Sam dug his heels into the basilisk's cheeks. With a smile on his face, he laughed. “Faster! Faster!” He, Evie, and Charlotte were having a ball–the most fun since everything turned so awful.

The basilisk nodded at the family members. It, too, enjoyed itself. Its tails moved quicker but remained at a steady pace. It was as if the creature itself had turned into a miraculous motorboat. John, Faelyn, and Euphorbia flew next to both of its flappy cheeks. John and Euphorbia smiled cheerily, but Faelyn remained serious. He could not stop thinking about his son–that sweet, innocent ranger who remained in such horrible shape. Curse that Keegan.

Keegan, suffering from motion sickness, kept his arms around the basilisk's tail. Ugh, could he get off it already?

Ashlynn cupped the side of her mouth with her hand. “Why the long face, Mr. Madison?” she called.

Keegan scoffed, but luckily, the group made it to Seranet's gate before he could chew the little girl out. He side-flipped off the basilisk, landing with a plop on the soft forest floor. He felt like he just fell into a puddle of mud. Wait a minute... He did. Nevertheless, Keegan ignored the fact that he was now covered in gooey, chocolatey syrup. He merely kissed the dirt next to the puddle and said, “Finally!”

Evie and Charlotte slid down the basilisk's back–Charlotte first, and then Evie. Charlotte landed on her feet next to its tail, but Evie crashed into her back. Both of them toppled over like bowling pins.

Charlotte glared at her daughter. “Evie, you're on my arm!”

“Oh, sorry.” Embarrassed, Evie got off her. Her family could not afford another injured member. Then Evergreen would definitely think something was wrong with them. There were already too many Brook family hospital visits.

Evie's friends and the invisible Faelyn soon joined her and Charlotte.

John giggled, not only to himself but also to the family, “I'm glad I'm not the only one who's clumsy.”

Euphorbia settled down on Sam's shoulder. The serpent–his friend–lowered him and her to the ground.

Sam hopped off its nose. “Thank you,” he told it. He meant it, too.

“No problem,” the basilisk hissed. “I won't be able to go in there and sssee Mateo, but I'll keep watch out here. In the meantime, you look after Keegan and make sssure he doesssn't do anything ssstupid. We need his blesssssing to heal the boy.”

Sam smiled. “I know, and don't worry. I'll make sure Keegan accepts him. I promise.” He and the serpent touched foreheads. This was the start of their real adventure.

***

“Whoa. I did not expect a whole party to show up. Did y'all bring the champagne?” Edger smiled sheepishly at the group of ten people, bird, fairy, and fae ghost standing in front of his doorway. It was quite the crowd indeed. Edger only expected Evie and her family members–not her friends.

Charlotte's eyes skimmed the group, and then her gaze switched to Edger. “Mateo needs all of us to get better, both physically and mentally. Right, Keegan?” She nudged Keegan in the ribs.

His cheeks puffed out. “Sure.” The sarcasm was strong in his voice.

Edger opened his door wider. “Well, come on in. I have tea and cookies for everybody.” His eyes landed on Faelyn, who floated above the crowd.

Just at the thought of tea and cookies (the best combination ever), John's mouth watered. “Ooh, cookies!” he said. As expected, he was the first one in Edger's house.

John bumped into two familiar figures: Diana and Notmuth. They beat him to the tea and cookies. “No fair,” the crane whined. He was never late for anything.

Diana and Notmuth both sat on one of the living room's couches. They glanced at the bird.

The door to Mateo's room opened. Krysta poked her head out. She pressed her finger up against her lips and told John, “Shh. Mateo is trying to sleep.”

Charlotte noticed her, and she hurried to the ranger. “Ranger Krysta, is he any better?” While she asked that, John, Evie, and Evie's group members gathered around the table where the tea and cookies were spread out. The display was delicious, with silver trays and platters covered with different-flavored cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar-coated ones.

Krysta slipped out of the bedroom. She shut the door behind her. To Charlotte, she explained, “He's a little better, but he's still very weak. We cannot stress him.”

Notmuth, Diana, Evie, and her friends–with full mouths–peered over their shoulders at the women.

Sam stayed close to Keegan so he and Euphorbia could watch him. His possessed side could come out at any moment. They needed to be prepared, just in case.

Meanwhile, John picked up a teacup with his right claws. He sipped it slowly.

Krysta's hand rested on the doorknob of Mateo's room. “He's also got a secondary illness,” she added.

“A secondary illness? But how?” Charlotte asked, horrified.

Krysta let out a little gulp. “He most likely picked it up during his last mission.”

Now, John blushed. He looked slightly guilty. He hid behind his teacup and turned to face the wall, away from Krysta.

She began to turn the doorknob. “Y'all can come in, but be quiet. Since there are so many of you, it may be a bit cramped. Let's see how he does with a big group.”

