Anna Grayson and The Order of Merlin
Rescue in the Shadowed Forest

“So let me understand this.You’re actually reading the minds of all of these creatures?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s morelike… I don’t know… a way of sensing how they feel. It’s like touching a part oftheir awareness.”

“I don’t get it. What does thatmean, exactly?”

Anna sighed. “It’s hard toexplain. I concentrate and, after a while, I can kind of feel… what they’refeeling.”

“Can you teach me how to dothis… touchy-feely-thing?”

“I don’t know. Nobody taughtme.”

Gwen sat back in her chairlooking bemused. “Look, I didn’t want to say anything before, but there’sdefinitely something different about you. In all of this Guardian stuff, youstill seem to stand apart from the rest of us. Don’t get me wrong, I thinkbeing a Guardian is pretty cool, but after all those late night sessions withEric and the rest of the new Guardians about our future mission, I stilldon’t feel any closer to being what you are than when I first walked out of themirror months ago. You seem to have all of these special abilities. You’re an Animagus,you can sense how all these creatures feel, and you have this strangeconnection with magical objects. Not to mention that secret keeper thing… andthe way you move around the dueling pit. It’s like you were born to besomething I’ll just never be.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why not? It’s true, isn’t it?”

“But you make it sound like I’msome kind of freak.”

“No-no, that’s not what I meanat all. I don’t think your weird, I just wish I had some of what you got,that’s all.”

Anna was discouraged. She trulyloved Gwen; her friend had always been there during Anna’s most difficulttimes, spreading her humor and a self-assured form of strength that Anna oftenlacked. But since the end of the second task, Gwen had been acting differentlytoward her; she was too restrained of some of the more colorful pieces of hercharacter that defined her so well.

More recently, Gwen hadexhibited a startling kind of seriousness that appeared completely out of characterfor her. Worse than that, the change seemed to reveal itself only around Anna.After a time, Anna began to recognize what Gwen was doing and she decided shedidn’t like it. There was too much respect, too much value placed on thesmallest things Anna said or did. Gwen’s attitude was painfully bordering onadmiration and Anna desperately wanted to put a stop to it.

After a long moment of silence,Anna finally spoke. “Do you remember that Christmas back in California after my father gave me Apollo?”

“Your horse?” Gwen replied,puzzled by the abrupt change in their conversation. “Sure… what about it?”

“Do you remember when I madeyou sneak back up to the stables with me the next night when I was supposed tobe sleeping at your house?”

Gwen smiled. “I remember yougoing on and on about how you and Apollo were going to ride across the countrytogether. I couldn’t shut you up.”

Anna smirked. “But you didfinally agree to go with me back to the stables that night… just so I could seehim again.”

“Well… I had to. We wouldn’thave gotten a wink of sleep otherwise. Good thing it was a warm night. Can youimagine –– two ten-year old kids hiking back up Grayson Hill in our bare feetand pajamas… in the middle of the night? We must have been a sight.”

Anna smiled. “Do you rememberwhat happened next?”

Gwen frowned suspiciously andthen thought. “Well… we made it back to the stables, and I remember you were soworried Mr. Porchdow was going to haul us by our ears back to your father if hecaught us out that late,” she reminisced with a chuckle. Gwen suddenly stoppedshort and stared at Anna. “I remember… oh my God!” She started to laugh.

“We got to Apollo’s stall…”Anna said, coaxing her friend on.

Gwen threw her head back andpounded the table in a fit of laugher so intense that it startled the emptychairs next to them. She pointed at Anna. “And you stepped right in that freshpile of horse dung!” Gwen screamed hysterically, almost falling off her chairin happy delight. Anna was laughing too, each of them building momentum fromthe other as they snorted through the rest of the story.

“Oh God… that stunk soooo bad,”Anna said, wrinkling up her nose.

“It was so fresh — it was stillsteaming,” Gwen howled, covering her face.

“It was warm and squished upbetween my toes. Remember… when I tried to clean it off with Mr. Porchdow’sgloves?” Anna laughed on, holding her stomach.

Gwen leaned forward, her eyeswet with tears. “But the funniest part… was you… wanting to replace a sack to putthe poop in. You… you… wanted to save it forever!” And Gwen fell onto thetable, laughing and pounding again. “You were so proud!”

“I had to walk all the way backto your house on my heels,” Anna said, giving Gwen a playful slap on the backof her head.

“Ohhh…. my mother was so mad atus. You stunk up the whole house and she threatened to tell your father. Oh myGod… I haven’t thought about that in years,” Gwen said, rubbing the tears outof her eyes.

Anna leaned back to smile andthen took a deep breath. “Do you remember what you used to call me after that?”

Gwen paused again beforesuddenly remembering; she jumped to her feet and pointed down at Anna.“Stinky-feet!” she yelled accusingly, and she started to howl again.“Stinky-feet, stinky-feet,” Gwen sang mockingly, her head teetering side toside. “Stinky-feet, stinky-feet, stinky-feet…” and the two girls lostthemselves once more in the madness of their delight until the pain stabbinginto their ribs forced them to breathe.

After taking a moment to catchtheir breath, Anna reached out and took her friend’s hand. “Gwen, I have noidea what all this Guardian stuff really means or why I seem to have all theseabilities you say I do. I only know I love you, and I can’t stand having youtreat me differently than before.” She paused again, and then looked sullenlyinto her friend’s eyes.

“So — the next time you’reoverly impressed with something I’ve fallen into… I want you to remember thatnight in the stables. I liked you better when you were calling me stinky-feet.”

Gwen gave a snort as they satin the balmy glow of their amusement, looking only sporadically into eachother’s eyes.

“Do you remember the towels?”Gwen finally whispered.

Anna frowned before her memorysynced up once more. “Oh my God… your mother’s pink bath towels… we used them toclean my feet.” Anna started laughing again.

“They were… my… my mother’sfavorites!!” And Gwen exploded into another wave of delight before pointing atAnna again. “Stinky-feet, stinky-feet!”

TWO

March and April brought heavyrain to the Pennsylvaniamountains, and the perfumed smell of budding flowers began to fill the plateau.As the days slowly lengthened, vollucross practice was extended an hour intothe evenings as they approached the Easter break and, for Anna, the holidaycouldn’t have come soon enough. Although Eric had warned her about theimpending mountain of homework that slowly began to build up as the holidayapproached, Anna and the other first-years were left struggling to live up tothe high expectations set for them by their teachers at Castlewood.

“Does this always happen at theend of the year?” Sarah asked. She was particularly worried about the enormousamount of work in Magical Incantations.

Professor Titan had turned togiving them several pop-spells, which was his way of making sure they werekeeping up with their studies outside his classroom. But the fear of beingcalled to the front to demonstrate a given spell was easily outdone by what washappening in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Professor Van Doorn insisted theystudy the lives of many dark sorcerers, including Honszoil, Tolszewski theTerrible, Grindelwald, and even You-Know-Who…Lord Voldemort. Van Doorn was specifically interested in studying where thesewizards had come from, which in most cases seemed to center around two verydistinct locations: Durmstrang Academy in Central Europe,and one particular House within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft andWizardry called Slytherin.

Coming from a home where theDark Lord’s name was spoken openly, Anna was surprised when so many people inher class gasped when they heard her say Voldemort’s name out loud. She onlymade this mistake once.

Professor Van Doorn swooped inso fast across five rows of desks that Anna almost toppled to the floor inshock. “You are either very stupid… or very brave to speak that name openly,”Van Doorn growled, her bat-like form leaning over Anna menacingly. Anna couldsee the whites of two enormous eyes peering dangerously through her black veil.

“Since you are far too young toprotect yourself or those around you adequately… it must be ignorance drivingthese bad habits. Do not say that name in my class again until you’re sure youhave the skill to strike me down with but a single hex.” She slowly pulledback, the power in her black frame palpable to everybody in the room. “Becausethat’s what it would take to survive… He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named…even-in-my-class — ever!” She turned and glided slowly back to the front ofthe class while the wolves outside howled in the distance.

“Know this — and listen well,all of you. When it comes to the power of You-Know-Who, all of ustogether could not raise a wand against him. For doing so would mean instantand painful death before our falling bodies hit the floor.” Anna never repeatedthe same mistake again in Van Doorn’s class.

While their homework wasbecoming increasingly more difficult, Doctor Pearl also added two more days ofVollucross practice in the weeks leading up to the Easter break. Anna hadalready flown in two races following her fall over the Shadowed Forest,and she did remarkably well in the individual events. But even with Eric flyingby her side, victory always seemed to elude them. Being one of only two flyersin the Guardian Union, Anna was constantly competing against vastly moreexperienced riders, including Lannete Cobstone, who had become something of acelebrity at Castlewood with two wins and a second place finish for her LaborerUnion. With only the Easter event and the final race set for June on theschedule, Anna found herself marking Lannete as the rider to beat. But Eric’sstrategy for success only went as far as getting Anna near enough to Lannete atthe end. After that, it was going to be up to Swooper and his blazing speed tobring home the Guardian’s first victory.

