“They've got Penn!”

Finn burst into the secret meeting room with tears in his eyes, unconsolable. His knees buckled as if at any moment the floor was going to fall out. Behind him followed Rufus, Vinnie and Katty who like every day had gone out to try to steal something during the storm. But not only had they come back empty handed this time but a member of the gang was missing.

Olivia dropped the book and rushed over to Finn who allowed to be wrapped in her arms as he kept moaning and wetting the girl's shoulder with an endless stream.

“What happened?” she asked Rufus who for the first time showed her a somber look very different from his usual cockiness. Beside him, with dull eyes, Vinnie comforted Katty who was also sobbing in silence.

“It's my fault,” he admitted.

“No! It's my fault!” Finn shrieked, sinking his face even deeper into Olivia's clothes.

With the fist of his healthy arm, Rufus hit the wall.

Rufus went on to tell how the gang overheard that some important wizards had arrived at the City Hall. To welcome their guests, the Leader of the Order of Stormbrace had a great feast prepared and among the various dishes would be a large roast suckling pig. It was then that Penn began to complain that they had never eaten anything so appetizing, and Finn responded that if he wanted a roast suckling pig so badly, now was the perfect occasion to disguise himself as a servant and steal it. He had meant it as a game, just to call him a chicken when he refused, but his brother took the challenge seriously and decided to go through with it.

At first Rufus refused to open the secret door that was in the pantry hidden behind boxes of food that arrived there every day, but Penn convinced him that he would not be in danger. Among the City Hall servants there were also children so it would be very easy to go unnoticed. In fact, they had already stolen food before, but never something so big that it would attract a lot of attention.

“It was going to be very simple,” Rufus continued. “Wizards never hang out in that area. Only servants.”

However, as he waited at the hidden entrance for the boy to return with the tray, he heard a woman's loud voice shouting at the cooks.

“And you'd better not put anything suspicious in the meal like what happened in Shadowrock Castle! We are not as weak as that pittyful Count! Any treason against the wizards will be punishable by death! Hey, you! Where are you going with that?”

Rufus heard the metallic clatter of the tray hitting the stone floor and the rushing footsteps of someone running. He caught a glimpse of Penn's small shadow approaching the passageway only to stop abruptly as the boy started squealing in pain.

“What were you trying to do, huh?” the woman said.

Rufus peeked out of the passageway waiting for the moment to intervene and rescue him but suddenly he found Finn's floating body shaking in the air as if a giant claw was holding him and not allowing him to breathe.

The gang leader didn't need to see anything else to retrace his steps and close the door just in time before the red-robed wizard could capture him too. He felt the strong impact of the seal hitting the portion of the wall that he was able to block just a moment before.

The wizard had seen him.

Olivia's heart began to pump hard. That meant that the wizards would soon try to figure out the shield mechanism.

“Suppose they could do it,” said Rufus when Olivia pointed it out. “Without the book and the code, it will take a long time. It may even be years before they succeed. At this point they shouldn't even be able to summon the seal to study it. All they will find is an empty wall.”

“And now what?”

“We must come up with a plan to get Penn out of there,” he looked her straight in the eyes, pleading. “We can't do anything against wizards, but I thought you could...”

Rufus was expecting Olivia to help them with her magic. A cloud of heat lodged in her neck like fine silk that threatened to suffocate her. She couldn't do anything against the Masters either. She only knew how to create shields and keys. Sometimes she managed to summon seals of force and wind but for that she needed a lot of time and concentration. What had happened in the cliff house had been almost an accident which almost knocked her unconscious. The only ones with real power were the witches who had not reappeared since before they arrived at the port.

Assuming they decided to help her, Olivia might be able to break into the City Hall as she had done before in the town but she wasn't sure how long her body would be able to resist. Even if they could rescue Penn, perhaps this time they would not be so lucky to escape unless they managed to set sail immediately.

“How much longer you think the storm will last?” she asked Rufus.

“The winds are starting to shift. Maybe a couple more days.”

“Olivia, what are you thinking?” Silas looked at her with suspicion as if guessing the plan that was forming in her head.

“We'll wait a day,” she answered. “I'll attack the City Hall, we'll rescue Penn, and you and I take the first ship that sails to the island.”

