LOL! Sorry, this one is going to have to come in two parts. People's heads will explode. Thanks all for reading. Reviews make my day!

It was amazing how much you could depend on something and not even know it. Until it was gone. When she had lives in Kansas, she had not used her magical abilities. She hadn't even known about them, but still they had been a part of her. Affecting her.

Sitting in her windowsill with her head pressed to the glass looking down on the lake, she had never felt so terrible. She felt slower, mentally and physically. Her senses seemed dulled and her awareness lacking. The exhaustion had abated, but the depression was still hanging on. Never before had she felt so worthless and fragile.

And love them though she did, her friends and family were not helping. Azkadellia, wracked with guilt, refused to let DG from her sight. Ahamo had hugged her at least five times since she had climbed from bed at the crack of noon. Raw was trying to be comforting, but she wasn't in the mood to be comforted.

Tutor had passed her, but not seen her, as she was coming down the hall and he was moving down the one perpendicular to it and distinctly heard him lamenting the sad loss for the House of Gayle. Geez, she wasn't dead.

Her mother was -trying- not to hover, but DG saw her worried glances when the queen thought she wasn't looking. Was she wondering what would become of her throne if one of her daughters was incapable of magic?

Glitch. . . well, Glitch she hadn't seen all day. Or Cain for that matter. And she was still irritated with them.

Deej, get a grip. She told herself. It wasn't their fault. The irritation abated a bit as she consciously let it go, but the overwhelming hopelessness was just as unbearable. Who was that woman? Why had she taken her mother's most precious gift? And what was she planning on doing with it?

There was a tap on her door. "DG? Hey, I know you're in there."

It was Glitch. She didn't answer.

"Hey, your mother wants you down in the Main Hall."

Well, she wasn't interested in talking to her mother. Or anyone else for that matter.

"C'mon. You gotta come out some time."

Wanna bet?

"DG, look, I know you're feeling . . . lousy, but we're worried about you out here. We need to know you're okay."

Oh, great. Guilt.

"Besides, you need to see this thing I picked off Raw this morning."

She tried not to laugh. She really did, but she failed miserably. It was sort of like the first laugh after a great loss. It felt very wrong and very healing all at the same time.

It made it easier to smile when Cain pounded on her door. "C'mon, kid. I don't have time for this."

DG stood up and stepped a little closer so she could hear the muffled conversation in the hall. "No offense, Cain, but I don't think a heavy-handed approach is what's called for in this situation."

"Well, it's all I've got." His voice rose again. "Princess, you've got until the count of three to open this door. 1 . . . . 2 . . . . 3."

Nothing happened and she heard Glitch snort. "Way to follow through."

DG opened the door to find exactly what she suspected she would. Cain was giving Glitch a "look" and Glitch was trying to decide if he needed to run or not.

Both of the men looked at her. Cain softened immediately. "How are you doing?"

"Don't you start." DG warned. "I'm getting enough sympathy from everyone else in this house. Wanna make me feel better? Yell at me for something."

A half smile was her answer. "I'm about to give my report and Glitch has been holed up in the library for a while. Says he might have some interesting information for us. Are you coming or are you going to stay up here and sulk?"

Huh, that was better. "I'll come."

She closed her door and headed down the hall between her two friends. As they walked, she asked Cain, "So, how are the ribs?"

"They're fine." He had stubbornly refused to let Raw heal him after the attack. Something about going soft if he let the healer mend every bump, scrape, or bruise.

They were nearly to the bottom of the staircase when Cain pulled up short. "Jeb?"

Standing in the hall, dressed in the blue uniform of the Royal Army was Cain's son. He looked tense. "Hello, Father."

Father? When had they gotten so formal? When DG had last seen them together, Jeb had been calling Cain "Dad".

"What are you doing here?"

"I have important information for the Queen." Jeb replied.

"Don't you have couriers?" DG gave Cain a startled look that she saw mirrored on Glitch's face. The man should have been ecstatic to see his son, especially since Zero was on the loose and probably gunning for both of them.

Jeb's face turned harder. "It's extremely important."

"We were just headed in to talk with her ourselves." DG jumped in before things could get anymore awkward. "You're more than welcome to come."

Jeb stared at his father for another few seconds before nodding to DG. "Thank you, Your Highness."

DG smiled and gestured to the door. Jeb headed in and DG waited for him to get out of earshot before rounding on Cain. "What is the matter with you?"

The Tin Man was glaring angrily at the floor. "Nothing."

He walked off before DG could say anymore. She looked at Glitch who shrugged and then sighed heavily before heading into the hall.

Everyone was already assembled. Orianah was greeting Jeb near the windows with Azkadellia and Ahamo. Tutor and Raw were speaking quietly near the fireplace. Cain had moved to the window nearest the door and was staring angrily out it.

Upon DG's entry, Orianah touched Jeb's sleeve and gestured to a chair beside the loveseat she and Ahamo usually chose. Azkadellia remained standing. Giving her a quick smile, DG found a seat on the couch beside Glitch and gestured for Raw to join them. She was feeling a bit remorseful about her earlier treatment of the Viewer. He sat down carefully and patted her hand.

"Mr. Cain." Orianah called. "If you please."

When he turned from the window, Cain was all business. "The assailants began on the east side of the camp. They attacked and killed the two sentries stationed there and were then able to sneak into the camp undetected."