When the Easter race ended, TheSpellsburg Seer had heralded it as one of the most memorable contests ofthe past decade. Just as Eric had planned, Anna found herself in second place,just one hundred yards behind Lannete at the Amber Gates. Subsequently, therace to the finish was nail biting as Anna pulled even under Peppercorn’shooves when the two entered the stadium gap. And when they finally crossed thefinish line, Anna and Swooper at long last tasted their first victory by thefeather of an outstretched wing. The stadium, already screaming loud enough tobreak nearly every spell hiding the mountain’s plateau, exploded in wildjubilation. Even those who had lost gold on the outcome happily applauded,feeling their wagers well spent in witnessing such a magnificent finish. Whenshe landed, Anna was hoisted up by her fellow Guardians and carried aloft.Tears of exhilaration were pouring down her face by the time the Guardiansfound Eric, who had entered the stadium two minutes later in third place and waspushed forward and raised up with his sister. The two riders embraced as their Union tossed them high into the air by their purplerobes. It was a moment Anna would remember for the rest of her life.

But despite the remarkableGuardian win, the standings for the school’s most prized possession over allthe others, the Chancellor’s Cup, remained unchanged. The Defenders, who hadalready taken the cup the last six years in a row, were once again far ahead ofthe other Dynasties, and in their mind the cup was already well won. For theirpart, the Guardians, owing to there being so few of them at the school, were inlast place by a distant margin, but that didn’t seem to matter to any of them.What really mattered was seeing their Unionsustained, and to do that… they needed to replace new recruits.

Eric’s on-going presentationsto the school were inspired. His enthusiasm and oratorical ability for the sakeof the Guardian’s cause was most infectious, and soon more guardians wereswelling their ranks. The push to reach fifty members after the TriwizardTournament’s second task started with Heather Thomas, a pretty first-year girloriginally from the Defender’s Union, who hadbecome the thirty-seventh Guardian. For a time, her twin brother Andrew wasalso considered a sure bet when he finally decided to reenter the Mirror ofEnlightenment, but to both his sister and Anna’s surprise, he remained aDefender.

Several more Guardians werejoined soon afterwards, a few each week, until in early May their number hadfinally climbed to forty-nine, and any thought of failing to sustain the Union quickly vanished. Even Eric, whose relentless worknever seemed to take a break, now found it hard to believe they could fail. Hiscertainty was so high in fact that Eric decided to take some time off fromdoing his presentations, confident the fiftieth Guardian would soon beannounced.

The following week, however,only brought surprising disappointments. While more students than ever werereentering the Mirror of Enlightenment, no new Guardians were announced. Dayafter day, it seemed their high hopes for success were continually setback.When the expected week of celebration had passed into a second, and then athird without any new announcements, Eric resumed his presentations once more,disappointed but still confident they would replace the one individual theyneeded.

By the time June had arrived,however, Eric’s wall of confidence was starting to show signs of stress, buttrue to her brother’s character, Anna watched him continually redouble hisefforts. He was not to be denied, not when they were so close to success.Despite the concern permeating their Guardian ranks, failure was never asubject open for discussion while Eric was in the room to hear them.

Although Eric’s efforts weregenerally considered heroic, what Gwen was doing for the Guardian cause mighthave been called fanatical. She seemed to be taking their failure to replace theelusive fiftieth Guardian as something of a personal insult and was tirelesslyfollowing Eric around the castle, helping him with leaflets, his research inthe library, and modifying his speeches to inspire more passion in those areaswhere she thought Eric was being far too analytical. At first, Anna amusedlybelieved Gwen was doing whatever she could just to spend more time with Eric,thinking her friend’s life-long crush on her older brother was showing itselfagain. But these thoughts quickly evaporated in the beginning of the secondweek of June when Anna found Eric and Gwen arguing in the hallway after one ofhis afternoon presentations.

“What in the world do you callthat?” Gwen blistered, pointing back to the lecture hall from where Eric hadgiven his speech. “You were completely flat up there. Where was the passion,Eric? My God… they were falling asleep on you in there!”

This, Anna thought, was a bitunfair. Despite the growing hoarseness in Eric’s voice, Anna believed herbrother’s efforts were genuinely brilliant. And although the fiftieth Guardianhadn’t been announced yet, more students than ever were choosing to passthrough the mirror a second time.

“Calm down,” Eric snapped back.“We had them eating out of our hands in there. Your additions to mypresentation were exactly what we needed. It’s only a matter of time before…”

“But you completely dropped theinformation on the historical sites in Britain that need our protection!You know we’re going to need that to peak the interests of some of our foreignexchange students.”

“Did you finish that? It wasn’tin my outline.”

“Yes it was!”

“No, Gwen, it wasn’t,” Ericsaid defensively, showing her the two pieces of parchment that were hissummary.

“Where did you get this? Thisis not the outline I gave you yesterday. Where are my notes on the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts?”

“They’re on my desk back in myroom.”

Gwen looked scandalized. “Whatthe hell are they doing there? They won’t do us any good sitting in your room.”Anna could see some of the other Guardians circling around the two of them,trying to hide Eric and Gwen’s argument from the other students leaving thelecture hall.

“You asked me to review thosenotes when I had a chance. I need to do that before we put them into thepresentation,” Eric replied, his voice rising sharply.

“What? You mean to tell me thatyou haven’t even looked at them yet?”

“Listen… guys,” Annainterrupted, looking around and smiling at some of the other students passingby them, “we need to take this somewhere private. We shouldn’t be seen arguingwith each other like this.”

Gwen glared at her. “Then tellyour brother to get with the program. We’re running out of time.”

“Gwen, I’m sure Eric is doingall he can to…”

“You need to calm down,” Ericinterrupted. “We don’t need anybody on the team panicking right now.”

“What?” Gwen barked, steppingforward. She began banging her finger into Eric’s chest. “Listen… my parentsnearly yanked me out of this school for doing what I thought was right for thiscause. We’re not going to fail just because you haven’t taken the time to…”

“Enough!” boomed another voiceabove them. John Dell, the burly seventh-year, formerly of the Laborer Union,was looking irritated. He took a long, slow breath before turning to Eric.

“Eric, your speech wasbrilliant. I’ve never seen you deliver better.” Gwen tutted loudly, folding herarms seemingly unconvinced. John turned to her. “Gwen, your additions to thepresentation have gathered us more potential recruits than ever before. You’reboth doing a fantastic job. So go to your separate corners and calm down beforeI pinch your heads off.” Some of the other Guardians around them started tosnicker.

After a long pause, Ericnodded. “You’re right, John.” He turned to Gwen. “Listen — I’ll meet you in thegathering space for lunch. We can go over the changes you made last night theretogether, all right?”

Gwen heaved, and then shrugged.“Fine… and… look, Eric, I’m sorry…” and Anna could tell she really meant it.“It’s just that… we’re so close now, and we’re almost out of time.”

“I know, I know, but… try notto worry about it. We’ll replace the person we’re looking for.” He looked aroundat his fellow Guardians and could tell they were all just as concerned as Gwen.“We’re going to make it. I just know we’re going to get it done.”

“Here — here,” echoed severalvoices around them.

“Lunch then?” Gwen grunted andEric nodded. She turned to go with Anna running to catch up.

As John Dell watched the crowdfall out of sight, he turned to Eric again. “You know, old friend, you need toget more sleep. Everybody can see these presentations are talking a toll onyou. Although I don’t think your yawning took anything away from the message,it’s probably what set Gwen off.”

Eric sighed. “I’ll be allright, John.” His friend looked skeptical. “I’ll hit the sack early tonight… Ipromise.”

THREE

As she was walking back to thecity after Vollucross practice that night, it occurred to Anna that despite theargument she had witnessed between Eric and Gwen, it had been a very good day.Slalom practice had gone well that morning and most of her classes were uneventful.And although her homework was starting to become increasingly heavy, Anna wasenjoying herself immensely.

Vollucross always followed herlast class, and Anna had grown accustom to ending her day soaring high abovethe lush, green-covered hills surrounding Spellsburg and taking in thebreathtaking sights of the valley below the plateau. But despite the splendorof this end of day ritual, now was the time she looked forward to the most.Walking alone near the rim of the forest, with the last of the evening’s sunwarming her face and gilding the tops of all the trees, the glowing red horizonand bruising clouds always reminded her of home; she loved this time of day.

