CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE AIR WAS still warm and soupy-thick, even at almost eight. Long shadows stretched across the chicken yard like inky fingers, and they seemed to be growing longer by the minute. The sun set so late this far north!

Sam put BriAnn’s newly addressed envelope in the mailbox and lifted the flag. The chicken yard was empty, just as Aunt Vicky predicted, the hens all cozy inside the coop. Sam wanted to join them. Maybe even to try to draw one, like she’d said.

“Psst!” a small voice called. “Sam!”

It took her a moment to find Birch at the edge of the forest, waving her twig sword. Maple stood next to her, tapping her tiny foot. “He’s waiting, Sam!”

Sam sighed. So much for the chickens. She checked the house to make sure no one was watching, then hurried to join the squirrels in the forest.

The air cooled immediately, and the breeze grew bolder. The fading sun speckled the ground with light, but the trees didn’t allow any big spots to sneak through their branchy fingers. A bird’s clear voice echoed but it was quickly drowned out by raspy, croaking toads and a hum of crickets.

“We weren’t sure you were coming,” Birch said, falling into step beside Sam.

“I was certain that you were,” Maple said, her little chin raised. “I have great faith in you, Sam.”

Sam puffed from the praise. The night seemed a little more welcoming all of a sudden. “Where’s Cedar?” she asked.

“With Ashander,” Birch replied, her mouth in a grim line. “Cedar made a joke that Ashander didn’t like and—”

“Shh, now,” Maple said. “That’s enough of that.”

Birch fell silent immediately, but she gave Sam a look that said, “You know what I mean.”

And Sam did.

“Ashander is in no mood for games tonight, Sam,” Maple said, her voice worried. And maybe a little tired. Her blue scarf fluttered around her neck in the breeze. “Have you brought him what he wanted?”

Sam swung her backpack around so she could hug it close. So she could hug Pirate Princess. “Yes, I think so.”

Birch sighed. “It’s not like you can ever be sure anyway.”

Maple shushed them both this time. “Quiet now. Everything will be fine.” Then she muttered, “Yes, yes. Absolutely fine.”

The skies darkened, and the shadows joined together into even bigger pools of darkness. A scraggly bush scraped Sam’s shin as they walked. A pebble wiggled its way into her sock.

Sam ducked under a hanging branch, and suddenly Ashander was there, sitting with his back against a tree just a few feet in front of her. The remaining rays of sunlight hit him at a steep angle, elongating his foxy snout and fangs. He picked at his teeth with one long claw.

Cedar had been juggling at Ashander’s feet but dropped his pebbles when he saw Sam.

“Finally,” Ashander said lazily.

“I brought the prize,” Sam said. She felt a little stronger with Maple and Birch at her side, but her voice still came out shallow.

“Did you, now?” Ashander asked. He rolled his head to the side, and the darkening shadows danced over his fur. “I hope you didn’t try to be too clever this time.”

“The riddle could have several answers,” Sam said. She cleared her throat. “I brought the only prize good enough for you.”

“Oh, this should be fun,” Ashander said. He leaned toward her. “Do tell, Samantha.”

“The answer to the first riddle was a mouse, which is one of the favorite prey of the fox,” she said, sounding like one of her dad’s nature documentaries. “It seemed only right to bring you another of your favorite creatures for this test.”

Sam turned away from Ashander, unzipped the backpack, and carefully pulled Pirate Princess from its confines. The rabbit’s scimitar had gotten bent, so Sam straightened it. And adjusted her eyepatch, too, for good measure. She knew Pirate Princess would want to look her best.

It was hard not to kiss the rabbit on top of her soft head, to whisper again how sorry she was, but Sam managed. She turned back to Ashander and held Pirate Princess aloft for everyone to see.

Ashander was on his feet like the snap of a whip. Sam forced herself to stand still, to hold her ground, even though he seemed so big tonight, so much taller than a normal fox. Even taller than she was. But she knew better than to flinch.

The fox stalked closer. Sam wanted to look at the squirrels, to see if they were safe, to see if they were still by her side, but she knew it was wiser to watch him. Only him.

Ashander took the rabbit’s chin in his red paw. There was a gleam in his eye that Sam hadn’t seen before.

“A rabbit,” he said, and broke into a grin. “But no ordinary rabbit. A creature greatly beloved. This is a foe I know well, though I have not seen her for many years.” He tugged at the rabbit, but Sam wasn’t quite ready to let go.

“Second thoughts?” Ashander asked. “You have not proven your loyalty until you actually complete the test.”

Pirate Princess seemed so incredibly small and helpless in Sam’s hand. Despite her sword. Despite her battle scars. But Sam couldn’t give up now, and she doubted very much that Ashander would let her if she wanted to. Sam found Maple standing just beyond Ashander’s reach, and the squirrel gave Sam an urgent nod.

Sam released her hand and let Ashander take his prize.

“There, there,” Ashander said, pulling the rabbit from her arms. “That wasn’t so hard. And now you’ve proven your loyalty. Do you feel it?”

She felt something, although it was closer to a stomachache. She stared at Pirate Princess, already wishing she could take her back, carry her out of the forest, and hide her in the safety of Aunt Vicky’s room.

It was too late for that now. Much too late.

“Yes, I feel it,” Sam said, because she knew that’s what Ashander wanted to hear.

“Good,” he said. “Because the next test is the most important of all.” He leaned toward Sam—so close she could count the whiskers on his face, could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. “And just so our clever girl doesn’t decide to be too clever, I will tell you exactly what I want for the last test. You won’t even have to guess…” He wrapped a tendril of her hair around his claw. “You won’t have any way to twist out of doing what I ask.”

Sam forced herself to stand still and hold his gaze.

“The final test is easy,” Ashander said, and his dark eyes seemed to laugh. “Bring me what I want, and I will lead you to the Golden Acorn. You’re almost there, Sam. The ultimate prize is within your grasp!”

He paused dramatically, and Sam felt the magic in the air, as if the whole forest was holding its breath with her.

Ashander continued, his voice like honey dripped over thorns. “To prove yourself to me once and for all, you must make a gift of sacrifice. No tricks, no twists, no cleverness. You must bring me the chicken known as Lady Louise.”

No, Sam thought. And then she couldn’t help it. “No, not her! Not Lady Louise. Please!” She looked for Maple and the squirrels, but they had disappeared. Hopefully they were hiding.

“I thought you missed your parents, Sam,” Ashander said. “I thought you wanted everything to go back to the way it was. Are you too selfish to help your own family?” Ashander stroked Pirate Princess as he spoke, but the motion was anything but sweet.

“No, I’m not selfish,” Sam said. “I’ll bring you something else. Anything else!”

“I told you what I want,” the fox said quietly. “Bring me Lady Louise, or I’ll take something else from you instead. I’ll take everything. And then you will never, ever get home.”

Ashander lifted Pirate Princess above his head.

No, Sam thought again, but this time she didn’t dare say it out loud.

Slowly, as if he were enjoying every second, Ashander ripped Pirate Princess’s head from her body. It felt as if he were ripping Sam’s heart in two at the same time. He tore into her stuffing and tossed it in the air like confetti. Sam shuddered. One of the bright white tufts clung to her arm, and she shook it off as if it were poisoned.

Pirate Princess was gone.