I nodded and headed for the stream. I wanted to wash my face and brush my teeth with the mint-infused powder that Aunt Serena had given me. I had to use my fingers, because, apparently, they didn't have toothbrushes in Avalonia.

I tied my long, unruly hair with a ribbon as I returned to my traveling companions, feeling somewhat brighter but still muggy from wearing the same clothes since the day before.

After we ate our adequate breakfast of bread and cheese, we got onto our horses and followed Rafe through the brightening woods. Along the way we passed travelers and riders, who didn't give us a second glance. Wagons loaded with goods traveled the forest road, and Rafe stopped to talk to a group of pilgrims who said that they were on their way to the temple of Karneth in eastern Eldoren.

When he got back onto his horse, Rafe looked troubled.

"What has happened?" asked Aunt Serena, riding up next to Rafe.

Rafe shook his head. "It may be nothing," he said, "but the pilgrims said that they saw what looked like a Shadow Guard not far from here in the woods."

"Shadow Guards!" exclaimed Aunt Serena. "Here, in Eldoren?"

"So it seems," said Rafe seriously. "We must keep to the inner paths. Follow me."

We rode through the Willow Woods for two days, sleeping under the stars and trying to evade the Shadow Guard. After the first night, Rafe refused to light a fire, even though the forest would get chilly. He did not want to take the chance of a Shadow Guard picking up our trail, and we had to wrap ourselves in our cloaks, huddled together most uncomfortably, to keep warm. On the fourth day of our journey, after a few hours of riding at a fast pace through the woods, Rafe stopped his horse and got off. We all followed, and he tied the horses to a nearby tree.

"There is someone we have to meet," Rafe said. "Your granduncle's orders."

Aunt Serena didn't argue, so Erien and I just followed. We had to push branches and leaves out of the way to get to a thickly shaded grove. In the middle, nestled between two massive trees and countless bushes, was a little wooden hut. It reminded me of the cottages in Pixie Bush, but this was more unkempt and wild, with creepers and branches encircling the hut as if it too was part of the forest.

I wondered who lived there. Who was Rafe taking us to see? And why?

Rafe knocked on the little rickety wooden door and slowly pushed it open. We all followed him inside the cottage.

An old lady was sitting on a chair near the fireplace. Her long, snowy hair fell past her waist, and her ears had the unmistakable point to them that I now recognized immediately.

She was fae.

The hut was warm and inviting, and calming smells of lavender and vanilla wafted towards us as we entered. The old fae lady looked up from her sewing.

"Ah! Rafe, my boy," said the old fae woman. "I have not seen you for many summers."

"Magdalene," said Rafe, bending down on one knee and clasping her wrinkled hands in his. "How have you been?"

"Terrible, I can tell you," said Magdalene, chuckling. "My back hurts and my legs ache when I walk. It's not easy being over a thousand years old."

My eyes widened, a thousand years old? Was she kidding? Mrs. Plumpleberry was three hundred years old, and I thought she was old.

The old lady's eyes turned to me. They were violet, like Kalen's, but so full of wisdom that I was momentarily taken aback.

"Is she the one Silverthorne has been waiting for?" she said simply, looking back at Rafe.

Rafe nodded. "Yes, Maggie, it is she. I must say I am surprised you know about her."

"I know many things," she said cryptically. "But Silverthorne did send me a raven with the news. I have been expecting her." The old fae lady chuckled.

Rafe raised his eyebrows, quite obviously surprised.

"Serena, my child, come here," she said to my aunt.

Aunt Serena went over and hugged the old fae lady. "Maggie, it's good to see you," she said.

The old lady smiled. "How is your father?" she asked.

"The same," said Aunt Serena, smiling. "Grumpy as ever and running about the kingdoms as if he were still a young warrior-mage."

The old fae lady burst out in a fit of laughter that sounded like a hacking cough. Aunt Serena laughed with her, as if only they were privy to their private joke.