The only thing that botheredher about her quiet walks back to the city was the occasional feeling thatsomething unwelcome was always near by. She never saw anything, of course, butshe could feel something was there; like a faint breath echoing through theback of her mind, or the sound of footsteps occasionally falling out of syncwith her own, she could feel a presence watching her every move. But every timethese feelings of uneasiness peaked her senses enough to look back, nothing wasever there. Anna eventually convinced herself it was probably something eyeingher from the forest, perhaps some creature living near the edge of the woods.

“Eric would probably think thepressure was finally getting to me,” she observed with a smirk.

Her brother had made it clearhe thought Anna was far too busy for a first-year student. What with vollucrossand slalom practice several times a week on top of her lessons, not to mentionhelping him and the other Guardians with their recruiting efforts, Ericbelieved Anna’s schedule was going to take a very heavy toll at the mostinopportune time - like during their final exams.

Anna tried to reassure to herbrother she was all right, that her time in the air was her only true outlet,her way of keeping all the pressure in check. Anna didn’t tell her brother thetruth: that deep down she still lacked the confidence to believe she belongedat Castlewood, and it was only when she was flying that she could set most ofher doubts aside. When she was in the air, the feelings of not belonging always fell away into the vastness of the open spacesaround her. Sailing over the Shadowed Forest on Swooper was theonly time she finally allowed herself to believe she was exactly where sheshould be, studying the magical heritage that was her birthright. When she wasracing around the colored gates above Slalom Stadium, Anna felt more alive and appreciativeof her surroundings than anywhere else. And despite Mr. Barclay’s ferventattempts to change her stance on a door, Anna continued to do it her own way;she was intent to show him and everybody else at the school, that regardless ofhow she might have come at Castlewood, Anna Grayson was here to stay. Annaclosed her eyes as she walked and breathed deep the woody aroma of the forestaround her. She loved this place.

And then, without warning, shefound her pace slowing and then come to a sudden stop. She turned cautiously tolook back. Was it a sound? No… more like a feeling; very much like thesensation she experienced when the ally had been watching her earlier thatyear; but it wasn’t the ally this time. The iciness of the air surrounding herwas clearly absent. Anna lowered her brow to peer down the grassy dents hersteps had made in the path behind her. Somebody was there, she was sure of itthis time.

A low rumble began to brewforth from the deepest regions of Anna’s chest. Who was it that had beenwatching her all this time, day after day, following nearly every practice,hiding somewhere along the forest’s edge and out of sight? For Anna only now beganto realize… whoever it was had been there several times before now. Her memoryof those odd feelings she had felt on each of the days leading up to thatmoment came flooding back to her. She unexpectedly understood something sheshould have known all along. Somebody… was following her.

Anna could feel something hotrising from her stomach and flowing up like boiling water into her chest. Thelow rumble turned into a growl that rattled her throat before another soundsuddenly snatched her aroused attention out of its trance, like a dry twigbeneath one’s foot.

Snap.

Anna’s eyes quickly darted intothe forest next to her. Something hidden was there in the darkness just out ofsight. But what she was sensing now was clearly different from what she knewwas following down that grassy path behind her. The growl in her chest changedto something soft and absorbing, and a gentle buzz began to emanate from herthroat as Anna stepped closer to the wooded edge to peer in. The buzz became asoft purr as she pushed a branch blocking her view aside. She could feel thebeating heart of something between her ears as she leaned in. A dark hole inthe bushes just a few feet inside was drawing her mind’s attention forward. Itwas there; she could feel its warmth, like a loved one’s tender embrace. Theloud purr in Anna’s throat abruptly stopped as she spoke.

“Trog? Is that you?” Shelistened for a response. There was no reply, but she could feel the creature’sinquisitive disposition change to one of surprise at hearing its own name.

“It’s okay… it’s me… AnnaGrayson. You saved me in the forest when I fell from my horse. Do you… rememberme?” Anna waited and listened. She could hear the creature’s two heartssynchronize their rhythm, pumping as one. He was scared; he was backing away.

“Please… don’t go. I couldn’tpossibly harm you. You realize that, don’t you?” The creature suddenly haltedand then turned curiously back to her again. Anna could feel its mass moving inclose, like a huge locomotive rolling toward her.

Anna caught herself leaningback as she spoke. “I never thanked you properly for saving my life. That was avery kind thing you did for me.” Still nothing: A single beam of golden lightwas edging its way from behind Anna’s right shoulder. If only the sun wouldmove just a few more inches to the left, it would light the dark gap where sheknew the creature was crouching and looking out to see.

“Anyway… thank you for yourkindness. If there’s anything I can do to help you, I hope you will trust meenough to let me…”

The giant creature suddenlystood to move forward before stopping short again. Anna froze, her hearthammering against her ribs. He was right there, just out of sight. She leanedto the left, allowing the light over her shoulder to pierce the shadowy gap asthe thing crouched down again. Then something unexpected fell into view andAnna smiled. Two emerald-green eyes narrowed to stare at her from out of thedarkness. The eyes, set across either side of an olive-green nose she couldbarely see, were framed with black lashes that blinked curiously down at her.The green of Trog’s eyes were speckled with black, which only heightened thetenderness in his remarkable gaze. They were beautiful.

“You… have healed, have you?”came a deep and caring voice. Anna could see the wrinkles in the corners of thecreature’s eyes lifting from what could only be a smile beneath. She smiledback. Never in her entire life had she seen eyes such as these. They seemed toemote a kind of gentleness usually reserved between babies and their mothers.Such tenderness in a gaze surely existed nowhere else in the wizarding world.

“Yes… I am, thank you. Can… Isee you? I would really like to meet you, Trog,” Anna said, hopefully. Therewas a pause, and then a sense of disappointment began to envelop her heart. Shesupposed she had expected the creature to walk out of the darkness now thatthey had spoken, but she suddenly realized that wasn’t going to happen.

“I… cannot,” said the voicewith a hint of disappointment resonating between his words.

“Why not?”

“It… is not allowed.”

“I don’t understand. We’vealready been together once before. Why can’t I see you?”

“It would be improper, itwould.”

“Why would it be improper?Certainly not to me,” Anna said, taking a step forward.

“Stop!”

“But…”

“Contact with the students isimproper. It is not allowed, it isn’t.”

Anna stepped back, herdisappointment growing. “Why can’t the students see you? I saw you in theforest. What’s the difference?”

“Trog got into trouble, he did,because he was seen that day.”

“What? You got into trouble…for saving my life? For trying to rescue me?”

“Yes, trouble.”

“But… why, by whom? Who wouldcare if you…?”

“The Captain,” said the deepvoice, and Anna froze.

“Captain Dunning? But…I don’tunderstand?”

“The Captain makes the rules,he does. Came into the forest looking for Trog after I helped you, he did. TheCaptain said I had interfered and was banned from the castle for the rest ofthe year, I was. He was angry. Angry very much, he was.”

“Captain Dunning was angryabout you helping me? But… that’s horrible. I could have died out there if ithadn’t been for you.”

“Trog… must not to be seen.”

“But I saw you on my first dayat Castlewood, in the hallway with the rest of the other first-years. You weredressed in a crimson guard’s robes, covered from head to toe in…” Anna stopped.She suddenly realized while Trog had been in the castle on that first day hehad been covered to hide the fact that he was not a wizard.

Anna looked at Trog andfrowned. “Even when you’re in the castle…”

“Trog cannot be seen. It is notallowed.”

“But you’re allowed to moveabout. You were helping the students in the castle on the first day.”

“Sometimes Trog is allowed tohelp, he is, when more guards are needed on special days. I am a guard intraining, I am, you see,” said Trog, a hint of pride building in his voice.“Captain Ramsey was Trog’s friend, he was, before Captain Dunning replaced himat the castle. Ramsey put me in training, he did. Said I was useful to his men,he did.

“But the new captain does notbelieve creatures that live in the forest should be allowed in the castle. CaptainDunning said… he said… I was not useful anymore… he did,” and Anna could hearTrog’s tumbling disappointment pouring out of the dark gap.

“Well I don’t give an owl’shoot about what Captain Dunning says,” Anna said with a sharp spike of fury.“That man’s mouth is worse than a mandrake pulled by its stems!”

The bushes in front of Annastarted to tremble and quake. And then, without warning, a loud and earthmovinghowl suddenly blasted forth. It was laughter; laughter unlike Anna had neverheard before. Robust and full of life, it boomed through the trees, causing thebirds above them to scatter. It blew Anna’s hair back as if in a stiff wind andshe couldn’t help laughing with him.

“Well — it’s — true!” she said,feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Trog finally recovered.“Mandrake… delicious, they are.” He took a long, drawing breath. “The captainis a good man, he is. He just doesn’t like the creatures of the forest thatmuch.”

