The next few weeks went by quickly. Valerie communicated with Henry every day through an enchanted mirror that hung in Dulcea's room. Kanti was unchanged, and Henry was pale, but he still had hope in his eyes. Valerie trained intensively with the Knights, and her magic slowly began to return, like a puddle in the core of her being. She couldn't get used to being stopped on the streets by people who wanted to meet her, but at the Knights' Guild, they were beginning to adjust to her and she wasn't constantly in the spotlight.

Every night she visited Thai, and even though she couldn't touch him, it was the best part of her day.

"What you've got to do is interview Chrome's suspects," he suggested one night. "You're really intuitive when it comes to understanding people. Maybe interacting with them will give you some clues."

She shuddered a little. "My biggest suspect is Sanguina. But I don't want to go near her."

"I don't get it. Why are Azra and the other Guild Masters even letting her live in Arden?"

"She used to be very powerful in the Guardians of the Boundary Guild—they're the ones who defend the barrier between Earth and the Globe," she explained. "Supposedly she's being very useful in helping to block any Fractus who are projecting to Earth. But I think the real reason is that everyone feels guilty for abandoning her after Zunya turned her into a vampyre. And now that she's back to her old self, they want to let bygones be bygones."

"Never mind that she mentally tortured a kid!" Thai said indignantly.

"Don't get me started."

"I have an idea. Why don't you talk to Midnight and see what she thinks?" Midnight was the Grand Master of the Guardians of the Boundary, and the Conjuror who had coached Thai through his adjustment to magic.

"Don't you think it would be a little weird, showing up and asking her twenty questions?"

"It's a heck of a lot safer than talking to Sanguina. What's the worst that could happen?"

"She could send me back to Earth," she joked.

"And would that be so bad?" he said, and his eyes locked on hers and turned her brain to mush.

"No," she whispered softly. "I think I could live with that." He touched the air next to her face, and she could swear she felt warmth on her cheek. She drew in a breath.

"Night," he said, finally breaking his gaze.

She returned to the Globe, but her head was still in the clouds.

She decided to take Thai's advice. The next day, she and Cyrus left the dorm to find Midnight.

"It's good to be on another adventure with you," he said with a mischievous wiggle of his eyebrows.

"This is serious!" she insisted, but she couldn't help sharing his excitement.

They exchanged theories about who the spy could be as they walked to the sweeping building that housed the Guardians of the Boundary. Once they were there, she was struck again by the magnificent structure, which reached up to the sky like a white cathedral. Inside was just as she remembered it, with muted light through stained glass exuding peace.

Cyrus led her up an elegant, winding staircase to a dark wood door engraved with a crest of two crossed swords. He knocked in a strange rhythm—knock, knock, KNOCK, knock knock.

"It's a code," he explained with a smile. "Midnight always makes time to see the kids from the Society of Imaginary Friends who visit to tell her about Sightings of Fractus on Earth, but sometimes she doesn't answer for anyone else. She gave us the knock so she'd know it's important."

Midnight opened the door to an elegant office with a huge wooden desk, a blazing fire in a stone hearth, and a globe of Earth that was spinning slowly. Magic had made cloud patterns appear to be floating across Earth, like an image from space.

Midnight saw her staring and explained, "It's a true reflection of Earth at this exact time. I can zoom in anywhere and view what's happening in a specific location."

"That is so cool," she said, shaking her head.

Midnight smiled, and Valerie noticed that she had cut her purple hair short. It made her look younger, though her violet eyes still had the ageless quality to them that she remembered.

"I hope you're here to join us as a recruit," Midnight said.

Valerie shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I apprenticed to the Guild of the Knights of Light. I love what you do here, but somehow I think that's where I belong."

Midnight nodded her head briskly and hid the disappointment that flashed through her eyes. "So what brings you here?"

Valerie was uncomfortable. Cyrus must have sensed her hesitation, because he jumped in. "We're worried about Sanguina. We've heard there might be a spy in one of the guilds, and there's every reason to think it could be her."

Midnight nodded thoughtfully and gestured to several elegant chairs by the fire that were upholstered in rich red velvet. They all sat down, and she said, "I can understand your concern, given what she put you and your brother though."

Valerie was surprised that Midnight knew her history so well.

"Azra explained the situation to me after you vanished from the Black Castle," she said. "I had guessed as much already, because one of the few loopholes to return to Earth is for blood to call blood."

When blood calls blood, answer its thrumming call...Valerie knew the words of the prophecy she had received when she had first come to the Globe, but she had never considered that the Guardians might also know that a way existed for someone to return to Earth.

"But you don't think Sanguina's the spy?" Cyrus said impatiently.

"I do not, but all of the Grand Masters are still very careful about what we reveal to her."

"Did she know about Jet's mission?" Valerie asked.

"Not as far as I know. No one in this guild informed her. Sanguina seems to be genuinely trying to piece her life back together. I once thought she would be my successor as the next Guardians' Grand Master when I retire, but of course, that can no longer be. However, she has been helpful to me."

"How so?"

"We are trying to find a way to create a second shield that would protect Earth from anyone on the Globe who tries to return in case the original seal is breached. It is a complicated puzzle, and she is helping us to find a solution. It is the only way to protect the humans from the threat that is coming."

