Chapter One: The Carriage

Evie poked her head up from behind a large boulder on the edge of the meadow. Her cousin, Bridget, played down in the grass, stalking small animals. Every once in a while she caught one, pet it for a moment and let it go. On beautiful summer days like this one, the sweet smell of wildflowers fed the girls’ excitement. They often played in this meadow where the flowers grew tall enough to touch their waists and the butterflies nearly outnumbered the stars in a clear night sky. Evie loved it there. It was not far from home and her aunt let the two of them play when their chores were done in the afternoon.

“Climb on up, Evie! It’s not that scary once you’ve tried it,” Bridget hollered with a giggle. Evie wasn’t so sure. The rock stood on a ledge that over-looked the field, and Bridget always had some courage she lacked. The back side of the rock was rough enough for climbing, but the front had been smoothed out over the years by countless children sliding down its surface to drop two paces into the grass and flowers. They had been through this before, with Bridget smoothly sliding down the boulder and Evie climbing down the smaller rocks to the side. But today Evie had promised herself she would brave the slide. It was silly to be scared and she was tired of Bridget’s taunts each time she backed down.

“I’m not afraid,” she shouted haughtily, quite sure her voice didn’t tremble a bit. “I’m just trying to puzzle out the best way up the back of this stupid rock!” Bridget grinned with such understanding that Evie was quite sure her cousin knew exactly what was going on in her head. She simply needed to climb the rock and slide down. She could do it. She would do it. The back of the rock wasn’t so high. She’d climbed into barn lofts that were much higher. In no time, she stood on the flattened top looking down. Perhaps it was higher than she thought. Not that it mattered. She would do it this time.

Bridget set a brown-speckled bunny down and turned to look up at Evie on her boulder, “Come on, Evie! We haven’t got very long to play today. Mother will want us home and cleaned up for lessons.” She flung herself into the grass with an exasperated sigh. That was certainly true. Bridget’s mother, her Aunt Abby, insisted that they spend three nights a week studying their lessons. Bridget thought it was ridiculous. None of the other children in the village did lessons. Education was usually limited to the souray, at least that’s what Evie had heard. For all she knew, even they didn’t have to do it.

The souray all lived close to the city and Evie had never met one. Everyone in the village was part of a group of people called the ray. It was said that, in the city, all of the ray served the souray, but out here nobody really understood the relationship. The souray were a strange people who dabbled in magic and worried about power. They didn’t concern the people of Evie’s small village.

Evie’s mother had taught her to read and write when she was a small child, despite the fact that she was not part of the ruling class. Sometimes Bridget and Bridget’s mother would come over and listen as well. When Evie’s mother died of a fever two years ago, her aunt continued the lessons even though she knew less than what Evie had already learned. Evie would have bit her tongue off before admitting it to Bridget, but she actually enjoyed lessons most of the time. She liked learning on days that were not like today. Today their teacher would be there. She didn’t mind him so much, but he frustrated Bridget to no end. Her cousin always ended up ornery after a lesson from the teacher.

Her thoughts were straying; she was going to slide down the boulder. She glanced down at her cousin’s, now stern, face. She searched for a way out. “It’s just so pretty from up here,” she managed. It was not a lie, exactly. “Why should I slide down? I can see the whole world.” She rotated in a circle, careful not to misplace her bare feet. The rock did have some sharp spots, after all. To emphasize her point she started naming off the things she could see: “the Hansail barn, the grain silo, the pond and…” She trailed off, shocked. “Bridget! There’s dust rising from the road! What time is it?” It couldn’t possibly be late enough yet. Today the teacher, Elder Banied, would be coming to help with lessons, and they’d both be whipped for sure if they weren’t there when he arrived.

Despite the early hour, Bridget jumped up from the bed of grass where she’d been laying and stared toward the road. She couldn’t possibly have seen the dust from where she stood, but after only a moment’s hesitation she ran toward Evie and began scrambling up the rocks. Grateful for the excuse, Evie climbed down and the two girls ran side by side all the way to the cottage where they lived.

Elder Banied was an ornery old tree trunk of a man who expected the girls to behave as if they were souray. Not that anyone in the village had ever met a souray. But they were expected to behave as they’d heard souray did. The ruling class didn’t come this far out of their city. It had been whispered, though, that Elder Banied wasn’t from the village at all. Some of the other children claimed to have heard it spoken that he was a loyalist and had served the souray before he had been exiled for some horrible crime. Evie didn’t believe that. Elder Banied was certainly a terrible old man. But he wasn’t evil. On the other hand, how did he know the things that he taught to her and Bridget? No one else in the village had such an education.

Her mother had told her to trust him, though, and so she did. A few weeks before her mother died, when she was already very sick, she had asked Evie and Bridget to fetch him while Aunt Abby continued to keep a watch on Mother’s illness. Evie remembered that very well because she was only ten at the time and mother had certainly never sent her that far on her own before. She spent the entire trip talking to Bridget about the Elder and discussing how he would certainly just send them on their way. He had never so much as spoken to Mother that she had seen.

In their village, and in every village she’d ever heard of, the ten oldest people were set apart as part of the “counsel of elders.” They mediated disputes between neighbors and acted as judges when people committed crimes. Members of the counsel were always beyond the age of working and were usually supported by their grown children. That way, they could spend all their time working for the good of the village.

Elder Banied was different. He didn’t have any children and no one seemed to know for sure what he had done when he was younger. Still, he devoted all his time to the counsel and supported himself by bartering beautiful items that he had stored away. Evie’s aunt bought a teapot from him once. Covered in delicate painted flowers, it shined like the surface of a lake. She didn’t think she had ever seen anything so pretty. Despite lacking a job, the Elder didn’t seem to have any free time. He worked as hard as if he had always been in the village. She was quite sure he would send her and Bridget away, making excuses about all his work and not having time for children.

After a three hour walk, two filthy and exhausted girls stumbled into the Elder’s beautiful and pristine home. Evie felt silly. But when she asked him to come, he didn’t say a word. He just nodded, put on his coat and followed her out. The trip home had been much quicker because Elder Banied had a horse and cart, but they still arrived well after dark. Mother was so intent on Elder Banied that she forgot how late it was. Instead of insisting that Evie go to bed, she just sent her and Bridget away. The girls spent the next hour making up stories of why Mother could possibly know Elder Banied. They laughed for a long time until Bridget suggested that maybe the Elder was actually Evie’s dad. How dare she say something like that? The man could be her mother’s grandfather.

When he finally left, her mother asked Evie to come stand by the bed. It stood out in Evie’s mind that she seemed much more relaxed than she had in days. She smiled and touched her daughter’s cheek. She made her promise to listen to Elder Banied and do as he instructed. Evie didn’t know what it all meant, but the Elder had come to teach once a week starting three days after her mother’s funeral. For some odd reason, the first time he refused to let her aunt and cousin listen, but Aunt Abby made the point that she had to continue the lessons between his visits and that meant she had to learn too. The old man finally conceded.

It was all very strange, but with the death of her beloved mother, she hardly cared. Mother had told her that the Elder was a good man, and so he was. That didn’t make her love his lessons, though. And it certainly didn’t make her less afraid of being late today.

Gasping for breath, and still running as fast as her legs would carry her, she was caught quite off guard when Bridget grabbed her sleeve just short of exiting the forest next to their home and shouted for her to stop. “It’s not…” she breathed heavily for a minute, “It’s not him…look.” Evie looked up and stared in amazement. It was not Elder Banied’s old cart in front of their cottage. It was a carriage. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Made of some black wood she didn’t recognize, the doors were carved with what might have been birds dancing on the wind. How, even in her haste, had she missed seeing that?

“I think…” Evie had to stop for breath, “…that the king has come to visit your mother.” She tried to smile at the joke, but Bridget seemed to hear the sincerity in her voice. “Come on! Let’s get a better look at this carriage.” She stumbled a bit over the last word. She’d read about carriages, but certainly never seen one.

Bridget smiled her agreement and the two cautiously approached. A slight wind blew through the clearing and the black curtains in the windows waved just a bit. That made Evie nervous. She didn’t see a way to tell if someone was inside. Of course, there certainly wasn’t. Why would anyone be just sitting there? Still she glanced up at the doorway of the cottage, hoping to see evidence that someone strange had entered. There was, of course, none.
They circled around the thing quietly, examining every inch. Every few minutes one would silently point to a design and the other would nod or gasp quietly. It seemed only appropriate that they should be silent; neither wanted to disturb the magical atmosphere that this oddity created.

“I want to see inside,” whispered Bridget. It was an echo of Evie’s own thoughts, but she didn’t have her friend’s courage.

“What if someone’s in there? It must be a souray to own something so fine,” Evie replied cautiously.

“Don’t be stupid,” Bridget spoke in a tone that was almost as loud as usual. She seemed to notice before continuing in an even quieter whisper, “There are no souray anywhere near here. Oh please, Evie! Why do you always have to be afraid of everything?” Just then a loud gust of wind whipped through the area without warning. The trees rustled ominously and birds flapped away from the disturbance. Barely taking the time to look at each other with widening eyes, the girls screamed and ran back into the forest. It had to be a souray. They knew magic. Tanya, another village girl, claimed to have seen one once and she said that they could control evil beasts and shoot lightening from their eyes.

It didn’t take the girls long to realize that the wind was gone and nothing seemed to be chasing them. Still, they hid behind a tree and began discussing their next move. “I told you,” Evie breathed, “We should have just left it alone.”

With a look of exasperation, Bridget sighed, “Oh, Evie, it was just a gust of wind.” But she certainly didn’t start back toward the carriage. Evie smiled. Bridget was braver than her, she knew that, but she had run as fast and screamed as loud this time. She supposed there was really nothing to be afraid of. The more she thought about it, the surer she was that no one sat in the carriage and the wind had only been happenstance. But she wasn’t about to back down and admit she’d been wrong.

“Fine, if it was just the wind, go back.”

Bridget held her chin a bit too high when she nodded, “I will.” With that, she started creeping toward the clearing, but not the most direct route. She moved slowly, stalking as though approaching a wild animal, peering from behind every tree. Evie watched her cousin with a small smile. She’d grown up with Bridget, played with her almost every day since they were both small children. She looked absolutely ridiculous creeping that way with her trousers rolled up to her knees.

Bridget nearly always wore the silly things. She had two older brothers and she was almost a boy herself. No one would actually mistake her for a boy, though. She had beautiful blonde hair braided almost to her waist and a pretty face besides. They were very different to be best friends and cousins.

Evie was an only child whose father died before she was born. Her dark-reddish hair and freckled face didn’t look anything like Bridget’s beautiful complexion. Besides that, Evie was a head taller than her cousin. She wore her curly hair loose around her shoulders. Before her mother died, she had always fixed it with barrettes and bows. Now it just seemed to get tangled. Her mother had also dressed Evie in skirts. She said a proper young lady ought to dress like a girl. She still dressed that way even though Bridget tried to convince her that she could play better in pants. Bridget’s real talent came from being able to make any situation so much fun, though! It didn’t matter how different they were.

Evie’s smile slipped when she noticed her friend several paces away motioning violently for her to follow. It took a minute to swallow her suddenly remembered fear, before she crept quietly to join Bridget. When they were both hidden by the side of the house where they could peer toward the carriage, Bridget pointed silently. Evie almost gasped. A boy examined the woods from inside where he had pulled back those black curtains. He couldn’t be much older than the two of them. But he wasn’t from anywhere nearby. They knew everyone who lived close.