Anna scoffed. Only a creatureas kind as this, she thought, could replace anything nice to say aboutCastlewood’s Captain of the Guard. She didn’t bother setting Trog right.

“They just don’t know you,Trog,” Anna said, supportively. “Nobody at the castle knows you or understandshow kind you are. If they only knew…”

“The Chancellor likes Trog, hedoes,” the creature interrupted brightly.

“Chancellor Thordarson? You…you know the Chancellor?” Anna was surprised.

“Yes. Professor Thordarsonshared tea with Trog when Captain Ramsey first brought me to the castle fortraining, he did. I don’t much like tea,” the deep and bottomless voice added.

“You… had tea, with ProfessorThordarson? With — the Chancellor — up at the castle?” Anna rambled,awe-struck. “Wow… I’m impressed.”

“Yes… the Chancellor is a kindman, he is. He came into the woods to replace me after Captain Dunning banned mefrom the castle, he did. He brought me a bucket of grubs and tea, and sat onthe stump outside my cave with me. He said he would talk with the captain aboutusing me at this year’s graduation, he would. He is… a nice wizard, theprofessor.” Anna smiled. She couldn’t have agreed more.

“That’s when the Chancellorasked me for my favor, he did,” Trog added.

“Favor? What favor?” Anna couldsee the creature’s eyes coming into view again through the gap in the bushes. Hisbeautiful emeralds blinked at her and wrinkled their edges again.

“Professor Thordarson asked meto watch over Anna Grayson whenever I saw her near the Shadowed Forest,he did.”

“He… what?”

“Anna Grayson, he said, has avery important job to do. She must be allowed to be what she was intended tobe, she must.”

For a moment, Anna wasdumbstruck. When she finally found her voice again, it was weak and shaky. “I…can’t believe the Chancellor asked you to watch out for me,” she said, inamazement.

“Why not? The shadows of theforest contain many dangers, they do. Unless…” Trog hesitated, “…unless youwould rather not have a creature of the forest give you his favor. I… I wouldunderstand if you felt…”

Anna jerked up. Realizing whatshe had done, she moved to recover quickly. “Oh, no… no… Trog, it’s not that Imind. It’s just that… I’m surprised the Chancellor would do this on my behalf.He’s a very important man and… I’m just astonished he would care enough to askyou to watch over me.” There was a pause while Anna retreated to think. Ican’t believe Professor Thordarson would go to so much trouble. Why would he dothis?

“So… you don’t mind Trog givingyou his favor, do you?” the creature asked, the hope in his voice building.

Anna smiled. “It would be an honorto be looked after by somebody as important to the Chancellor as you.” Shecould see those remarkable green eyes shining with pride.

“Good!” Trog said, brightly.“You will try to be more careful when you fly, will you? No more falling offthe winged beasts?” Anna nodded bashfully. And then the green eyes abruptlyfell away, and Anna could barely see what looked like the pointed bulge of anear to the side.

“What’s the matter?”

“Sssshhh!” Trog whisperedsharply. “You are being followed, you are.” Anna frowned, and then leaned backout of the bushes to stare down the rim of the forest again.

“Yeah… I know. Whatever it is…it’s been following me nearly everyday after practice.”

The green eyes returned to her.“You knew somebody was there, did you?”

“Well… I didn’t know for sureuntil tonight. Who is it?”

“Trog does not know; anotherstudent in red bands. What do they want with Anna Grayson? You have my favor,you do.” Anna looked back again. She could feel her blood heating up once more.

“Red bands, ay?” She lookedback at Trog. “No… it’s all right. I think I know who it is. I’ll take care ofit myself.”

Trog’s eyes widened; he seemedsurprised. “You… are sure, are you?”

“Quite sure,” Anna replieddeterminedly.

“As you wish. I will leave youto it, I will. Farewell, Anna Grayson, and remember to stay vigilant when nearthe forest’s edge,” warned the creature, who quickly disappeared into theshadows once more.

“Wait… Trog?” Anna quicklystepped forward to let the remaining light flood the gap in front of her.Nothing was there. She listened hard for the sound of the creature’s heartbeat,but he was already gone.

“For a creature so big, youcertainly are fast,” Anna said, remembering how quick and silent Trog movedthrough the hallways of Castlewood on her first day. She stepped back andstared down the grassy path behind her again.

“I know you’re there,” she saidin a deep growl.

And then, all at once, a simpleidea occurred to her and a creeping smile began to curl Anna’s lips. Shestepped into the trees again, set her bag down, and then sat. Thinking of thewoods in her far away home, she leaned back against a gnarled oak and closedher eyes. She could see her body falling away as her mind reached out and thenswooped back down to the ground behind her. The bushes and trees rushed by herin a blur as her senses focused on the faint breathing sounds of the personfollowing her. Anna could feel the thing hiding in the woods in the directionof the stadium. She remembered chasing the little chipmunk through the treesback home, and knew the creature she was hunting this time… would be far easierto catch.

Anna was getting closer. Shecould hear the thing’s heart beating as her mind raced through the underbrushalong the edge of the forest. She was passing it now, and Anna’s ghostly formturned to double back and then slowed. Crouched low and peeking through thetrees back to where Anna had disappeared was Debbie Dunning. She was spyingagain. Anna’s body smiled under the tree where she sat.

What to do… what to do?

Anna could smell Debbie’s sweatas the girl craned her neck to look over the bushes from her hiding place. Annaswooped in next to her. Dunning wouldn’t be able to see her any more than the Committeefor the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures did at home, but Anna reached outanyway.

What to do… what to do?

Then, for the second time thatevening, something deep in the woods snatched at Anna’s attention. Her etherealform slowly turned away from Dunning and then paused to peer into the Shadowed Forest again. She could feel somethingfaintly pulling at her consciousness, something familiar and recurring wasthere. It reminded her of the Drummond woman she had found lost in the woodsback at the Grayson estate. The whimpering and crying, a creature adrift withthe feelings of being completely lost and without hope; they were there oncemore. But… how could this be? The Drummond woman couldn’t be here, lost inthe Shadowed Forest three thousand miles away fromhome, and yet…the sounds andforlorn feelings of sadness were all clearly there.

Anna’s mind raced deep into theforest, searching desperately for the source of the sound, knowing withoutquestion that the vague and almost imperceptible call for help was as real asthe woods surrounding her. She covered huge sections of ground in seconds,stopping only twice to narrow her focus before resuming the search again. Shewas close now. She could hear the thing’s rattled breath. It was lost and sick,made ill by the enchanted place surrounding it. And then, at last, Anna foundwhat she was looking for in the woods. It was a man, lying on his side, wet andshivering on the cold forest floor.

“Are you okay?” she asked,reaching out unthinkingly to sooth the poor man. She had barely laid a ghostlyhand upon his shoulder when he startled and shook violently at her touch. Annasnapped back. “Oh — I’m sorry — I’m sorry. Can you hear me? Can you see me?”The man did not answer.

“Follow… must replace… replace it,”he mumbled to himself shakily.

Anna couldn’t believe her eyes,but there was little doubt about what she was now seeing. It was a Muggle. But…how could a Muggle make it all the way up this mountain nearly in sight ofCastlewood? What was more, how could he have survived all the magical beastsand creatures living in the forest around him? The very thought of it wasludicrous, and yet here he was, shivering before her in the cold.

The man’s head suddenly jerkedup. “Mustn’t sleep. Must… keep looking… replace the gold, replace the place wherehe’s hiding it.” Anna was desperate to help the man, but in her present state,she realized there was very little she could do for him.

Anna heard a growl from thebushes beside her and she looked up to see several yellow, cat-like eyespeering through the gloom in the underbrush. She had seen these creatures oncebefore when she herself had been injured and lying near death in the woods.Anna made a motion to reach out to the creatures and could tell by the way theyfell back they could see her.

“This man needs a healer. Wouldyou watch over him until I can replace somebody who can help him?” The hornedcreatures stared at her nervously for a moment and then began screeching andyowling to one another from out of their many hiding places.

“Thanks — I’ll be right back,” Anna replied,not completely certain their clan had agreed to help. Anna twisted round toreturn to the plateau, her eyes snapped open, and she found herself sittingalone once again against the old oak.

FOUR

Anna jumped to her feet and boltedout of the woods onto the grassy plateau. The sun was nearly down now. Only areddish hue remained of the light above her.

“Help… somebody help!”

She ran back to the spot whereshe knew Debbie Dunning had been hiding earlier, but nobody was there. Shelooked left and right, down the curving edge of the forest back to the stadiumand then in the opposite direction toward the city gates.