Most of the party piled into Mateo's room with flying colors, but Keegan was a little egocentric. He huffed and crossed his arms, only to have Charlotte grab his shirt sleeve. She forced him into the bedroom.

Evie and her friends stayed close to the adults for comfort. There was their counselor.

Mateo, now wearing a new shirt, lay on his left arm with his eyes closed.

Maria sat behind him in her chair. She brushed her hand across his back.

Coughing, Mateo told her, “Mom? I don't feel good.” He was still delirious, even though his fever had gone down a little.

Maria gave him a gentle pat. “It's Maria, babe, and I know you don't.” She nodded at the group. “Hi, guys.”

Evie's friends stayed behind, but Evie, Charlotte, and Keegan joined her.

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Faelyn approached the other side of Mateo's bed, followed closely by Edger.

Krysta found her spot at the foot of it. Her palms slapped Mateo's covers. “Here's the plan, team. We need to take him to the Guardian's Tree, which is where Euphorbia became the Green Guardian.”

“Where is it?” Evie inquired.

“It's about a two-day walk from here,” Krysta answered. She freed her walkie-talkie-like device from her pocket. “The Ranger Union's got a medical helicopter on standby. After the ritual at the tree, when Mateo is given the Guardian title, we will airlift him to Maglin City. The hospital there is Number One in the kingdom. They will give him the care he needs.”

Mateo shivered. “I'm fine,” he whimpered. “I don't need to be airlifted.” Besides, a ride in an air ambulance would blow a huge hole in his wallet. Mateo had planned to give Maria that money for the baby. He needed to prove to his family and friends that he was well enough to complete his mission. But how? Wait! He got it. He was going to walk.

“Mateo, what are you doing?” Maria asked when she felt him shuffling under his covers.

He sat up. Mateo’s head spun like a top, but he went ahead and took the cannula’s prongs out of his nostrils. “I’m going to get better just in time for the wedding, Maria. Watch me.”

Maria clasped his shoulder. “Stop. You can’t walk.”

“Yes, I can!” Mateo protested. He pushed her hand away, desperate to show her, his family, and friends that he was still Ranger Anthony.

Charlotte and Evie reached for him, but Mateo pushed them off, too. The others gulped from where they stood.

Not surprisingly, Mateo merely fell off the bed. He landed hard on his injured shoulder and yelled, “Ow!” when a stinging pain engulfed it like an inferno. He also heard a small crack, but he tried his best to ignore it.

Maria instantly got down with him. “You can’t walk,” she repeated. “You’re too weak.”

Mateo suffered from a coughing fit. Like before, drops of blood flew out of his mouth. They splashed onto his fiancée.

“Oh my God!” Evie shouted. “Mateo, what the heck?” She chewed on her nails like the Cowardly Lion.

Charlotte got her and her friends out of there–even Sam. The children had no right to see the severity of Mateo’s illness.

Evie, though, fought against her. She grasped her shoulder and yelled, “Mateo!” No matter how hard she tried, her mother still kicked her out. Not only that, but she locked the door so she could not sneak back in.

Still desperate, Mateo rubbed the blood away with the sleeve of his shirt. “The wedding, Maria,” he choked out. “If I’m going to get better in time for it, then that means pushing myself.” He was unaware that Maria had already sent out a cancellation email to all the guests. There was no way the wedding was going to happen next week.

Maria fearfully shook her head. She helped Mateo back onto his bed. “I know you’re not used to just sitting around, but you need to. If you want the wedding to happen, then you will listen to us.”

Keegan scoffed. He crossed his arms again. “He doesn’t need to. He’s an adult. He can do whatever the heck he wants to, and if it means killing himself… be my guest.”

With Keegan’s words, Mateo’s health plummeted. His fever accelerated from 102°F to 105°F in seconds. His breathing worsened, so no more nasal cannula for him. It was back to the mask. Rivers of sweat soaked his face, neck, and shirt.

Krysta did not give up. She and Charlotte lay Mateo down on his pillows. Krysta looked over her shoulder to Keegan and asked, “Keegan, why don’t you be helpful for once and get a bucket and rag for his forehead?”

“Pfft. Forget it,” Keegan said. “Why don’t you ladies do that yourself? After all, y’all seem to have an unhealthy crush on him.”

“That’s it,” the dark voice whispered in his head. “Lose yourself to your anger. The boy is a traitor. He does not deserve to live.”

Keegan reached for his temples. He shook the old noggin. At the same time, Mateo’s belly flickered.

“Fight him. Please,” Krysta begged. “I know you want to help Mateo. You know you want to help him.”

“Don’t patronize me!” Keegan shouted.

Faelyn and Edger thought about making a move on him, but then they saw how conflicted he was.

