For the second day in a row, a commotion wrenches me from slumber.

"Rosabel! Wake up!" Delia pelts my door with furious knocks. This time, I made a point of locking it. But I spent the evening with nightmares and little sleep from sneaking into the library, so I am more groggy than usual.

"Hold on," I mutter, pulling my robe over my nightgown and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The flagstones are cold beneath my feet, odd for the summer, and they send a chill rippling over my body.

I open the door and find Delia and Ren in the hall. Fear grips my chest at the expressions on their faces. "What happened?"

Delia bursts into tears and launches herself into my arms. What inspired her to forgive me already? I pat her back and give Ren a questioning look. He swallows hard.

"The guards," he whispers. "All the guards who were on watch at the city gates last night—at least twenty—they're all dead."

"All of them?" I cling to Delia a little tighter as she sobs again. Ren nods. "But how?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know. The court physician is examining them now, but there were no visible wounds. Poison, maybe?"

"Or magic," Delia says with a shiver.

I will not admit it to my sister, but I fear she is right. The wizard may not be as far away as I've always believed. If so, Ren and I must redouble our efforts to find the Wizard's Bane. If he can get to the guards inside the walls, who can say how far his reach extends? After all, while the wards may keep out those who wish to harm Bryre, they belong to the wizard. If anyone could find a way to nullify them, it's him.

I take my sister by the shoulders. "Delia, listen to me. Go to your room and stay there. Only come out for us or Mama and Papa, all right?"

Tears brim in her eyes. "Why? What will you be doing?"

"We're just going to see what we can find about the guards. I need you to be safe." We must locate the Wizard's Bane, but I can't tell her I plan to leave the castle again. This time I don't know how long I'll be gone. I have every intention of breaking my promise to my parents and leaving the safety of Bryre far behind.

"Let me come with you," she pleads. I can't bear to look her in the face.

"We can't. They could be contagious. I won't put you in any danger."

"You can't keep leaving me in the dark!" she cries.

"Taking you would put you at risk. Don't you understand I need you to be safe?"

Delia's lower lip quivers, but finally she nods. She isn't happy with me, but I'm relieved she stopped fighting me on the matter.

We walk Delia as far as her room, then shut the door securely behind her. Knowing she is safe in there makes me feel much better.

"You're planning something, aren't you?" Ren says as we hurry down the halls.

"Am I that transparent?"

"What's the plan?"

I take his hands in mine. It shakes as much as my own. "I'm going to look for the Wizard's Bane at its source. You don't have to come with me. But I could use your help."

Ren's face pales. "You mean you're going into the mountains to find the volcano?"

"What other choice is there? The dead guards must be the wizard's work. We have to do something, and nothing in Bryre can help. We've done all we can from here. The only thing left to do is find the Wizard's Bane."

Last night, when all the palace was asleep, I snuck back into the library's secret room, but found nothing more to aid us against the wizard. But I did find a map that confirmed Old Mae's assertion that a volcano lies a couple days' journey away.

"Then I'm definitely coming with you. I know some of the trails. I can at least guide us as far as the river. And I'm a good tracker."

I squeeze his hand. "Thank you."

As we march down the hall Ren asks, "When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible." My head spins with plans and preparations that need to be made, and in utter secrecy. "But first I want to see the guards."

"You want to see their bodies?" Ren chokes.

"I need to know what we're up against. I need to see his handiwork up close."

"It isn't pretty."

"I never expected it would be." I take the stairs two at a time. Ren matches my speed and we reach the lower level of the palace in no time. "Where are they? The infirmary?"

He nods and leads the way, but we're stopped by a procession of skittish guards escorting an upset farmer. Something more must have happened. Surely, the dead soldiers aren't going anywhere. They head for the throne room, but Ren and I linger outside. We can hear Mama and Papa questioning the farmer.

"What trouble brings you here this early?" Papa asks. His voice sounds weary already, and this man is merely the first to seek the king's counsel this morning.

"Sire, someone has stolen my herd of goats."

"Who do you accuse?"

The man coughs. "I . . . I don't know. Last night, I locked them in their pen. This morning, they were gone. No trace at all. No footsteps or wagon-wheel tracks. Just . . . gone."

Gone? An entire herd of goats vanished?

I can only think of one person who could pull off a stunt like that—the wizard. But what could the wizard possibly want with a herd of goats?

"No trace at all?" Mama says from inside the throne room.

"None. Their milk was my livelihood. I need them back. Please help me find them. A search party, anything."

"We are . . . short on guards at the moment." Uneasiness taints Papa's voice. "But we can find a few to comb the forest. If they ran there, we shall find them."

"Thank you, sire."

The guards escort the man out, and we hold our breath until they pass. The sound of my parents talking reaches us.

"I fear what this means, Aria," Papa says. "An entire herd of goats missing. And now the guards."

"What could be next?" Mama says.

"That is precisely what concerns me."

"I think we both know who is behind this."

