He grabbed her wrist, and dragged her to the door they had come in through. But when Julian yanked the handle open, it was not the dark, dank, corridor Jenny saw, but her grandfather's basement. She gasped.

"How did that get there?" she asked.

"Magic." Julian said slowly, looking at Jenny, "You go and find you parents, and stay here. Don't run off on your own. And…" Julian took a deep breath – and made his decision, "Take this and wear it. Do not take it off – do you understand? Not when you sleep, not when you're playing. It will protect you."

Jenny looked at the pendant he had handed her. Hanging from a silver chain was a black stone, and at it's center was a star of light.

"It's a black star sapphire, for protection. The silver chain will also help. It's very valuable, so keep it hidden," Julian slipped the chain around Jenny's neck, hiding it under her tee-shirt. Jenny could feel it – ice cold against her skin.

Julian was still at the other side of the doorway, and he grabbed the door handle to pull the door shut. Before it closed, he took one last look at Jenny.

"I'll be back in 5 days. Don't take the pendant off." He stretched out a hand to stroke her shining hair, "Stay safe." He shut the door.

Jenny resisted going back and opening the door to see if he had really gone, and instead ran up the basement steps and out into the hallway, shouting "Mommy! Daddy!"

Her parents came running out from behind the living room door, and they hugged, with tears streaming down her faces.

"Where have you been?" her mother was sobbing, "Oh Jenny, I've missed you so much. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, mommy. I'm back now."

"But where have you been?" her father asked.

"I don't know," Jenny said, truthfully, "I thought it was just grandfathers closet. But if it is, it's very icy, and very big."
"Yes dear," her mother said, in a tone anyone older would have recognised as patronising, "You can tell me all about it."

And so Jenny settled back into her family life. There were questions from everyone, and Jenny, being truthful by nature and 4 years old, told the complete truth. Well, most of it, she kept the pendant a secret, and she didn't tell anyone that Julian would come back. It didn't really matter, as only Zach believed her. Adults whispered of trauma, of an over-active imagination. Eventually, they gave up on finding out what they thought of as the real truth. They were too glad to have Jenny back.

Jenny had been scared to sleep at first, but soon she found out that the nightmares would stay away. It was the pendant protecting her mind from penetration by the shadow men, but she didn't know that. Black star sapphire and silver – for protection. Not some new age crap, it really did work, if you knew who it was protecting you from.

When Julian had shut the door, he sat down, his back resting on the wood. He ran his fingers through his white hair and breathed deeply, clearing his head. She would be safe there until her hiding time was up. Then they would come and get her. And he had no way to prevent it, all he could do was delay it. He had the intelligence of two millennia, but he still couldn't save a 4 year old girl. It was pathetic. He needed a plan – he had nothing.

He watched he hands on the clock count down.