Wolf wondered what the Queen was up to. She hadn't called on him yet. He hoped this meant she had forgotten about him. How could he tell her he was no longer loyal to her? She would be very angry. . . but Wolf had given his word to Virginia that she would be safe with him. The Prince wasn't here, so she was safe. . . for now. They were headed back to the prison, Wolf's least favorite place. He tried not to show his nervousness. They were in a grove of trees, not far from the river. The Trolls were pacing around with their dogs. Wolf had assured her they couldn't see, hear, or smell them from downwind. She seemed to believe him.
"Do you think dad will be okay? I'm worried about him. But he can look after himself, can't he. I mean, he can stay out of trouble for one day at least," she said. Wolf remembered the Dragon Dung Bean incident.
"From what I know of your father," he said, "I very much doubt it." Virginia frowned. He didn't mean to upset her, but he didn't see the point in lying. This was dangerous, and it would be better to go in prepared for the worst. He focused on the Trolls, putting his hand on Virginia's shoulder as if to hold her back. The shoes were beginning to work their magic, and Wolf was having trouble fighting it. He hadn't even realized he had produced them from his jacket.
"Alright," he said. "You wait here. I'll put on the magic shoes and go back inside and pre –"
"No way," she interrupted. "You'll never come back. You just want them for your own."
"I don't," he argued.
"You do!" Wolf struggled against the magic.
"Alright, I do! But I'm fighting it, unlike you." She grabbed onto the shoes and tried to pull them away, but Wolf kept his hold. He licked his lips.
"Okay. I'll wear the shoes, and you hold on to me. As long as you're touching me, we'll both be invisible!" His words came out in an excited babble. Virginia gritted her teeth and yanked the shoes from his grasp. He looked down at his empty hands, disappointed.
"No! I will wear them," she said, "and you will hang on to me." She was starting to go invisible. Wolf managed to grab on to the strap of her bag just in time.
"You are hopelessly addicted to those shoes. . . and I'm not far behind." His voice sounded nervous and whiny even to his own ears. He refused to get addicted to magic. Nothing good ever came of it.
Getting into the prison was almost too easy. Virginia had gotten annoyed by Wolf hanging onto her bag and instead held his hand. If they weren't in an incredibly dangerous situation Wolf would have been elated. This isn't the time, he told himself. He was beginning to feel the effects of the magic. His mind was going fuzzy and his ears were hot. He kept trying to blink himself into focus. There were two guards just ahead of them.
"Follow those two warders," he told her. "The key holder's room is straight ahead and down the corridor." They had to be careful not to bump into anyone. There was another warder in the room, lounging in a chair, reading a book. There was a blackboard with cell assignments behind his head. The keys lined the bottom of the blackboard. Wolf found Tony's name and the appropriate key, lifting it off the hook. He was aware he was holding his breath. They both tip-toed carefully out of the room. Virginia seemed to have noticed something across the hall.
"It's Prince," she whispered to Wolf. "Let's get him." Uh-oh, he thought. If she takes the dog with us the Queen will be after Virginia.
"We can't," he told her. "The shoes won't take an extra person. We'll drain all the power and become visible."
"No," she whispered, "I'm not leaving him." She had already untied the rope and the Prince was now invisible. Wolf growled softly.
"If you can understand me, Prince," said Virginia. "Take us to Dad."
Wolf was struggling against the magic. His cunning felt dulled, and he was having difficulty sorting out the different smells. . .except Virginia's. Oh, she smelled so good! He was holding onto her waist as she led them down the hall. He could easily pull her to him, and. . . Stop it," he chastised himself. He couldn't think that way, not here. The Prince led them to Tony's cell and they stepped inside just in time. The shoes' magic fizzled and popped as they became visible again. Wolf groaned.
"Oh, no. They're exhausted. I told you this would happen."
"Where's he gone?" Virginia asked. Wolf noticed the cell was empty. He felt woozy and put his hand to his head. The Prince barked; it made Wolf want to howl. He would have a headache when this was all over, he knew it.
"Look," Virginia said and pointed to a poster of Prince Wendell in human form, which was hanging at an odd angle. Wolf crossed over to it and pushed it aside. He was impressed. There was a long tunnel going through the stone, leading out of the prison.
"Boy," he said, "your father sure works fast, I'll give him that." Then an alarm went off. Wolf put his hands to his ears; the pounding in his head had started and he was feeling a little agitated. Shouts of "Prison break! Break out! Prisoners escaped!" echoed throughout the corridor.
"Any ideas?" Wolf satirically asked Virginia.
"Into the tunnel," she said. Wolf went first, then the dog. He could hear Virginia pull the cell door shut and slide the portrait over the hole as she followed behind them. The floor of the tunnel was packed and disturbed as though someone had already been through it. Wolf's head was starting to feel less fuzzy, his thoughts becoming clearer. He could see sunlight. . . then his head hit something squishy. He had to stop, and Virginia called for him to hurry.
