Albína weaves her arm through mine and chatters away as soon as we leave the Queen's presence. I'm not listening to her, I'm reliving my encounter with the scary royal. The Queen knows I'm a fraud. What will they do to me when I fail?

I push those dark thoughts down and force myself back to the present where Albína is still talking and guiding me through a maze of hallways. I turn to ask Jonah what he thought of the meeting, but he's gone. Dathid's not here either. I rip my arm out of Albína's grasp and spin in a frantic circle.

She grabs my shoulder. I try jerking away, but she's surprisingly strong for such a tiny person. I call for Jonah while fighting to escape from Albína's superhero grip.

Just as I break away, I catch a glimpse of her ashen face. Her mouth is open and her eyes are huge. I follow her horrified gaze behind me and see Jonah's long shadow sliding along the wall. My relief at seeing him is dwarfed by the realization that I didn't break her grasp; she let go. I can't even defeat an old lady. How will I battle a powerful specter?

As Jonah moves across the floor, Albína steps behind me and gasps loudly when he materializes.

"Are you alright?" he asks as soon as he can speak.

"Yes." I already feel foolish for getting so upset. "I didn't see you. I didn't know we were separating. Where did you go?"

"I apologize. I was distracted by Dathid. I didn't think how our separation would affect you."

My instincts were right. Dathid's in danger. I wish they would tell me stuff so I wouldn't have to figure it out on my own. They should trust me more. If they would've explained that we were splitting up, I wouldn't feel so stupid and childish now.

"No, I'm sorry. I should've known better." I'm embarrassed about freaking out when it's obvious he's worried about Dathid.

"Albína is escorting you to your room."

"But what about Lenox?"

"Oh, Lenox!" Jonah throws his hands in the air. "I forgot about him."

Whatever is going on with Dathid, Jonah is obviously concerned and preoccupied with it. I'm getting worried, too.

"Have your stable master meet us on the roof," Jonah barks at Albína. Then he gently grabs me by the shoulders. "I have to go back for a moment, but I'll join you in a few minutes so we can retrieve Lenox. Are you good with that?"

"Yeah, I'm okay now. I just got worried when everyone disappeared. I can handle Lenox by myself if you need to be with Dathid."

"Very good," he says and leaves.

I stare after his departing shadow, willing the tears to stay put in my eyes. Usually he hugs me and makes sure that I'm really okay, but this time he just left. I lied when I said I thought I could handle things and now I'm stuck. I wish I knew what was going on.

Albína's waiting for me to do or say something. We gawk at each other for so long we both grow uncomfortable.

"What would you like to do, Miss?" she asks.

That's when it dawns on me that without Jonah, I'm the one who has to orchestrate Lenox's care. I have no idea how to take care of an animal, especially a giant pegasus.

"Well," I say, in order to say something. I should've made Jonah stay with me. I remember some of what he said and repeat that. "We need to speak to the stable master. Can you tell him to meet us on the roof?"

"Certainly, Miss," Albína chirps and then barks orders in her native language to the others around us. Everyone scurries off until it's just Albína and me in the hallway. I like being the boss. No one has ever listened to me before. I wonder what else I can get them to do.

Albína is leading the way up and down a maze of hallways, happily babbling about what rooms are where and who is in them. I have no idea what she's talking about, but she likes to talk so I let her prattle on.

When we reach the roof, I can see all the surrounding farms for miles. From this viewpoint, Gwa Twouroch is just a green-covered mountainside. This view is so homey and familiar, which is weird because I've never been anywhere that wasn't covered in a multitude of buildings and concrete.

The rooftop on this section of the castle is flat and made of thick timbers that don't make noise when I walk across them. It has towers on both ends that form a barrier to the north and south, and in between the towers on the edge of the roofline are two sidewalls of staggered heights. It starts over my head, drops to my waist, then shoots back up again. It looks like square teeth.

I whistle for Lenox, and Albína jumps with a startled yelp. Then she shuffles behind me a second time when Lenox comes bounding in from above. It's funny that a woman so much older than me thinks I'm her protector, especially after she won our last battle.

Lenox lands and does his inspection. After I'm thoroughly sniffed, he turns his back and walks away. This is new and perplexing behavior. He might be angry that I didn't let him come with us. I try to face him, but he keeps turning his back to me.