His black hair slicked away from his face as if it had been drawn on with wet paint rather than grown naturally. He wore a black coat embroidered with gold thread that covered his arms and neck completely. Vaguely, Evie wondered how anyone could dress so in this weather. The most surprising thing, however, was his self-satisfied smirk. He looked as if he were searching for them, although he was looking quite the wrong way. They had worked their way around to the side of the house before remerging from the wood. Bridget grabbed Evie’s arm and dragged her toward the back of the house where they’d be in no danger of being seen.

“That’s no souray!” Bridget whispered angrily, “He’s just a dumb boy, and I think he was laughing at us!”

Evie hesitated; this had to be handled gently. She’d seen that light in her cousin’s eyes before and it almost always ended with the two of them getting into trouble. She kept her whisper quiet and tried to sound very calm. “I don’t think he even saw us. We were very quick. And if he did,” she shrugged, “we probably looked rather silly running into the woods screaming because of some wind. What do you suppose he’s doing here?”

Bridget’s cheeks colored. She was finicky about her pride, especially with boys. It probably came of being picked on by her big brothers all the time growing up. She always wanted to prove she was as brave as they. “I don’t care, but he won’t make a fool out of me!”

Evie knew that there was simply no way around it now. Bridget wouldn’t back down if she was this worked up about it. Besides, it might be fun to play a trick on this strange boy. Involuntarily, she smiled. “What are we going to do?” Evie asked, knowing she sounded too excited to be sensible.

Bridget’s reply was speculative. “We could throw eggs at him, but we might hit that beautiful carriage and I just don’t know if we should.” Evie could agree with Bridget on that point, she didn’t want to do any harm to the carriage. She also didn’t want the beating they would certainly be in for if Aunt Abby discovered them wasting eggs, but Bridget wouldn’t have thought of that point. She never worried about getting in trouble. “I think we need to lure him into the woods.” It sounded as good a plan as any. Evie idly wondered how her cousin always talked her into things that managed to get them in hot water. Instead of protesting, however, she listened carefully while Bridget planned out the sketchy details.

Chapter Two: The Games Begin

When Evie quietly walked back around to the front of the house, alone, the strange young man stood beside his carriage, peering into the woods. Evie began to doubt the intelligence of their crazy plan. The boy looked quite regal and intimidating. He had a sword strapped to his belt in a shiny black scabbard. And even if he didn’t stick that silly thing through her the moment she stepped into sight, how in the world did Bridget expect her to get him to follow her into the woods? Why hadn’t she seen the problems with this ridiculous plan while it was being laid out to her? She had to do it now. She could not let Bridget see what a coward she turned into under pressure. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the side of the house.

The boy turned his eyes on her. They were nearly as black as his clothes. He smiled slightly as he looked her up and down. Evie had the distinct impression he thought he examined a bug he wanted to squish. “So, there you are.” His words were spoken in a slow, arrogant voice with a strange pronunciation that sounded very precise. “I rather thought you would be half way to the end of the world by now. A little jumpy are we?” He paused to stare at her expectantly. The problem was that she had no idea what to say. “Can you not speak? Well, I suppose I ought not be surprised by that. I half expected it from your sort.” He grinned maliciously.

Evie felt anger bubbling up inside of her. Who was this boy? Why was he speaking to her like this? And what did he mean by her sort? Any reservations she’d had about Bridget’s plan flew right out the window. This boy deserved whatever he got. She breathed slowly and tried to sound calm. She liked to think things through. Explosions of anger never turned out well. “I can understand your surprise,” she began, trying to sound casual. “In your pretty coat, I wouldn’t expect you think anyone had the courage to enter the wood. Certainly not you, I suppose?” She let the last hang like a question. Now, if only he took the bait.

His jaw dropped. Clearly he didn’t expect that. He stammered a bit as he began, “Me? Why I have fought creatures you have never even heard of! I am certainly not afraid of your pitiful little forest.”

She smiled; this was working. “Well, I am going to find my friend. You had better stay here by your carriage. We wouldn’t want you to get hurt…or dirty.” The last two words were an afterthought, but they seemed appropriate.

He stepped straight toward her, poking a finger at her chest. “I will go farther than a silly little girl like you would dare.” He laid his hand on his sword and strode between the first trees. Evie scurried after him, passing him to run just a bit ahead so that he would have to follow her or be left behind. There was a small pond not far from the cottage. Evie and Bridget had agreed upon that as the meeting spot. Now, if only Bridget had time to get situated.

By the time Evie could see the trees thinning out she and the strange boy were running. Just as she started to feel that familiar flutter in her stomach that always accompanied one of Bridget’s schemes, her bare feet came to rest in the moss next to the pond. Not exactly sure what was supposed to happen next, Evie flipped around just in time to see a squirrel falling from the tree closest to the pond. The poor animal landed right on the boy’s head and, in his shock, he lost all control.

Hands flailing wildly, he tumbled forward without any real balance. Hurriedly, Evie jumped out of the way just in time to watch the boy and squirrel splash cleanly into the pond. The joke had clearly worked much better than even Bridget had planned on. The tree shook as she tried both to stem the tide of wild laughter and climb down with any amount of control over where she landed.

She had told Evie she planned on scaring some manners into the boy, but Evie suspected that getting him soaked was more a fond wish than a calculated plan. Evie laughed too, doubled over with her hands on her knees supporting a body weakened by hilarity. This had to be the best prank the girls had ever carried out successfully. There were plenty of others that would have compared, had they not turned out all wrong. But this would top the list of the most unforgettable pranks ever.

The boy in black, however, didn’t seem to agree. The squirrel had clearly made its escape because the boy emerged from the pond with a murderous light in his eyes and nothing climbing on him. He looked much more dangerous and regal than a moment before. In fact, he looked much more dangerous than he should have, considering he was soaking wet. His once perfectly molded hair hung in straggled strands down his forehead where they emphasized those blackish eyes. His right hand reached across the front of his chest to grip his sword hilt until his knuckles had turned white. He began to unsheathe a shining blade as he stepped slowly, dangerously toward Evie.

Terror flashed through her mind. Who was this boy? Why was he here? He wouldn’t, he couldn’t use that sword on her. She stumbled backward, falling on her behind while trying desperately to think of what to do. Bridget, crouching down from her recent jump to the ground, stood to face him and even took a small step forward. No one laughed now.

Just as the partially bared sword blade was about to come all the way out, a booming voice cried, “Stop! Do not harm her!” The boy paused, startled, and looked up.

Turning to face whoever had saved her, Evie got another great shock. Standing there, as cool and calm as ever, was Elder Banied. That man never raised his voice. It sounded very odd to hear him give a command like that.

It only threw the boy off for a second. He raised his chin and said in his haughty way, “Who are you to speak to me so? I will make you pay right alongside them.” A jerk of his head indicated Evie and Bridget.

If the Elder’s voice of command was a shock, it was nothing compared to what came next. He hesitated, as if he wasn’t talking to a child who might be the age of a grandson. He bowed his head and in an almost apologetic tone he said, “I am sorry. I speak in defence of your honor. I know that no man of your principle would allow harm to come to a lady.”

The boy immediately threw his left hand toward the girls and spat, “They are not ladies, they are…” He stopped as if a sudden thought had come to him. For a long, silent moment he examined Evie. His eyes barely brushed past Bridget before he relaxed completely. The silence stretched for a few more moments before the boy said, “You are right, sir. I acted in haste and I apologize.” His apology wasn’t meant for her, Evie was sure. At least he was not trying to stick a sword through her anymore. With that, he began stalking back toward the cottage. He brushed right past the girls, without a glance. Elder Banied turned a cold glare on them before walking after the boy.

Evie glanced at her friend. What in the world was going on? Why had the Elder acted that way? Who was this boy? But the more important question came to her lips, “What do we do now?”

Bridget looked down, all the excitement gone, “I suppose we head back and be prepared for punishment.” She smiled, “It really was funny, though. Did you see the way he jumped and waved his arms around?” Both girls giggled as Bridget hopped around in mocking imitation of the snotty boy. As they headed home, their excitement over the marvellous prank slowly gave way to the dread of facing Aunt Abby’s anger and Elder Banied’s lesson.

Chapter Three: The Escape

Evie expected to find Aunt Abby in a very bad mood when they arrived at the cottage. What she didn’t expect was to find everything much the same as the last time she’d been there. That peculiar boy was, once again, sitting in his carriage. He appeared to be trying his best to ignore the girls altogether. Every once in a while, though, his eyes flickered toward them when he thought she wasn’t looking. The walk back had dried him out somewhat and he looked majestic again, sitting there as calm as a summer’s day. His hair was even repositioned as it had been.

The only difference between now and before was that Elder Banied’s cart was behind the carriage. His brown gelding had its nose in a bag tied to a tree. That made Evie blink, curiously. She realized that she had not even considered how in the world that carriage had gotten there. There were no other horses around. There wasn’t a hitch on the thing anyhow. It had four wheels and a large, covered seating area, but that was all.

Possibilities welled up in Evie’s mind, but she dismissed them with a shake of her head. They were all just plain silly. There had to be a way to attach horses to that carriage, she just couldn’t see it. The horses were off grazing somewhere. That seemed to be the only possible explanation. She didn’t know very much about such things. They had never owned a horse.

Evie wanted to talk to Bridget about her confusion, but Bridget had left her behind when she slowed to examine the carriage. That was just Bridget’s way. When she decided something had to be done, she did it, no matter how unpleasant a task it was. She’d keep right on walking if the land started shaking. She’d just calmly keep going until she planted herself in front of her mother for punishment.

Aunt Abby wasn’t waiting just inside the cottage where they would normally accept guests. Evie heard a muted buzz of voices in the kitchen, but the door stood between her and them and she couldn’t make out what was being said. Bridget stopped when she arrived at the kitchen door, unusually hesitant for her. Both girls jumped backward a bit when the door didn’t open with a push. Someone must have pulled a cabinet over to block the way. How odd. But this was, after all, turning out to be a very odd day.

The push against the door had obviously been noticed because the voices silenced for a moment. The girls heard a scraping sound from inside as someone adjusted the furniture and then Abby poked her head out. “Go outside, I’ll come find you in a bit,” she hissed. When Bridget raised a protest Abby shook a finger at them both of them. Evie always got in trouble with her cousin, even when she didn’t deserve it. “Obey me! I’ll explain when I can.” The last part sounded a bit apologetic and she flickered her eyes from one girl to the other before pulling her head inside. She shut the door firmly, telling the room’s occupants that her daughter “really was a good girl…”

After a few minute’s discussion the girls decided that their best course was to try and talk to the boy in the carriage. He might know what was going on after all. Again, things did not work out as expected. He continued trying hard to ignore them when the girls returned. Bridget walked right over to the door and said, “Sorry about the squirrel. You were laughing at us and that’s why I did it. Perhaps we can agree on a truce.” She said it more like a command then a question and the boy only raised his chin a bit without even looking at her.

