They were going to find her. She could feel it in the very core of her being. Fiyero and Cade were a few feet away, discussing their strategy while Elphaba and Glinda were at the stables getting each of them a mount. Any minute now they were going to ride out into the woods and this time they were going to bring Breena home.

Addena closed her eyes and tried to imagine what their reunion would be like. It would happen in the trappers' camp, of course, because no matter what Fiyero or Cade said she was going to be with whoever followed Gregor. She had to be. She had to know Bree was all right. And Breena needed to hear the truth from her, not someone else.

A voice in the back of her head told her to concentrate on the reunion. The camp would be a rough, run down, depressing place with Animals in cages and big burly men running around with weapons. It wouldn't be easy considering only a handful of men were going with Cade so Gregor wouldn't know he was being followed, but they would fight the trappers. She would spot Breena across the camp and…

"Daydreaming?"

Her skin crawled as hot breath conveyed the whispered words to her left ear.

"I never took you for much of a dreamer." Eadlyn grinned as she turned to face him. "You seem much too straight laced for that kind of thing."

"Don't pretend to know me."

"OK."

Addena had hoped her biting tone would encourage him to leave her alone but it didn't. He just stood there, grinning like the cat who swallowed the canary. "Did you want something?"

"Do I have to want something to talk to my fiancee?"

"Don't call me that."

"Then what should I call you Addy?"

Her heart skipped a beat. "Where did you hear that nickname?"

"Nickname?" Eadlyn frowned. "What are you… Oh," he pursed his lips and nodded in mock understanding. "You mean Addy? I just came up with it. Do you like it?"

"Not coming from you."

"Ouch." He put his hand on his chest. "You better get used to it because that's what I'm going to call you from now on Addy."

Addena closed her eyes, willing herself not to get mad. "Stop saying that."

"Why Addy?"

"Eadlyn…"

"Yes Addy?"

She clinched her jaw. "I said to stop!"

"Or what, you'll pout?" Eadlyn laughed. "Addy, Addy, Addy, Addy, Addy."

"Shut up!" Addena smacked him hard in the chest. "Where is she?!"

"She who?"

"I know you heard that name from Breena. Now where is she?!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about Addy."

"Liar!" She started to draw her fist back to punch him but found herself surrounded by furry arms instead.

"What's going on over here?" Lion asked.

"She went a little crazy." Eadlyn pointed at Addena. "Must be the stress of postponing our wedding."

"I'll show you stress!" Addena struggled to get away.

"Whoa." Lion tightened his grip.

The commotion finally drew Cade and Fiyero's attention. They both hurried toward them.

"Addena?" Fiyero scanned her with his eyes. "Are you all right?"

"She attacks me and you ask her if she's all right?" Eadlyn scoffed.

"She attacked you?" Cade sounded doubtful.

"Yes." Eadlyn was quick to answer. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"He knows where she is." Addena struggled against Lion's grasp again. "He knows where she is!"

"Where who is?" Fiyero directed the question at Eadlyn.

"How am I supposed to know?" Eadlyn squirmed under the combined stare of Fiyero and Cade. "I came over here to see if she was ready to go and she started yelling at me. She would have hit me if not for your feline friend here." He gestured at Lion. "Maybe she's afraid I'm having an affair or something."

"Like I'd give a damn if you did you bastard!"

Eadlyn gave the other guys a sheepish smile. "Must be pre-wedding jitters."

"Then maybe she shouldn't go with us today." Fiyero barely quirked an eyebrow at Addena when she started to protest. "The last thing we need is an hysterical female giving away our location."

"I think that would probably be for the best." Eadlyn agreed.

Elphaba and Glinda chose that moment to approach with the horses. "What's going on?" Glinda asked. "Lion, why are you holding onto Dena like that?"

"To keep her from breaking her hand on his face." Lion nodded toward Eadlyn.

Elphaba glared at him. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." Eadlyn looked the picture of innocence.

"He's a liar!" Addena growled.

"Why don't you go talk to your buddy for a minute so we can try to settle her down?" Fiyero pointed toward Gregor, who was standing a few yards away with Eadlyn's horse.

"Is that all right with you honey?" Eadlyn directed the question at Addena, still trying to play his part as the dutiful fiancé.