I freeze at my mother's words.

"I won't let him have her," Papa says. "I don't care if he destroys this whole kingdom, Rosabel must stay out of his reach."

A tight knot forms in the pit of my stomach. The entire kingdom is in danger because of me. Because my parents refused to give me up and pay the price they promised. I can't sit idly by while all of Bryre suffers for their mistake.

I'm the problem, and I'll do something to fix it. My resolve to find the Wizard's Bane solidifies.

Mama may not want me to take any action, but she raised me too well. I will be queen one day—I must protect my city.

Ren touches my hand, startling me out of my thoughts. "Do you still want to see the guards?" he asks.

"Yes."

We tiptoe away from the throne room. When we reach the infirmary, we wait until the doctor leaves, then sneak inside. Everyone, it seems, is more on edge than usual. Like something unpleasant lurks around the corner.

The room is very hot, probably because the fires burn steadily despite the summer heat. Odd, but I can't pretend to know the ways of medics.

Light spills in through the infirmary windows, casting an odd sheen on the guards' faces. Not a single wound mars any of them. It feels as though something squeezes around my chest as we approach the nearest one. Ren puts a hand on my shoulder.

"You don't need to do this."

"Yes, I do. If this is the wizard's work, then it's my fault."

Ren turns me around to face him, his hands gripping my elbows. "It is not your fault. You can't think that way. You are not responsible for your parents' decisions."

"I know," I say. "But I must do what I can to remedy them."

He releases my arms and I examine the nearest guard. He is so still, and pale, and oddly serene. The sheen I thought was light is something else. Some kind of residue clings to his skin. Swallowing my fear, I reach out and touch his cheek—then quickly draw my hand back.

It isn't a sheen at all.

"What's wrong?" Ren asks.

"He's frozen. That shine on him—it's ice." Understanding shivers through me. This is why the medics have the fires going down here. They're trying to thaw the bodies.

"What a horrid way to go," Ren says. "It hasn't melted a bit. It really is the wizard's doing."

"I've seen enough," I say.

I hurry from the room, desperate to get away from the overwhelming heat and the frozen bodies. In the hallway, I lean against the wall and breathe. Ren's concern is clear, and his fears mirror mine.

All doubt of what I must do is gone.

Maybe, when I am back home and we are free of the wizard, Mama will even be proud. Once she recovers from her fury.

Smoothing my skirts, I start back up the stairs. "I'm going to prepare. Meet me in the garden at sundown."

Without another word, I run for my rooms.

* * * 

My flight is swift, and I reach my room and close the door behind me. I gasp when I find my mother seated in the chair by my window.

"Rosabel, where have you been?" Her pretty face is marred by a frown.

"I—I was just in the library, studying with Ren."

"With Ren?" She looks at me strangely. "Take care with that boy's heart. And your own. You know you will one day marry a prince. Do not get too attached to the servants."

A sickly, guilty feeling wallows in my stomach. "Did you come here to lecture me about my choice of friends?"

She smiles sadly and steps forward to take my hands. "No, Rosabel, I did not. I came here to warn you. The wizard, he . . . he hurt many of our guards last night. He is closer than ever. I am not sure it is safe for you to wander the castle and grounds freely right now. Your father and I have decided that you must remain in your rooms until we've determined this threat has passed, and you're only to come out for dinner. You can study here."

"But—"

"Don't worry. We will have the gardener take care of your precious flowers. I know how you dote on them." She pulls me to her, the silk of her dress brushing against my cheek. "I hope it won't be for long. Now that we have told you everything, we are trusting you to understand and to obey. We must keep you safe."

Tears burn the backs of my eyes. "But what if there is another way? What if we could find magic to fight magic and —"

"Do not speak of such things." Horror crawls over my mother's face. "You do not know what you say. You do not know what magic can do." She shudders. Her voice is low and frightened now. "You have never been bewitched. You have been shielded from it your whole life. There is no good, no help to be found in that route."

Realization dawns on me with a prickling chill. "You were bewitched?"

She wraps her shawl around her shoulders a little tighter. "Once. I told you how I almost married the wizard posing as a strange prince. That was no accident, and certainly not due to any true feelings on my part. Before I knew him for what he was, when he sought my hand, he cast a love spell on me. I could never quite remember the things he said when we were together, only that I needed to be near him, and could think of nothing else when he was away. Thank heavens I had already fallen for your father before I met Barnabas, or I would have lost my soul to the wicked man. Magic is not something to trifle with."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"Legends say the only thing that can break the bonds of a love spell is true love, and I can attest to that. When your father returned to my country as a newly crowned king, one look from him was all it took to bring me back to my senses. To break the spell." Her face darkens. "But for weeks, I was in the wizard's thrall. I could do nothing of my own to gain my freedom—I didn't even know I needed it. Once free of it, I could hardly understand why I had been so obsessed with him. It made no sense to me, not until years later." Mama's agitation rises, and she paces my room. "I could have been lost to him. I might have even given him the firstborn he needed to work his terrible spell." She stops directly in front of me, her face twisted with revulsion. I take a step back. "Do you want to know the worst part? I would have handed over my child and let him sacrifice it gladly. I would not have known what I was doing. That is what playing with magic will get you. It is never, ever worth the price."