Bridget’s eyes narrowed in anger, but she spoke calmly, “We really just wondered who you are. We never have strangers around here, certainly not at our own home…” Silence. This time her anger got the better of her. She shouted, “What’s the matter with you! Are you too stupid to have manners? Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“He’s come for Evie.” All three of them whipped toward the voice coming from the front porch. Bridget’s older brother, Lance, leaned against a pole, throwing an apple up and down in one hand. They had been too busy to notice him come out. His wavy blonde hair caught the afternoon sunlight and his bright blue eyes sparkled. He wore the same type of clothes that his sister had on, but they didn’t look odd on him. They looked dignified and even classy. Evie knew how beautiful Lance was. She actually thought of it quite often. Not that she had any interest in her cousin, gross! But his pretty face came in handy. Other girls sighed and acted dumb whenever he came around and boys seemed intimidated by him. Both Evie and Bridget exploited that fact on a regular basis. Perhaps even the snotty carriage boy would be affected?

Lance casually walked over to the steps while tossing that apple, so smoothly. Evie couldn’t help smiling. Lance was so much fun. He had always been much like a brother to her too. She smiled at his presence and because he seemed to be making some great joke. He was always joking around.

“Oh really.” She laughed, “I suppose this boy is my long-lost brother? There’s an obvious family resemblance. It can’t be the hair, though, his is all wet. Hmmmmm…Perhaps we have the same smirk?” She grinned at her cousin and waited for him to reply with a teasing comment.

To her surprise, Lance looked troubled. His eyes flickered toward the boy, but he seemed to dismiss him. “I don’t know why they want you, Eves. I just sneaked down to listen after that man sent me away.” He said the word “man” in a tone of great disgust. “He started by asking where he might find your mother. When Mom told him she died, he acted like he didn’t believe her until she mentioned that you were staying with us. He seemed surprised, like he knew about your mother, but not you. Then he started asking all kinds of questions about you. Mom answered them okay at first. But now he’s talking like he’s going to take you with him, but Mom says she won’t let him, of course.” Those last two words came as a clear afterthought.

Evie stared in shock. He was serious! How in the world did anyone from outside the village know that her mother existed? In the moment of silence she looked around at the others. Bridget stared wide-eyed from her brother to Evie and the peculiar boy looked at her expectantly.

Just then they heard a panting from the direction of the wood. Wondering what else could be happening, Evie turned to see what caused the noise. She didn’t think it would surprise her at all. Elder Banied came tripping from between two trees. He supported the weight of a round, motherly looking woman with sweat pouring down her red face. Evie didn’t know this woman, but why should that surprise her? Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the boy look startled for the first time, but he stayed silent, waiting for something.

“We…have to…go, NOW.” Elder Banied panted the sentence, but managed to nearly shout the last word. It seemed directed at everyone standing there, but then he turned to Evie. “Evie…listen to me.” He stopped to help the woman lever herself onto a tree stump and catch his breath. “The man in there is going to try and take you away. We need to get out of here before he knows you are gone. We will not be able to stop him otherwise.”

Evie took a step away from Elder Banied. She wasn’t sure what was going on here, but it had to be a mistake. And even if it were true, was going away with the stranger any worse than running off with a crazy old man? He truly didn’t seem to be in his right mind. Her mother could not have foreseen this when she told her to listen to Elder Banied. She needed time. She had to think this out.

Before she had a chance to decide her next move, the boy in the carriage slammed the door open, leaped out and pointed a finger dangerously at the Elder. His other hand rested on his sword hilt. Bridget sighed as if to say, “not again.” Evie flashed her a look to show she knew how the girl felt.

But it was the boy who spoke, “I do not know what in the world my father would want with this silly little girl, but I am sure that if he wants her she must go with him. You must not try to prevent it, loyalist!” He glanced uneasily at the old woman, but stood his ground.

The woman gulped one more breath of air before looking up to the boy. Her round cheeks still held that rosy look from her run, but her eyes held tears of desperation. She gasped in a hoarse voice, “Trevor, I know you love your father. But the order to get this girl away from him comes from your mother. You should come too. I know your mother would be pleased.”

Trevor’s arms dropped to his sides as he stumbled several steps backward, “No!” It was stern, but quiet. Almost hoarsely he added, “My mother is dead.”

The woman looked pained. She seemed to want to run to the boy, but she also looked very weak. She whispered, “He told you that? She was imprisoned three months ago on your father’s orders.”

The boy got some of his spirit back at her words. He started to move toward her again, his hand resting on his sword hilt much the way it had when he walked out of the pond. Evie felt a sudden stab of relief that he didn’t walk toward her this time. Almost immediately, it was followed by a feeling of guilt for the relief. “How dare you make such accusations against my father? He is a good man. He loved my mother. I will go get him this moment and have you all punished.”

As he turned toward the house the woman said desperately, “Trevor, if your mother is dead, where am I?”

Something seemed to break in Trevor. He fell to his knees, hands over his face. The woman slowly pushed herself up and moved toward him. Sitting down on the porch steps, she pulled the boy to her. He clutched her skirt and buried his head in her lap. Evie realized her mouth was hanging open. What was all that about?

Elder Banied didn’t waste time. He looked straight at Lance and asked quickly, “Does the man know that Evie is here.”

Lance didn’t miss a beat, “He knows she lives here, sir. He doesn’t know where she is this minute. Bridget came bounding into the kitchen a few moments ago, but there was no way to tell that Evie was with her.”

The Elder nodded, “Good.” He turned his attention to Bridget, “When they come out, tell them you were playing in the meadow past the pond. Tell them Evie was hiding and you came home because you could not find her. A search of the woods should give us a little time to escape, if they believe you. Be convincing, girl. It is Evie’s life at stake.”

Before Evie could voice her objections, Bridget cut in, “I’m going too! Lance can say what needs to be said. He can tell them I went…”

“Do not be foolish child!” the Elder cut in with a vicious wave of his hand, “We cannot have more people than necessary. It is going to be hard enough to get away as things are.”

Evie took a few steps back. She was close enough to notice an intense conversation between the old woman and Trevor. She held his head in her hands, talking furiously.

Lance walked over to Elder Banied and the two seemed to be looking at Evie as they talked and gestured. Everything was happening so fast. The events of the past hour swam in her head and she tried to shake it off. She didn’t know what she should do. For some reason Elder Banied’s glances seemed ominous and she knew she didn’t want to go with him.

Suddenly she did know what she wanted, and it made her stomach hurt. She wanted to talk to her mother. Her mother would know what was going on. She supposed the next best thing would be her aunt. That was the only option; she needed to talk to Aunt Abby.

As soon as she took a few steps toward the house, however, Elder Banied moved toward her muttering, “I am sorry, but we simply do not have time for childishness. Do not think you have any idea what is going on here. You must trust me.” With that, he scooped her up over his shoulder and began walking toward his cart. Evie wouldn’t have expected him to be so strong. Bridget ran over to Lance and Trevor trudged toward the cart holding the old woman’s hand.

Evie never even had time to think. Within moments she was watching backwards as her home disappeared. Trevor had noticed all the movement, however. As soon as the cottage was out of sight he started to panic. Jumping up, he turned to the old woman and said, “I am sorry, Anna, but I must know for sure.” With that, he jumped out of the cart and began running back to the cottage. Elder Banied glanced back for a second and then spurred the horse to a gallop.

Chapter Four: History Lesson

Hours later, with the sun well down, Evie sat in the cart, swaying. She was too tired to keep her eyes open, but the rocking of the cart certainly wouldn’t let her fall asleep. “I don’t think anyone is following, Elder Banied,” She paused to yawn. “I bet we can stop safely now.” It had been a long night already. Elder Banied had kept the horse galloping all the way to his cottage. Once there, he ran inside and came back out with supplies wrapped in blankets. Then they’d left the village, and Evie had no idea where they were. She’d never been so far away from home.

The worst part was that she had no idea where they were going or why. The old woman rode in the cart with her, but never said a word. For most of the ride she just sat there with one of Elder Banied’s blankets clutched tight around her, staring sadly backward. Evie couldn’t understand why she thought it was cold.

A couple of times Evie had tried to ask the Elder a question, but each time he told her to be quiet until he had time to talk to her. The whole situation frightened Evie. Elder Banied couldn’t muster any more sympathy for her sleepiness then he had for her questions. He answered her with some muttering about it not being safe in the forest at night. So, they trudged on for what seemed like forever while he peered around the forest for whatever he was looking for.

Finally, Elder Banied brought the horse to a stop and Evie’s eyes popped open, but only for a minute. She felt herself being carried to a spot of grassy ground where one of the adults had laid out a blanket. Another was put over her and she snuggled in to sleep.

What felt like only minutes later, although it was actually considerably longer since the sun had already poked up from behind mountains to the East, Evie awakened to a low-pitched growling sound. Her muscles tensed. Whatever made that noise lurked close to her. Without daring to move, she cast her eyes around for the source. Only shadows met her searching gaze. It could be hiding anywhere.

Petrified with fear, she knew something horrible prepared to pounce her. It wanted to eat her. Maybe it already ate the two adults. Before her eyes adjusted to the weak morning light, she felt a prickly, slimy thing touch one of her bare legs. Without time to think, she jumped up screaming. She danced around the campsite stomping her feet into the ground to rid herself of the creepy feeling that caused her to shiver uncontrollably. In the first instant after her scream, Elder Banied jumped up as well. He held a sword that he must have been sleeping with and raced over to Evie’s side.

After a moment of tension, he just stared. He looked from her to a small reptile scurrying off into the woods. Then he began to laugh. She’d never heard anything that sounded so odd. Elder Banied was laughing at her! At another time she very probably would have seen the humor in the situation as well. The animal was small and harmless and she must have looked rather silly hoping around like an idiot. But she had been dragged away from her home, denied sleep to the point where she passed out in a mossy forest and then awoken by some horrible creature that she was sure wanted her for breakfast!

Something snapped inside that very patient twelve-year-old. “That is ENOUGH!” she screamed. “I have had it and I’m not going to take it anymore! I don’t care if you are an Elder. I don’t care if you think I’m a two-year-old who needs protection so I won’t fall down and hurt myself. I want to know what’s going on! I need to know why in the world I am here and if you don’t tell me…I’M GOING HOME!” She finished with both of her fists thrust down and her foot stomping in what she knew was a temper tantrum and didn’t care.

She didn’t care how dumb she looked, either. It was simply too much for her to handle. She realized that Elder Banied had stopped laughing. He stared at her, considering. The old woman, Anna?, had woken up in all the racket and she looked like she was going to berate Evie for her temper. Well, she had to regain her spirit sometime. It didn’t matter anyway, Evie was going to hold her ground. She’d already decided that much.

After a few minutes of the two adults staring at her, Elder Banied sighed and sat down on a rock. “Come, relax. I will answer your questions before we continue on today. Wondering if this was a trick, Evie found a rock near where the Elder sat and settled down to be stubborn if he tried to put her off again.

He began, “Do you remember what we’ve studied in the recent history of the Kingdom?” Evie tensed. She was not asking for a history lesson. He had tried to sneak lessons in whenever they met in the village, even at festivals.

The Elder seemed to be catching her mood. “Trust me, Girl. Now start with Queen Brenive and tell me what happened next.”

