Only moments later, Heidel appeared in her room, looking horrified. "Was HE in here?"

"Only for a few minutes." Ivy still sat at her writing desk. She returned the letter to the drawer as if it were nothing important.

"WHY?" Heidel growled.

Ivy pointed at the drawing on her easel. "He saw it from the hallway. I think he was just curious. We had a nice talk."

Heidel's cheeks reddened. "I left your door open. Shuck it! I'm so sorry, Ivy. That was my fault."

"It was fine."

"It was NOT fine! I trust that man like I trust a den of hyenas. From now on, turn the key when you're alone in here."

Ivy nodded in obedience. She never argued with Heidel—she couldn't. It was like coming to a sword fight with a butter knife in your hand. She hadn't felt danger when Uncle Jarrod was near her. But Heidel wouldn't accept that. Not one to rely on feelings or signs, Heidel trusted only what she could see, hear, and touch.

"Anyway... I bet you haven't taken a walk, have you?" Heidel said.

Ivy had hoped she wouldn't notice. "I'll take one later."

"Nope! You'll take it now. And I'm coming with you. Midday meal isn't for another two hours and I'm ready to pass out in that kitchen. Let's go before the afternoon heat sets in."

Ivy stood and capped her bottle of ink. She felt as if she would never finish that letter. "Did you give Coco the crutch?" she asked, reaching for her own.

Heidel nodded. "If it's any comfort, I think she liked it. She's gone to work on her dumb play."

Ivy accompanied Heidel out of the room. Three more days. She wanted this play over and done with; it disrupted their peaceful way of life. She never enjoyed events that brought hordes of people into the castle. It always felt like an invasion to her. This was her home. And she didn't like people in her home.

The air felt hot when they got outside, but not unbearable. Patches of cloud cover shielded them from the sun's intensity, and the breeze moved more swiftly than usual. Heidel suggested they walk the perimeter of the castle.

"That's usually what I do," Ivy said.

"Good! After Coralina's mishap, we should steer clear of the forest."

Ivy suspected that wasn't the reason. They had come out the main door and were crossing in front of the castle. She had done paintings of the castle's attractive front several times. The pointed door at the center and the four front towers—two on either side of the door, two at the corners of the building. It looked nicest at sunset, when the amber light made the brown bricks as warm and welcoming as baked bread. She loved her castle.

"When's the next time you think we'll go to Grunwold?" Ivy asked.

"Go to Grunwold?" Heidel echoed. "Never, if I can help it. Why on earth would you want to go to Grunwold?"

"Not saying I want to. Just wondering."

Heidel frowned. The heat had dampened the hair at her temples and she had shoved back her sticky bangs so they sprayed out from her forehead like porcupine quills. "Don't see a reason for us to go anytime soon. I guess we'll have to go when Roald gets married."

That wouldn't work. Ivy needed to get there much sooner.

She had to stop that wedding.

They turned around the righthand tower, bringing them in sight of Love Lake and the willow tree, sitting by the far corner of the castle. Ivy's crutch made a dull, squashing sound in the grass. Her spine was already beginning to ache, as it always did on uneven terrain. But at least she could breathe.

"Bet we'll get a storm tonight," Heidel said. "The way the air's moving. Maybe a summer thunderstorm."

Ivy nodded. It did feel as if a storm were coming. The air itself seemed tainted with dark whispers. She felt a heavy sadness sink into her bones without understanding why. She looked over at Heidel.

"Have there been more attacks?"

Heidel gave her a sharp look. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you're walking with me. You never walk."

Heidel drew in a long breath and released it heavily. "Yes. One of the knights came this morning and told Maelyn."

"Told Maelyn?"

"Oh yes. People have found ways to circumvent the new queen. They just knock and ask for Maelyn." Heidel swatted away a flying insect that buzzed too close to her face. "Feel like I shouldn't tell you this, but he said there were six more attacks."

"Six!"

"Three girls from Creaklee. Two from Merridell. One from Hexwick. That's what he said."

Ivy felt ill. And highly conscious of her hair now. She had forgotten to ask Jaedis to braid it around her head this morning. But more than that, she felt sick at heart for the girls. Those poor girls! Scarred and shaken for the rest of their unhappy lives.

