A/N: Hey, all! Thanks to everybody who's reviewed so far. The responses have been so positive! Keep 'em coming. Sorry I took so long with chapter six. I've been rather swamped lately by homework, but this weekend I finally got some time to write. Anyway, here's the newest chapter! Keep watching for updates, since chapter seven should be up soon. Thanks again to all you readers!

-Whizzo

Gretchen had a hard time keeping still until eight o'clock. She kept racking her brains for a plan to save Peter. It was hard to come up with one. Every idea she had kept running out to a dead end. Luckily, there was a knock on her door around six-thirty. It was Will.

"What's up?" Gretchen asked upon seeing him.

"I was wondering if you'd thought up a plan yet for getting your cousin out."

"Well…" Gretchen tried to appear confidant, but failed. "No. I'm afraid I haven't got much of an idea. I haven't had much experience trying to spring people, and most of the officers on duty know me."

"Ah, the joys of small town life," Will smiled. "Well, Jake and I would be willing to help you if you haven't come up with anything yet. But, um…I was wondering if perhaps you might be able to provide us with some food before we leave. A rumbling stomach could blow our cover, you know."

The idea hit Gretchen like a ton of bricks.

"A rumbling stomach…That's it! That's just it! Will, I've got an idea!"

Will frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Muffins, Will! The guards won't be paying attention to Peter if they're too busy sitting on the can."

Will's eyes widened. "Do you need any help?"

Gretchen smiled mischievously. "I think I can find a place for you."

At seven-thirty, there was a knock on the jailhouse door. Deputy Peterson and Lieutenant Olfer both turned their heads at the sound. Peterson got up, unlocked and opened the door.

"Good evening, gentlemen," Will flashed a smile at the two guards.

"Um…Good evening, Herr Grimm," Peterson looked surprised and a little confused. "Aren't you supposed to be out…vanquishing Balthazar?"

"My brother is already preparing. I was just on my way to join him when Herr Stein, the baker, stopped me and asked if I might take you this basket of muffins. He said it's meant to help you on your long duty this evening." Will offered a basket full of lovely-smelling golden-brown muffins. Peterson's stomach rumbled and Olfer licked his chops.

"How very nice of Herr Stein," Peterson took the basket. "I will be sure to thank him tomorrow."

"Enjoy, gentlemen. I'll just be on my way now." Will nodded to Olfer and Peterson, and left.

"Well, wasn't that nice of good old Herr Stein," Peterson said. "Don't you think so, Olfer?"

"They smell wonderful," Olfer said eagerly. Peterson smiled at his companion and tossed him a muffin. Both men took huge bites.

"The taste…" Olfer stared at his muffin, contemplating it. "I think I can confidently say that this is the best muffin I've ever had in my life." He turned to the cell behind him. "Would you like one, Peter? Y'know, last meal and all?"

Peter Hilmar looked up from where he was sitting on the floor.

"No thanks, fellows. I…I'm really not that hungry." He looked back down at the floor.

"Alright, Peter. But you don't know what you're missing, mate." Olfer took another satisfying bite of his muffin.

Will walked nonchalantly away from the jailhouse. When he was sure nobody was looking, he sneaked off and hid behind a nearby bunch of shrubbery.

"How long did you say it would take?" he asked.

"About half an hour," Gretchen said.

"Perfect. How long will they be...indisposed?"

"Long enough, I'm sure. I didn't put too much flax meal in, but it should work."

"Good job, Gretchen." Will gave his accomplice a triumphant pat on the back. "I'm going to go back to the inn and make sure everything's ready. You wait here until Olfer and Peterson leave. You remember what to do after that, right?"

"I'll take Peter back to the inn so he's safe, then meet Jake and head up to the mountains."

"Excellent. I'll see you later then." Will winked at Gretchen and left.