An image of Zaki's blood in the hot spring suddenly flashed through Valerie's mind, and tears stung her eyes. The Fractus were capable of anything.

Midnight lay her hand on top of Valerie's. "We will protect the humans. I swear it," she said.

"Thank you," Valerie said, unable to choke out anything more.

On the way down the stairs outside of the guild, she turned to Cyrus. "I guess that's one person we can check off our list of suspects."

"Sanguina."

"Exactly."

"No, I mean she's here," Cyrus said, and he stepped in front of her protectively.

But Valerie pushed past him. Without even registering a conscious thought, Pathos was in her hand. Sanguina caught sight of her and started to draw her own weapon from the sheath at her side, but then stopped and released it.

"Sorry," she said. "Old habits." Her voice didn't have the same screech to it that Valerie remembered from her nightmares. She even appeared different, a little older with fine wrinkles around her eyes, but the network of purple veins in her skin had faded. She didn't look like a monster anymore, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still one in every way that mattered.

Valerie marched past her, determined not to let her enemy see how shaken she was. But she was only a step away when Sanguina's hand touched her arm. Her magic surged up within her, and she grabbed Sanguina's wrist and hurtled her over her shoulder. She landed on her back, groaning.

"Remind me never to sneak up on you. I should have known. You're just like—" she hesitated. "There's something I've wanted to talk to you about for a long time now. Alone."

"No way," Cyrus said, his usually warm blue eyes icy.

"There's nothing you can't say in front of Cyrus. He's my best friend."

She nodded. "You might want to sit down for this."

"I'd rather stand."

Sanguina shook her head in exasperation, but she had a little smile on her face. "How could I have missed it?" she said to herself. Then her face turned serious. "Right before you saved my life, I realized—"

"Ahem," a little cough came from a nearby bush.

"What the heck?" Cyrus said. He looked behind the shrub and then dragged out Chern, who was beet red.

"G-goodness me, so s-sorry."

Sanguina turned pale. "We can continue this later," she said, and then disappeared through the silver doors of the Guardians' Guild. Valerie shrugged, unsure if she wanted there to be a "later."

"Were you listening?" Cyrus asked Chern indignantly.

He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I didn't mean to—I try to avoid that freak. Very dangerous. When I heard you talking to her, I didn't want to cross her path." His hands began to tremble.

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Valerie said, seeing his obvious agitation.

"I'm glad I found you," he said. "Something has been worrying me. I saw Darling a few days ago, and he seemed sick. I tried to help him, but he scampered away. I don't know how to find him, but I'm afraid something might be wrong after visiting Earth. That was certainly strange."

"Yes, it was," she said, unaccountably uncomfortable as she remembered that he had witnessed Darling healing Ming. "What makes you think he isn't well?"

"It was just an impression. He wasn't his usual happy self."

Cyrus shrugged, and she could see that he thought it was probably just Chern's paranoia at work. But she owed so much to Darling; she had to follow up on the warning.

"I have no idea how to find him," she said.

"You reached out to him with your mind before, maybe you should try again," Chern suggested.

She concentrated, but he didn't appear. "When he came, it was because I needed his help."

"There's a little Conjuror with a broken leg. He's in the Healers' Guild, but it's a complicated fracture, and it will take some time for him to get better," Chern said.

"How do you know that?" Cyrus asked.

"The Master Healer, Nightingale, is a close friend. He asked if I had heard of any techniques used in the past to help with this kind of injury."

A tingling in her mind suggested that something wasn't right. Maybe Chern was right, and Darling was in trouble. Now that she was focusing her mind on him, it seemed like her discomfort was increasing.

"Let's go," she said.

Inside the Healers' Guild, it was very quiet and peaceful. Low music played with a complicated, haunting melody from an instrument that she couldn't place. All of the Healer apprentices walked quietly and spoke softly. They were lucky that it was visiting hours when they arrived.

"We're here to visit little Emin in the children's ward," Chern said. Without questioning him, they were led to the bedside of a boy with dark skin that had a gold cast to it that reminded her of Elden. Was he one of the People of the Woods, and if so, why he was living in Silva?

"Hi, Chern! Who're these guys?" the boy chirped in a high, musical voice.

"They're my friends, Valerie and Cyrus. They want to see if they can help you get better."

Valerie sat on the side of his bed. He smiled cheerfully, but when she came closer, she could see the shadows under his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping, and his face had the drawn look she recognized from the children in her hospital who were really sick.

Nightingale appeared at the doorway. He was green, with long ears and sharp teeth that could be a little frightening at first glance, but he had nursed her carefully when she had been badly beaten by Sanguina all those months ago. She was a little ashamed that she was so uncomfortable in his presence.

"How are you, Emin?" he asked. "Is the pain lessening today?"

"A little," he said, wincing as Nightingale pulled back the bandage to examine the wound. It was red and puffy, as if it were infected. He put some ointment on it and rewrapped it.

"I'd call Azra for help with this one, but she is not in Arden," Nightingale said, to Valerie's surprise. She knew that Azra was planning to visit leaders in other countries to talk to them about the threats that were arising, but she didn't know that she had left already.

