"Danny!" As soon as his feet touched the grass of the palace garden, the ghost boy was smothered in a fierce hug by Samantha, who smiled as she looked up into his face.

"Uh, Samantha! Princess Samantha! Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Sorry, Danny, but they had to know. The girls actually heard the guards taking you away this morning."

"This morning? That horror of a ride actually took all day?"

"Apparently so. Fortunately the guards have tired horses, otherwise I might have had more trouble finding you. You left the city at sunrise, and it's…oh, what time is it now, Tuck?"

"Ah, um, nearing midnight, Lady Desiree."

"Sorry, introductions. Danny, this is Tuckenkahmen-"

"Official scribe and companion to her Majesty Princess Samantha Masoniar."

"And, well Tuck, you already know Danerik's title, so…that concludes that! Now-"

"Hold on a second." Danny paused to look at himself, still in his ghostly attire, then looked to both Valerie and Sam. "Samantha, you don't seem…shocked? I know I looked like this the other night, but…you don't notice anything odd?"

"Oh, Danny!" Gleefully, she hugged him again. "I love it! Most people can't glow in the dark; I think it's amazing! And Valerie filled me in all today, about Desiree and your powers…" Danny looked up to glance at Valerie, a harsh question in his eyes. She frantically signed a negative motion, and Danny looked back to Sam. "…but I think…" Sam backed away from Danny slowly and looked around at the present company. "I think there's another factor in our problem."

"Samantha Masoniar, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"You had to go bring Danny back, Desiree. Besides, we all needed to be here so I wouldn't have to repeat myself." Within a moment, she had transformed from the excited lovebird into a tall, majestic figure, capable of commanding an army with her stance. With every skill inherited from her father, she eyed each member of their motley party and began. "A man I believe very few of you are acquainted with-except for you, Tuck-is my father's royal vizier, Vladimir."

"May he be sent to Set!" All eyes turned to stare at an embarrassed Tuck, who quickly explained. "He frightens me. There's something…unearthly about him."

"As Tuck says, Vlad is quite…odd. I've never been able to identify exactly what it is about him that drives people away, but my father seems quite enamored by his schemes. But, ever since Desiree-and you, of course, Danny- showed up, I think I've been able to pinpoint what it is about him that seems…repulsive. Call it an aura, but-"

"Of course!"

"Is he-" Both Desiree and Danerik began speaking at the same time, then stopped to let the other proceed. Glancing at each other, Desiree nodded to Danerik, and he turned to face the group.

"When I was first brought here, to the palace, we were shoved into what I presume what the dungeons, unless your guest suites are just really, really uncomfortable. Valerie, you were there-that frootloop who showed up to 'assign' us or whatever. I was taken to be his assistant."

"Tall, creepy smile, and white hair?"

"That's him! You say his name's Vladimir, Samantha?"

"Sounds like him. Go on, please."

"Well, to cut a long story short, he's actually responsible for making me…this way. Part ghost. I think he was trying to use me as a test run, preparing the process for himself in order to…well, whatever he wanted to do. "

"That would explain the ghostly presences I've been feeling since we got here!" Desiree adopted a thoughtful expression. "Danerik, you've been getting chills ever since we set up camp. That's a, uh, 'ghost sense' that alerts you to the presence of other ghosts. I couldn't really pinpoint where it was coming from, but now...I have a very bad feeling about this whole thing."

"Everyone feels that way about Vlad."

"Yes, thank you Tuck, now please continue, Desiree."

"Danny! Vlad must have been the one to send Skulker after you! The wretched hunter hates to ally himself with someone unless he prospers as a result. This Vlad must have promised him a great deal of human prey or some such offer." The four humans grimaced in horror at the thought of 'prey'. "If Vlad's done a great deal of conjuring, speaking to spirits, all that, then ectoplasmic residue must be all over this place. I wouldn't be surprised to find out he has a shielder ghost. Blasted chain-rattlers."

Danny shook his head to clear it of the large words. "Presuming I didn't need to understand any of that, this means we need to find Vlad. And fast."

"Clever boy. Clever work, all of you. Now, since your precious Sultan has already been-ahem-dealt with, there's only about five more hindrances standing in my way."

With blinding speed, a pronged scepter, writhing and flashing with red and turquoise energy, flew from the shadows and caught Desiree around the neck, pinning her to the courtyard wall. She gasped, struggling against the painful bonds, and the entire company shrank away from the imposing figure. Grinning, dragging the limp body of the Sultan, Vladimir entered the courtyard, ready for his reign to begin.

If Sam seems overly emotional, keep in mind that Danny just came back from a potentially fatal encounter. Sam has a very active imagination…and with Desiree's tendency to withhold information…