"Well then, all is right with the world for now," Maggie said finally, her voice scratchy. "If Silverthorne is on top of things, I do not worry much."

"Come here, my child," she then said, turning her violet eyes on me and stretching out her hands. She held my hands in her old wrinkled ones and looked at my face. "Aye, it is she," said Magdalene after a perceptible pause. "Let me see the amulet."

I looked over at Aunt Serena, who nodded slightly. I pulled out the Amulet of Auraken. The old lady fingered it with her bony wrinkled fingers and mumbled a few words in a language I couldn't understand. She looked like she was reading the inscription.

Finally she looked up and gave me a toothy grin. "So, young princess, I'm glad that all my work was not in vain."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. How did she know me?

"Come, sit and I will tell you," she said. "Be a dear and bring over the stool from by the window please, pet."

I did as I was asked, and soon Aunt Serena and I were seated on small wooden stools. Erien sat on the floor, and Rafe lounged against a wall. It wasn't every day you met someone who had lived for a thousand years. The amount of knowledge that she had accumulated over the centuries must be immense, so I listened intently to what she had to say.

"When you were born, you were a little menace," Magdalene said, laughing to herself. "In your first month alone you stunned three of your nurses, and their memories had to be modified because of it. By the time you were a few months old, strange things had started happening all over the palace. Old dogs were turning back into puppies, and cats were turning into birds. Once when you were taken to the gardens for a walk, the stable grooms complained that all the horses in the stables had turned into pigs."

I burst out laughing at that one. "So it was me?" I asked. "I did all that?"

Magdalene nodded, her expression becoming more serious. "That and much more," she said. "Even as a baby your magic was stronger than most, and mages don't come into their powers until they turn sixteen. You were a nuisance in the palace. Your mother was forever being blamed for the mysterious fae magic that was alarming the people of Illiador. Many times she would take the blame for it, and, because everyone loved Elayna, they chalked it up to the mischievous streak of the fae. Your parents finally got so worried that your mother came to me for help. They were afraid that, once people found out that their child was a fae-mage, you would be killed before you could even grow up. It was I who gave them the amulet that you now wear around your neck. I had come across it in my travels through the Old Forest."

"Maggie," said Aunt Serena softly, "if you knew all these years that she was a fae-mage and wore the amulet, why didn't you tell any of us? We would have kept searching for her. We gave up hope because there was no magical trace left of her when she was sent to the other world."

The old fae woman looked straight into Aunt Serena's eyes. "It was not her destiny to be found by any of us," she said, her eyes turning the color of icy pools. "Her destiny was set long, long ago, before she was even born. There are powerful forces at work here, forces you cannot even begin to comprehend, forces that have shaped our world from before the dawn of time. Everything is not always exactly as it seems, and it is ultimately Aurora's choices and strength of character that will determine her fate and the fate of all of Avalonia."

"And what is my fate?" I said, too intrigued to remember my manners.

"There is a long road ahead, and soon you will find out where your true path lies. But not today," she answered, her eyes turning back to a calm shade of violet.

I nodded. As usual, I rarely got a straight answer in this world, but I was thankful that Magdalene shared that much with me. It was a glimpse into a life that I did not remember. And it made me realize that my parents must have loved and cared for me before my aunt cruelly murdered them.

I stared out of the window, thinking about my parents and what they must have been like. I could picture them in my mind now, since I had seen portraits of them at Silverthorne Castle. I did look a lot like my dad: jet-black hair, striking green eyes, with heavy lashes. But my heart-shaped face and wide full mouth was so much more like my mother. It was quite amazing to see the resemblance. It was a good thing I didn't inherit the fae ears, or I would have never been able to hide myself in plain sight.

Finally Rafe spoke. "Maggie," he said, "I need a small favor."

Magdalene chuckled. "Don't you always, young man?"

Rafe smiled, looking a little embarrassed.

"We need you to change Aurora's appearance," said Rafe.

