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Taran leans into me, digging his fingers into my fur, lightly scratching just the way I enjoy.

Pennie appears supremely satisfied. “I told you she was ready.” He’s still staring at Bianca on the TV screen, her none-too-delicate snores growing louder.

I groan a little. “She’s inebriated, so who knows what she’ll remember, but it’s clearly time for us to make our move. The phone was genius, Pen, truly…Clumberton Castlehaving its own number and already in her phone. Well done.”

Pennie’s inner flames brighten at the compliment. “It’s time—I just know it.”

Taran leans around me to look at Pennie and then up at my face. He’s more than a foot shorter than the rest of us but will be eye to eye with fair Bianca. “Time for what exactly?”

“Time for me to cross the border.” I feel Taran’s quivering and work to ease it with the fragrance of hope now filling the room.

“You?” Pennie and Archie inquire together.

I nod. “I will bear the risk. You both are needed here, more than I am.”

“No,” Taran says, gripping me harder. “It’s not like that.”

I set my hand under his lightly feathered chin and raise his beautiful face, forcing him to meet my gaze. “You’ll need themsoon. And this is Archie’s castle, so if anyone comes, he has more right to defend it—and you—than I do.”

“I could go,” Pennie argues, scowling now. “The risk shouldn’t be all yours.”

I tilt my head at him until he exhales, his shoulders dropping. We don’t need to harm Taran with more discussion when we all know the truth. I cannot be for Taran what he needs, where Pennie and Archie can. If I’d been the only inhabitant of this castle when Taran first arrived, he would have died from neglect. No matter what I risk now, nothing could ever be worse than failing my family.

“I’ll go now,” I declare and they all wear the same look of love, respect, and concern that’s in my heart.

“We’ll walk you there.” Taran pats my arm soothingly. “It’s the least we can do.”

Pennie scoffs. “Then we’ll run back here to watch everything you do and evaluate your performance like one of those survival programs that annoy you so greatly.”

I laugh at that, but the weight of reality lands on me like a mischievous boulder pushed off a cliff. In a higher, more screechy pitch, I blather, “I’ll need advice. Guidance. Suggestions. Don’t leave me alone with something this important.”

“You wereverysmooth,” Archie says, while the others nod their agreement.

I grimace. “I offered herbeheadings—that’snotromantic.”

Pennie looks doubtful. “She seemed amused with the idea, didn’t she?”

My fur flutters with my anxiety and Taran leans away from me. Pennie wraps his arms around Taran and moves toward the door.

“It will all be fine,” Pennie calls over his shoulder, while Archie and I pause until Taran is out of earshot.

Archie grips my shoulder with his occasionally clawed hand. “I will protect our family.”

“I know you will, but you know about my dreams. You know what I saw.” I glance in the direction Pennie and Taran walked. “I’m still glad we didn’t tell them. This would be so much harder for them if they knew.”

Archie’s nose scrunches, his tusks more pronounced. “If the worst comes to pass, they’ll never forgive me for concealing the truth.”

I’ve dreamed those dreams so often, I can see them even when I’m awake and they are bright and shiny in my mind right now. “I’ve never seen the outcome, not in all my years of dreaming, because the outcome isn’t within my control. It will be in Bianca’s though—she’sthe one I’ve dreamed of since before our world was swallowed by darkness. Brother, I’m ready now, no matter what happens. I need you to know that and to share it with the others if I don’t return.”

“I will—you know I will. But do your best to return to us. Our family isn’t our family without you.”

“I will. Now, let’s go.” But I don’t move, instead pausing to glance down at myself. “I need to be better dressed than this! I’ll be right back.”

After racing to my rooms and changing into my best attire, ivory cravat perfectly in place, I return to where Archie waits.

“Truly dapper,” he says, grinning and handing me the document he’s holding.

I take it with a thankful nod. “We might be considered monsters in her realm, but we arerefinedmonsters, not to be feared. I think this apparel will convey that.”