“Somebody help! There’s aMuggle in the forest and he’s been injured!” Anna knew time was running out forthe man, and she had no idea if the creatures watching over him would protecthim… or eventually try and eat him. She made her decision in an instant.Throwing her bag to the ground, she raced back into the Shadowed Forest.She knew exactly where the man was lying, but couldn’t know how long it wouldtake to get to him on foot.

Theforest was completely dark now, but Anna kept moving through the trees,retracing her mind’s path back to the man. Although the journey was much moredifficult this time, the trek seemed easy considering a man’s life was clearlyat risk. The Guardian raced through the bushes of the forest, ducking where shecould see in the darkness, and cutting around the worst areas she knew wouldblock her way. She pressed on harder when she thought of the man’s laboredbreathing and the creatures hungrily watching over him. Her heart felt like itwas going to explode from the effort.

I have to replace him, shethought recklessly, as she leapt over a fallen tree and then tripped andtumbled headfirst down a steep embankment. She was on her feet again before thelingering pain in her ribs had a chance to complain. “Hold on… I’m coming…please God… help me get there,” she breathed heavily.

Anna finally arrived at theexact spot where she left the Muggle, but to her horror, she found the forestfloor empty. Her heart sank.

Frantic, she began searchingbehind the trees, in the bushes, under the ferns. “Where are you?” she yelled,stopping quickly to listen. A faint breeze rustled through the canopy over herhead; only the wavering drone of the evening’s cicada answered her call. It wascompletely black now: Only the blue-white moon above served to illuminate thefaintest shadows around her. Anna’s body ached as she wiped her face of thesweat and scratches left from her effort to get to this spot.

“Hello? Please answer me. I’mhere to help you,” Anna called out, desperately. Her heart sank in the silence.“They took him,” she whimpered, “those little beasts must have…” Suddenly, herhead snapped around. There was a yowling cry echoing through the woods and Annastopped breathing to listen. She heard another long screech pierce the night.

“Oh God.” She dashed into thewoods again.

She finally found him. Crawlingon his hands and knees, Anna could see the Muggle struggling to get to his feetonce more. The horned beasts she had left to watch over the man were encircledaround him, crying out in the dark like a hideous cult about to initiate someominous ritual. They scattered as Anna ran over to the man who had fallen oncemore on his front. She turned him over. Shivering from cold, the Muggle lookedinto her face in disbelief, his eyes wild with fear.

“Follow… the gold,” he said,shaking uncontrollably.

“I’m here to help you. We haveto get you out of these woods,” Anna said, her eyes impulsively darting intothe trees surrounding the two of them, looking for any latent predators.

“Are you injured? Can youstand?”

The man looked at her as if shewas speaking to him in some unknown language. He stared in disbelief, trying todecide if the young girl hovering over him was real. He finally reached up andgrabbed Anna by the collar.

“Are you… a phantom… come tohaunt me again?” he said distrustfully, running a dirty hand down thesmoothness of Anna’s hair. His eyes began darting somewhere over her head,looking for something he might have seen before. “I’ve… seen things… terriblethings; things chasing me in the woods. I think… they wanted to eat me!” Annapulled him up into a sitting position.

“Are you hurt?” The man didn’trespond. “Are you injured?” She began to scan over his body in what littlemoonlight was available to her. Deciding any Muggle found in the Shadowed Forest would undoubtedly have his memorymodified, Anna took out her wand.

“Lumos!” She held herlight high to inspect the man properly. Other than the obvious signs of extremeexposure, she thought he looked well enough to travel. All that mattered nowwas getting him out of the forest.

Lowering her shoulder under hisarm, Anna heaved the man to his feet and pointed him right. Then, leading himout of the clearing and into the woods, she turned back to the creatures thathad cared for him.

“Thank your clan… for watchingover him,” she said, gratefully. The horned beasts gave a soft yowl in responsebefore darting into the undergrowth, their thick, skunk-like tails standingerect as they disappeared into moon-lit shadows. Anna swallowed hard, turnedagain, and then pushed the man onward.

Their journey together was verydifficult. After struggling for ten minutes, Anna’s legs felt like lead, andthe deep spasms of pain in her back were complaining bitterly of the man’sweight. She tried to take her mind off her body and focus it on the task athand.

“So… tell me,” she huffed,stopping to guide the Muggle around a fallen tree. “How did you come… to be… inthese woods?” The man didn’t answer her. He was mumbling and whispering tohimself absent-mindedly, showing as little regard for Anna’s presence as whenher ghostly form had first found him. Only every other word was distinguishablein his repeated mutterings.

“Must… gold. Must replace wherehe’s sending it…”

“The gold… yes, I know… yousaid that,” Anna said breathlessly, turning him once more to where she thoughtwas the shortest path back to the plateau. “Can you tell me your name, then?”

“He’s hiding the gold somewhereup here,” the man mumbled under his breath.

“I can assure you, sir… thereisn’t any gold in this forest.”

Without warning, the man pulledaway to glare at her reproachfully. His ability to stand upright on his ownsurprised her.

“There is!” he blasted backfuriously. Then, looking about to ensure nobody else could hear them, he leanedin furtively. “I’ve gone through all of his personal accounts over the last tenyears. He thought himself so clever… never thought I’d found out, but I knowwhat he’s been doing. He’s been hiding it up here, sending it all to her.”

Anna rested her sore backagainst the trunk of a tree. She thought the man was clearly near the end ofhis mental rope. She found herself wondering where Trog’s cave might be. Icould really use his strength right now, she thought wearily. Her mindfumbled through the catalog of spells she had studied at the school, but shecouldn’t think of anything that would help her in their present situation. Shelooked down at her wand’s light.

“Wait a second…” she looked upinto the high canopy for a moment and then pointed her wand skyward. “Relashio!” A blinding, purple light suddenly shot intothe air. It twisted in a spiral, traveling upward nearly fifty feet beforehitting the canopy and exploding into a shower of yellow sparks. Large twigsand branches began to rain down upon their heads and the man screamed in terroras he ducked behind a tree to hide himself. What little connection the twomight have shared in their short journey together was now completely lost asthe man took off in a panic through the woods.

“No, wait… STOP! Oh – no,” Annamoaned, before reluctantly chasing after him. She caught up with him only afterthe man had nearly knocked himself unconscious on a low hanging branch in thedarkness.

“Please stop… please!” Annapanted, holding a dagger of a stitch in her side. She watched the man feeblytrying to get to his feet once more. He staggered: Hitting the top of his headon the same branch a second time, his knees buckled and he crumbled to theground once again in pained exhaustion. Anna dropped to her knees next to him.

“I’m… sorry,” she wheezed. “Ididn’t… mean to frighten you. I won’t do it again, okay?”

After a long rest, Anna helpedthe man to his feet again and shouldered him onward. “At least you were headingin the right direction this time,” she said, sounding exasperated.

“Must… replace… Drogo…” the mansaid in a sobbing whisper and Anna froze.

“What did you say?” Annastepped out from under his shoulder to look at him again.

“Follow the gold…” repeated theman breathlessly. “He’s sending it to Drogo.”

Anna’s jaw dropped, her mindsuddenly racing in several directions at once. There was only one person in thewhole world that Anna knew was sending gold to Drogo prison. But… how wouldthis Muggle know about that, and why would he risk his life to travel up herelooking for it? It was impossible to believe what she was thinking. Shetried to refocus her mind.

“Listen… my name is Anna… AnnaGrayson.” She held her breath, looking for any reaction. The man’s facesuddenly jerked up.

“Grayson! Yes — yes! Graysongold… on its way to Drogo. I have to replace the gold… replace out where he’s hidingit… and then I’ll have him. I’ll get to the truth of what he’s doing up here.”

Anna’s brain was reeling. Whatshe thought was just a stranger lost in the forest was now something completelydifferent. Somehow, inexplicably, this man was intent on replaceing Drogo prisonand the gold her father was sending there. But why, and who was this man?

“Stay where you are!” came avoice behind them, and Anna wheeled around to replace Debbie Dunning standingthere. The wand in her outstretched hand was pointed directly at them.

“Debbie…?” Anna said insurprise, and at the sound of her name Dunning’s arm stiffened.

“I’ve got you now, Grayson,”the girl said, steadily. She was standing rigid with a look of utter triumph insharp relief in the pale moonlight. “I knew that if I followed you long enoughyou would trip up and do something stupid. The Shadowed Forestis out of bounds, Grayson; that’s a very serious offense for a first-yearstudent.” Debbie smiled. “I’m afraid this will call for a punishment far worsethan cleaning out those bins in the stables.”

