Matthias seemed incapable of speech. He stared at Blake, mouth ajar.

Mimi didn't waste a moment. She flew up from the chair and ran to Blake's arms. He hugged her. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. She felt like she was going to tear up again. "I'm fine. He didn't do anything. He just hit me."

"I know. I saw. That's not nothing."

"The real duke," Matthias echoed softly. He barely noticed that Mimi had moved. "I don't understand. That can't be. The family was killed."

"No, they weren't," said the priest. "The last one stands before you."

Matthias turned his attention to the priest. His eyes all but blazed. Mimi had never imagined him looking so angry. "You're a liar!"

"You dare to call a man of God a liar?" Blake demanded. "This man remembers me from my childhood. He did everything for my family."

"I thought he was dead," the priest said. "But then he came today, just before you."

"How did you get in here?"

The priest laughed. "I'm a priest. I'm welcome everywhere."

Matthias' gaze dropped to the floor. He was like a child having a temper tantrum. "They're all dead because I killed the remaining member of the family!"

Mimi felt Blake let go of her, but she didn't care. Matthias was in front of her, the Matthias she had thought she had loved, confessing to a murder.

"Eugen," Blake said softly. "You killed Eugen."

Matthias looked smaller than she had ever seen him. His breath came in short and furious bursts like he was attempting to hold back a scream. He was caught. He was in a position he could not control. "Your Duke would have had him killed."

Blake stepped forward, pushing Mimi aside as he did. "I can't believe you killed him. He was my brother."

"I thought they were all dead," Matthias said, seemingy to himself. "There weren't supposed to be anymore. I came here and I thought they were all dead. I was going to reveal it."

"You were going to get a madman in trouble for killing a cook!" Mimi shouted. "You spoiled, selfish—" she couldn't think of any words bad enough.

Matthias clearly had no idea what his next moves were to be. Blake was moving toward him, he had the surprised of his life… Like Mimi had done not so long before, he darted forward.

And just like how Matthias had caught Mimi, Blake caught him. Life as a squirrel had done much for his reflexes. He shoved him to the floor, arms pinned behind his back.

It took a moment for what had just happened to sink in. Blake had just captured the Prince, the Duke's royal visitor. This would set every guard in the manor on them.

"Lock us in here!" Blake instructed her. "I got him." He let out a mad laugh. "For the first time I know what I'm doing!"

"For the time being," Mimi muttered. She dashed from the library, the priest behind her, and slammed the door. "I don't know how to lock it."

"A servant will have the key," the priest said. "Find one. I need to find someone to tell. People who still remember the old duke." But he grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes. "Are you his? Or are you with the other young man?"

A priest was thinking such things at a time like this? Yet she couldn't help but smile. "His name his Jacob." Then she released her hand and left.

He could figure it out on his own.

How long would it be before someone stopped her? She might be a guest of the prince but soon everyone would wonder why she was running through the halls sans prince. She forced herself into a slow walk. She had to look normal, like she belonged there.

She barely knew the servants. How could she, a stranger, run up to one and demand a key to lock their prince into the library? Why was this her instruction, anyway? Couldn't Blake just kill the prince and get it all over with? Though killing the prince of the land would certainly get them all in trouble.

Lucy. Of course. Lucy knew everyone, and Mimi just mentioned Blake's name. Where would Lucy be? Sneaking food or gossiping in the kitchen, if Mimi's guess was correct.

The kitchen was no longer the entertaining place it was. The only ones there were Michael, Wilhelm, and to Mimi's happiness Lucy. They were talking, their faces dark, and as she neared them she thought she heard mention of Jacob. They all looked up in surprised when she entered the kitchen.

No time to reintroduce herself as the pet goose. She stared right at Lucy. "Lucy!"

Lucy's pretty eyes widened. "Yes?"

"Do you know who has akey to the library?"

She looked at the other two, who looked as flummoxed as her. "I do. For when I clean."

Mimi locked eyes with her. She could not make this seem like a lie or a joke. "Blake needs it."

For what seemed like an eternity Lucy said nothing. She did not even move. Before Mimi could repeat herself she said "Did you say Blake?"

Mimi nodded. "Lord Blake. You know whom I am talking about."

Michael dropped the knife he had been holding. "Who are you?"

"That goose of Jacob's. My name is Mimi. Do you have the key with you?"

Lucy was already pulling a ring of keys from her pocket. "Blake is here?" She didn't seem to comprehend the line about the goose, though Michael had already echoed it loudly.

"Yes, Blake is here. He… he sort of needs to lock up the Prince."

All three just stared at her. Mimi wanted to scream. "Will someone please just go with Lucy to the library?"

"Wilhelm, go," Michael said, and a very confused darted after a Lucy who finally seemed capable of moving. Then his eyes met Mimi's. "Who are you?"

She didn't want to repeat it. It was far too stupid. "Michael, my name is Mimi. If you remember that goose… that was me."

He continued to stare. "I don't understand."

"I was turned into a goose. A spell. Jacob was helping me. He was the only one who could understand me."

"What are you doing here?"

"Lord Blake is alive. He's here in the manor. Now. I think Jacob is, too. I think they locked him up again."

"Blake is dead," Michael said sternly. "Jacob was fortunate enough to somehow escape. Are you saying he's been captured?"

She nodded. "I mean, yes, Jacob was captured again. But no, Blake is not dead. He's alive and he's back."

"Does His Madness know?"

Good. Michael had believed her. "No, he doesn't. "

Michael nodded, then walked to a rack of knives and pulled out a small and slender paring knife. "Let's go."

"What's that for?"

He smiled. "I've always wanted to pick a lock."

No one seemed to think twice about Michael heading to what was now quite considered the dungeon. He was head cook, he could go where he liked. And the girl behind him could simply be a new servant he was training.

A guard was posted. Not Isaac. Mimi doubted Isaac had a job at this place anymore. Apparently Matthias was no good at selecting guards, for this one opened the door right away, leaving Mimi to wonder if he would have unlocked the cell if the had asked.

Jacob looked so much different than the last time Mimi had seen him there, and it wasn't just the physical change. He was smiling, and it was not the fresh smile of someone in despair who had just been rescued. He had been waiting for her.

"Jacob!" Mimi ran past Michael, who was once again confused, and took Jacob's hand through the bars. "You really need to stop getting yourself in trouble."

"What can I say, I like this place. I see you brought Michael. Good choice. Where is your stupid prince?"

She laughed. "Blake has him."

"Good for the squirrel."

"Who are you?" Michael demanded.

"Jacob," Jacob said. "I just look a little different, but I promise you I can quote every ingredient you put into your famous meat pie. Shredded chicken, egg, basil—"

"More spells," Michael muttered. He stuck the paring knife into the lock. He was really quite good.

As he worked, Jacob explained everything. The spell, coming here, the Duke, Blake, and finally Matthias. By the time the door sprang open, Michael seemed to be working only by muscle memory.

But he didn't seem against believing any of it. Even in the dark his face registered shock. "I guess I'm just happy you're not dead."

"You can't release the prisoner!" the guard screamed as they strode passed him.

"By order of the Prince," Mimi declared.

That seemed to shut him up. Dummy.

"Where's Blake?" Jacob asked.

"The library."

"The library? Why there?"

Mimi shrugged. "It's where they took me."

"Good enough." He turned toward the kitchen.

"That's not the library!"

"I'd rather have a weapon, and I'm best with knives."