“You'll attack the City Hall!” Vinnie, Katty, Finn and Milo stared at her with their mouths open, hardly believing what she had just said.

Silas sighed deeply and shook his head.

Even Rufus was stunned.

“I wasn't thinking of something so drastic.”

“I'll work out the details of my plan while we wait...” Actually, what she needed to do was to communicate with the witches to convince them. Dawn and Clover seemed to be the most cautious. Spark was perfect for the job even though she was also the one who put Olivia in trouble in the first place.

“Your body won't resist,” Silas' voice sounded hard as if he was gritting his teeth.

“I'm sick of hearing that! I feel much better.”

He folded his arms and lifted his chin.

“If you're really doing this, then I'll go with you.”

“The place is crawling with wizards!”

“Someone will have to pull you out if you pass out again.”

Milo jumped in.

“I can do it!”

The chimera's golden eyes lit up in such a way that the boy recoiled.

“Milo, this is serious! You don't know what you're talking about! This is no time to be a hero! You could die! And you, Olivia, just because you're one of a kind doesn't mean you're immortal either!”

“Last time it was enough to rescue you.”

“You said it yourself!. The place is full of wizards. What if you have to duel several of them? Have you thought about that?”

Silas was right. The last time she had fought against a group of wizards had been at the lake and without the sirenians' healing magic it would have ended her life.

He moved closer to her until their faces were so close that she couldn't avoid his angry gaze.

“Besides, how can you be sure they will be willing to help you?”

“They already helped us several times.”

“Because it was convenient, while saving Penn would not bring them any benefit but the opposite. They won't want you to risk your life that way because somehow their survival is tied to yours.”

Distrust flashed in Rufus' eyes.

“Who are we talking about, more wizards?”

Before Olivia could make something up, the entrance to the room burst open.

Everyone turned around startled. Olivia's heart pounded in anticipation of meeting multiple red robes. Contrary to what Rufus had said they must have cracked the seals. But if they were coming to capture them that meant the witches...

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“Dhabeos!”

Her thoughts stopped as abruptly as they had run amok when she heard Rufus. While he sounded irritated there was no hint of fear in his voice.

The gang leader stepped forward defiantly toward the man, a tall, muscular guy with long, greying hair, who wore the colors of a high-ranking officer.

He was alone.

“You promised me-!” Rufus started to say, but the man's serious look silenced him.

“I've always been generous with all of you. I only begged you not to do anything foolish... And now...” His voice began serene as the rumor of an impending storm but his words soon reached such a high pitch that it made the room thunder. “I can't even accept how you could be so bloody stupid! Stealing from the City Hall while the port is practically under siege! I don't know how I'm going to convince the wizards to release Penn now. He'll be lucky if they just punish him,” his eyes were resting on the faces of each child like a disappointed parent. “And you, Milo? What are you doing here? I thought you are were more...” the man's eyes went to Olivia and finally to Silas and his bear hand. “May the Nymph protect us all,” he muttered. “Not only are you stealing where you shouldn't, but you're hiding two fugitives wanted by none other than the Council itself! And what the fuck happened to that cursed hand?”

“If all you can do is come here to scold us then go back where you came from, Captain! We don't need you!”

“Ha! Of course you need me... How were you planning on getting Penn out? Have you been training magic without me knowing, Rufus?”

“Of course not! Never!”

“And how on earth do you plan to get around the wizards, huh? The know about the passageways! They are even capable of tearing the place down to find them!”

“We have a plan! We don't need you!”

“I promised your father-”

“My father was dying while you were off sailing around the islands!” Rufus' voice turned as thunderous as Dhabeos'. “After all he did for you, you left him here to rot! Then you came back and became Port Captain! And it was all thanks to him! It should be my father who took your place, not you! Don't come meddling in my life just because you feel guilty!”

Olivia stiffened. The one in front of her was no one other than the highest authority in the port, with the exception of the wizards, and surely one of the people who must have been looking for them.

