"Do tell."

"My people are allies with Willow Bean but I wouldn't call her a friend," Deal said. "She is too much like her mother."

"Can't you be more specific than that?"

Deal circled Sasha in a lazy flying motion.

"Years ago we helped Willow Bean and Charles find a cache of precious metals," Deal said. "They took the treasure without following through on the promise that was made to my people."

"What are your people?"

"We are Horum," Deal said as if Sasha knew what that meant. She made a motion with her hand for him to continue. "We are a small people. We have made ourselves very useful in the information exchange business."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I was told to," Deal said settling on her arm again. "The Horum are very intuitive. They know change is coming to Tysseland. My masters thought it advantageous to help Willow Bean's daughter, especially if Willow Bean becomes queen one day soon."

Sasha stared at Deal incredulously. Willow Bean was going to be queen?

"I don't think that will happen anytime soon," Sasha said. "My mother doesn't like moving."

"Now, can I tell you why I am here?" Deal said impatiently.

"Go ahead," Sasha said. She wasn't satisfied with the answers he gave her. It was exhausting talking to him. She felt very drained like when she used magic. Geez. Why hadn't she used magic to untie the ropes? It was like her brain was frozen. Ignoring Deal, Sasha turned to the ropes and concentrated. It must have been obvious on her face because Deal flew between her eyes.

"Don't bother," he said in a high-pitched voice. "Your magic won't work here. There is a spell over this chamber. Unless you know how to break the spell no one but Vania can use magic."

Sasha slumped against the cold wall, broken, and slid to the floor. She was doomed unless Evan could find her. She couldn't imagine he would. The castle was like a maze and she had no idea where she was.

"Ok, what did you want to tell me?"

Deal flew in front of her and blew into the air. A cloud of gold dust appeared above him.

"I thought you said magic couldn't work in here," she said, a bit whiny.

"Mine can," he said. "Horum aren't human."

"Well then set me free," she said scrambling to her feet.

This time she saw Deal shake its head.

"She would know it was me," Deal said.

Sasha knew he meant Vania. He didn't have to explain his fear of the queen's revenge. She was a vindictive woman. The curse she put on Sasha was case in point. She stayed quiet as he flew into the gold cloud and moved particles around. She watched as lines formed into a picture. Finally she could tell it was a map.

"Wow," she said impressed. "Pretty neat trick."

Deal finished the picture and flew to the side. Indicating with his miniscule arm, he pointed to the largest room on the map.

"This is where they'll bring you," Deal said.

"How do you know this?"

Deal ignored her question and flew to a tiny room that seemed to be several floors beneath the bas.e.m.e.nt on the other side of the map.

"This is where you want to go," Deal said.

Since Deal was in the information business, Sasha figured he knew what she was seeking.

"Ok," she said studying the map closely. "How do I get there?"

Deal got inside the map and then followed the hallways he drew that led to tiny room.

"The room is underneath her bed chamber," he said. "It can be accessed from the sleeping quarters or from behind a statue in this hallway."

Deal showed her where the statue was located.

"What does it look like?"

Deal described an ogre. It was a gigantic beast of at least 400 pounds. It was made of stone and couldn't be moved the conventional way.

"Should we go through the bed chamber then?"

Deal shook his head.

"There will be many guards posted there."

"If the ogre can't be moved, how do we get in?"

Sasha knew she wasn't going to like the answer when Deal gave her a sympathetic look.

"You have to slay the ogre."

That sounded crazy. How can a stone ogre be killed?

"I don't get it."

"You have to wake the ogre," Deal said. "And fight it to the death."

Cold fear like a heavy stone sunk into the pit of her stomach. In addition to finding the talisman, she had to fight some vicious animal that was four times her weight.

"This isn't going to work," she said. "I think I should go through the bed chamber."

Deal shook his head again.

"Trust me," Deal said. "This is doable."

There was a rustling noise at the door and the sound of rattling keys. Someone was going to open the door. Deal's glow faded and grew smaller.

"No wait, don't leave," she hissed. "You haven't told me how to kill a stone ogre."

Deal shrank to a speck of light and didn't respond. Great. If the curse didn't kill her surely trying to save her own life would do her in.

"Is that all?" she asked just as Deal's light disappeared and she couldn't see him anymore. She was pretty sure he was a guy.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

The guards took her down a long stone corridor, up two flights of stairs and into a large room with drapes over the windows. The floors were white marble and the walls painted a sparkling gold. The room would probably be very bright if the floor-to-ceiling windows were exposed.

In the center of the room was a raised platform holding a large wooden throne-like chair and settee under a burgundy velvet canopy. The room was otherwise bare.

A woman who looked like an older version of Sasha's mother sat on the throne. When she saw Sasha she rose and descended the three steps. Sasha stood and waited for the guards to drag her in front of the woman.