A sudden stab of concern for Emin gripped her heart. He was really hurt. What if she couldn't call Darling? What if—

Before she finished her thought, Darling appeared on Emin's bed and jumped in her lap. She sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Darling," she said, and he gurgled a sweet little sound of joy as she hugged him.

Darling hopped from her lap into Emin's, and Emin started to tickle him. His high-pitched giggle reminded her of a baby's first laughter. As the two played, she saw Emin's color return, and the pain that creased his forehead disappeared, without him even realizing it.

Chern and Nightingale were both watching closely, however, and noticed the change. They glanced at each other.

"What a relief," Chern said, and reached out his hand to pet Darling's golden fur. In the process, his ring got caught on a strand of his fur and pulled it out.

Darling yelped in pain and leaped into Valerie's arms. "S-sorry," Chern stuttered.

But Darling gave him an injured look and vanished as quickly as he'd come.

"Feeling better, Emin?" Valerie asked.

"Oh boy, yeah! I better get home," he said.

"Do you need me to take you somewhere?" she asked.

"I'll discharge him to his parents," Nightingale said, ushering her and Cyrus out the door. She had the impression that they were being dismissed.

"Bye, kids!" Chern added in an overly cheery, condescending tone. "Run along home now before it gets dark. These parts have never been safe!"

They went their separate ways, and once they were out of earshot, Valerie and Cyrus giggled at Chern's paranoia.

"Something about that guy annoys the heck out of me," Cyrus said.

"He helped Emin, so he isn't completely self-absorbed," Valerie countered.

Before Cyrus could reply, she suddenly was pulled from herself into Henry's mind. On the Globe she wasn't weakened by the connection, so she could completely concentrate on what she was experiencing through him.

Henry's heart was pounding. He was standing at the doorway to Kanti's room—Valerie recognized it by the black walls that contrasted with a princess-y, four-poster bed. Lying on top of the covers was a shape that looked like a person sleeping inside of a white sleeping bag. Leaning over her was a woman with long hair streaked with silver.

Valerie's heart sped up as she realized who it was—Ani, Kanti's aunt. She had betrayed her and Kanti to Zunya when they had been in Elsinore. Whatever she was doing with Kanti, it couldn't be good. Valerie sent images of what had happened to Henry, and his hands clenched.

He tapped Ani on the shoulder. She turned, smiling sweetly. "You MUST be Kanti's boyfriend. I hear you're with her ALL the time. A little bit like a STALKER, if you ask me. And I told my sister and her husband so. You won't be staying LONG."

She nodded to a broad-shouldered bodyguard who appeared at the door. He pulled Henry roughly by the arm and hauled him to the lawn in front of Kanti's family's magnificent ice castle.

Henry's blinding fear returned, but she was proud of him as he fought to drive it back. Ani could be doing anything in the room with Kanti, and it was up to him to stop her. He stared up, squinting at her window, which was three floors above ground level. Without hesitating, he began to climb.

Valerie's palms began to sweat for her brother, but she knew he needed her encouragement right now rather than her doubt, so she braced herself and helped him find secure hand and footholds. A few times, the slippery walls of the castle almost cost him his footing, but he had an uncanny ability to find a crevice to cling to.

After several tense minutes, he reached Kanti's windowsill. Night had fallen, and her room was dimly lit by a glowing orb in the corner. Ani was still by her bedside, and she pulled out a long, sharp object from her purse. Henry leaped through the window with a strength she wouldn't have given him credit for and tackled her to the ground.

"Don't you touch her!" he screamed.

She shoved him backward, and he stumbled into the bed and cracked his head on the floor.

"Who's to stop me? YOU?" Ani quickly raised the hand holding the pointy object to bring down on Kanti, and a powerful emotion crashed through Henry's mind, a kind of protective rage.

"Yes, me," he said, more to himself than to Ani.

With the force of his thought, he shoved her arm away from Kanti and pushed her out the door, which slammed shut and locked. Then Henry dropped to the floor and released his hold on Valerie's mind.

She opened her eyes and saw that Cyrus was gripping her hands tightly. "Are you okay?"

"We have to get a message to Dulcea. Now," she said. "What's the fastest way?"

"I have an idea—it's worked a few times before. What do you want to say?"

"Tell her that Henry is trapped in Kanti's room, and Ani was trying to hurt her—maybe even kill her. She has to go protect them both and convince Kanti's parents about what happened."

Cyrus raised his finger and began tracing words in the air. Like a magnet, light from the stars was drawn to the lines he created. A short note hung in the air, each letter entirely composed of light. Then he shut his eyes and threw his hand up in the air, and the words flashed out of sight.

"How long will it take to get there?"

"Speed of light fast enough for you?" he asked.

"That was amazing," she said. Sometimes she forgot how creative and powerful a Conjuror Cyrus was. He had the ability to control light, and this wasn't the first time that it had saved a life.

"Aw, shucks," he said, making her smile.

But her face quickly hardened. "First Jet, nowKanti. If the Fractus want a fight, they couldn't have picked a better way tostart one."