"Honey?" Lion gave him a look.

Addena glared at him. "Get out of my sight!"

Eadlyn raised his eyebrows. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Just go." Glinda made a shooing motion.

"Addena." Fiyero turned to her as soon as Eadlyn walked away. "What in Oz were you doing?"

"He has Bree."

"What?" Elphaba voiced the question before anyone else could.

"He..." Addena furrowed her brow when she realized she was still being held. "You can let go now Lion."

"Are you sure?" The big cat questioned.

"I was mad at him, not any of you."

"Why were you upset with him anyway?" Lion asked. "He seems nice enough to me."

"Lion." Addena spoke through clinched teeth.

He looked at Glinda. "You know her better than any of us? Is it safe."

"Lion." Fiyero waited until the feline looked at him. "Let her go."

"But..." Lion sighed. "All right. But she's understandably emotional right now, what with Breena missing and all so don't blame me if she smacks one of you."

Glinda patted him on the shoulder. "I think we're safe."

Elphaba only had eyes for Addena. "What makes you think he has Bree?"

"He called me Addy." Addena looked around at everyone expectantly. "There are only two people who have ever called me that. My grandmother, who died when I was seven, and Breena. He had to have heard it from her."

"It does seem kind of coincidental that he suddenly started calling you that." Cade agreed.

"Sounds kind of circumstantial to me." Lion frowned when everyone looked at him. "What?"

"He doesn't know the whole story." Glinda pointed out.

"Lion," Addena put her hand on his paw. "He came here to force me to marry him."

"He what?" Lion was shocked.

She nodded. "And now I'm convinced that it was his men who took Breena."

"Why that..."

"Whoa there big fella." Fiyero caught him by the arm when he started toward the man he'd just been defending. "He has no idea that we're on to him and we want to keep it that way."

"All right." Lion glared. "But I can't guarantee he won't pick up on the fact that I don't like him anymore." He looked at Addena. "I should have let you clobber him."

"You didn't know." Glinda patted him again.

Addena looked at Fiyero. "I hope you weren't serious about me not going with you today because..."

"Take it easy." Fiyero raised his hand to stop her before she could really get going. "Cade and I agreed you should go with his group so I said that to throw Eadlyn off."

"I'm going with Cade?" Addena wanted to make sure she understood what he was saying.

Cade nodded. "You're coming with me."

"But only because if Gregor does go the trappers' camp there might be people or Animals that need a doctor." Fiyero clarified as Elphaba opened her mouth to speak. "Fae, I know you're worried about Breena and would prefer to go with Cade too but Eadlyn knows how adamant Cade was about only having one search party in the woods at a time. If we suddenly said we were splitting into two groups it might make him suspicious. And as much as I'd like to get the chance to beat answers out of him to confirm our suspicions, catching him red handed would make things easier. That way we can officially arrest him and not run the risk of his family paying for some high priced lawyer that might get a judge to agree that we coerced him in any way. And keeping him away from his men will make it easier to take him into custody."

"Wow." Lion looked impressed. "I think that's the most I've ever heard you say at one time."

Elphaba ignored him. "You're right Yero." She sighed. "As much as I hate it, we need to keep up appearances until we know what's going on."

"It will be all right, Elphie." Glinda slipped her arm around the green woman's waist. "Dena will be there for Bree."

"I know..."

"But it's not the same." Addena finished Elphaba's thought for her. "I would feel the same way if it was Linny who was missing."

Fiyero glanced at Eadlyn and Gregor. "We better wrap this up. They're getting antsy."

Cade nodded. "Be on the lookout for Milton. I'll send him to you as soon as we see where Gregor is going."

"We'll keep our eyes peeled. Don't." Fiyero stopped Glinda as she moved toward Addena. "He's going to have to think she's still upset for this to work."

Glinda wanted to protest but knew he was right. "Please be careful Dena."

"You too." Her sister longed to hug her too. "And don't worry Elphaba. I'll bring Bree back to you."

"I hope so." Elphaba nodded.

"What about me?" Lion asked. "Who am I going with?"

"Actually I have a favor to ask." Elphaba fielded the question. "I know there are Gale Force guards assigned to keep my father safe, but I would feel better if someone I trusted was here to keep an eye on him."