Evie had calmed a little now and she felt a pretty weird about yelling at Elder Banied. Besides, if she did what he asked, he would have no excuse for not answering her questions in full. With a sigh, she recited, “At the time the ray and souray lived in separate villages across the kingdom. The Old King met and fell in love with a souray named Brenive. He married her and they had two children. The older one, the heir to the throne, was a daughter named Jessimara. When Brenive was crowned she was the first souray to come to power in a hundred years. She believed that souray and ray should work together and the kingdom enjoyed a period of prosperity. The people began building schools for children of ray and souray families to learn together. Although most souray had lived in villages far away from the main city, close to the forest, during the first years of her rule many people moved into the city, especially souray. The princess, Jessimara, displayed the magical abilities of the souray, even though she was only half. When she was twenty she met a young man, Trey, who had been a leader in his village before most of them moved to the city. They were married and crowned king and queen, but Jessimara died of a fever shortly after,” She paused to swallow. That was how her mother had died. “The young king married again, another souray named Tereisa. The new rulers believed that souray were better than everyone else because they could use magic. They began removing ray from schools and forcing them out of the city. Now, the only ray allowed in the city are the loyalists and they are servants.” She stopped. That should satisfy him. She had been listening when he taught her lessons.

The Elder nodded with a smile, “You are a good student, Evie. What you didn’t mention, because I never told you, is that there was a rebellion when Trey and Tereisa came to power. Many of the souray agreed with Brenive. The King arrested anyone who opposed him. I know of one young souray, however, who escaped and went to live among the ray. A beautiful young woman named Lara.” Evie’s eyes went wide as he paused. Lara was her mother’s name.

She didn’t know what to think. She’d been taught her whole life that souray were mean and evil. How could her sweet mother have been one of them? As she was fighting to understand how she felt, a sudden thought struck her. “Does that make me a souray?” She asked, horrified at the thought.

Elder Banied looked down in disturbed contemplation. He acted like he didn’t want to answer her. But finally, he did. “I don’t know, Evie. Your mother brought you when she came to our village. Abby took her in and called her sister, but I don’t think she ever mentioned what happened to the rest of her family. I have no idea who your father is. If he is a souray, you certainly are. If he is a ray, you may be. In any case, it makes no difference. There is no one here who can teach you.”

“That still doesn’t explain why that man was after me.” She turned toward Anna, “Who is he?”

“He,” the motherly old woman answered angrily, “is an awful man! He found out his wife knew where your mother was hiding and he had her arrested for treason. I was the nurse to his son, who you met at your home. I did not think he would have told the boy his mother had died!” She breathed furiously for a moment before continuing. “I am sorry about your mother, girl. I came here to warn her, but I did not know you existed. I only regret that I didn’t save Trevor. His mother’s heart will break if she learns what he thinks.”

Only then did something the Elder said crash home. Aunt Abby was not her Aunt. Bridget was not her cousin. She didn’t have a family. The two adults were looking at her with great sympathy on their faces. They acted like they knew exactly what she was thinking.

Elder Banied stood up and began distributing breakfast. He handed Evie an apple and a few nuts and moved to the business of cleaning up the blankets and preparing for travel. Staring down at the food she said, to no one in particular, “Where are we going?”

It was Elder Banied who answered, “That, I can not tell you. I do not know.” Evie noticed a startled glance from Anna, but the old woman didn’t say anything. This was going to be an interesting journey.

Chapter Five: Old Friends

Evie tried hard to entertain herself on the ride by searching the forest for interesting creatures. The only problem was that she didn’t see anything at all. The trees were thick surrounding the narrow trail of rutted road they followed. The highlights of her day were the few times the cart got stuck and she got to jump out so it could be dislodged.

In the late afternoon, Elder Banied stopped the horse and jumped out to examine the woods around the trail. Except that Evie noticed that she didn’t see a trail anymore. It seemed like wood surrounded them on every side and she couldn’t help believing they were the first people to have ever come this way. She hoped that Elder Banied knew where he dragged them. With that thought, she remembered that he said he didn’t and the woods suddenly seemed a lot darker and more ominous.

The elder walked back to the cart and began digging out the blankets again. Before Evie could ask what was going on, he said, “Let us stop for lunch. I am not sure how much farther we should go today, but we all need a little rest.” Evie carefully climbed out of the cart and looked warily at the looming trees. It felt like they were staring at her. Firmly, she shook her head. In stressful circumstances, cold logic avoided disaster. She could reason around such nonsense. But as she walked over to where the elder had laid out the blankets, she couldn’t shake the feeling. It wasn’t the trees. It was something else. She really didn’t think her imagination could have come up with something so real-seeming, but being rattled from everything that happened, she needed some assurance.

“Elder Banied,” she said hesitantly, “I get the feeling that something is watching us. I know it’s silly, but I just can’t make it go away.”

His reply didn’t give the comfort she’d been looking for, “Many somethings, I expect. Let us just hope that they are not the things we do not want to see us.”

Evie didn’t speak for the rest of the meal. She just sat, listening to birds and rustling leaves, sure that some evil creature would descend on them any minute. While she reached for the water bottle Anna extended toward her, she heard a distinct pattern to the rustling. This wasn’t just unseen watchers. This was an imminent threat, she was sure of it this time.

As the rustling got louder Elder Banied jumped to his feet and grabbed his sword. The man looked like he knew how to use it! He headed toward the noise and Anna followed him. Evie could see something now. A long shape moved between the trees. Perhaps it was a horse of some kind. But as Elder Banied moved dangerously close to the thing, his sword raised, Anna began to run toward him, screaming incomprehensive words. A split second later, Evie understood. It wasn’t a horrible creature at all. It was two people, one seeming to drag the other. Both people panted as if they’d run for quite a while. In the next instant, the Elder was backing away and Anna had her arms around that peculiar boy from the carriage. He dropped the hand of whoever he was dragging.

Evie thought her heart would burst with excitement. She started running before she even realized she had moved. “Bridget!” she cried, knocking her cousin (she still thought of her that way) to the ground and hugging her as tight as she could. It was as if the creepy wood had moved back two feet and the sun had brightened. After all that she’d been through, she had begun wondering if she would ever be happy again. With her cousin in her arms, though, she suddenly knew it would all work out. She had her best friend with her and nothing else mattered.

Then another thought struck her. Would Bridget want to be her friend now that she might be a souray? Had her aunt known and taken her mother in anyway? She decided that bit of information probably ought to stay her little secret for a while. At that moment, she was happy.

It took a little while to get everyone settled and the welcomes over with. Evie and Bridget sat together on a fallen tree and the others were on the blanket used for lunch. The adults didn’t even bother to ask how the other kids had followed them. They seemed to think it perfectly natural. What they did want to know was if Bridget and Trevor were really okay. Evie had assumed they were, but after the question was asked, she noticed how bad they both looked.

The dirt that caked the kids on every inch of exposed skin was to be expected if they had made their way through the forest, rather than staying on the road, as it appeared. Sweat streaks made streams through the mud on their faces, the only break from pure filth anywhere on them. Trevor told Elder Banied that he and Bridget had walked all night, taking the “most direct route” until they had found the small party. That, Evie decided, was the problem. Exhaustion appeared plain on both faces. They hadn’t stopped moving since yesterday evening and they’d made their way through the forest, not along a path. Elder Banied started to set up camp while Anna tried to help wipe Trevor off. She only tried because the boy kept pushing her away.

Evie turned to Bridget. She really did look awful. But, as much as she wanted to let her cousin rest, she also wanted some answers. Gently she took Bridget’s shoulders and rotated her away, so that she could undo her braid and start combing through her tangled mess of hair. They sat silently for a few minutes while Evie pulled twigs and leaves out. Finally Evie spoke, “I think a couple of birds were building their nests in here.”

Bridget smiled faintly, but mostly she just looked haggard. Evie couldn’t wait any longer, she asked it straight out, “What happened?! How did you ever get here? Where are Trevor’s father and your mom?”

Bridget’s eyes glittered. She seemed to want to talk as much as Evie wanted to listen. Still, she turned around to face her cousin before speaking in a near whisper. “Trevor saved me,” she spoke if she didn’t really believe it herself. “Quite a while after you guys took off he came running up the road looking exhausted. I was sitting on the porch and Lance had gone back in to see if he could hear anymore. Trevor didn’t say a word to me. He just walked back and forth across the front of the cottage until he had caught his breath.” She gulped a breath of air. Now that she was talking it seemed as if she really did want to get it all out in a rush and she simply lacked the energy.

“Finally, he stomped into the house and banged on the door of the kitchen. I followed him in, but waited in the parlor when they opened the door. This big man dressed in black, his dad I guess, came out and asked why he had gotten out of the carriage. Trevor said, ‘I’m bored. It’s no fun without Anna there to talk to me.’ The man got really mad and muttered something about him spending too much time with servants. Then he told Trevor that his…” her voice got really low in imitation, “ ‘nurse was dead and he’d better just deal with it.’ Well, Trevor got all sulky and asked his dad how he knew that. And his dad said, ‘Because I saw it boy! Rebels killed her and your mother, and I’m sorry about that, but you need to grow up and move on.’ Trevor got all quiet and said, ‘You saw her dead?’ And his dad said, ‘That’s what I said, boy!’ After that he pointed at me and asked if I was you. When I shook my head he demanded to know where you were. I told him what Elder Banied told me to say.”

Her eyes widened, “I was scared to death, but Trevor never opened his mouth to disagree with me. His dad told him to guard me because I might be the girl they were after no matter what I said and Trevor pulled his sword out and pointed it at me. His dad hollered to mom, asking where the meadow was. Lance appeared and offered to take him there. After they were gone mom came out of the kitchen looking very frightened.

“Trevor put his sword away and told me he was going after Elder Banied. He said I had better come too. Mom was scared, but she told us to go quickly. She was crying by then. I didn’t want to leave her, but I didn’t know what else to do.” Bridget’s eyes brimmed with tears and Evie understood. It had to be horrible for her to walk away from her mother like that. Who knows what that man had done to her.

“Why didn’t Abby come with you?”

Bridget sighed and continued again, more slowly, “I don’t think she could leave Lance in that man’s hands. If she had come it would have looked like she kidnapped his son. This way she could claim that his son dragged me off.” It made sense, but it was still scary and very sad that they had no idea what had happened to her aunt and cousin.

“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain how you found me. You guys came right to us when you couldn’t possibly have been aware of where we were heading.”

Bridget smiled, she seemed to be getting her spirit back. “He’s a souray, Evie.” Her eyes flickered toward Trevor. “He’s nothing like we were always told. He’s young, though, and claims he doesn’t know much magic. Maybe he doesn’t, but he had a tracking stone. He said that it was one of two and he’d left the other in Elder Banied’s cart. He was telling the truth.” She pulled a small white stone out of her pocket and extended it to Evie. “I grabbed this out of the cart when we first got here. When we headed toward the other stone, the one he held turned red. So we kept heading wherever the stone instructed until we ran into you.”

Evie felt a sudden stab of embarrassment. She had been so scared to tell Bridget that her mother was a souray. Bridget hadn’t wasted a minute in telling her everything and she seemed genuinely delighted that Trevor had turned out to be one of the ruling class. Once again, her friend had proved to be a better person than she was. But even knowing that, and feeling silly about her reasons, she did not want to tell Bridget what Elder Banied had revealed. Surely it wouldn’t matter if Bridget continued thinking that Evie was her cousin for a little while longer.