"And these men who were killed, their names?"

"Andrew Malone and Garrett Carter. Both fine men."

DG felt a cold steel knife twist in her gut, but she understood how her mother felt. These men had been people. They had laid down their lives to protect her and her sister.

Ahamo spoke. "Cause of death?"

"As I stated when we returned last night, I believe they were frozen to death."

DG looked to Glitch, who was not surprised, and simply nodded at her questioning look. "It's the middle of summer. How could they have been frozen?"

"Glitch has some information on that, Princess." Cain said. "I had been checking posts when I noticed Malone and Carter missing. I immediately headed back to the camp. There I found the man known as Zero crouched over my roll."

"But you were obviously not in it." Orianah stated. "You were thankfully patrolling. Why would Zero have stopped?"

"Uh," Cain cleared his throat and glanced at DG. "I had placed my coat and a blanket in the bedroll to make it look as though I were in it, Your Majesty."

Ahamo seemed confused. "Why did you feel the need for this decoy? Was there some indication of trouble?"

"No, sir." He sighed like a man about to confess. "Princess DG had expressed some concerns about my sleeping habits on this trip. I stuffed the roll in case she decided to do a bed-check."

For a few seconds, DG forgot the seriousness of the situation and her mouth got away from her. "You filthy, stinkin' rat."

Beside her, Glitch did his best not to laugh. Even Orianah bowed her head to hide a smile. There was a bit of happy relief in her eyes as she looked to Cain again. "Please continue, Mr. Cain."

"I had Zero at gunpoint when I heard a scream from the Princess' quarters. I neutralized him and called for the perimeter guard. When I entered the tent, I found that Princess Azkadellia had engaged an intruder. The woman attacked me and then fled beneath the tent. Two more of the men pursued them into the woods, but the woman was able to fight them back using her magical ability. Neither she nor Zero was apprehended." Drawing himself up to his full height, Cain turned to Orianah and Ahamo. "I am deeply sorry for my failure to protect your daughters. It was my shortcomings that allowed for this to happen."

DG felt her heart go out to her friend. What did he think he should have done? They were talking about a woman who had tried to suck the life out of her body and frozen two men to death quickly enough that they hadn't made a sound. How do you plan against that?

The Queen looked at her husband for a second before speaking. "It is because of you, Mr. Cain, that our daughters arrived alive here at Finaqua. Your bravery is to be commended. None of us could have foreseen such an attack. I thank you for keeping them safe."

"It seems our old friend Zero has found some new and rather dangerous company to keep." Ahamo observed.

"Yes," Cain continued, "Which is why from now on, I'm putting top security clearance on any movements of the Royal Family. This last trip was too noisy. We're keeping it quiet and I would suggest that any movements be limited."

"Very well, Mr. Cain" Orianah replied. "I will conduct what business I can from Finaqua until this can be sorted out. It's more easily guarded then the Central City holdings."

Cain nodded. "That's all I have. Glitch?"

He jumped up from beside DG and moved to the front with Cain, moving towards a large stack of books on the side table. "I've been doing a little research, trying to find out a bit more about our lovely lady friend. I think I found her."

"You know what we're dealing with?" Orianah asked.

"It's a long shot, Your Majesty, but maybe." He pulled a large tome from the middle of the stack, flipping it open to a page he had marked. He held it up for all to see. "I believe this, perchance, is what we're dealing with."

DG felt her chill return. It was a terrible and beautiful woman standing atop a craggy mountain while the snow swirled around her. Angry black clouds dominated the backdrop as she held a ball of radiant magic aloft. "What is it?"

"It's an Ishek," Azkadellia spoke up. "An Ice Witch. But they're only in fairy tales."

"Begging your Highness's pardon," Glitch flipped the book back around, adopting a very formal tone. "But there is evidence to prove that such creatures could have existed. I believe it is not out of the realm of possibility."

Cain had wondered over for a closer look. "What makes you think this is our lady?"

"An Ice Witch draws her power from and harnesses the energy of extreme cold. They thrive in the harshest environments. They can drop ambient air temperature, even creating ice or snow at will." Glitch took a breath. "According to legend, these creatures are like parasites. They have the ability to tap the energy of other magical beings and use it for themselves."

"Like my light." DG said sadly. A sudden wave of frustration hit her. "Ugh, just how many magical beings are there in the O.Z. anyway?"

"Oh, well," Glitch spoke up. "According to the Zella Nikabob's Ozian Field Guide to Mystical Creatures there are well over three dozen magical entities with varying degrees of ability ranging from your common nymphs, gnomes, and sprites all the way up through-"

"Glitch." Cain put a hand on the man's shoulder to cease the rant.

Glitch nodded, getting it. "If you like, I've got a list reference books that might interest you."

"Look," DG said. "The woman didn't absorb my light. She just . . ." her voice cracked a little. "she just took it. In a little glass jar."

"She did." DG was grateful when Azkadellia came over and put a hand on her shoulder. "It was a small urn. I think it may have had carvings on it. It was still in her hand when she fled."

"Assuming that Ambrose is correct." Orianah spoke, looking to Tutor. "It is very strange indeed that this creature would take the time to store the light, given that she could have been discovered at anytime. Besides, a power as great as DG's would be quite a temptation for her."

"Makes you wonder what she's got planned." Tutor agreed.

There was a heavy sigh from Jeb. "I think I may be able to answer that."