Despite Debbie’s insolence,Anna was actually happy to see her. “Listen…” Anna said, trying to explain,“…we’ve got to call for help. This man…”

“Pity more Graysons aren’t herewith you,” Debbie interrupted her, “I could’ve had the lot of you on the nextboat out of here.”

“Must follow the Grayson gold…”muttered the Muggle.

“Who is that with you?” Debbieyelped in surprise, her wand quickly moving to point at the stranger she onlynow realized was standing behind Anna in the shadows.

“I found this man in the forestback there. He’s lost, and he’s … not right in the head.”

“Follow the gold…” whisperedthe man again.

“Sssshhh,” Anna warned beforeturning to Dunning again. “I heard him calling for help from the plateau and Icame to see… if I could help.”

Debbie looked unimpressed.“What nonsense is this?” She pointed her wand toward the ground and bellowed, “Lumos!”She pointed her light at the man still muttering under his breath. “What is… isthat… a Muggle?”

“Yes. As I said, he’s lost andvery weak. I heard him calling for help.”

Debbie looked in the directionof the woods from which she had come and then turned to stare back at Anna.“You’re lying,” she sneered, adjusting her aim again. “The plateau is close toa mile away. You couldn’t possibly have heard anybody calling for help back there.What are you on about, Grayson? What are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything? Wehave to get this man to a healer immediately.” She turned and grabbed the man’sarm and stepped him forward. “So either help me, or get out of my way.”

Debbie smiled as she pointedher wand at Anna again. “You’re not going anywhere until I get to the bottom ofthis,” she said menacingly. “You’ve been caught out of bounds, and meeting witha Muggle in the Shadowed Forest. You will explainthis, now!” Anna could feel her stomach tighten with rage.

“Find the gold… must replace theGrayson gold…” drummed the Muggle hypnotically.

“Quiet!” Anna snapped back.

“What was that, Muggle? Whatdid you say?”

“He didn’t say anything. I toldyou, he’s not right in his mind. The Muggle repelling charms in the forest areconfusing him.”

“Shut-up, Grayson! Don’t makethings worse for yourself by trying to hamper an investigation.”

“I’m not hampering anything,and you’re not a proper investigator anyway! I don’t have to explain myself toyou.” Anna stepped forward again, pulling the man along with her.

“Relashio!” Debbiebarked, and a flash of sparks exploded at Anna’s feet. The Muggle screamed andthen fell to the ground.

“Stop it! You’re scaring him. Itold you… he doesn’t understand any of this!”

“You’re not going anywhereuntil I say,” Debbie sneered.

“Must replace the Grayson gold,”said the man shakily. “He’s sending it to…”

“Be quiet!” Anna warned.

“What Grayson gold is hetalking about? Is that why you were meeting him here?”

“I told you, I wasn’t meetinghim. I was helping him.”

Dunning wasn’t listening.“Muggle! Tell me about this gold!”

“Leave him be… he’s not well…”

Debbie glared at Anna. “If youopen your mouth once more, I’ll stun it shut,” she warned.

Anna had heard enough, shewasn’t going to let Debbie Dunning put the man’s life at risk any longer. Annamade a move to raise her wand.

“Expelliarmus!” Debbieyelled, and as the light of the girl’s wand was extinguished, Anna’s wand wasyanked away. Like steel to a magnet, it soared straight into Debbie’s waitinghand.

“Give that back!” Anna roaredangrily.

Debbie stared at the purpleheart in her hand with a look of one holding something covered in mud. “Carefulnow… I can still break it in half, you know,” she said, twisting an ugly smile.

Anna glared back at her. “And Ican still break your face!” she growled, stepping forward.

Debbie’s smile fell, replacedby a sharp mark of recollection. She recovered quickly. “But not before I cutyour Muggle friend there in half,” she replied, taking aim at the man again.“Now… step… back!”

Anna had no choice. She movedback until she was even with the man next to her again and she put a hand underhis arm in an effort to sooth him.

“That’s better… good. NowMuggle… we’re going to have a little talk, you and I. Do you understand?” Theman wasn’t listening to her.

“Must… replace Drogo,” he said,looking around as if to choose in which direction to resume his quest.

“Drogo, did you say?” Debbieshot back in alarm. “What about Drogo?”

The man swayed dangerously tosurvey the woods around him, but nothing Debbie said seemed to breach the fogengulfing his confused mind. A few words occasionally snapped his attentionstraight: Drogo, and gold, and the name of Grayson.

Anna’s mouth had gone dry withfear. She had no idea what the man would say next. And though she wanted toknow his story more than anybody, she didn’t want Debbie Dunning anywhere nearhim to listen.

“Have to replace Drogo… replace outwhere he’s hiding the gold,” the man repeated.

Debbie’s eyes brightened. Andthen… a strange look of triumph seemed to pass over her face. “So, Muggle,you’re looking for the gold that was sent to Drogo prison. I… see.” She lookedat Anna and smiled. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Whose gold are you searchingfor?” She turned to stare at Anna again, her face a bizarre study of unbentconquest. “And… who were they sending it to?”

The man looked up quickly.“Grayson gold — gold, I believe, Boris Grayson has taken from several accountsaround the world.”

“That’s a lie,” Anna snappedback.” My father didn’t take anything. That gold was sent as a donation forthe…” she suddenly stopped, glaring furiously at Debbie. “It’s of no concern toanybody outside my family.”

“For the health and welfare of those in Drogoprison…” Debbie finished with a smile, and Anna’s eyes widened in surprise.Debbie looked on the verge of giddy delight. “What’s the matter, Anna? Yourlittle secret not as safe as you might have thought?” Her eyes were sparkling.“Don’t worry. I already know all about what you’re hiding in Drogo Prison.”

What once was a steady,building anger within Anna’s gut was suddenly shunted for the sake ofuncertainty. “What are you talking about?” she blurted out angrily.

Debbie’s attention seemed towander for the briefest moment. “What I don’t understand is… how you found outDrogo was even up here,” the girl continued. “Top secret information, that is.Only a small number of wizards in the entire world know Drogo’s real location.”

Anna glowered back at her.“I’ve known about Drogo all year. So what? If it’s supposed to be such a wellkept secret, why do you know about it?”

Debbie shook her headderisively. “Because my brother is Captain of the Crimson Guard, of course, youbrainless twit. He’s responsible for all the guards on this plateau, includingthose of his lieutenants in the city, in the castle, and… those stationed atDrogo too.” She paused and then pointed her wand at them again. “That’s how Icame to learn… about your family secret there.” Anna frowned.

“Oh… how I’ve longed to be theone to tell everybody at Castlewood about you.” Debbie’s lips curled into asneer. “The Graysons — who always put their family honor above all; always… soproud. Oh… if only I could tell them the truth,” she said mockingly.

Anna was caught speechless. Theline separating her anger and confusion had now been reduced to a razor’s thinedge. She had no idea what Dunning was talking about. What Grayson family secret did she think she knew? Anna found herbrain caught between two extremes. She desperately wanted to know what Debbiewas ranting about, but she also knew from the pleasure it seemed to be givingher it wasn’t going to be good.

“I can’t tell you how long I’vewaited for this opportunity,” Debbie continued. “I couldn’t say anythingbefore, of course, because it would mean by brother’s job if I told anybodywhat he told me about the high and mighty Grayson clan.”

Anna’s blood was pounding inher ears. She could feel a deadly coldness swelling in her heart. “Either tellme what you’re talking about, Dunning, or shut your mouth. I don’t know whatyou and that brother of yours think you know about my family, but if you’replanning on walking out of these woods in one piece…”

“Didn’t you ever wonder why mybrother didn’t throw you off this mountain after you attacked him in hisoffice?” Debbie said, cutting Anna short. “Didn’t you wonder why he didn’tstomp you like a bug the moment you raised a hand to strike him? Did you reallythink my brother would allow a student, worst of all –– a Grayson, to do whatyou did without a self preserving reason?”

Anna couldn’t replace a way toanswer. At the time, she knew Captain Dunning was hiding something. She hadconvinced herself it was because she had accidentally found Drogo’s locationthat kept him from expelling her after she attacked him; but now… she wasn’tsure of anything.

“Other than a select few out ofthe Ministry, nobody knows where Drogo is except for my brother and the menunder his command in the Shadowed Forest. Even Drogo’sguards must have their memories modified after their tour of duty there isover. These precautions are meant to keep Drogo’s location a secret after themen are reassigned. Not even those who have family imprisoned there are allowedto know where their relatives are locked up. If word ever got out that somebodyhad discovered Drogo’s location without the SecretKeeper’s knowledge…”

“It would mean your brother’sjob,” Anna finished for her.

Debbie shrugged. “He could havemodified your memory at the time, of course, but that would’ve been much toorisky to do on a student. He should have done it anyway… but your attack on himmade that completely unnecessary, didn’t it? My brother knew you would neverutter a word about Drogo if he threatened your expulsion from Castlewood.”