Chapter Six: The Second Game

That day was the beginning of a great adventure. Before, the trip had been a nightmare. Now that Evie had her best friend. She knew things would be okay. Despite that, things got harder right away. They hadn’t gone any farther that day because Trevor and Bridget needed some rest. They relaxed for the evening and caught up on the parts of the journey each group had missed. The discussion didn’t last long because Bridget fell asleep sitting up on the log and Trevor wasn’t doing much better. Evie helped to set up camp and put her cousin to bed. She went to bed early as well. The whole thing felt quite overwhelming and she had the impression tomorrow wouldn’t be much better.

The next few days were better, if only because Evie had company. Elder Banied explained in the morning that they were going into the woods to hide. They had already reached the end of the road and so they could not take the cart with them. Bridget groaned loudly at that. Evie was sure she’d already walked more on this trip then she had the rest of her life. Watching the Elder’s horse run off toward home, Evie suddenly felt very isolated. When she asked if the Elder knew where he was going, he said absently that she would have to trust him.

For three days the journey continued without any exciting developments. Evie and Bridget walked through the woods after Elder Banied. Trevor and Anna walked side by side, but they did not talk much. Early the second morning Bridget had walked over to talk to Trevor, but had come back in a huff after he yelled that he didn’t need the company of anyone like her. However Bridget had felt about souray when she discovered the truth about Trevor, Evie was pretty sure she didn’t like them anymore.

Evie never tried to talk to the boy. Every once in a while she caught him scowling in her direction, but when she returned his gaze he looked away very quickly. After her first attempt at talking to him, Bridget seemed to decide that Trevor didn’t exist at all. It took a few hours for her to stop acting hurt, but as soon as she was back to her old self, things started getting fun, despite the hard walking.

With the summer nearly at an end, there was usually a cool breeze to calm down the heat of the forest. When they weren’t on a particularly rocky hill or struggling through a muddy spot, Evie and Bridget would speculate on the magical places they could see now that they had left home. The mystery of why Trevor’s dad had come after Evie was still very alive in Bridget’s mind. She liked to make up stories about Evie’s dad (since she already knew there wasn’t anything unusual about her mom). Evie laughed, and sometimes joined in, but she wasn’t as creative as her friend.

Those first days were pleasant, until late in the afternoon of the third day. They were cleaning up from a short stop for lunch. They stopped each day, more because everyone needed a little break than because the dried foods they ate required stopping. Elder Banied carried the food in a pack he fastened to his shoulders since they had abandoned the cart. Every once in a while, on the road, the Elder stopped moving so everyone could collect plants or wild berries that he added to the stores of food in his pack.

Trevor never took part in the gathering of food. He didn’t help clean up after meals either. It seemed like everyone was determined to ignore his arrogant behavior, for which Evie was grateful. It was entirely possible that Bridget would have tried to attack him if she hadn’t been pretending he didn’t exist. Today, however, things got a bit out of hand.

They found a dry clearing surrounded by huge trees. Bridget didn’t even ask permission to pull one of the blankets from the pack she was carrying. She laid it out on the ground for her and Evie to sit on. The Elder had only tightened his lips when he saw. He didn’t like getting things out before bed. He thought it wasted time. Today, however, he didn’t complain where anyone could hear and the picnic was a good rest.

Trevor sat on the other side of the clearing, alone. When time to clean up came, the Elder called for Trevor to help him retie the food pack so it would fit on his back. Shocked, Trevor scowled at Elder Banied and shouted, “I am not suited for menial labor of that kind, make the girl do it.” The way he gestured might have meant Bridget or Evie, but Bridget obviously thought it was meant for her because her face went red with anger as soon as he said it. Evie half expected her cousin to tell Trevor off. Instead she lowered her head and looked ashamed for a minute. That didn’t make sense! She wasn’t the one acting like a spoiled child!

Something inside Elder Banied snapped, because his always calm voice became an angry shout, “BOY! I am tired of your behavior. You have been a terror since the day you left your father. I am not quite sure he will want you back, but I will leave you here for him to find, if he can, unless you come over here and tie this pack immediately!” The last word came out like a roar.

The Elder watched long enough to see Trevor start toward him and then turned back to his pack. Trevor didn’t head directly to the Elder. He walked around the edge of the camp so that his route took him over to Evie and Bridget. Without a word he wiped his dirty boots on their blanket and threw a handful of spit-covered nutshells onto Bridget’s lap. With that, he headed over to help Elder Banied.

Evie didn’t know what to do. She wanted to teach the boy some manners, but fear stopped her. She thought that Bridget might. Bridget always had more courage than her. Glancing back toward her friend, warily, she expected to see her readying for battle. Instead, though, Bridget stared down at her lap with unshed tears gathering in her big blue eyes. Evie gaped. This simply wasn’t like her. When kids dared to be mean to her back home she pulled some nasty prank. She never let it upset her this way. She was way too strong for that.

Anna yelled for the girls to get the mess cleaned up so they could head on. Bridget closed her eyes for a minute. A few tears leaked down her cheeks. Then, she silently stood and started cleaning first her trousers and then the blanket.

It wasn’t easy. The girls had no extra clothes for this journey. The last few nights they had washed themselves with a dry cloth because “water doesn’t grow on trees,” as Elder Banied had put it. They passed a few streams while walking and rinsed off in them, but the water froze their hands numb and they didn’t get very clean. Covered in mud and filth, they felt only a little worse than they had after playing in the forest back home. At first it didn’t bother the girls that much. Today, however, they had both decided that they wouldn’t complain a single word about being sent off to bathe. The blankets weren’t doing much better. Silently, Evie wished that wherever the Elder was dragging them would have a lake or a bathtub.

The immediate problem was Bridget. As soon as they began walking again, Evie glanced over at her friend hoping she was in the mood to talk. That boy irritated her like no one she’d ever met before. How could he be so cruel? And why didn’t Bridget just laugh it off, like she would have with anyone else? For some reason this boy just seemed to get under her skin. Evie decided to give talking a try, “Bridget, don’t let him get to you.”

Silence answered. She tried again, “I don’t understand why what he thinks bothers you so much. He’s just a dumb boy. You used to eat those for breakfast.” Bridget looked at her for a moment. Evie thought she might smile at the memory of teaching some snotty boy a much deserved lesson. Instead she looked down again.

After a minute, she spoke, quietly. “I’ve never met a souray before. I didn’t know they hated us so much.”

Evie didn’t know what to answer. She still felt butterflies in her stomach when she thought about her own background. After a few more minutes of silence, she hoped with all her heart Bridget would agree with what she said next, “I think souray are just like the rest of us. I think some are nice and some are not. What about James? He needs his butt kicked, but you don’t think to hate all ray because of him.” About their age, James always had his nose in the air because his parents were traders and traveled to surrounding villages. They often brought him things that no one else had ever seen before.

This had the effect Evie was hoping for. Bridget smiled and said, “He hasn’t held his nose so high since his hair turned pink.” She very nearly laughed. Evie did too. Only a few months ago James had come over to show them his fancy soap brought all the way from the city. Only it wasn’t like any soap the girls had ever seen. It was a liquid in a bottle and made to use only on your hair. Aunt Abby worked as a seamstress and had collected a few dyes to use on the plain thread or material she sewed with. Evie didn’t know if James suspected that they had put dye in his soap or if he really thought his parents had bought a defective product, but his obnoxious tendencies slid into quiet embarrassment since his once yellow hair changed to bright pink.

Everything went better after that. At least Bridget returned to her normal, vibrant self. They laughed about home and remembered some of Bridget’s other marvellous pranks. In fact, Evie’s cousin had even more energy than normal. Sometimes she ran out into the forest away from the party. She would return giggling madly. Evie guessed she wanted to show Trevor that he would not slow her down.

That evening after the meal, Trevor went aside while everyone else set up camp. Evie very nearly growled. She had hoped he would be better to deal with since Elder Banied came down on him earlier. She looked carefully for Bridget, to see how she reacted to the situation, but she didn’t see her.

She noticed the Elder, however. He looked like he was heading over to talk to Trevor, but Anna pulled him aside and they began to fight quietly. Evie didn’t have to wonder what it was about. She was sure Anna was defending Trevor’s laziness. That odd woman did everything Trevor asked of her! It was so strange. Evie had always been taught that you had to respect and obey anyone older than you. People naturally deferred to the older because they had so much more experience. She could not understand why Anna would obey a boy young enough to be her son.

She didn’t wonder long because Bridget reappeared. Across the camp from her cousin, she carefully set up Trevor’s blankets! Evie sighed. She hoped Bridget would get over thinking that Trevor was better than her. The boy’s obnoxious arrogance made him impossible to live with as it was. He didn’t need someone else obeying him. When Bridget scurried over to Evie, she acted very anxious to get into bed.

“Hurry, Evie.” she said. “I want to get as much sleep as I can tonight.” It startled Evie to hear such a thing from her cousin. Bridget’s tendencies to stay up all night had gotten the two of them into trouble more times than Evie could count. But, she snuggled into her blankets anyway. The day of hard walking took its toll and she felt sleep creeping up after all. The others still moved about the camp when Evie drifted off to sleep. Laying down had showed her how truly tired she really was.

A few minutes later, before she could begin dreaming, she awoke to a blood-curdling scream from across the camp. Instinctively, she jumped up, only to feel a hand on her leg. She looked down at Bridget, still snuggled into her blankets. “Don’t worry, Evie.” She said with a yawn. “They were only harmless wood lizards. And I could only find thirteen of them today. I think he’ll survive.” Her lips curved maliciously, but she turned it into a deliberate yawn.

Evie smiled. So that was what she had been up to all day. That certainly explained why Bridget had been happy to set out a bed for Trevor. Where had she been hiding them? It didn’t matter. The thought of thirteen wood lizards climbing all over that snot boy made Evie think she would have pleasant dreams. And besides, Bridget was going to be fine. She just proved that. Evie fell into deep sleep thinking that everything was finally going well.

Chapter Seven: Monsters

Her good mood didn’t even make it through the night, though. A few hours later she awoke to screaming, yet again. Her first impulse was to ignore it because of the fresh memory of Bridget’s prank. On her way back to dreaming, however, the scream came again. She noticed something strange about that noise. It seemed…distant. And it didn’t really sound like screaming, she thought as she sat up. A definite screeching quality made it not human.

Looking around, she saw that she wasn’t the only one who had been awoken. Elder Banied scurried out of his blankets and started to shake the sleeping figures over by him. Evie followed suit and turned toward Bridget’s bed.

“Go away,” Bridget groaned as Evie tried to get her friend out of bed. “I’m sleeping.”

“Bridget, wake up!” Evie hissed. “There is something in the forest and I think we need to get away from it.” Another screech punctuated her fearful words and Bridget’s eyes shot wide open.

“Wwwwwhat wwas thaaat?” She bolted up to sitting, the blankets clutched to her chest while her head darted in every direction, looking for an imminent threat.

Elder Banied spared Evie from having to answer by quickly heading their direction. Anna and Trevor scurried around the campsite, packing up their belongings.

“Pack up!” The Elder’s voice was an urgent whisper. “We need to get out of the clearing.”