"Leave us," the woman said. The guards left with no argument and Sasha wished they had stayed. Her legs felt like jelly and wobbled slightly when the men released her arms and left the room. Deep down she knew she wasn't brave and her fear was vibrating on the surface. Her legs felt weak, sweat dotted her brow and there was a ringing in her ears distracting her from her task. She was facing death and had no clue how to save herself. The queen was the most powerful woman in the realm, maybe even in all worlds, and Sasha was going to battle her. The idea was so ridiculous Sasha almost laughed out loud. She felt a hysterical giggle rise up her throat and she swallowed desperate to smother it.

Sasha didn't need introductions. The woman was obviously Queen Vania. Her black hair was pulled tight from her face and knotted at the nape of her neck. She wore a heavy dark green floor length velvet gown with pearls sewn into the bodice. She fit in with the medieval decor.

Sasha knew Tysseland wasn't modern but until she saw the queen, she had no idea it dated back to the fifteenth century. The queen wore a golden crown encrusted with pearls on her head. She had heavy looking pearl earrings dangling from her earlobes and a pearl choker finished the ensemble. She was just like one of those evil Disney queens from the movies. For a second Sasha wondered if the queen was dressing up to scare her. The whole scenario seemed farfetched and out of a fairy tale. Then the queen spoke and Sasha knew she was for real.

"I never thought I'd meet you before you died," the queen said circling around Sasha, inspecting her like she was a slave on the auction block. "How's your mother?"

Her tone was pleasant, conversational. It was hard to see through her kind demeanor. Sasha wondered if the queen was using magic on her now.

"Are you mute?" She said this with a concerned tone. "Has something happened to your voice?"

Sasha felt compelled to answer even though in her head she was screaming to stay quiet.

"No," she cleared her throat. "I'm not mute."

"Well then, tell me about your mother," the queen said, her voice now sounding a tad brittle. "Is she still married to that idiot Charles?"

Charles, who's Charles? Deal mentioned Charles too. She frowned. Sasha's father was Martin. She was going to have to ask her mother about this Charles guy if she ever survived.

"I don't know a Charles," she said, her thoughts becoming clearer as the queen's voice turned nastier. Her grandmotherly facade was melting away and finally Sasha realized the queen couldn't use magic on her because of the pendant. Maybe she was taken with her friendly greeting and needed her true self to come out to wake her up.

"That's right," she said with a sneer. "You came later."

She was a making a point but Sasha didn't get it.

"Did your mother tell you why I cursed you?"

Sasha shook her head.

"Have a seat," she waved toward the settee. "It's a long story."

Sasha mounted the platform and gingerly sat down, staying alert.

"My husband died when Willow was a child," the queen said. "He got sick and like that," she snapped her fingers, "he was dead."

A goblet full of red wine appeared in her hand as she talked. She took a sip and set it down on a small table that she conjured with a flurry of her hand.

"Willow was weak. She spent too much time with her father. His influence was too strong. I had to put a stop to it."

What was she saying? Did she kill her husband?

"Willow was to inherit the throne but was too young so I stepped in until she was old enough," she said taking another sip of her wine. She was portraying herself as this benevolent mother doing her daughter a favor. Sasha knew this was false. Don't forget the curse, she reminded herself. Dominic said she was evil and not to get wrapped up in the tale she was spinning. Sasha gritted her teeth and tried to focus on her negative feelings. It was hard.

"She was still too much like her father. I had to toughen her up," the queen leaned forward breathing into Sasha's face. "Do you understand? She needed to be strong to have the throne. We have too many enemies. Everyone wants our wealth and power. We had to protect it at all costs."

The queen glanced away from Sasha toward one of the windows. There was no view because the drapes shut out all light.

"She was getting too soft," the queen's voice dropped. Sasha had to strain to hear her. "Everything I did was for her."

The queen shook her head, lost in her memories of her missing daughter.

"She didn't appreciate it. Only two hours before she was to meet her match, the man who I had arranged for her to marry, she leaves. She packs her bags and leaves like as if she had free will."

The queen's voice rose as she stoked her anger.

"None of us have a choice. It's duty and honor and keeping the land safe. You can't do that if you roam the countryside seeking adventure. Life in the castle is an adventure, I a.s.sure you."

The queen was animated, talking with force.

"I am not known for my compa.s.sion," she said. "I take pride in that. Soft-hearted royalty aren't royalty for long. I've been queen for 40 years. n.o.body has held power that long."

Sasha swore she saw the queen's chest puff out with pride. Suddenly the queen seemed to remember Sasha was in the room.

"I was really hoping we'd do this in your world," the queen said. "I had them video tape every attack. I was planning to send your mother the video every year on your birthday. Unfortunately, I'm sure you've noticed we don't have a lot of modern technology here."

Sasha laughed and couldn't control her temper. "Did you keep copies of all your failures?

The queen showed no emotion. The woman was as tough as granite.

"It's hard to get good help these days," she said. "Hiring quality people from such a long distance is challenging. It's not like I can supervise directly. I have a kingdom to run."

"Ruin you mean, don't you?"

Vania's face froze. Sasha could tell she had scored some pain.

"I think I'm going to enjoy seeing you die."