The man next to Anna began tomoan again, holding his head in obvious pain. Anna could see the charms of theforest were extracting a terrible toll on him.

“So… how did you replace out aboutDrogo, anyway?” Debbie asked. “Did your father tell you?” The sinister shadowof something evil was invading the girl’s voice. Anna glared at her, notwilling to reply. “No… I suppose not,” Debbie answered herself. “Not even thepowerful Boris Grayson is allowed to know where the prison is. My brother toldme your father always uses a blind port key within the Ministry just likeeveryone else when he comes in for a visit. So how did you replace out?”

“If you must know, I saw itduring vollucross practice,” Anna growled back.

“Liar!” Debbie seethed. “Nobodycan see Drogo from the air. You couldn’t see Drogo even if you were standingright next to it.”

Anna grinned. For the briefestmoment, she was enjoying Debbie’s uncertainty. “Have it your way, then. Isuppose it just came to me in a dream.”

There was a pause between thembefore Debbie raised Anna’s wand. She seemed to be studying it pryingly. “Youtold me in the dueling hall this belonged to your mother, isn’t that right?”

Anna was surprised by thequestion. Although she couldn’t remember giving Debbie this bit of information,she couldn’t remember much of anything about that day in the pit. Except, ofcourse, for the blood, she remembered everything about Debbie Dunning’s blood.A low growl rumbled deep within Anna’s chest as she peered out at Debbie fromunder her lowered brow.

“Yes… that was my mother’swand,” she said, suddenly replaceing it difficult to speak.

“So many little secrets…”Debbie cooed, in a light singsong voice. “The Graysons do love theirprivacies.” She looked at Anna again and smiled. “Tell me, when was the lasttime your mother saw her wand?” The Muggle groaned again. He sounded like Gwenin response to Debbie’s question.

“What?” Anna snapped back.

Debbie smirked in the relaxedand contemptuous way Anna always hated. “So… how is ol’ mummy these days?”

The words hit Anna like a blowto the stomach. She glared at Debbie angrily. “My mother is dead,” she snarledback before raising a pointed finger, “and be careful what you say next,Dunning. One more word about my mother… and I’ll tear your head off.”

Debbie smiled at the threat.“Dead, is she? Oh… what a shame. I had assumed that she was just letting youborrow her wand.”

“Must replace Drogo…” the Mugglemoaned again. His words snapped Anna’s attention away from Debbie. Feelingenormous pity for the man, she reached over and took him by the arm once more.

“By the way… how did yourmother die, anyway?”

Anna jerked up and glared backat the girl. She had heard enough. “None of your business. Now give me back mywand!”

“Oh… but why? We were havingsuch a friendly little chat. It’s fun sharing secrets just between us girls,don’t you think? I would have thought that, after all this time, you would wantto tell somebody about the secret your family keeps locked away inside Drogoprison.”

“Drogo?” yelped the Muggle.“Where is it? Is it close by? I’ve been looking for it.”

“What are you talking about?”Anna snarled back. “My family… they don’t… what the hell…?”

“The secret’s out, Anna; thebig one,” Debbie retorted, triumphantly. “The one I’ve been dying to tell yourlittle Guardian friends all year long. I wonder… how many will go back to theirold Unions once they replace out the truth. Oh, boo-hoo… no more Guardian Union,one more attempt for Grayson glory wasted away.”

“Shut up!” Anna screamed,balling her fists in rage. “Shut… up!” Her frustration began to spill out in arush. “You and that brother of yours are the foulest people I’ve ever known.You’re evil, hateful — rotten to the center, and as much as I’ve tried to avoidthe both of you, you just keep coming. Following me everywhere, looking to getme into trouble. And now you dare to threaten a lie against by family? I’ve hadenough of you. If it means being thrown out of Castlewood to see your brothergone, then for the sake of all the other students I’m ready to do it. In fact,I can’t wait!”

Debbie looked surprisingly calmas she raised her wand at Anna. “Would you really? Would you go down in flamesjust to ruin my brother?”

“Yes! I’m tired of this.Castlewood isn’t worth seeing the two of you everyday. I’ve had it!”

“And what about the rest ofyour family? Would you also see them disgraced for the sake of ruining mybrother?”

“This has nothing to do with myfamily. I was the one who hit your brother. The rest of my family didn’t haveanything to do with that.”

“But once the secret gets outabout what you’re hiding in Drogo, I’m not so sure the rest of your clan willbe able to show their faces on this plateau ever again.”

“For the last time –– my familydoesn’t have any secrets!”

Debbie’s eyes suddenly sparkledmaliciously in the pallid moonlight. She stepped forward. “Oh really? Whatabout…that little secret… concerning your mother being locked up in thedungeons of Drogo?”

Anna was horror-struck. AtDebbie’s words, she stumbled back on weakened knees. There was something thatsuddenly flashed hot down in her throat. “How… dare you…” Anna whispered,barely getting the words out of her mouth. “How dare you… say such a thing!”

Debbie was smilingtriumphantly, enjoying the pain her words instilled in Anna’s reaction.

“You stand there… and dare… toeven speak of my mother, and then say something like that? I’m gonna rip youapart!” Anna suddenly came forward.

“Stop — or your Muggle friendgets it,” Debbie yelled back.

It took Anna another two fullsteps before halting. She pointed threateningly at Debbie. “If you say anotherword, I’m warning you…”

“Oh… I guess the truth wouldcause a bit of pain,” Debbie sighed in mocked remorse, and then she smiledagain. “It does my heart good to see a Grayson in pain. It’s no wonder, havinga lunatic for a mother can be somewhat difficult to…”

“I said, shut your disgustingmouth! I won’t have you telling lies about my mother.”

“Lies?”

“Yes, lies. My mother is dead.”

Debbie shrugged. “Well… Isuppose being dead in one’s mind might be considered dead in reality, but Idon’t think her jailers at Drogo would agree.”

“My mother is not in DrogoPrison! She died thirteen years ago. It was an accident.”

“Now who’s lying?” Debbie saidinsufferably. “You can’t hide anymore, Anna. My brother told me the truth afteryou attacked him earlier this year. I’ve never seen him so angry than on thatday, and I couldn’t believe it when he told me what you did. I couldn’t believehe didn’t kill you on the spot. That’s when I told him I would do it. I wouldgladly make your life a living hell every moment of every day. We saw ourchance that day in the dueling hall, but again you got away with putting yourhands on a member of the Dunning family, on me! That’s the day I saw you forwhat you really are… a freak. Another Grayson secret kept hidden from theworld. Anna Grayson, the half-human beast; some kind of deranged creature on thepath to being just like her mother — locked in a cage.”

Anna could barely hear Debbie’swords. Her blood boiled with rage while her heart began giving off sharpcrackling sounds, freezing into a mass of blackened ice. The Lethifold wantedto belch forth from out of her soul and attack, but Anna knew something biggerwas coming. From the deepest regions of her core, a bottomless growl issuedforth, and Anna realized something terrible was trying to push its way forward.Although she didn’t know what it was, she clearly understood its nature; itwanted to finish what it started when it tried to kill Debbie in the dueling hall.

“I can’t wait to tell the wholeworld the truth,” Debbie continued. “Anna Grayson’s mother, a prisoner insideSaint Drogo’s Hospital for Incurable Lost Causes.”

“SHUT UP!” Anna screamed,dropping to her knees to seize her buzzing head. She glared up at Debbie’s formnow blurring in and out of focus in front of her and Anna snarled. Crouchinglow, she wanted with all her strength to spring at the thing laughing at herjust a few feet away.

“Oh my God…” came a voice toher right, and Anna snapped around to glare at the Muggle who was sprawled onthe ground next to her. He began kicking his feet outward, trying to scrambleaway from her. He could see the narrow cat-like eyes staring hungrily at him,her jaws widening, and fangs – luminescent, white daggers glowing in themoonlight. Anna raised a hand to strike at the man and then caught herself. Shestared disbelievingly at the massive black claws now protruding from her ownhalf-fingers.

“Don’t hurt me,” the manyelled, trying desperately to move away from her.

“Lumos!” yelled Dunning,and a beam of white light cut the space between them once more.

Anna turned to hide her face. No.She couldn’t let Debbie see her like this. A cold stillness hovered within thedarkness surrounding them; even the insects were quiet in the unexpected lightof Debbie’s wand.

“I don’t believe it,” Dunningsaid softly, staring at Anna’s back crouched low on the ground before her. “Youreally… didn’t know… did you?”

Anna was taking slow calmingbreaths. It’s a lie. Debbie is lying. It wasn’t true.