"What?" I spluttered. "I'm not changing the way I look." I shook my head vigorously to emphasize the fact. "Aunt Serena, say something!"

"I'm sorry, my dear, but it has to be done," said Aunt Serena.

"But, but, no . . ." I said to no avail.

They both ignored me, and Rafe went on. "Something understated; she must blend in."

Magdalene nodded. "Absolutely," she said, as she leaned over to me.

Before I knew what she was doing, she ran her hands over my hair, and then one hand over my eyes and face.

"Done," she said.

"What's done?" I asked, bewildered. What had she done to me?

I looked around for a mirror, and Magdalene took a small silver one from a nearby shelf and handed it to me. I clasped the silver handle and brought it to my face. I was aghast; she had changed my beautiful black hair to a mousy brown color. Gone were my raven-black locks. I touched the back of my head and only felt a soft mop of short cropped hair. She had cut off my hair! And my eyes . . . instead of emerald-green, they were brown, and not a nice brown; it was a bit like the color of mud speckled with dirt. I hated this look. It was just not me.

I looked up at Magdalene. "Couldn't you have made me blonde and blue eyed?" I asked hopefully.

Magdalene chuckled. "We want you to blend in, not stick out like a sore thumb," she said.

Rafe nodded solemnly. "Yes, Magdalene. This is perfect."

"Now she looks nothing like Azaren or Elayna and looks quite unobtrusive, thank you," said Aunt Serena, inspecting me closely.

"Glad to be of service, my dears," said Magdalene, still chuckling to herself.

I looked over at Erien. He made a face but said nothing. I looked horrid and so plain that even if Rafe had any inclination towards me, he would not anymore.

"We must be on our way," said Aunt Serena, getting up. "It's a long way to Greystone, and I want to get there before nightfall. At least we will be able to sleep in a proper bed tonight."

I was glad to hear that. Camping under the stars was okay for a few nights, but I didn't want to make a habit of it.

"I am so glad that you brought this child to see me," said Magdalene. "I never thought I would ever get to see a fae-mage again." She stood up and turned to me, taking my face between her leathery hands. "You have a great destiny, little one. Choose your battles wisely, and do not let your pride get the better of you. A wise queen is a just and humble one."

We all thanked Magdalene and rode off through the forest, towards the town of Greystone, where we would be able to spend the night and pick up supplies.

Soon we reached the gates of the little town, which was surrounded by moderately high, but crumbling stone walls. It was situated on the banks of the Pinebrook River, which wound its way through the Dewberry Valley and into the Stardust Sea. A small castle rose up near the town walls. It looked run down and quite bleak, very different from Silverthorne Castle.

"Who lives in that castle?" I asked Rafe, as he rode up beside me.

"It belongs to the marquis of Greystone," said Rafe, "but he lives mainly at his townhouse in the city of Neris near the palace. His steward runs the estates and the town. Normally your aunt would stay at the castle, but this time I have made other arrangements in the town itself. It's better that no one knows we are here."

"What about you?" I asked. "Won't someone recognize you without your mask?"

"No one really knows me here. I will keep my hood on," said Rafe. "Don't worry. You are safe with me."

"I wasn't worried about myself," I said, embarrassed as soon as I said it.

Rafe smiled. "I know," he said and winked at me as he rode forward towards the town gates.

A guard was at his post, but he was asleep. Rafe did something with his hand, and the man woke up with a start. He looked down at us from his post on the gatehouse.

"Who goes there?" he said with a sleepy voice. "Don't you people know the gates don't open until morning? Go away and come back tomorrow. We don't open the gates to strangers and . . ."

Rafe held out some gleaming gold coins that shimmered in the moonlight. The guard's eyes widened, and he grinned at Rafe.

"I shall open the gate right away, milord," said the guard, scurrying to open a smaller gate. We led the horses through on foot.