"And he's worried about both Elphie and Breena. He needs someone he likes here to keep him company." Glinda added.

"The Wizard likes me?"

Elphaba couldn't help but grin at the question. "What's not to like?"

Lion puffed his chest out. "Then I'd be honored to stay here with him."

"Now that that's settled." Fiyero looked at Addena again. "Can you manage another snit fit?"

Addena responded by slapping him across the face before yelling, "I'd like to see you try and stop me!"

Cade quickly grabbed her to drag her toward the house, Lion following close behind as if to help.

"What are you doing?" She made a show of struggling. "Let go of me!"

"You're staying here and that's final!" Fiyero yelled after her before turning back to Elphaba and Glinda. "I think she enjoyed that." He rubbed his stinging cheek. "Now let's get this show on the road."

"Look at them." Ginny swallowed hard as she watched the mass of men across the camp. One was sharpening a sword, another was practicing swinging his mace and she could just hear snippets of the conversation a handful more were having, bragging about how they had each ravaged Animals in the past. "How can they have such blatant disregard for other living souls?"

"Because they're sick in the head." Breena didn't bother to look at them. "And they're trying to intimidate us."

"Well they're succeeding."

"Just ignore them."

"Ignore them?" Ginny looked at the younger woman in disbelief. "You seem awfully calm considering that gauntlet is supposed to start in a little while."

"Looks can be deceiving." Breena shrugged. "Besides, what good is it going to do me to be nervous? Whatever happens is going to happen whether I want it to or not."

"I'm not sure whether I should think you're wise beyond your years or just plain crazy."

Breena grinned. "I'd go with a little bit of both."

"Hey." Penny greeted them as she flopped down next to Breena on the ground.

"I take it things didn't go so well with the other Animals this morning?"

"Not at all." Penny tried to wave away their concern. "Everything is fine."

Breena raised an eyebrow. "You're not a very convincing liar."

"I'm going to have to agree." Ginny sat on a tree stump near the girls. "You might as well tell us what happened."

"Nothing. Really." Penny sighed when they both continued to stare at her. "Fine. There are a few who think maybe..." She paused to look at Breena. "They're wondering if you're not working with the trappers. If this whole gauntlet thing is just a scheme to get us all out in the open where they can have a massacre instead of making us fight each other."

"What?!" Ginny tone conveyed the fact she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Breena held Penny's gaze. "You don't believe that do you?"

"Of course not." Penny was quick to assure her. "You're Miss Breena for crying out loud. You've been nothing but a friend to the Animal community. And that's exactly what I told them."

Ginny nodded her approval. "What did they have to say to that?"

"Let me guess." Breena answered before Penny could. "Someone pointed out that I can't be trusted because I'm the daughter of the Wizard. And someone else said I'm dangerous because Elphaba is my sister. Only I'm sure they didn't call her by her given name."

"No they didn't." Penny confirmed.

"That's ridiculous." Ginny snapped. "How can they possibly feel that way?"

"They have a right to their opinion." Breena suddenly sounded tired. "Is everyone questioning my integrity or just a few?"

"Only a handful." Penny answered. "The rest are just as indignant about the whole thing as Ginny."

"So the plan still stands?"

Penny nodded. "Definitely. The ones who do trust the plan are going to make sure the others get out of camp, even if they have to pick them up and carry them."

"Good." Breena relaxed a little. "And we still have the volunteers we need?"

"They're ready and willing to stay behind to make sure everyone else gets away safely." Penny tensed as one of the men broke away from the group and started toward them. "What's he want?"

"It's not time for the gauntlet already, is it?" Ginny started to stand.

"Let's not panic until we see what he wants." Breena shaded her eyes with her hand to look up at the man as he stopped in front of them. "What can we do for you?"

"Mason wants to see you." The man's tone was emotionless. "Now."

"But..."

"I said now!" The man yelled to cut off Penny's protest.

"All right." Breena climbed to her feet. "There's no need to get all huffy."

The man glared at Penny as she stood up too. "Just her."

"No way." Penny shook her head. "If you think I'm going to let you take her anywhere by herself you're crazy."

