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Rachel clutched her doll tighter to her chest and stared at the dark thing watching her fro her It was hard to tell because the eyes were as dark as the rest of it, except when the light caught theolden color

She had seen animals in the woods before, rabbits and raccoons and squirrels and such, but this was bigger It was as big as her, er Bears were dark She wondered if it could be a bear

But this wasn't exactly the woods, since it was indoors She had never been in an indoor woods before She wondered if indoor woods had animals like the outdoor woods did

She ht have been afraid if Chase wasn't there with her She knew she was safe with him Chase was the bravest man she ever saw Still, she was a little afraid Chase had told her she was the bravest little girl he knew She didn't want hi rabbit

Maybe that's all it was, so But rabbits had long ears Maybe it really was a bear She put her doll's foot in her mouth

She turned and looked down the path, across the pretty flowers and short walls covered with vines, and across the grass to where Chase was talking to Zedd, the wizard They were standing by a stone table, looking at the boxes, and talking about what to do with theet theain

Rachel turned back toany closer to her It was gone She looked around, but didn't see it anywhere

"Sara, where do you think it could have gone?" she whispered

Her doll didn't have an answer Rachel bit down on Sara's foot and started walking to Chase Her feet wanted to run, but she didn't want Chase to think she wasn't brave He had said she was brave, and that ood She looked over her shoulder as she walked, checking, but she didn't see the dark thing anywhere Maybe it lived in a hole, and it had gone there Her feet still wanted to run, but she didn't let them

When she reached Chase, she pushed up against hi, and she kneas impolite to interrupt, so she sucked on Sara's foot while she waited

"So what could happen if you just shut the lid?" Chase was asking the wizard

"Anything!" Zedd stuck his skinny arms up in the air His hite hair was smoothed down but it still stuck out in places "How should I know? Just because I knohat the boxes of Orden are doesn't mean I knohat to do with theic of Orden killed hi it It could have destroyed the world It could killit Or worse"

Chase sighed "Well we can't just leave the?"

The wizard frowned and looked at the boxes while he was thinking When it was quiet for a ed on Chase's sleeve He looked down at her

"Chase"

"Chase? I told you the rules" He put his hands on his hips and twisted his face up trying to hter "You've only beenthe rules I told you before, you are to call me 'Father' None of my children are allowed to call me Chase Understand?"

Rachel grinned and nodded "Yes Ch Father"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head Then he mussed her hair "What is it?"

"There's soht be a bear, or worse I think you o have a look"

He laughed "A bear! In here?" He laughed again "This is an indoor garden, Rachel There aren't any bears in an indoor garden Maybe it was a shadow The light does odd things in here"

She shook her head "I don't think so, Ch Father It atching me"

He s hand on the side of her face and hugged her head to his leg "Then you just stay by me and it won't bother you"

She sucked Sara's foot and nodded as he held her head to his leg She didn't feel so afraid now that he had his hand on her, and so looked over to the trees again

The dark thing, mostly hidden by one of the vine covered walls, darted closer Rachel bit down harder on Sara's foot and let out a little whi at the boxes

"And just what is that thing, that stone, or jewel or whatever it is? Did it come out of the box?"

Zedd nodded "It did But I don't want to say what I think it is until I'm sure At least not out loud"

"Father," Rachel whined, "it's co closer"

He looked down "Good You just keep your eye on it for me" He looked back to the wizard "What do youto do hat you said about the veil to the underworld possibly being torn?"

Zedd frohile he rubbed his sers and looked down at the black jewel setting in front of the open box "That's what I'm afraid of"

Rachel looked over to the wall to watch where the dark thing was She gave a start when she saw the hands reach over the edge of the wall It was a lot closer

But they weren't hands They were claws Long curved claws

She looked up at Chase, at all his weapons, just to be sure he had enough He had knives, a lot of knives, around his waist, a sword strapped over the back of his shoulder, a big axe hooked to his belt, a few other things that looked like clubs, with sharp spikes sticking out of the from his belt, too, and a crossbow on his back She hoped it was enough

All the weapons scared otherthat was co closer And the wizard didn't even have a knife He just wore that plain, tan robe And he was so skinny Not big like Chase But wizards hadaway

Magic! Rachel reiven her She reached into her pocket and gripped her fingers around it Maybe Chase would need her help She wouldn't let that thing hurt her new father She would be brave

"Is it dangerous?"

Zedd looked up at Chase from under his eyebrows "If it's what I think it is, and it were to fall into the wrong hands, dangerous wouldn't even begin to describe it"

"Then maybe we should drop it down a deep hole, or destroy it"

"Can't We may need it"

"What if we hide it?"

"That's what I's to take into consideration I need to take Adie to Aydindril and study the prophecies with her before I know for sure what to do with the stone, and what to do about the boxes"

"And until then? Until you know for sure?"

Rachel looked over to the dark thing It was closer, as close as the wall came to them With its claws over the top of the wall, it lifted its head up and looked right into her eyes

The thing grinned at her, showing long, sharp teeth Her breath caught in her throat Its shoulders jiggled It was laughing Rachel's eyes were as big as they would go She could hear her heartbeatssound in her ears

"Father" she whined in a small voice

He didn't look down He just shushed her The thing put its leg over the wall and dropped down in front, still looking at her, still laughing Its shinny ey

es looked at Chase and Zedd It hissed and then laughed as it hunched down

Rachel tugged Chase's pant leg and strained to "

"All right Rachel Zedd, I still don't know"

With a howl the dark thing sprang into the open It ran like a streak, just a blur of black Rachel screah the air Chase fell to the ground as the thing leapt on Zedd

The wizard's arers, bouncing off the dark thing and tearing up dirt or stone where they hit The thing knocked Zedd to the ground