The little town was asleep as we walked quickly through the deserted streets. A few lanterns were still burning, but most had lived out their lives. Two stray dogs ran by, and one tried to snap at the heels of my horse, but Rafe shooed them away. Tiny cobblestone paths crossed and intersected in a maze of streets. Badly constructed wooden houses with patched roofs were crammed together, the upper floors almost touching each other, creating a tunnel passage over the street below. This was not like the clean, whitewashed town of Fairlone. Greystone was much smaller, more like a village, and very dreary.

"That is the town hall," said Erien, pointing to a large, rickety, two-storied house with a crumbling roof and battered walls.

"It looks so rundown," I said, looking around as we crossed the deserted town square.

"That's because many of the townspeople have left and moved south to Calos or Mirin or any of the other villages on the southern coast," explained Rafe.

"Why?" I asked, always interested to learn what I could about Avalonia.

"This was once quite a prosperous town, but Greystone is too close to the Illiadorian border," Rafe answered.

I nodded, understanding. Morgana's terror was slowly moving into Eldoren too.

As we walked through the quiet, sleeping town, I felt like someone or something was watching me, and I glanced back twice. It was as if some presence was boring into my back, but when I turned there was nothing there but shadows. Rafe did not seem to notice anything unusual, so I decided not to say anything. Maybe it was just my tired mind playing tricks on me.

We came at last to a large wooden house two stories high. Above the heavy wooden door was a sign: The Dancing Daisy Inn. Rafe knocked once and waited. A short, fat little man opened the door. He was wearing his nightclothes and looked very sleepy and angry to be woken at this hour. But when he saw Rafe, his eyes widened and he gave a short bow, silently ushering us in.

"I have your rooms ready," he said, as Erien, Aunt Serena and I followed him up the rickety wooden stairs. Rafe came up behind us.

The inn was a warm, cozy, well-kept place. It was basic, but better than what I expected from it. Four unpolished wooden doors lined the small pokey corridor on the first floor of the inn. The little man led us into the first one, unlocking the door and opening it ever so carefully, as if he were opening the door to a treasure chamber.

"Thank you, Bumbletree," said Rafe, jovially patting the man on the back, setting him at ease. The little man bowed again and continued bustling about the room, closing windows, and tidying up.

The innkeeper showed me to my room, which I was sharing with Aunt Serena. It was small but comfortable, sparsely decorated with a frayed crimson rug on the otherwise bare floor. Two wooden beds with fresh sheets lay by the wall under the window, and a desk and chair were placed next to it. Across the room, a small candle lantern, half-burnt, lay on the little dresser, and a comfortable armchair that was patched in many places stood beside it.

The room was relatively clean and tidy, and I was too tired to be fussy. I washed in the copper basin with the jug of water and rough cloth that was left in the room and lay down on the bed.

My body was aching all over from spending the whole day in the saddle. I loved riding, and when I was little my parents would take me riding in the country, but I was not used to being on top of a horse for more than an hour at a time. My thighs were in agony, and my hands were blistered. I wondered if I would even be able to walk the next day.

Aunt Serena was asleep before I knew it. But I lay in bed thinking about the days to come. My thoughts whirled around in my head. Names of people I had never met, places I had never seen, and my change of name and identity.

I rolled over in my hard bed, trying to get some sleep, but I was upset and a little frightened. Starting a new school was going to be a challenge. I was not a very outgoing person, and I wondered what the other students would be like. Would I find anyone to be friends with? Even if I did, I would have to lie about who I really was.

Nothing could be worse than what I suffered at my old school, I told myself. At least here I had a fresh start, without Cornelia to make my life hell. In fact, thinking about Cornelia didn't bother me anymore; Morgana was now definitely the one I had to watch out for. At least in Evolon, I would be safe for a while until I learned how to wield my magic.

I clutched the gold amulet around my neck and looked at it closely for the umpteenth time. Who knew that such a small thing could be so powerful? I slipped it back under my shirt. Finally I fell into a quiet sleep, without dreams of gleaming daggers or Morgana.