"There's something blocking the tunnel," he said, sniffing. There was a familiar scent over the dirt.
"Tony, is that you?" he asked.
"Who the hell is that?" Tony called back.
"It's me, Wolf. I gave you the magic Dragon Dung bean, remember?" Tony squirmed.
"Stay away from me," he yelled. Wolf rolled his eyes.
"How can I do that? We're in a tunnel together." The alarm was still ringing.
"I'm almost out, but I'm stuck," Tony said. "Give me a push." Wolf didn't have time to deliberate putting his hands on a grown man's rear. He leaned against the wall that was Tony and pushed. Tony slid out of the hole and Wolf fell out, not having time to brace himself. He landed on the soft grass by the river. Tony helped the dog and Virginia out of the hole; Virginia was still clutching the shoes tightly to her chest. Tony hugged her.
"You're alive," Tony said, relieved.
"Dad!" Virginia seemed as happy to see him as he was to see her. The dog stood to the side, wagging his tail.
"Where's the mirror?" Virginia asked her father. Wolf's stomach churned. He had forgotten about this part. She would want to leave him now.
"I don't know. I threw it on a trash barge. . . here, on this river! We can go straight home –" he looked toward the river at a speck in the distance and groaned. ""They've taken it! Acorn's stolen it. Look, there it is!" He pointed and Virginia followed his gaze. Wolf remembered Acorn from prison. He was an angry, mischievous sort of Dwarf, with a scar across one eye. Wolf had never liked him much, but he was beginning to change his mind. Acorn had taken the mirror and Virginia could stay with him longer! He wondered if he could make her fall in love with him before finding it.
Wolf was aware that the alarms were still ringing.
"There they are," a gruff voice called out.
"Quick, on the boat!" yelled Wolf. The Troll King's children jumped in the river after them. It was chaos. Wolf had taken control of the rudder, Tony was doing something with a rope, and the dog was barking, his tail between his legs. The older male managed to hook his arms around the boat.
"Get them, Burly!" cried the female. Burly growled and gnashed his teeth, grabbing for the shoes.
"Hit him! Stab him! Anything!" Wolf yelled at the other, and to Burly, "In your dreams, Troll boy!" as he made a swipe at Virginia. She put down the shoes long enough to grab a plank of wood. She hit Burly repeatedly, letting out a war cry. Wolf growled triumphantly as Burly lost his grip. He flailed about until he was able to stand in shallow water. Wolf could hear the Troll King yelling at his children faintly. He watched until they were a speck in the distance and began to relax, steering them clear of obstacles. The river had a strong algae smell, which was neither pleasant nor unpleasant.
No one spoke. It was beginning to get a bit dull, so Wolf produced one of his self-help books from his jacket. No time like the present to continue his reformation. Virginia didn't seem to mind him so much anymore. The books were helping, he knew it.
"Hey, what's that," Tony asked. Wolf looked up in surprise, raising his eyebrows.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing," he replied sheepishly. "Just some books I picked up in your world." A moment of silence.
"Got any more?" Tony asked.
"Yeah, why?" he asked.
"I've got nothing better to do." Wolf understood and handed Tony one of the books. Prince, who was settled beside Tony, perked up and began staring at the book, as well. Wolf supposed he was reading. Virginia was dreamily leaning against the edge of the boat, stroking the shoes absentmindedly and smiling. Wolf ran across a curious passage in his book.
"Virginia," he asked, "would you say you were 'desperately hungry for love and approval, but destined for rejection?'" Virginia scoffed.
"I'm quite happy as I am, thank you." He smiled at her. She smiled back. With one swift movement, Wolf yanked the magic shoes from her grasp and flung them into the river.
"No!" she shouted. "No–" Virginia tried to follow them, and he had to hold on to her waist to prevent her from jumping off the boat. "What did you do that for?" she whined, struggling against his hold on her. "You threw away my shoes!" She sounded like a child who's favorite toy had been taken from her.
"You were already dreaming of wearing them tonight, weren't you?" asked Wolf.
"Yes ,I – how did you know that?" She was no longer struggling. Wolf let himself relax. She was coming back. He liked regular Virginia best. . . addicted Virginia, not so much.
"Magic is very nice," he said, "but it's very easy to get addicted." Virginia was panting from the sudden exercise. She glanced at the water, confused.
"But why didn't you want them? Why were you able to resist the shoes and I wasn't?" He hesitated. Oh, boy. He wasn't sure he should answer that question, but he did anyway.
"Because," he said gently, "you have such a strong desire to be invisible." He looked her up and down, worried and went back to the rudder. He let her be alone with her thoughts. Virginia sighed and plopped her chin down on her arms, which were folded over the edge of the boat. Wolf stared sadly at the back of her head for a while before picking up his book again. Females were more confusing than he cared to admit. He needed all the help he could get.