Maria tossed Mateo’s covers over him. She threw her body across his, in case Keegan lunged, and squeezed her eyes shut. The pain in her own belly returned, as the demon tried to attack her baby.

Charlotte came within reach of her husband. She and he hooked fingers. They held their hands up together. The motion was reminiscent of what they did when they first became a couple. Hooking fingers was their way of saying they were now intertwined.

“Remember everything good that’s happened to us,” Charlotte begged. “The gods blessed us with a little girl. We have so many fond memories of her. Please, Keegan.”

“I’m trying, Charlotte. I’m trying,” Keegan replied.

The fairies and humans were shocked by what they witnessed next. A tear rolled down Keegan’s cheek. A tear! “I want to accept him,” he added, and his eyes rolled over to the ailing Mateo, “but I can’t.”

Charlotte brushed the tear away. “Yes, you can, babe. I know you can.”

***

Evie and her friends paced back and forth in front of Edger’s house, under the evening rays of the sun. Sam sat down at a slick, wooden bench near it. Frustrated, he clutched his head, but then he released it. He propped up his chin. Euphorbia comforted him by patting his cheek.

Seranet’s fairies started to settle down for the night. They played with a few fireflies and then returned to their huts.

Evie needed some time to herself, so she went for a walk in a small wood just off the village. She marched up and down ledges and hills and kicked some stones with her toes. A gust of wind passed through her curly hair. “Why would Mom kick me out like that?” the little girl asked herself. “Mateo is my cousin! I have every right to know what’s going on with him.” She swallowed a lump in her throat.

Evie pressed her back up against a tree trunk that had a huge knothole in it. She stopped herself from crying. She had to be brave. If it was the Guardian’s Tree Mateo needed, then she would help him get there, no matter what the adults said.

Evie pushed off the trunk when she heard a crack in the dark, foggy woods. A nervous feeling pinched her. It hurt, so she knew she wasn’t dreaming. Low growls came from the wall of fog in front of her. Not only that, but Evie gulped when a pair of glowing, red eyes appeared within it. It looked like a shadow coming out of hiding after one hundred long years.

The young girl took a step back when a small figure–a dwarf–stepped out of the wall. She tripped over her foot and fell onto her backside.

Fororli held an axe over his shoulder. He wore chainmail armor over his little body and a helmet on his head. He smirked at Evie.

She crawled away from him, but her back hit another tree.

Fororli removed his axe. He stretched his arms out to his sides–a cue for the others to join him.

The pair of eyes Evie saw from before multiplied like cells. A small army emerged from the fog. It consisted of bony fae skeletons and beings whom they had put under their spell. Leading them was–Evie could not believe it–King Benjamin. Thebes and the Fused Monster Ben saw in Anecka’s lair were close behind him, as well as a couple of mini legions. Ben was the only human in the army. Everybody else was a magical being like the basilisk. They were the hunter’s slaves.

“Ben!” Evie shrieked. What in the name of Pinta Country happened to him?

Ben’s skin was chalk white, rubbery, and zombie-like. The scratches on his cheek were exceptionally visible. His eyes glowed the brightest out of the whole crowd. He, Fororli, Thebes, the Fused Monster, and legions crept toward Evie.

She had no idea how she did it. Did it happen because she was scared, and she mentally asked nature for help? Evie got up. The second her palms hit the hard dirt, a wall of vines and thorns lifted out of the soil surrounding the army. The powerful plants trapped them temporarily, buying time for Evie to escape. However, she was so appalled that she froze from the shock. She could not believe what just happened. She used magic!

The undead army started to cut through the plants.

King Benjamin pulled them apart like the bars of a cage, but he struggled because the vines were so powerful.

A voice from the sky snapped Evie out of her trance: “Get on!” To her surprise, Crystal the unicorn landed in front of her. Except, she wasn’t a unicorn anymore, but an alicorn.

Evie’s blue eyes widened to almost the size of her face. “Crystal! You have wings! But how?” She gasped when the alicorn tossed her onto her back. Crystal cantered forward and opened her massive, angel-like appendages. She hopped into the sky, right when the army began to overwhelm the plants Evie conjured.

Ben was the first one out. Sword in hand, he growled at the sight of Evie getting away. The chainmail over his own body weighed him down, but he straightened up. His red eyes flashed, and his attention moved over to Fororli. “What are your orders, Fororli?”

That was an easy answer. Fororli banged the butt of his axe on the forest floor. He then twirled it in his hand. “You know what they are, Your Highness. Destroy the village. Do whatever you can to find the fae ranger, and bring him to me. The master has been waiting to meet him for sixty long years.”

“Yes, sir!” Ben gave the dwarf a quick salute. “We won’t let you down, not with me leading.”

Fororli held his axe in both hands. He tossed it back and forth between them. With an evil smile on his bearded face, he nodded at the young king. “I know you won’t. It’s time for the fun to begin.”