"You're mad at me? I wasn't the one who decided to leave you behind. It's unfair that you're upset with me."

Lenox doesn't answer, but he does bend one of his oversized ears toward me. I don't know how to get him to not be mad, but I wish he'd get over it because Albína is watching.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to ride you, and the unicorns thought you would eat them. Did you really want me to walk the entire way?"

Lenox tilts his head, but he still doesn't move.

"Listen, I'd gift you some meat to make it up to you, but I'm not good at killing things, so you'll just have to accept my apology. I'm here to learn how to ride you so it won't happen in the future. Will you please forgive me?"

He flips his head back to face away from me and doesn't move. I stare at the back of his head, wondering what else I can do. Finally, he turns toward me.

Out of options, I hold out my arms and softly say, "Come here."

Lenox moves his whole body to face me. He walks over with his head low like he's in trouble. I pat him on the neck a few times when suddenly he lifts his head and pushes me to the ground.

"Do you feel better now?" I ask as I get to my feet.

I give him more pats and notice that Albína is shielding her body with the door we just came through.

"Albína, he won't hurt you. Come here and meet him. You'll see. He's quite sweet."

She steps unsteadily from behind the door and cautiously walks toward us while he watches her with interest.

"Lenox, this is my friend Albína. She's afraid of you, so be good."

He studies her as she approaches. I stroke his face. "He's really nice. See?"

She's just a few feet away when he lets out a loud hawk-like screech that makes me jump and sends her fleeing out the door. This time she closes it behind her.

"What was that, pegasus humor? That wasn't nice. Now I'm mad." I stalk toward the door.

Lenox follows with his head low.

"Albína, I'm sorry," I shout through the door "He was kidding. He won't hurt you. I guarantee it." I quietly listen for a response with Lenox waiting behind me.

He puts his head on my shoulder trying to make amends. "I'm not the one you need to apologize to," I say with a quick stroke to his velvety nose.

A few moments later the door opens. It's not Albína, but a short male elf yelling in Naga-Nuru.

I wait for him to stop and when he doesn't, I try explaining and then gesturing that I can't understand him, but nothing works. He just keeps shouting. Eventually, I walk away from him mid-tirade in order to search for Albína.

She's just inside the door. "Please come out here. I need your help. Why is this man screaming at me?"

The elf rages at her. I'm surprised when she fires back. She seemed so demure, but now the two of them are engaging in a lengthy argument. The fight seems to be escalating rather than diminishing.

Finally, I put myself between them, throw my hands up and order, "Stop!"

The shouting ceases so suddenly, I have to look at both of them to figure out what just happened. They're staring at me as if they expect me to say more, but I didn't think they would listen to me in the first place, so it takes me a moment to think of what to say next. "Who is this man and why is he yelling?"

The elf starts to speak again, but I ask him to stop and he does. I like being in charge.

"This is Mr. Galnoy, the stable master," Albína explains. "He says take your Wiltonshire demon somewhere else."

"Oh." I wish Jonah were here. I'm defeated already and I haven't even done anything yet. How can these people admire someone who can't even take care of a simple thing like sheltering her pet?

I pat Lenox on the nose and move toward the door. I keep my head down because I can't look at the mean Mr. Galnoy. As I pass Albína, I let her know what our next step should be; maybe one of the farms will take Lenox in. "I guess we'll go speak to the Queen."

Albína translates what I said and then Mr. Galnoy races in front of me, putting his hands up in a motion to stop me. He's talking quickly, but his tone has mellowed and he even smiles a few times.

"He says he apologizes for his bad manners." Albína translates, but makes a face to communicate that she doesn't believe him. "He's never taken care of a pegasus before and was just startled."

"Well, can he take care of him?"

Albína and Mr. Galnoy speak for a few minutes. Then Albína says, "Yes, Lenox will have to live here, and his meals will be delivered.

Before Albína can translate, Mr. Galnoy starts speaking again. Albína says something back and then she says to me, "He's not allowed to hunt while living here. And he must be kind to his caretakers."

Albína's translations are a lot shorter than the actual conversations she and Mr. Galnoy are having. She's leaving a lot out. Once the arrangements are made and I'm confident Lenox will be well taken care of, I reluctantly leave him in Mr. Galnoy's care.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: A special shout out to Devon for this version of Lenox. I think this is how Agatha sees him. I love it.