“What…” Evie left her question unasked because the Elder’s stern face swivelled in her direction.
He nearly spat the words, “Just do as you are told for once without any foolish questions!”
The camp disappeared in a virtually silent uproar. Everyone gathered their own things and began heading toward Elder Banied. He motioned them to follow him into the thickest forest around them as that horrible screech sounded again and was answered by another, slightly lower pitched one. After that they heard several, but they sounded more distant. The first one, at least, moved ever closer.

They marched on through the night, shivering in the cold wind. The moon lit the forest brightly, and it wasn’t that difficult to see. Still, the silence loomed, except for the occasional screeching and the muffled grunts when someone stubbed their toe or tripped on a root. Although Evie kept telling herself her imagination was playing tricks on her, it seemed that every call of that distant animal sounded closer than the one before.

Elder Banied led them in what felt to Evie like circles in the forest, as if looking for something. Hours later, or at least what felt like hours later, he stopped at the mouth of a cave and motioned them in. Evie hesitated. She didn’t know what made that awful screeching noise, but she was quite sure evil things lived in dark caves. Her mother, when she was young, and Aunt Abby, most recently, had always been clear that they should never enter a strange cave, no matter how empty it looked. She wouldn’t go in, not even in the middle of the day. She folded her arms and set to tell Elder Banied her position. One loud screech that sounded almost on top of them, though, sent her scurrying in without a glance back.

The cave hardly deserved the name. It ended a few paces from the entrance. Once inside, she could see that there was nothing to be afraid of. The moonlight cast eerie shadows, though, and she stepped close to Bridget for comfort. Before she could worry about how silly it looked, she realized that they were all huddled together against one wall. She felt comforted and warm. She did not want to move. Trevor’s voice to her right sounded unsure and shaken, “Are they after us?”
Elder Banied whispered back, “I think they must be, and I think you know who sent them.”
The boy didn’t answer. After a minute, Bridget’s voice asked, “What are they?”

There was another pause and then a sigh. The Elder answered quietly, “Raptons. They are a small, domesticated dragon. They are used primarily for hunting. Someone is looking for us. Raptons are nocturnal and can see like it is the middle of the afternoon in pitch black. Fortunately, though, they will be blinded by the light. All we have to do is wait for dawn. They will stop hunting before then.”

The assurance didn’t seem to calm anyone. They all stayed huddled into the wall, silently listening to the beasts coming closer. There must have been tons of them! The answering screeches now sounded as close as the first one, as if they were all circling right over the cave. And then, all at once, the noise stopped. Evie heard her own heartbeat in the silence. She had thought nothing could be as frightening and the cries of those creatures, but the suspenseful silence screamed even louder of looming disaster.

Elder Banied broke away from the cluster to edge slowly toward the entrance to the cave, hugging the wall the entire way. No one else moved.

It happened in an instant. A long, scaly beak poked into the cave. The thing screeched a quick cry, throwing its leathery head back and closing its blood-red eyes. Elder Banied had his sword out, but he was snatched by the legs after a bird-like claw wrapped around them. Evie wanted to scream. Bridget did scream. But Trevor didn’t even hesitate. He surged after the Elder, grasping the hilt of his sword in both hands.

Before she knew what was happening, Bridget had Evie by the arm and dragged her to the cave entrance. Once again her cousin proved how much more courage she had. The scene outside made her breath catch. Hovering several paces in the air, the rapton expanded to the size of a house. Its bat-like wings stretched out, flapping wildly. It almost had the torso of a skinny man, except that its gaunt ribs were covered by that dark scaly skin. Evie couldn’t have guessed what color it actually resembled, not in the dark. With one of its thick legs, it swung Elder Banied’s limp body back and forth.

It seemed that it would have flown away with its prisoner if it hadn’t been for Trevor. Moments after they emerged from the cave, that boy jumped from the top of a tree onto the creature’s back. How had he climbed the tree so quickly? He must have rivalled Bridget’s skill at climbing! After a moment of stunned staring, Evie began wondering what in the world he was doing. He didn’t have his sword in his hand. Rather, he reached around the neck of the creature to its face. Bridget didn’t stare curiously. She began grabbing anything she could find and throwing it at the rapton. Its long, pointed tail, whipped the ground and Bridget fell backward into Evie, knocking them both to the dirt and rocks.

At that moment, Trevor shouted, “Stop! Do not move.” As if the command had paralyzed them, the two girls laid there, stunned, as the rapton suddenly calmed. Evie didn’t believe it. Trevor had one hand over each eye of the fierce beast. It seemed as if that had put the animal to sleep. Its tail stopped lashing and its humongous wings stretched to their full length, so that it glided to the ground. It landed carefully leaning back so it supported its weight with the one free leg and thick tail, which now rested on the earth. A few trees bent backward or snapped to make room before it folded its wings and stood still.

Trevor let go and slid down its back. The animal opened its red eyes but didn’t move. The boy made his way around to stand before the rapton. He held one hand out before him, with the palm down. In a slow motion, he lowered his hand to his side. The animal mimicked this action, setting the Elder down gently before bringing its talon to rest on the earth by the other one.

Evie and Bridget didn’t move or make a sound. That had to be magic. Was that what it meant to be souray? You could charm dragons? Evie had never seen a dragon before. She surely could not have done that. Perhaps she wasn’t a souray after all. Looking at the creature, still standing impossibly still, Evie figured she had been wrong about its size. It loomed larger than any man she’d ever seen, but not by much. Even as tame as it acted now, her stomach clenched in fear. She wanted to run to the Elder, but she was too afraid.

Bridget acted first. Getting slowly to her feet, she walked toward Trevor as if approaching a rabid, but awe inspiring, animal. He didn’t move from facing the rapton, but he didn’t act upset about her movement either. He whispered, “I must keep eye contact for a while, or she might attack again.” In a louder, commanding voice he added, “Anna, see to the man!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Evie just noticed Anna creeping carefully out of the cave. She shook with remembered fear, but she didn’t seem afraid of the creature anymore. At Trevor’s bidding, she scurried over to Elder Banied’s side. Bridget, on the other hand, kept moving toward Trevor. “That was amazing!” she whispered excitedly. Evie braced herself. He was going to say something cruel and her friend would be angry for days.

Instead, the boy’s face softened a bit. “I was taught how to tame Rapton. They will only answer to their master, unless you can blind them. Then they respect you. They will often obey you. It is the only way to calm them, unless you are their master. They will not release what they hold unless calmed.” It had the sound of something recited during a lesson. It wasn’t magic at all, Evie realized, with a start of surprise. This was education. All of a sudden lessons seemed like a very good idea. She knew she wanted to learn.

Before anyone could say anything more, Anna helped Elder Banied to his feet. He held his head, but seemed to be okay. And then, another screech pierced the night. Trevor looked up, but it seemed he’d kept eye contact for long enough, because the beast before him did not move. “This is a scout,” he said while intently studying the sky. “The others will follow when he does not return their call. We had better get out of here unless you guys want to try and fight eleven of them. There are usually twelve in a pack.”

Bridget was headed back to get her stuff from the cave, but she kept glancing back at the sky. “Can we hide from them? It’s not dawn yet and I’m sure we won’t outrun them.”
Apparently Trevor and Elder Banied each thought she meant the question for him because they said as one, “I do not know.”

The chase began.

The little group ran slowly through the night, hopping over the rocks or tree roots in their way. The rocky terrain made it hard to move fast, and Evie didn’t think Elder Banied had the energy for it anyway. The screams of the raptons came closer. Each time the initial one called, it received answers by several more. They weren’t trying to outrun the animals. Evie knew that was not possible. They were trying to outrun the night, hoping that the sun would come before they became victims.

Evie’s heart tried to beat its way out of her chest. She’d never been so afraid and she’d never felt so alive. Bridget stayed next to her, running with a determined look on her face. If anyone could outrun these beasts, Bridget could. She was so brave and strong! Still the screams came closer.

At one point Trevor disappeared from in front of them. They could see him there one moment and not the next. An instant later, the girls fell on top of him. He desperately struggled to pull his leg free of the tree root it had caught on. Evie and Bridget didn’t pause. They each grabbed an arm and pulled with all their might. Trevor held his leg and twisted to break it free. When they were all on their feet again, the boy limped a bit, but seemed to move almost as fast as before. They continued running before the adults noticed the delay.

Then Evie noticed the first creature come into sight behind them. Without looking back, she couldn’t see the whole thing, but its ugly head lingered there in the corner of her eye, moving closer to their little party. They pushed forward until the lead monster pushed ahead of her and the others made the shape of the flying V behind it. Were there only eleven? At that moment they seemed like hundreds.

One of the raptons broke formation and swooped down toward the party. Evie didn’t have a moment to think, but she felt her stomach lurch. She couldn’t escape. Bridget threw herself into her cousin’s side. The two of them hit a tree and bounced to the ground. By the time Evie looked up, the massive animal headed back to the others. It had only missed grabbing her because Bridget had thrown her from its path. Bridget shook involuntarily. The other members of the party also pressed tight against nearby trees. It seemed unlikely the raptons could swoop down into such places.

Since the group had stopped, the animals did too. The V became a circle. Again, one of them broke formation to claw, this time at Anna. The poor woman threw herself onto the ground next to the tree, and it missed again. Elder Banied stood next to Trevor, a few paces from the girls. He glanced once at the sky and then darted toward them, hunched as far down as he could go and dragging the boy behind him. A rapton shot toward them, but missed by a hair because Bridget hit it with a rock just as the talon swooped to close on the Elder.

He soon had his back pressed against the tree where the girls took shelter. Trevor seemed more shaken than Evie had ever seen him. Come to think of it, he usually held tightly to amazing calm. He stared up at the Elder, who began speaking, “We have to find better cover.” He panted quickly and began to cough. The run had been too much for him. He was a very old man. “There is a narrow space between two boulders over there,” he indicated the direction where Anna still lay pressed against the ground. “We might be safe in there until morning. Dawn can’t be much longer.”

Curiously, Evie wondered why the creatures didn’t try another swipe at them. When she realized, she wished she hadn’t. Several of the raptons had broken away and gone different directions before they disappeared. They are landing, she thought. They will surround us on the ground.
Before she was sure what was happening, everyone had begun gathering all the rocks they could carry. The short run to Anna kept the small group’s nerve on edge. They ran upright this time, tossing rocks and sticks at any rapton who attempted to get close. It seemed like the creatures felt confident in their plan for ground attack, because, although they swooped low, none tried to get close enough to grab. Evie supposed it wasn’t worth the rock welts, since they were certainly going to catch the runners as soon as they could land in the forest.

Trevor helped Anna to her feet and Elder Banied showed them where the boulders were. They would risk everything getting there. The open space between them and safety meant chancing more than just the scratches the rapton could give them in the more heavily forested area. Evie could see the chance, though. The boulders stood close enough together that the rapton wouldn’t fit in. She would. Perhaps the adults would too. It was a big chance they were taking. Of course, they didn’t have a whole lot of choice. Once the creatures moved close on land, hiding against a tree wouldn’t save them. With that on her mind, Evie noticed that she saw only three still circling above them. They had to act fast.

Elder Banied whispered frantically, “We are just going to have to run for it. Do not look back, do not stop running. Keep going until you are between those boulders! GO!” Evie felt a push from behind, but it was not even necessary. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Vaguely, she was aware of Trevor and Bridget to either side of her. Anna and Elder Banied must have been behind. The clearing left them so open. It seemed like miles to safety!