“Oh… this is even better than Icould have imagined,” Debbie gloated evilly. “So… daddy Grayson didn’t eventell his own daughter that her mother was still alive, did he?” She laughedderisively. “Oh… how very nice.”

Anna was staring at her hands,flexing them in what little moonlight was available to see; they had returnedto normal. It took every bit of strength she possessed to push the beast withinher back down again; to rip the creature’s lock on her will away and swallow itback down. She glared up into Dunning’s light.

“You’re lying, and I don’t haveto listen to your vicious ranting anymore. Come on,” Anna said, grabbing thecowering man by the arm and yanking him rudely to his feet again. “I’m gettingyou out of here.”

“Relashio!” Debbiebellowed, and Anna looked up in time to see the canopy above them exploding ina shower of sparks. The Muggle began screaming again.

“Difreplaceo— Relashio — Difreplaceo — Relashio!” Debbie wasfiring her wand upward. Again and again, the blasts exploded into the trees andbranches above them. Huge pieces of wood and debris were falling down like rainas Debbie continued to plow her way through, trying to get a signal out intothe night sky. Anna was sheltering the crying man, trying to calm his terrifiedpanic. Finally, Debbie broke through and they saw an explosion like fireworkshigh in the sky beyond the treetops.

“Periculum!” Debbiebellowed again, sending another stream of red sparks streaking into the air.

“That ought to bring half thetown,” Debbie bragged. “Our Muggle friend will soon be on his way home again,minus the ability to remember where he’s been, of course.” Debbie smiled. “Whatdo you think? I suppose I could save the guards a lot of trouble and try wipinghis memory myself. I’ve never done it before, but I’ve always wanted to try.”She raised her wand.

“You leave him alone,” Annayelled back, stepping in front of the man.

“Have it your way,” Debbie saidinsipidly, lowering her arm. “But I would think, you of all people, would wantto keep this man quiet, given what he could tell them about your family.”

Anna glared at her. “This mancan’t hurt my family, and nobody’s going to believe your ugly lies.”

Debbie frowned. “You know… I’mgetting tired of you calling me a liar. I guess I can understand why youwouldn’t want to believe me, seeing how that would make your father the onewho’s been lying to you.” She walked over to the man cowering low against atree and paused to stoop down.

“But there is one sure way ofreplaceing out if what I’ve told you is true.” She looked down at the man. “Muggle— you never answered my question.”

“What? I’m sorry… are thefireworks over?” the man answered, somewhat bemusedly.

“Idiot…” Debbie muttered. “Tellme Muggle… you said Boris Grayson was sending gold to Drogo?”

“Yes — yes… Grayson gold… Imust replace Drogo.”

Debbie looked up and smiledwickedly at Anna again as she spoke. “And… to whom was Grayson sending thisgold?”

The man looked up at the twogirls in turn and, for a moment that seemed undying, Anna’s heart stopped.

“He was sending it … to hiswife… for the care of his wife at Drogo.”

Anna stood there looking at theman, his words echoing through her head like gunshot in an abandoned cave. Shecould hear her father’s voice argue back — She died in an accident. Butwas that really the truth, or was there another truth?

Anna turned to Debbie. “If yourepeat these lies to anybody… I’ll see to it you and that brother of yoursare...”

Debbie was smiling. “I don’thave to say anything now, because… you see…” she leaned in, coming so closeAnna could feel her breath brushing against her cheek, “I prefer to destroy myenemies…from within.” Anna angrily stepped forward and found the point of herown wand pressing into her chest. Debbie was laughing maliciously as Annasnatched the purple heart out of her hand.

“Just remember what I said,Dunning. If I hear you repeating any of this to anybody…”

“Who goes there?” came anothervoice from the woods. “Identify yourself, immediately!”

“It’s Debbie Dunning,” Debbiehollered back. “We’re over here.”

“You the one sending up thesparks?”

A moment later, at least twentyCrimson Guards began pouring out of the woods and on doors and brooms throughthe burnt gap in the canopy overhead.

FIVE

Later that night, Doctor Pearlwas escorting the Muggle away on a floating door. Anna could see the man lookedunconscious.

“The poor dear,” Pearl said, shaking herhead. “Lost for three days in the Shadowed Forest… with no food orwater? It’s a wonder he survived the nights, never mind the creatures in thesewoods. You’re in good hands now,” she said lovingly, taking the man’s limp handin her own as one would a lost child. “You’ll be right as rain in no time.”

“And you say… you’ve never seenthis man before, Miss Grayson?” asked John Hayman. The lieutenant was standingnext to Anna with a quill in his hand, writing his report on a piece of rolledparchment.

“No… I’ve never seen him beforetonight,” Anna replied.

“But he knows your father. Hekept repeating Boris Grayson’s name when I was questioning him. Any idea why hemight have come up here?”

“No… I only know what he saidwhile I was with him. He was looking for a place called… Drogo Prison,” Annaexplained, glowering over at Debbie who was giving her own account of theevening to another guard. Was she telling them lies about her mother?

“Yes… I heard him mention thattoo,” Hayman replied. “He also said something about looking for gold before wewiped away his memory. Poor devil; God only knows how he even heard about DrogoPrison, never mind why he might have thought it was up here, of all places.”Anna watched Hayman’s face for any furtive signals. There weren’t any. Shecould tell the lieutenant had no idea Drogo was just over the northernmountains.

“Strange… very strange indeed,”he hummed. “The Ministry is going to have a difficult time explaining all ofthis.”

“Sir…” interrupted anotherguard, walking up to them.

“Yes, Tom. What is it?”

“We found a photo ID on theMuggle.” He handed the man’s wallet to Hayman, who flipped it open.

“Says here his name is SidneyHeidelbach… from Chicago.”He looked up at Anna again. “Ring any bells?” Anna shook her head. Haymanheaved and then shrugged unknowingly. “Well… it’s a good thing you heard himcalling for help. I don’t think he would have lasted another night out here inthese woods.”

“Can I go back to the castlenow?” Anna asked the lieutenant, trying to sound tired.

“Yes… of course. I think thatwould be best. I’ll have a couple of my men escort you back.” He snapped hisfingers and a Crimson Guard stepped forward and nodded.

“This way, Miss Grayson,” theguard said, pushing the branch of a tree aside to show her the way out.

Anna said nothing the entiretrip back to the city. Too many thoughts were stampeding through her head toallow for idle conversation. What Debbie Dunning said wasn’t true. Itcouldn’t be true. And yet, everything Anna could sense of the truth toldher that Debbie did believe it. And what about this Muggle man, this SidneyHeidelbach person? What was his connection to all of this, and how could thisstranger confirm what Debbie had said? It had to be a lie. My father wouldn’t…he couldn’t have lied to me, not about my mother. How could Victoria Grayson,the woman my father loved so much, be locked away in Drogo prison?

She began searching her memoryfor every conversation she had shared with her father about her mother. Had hebeen hiding something from her for all these years? Was it possible that hermother was alive? And then, as Anna was about to step across the drawbridgetoward the castle, she stopped. She remembered the words her father had saidwhen he was comparing Anna’s anger to that of her mother.

“You must… stay your control, because… even the briefest moments ofmadness can lead… to the loss of one’s sanity. Never allow your anger to gothat far, Anna. For even touching the edge of madness… is like summoning theabyss.”

Tears began to leak down Anna’schecks. Had his words represented some practical knowledge, or were they fromhis own personal experiences, something he had seen… perhaps… in her mother?

“Miss Grayson?” Anna looked upand saw her Crimson escort standing in the castle’s gate. “It’s getting late,you should be inside,” he said, motioning her through the iron portcullis. Annaran across the bridge, through the archway and into the courtyard, barelynoticing the tiny whispers inside the walls as she passed. When the sound ofthe gate closed behind her, she stopped again and looked into the night sky.The stars were blurred from the tears welling in her eyes.

“No… it’s not true. It can’t betrue. Debbie is a liar!” She looked up at the castle’s enormous edifice, andcould see the silhouette of a man pacing across the window in the Chancellor’soffice.

“There has to be a way to replacethe truth,” she said, staring at the shadow behind the glass. “There must be someway I can…” she saw the glimmer of something red flash in the window, and itsuddenly hit her.

“Of course…” she whispered,surprised that she hadn’t thought of it right away. She marched determinedly upthe steps and burst through the front doors of the castle where another guardstood on duty inside the foyer.

“Curfew begins in ten minutes,Guardian. Do you know where you’re going?”

Anna never looked back. “Yes… Iknow exactly where I’m going,” she said, running up the marble staircase. “Ihave an appointment… with a gorilla.”

The guard frowned as Annadisappeared at the top of the stairs and into the hallway beyond.