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stairs?
    Whoever went would have to sneak around the castle for a long time to find out where Gavin was. Alida could be quieter than any human.
    Alida noticed Ruth’s wagon by the barn and stared at it.
    Could either of the women ride a horse?
    Wagons were slow and clumsy—it would take twice as long to get back to the castle in a farm wagon. And the guards would see them coming.
    Alida walked to the rose garden and began to eat, chewing fast. If the guards had galloped all night, rested a little, then gone on, they would be back at the castle by now. Maybe Gavin was locked in one of the towers.
    Alida sighed. There was no reason for her to stay here another minute. She was going back to the castle.
    Alone.
    Gavin had saved her life, and he would—
    Her thoughts stopped when she heard a low growl.
    Alida whirled around just in time to see Ruth’s dog running toward her.
    Its teeth were bared, its ears flat against its head.
    An instant later she was hovering above the ground, her heart pounding inside her chest.
    Alida looked down at the dog. Its muzzle was gray. It was old and panting, but it still jumped up, over and over, trying to reach her.
    She felt breathless, scared, and amazed.
    She was flying!
    The dog gathered itself and jumped at her again, coming closer this time. She flew higher without an instant’s thought, and its teeth clacked on thin air.
    Alida had no idea what had happened.
    Why could she fly? She had tried so hard to follow the guards and hadn’t been able to. Was it because she had finally eaten faerie food long enough to get her strength back? Or was it something about being outside the cold stone and back where she could smell trees and see the sky? Maybe she had just been so scared of the dog she hadn’t had time to think?
    Whatever it was, flying felt wonderful, joyous,
right
.
    She went a little higher, then stopped, her wings whirring.

    The house looked small, and for a moment she was scared again. So she glided a little lower, feeling the strength in her wings. Her fears eased.
    Alida heard the back door open—Molly and Ruth were coming outside.
    Startled, she whirled midair, flying up and over the roof to the front yard, so the dog wouldn’t see her. She came lightly to the ground and stood still.
    Her wings felt different.
    She
felt different.
    She could fly. Now all she needed was a lot of practice.
    On the other side of the house, Ruth was calling the dog.
    Its name was Kip, and it stopped barking when it heard her.
    Alida lifted her wings. She stood on her toes and rose into the air.
    She found a high limb where she could sit, looking down into the backyard.
    Ruth was rubbing Kip’s ears and telling him not to bark unless he had a reason.
    Alida leaned forward to see better.
    She slid off the limb and let herself fall a little ways before she spread her wings.
    It was so much fun she got back onto the branch and did it again.
    When she hovered the second time, she saw Ruth looking up at her. Molly was facing the other way, looking at the garden. Ruth tapped Molly’s shoulder. Then they were both staring upward.
    Alida flew down to stand beside them.
    â€œAlida is our friend,” Ruth scolded Kip gently. “You need to be polite.”
    Alida watched Kip’s ears droop. He looked sorry, then wagged his tail.
    â€œHe has never met a faerie,” Ruth said, “though he has known a unicorn or two. He was protecting us.”
    Alida nodded. She watched Kip wag his tail and let him sniff at her hands.
    She started to tell Ruth that she had seen unicorns once, galloping into the woods beyond Dunraven’s castle. But there was no time for stories.
    She stood straight and looked from Ruth’s face to Molly’s, then back. “Neither one of you should go to the castle,” she said. “I should.”

Chapter
    9
    It took a long time to convince them, even though she could tell they knew she was right.
    Once the argument was