"Right," Gretchen murmured, and then turned back towards the jailhouse. Why is Will suddenly being so nice to me, she wondered. It did seem a little odd that just yesterday she'd been speaking so sarcastically to him, and now they seemed to be getting along. She tried to shrug off the uneasy feeling. I suppose it doesn't really matter. It was good of him to help, anyway. Gretchen's thoughts turned to more immediate matters. She hoped that Peter hadn't eaten any of the muffins. The last thing she wanted was for him to be using the outhouse the whole night. Truth be told, she did feel a little guilty for putting flax meal in the muffins. Olfer and Peterson were nice men, and she didn't want to hurt them. But if she wanted to get Peter out, she needed the guards to be out of the way, and this had seemed to be the best idea.

Gretchen shifted herself. The air was chilly, and she was getting impatient. Just how long had it been? Finally, after what seemed like ages, the back door of the jailhouse opened with a sudden bang. Olfer stumbled out and ran towards one of the outhouses. Nobody came out after him.

Come on, Peterson! Come on! Gretchen thought to herself. Finally Peterson staggered over to the other outhouse. The back door was wide open. Gretchen smiled to herself, and looked at her purse to make sure she had what she needed. The lock pick was there, tucked safely in a pocket. Gretchen took off and ran inside.

Peter was right at the front of the two rows of cells. He was staring at the floor, looking sad and miserable.

"Peter!" Gretchen hissed to her cousin. Peter's head snapped up.

"Gretchen? What are you doing here?"

"I'm springing you, that's what." Gretchen took the pick out of her purse.

"Herr Stein didn't make those muffins, did he?" Peter asked, an amused smile on his face. Gretchen shook her head.

"You didn't eat any, did you?" She stuck the pick into the lock and twisted it around.

"No. I was beginning to regret it, but now I'm glad I didn't. Did you cook this scheme up by yourself?"

"No. Jacob and Will helped me. I'm to go up to the mountains after I get you home and help them. Ah!" there was a loud CLUNK, and the door swung open. Peter got to his feet and followed his cousin to the door.

"You mean you just want me to go home and lock myself in?" Peter frowned. "That's the last thing I've got on my mind. Can't I come with you?"

"You can't be seen. That's what Will said, and I agree. I'm getting you out of here so you won't be in danger. I'm not going to risk your life again."

"Well, what about you? I don't want you getting hurt either."

"Look, Peter, this really isn't the time to argue. I'm not sure how long those muffins are going to work, so we'd better run. Come on!" Gretchen took her cousin's hand, and they ran as fast as they possibly could towards town.

"Alright, Peter," Gretchen fumbled with the lock on the Inn's front door, "promise me that you won't try to sneak out."

"You can't be serious about this, Gretch."

"Please, Peter." Gretchen opened the door and ushered her cousin inside.

"I don't like this at all, Gretchen. What if something happens to you?"

"I'll be careful, I swear." Gretchen walked Peter to his room. "Give me your key."

"What?"

"I know you're not deaf, Peter. I need the key so I know you won't try to leave your room." Grudgingly, Peter dug into his pocket and produced his key.

"You just got me out of jail, but I still feel like a prisoner," he grumbled.

"That's the spirit." Gretchen shoved her cousin into his room and locked the door behind him.

Jake was waiting at the stable when Gretchen arrived.

"Did you get your cousin then?" he asked.

"Oh yes. Peter's locked in his room, safe and sound. I even got the key."

"Great." Jake looked around shiftily.

"Something's been bothering you all afternoon, Jacob. What is it?" Gretchen asked.

"What?" Jake looked startled. "Nothing! I'm not bothered by anything at all. Here." He handed her the reins to one of the horses. "Will's already up there. We'll need to hurry if this thing's going to work.

"So, what's the plan? Have you found out anything else?"

"I have, actually. Do you need a leg up?" Gretchen shook her head.

"No thanks, I'm fine." She pulled herself up into the saddle. "Anyway, what did you find out?"

Jake pulled himself up onto his horse and they started off. "Well, you remember what you said about nobody knowing why your town was cursed?"