“I won't deny anything you've said,” a glint of pain crossed the man's eyes. “You can hate me as much as you want, that won't stop me from helping you. I came all the way here just to tell you that I will talk to the wizards to release Penn. Rovenna Astra is interceding right now as a favor to me, but before I go back I wanted to make sure you guys weren't going to do anything crazy that would end up with someone else imprisoned and tortured.”

“Tortured?” Olivia couldn't help herself. “But he's a child!”

“Wizards don't make a difference between adults and children, especially when it comes to the Control Division Leader.”

Olivia had once heard her father complain about that same Division, especially about a certain Zoran for his brutal methods. Eldrin on the other hand held him in high esteem as a member of one of the five families and assured Olivia that he would be the next Master Arcanist and would get rid of Rovenna Astra who was nothing more than a descendant of those fallen wizards who had once hunted chimeras.

“Are you going to trade with the wizards?” Rufus scoffed. “Where's your pirate pride? All those stories about your grandfather for what? You don't even hold a candle to that poor old man.”

“I know. But he sacrificed his honor for his family, and I must do the same for you now.”

Olivia could no longer pay attention to what they were saying. The word “torture” kept echoing in her mind. She couldn't bear the thought of Penn suffering when all this time he had been spying on the wizards just to help them.

One day was a long waiting.

“Then I'll turn myself in,” she said.

The discussion died down, and everyone turned to the girl.

“Olivia, what nonsense are you saying now?” Silas stepped in front of her.

“I will be the one to trade with the wizards. I'll demand Penn's release. Then I'll escape when I get the chance.”

“How?”

“Our friends won't let them lock me up.”

Silas grabbed her by the shoulders.

“What if they don't want to do it?”

“They will. You said it yourself, because it's in their best interest.”

“Who are these so called friends that you keep mentioning?” Rufus growled, but neither of them paid any attention to him.

“What if something goes wrong?” asked Silas.

“If something goes wrong then at least you can go to the island.”

“I don't want to go to the fucking island without you! What's the point? All this will be for nothing!”

“You've made it this far. That's the whole point. When I turn myself in, I'll say you've already left, that you took a ship to the northern islands.”

“Are you still mad at me? That's it, isn't it? I'm sorry if I made you feel bad! I didn't mean to!”

Olivia couldn't help but gape.

Silas had apologized for hurting her feelings.

But still, she was partly to blame for Penn's capture.

“I am the Guardian of the Circle's daughter, as well as the prince's betrothed. But you, Silas, I don't want to even think what they'll do to you if you fall into the hands of the wizards.”

“You are Olivia of Shadowrock?” Dhabeos ran his hand through his long hair. “No wonder Rovenna told me to do everything I could to retain you.”

Hearing this, both Milo and the gang stood in front of Olivia as if forming a human shield.

“You're not taking her anywhere, Dhabeos!” Milo shouted.

“If it were up to me, I wouldn't do anything, but I have orders to tell Rovenna Astra that I've found them.”

Olivia tried to reassure the children.

“Rovenna is on our side,” or so she hoped. There was a possibility that the Master Arcanist had changed her mind and decided she didn't want to continue risking her position for two of them.

“And how do we know he's on Rovenna's side?” Silas nodded to Dhabeos. “He could be lying to take you to the wizards.”

“I would trust Rovenna Astra with my own life,” Dhabeos assured them. “As for the rest of the wizards, Rufus, you know what I think, what is at stake.”

A look of understanding crossed between him and the gang leader who nodded slowly.

“Though he does nothing but annoy me, I know Dhabeos will not hand us over to the wizards.”

Olivia took a deep breath.

“What is Rovenna's plan?”

Dhabeos didn't know. Rovenna hadn't even wanted to reveal the identity of the fugitives to him.

“It doesn't matter. We'll go with Rovenna,” Silas decided for both of them.

“Are you sure?”

“You heard Rufus, we can trust him, and Rovenna almost lost her life for us.”

“And what if Rovenna is forced to give us up?”

“We can't rescue Penn without magic, and you can't use it without risking your life. Rovenna is our best option.”

“Are you convincing me to trust a wizard?” despite the urgency, Olivia couldn't help sneering.

Silas cleared his throat, uncomfortable.

“You didn't see her fighting against Eldrin.”

Dhabeos stepped forward.