The sound of a gun cocking made them all painfully aware of the two other men that had come to stand behind the women.

"There's no need to threaten them." Breena put her hands up in surrender. "I'll come with you."

"Damn straight you will." The man grabbed her roughly by the arm.

"Hey!" Penny started toward them.

"Stop." Breena locked eyes with her again. "There's no way Eadlyn will let anyone finish me off but him and he hasn't made his grand entrance yet."

"That's not very comforting." Ginny chastised her.

Breena smirked. "I'll be back."

She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder at her friends as the man literally dragged her across the camp. Sometimes acting brave wasn't all it was cracked up to be. But she had to keep up the facade for a little while longer. She didn't want to give the Animals any more reason to doubt her and she certainly couldn't show any weakness to the trappers. Soon enough she would be back at Upland Manor with Addy. Until then she was just going to have to hold it together.

"Get in there." The man shoved her into a tent, following close behind to make sure she obeyed his order.

A young man turned as soon as she crossed the threshold, frowning when he saw the man shove her down in a chair. "That will be all Harris."

"But..."

"She's hardly a threat." The man cut him off. "Now go."

Breena waited until the man left the tent to say, "Mason, I presume?"

"Yes."

"You're the one who gave me the potion to bind my powers, aren't you?"

He hung his head. "Yes I am. That's why I wanted to see you. To apologize."

"Apologize?" Breena frowned.

"I didn't know who you were when I gave you that potion." Mason clarified. "Or should I say I didn't realize what you were. If I had I never would have messed with your powers."

"Is this some kind of joke?" Breena looked around the tent. "Did Eadlyn sneak into camp so he could hide while you played out another of his sick little games?"

"No." Mason shook his head. "This isn't a joke or a game. This is me trying to apologize to you and make things right again."

"Can you give me my powers back?"

He hung his head again. "No."

"Then I don't think you can make things right again." Breena hissed.

"It's only temporary." Mason was quick to add. "The potion that is. It should only last for about a week."

Breena chuckled drily. "That still doesn't help me out, does it?"

"Of course potions work differently on everyone." He half spoke, half mumbled. "It could wear off sooner or..."

"My powers could be gone forever. Thanks for the news flash, but I already figured that out on my own."

"Look, I'm sorry, all right? Like I said, if I had known who you were I never would have dreamed of giving you that damned potion. Do you honestly think I want to be held responsible for bringing about the downfall of Oz?" He nodded at the look she gave him. "That's right. I know about you and your sister and the power you possess together."

"How?"

"That's not important right now. What is important is getting you out of here." He threw some clothes at her feet. "Put those on."

Breena quirked an eyebrow as she looked at the items at her feet. "Why would I want to do that?"

"So I can sneak you out of here. I've earned Eadlyn's trust enough that no one will question me walking out of camp with another man." He smiled. "Pretty smart, right? Your hair is short enough that you won't even have to wear a hat."

"You're a genius." Breena's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Mason frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means if you think I'm just going to walk out of here with you you're crazier than I gave you credit for."

"But..."

"First of all, I'm not leaving this camp without Mrs. Upland and the Animals. Secondly, I don't trust you enough to believe a word you're saying."

"I..."

"Mason."

"What?" He growled as someone outside the tent interrupted them.

"One of our scouts spotted Gregor walking toward camp. He sent word that he wants to see you as soon as he gets here."

"Great." Mason realized how his less than enthusiastic response must have sounded. "Thanks!" He turned toward Breena again, whispering, "This is your last chance."

"Then you can tell Eadlyn his plan didn't work because I'm not going anywhere."

"Shhh!" He glanced nervously toward the tent flap.

"You can stop pretending now. Guard!" Breena yelled for the man outside the tent. "Or whatever it is you prefer to be called. We're done in here!"

The man stepped into the tent, waiting for Mason to confirm what she was saying. Mason looked at her with pleading eyes but she ignored him.

"Fine." Mason sighed. "Have it your way." He motioned to the other man. "You can take her back now."

"With pleasure." He grabbed Breena's arm, yanking her from the chair and barely giving her a chance to get her footing before dragging her out of the tent.

Mason watched her go, wondering what in the hell he was supposed to do now.