Mockingly, almost casually, a rapton stepped out of the trees in front of her. It threw back its head and screamed that terrible scream. Its call was answered immediately from all around her. Bridget stumbled and fell, face down beside her. Evie threw herself to the ground. She surely couldn’t get to safety now. In horror, she realized that they were surrounding them. Running would do no good. They were caught. Slowly, the monsters stepped closer, closing the ranks of the circle. Evie wanted to close her eyes, but couldn’t. She had never been so terrified.

Suddenly, a light flashed in front of her. Before she had time to wonder what it could be, another appeared. An instant later, thousands of them decorated the air around her. The night had somehow gone pitch black, except that those tiny, flashing lights blinked everywhere. Evie looked to the side. She couldn’t see any of the other people. She only saw the black night and those beautiful little lights. I might be crazy, she thought. Perhaps I am crazy with fear. I never had much courage. But still the lights winked, and still the night loomed.

Chapter Eight: The Divinity

Without warning, everything changed. Evie sat up slowly and noticed the rest of her companions doing the same. The forest had changed, and it hadn’t. The trees still stood in their same places. But they looked different, she didn’t know how. The sun just peeked up from behind the boulders she had been racing toward. They seemed different too. She felt sure she still sat in the center of that clearing. She remained in the exact same place she had been before she saw all of the tiny, flashing lights. Maybe it just looked different because of the morning light.

Then she took a closer look. She gaped at her surroundings. If she wasn’t a logical, intelligent person, she would be sure she had magically been transported into a different forest. The trees blossomed with greenery and blooming flowers poked up from among the leaves. A casual glance caught sight of deer, chipmunks and any number of other forest creatures looking at the newcomers curiously as they played. Life chattered, fluttered, danced, hopped and lounged everywhere! The clearing even shimmered with butterflies. Evie just sat there, stunned. Somehow, in that instant, the raptons disappeared, dawn came and all of these creatures simply appeared. It just was not possible.

Elder Banied seemed to have some idea what had happened, though, because he jumped to his feet, smiling. “The sprites! It really does exist.” Evie didn’t know what he was talking about, but she smiled too. Everyone else acted perfectly happy with the sudden change, and she wasn’t going to complain. A minute earlier she had been preparing to be dragon food and now she was in a beautiful, peaceful forest. That seemed a good trade.

Bridget and Trevor both stood, brushing off their clothes. They wore identical expressions on their faces, although Evie never would have told her cousin so. Wide eyed and jumpy, their heads darted every direction. They looked as shocked as Evie felt. She began to follow their example. But, before she stood even halfway, a large, blue bird darted out of the forest and flew strait at her. She stumbled backward and fell flat on her bottom again. The thing bolted for her face, seemingly determined to whack her between the eyes. A hand’s distance from her nose, though, it stopped short. It didn’t slow down. It simply came to a dead stop.

Evie stared, stunned. Her eyes took a moment to focus on the vibrating animal. When they did, she realized she wasn’t staring at a bird. She stared strait into the tiny turquoise eyes of a very small girl. The girl’s sparkling blue hair flowed into two ponytails on the sides of her head and she gazed at Evie from behind red-rimmed glasses that seemed too large for her tiny face.

Before Evie could notice anything else about her, the girl’s face split into a wide grin, revealing large, white teeth. In a high-pitched and very quick voice she said, “I know you! They told me you were in the forest and that they might want to bring you here. The forest isn’t safe, you know. There are evil creatures all around. But they said that you might come here today and I waited patiently.” She giggled, “You don’t remember me, I’m sure. You were very small when your mother brought you here. I was pretty little too, to tell you the truth. But sometimes your mom would come visit us and I liked her. She hasn’t been in three summers, but we haven’t been going into your world much, so we just had to wonder. There are too many things going wrong in your world, you understand. I mean no offence. I’m sure you are not a part of it! You could stay here, though. There aren’t any rules. I know a lot about your world. I know about rules. I have been studying, you see. I learn quickly. Oh, I am glad you’ve come.”

Evie looked around for someone to help her. She had no idea how to react to this little person. Stupidly, she said, “What are you?”

Luckily, the girl seemed delighted by the question. “I’m a sprite!” she squeaked. “My name is Trina. I am pleased to see you, and I hope we can talk further, but I want to help the human teacher with some research today. Perhaps you will…”

In the middle of her sentence, Elder Banied approached the two of them and asked the sprite, “Can you take me to the one in charge of your people.”

Startled, Trina turned toward the Elder and replied, “Who would you like to see?” She sounded very confused.

Elder smiled condescendingly. “The one who leads you. Or perhaps there is a counsel? I think they will want to see me.” It made Evie a little angry. He was addressing this girl, er sprite, as if she still wore diapers. She hated it when grown people did that to her.

Trina didn’t seem angry, though. She just acted confused again. “Do you mean like a king?” She giggled, “We haven’t got a king. That’s something for humans, not sprites. We live by the divinity.” Her tiny blue eyebrows lowered in seriousness when she added, “You must, as well, while you are among us.” Her tone lightened a bit, “As well as a human can, anyway. You are not known for it, you know!”

The divinity? What in the world was that supposed to mean? Evie didn’t think the Elder knew either. He tried again, “It doesn’t have to be a king, necessarily. Just take me to whoever is in charge of you.”

The sprite smiled her broadest grin yet, “I am in charge of myself. But, right now I must go to the library. If you would like, you may come meet the human teacher. He is a man and knows more of your traditions.”

Irritably, Elder Banied nodded. “If he is an adult, I’m sure he will do for now.” Before motioning for Trina to show him the way, he called for Anna, Trevor and Bridget to come. In no time, they wandered into the beautiful wood after the sprite, who talked the whole way.

“We don’t get visitors very often. It is so difficult to come here, you see. Most of the time, if people come, they have to be brought, the way you were. But, sometimes people will learn to make it to our world on their own. Your mother could, Evie. She simply knew how to step from one world to another. I don’t think there are many humans who could. But the human teacher, Master Oilreid, can. He used to come for research. We have a fine library! Now he spends most of the time in our world. He agreed to let me learn by watching what he does, if I would run errands for him sometimes. Many sprites don’t like to watch other people, but I think you can still form your own opinions and make your own choices. There has been some discussion on the matter since the humans came. Not that it lasts long, you understand.”

Evie took the momentary pause to ask a question, “Who brought us here? And how?”

“Who?” replied the startled sprite. It seemed like she was not used to being interrupted. “We did. Didn’t you notice? We were going to days ago, to tell you the truth, but we don’t usually let humans come unless they are seeking us. We waited, but you were clearly in danger this time, so we decided to bring you. It’s much safer here. The raptons cannot enter. They are evil creatures you see, they cannot follow the divinity. Only those who can are allowed to…”
This time it was Bridget who interrupted, “What is the divinity?”

Trina blinked, clearly startled. “You don’t know? Haven’t you been taught anything at all? I memorized it when I was only a child. Okay. Let’s see…Each person is divine, precious, individualistic, and free. All that is good will uphold these values and any opposition is evil.” She sounded if she recited something she knew by heart. Evie could only shake her head, she really wasn’t sure what any of that meant. At the moment, she didn’t care very much.

Bridget did, because she spoke up again, “I think everyone agrees with that, even people in our world, good people, anyway.”

Trina shook her head, “No, some of you may believe it, but you do not live it. Perhaps I should explain. When someone is different, humans often judge that the difference makes that person better or worse: like pretty and ugly or rich and poor. It is not right. Everyone is precious. You let a few people make choices for everyone. Each person should be free to make their own decisions.”

Evie’s brow furrowed in confusion. The world could not work the way this creature wanted it to. She said so and tried to explain, “If there was no one to lead then anyone could do whatever they wished. People could steal from or hurt others without punishment. Leadership protects the rights of the weaker people.” She thought she explained it pretty well. She and Elder Banied discussed such things during lessons sometimes.

Trina smiled, “You are smart, like your mother. But you’ve missed the point. No one would hurt others or steal their things because everyone believes in the divinity. It is respect and love that should stop you from doing wrong to other people, not fear of punishment. We are here!”

Where, exactly, “here” was wasn’t clear. This part of the forest looked the same as the rest. It looked beautiful in the morning light, but certainly nothing like a village. Evie thought for sure they headed toward buildings. Hadn’t the sprite mentioned a library? Just as she opened her mouth to about to ask, the sprite held her tiny hands out in front of her and then, slowly spread them outward. The moss-covered earth split. Below it descended a set of grassy stairs leading down to a circular door that looked cut from a stone. Evie stepped back, gasping, but Trevor didn’t even hesitate. He strode halfway through the door before anyone began to follow.

Chapter Nine: Master Oilreid

Evie expected a room the size of a small closet, from what she’d seen outside. She could not have been more wrong. The room opened into a large polygon, almost a circle, but with dozens of walls connecting at corners all the way around. Shelves of books covered every wall. There must have been more books lining those shelves than stars in the sky. She stood still, just inside the room, overwhelmed by the number of books. She almost forgot about them, however, when she saw the man who stood arguing with one of the walls of books.

Even more startling, the wall of books argued back. She only saw one man in the entire room, but dozens of voices seemed to be involved in a debate. Evie had never been to a library, but she had seen books on a shelf before. They always had the spines facing outward, so a reader could see the title. These books faced the opposite way. The pages bent and flexed like mouths but whatever words they said got lost in the jumble from the other books. There wasn’t much room on the shelves, though. Evie noticed that sometimes one book would force its way into the conversation, slamming another one shut. She would have laughed if she hadn’t been so stunned.

Master Oilreid, that’s who Evie assumed this man must be, looked like a very old man, even older then Elder Banied. He had white hair and a gray, wrinkled face. Surely she’d never met anyone so old. His nose and ears fit two sizes too big and his hand seemed carved out of a gnarled tree. He stood tall to face the torrent, however.

In an instant he raised that hand to point one boney finger at the books. His voice didn’t match his face as he commanded in a roar, “Enough!” The books fell silent and he continued, rubbing his forehead. “There are obviously many different opinions on the matter. What I really want to know…” he hesitated, “From just Berkly, please, I cannot hear a thing when you are all shouting. I want to know if the talisman can be used even if we find it.”

One of the books began talking, in a smug lecturing tone. If Evie didn’t know any better she would have said the book sounded haughty about being chosen to speak. “It can be used if the one who holds it has a right to it. There are many scholars who have stated opinions on who that might include. On page 296 I have quotes from…”

The book lost its audience when Elder Banied cleared his throat loudly to call attention to himself. The very old man seemed to notice the group for the first time. He smiled broadly and walked over to them even as the book continued rambling on. “Welcome friends!” he exclaimed. With that warm smile he suddenly didn’t look so old. He looked grandfatherly and wise, but not haggard. Evie immediately felt like she could trust him. “I am so glad you have come safely through the forest. I am Oilreid.”

He offered his hand and Elder Banied shook it cautiously. “Master Oilreid,” he said formally, “I am Banied. I am an Elder in a nearby village. I should like to return home soon, but first I am seeking a place of safety for these children. I was not looking for a spritested, but I am beginning to doubt whether what I sought is really here.” He made the last phrase sound like a question.

