A flash of anger. I could feel it in the air. Ivory whispered, “Melodia,” in the same seething tone Pyrite had used yesterday.

“That’s right,” I confirmed.

She tilted her head. “Young man, tell me your name.”

“It’s…Badger Of-the-Valley.”

The rest of the Topaz Clan reacted as if I’d spoken a curse, except for Ivory, whose amber eyes swirled with piqued interest. “Nice to meet you. Will you come with us?”

My three friends looked at me, the same question written on each of their faces: Why do they already know your name?

“Y-yes,” I mumbled. “Take us to the doctor.”

We followed the clan to their shelter, about a mile from the borderland. It was built into the trunk of a giant Ghost Tree, and I wouldn't have known anyone lived there without being told. It had no windows or doors.

"We’ve been staying in an old hidden shelter," Marrow rasped, rubbing the new wound on his chest. “Only Olivine can open it.”

Willow fluttered in front of the undead man, putting his face far too close. “So what’s your deal? A normal person would be toast if they took a blade like you did."

“Back up, Strawhead,” he snarled.

Ivory’s orange haze shifted like fire. “Marrow, please. Have you not disrespected these kids enough tonight? Not all northerners are our enemies. Let it go.”

He muttered something that could have been an apology.

"Just let him be,” suggested Olivine, a sugary sweetness in her voice. “Once you get to know him, he’s a softy. "

She strained her fingers, and two knots of the tree trembled and separated, revealing an unusually sunny interior. We entered a circular room lined with red plushy chairs and tables stacked with games and cards. I was eager to dip my toes into the plush texture of the deep green carpet. On the ceiling were a dozen reflective surfaces, like the tops of diamonds, shining a natural light into the room.

“Riddle me this Olive,” chirped Willow, batting his eyelashes. “Can I call you Olive?”

“No.”

“Fine. Riddle me this Olivine. Why is the Sapphire Clan forcing you to hide? I’m only curious since it feels like you’re about to trap us here.”

Olivine froze before closing the door completely.

“I hope you don't mind if I answer your question instead,” Ivory interjected. “You said your name is Willow?”

“Yes. Of-the-Mountains.”

“I appreciate your mistrust. It’s…refreshing.” When Ivory spoke, the hazy ATMOSPHERE moved like the surface of water. “We’ll leave the exit open until you finish what you came here to do. Fair enough?” She turned to Mercury, silently brooding, and commanded, “Go find Gold. Tell him about our guests.”

The teleporter gave Willow one last dirty look before crackling away.

“That’s not a straight answer.” An abrupt drop of Willow’s young-hearted tone got everyone’s attention. “Why does another clan want to attack you?”

Even though they did not move or reach for their weapons, I could tell both Sharp and Piranha had the same thought: Why were we so quick to trust these strangers?

"Because we're defectors from King Obsidian, that's why,” Ivory answered simply.

Escaping would have been easy… but we didn’t. I could tell she was using a Divine spell, beyond a doubt, but I wasn’t afraid of it. In fact, for the first time, I didn’t have a drop of fear.

Marrow appeared to be blind, but something about our last fight told me he saw more than most people. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “We didn’t want to leave the king’s side, but there was no other choice. Melodia Of-the-Sapphire can subject almost anyone to the will of her voice. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep Ivory away."

Before we could ask why, four sets of footsteps crashed down the wooden flight of stairs. Mercury’s voice said, “I told you to wait, you little pests! Stay upstairs.”

Two twin strangers tumbled through the doorway, a pair of identical boys with black shaggy hair, stone-colored skin, and sapphire-gray eyes, donned with matching black tunics and tight green pants. The only difference between them were contrasting expressions; one smiling ear to ear and the other stiff-faced and unblinking. Three earrings meant they were close to our age.

"Look Tungsten!” The happier twin’s eyes flashed blue as they shook Willow’s hand. “Mercury was right! One of them is a Strawhead!"

"Teal, please,” the grey-eyed Tungsten scolded, lip curled in disgust. “He’s obviously a mountain nomad.”

Undaunted, Willow donned a smarmy smile. "That’s correct. Nice to meet you Teal and Tungsten. You might want to go back to the drawing board with your insults, Ash-head."

Teal laughed heartily, ignoring his brother’s mortified face. “Yeah, you're not Of-the-Wind. Those guys can’t take a joke."

An imposing figure in a dress of burgundy leather descended the stairs, dull black hair tied down his shoulder in a braid. He had eight earrings, including a jeweled book charm dangling from his left earlobe. The eyes told me who he was, as each was a distinctly different color.

Gold-and-Silver.

“Doctor!” Sharp exhaled a breath like she’d been holding it for days. "It’s great to see you! You have no idea.”

“Little Sharp! It’s been too long!” He firmly shook her hand and addressed the rest of us with a giddy smile. “Now I hate to cut right to the chase, but Mercury has told me something interesting. Apparently, Pyrite’s son is here to see me?”

I held up a hand. “Yessir.”

“This is unexpected.” He looked at each of us with increased confusion. “What are all your names?"

“Willow!”

“Call me Pir.”

Oh no. This again. I had to force it out. “I’m… Badger.”

"Badger.” For the second time today, my name sounded heavy. His eyes glowed, flitting around like he was reading words on a page. “What has brought you to the Dark at such a dire time?”

I explained the events that brought us to the Wilds, and the result of our encounter with the Sapphires. As I did, Marrow’s cratered face grew cold with anger.

“I told you we shouldn’t have run,” he muttered, spit flying from his mouth. “I told you Pyrite was still in danger.”

"For now,” the doctor said gravely. “But things have changed. I’ll get these kids some food and a check-up. We’re having an emergency conference in one hour.”

Willow’s eyes emitted an icy light. “Emergency? Look doc, we want to save Pyrite, but we don’t want to be involved in any Divine conflict.”

Ivory’s voice twinkled, “You’re quite at liberty to leave now if you want, but I hope you’ll stay to listen. You're more involved than you think.”

Marrow's voice was deep like a well. “Saving Pyrite is key. He’s under the thumb of Melodia’s power, and if we don't stop her soon, she'll lead an entire army to their doom against the Kingdom of the Wind."