"Maybe we should go inside," Ivy said.

"We will. After your walk."

They reached Love Lake, where the stiff breeze pushed waves across the normally placid water, and swept back the leafy curtains of the willow tree, giving motion to the old swing which hung there. Then they circled another bulging tower to the back of the castle, that area known as 'Shulay's kingdom' because they kept their gardens and livestock there. The stables had been built directly against the castle wall, though they kept fewer animals these days than in former years. Two horses, pigs and chickens, and of course—Pearl. She looked mostly recovered from her recent ordeal, though Ivy detected a lingering resentment in her dark eyes.

"Did Uncle Jarrod say anything to you?" Heidel asked abruptly.

Ivy frowned. "Such as what?"

"Such as anything that'll help us figure out WHY he's here. He should be satisfied by now. He's poked his nose into every crack and corner of the castle, and seen that we're alive and well without the servants. We're not wasting away, or drowning in pools of tears. I think he's secretly impressed and doesn't want to say so. He couldn't find a flaw in my kitchen, other than it being 'too hot.'" She rolled her eyes.

"He didn't tell me why he's here."

"I don't mean directly. You're good at subtleties. Did he say something that at least suggested why the High King of Grunwold is wasting his valuable time persecuting a bunch of young girls?"

Ivy thought over their conversation. "No... no, he really didn't. But if I was guessing, I'd say it's probably not just about us. It's probably about something bigger."

"You think so?" Heidel asked.

Ivy nodded. Uncle Jarrod was a puzzlement, but not stupid. He wouldn't have come here merely to vex them. And Ivy could not convince herself he had come out of worry for his nieces. No, he had a reason and a goal for coming here.

The last wall of the castle had been dubbed 'the dull side' by the princesses, due to its lack of scenery. Just the long wall and then the fringe of Lumen Forest, maybe thirty steps away. Even so, Ivy watched the trees carefully. What if the number of bandits had grown? What if they had enough numbers now to ambush two girls walking on an empty stretch of lawn? She pulled her ponytail over her right shoulder and clamped her fingers around it. Heidel's hair was thicker... but Ivy's was redder. She imagined rare and bright colors would be desirable.

Coming out in front of the castle, the wind met them more fiercely than it had when they started. The clouds over the lumen trees had darkened to steel gray, and they had lost the sun altogether. But Ivy hardly took notice of this when she spotted the rider dismounting in front of the castle door.

Ivy grinned. "Willow!"

She lifted her crutch to run the last few yards, and Willow met her with a welcoming hug.

"You're back!"

"I'm back." Willow smiled. "Only this morning. Coralina's probably furious with me, isn't she? My lines are all memorized and I'll catch up on the rest. How are things? I saw the king's carriage when I left."

"Oh, he's been here several days. We're just loving it," Heidel said dryly. "He gave Maelyn's job to Coco, and the rest is a disaster. That's about it."

"He—he gave Coralina... what? The throne?" Willow said in confusion.

"Temporarily. She doesn't even like it. Coco, I mean," Ivy said. "And poor Maelyn has nothing to do."

Despite the consternation of his face, Willow's lips crept upward in a subtle smile. "Nothing to do, huh? Is she at home?" He looked at the main door.

Heidel smirked. "She's home. Come on in. You too, Ivy; you need some water before you go back up to your room." She thumped on the door and waited for Arialain to drag it open.

"Give me a minute. The breeze feels good," Ivy said. "I'll just be here on the step. Won't go anywhere."

"Five minutes," Heidel said sternly. She instructed Arialain to leave the door cracked open. Once Heidel had gone inside with Willow, Ivy sat on the stoop and hugged her knees. She loved watching storm clouds churn inward on each other, sucking the heat out of the air and the light out of the sky, which had turned a whitish yellow. The branches of the lumen trees bent and swayed, though their sturdy trunks stood firm as soldiers. She closed her eyes to breathe in the beautiful scent that came before rainfall.

That's one dandy of a storm coming, Giles said, plopping down beside her. He looked to be in a good mood at the moment.

You're right, Ivy said, eyes on the sky. I don't think we're ready for it.