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for the Princess and her Prince.”  He motions for us to walk through the path that is clearing. 
     
    A lot of eyes are trained on me.  Some curious, some hostile, and some even look like they’re happy to see me.  I smile at them all as I move towards my biological father.  When we are close to his throne, he says, “Have you come on urgent business?”  He is trying to school his face, but his eyes look hopeful.  I don’t think this is his favorite day of the month.
     
    I nod solemnly, trying to make it seem dire so that the crowd doesn’t think I’m just putting my own concerns ahead of theirs.  “Yes,” I say quietly.  Kallen gives me a surreptitious wink.
     
    Rising, Dagda says to the crowd, “I will return shortly.”  There’s a lot of grumbling, but he rises from his throne and walks around it.  He gestures for us to follow him to his office that is just off from this room.
     
    When Kallen closes the door behind us, Dagda walks around the desk and has a seat in his chair.  He rubs his eyes with the heels of his palms and then turns to face us.  “Have a seat,” he says, indicating the chairs in front of his desk.  “Tell me what this is about.”
     
    “My aura is painted dark, I have a familiar, and I make Alita sick,” I blurt out.
     
    Dagda blinks several times not knowing what to say.  He opens and closes his mouth a few times but nothing comes out.  Finally, he turns to Kallen.  “What the hell is she talking about?”
     
    I frown at him, but I let Kallen do the explaining.  “It is as she says,” Kallen tells him.  “We woke this morning to find that a familiar has been created for her.  The familiar, being of dark magic, affected Alita when she came to Grandmother’s to work on hand-fasting details.  When Xandra went to her to try to ease her pain, Alita reacted to Xandra’s presence as she had the familiar.  She also claimed that Xandra has a dark aura surrounding her.  When Tabitha explored further, she said that it is as if the darkness is ‘painted on’.”
     
    Dagda shakes his head and gives a humorless chuckle.  He leans back in his chair and rubs his eyes again.  After a moment, he looks back at us, me specifically.  “I set you on a rough path, for that I am sorry because it seems you will never know peace.”
     
    Embarrassed by his candor, I shrug.  “I can handle it.”
     
    He nods.  “Yes, you can.”  Leaning forward and putting his elbows on his desk, he says, “Did you come simply to explain what is happening?”
     
    “Kind of,” I say.  “We felt you should know since your walking dark magic meter is sort of incapacitated at the moment.  It would be a good time for someone to attack.”
     
    His eyes widen slightly and his nostrils flare.  “You believe this to be a plot against me?”
     
    I shrug again.  “Not necessarily.  It’s a ‘just in case’ visit.  You should watch your back while I’m watching mine.”
     
    A smile is trying hard to pull up the corners of his mouth, but he tamps it down.  “Your concern for my safety is appreciated.”
     
    “We also came to research familiars,” I rush to say, not wanting him to get too carried away with the mushy stuff.
     
    “We would like to search the archives for any information we can use to track down the caster of the spell,” Kallen adds.
     
    “Of course,” Dagda says, as relieved as I am to let the mushy moment pass.  “I will call for the scribe to assist you.”
     
    “Scribe?” I ask.
     
    “He is in charge of making sure no document is lost.  If the ink is fading or the ancient parchment crumbling, he will transcribe the information using today’s materials which are more durable,” Kallen explains.
     
    That sounds like an easy enough job.  Boring though.  “Thank you,” I say standing up.
     
    Kallen and I walk to the door opposite the one we came through before.  This door will lead us into the heart of the palace.  When my hand is