Shock roots me to the spot. I cannot muster the breath to utter a single word until Mama has swept out of the room. When she told me her tale of how the wizard wooed her before, I did not fully understand. But now I do. She was in his thrall, just like Old Mae. She experienced wicked magic firsthand. What could it have been like for her to be nothing more than a puppet for the wizard to play with?

Clarity dawns like wiping cobwebs off an old tapestry after a long winter. This is why Mama hates and fears magic so much. For my sake, yes, but also for her own.

I shudder. What price will be in store for me if I find the Wizard's Bane?

* * *

Dusk comes and goes far too fast. I hardly have the chance to put everything together before it is time to leave even though I stay in my rooms, just to avoid suspicion. Outside my rooms, the palace is abuzz with whispering servants. Paranoia rules the day, and my parents are more protective than ever. True to their word, they again attempt to keep me in my room after dinner, even taking my key, but I learned long ago how to pick the lock from the inside.

Now I wait for Ren in my garden. The sad little plot where I planted the Crown-of-Roses seeds still lies barren. No matter how much I water and plead, they refuse to sprout. It vexes me. No plant resisted at least sprouting before.

My pack contains clothes, a cloak, and two canteens of water—one for me and one for Ren. I swiped a plain gray serving girl's gown from the laundry room when the laundress had her back turned. It's a little big, but it will keep me from sticking out.

Before long Ren appears, carrying a bag—provisions from the smell of it. I smile. I can always count on Ren to think of the food.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks.

I nod. Then together we head into the fountain passage and leave the palace grounds.

* * * 

By midnight we've made camp deep in the woods. I've never been this far from home in my life. I wonder how long until my parents realize I'm gone.

The forest should hide us well. The trees are old and wide, with thick branches reaching high into the clouds. It was pretty as we fled, but now that the night thickens around us, I grow uneasy. Before I could see down the paths through the moss and foliage, but now the darkness is a wall obscuring everything beyond our fire.

What if the wizard is out there tonight, hunting for me? I shiver and shove the thought down. If he did find me, maybe he would leave my city alone. But what would that do to Mama? Her tale is still fresh in my mind.

The firelight teases Ren's hair. I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble for helping me. I swallow the lump of guilt lodged in my throat. It's for the good of Bryre. Surely that can be excused. If we succeed.

Ren hands me the bread he toasted on the fire. It tastes delicious—but different from the usual palace fare.

I lie back and watch the moon shimmering through the trees from above, feeling a freedom that has eluded me my entire life in spite of the things that may hide in the darkness.

"I think I love the forest," I say. "I wish we were here for happier reasons."

Ren stares at the fire. "You know, you don't have to go back. We could run away. Get as far from Bryre and the wizard as possible."

I let myself consider that life for one precious, fleeting moment. Then I sink back into reality. "I can't. Bryre has suffered enough for me already."

Ren tosses a leaf into the fire. "It isn't fair that you have to pay for your parents' mistakes."

I shrug. Even if I agree, it doesn't change a thing. Mama's words haunt me. I'm a princess; Ren is a servant. Running away with him, even when this is over, is impossible.

"They're my family. Bryre is my kingdom, my home. I can't leave everything I love behind."

The sudden shock of hurt in Ren's eyes startles me, but I don't correct him. I didn't mean it like that, but perhaps it's for the best if he thinks so. Ren nods, then pulls up his bedroll and turns over so he no longer faces me. My heart sinks. I did hurt his feelings.

I curl up in my own bedroll and drift off into sleep.

* * * 

In the middle of the night, I find myself suddenly awake, unsure of what pulled me from slumber. All I know is that my heart races, and shadows cling to every tree in sight.

I hold my breath, glancing over at Ren. He remains undisturbed.

That's when I hear it again.

Hoo, hoo, hoooooo.

A shiver dances up my spine.

Something rustles between the trees, but I can't make out what it is. Then the cry comes again from the other side of our grove. It sounds like an owl, but they're solitary creatures and no flapping of wings betrayed its movement. More rustling. Fear wraps its icy fingers around my chest.

Hoo, hoo, hooooooo.

This time it comes from the trees directly behind me, and I'm certain it is from the ground, not up in the trees like it ought to be. I huddle under my bedroll, hoping whatever it is will move along and find some other campfire to harass. Yet I can't help peeking when the moon comes out from behind a cloud.

Between the trees, not ten paces away, sits a creature. Its owl head tilts as it settles back on its haunches. A furry tail, striped like a raccoon's, curls around its body.

I blink several times. I must be dreaming. This is all a nightmare.

I rub my eyes, and this time when I open them, it has vanished.