cylinders filled with fluorescent yellow liquid. Things were floating inside each one.

Skylar froze, and her skin crawled. "What the─" she blinked, and the image was gone. She stood on the threshold of a brightly lit room full of toys and stuffed animals. Even when she rubbed her eyes several times, the image remained there – a cosy looking place.

A giggle threw her off her stupor. She spotted a tiny foot sticking from underneath the pile of soft toys.

"Oh, I think I've heard something!" she said with a laugh.

"Sky!" a voice called, and she felt as if she was slammed in the head with a hammer. She swayed on her feet and leaned heavily on the door frame, looking down the hall. A tall and imposing man looking ragged was marching her way.

"Gawyn?" she asked, feeling as if she was waking up from a long slumber.

"We have to leave this place. Come." He outstretched a hand toward her. She looked down at it, her mind still fuzzy. His fingers were marred with dried blood.

"Why?" she asked cautiously, taking a step back. "And go where?"

"This place is not real. The sorcerers trapped you here. We need to leave before─"

"Mummy?"

They both jumped, surprised and looked at the little girl who crept near them unnoticed and now gazed at them with wide dark eyes and a troubled expression. "Is Daddy angry?"

"No, he's not angry with you, Kitten," Skylar said, opening her arms, and Thalia jumped to clutch at her neck, hugging her tightly.

"Sky," Gawyn said calmly. "You know she is not real."

She looked at him, a fury rising inside. She hugged her daughter tight, looking defiantly at her husband. "What are you talking about? She's right here."

"No, she's not. Our Thalia is hundreds of miles away, lying sick in bed back in Evergreen."

"I don't believe you," Skylar growled and turned her back to him, closing her eyes and pressing her face onto the little head. "Go away. I'm not going anywhere."

"Sky, listen to me." Gawyn walked around to face her again. "I know you want to believe it's real. I know it feels right, and you want to hold on to that feeling and keep this moment forever. But it's a lie."

"How could you possibly know what I feel," she sobbed, tears running down her cheeks.

"I know because I love you, and I feel the same. I wish I could hold our little girl right now. I wish she would be healthy and safe, and we could stay happy together forever. But it is not real. You know, deep inside, it is all wrong."

"No!" Skylar protested, hugging the little girl tightly.

"Mummy, why are you crying?" Thalia asked in a small voice.

"Why can't you leave me alone!" Skylar screamed, her voice echoing through the empty hallway. "I don't want this dream to end! I don't want to get back! I will not say it!"

"Why?"Gawyn asked quietly.

"Because─" Skylar wept, and her whole body trembled. "Because if I say it out loud, I won't be able to lie to myself anymore. I won't be able to pretend."

"You can't keep pretending forever." Gawyn gently put his hand on her shaking shoulder. "You're not only hurting yourself. You are hurting Thalia."

"I know!"

"I'm here, Sky. I'll always be at your side. We can face it together. Say it."

"You are not real." Skylar's voice was barely a whisper. She could see nothing because of tears filling her eyes. "You are not real."

"Mummy?"

Skylar kneeled on the floor and reluctantly let go of her daughter. The girl took a step back, staring at her, tears staining her cheeks too.

"Mummy? Why are you pushing me away? I'm scared, Mummy," her voice shook on the brink of breaking.

"I love you, but you are not real."

"Mummy?"

"You are not here," Skylar repeated. Her heart was tearing apart and crumbling into million pieces. "You are not here because you are back at home... dying."

"I don't understand, Mummy," the girl sobbed.

"You are dying," Skylar continued, her voice hoarse and rough. She had done many challenging things in her life, but nothing compared to the burden crushing her, as she was to speak the following words out loud. "I hope I'll save you. But I won't see you ever again." Her voice broke into a wail of a hurt animal. "I will never see you again, Kitten."

"Mummy? I don't understand!" the girl protested and threw her hands around her neck once again, pressing herself to Skylar with all her might, small body shaking in sobs. "I love you, Mummy! Please don't leave me here! Please don't go!"

"I'm sorry, baby," Skylar wept, stroking dark hair. The other hand reached for her boot. "I am so sorry. I'll make it quick. I promise."

The steel glinted through the dark emptiness of the hallways as Skylar plunged the dagger into her daughter's heart.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, pressing her small body, while it convulsed and went still with a quiet mewl. "I'm so sorry," Skylar repeated like a mantra, swaying back and forth, holding on to the stiffening body.

After a moment, a dark smoke started to pour out of it, and it slowly crumbled to dust, leaving Skylar empty-handed and wailing. Gawyn sat next to her and held her tight. For as long as she needed.

For as long as they both needed.