Sky grabbed hands with the younger boys, and Alex followed behind as Sky led them on a stealthy journey off-path.

What they didn’t see was Sean and Carina flinch, one after the other, and crumple to the sand. A single remaining guard skittered down his tree and ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the other side of the island.

Sky moved swiftly, leading the way. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how much time has passed, and about where the new captures like Sam and Lani would be stationed,” she said in a low voice as her feet flew expertly over the brush. “They’re probably still tethered to a wire—it’s like a wire leash. It helps them find their way around the tunnels, and it also keeps them from trying to escape. They don’t usually get that taken off of them for a few months, until they can be trusted.” “Great,” Alex muttered. He wondered if there was a wire

cutter on the ship that they could use. But it was too late now to go back. Darkness was threatening. He fingered his spell components, keeping something in his hand at all times in case they were surprised, and changing his mind every other minute on what would be the best spells to have in hand.

After several minutes of following the kitten’s seek line, Sky whispered, “It’s leading us to the shipbuilding yard by the water. Be careful now. Stay low and don’t speak. This place is teeming with brutes.”

They neared an area of trees that had been freshly cleared. In the distance Alex could see dozens of men and women working silently on various types of watercraft. Sky stopped and pointed to where the string of light was leading. Alex peered through the trees, looking for signs of the fox and Charlie, knowing the kitten would be hard to spot.

As he stood there looking all around for anyone or anything that was remotely familiar, the hair on the back of his neck started prickling. Alex whirled around as someone—or something—came flying at him, hitting him square in the chest. It knocked him down, and before Alex could get a shot off, Henry had the creature frozen in a crunchy chocolate shell. It rolled off Alex.

“Oh no!” Henry whispered. He released the spell immediately, and the fox sprang to life again, hopping about. On his back was the kitten, and standing ten feet away was Charlie, waving.

“Sheesh,” Alex said. “In glad Kitten is okay, but please don’t do that again. This is a stealth mission, okay?” He scrambled to his feet and wiped the dead leaves and dirt from his clothes.

“Mewmewmew!” the kitten said.

Alex looked at the fox. “What did she say?”

“She said Samheed is working on the other side of that ship

and he knows we’re here, but he has a leash stuck to his neck thing and there are lots of others about. Also, she heard the manager say it was nearly time to quit for the day.”

Alex looked skeptical. “She said all that with three tiny mews?”

The fox nodded. His face was very serious. “And Charlie can talk to Samheed in the sign language.”

Alex didn’t want to know how the fox found that out, but he was glad. “Okay. Kitten, you did good to send out the alert.” The kitten hopped up and down on the fox’s back. “Let’s move around so we can see him,” Alex said. The fox tilted his head when he noticed the two arms floating in midair. He sniffed, and then followed them, along with Alex and Henry. They got down on their hands and knees and snuck around to the back of the woodpile where the statues had been before. In front of them was an enormous covered pavilion, where a dozen young men and women chopped logs. A large shadow passed over the trees, and Alex looked up to see Simber, who had spied them as well. Alex signaled to Simber and whispered, knowing the cat had amazing hearing. “There’s no open place for you to land without everybody noticing. Can you go and tell Sean and Carina that we’ve found Samheed? Then come right back and see if we need help.”

The cat circled and flew off.

“Psst,” someone said.

Alex looked all around. Up in the trees he saw them—a dozen squirrelicorns, including Rufus. Alex flashed a shaky grin. He was suddenly feeling better about this.

“Okay, team. You run and fly out there and distract them while I get Samheed off his leash. Henry, as soon as you’re close enough, hit everyone else with everything you’ve got. I’ll help as much as I can. Ready, everyone?”

They all nodded, and Rufus circled a paw in the air, commanding his team.

“Go!” Alex said.

Like a disturbed beehive, the shipbuilding area was suddenly swarmed with screaming squirrelicorns and a few hopping, yelling statues. The Warblerans dropped their axes in fright as Samheed started throwing punches at anyone within reach.

Waiting for his cue from behind the woodpile, Alex grinned as he watched Samheed fight with every ounce of energy he had. “Man, have I missed you,” he whispered.

The First Loss

Alex leaped over the end of the woodpile, casting blinding highlights on his way to Samheed. “Sam!” he said as he ran up. “Stand still now, don’t move

an inch.” Samheed dropped his fists and began to shake, overflowing with adrenaline. The Warblerans he’d

punched came to their senses and began to fight off the winged, horned creatures that stabbed at them. Alex shot off a few more spells, and when it looked like he had a few seconds, he touched Samheed’s thorns. “Hold very still,” he whispered. He took a breath, and whispered, “Dissipate.”

Just as he breathed the dangerous magical word, a Warbleran grabbed a squirrelicorn from the air and threw her at Alex. The squirrelicorn’s horn hit Samheed’s neck, jolting them all. And as the thorns vanished, so did the creature.