Trouble arrives in the form of Princess Laura, escorting crown Princess Aislinn to the Phoenix House on Queen Darla's orders.  She explains that Aislinn has come down with a disease that no one among the royal physicians has been able to identify or cure.  Queen Darla has sent orders for the Phoenix Fighters to find a cure.  Valero steps up to the plate and takes Aislinn into his clinic, taking note of her unusual symptoms:  A cough, fever, vomiting, and most strangely, irrational, drunken behavior.  At the same time, Laura has an uncomfortable reunion with Casey before retreating into the clinic herself.

 

Laura reports that Aislinn's symptoms appeared suddenly, a few days ago.  As she speaks, she coughs herself, taking out a handkerchief embroidered with the letters "DW."  By the end of the night, several Phoenix Fighters are showing early symptoms of the disease.  Valero records the symptoms as they progress, realizing that the drunken behavior is due to an interruption in the dream cycle that keeps the patients from dreaming.  Before he can begin to discover a cure, however, he too succumbs.

 

The House slowly delves into madness.  The drunken behavior of the Phoenix Fighters grows increasingly irratic, leading not only to public liasons and severe lack of tact, but the revelation of secrets including Adriana's affair with Warren in Lucien's body, the fact that Pala is somewhat attracted to Khann, and Lucien's murder of his aunt.  The loosening grip on reality does not escape the attention of the Ebene and a team of half a dozen warriors, led by one Tereus, decide to stage a raid on the House.

 

Though intent on a specific target, Tereus' warriors pause to try and capture Pala.  This delay allows Jake, returning from his trip, to catch them.  He manages to dispatch of several of the Ebene on his own, but Tereus and one other escape, heading up to the nursery for their primary target who turns out to be Star.  After knocking Lucien unconcious, Tereus makes a grab for the baby.  Jake and Pala rush to the scene just in time to witness a bright glow that comes from Star, brighter than any before.  The glow is so powerful that it dissolves the remaining Ebene while leaving the Phoenix Fighters unharmed.  Everyone is at a loss to explain what has happened, deepening the mystery of Star.

 

Dagllas Winter arrives at the House with a cure for the mysterious plague.  He explains that one of his overzealous followers purposely planted the germ among the royal family, thinking that he was doing Dagllas a favor.  Everyone is cured and embarrassment sets in.  Laura and Aislinn leave, although Laura attempts to bring Casey with her.  Casey manages to stand up for herself once more and bids her mother farewell.  Just as things begin to settle down in the wake of the storm, however, a messenger arrives from Darla.  Princess Aislinn is pregnant and someone in the Phoenix House is the father.  Unfortunately, due to the plague, no one, not even Aislinn, knows who.  One thing is clear however, the Phoenix Fighter father has just sired the future heir to the throne of Shaldani.