"Yes..."

"I think I may have found the reason why." Gretchen almost stopped the horse.

"How on earth did you manage that?"

"It took a little detective work, but I'm pretty certain I've figured out what happened."

"Continue, then!"

"I looked into the town records, and apparently there was a murder that took place here a little under two centuries ago. There was a lord here by the name of Muller. This Muller fellow had two sons. The older one was in line to gain his father's inheritance, but apparently he did something to lose favor with his family. The records didn't specify what he did, but it must have been bad, because he was denied any share of his father's money. After this was declared, the older son came back and massacred his family."

"That's horrible," Gretchen shuddered.

"But it doesn't end there," Jake said. "You see, apparently by this time the younger son already had a family of his own. He sent his wife and young son into hiding somewhere and came out to face his brother. There was a big battle, and the younger son was mortally wounded, but he didn't die before killing his older brother."

"So you think that the older brother, the murderous one, is Balthazar."

Jake nodded. "And, if I've got this right, the curse can actually be stopped."

Gretchen sat up in her saddle.

"How? How can it be?"

"Um..." Jake stopped suddenly, and looked at his watch. "We've got to get up there. There's not much time to lose." He broke into a gallop. Gretchen kicked her own horse to get up speed.

"You're just going to leave me hanging like that?" she asked.

"I'll tell you the rest once we meet up with Will," Jake shouted over his shoulder.

Gretchen frowned. Something was afoot here, but she knew not what. She would just have to wait and see until they arrived at their destination.

The ride up into the mountains was a long one, and Gretchen was exhausted by the time they arrived one hour later. It was a little after ten o' clock. Will stood in the middle of a clearing, a large wooden pole, a long rope and a leather doctor's bag stood nearby.

Gretchen was confused. "What's going on?" she asked.

Will looked from Gretchen to Jake. "You didn't finish telling her, did you?"

Jake sighed. "I thought it would be better to wait until we got here."

"What? What were you going to tell me?" Gretchen was apprehensive. She'd known something strange was happening, and from the looks of it, that strange thing involved her.

"Do you want to tell her Jake, or shall I?" Will asked.

"You do it." Jake hung his head, "The papers are in the case." He indicated the doctor's bag.

"What papers?" Gretchen asked.

"You'll see." Will walked over to the case and retrieved a few sheets of brittle yellow parchment. "Just how much did my brother tell you?"

"He told me about the murder. He told me the curse could be broken."

"Ah, good. From what we've seen in cases like this, it looks as though Balthazar could be defeated if he were...infected I think is the word, by someone from his brother's family line."

"Is that because his brother was the one who killed him?" Gretchen inquired.

"Yes. Anyway, Jacob here did some research, and came up with a family tree." So saying, Will pulled out the parchment and unfolded it. "What we have here is the bloodline of Norbert Muller. Gretchen glanced at the parchment. Norbert Muller's name appeared at the top. Next to it was that of his wife, and below that was the name of his son, and who his son had married. It continued on down the paper. Near the bottom, Gretchen saw a familiar name.

"Johann Mills...That's my father!"

"Correct. And seeing as he's died, there's only one possible candidate left."

The realization was there in a flash.

"You brought me here to sacrifice me. You lied! You said nothing about killing me!"

"Oh, come now!" Will exclaimed, "Would you have come here if we'd told you what was really going to happen?"

"Of course not, and I'm not going to let you kill me now!"

"It shouldn't kill you," Jake put in.

"What?"

"Balthazar possessing you may not kill you. Since you're a descendent of Norbert Muller, your body would force Balthazar out of you and destroy him. It's quite probable that you'd come out of this alive."

"You'd also be saving the town, which I should think would be a bonus," Will added.

"We've taken every precaution to make sure you'll be alright," Jake said.

Gretchen sighed. "Is there any alternative?" Jake shook his head.

"This is the only way I could find." Gretchen thought about this for a moment.

"Alright," she said, "what do I have to do?"