He might have had a crazy streak at times, but running off against orders wasn’t like Owen. In fact, him being such a classic good boy was the main reason that he wasn’t too scary, in spite of all the things he could do, like mess with people’s minds and stop time.

Owen returned to us. “They’re sending backup,” he said. I couldn’t tell from his tone of voice how he felt.

“So, how much trouble are you in?” Sam asked, and I was glad he did, so I didn’t have to.

“I don’t know. I’m supposed to stay out of sight and not engage either Idris or his minions.”

I tugged on his sleeve. “Well, if you’re going to do that, we’d better get home.”

We managed to avoid the wizard gang and get back home to make our usual climb up the tree onto the porch roof. I seemed to be entering the house more often through my bedroom window than through the door these days. I’d just put one leg through the window when I noticed movement in my room. Someone was in there. I opened my mouth to scream in shock, but someone caught me from behind with a hand over my mouth. That could have been even more frightening, but I realized right away that it was Owen.

“What are you doing here, Mrs. Callahan?” he whispered.

I pried his hand off my mouth and blurted as softly as I could, “Granny?” Sure enough, my grandmother was sitting on my bed. “I thought you didn’t like to drive at night,” I added.

“Not liking to isn’t the same as can’t. But I’m not the one who should be answering questions, missy.

Just what would you be doing climbing in through the window at this hour? Where have you been, and what have you been up to?”

Before we continued the conversation, I climbed the rest of the way inside, and Owen joined me.

Granny patted the bed beside her, and we both sat down. “There’s something going on in town,”

Owen said.

She nodded. “I thought so. Those were some strange-looking young men. They’re using too much magic. They’ll run us all dry. Now, what does this have to do with you?”

“My enemy is their leader.”

“Oh, so it’s a magical war that’s brewing.”

“I hope not.”

“You’ll need help.”

“Owen can take care of it, Granny,” I put in. I doubted he’d want the kind of help she could offer, unless she was going to scare off the junior wizards by shaking her cane at them and glaring.

“What kind of help do you think I can find?” Owen asked her. I was so used to people just humoring her that I couldn’t get used to him having a serious conversation with her about the kind of stuff we usually ignored.

“We have the wee folk. I’ll bet they’re not happy to have their power sources drained by that lot.”

“You mean the nature spirits? The naiads and dryads?”

“If that’s what you call them. Yes, they live around the creek, more outside of town these days. But it takes special skill and a number of precautions to summon them safely.”

“I’m familiar with the rituals.”

She patted him on the leg. “I had a feeling you would be. You’re a good boy. I’ve got some things that may be helpful to you. I’ll bring them to you tomorrow.” She braced her cane on the ground and stood up. “Now, I’d better get home before my daughter realizes I’m here. And you’d best get out of Katie’s bedroom, young man. It’s improper for you to be unchaperoned like this.”

“Wait a second,” I said, “you mean you came here in the middle of the night and waited for us to tell us there were strange wizards in town?”

“No, I came here because I noticed earlier today that the bark on that tree by the porch was scraped.

Someone’s been climbing up and down that way, and as you’re the only one living at home these days, I had a feeling you were up to something. The best way to find out what you were up to was to catch you out and wait for you.”

I looked out the window, toward the tree, then back at Granny. “You didn’t…”

“Don’t be silly. I came up the stairs, like a normal person.”

“But how did you not wake up Mom and Dad? Those stairs squeak something awful.”

She shook her head and tut-tutted. “It’s not too difficult a spell to silence those steps. Don’t tell me the great wizard here didn’t think of that.”

I looked over at Owen, and if I’d had night-vision goggles, I was pretty sure I could have seen the glow coming off his face. “But—but that would have been dishonest, deceiving my hosts,” he stammered.