This is the sequel I promised! The point of view (as far as I predict) is going to be Rose Red's. No, it's not the Rose Red from the Grimms' fairy tale you're thinking of…

Chapter 1. At The Shelter

Name: Rose Red Hood. Age: fifteen. Health: good, but with occasional problems. Occupation: student. Parents: Robert and Marian Hood. Homeland: the United Kingdom.

That's written about me in our school, in President Glanret's journal, and in my passport. Everything is clear. I'm a human, born in the midst of war. My father is a lawyer. My mother is a weaver. I have two elder brothers: Sidney, age eighteen, and Laurence, age sixteen.

That's what everyone in the Alpine Shelter thinks. That's what Marian and Robin made up to keep us all safe. What are the real facts?

I'm an Everafter, an adopted daughter of Robin and Marian Hood, and my biological parents are Prince Mustardseed and Princess Red of Faerie. I've never met them – I mean I haven't met them since I was several months old.

I was born in Ferryport Landing, the main battlefield of the war between humanity and the Scarlet Hand. When I was a baby, I was diagnosed with some dangerous syndrome, and the doctors advised my mother to leave Ferryport Landing for a while and go to someplace where the climate is more healthy.

The barrier that kept Everafters in Ferryport Landing had been blown up long ago, so my parents, the Hoods, and some other warriors left America for the Alps.

But when I was six months old, an enormous battle occurred in Atlantic Ocean. The humans managed to get the Western Europe to themselves and organized several shelters there. The Alpine Shelter was one of these safe havens.

The ocean, though, was blocked by the Hand's fleet. My parents, along with everyone except the Hoods, were reported missing in the Atlantic Battle, so we had no choice but to stay where we were – on a humans' territory.

There was one problem with it. Humans didn't want the Scarlet Hand to send spies into the shelters, so they forbade any Everafters to stay there.

Fortunately, Robin, Marian, their sons and I look exactly like humans. We were able to convince everyone in our human origins. Robin only had to call himself Robert, because the name of Robin Hood would have been too outstanding.

So, I live in the Alpine Shelter, go to school, and plan to become a pilot. I chose the profession myself! I want to fly over the Atlantic and find my real parents. I always miss them, despite Robin and Marian are very kind to me…

In fact, the day that changed my life was the first day of September, when I first went to the Air College.

The Air College, as Glanret, the Shelter's President, called it, was a high school where we learned everything about air. There were future pilots, air rocket launchers, spies who would carry poisonous gases to the Hand's bases… I went to the pilots' class, of course.

The college was several blocks away from our house. I walked there with Laurence, Robin and Marian's youngest son. He was going to be a pilot as well.

"Nervous, Rosie?" he asked, when we left our apartment.

"Sure," I sighed. "What if someone discovers we're not human?"

"What?" Laurence laughed. "We look just like them. No one's going to suspect a thing."

"Anyway, I'll often call you 'big brother' in public," I insisted. "And don't look so shocked about it."

"Oh," cringed Laurence. "Fine. Are we going home after school?"

"Yes, someone has to stay there. There have been several robberies in the shelter recently."

"Isn't Sidney supposed to be at home?"

"He went hiking into the Alps with his girl," I said in a theatrical whisper. "Haven't you heard it yet? He has a human girlfriend, Esther, that Swedish blonde who works at the Red Cross."

"Oh my," Laurence rolled his eyes. "I should have noticed Sidney's sighs and stupid smiles recently. He's so set on finding a wife…"

He never had a chance to finish the sentence, because my mobile phone rang.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Rose, turn to the harbor – quickly! Take Laurie with you! There's no time! We have to leave the shelter urgently!" Marian cried.

"How?.. Why?.. And what about Sidney?"

"What about Sidney?"

"He's away in the mountains – with Esther Oscarsson!"

Marian grew silent. Robin's voice interrupted us:

"We'll find him – we are leaving by plane! You two, just get to the harbor – NOW!"

When Robin gave a real order, we understood it immediately. We threw our bags on the ground and ran to the harbor.

The harbor of the Alpine Shelter was small, because the river was very narrow. We passed the yachts, used for cruising, and the motor boats, used for fighting. We were running by The Seashell café, just about to approach a big silvery plane parked in a distance, when suddenly someone grabbed my hand and pulled me into the café's door labeled STAFF ONLY.