Master Oilreid nodded. He, at least, seemed to understand. “It is here. It is in this forest, anyway. There has been a lot of trouble put into making it impossible to find. Do not feel bad that your search is proving difficult. I am sure we can find you a guide to help, but not until the forest quiets down. As you noticed, it is very dangerous right now. For the time being, I think we ought to find you a way to wash up and get some rest.” Evie thought that sounded like a marvellous idea.

Elder Banied seemed to agree, because he nodded his head gratefully. “I think we would all like to clean up, we have had a difficult journey. I am interested in speaking with you further, though…”

Master Oilreid waved him to silence, “All in good time, all in good time.” He turned to one shelves of books and hollered, “Jayson! Can you assist me for a moment, please?” Looking at Elder Banied again he smiled. “Jayson is a younger sprite. He is a philosopher, though, and very interesting to talk to. His only fault is that he gets distracted quite easily, so you have to keep reminding him of what he is doing.” As the old man turned to holler again, the shelf shimmered and a door stood in its place. Evie gasped before she could help it. Instinctively she turned around to look at the door where they had entered moments before. She was only half surprised to find a shelf of books in its place as well.

The door banged open and a sprite fluttered in. He must have been a sprite, though Evie goggled at him in surprised. She had heard stories of the creatures and they were always described as tiny girls. He was a man. He seemed more like a little version of some of the men in her village than like Trina, who still fluttered around them.

Jayson wore a tiny white shirt and brown suit, but the buttons on his vest were done wrong, so that one end hung too low and the other side’s extra material bunched around his neck. The shirt looked a mess as well. Covered in wrinkles and a little too big for the small man, Evie wondered if he had slept in it. He had a smudge of black ink on his nose that he seemed completely unaware of. A pen stuck behind one of his ears dripped more ink on his cheek, and he held an open book on his palm. His free hand moved slowly over the words on the page.

His voice sounded similar to Trina’s, though. It was a man’s voice, but high and quiet. He sounded distracted. “Oilreid, I’ve found an interesting point about…” he flipped through some pages in the book. “Where was it? Well, it’s about…” Looking up he suddenly he noticed the people all standing around. He blinked as if stunned. “Who…?” he began.

Master Oilreid cut in, “Jayson, I wanted to introduce you to some new guests who have joined us. This is Elder Banied from the nearest village.” He motioned to Anna, “This is Anna, a dear friend of Lady Gwyneth.” He put one hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “Trevor, here, is the Lady’s son.”

When the old man had mentioned the last two names, the sprite’s eyes bulged. Evie thought her face might look as shocked. How had this man known who they were? And he seemed to know Trevor’s mother. This journey created new questions whenever it even hinted at an answer to an old one.

The little sprite wasted no time. He fluttered over to Anna and Trevor shaking their hands excitedly. Well, since his hands were so tiny, he actually shook their fingers, but the gesture was clear. When he welcomed Trevor he nearly spluttered, “So good to see you. Your mother will be delighted, she worries about you so.”

At that Master Oilreid, cleared his throat loudly. They were in contact with Trevor’s mother! But Master Oilreid clearly did not want that brought to the attention of his guests for some reason. The whole thing set Evie’s mind racing. Meanwhile, the old man rambled on, “And this is Evie, a young girl from the same village. And…” he trailed off. He didn’t know Bridget’s name.

Bridget smiled warmly and picked up where Master Oilreid had left off, “I’m Bridget. Evie and I are cousins. I don’t know why we’re messed up in this, but it is a lot of fun!” Evie felt a stab of guilt. Surely Bridget wondered why this man knew Evie’s name, but not hers. She felt bad about keeping secrets from her cousin…her friend. Suddenly another thought struck her. Bridget thought this was a lot of fun? She’d run away from home, slept in the dirt, walked for days and been chased by creatures from a nightmare! Bridget had to be the coolest person Evie had ever met.

With the introductions done, the old man seemed to be in a rush. He said to Jayson, “I think we had better get these good people settled somewhere so they can clean up. If you can take Anna and Elder Banied to the pools, I will get the children put up somewhere.” He turned back to Evie and her friends, “The pools make a great bath, but there are only two. You guys will have to bathe in shifts.”

Jayson quickly took charge of Anna and Elder Banied, hurrying them out the door he had just come in. After they left, it shimmered and became a bookcase, once again. Trina fluttered up in front of Master Oilreid and began to chatter, “I am sorry I was late today, sir, I was just so excited to see Evie! I didn’t expect there to be that many in the group, did you? Are you taking them to the refugees? I think that the other children would like it. I would be happy to host them, you understand, but it would be such a bother to fit them into my tree. I think they would be very happy…”

The old man cut her off with a laugh, “We will find somewhere to settle them in, Trina. Do not worry about it.” He directed his comments to the children, “Now, tell me about yourselves. You have been on a very long and hard journey. Is there anything you need?”

Trevor answered immediately, “Where is my mother? Is she here? How do you know her?”

The old man seemed sad, “I am sorry Trevor. I cannot tell you that. She is safe. She is not here, though.” He eyed the boy’s angry stare for a minute and then sighed, “It seems to me that there must be a spy among the refugees. With all of the trouble, we have had a few others seek a place of safety here. The sprites welcome anyone who will live by their rules of equality. But, I do not think it is a good idea to spread secrets around.”

Bridget looked very confused. She asked, “But what makes you think there is a spy? Who would the spy report to?”

Master Oilreid sighed. “Why do you not sit down? I will answer your question as well as I can.” Evie stared in confusion. The room didn’t have any place to sit. But, even as she glanced around to be sure, chairs appeared behind them.

Trevor gasped. He quickly went to one knee in a smooth motion and held one hand out before him. “You must truly be a powerful souray. I am sorry, sir, I did not know.”

The old man let out an irritated sound, “Get up boy. You will quickly learn that the terms ray and souray are quite meaningless here. People are just people. They should be seen so everywhere, and would be if it were not for fools.”

Trevor’s mouth dropped open.. He didn’t bother to stand up before he said, in a haughty tone, “The souray are born superior to the ray! You surely do not think someone who cannot use magic is your equal!”

Master Oilreid shook his head slowly, “You can use magic, boy, if you are ever properly taught, but the ray have talents you do not. Can you charm animals the way this girl can?” His gesture clearly pointed at Bridget.

All three of the children stood there with mouths gaping. The old man seemed to realize his mistake because he began rubbing his eyes, with his head bowed. “Can we please sit now?” He asked. After they had all taken a chair, he began again. “I am sorry. I do not mean to get upset. Things are getting out of hand and…” he hesitated. “Let us return to where we were going in the first place. How can I help you be comfortable here?” His concern for how the children felt sounded very sincere, but Evie felt so shocked she didn’t know where to begin.

Questions swam through her head, but she wasn’t sure what to ask. What did he mean, Bridget could charm animals? She had always been good with them. Evie thought about how she had managed to catch the lizards for Trevor’s blankets. Come to think of it, many of Bridget’s pranks involved animals. But, that was just Bridget. Wasn’t it?

Once again someone else covered her silence. That happened a lot lately. She liked to think before she spoke. Bridget asked, “What do you mean by ‘charm animals’?” She sounded so intent, so curious. From her tone, she had considered this before. But if she even suspected she had some unusual talent, surely she would have wanted to talk to Evie about it! Just then, Evie remembered about her secret. Perhaps Bridget had her own reasons.

The old man sighed again. “It is probably not my place. I did not mean to bring it up. You are better off not asking any questions.”

Evie noticed Bridget’s face going hard. She knew that look. That same look managed to appear every time she intended a risky prank and Evie knew there was no talking her out of it. She appeared determined to get an answer out of this man and she wouldn’t stop pushing until it satisfied her. She said, “Master Oilreid, I mean you no disrespect. But, please, if you know something about my kinship with animals. Please tell me. I’ve know about it for a very long time. It’s only been recently that I have learned other people don’t seem to have the same ability. Where does it come from? Why can I do it? It’s not…bad? You acted like it wasn’t!”

This time the old man laughed, a rich, heartening sound. Oh Evie did like this man! “No, child,” He chuckled, “It is not bad. It is a wonderful talent and there was a time when many people could do it. I am afraid as the people move farther from the forest, into the city, the talent dies away. Souray, as they call themselves, can never do it. I was beginning to wonder if the talent had melted away forever, before I met you. I was particularly excited to meet you for that reason. I have read about it, of course, though I have never seen it before. But when I discovered that you were not aware of your ability, I was not sure I should tell you.” He smiled and laughed again, “At least, I thought you were not aware of it! Sometimes old men forget how intelligent children really are. How could you not know?!”

Evie realized she was staring at Bridget with her mouth open in shock. After only a minute, Bridget glanced back at her, smiling in embarrassment. Evie returned the smile. The next time they were alone she would tell her cousin what Elder Banied had said about her. She hoped Bridget wanted to tell her whatever secrets she kept as well.

Trevor looked like he had just been slapped when he was expecting a kiss. He kept swivelling his head from the old man to Bridget and back again. His eyes might have been about to bulge out of his head. Evie felt a little bad for him. He had been taught his whole life about how much better he was than people like Bridget. Elder Banied deferred to him a few days ago. Now he insisted the boy do chores. This man was also a souray, but he acted much more interested in Bridget than Trevor. On top of all that, they kept his mother from him. He had only come with them because of his mother. Evie could see anguish in his eyes. On the other hand, his cruel and snotty disposition upset Bridget. He had done his best to make her feel like less than nothing, and now he got what he deserved.

It appeared he decided he’d listened to Master Oilreid long enough. Without warning, Trevor stood up and walked toward the wall. He held his hands out just as Trina had. His movement had the air of practice. Evie guessed he saw this sort of thing all the time. He had grown up in a magical world after all. The wall obeyed and became a door, which Trevor immediately darted out of.

Master Oilreid made no attempt to follow. He looked after Trevor with a sad frown on his face. Evie stared in surprise. Should he be allowed to wander the forest alone? What if he left this strange spritested? What if the raptons found him again? After a minute, she remembered that the raptons wouldn’t be around during the day, but the forest still held many dangerous things. “Master Oilreid,” Evie said cautiously, “Shouldn’t we go after him? He really doesn’t know much magic.”

She fell silent when his serious blue eyes swivelled toward her. He seemed to be considering his next move. After a minute, however, he just shook his head. “He will not get hurt here. And he does not know how to leave a spritested. I think maybe the boy needs some time. These things are very new to him. He has a good heart, that one, he just needs to get his head straightened out. He spent many years being taught things that simply are not true.”

Bridget grunted as if she doubted he could ever have his head on straight and the old man gave her a sympathetic look. “I fear you will need to be patient with him, aniray. He will come around.”

“Aniray?” Bridget repeated questioningly.

The old man smiled that fabulous smile again and said, “That is what you are called, by anyone who knows what you are. Once, the word ‘Ray’ simply meant ‘person.’ So, everyone is a ray, even the souray. People were divided into different groups by their talents, though everyone was equal. The souray could use magic and the aniray could charm animals. There were others, too. It is too much to get into right now. Besides, I was going to find you a place to stay.”

Evie noticed Bridget silently mouthing the word again as a giddy smile touched her lips. It made Evie smile too. She loved seeing her cousin so pleased.