“I will go to Rovenna and bring her to you.”

“No!” Rufus objected. “No wizard will cross the passages, least of all the Master Arcanist!”

“We won't make any progress if we continue to distrust each other.”

“Let's do this,” said Olivia. “You tell Rovenna to get Penn out of the dungeon. When he comes back, we'll go with her.”

Olivia would wait until the next day. If there was no word from Dhabeos by then, she would act on her own.

As she spoke, the Port Captain seemed to study her. In all that time he hadn't stopped twisting his eyes toward Silas's bear paw either.

“And how do I know you will keep your word? Rovenna warned me about both of you.”

“We have no place to go. Our only chance was to escape by boat.”

After a few moments of silence, it seemed that explanation was enough for Dhabeos and he turned toward the entrance.

Milo followed him.

“I'll go with you to make sure you keep your end of the bargain.”

Rufus looked annoyed.

“I should be the one-”

“You can't do much with that arm and you're the only one who knows the keys to the shields. If something happens to you, we won't be able to get out of here. I, on the other hand, know that area of the cliff very well,” he puffed out his chest. “I don't need any magic passage to escape.”

“Damn you...” the boss clenched his fist as if he wanted to hit him. “Fine, do whatever you want.”

Milo and Dhabeos disappeared behind the wall which closed as soon as they crossed. Olivia began to pace around the room. She should have been the one to accompany Dhabeos but if she had offered Silas would have insisted on going with her.

There was nothing left to do but wait. That plan was the safest alternative but neither of them dared to be optimistic. They tried to sleep while taking turns keeping watch to alert the rest in case Dhabeos and Milo returned but the hours continued to pass uneventfully.

Meanwhile, Olivia spent the entire night trying to communicate with the witches. She had found a small mirror among the stolen objects. However, no matter how hard she concentrated she could not see anything but her own reflection nor could she hear any voice echoing in her mind.

The next day, Rufus started growing more and more impatient. He paced the length of the room as if he wanted to dig a hole with his own feet. When late in the morning there was still no news, he decided that he would go too, but then Dhabeos and Milo reappeared.

Seeing their dull faces, there was no need to ask if Penn was coming with them.

“They wouldn't even let me see him,” said Dhabeos. “The wizards are certain that he knows something about the passages that they failed to activate. Penn has not confessed anything.”

“Have they... hurt him?” Finn's face turned snow white. Katty and Vinnie hugged him.

Dhabeos lowered his head.

“I can't say for sure but Rovenna has witnessed the interrogations and told me that she will check that he is not being tortured because of his age. She can't release the boy yet, otherwise Zoran would get suspicious.”

“Then you and her are useless! What good is your help to us then, they'll never let him go!” Rufus hit the table with his healthy hand. “It's my fault! It should be me in the dungeon and not him! If no one else is going to do anything then I'll give myself up in exchange for his release!”

“Boss no!” shouted the rest of the gang.

“If anything happens to Penn I won't be able to live with myself anymore. I'll give the wizards the book and tell them all about the passageways. Vinnie, I'm leaving you in charge of the gang.”

The girl looked at him stunned.

“What, me?”

“You were right. I should have shared the key codes with you but I've done nothing but make poor decisions and now Penn is the one paying for it. From here on out you will have to find another hideout. This is no longer a safe place.”

Rufus was about to head for the entrance, but Dhabeos stopped him.

“Let me through, traitor!” Rufus shouted, but at the same time Vinnie, Katty and Finn jumped and pulled him to the floor. He tried to break free but due to his injured arm his strength was not enough to get rid of the others.

Olivia made up her mind.

“I'll go. There is no other way. All this is happening because of us,” she looked at Dhabeos. “Take me to Rovenna right now, and I'll see that Penn is released.”

“Are you still with... that idea?” Silas was referring to his plan to attack the City Hall but he didn't want to reveal it in front of Dhabeos.

“It all depends on whether our friends decide-” the moment Olivia said that she felt her body go backwards as if someone was tugging her clothes from behind.

A dense fog fell around her.

“Olivia, are you all right?”

Before the whiteness blinded her, the last thing she saw were Silas' troubled eyes while his voice grew more and more distant.