Gavin and Kendra snuck past the inhabited caves and made their way towards the Fairy Queen's shrine that Kendra had come out of. Kendra wished Gavin could just fly them there instead of tripping over rocks and sneaking carefully by inhabited caves, but Navarog had pointed out that they would be seen immediately.

Kendra kept looking back at her companion with unease, she still thought of him a Gavin, even though she knew he was really Navarog, the Demon Prince. He looked so human, so real, and not otherworldly at all, like Bracken. He looked up from the ground and their eyes met, he smiled and held out a hand. Kendra reflexively backed up. He sighed and said, "This hill we have to get down is steep, will you please let me guide you?"

She relaxed the tension in her shoulders a little, but kept her glower on and locked on him. He ignored her glare and took her hand gently and guided her down the grassy knoll, avoiding muddy spots and helping her over rocks.

His kindness felt completely wrong to her, and whenever she looked at his face she could feel a blush coming on, she missed Bracken and wished the unicorn was the one helping her.

He glanced at her and saw her slight blush and frustrated expression as her eyes were turned to the ground. He stopped and grabbed her shoulders, "If there is anything you would ask of me to prove my loyalty to you, just say so."

He was acting really sincere, but Kendra just wasn't buying it, until she got to the Fairy queen's shrine and asked the Fairy queen herself, would she be sure. Then she looked into his dark brown eyes and twitched, "You can die for all I care!" She yelled and pushed him away from her, sending him rolling down to the dale.

"As you wish!" He called as he spun down the remainder of the grassy mound.

Kendra stood bemused for a second. Did he just quote The Princess Bride? Then realized she had pushed him of a fairly steep hill. "Oh, sorry!" She tried to take a step, but without looking where she was going, she fell down the hill as well and received a scrape on her leg on the way down. She fell to a stop near Gavin, who was just standing up, and spat grass out of her mouth.

"That was graceful." Gavin said sarcastically, offering a hand to Kendra, she scrambled to her feet without him and winced in pain.

"Shut up, Gavin. Navarog. Whatever!" She stormed away.

"Just call me Gavin; It's easier on the tongue." Gavin said nonchalantly, following Kendra. She scoffed and kept walking.

They soon came to the fairy shrine; a few of the fairies that had helped Kendra up the cliff flitted around. When they saw her they brightened and flew over, simultaneously they pointed at the shrine, it was glowing.

"I need to talk to the Fairy Queen for a minute, okay?" Kendra said as she turned to Gavin. He looked uncomfortable, but nodded.

"I don't exactly have a good history with the Fairy queen, she might want to kill me… but if you talk to her, I think it's alright."

Kendra nodded back and wondered what kind of bad history the two of them had. Had Gavin met the Fairy Queen before? She shook off those thoughts and walked over to the small fairy statue and knelt down. Her mind then relaxed as her connection with the Fairy queen formed.

Happiness as sweet as honey filled Kendra's mind,

Kendra. I was wondering when I would speak to you again.

Kendra smiled, "I missed talking to you, your Majesty. But I need to get back to Fablehaven, and I want to know, if I can trust the person with me."

Curiousness bubbled up inside Kendra as the Fairy queen felt inquisitive.

Yes, I did sense another presence so close to my shrine. Who is it?

Kendra took a deep breath before saying, "Navarog."

All curiosity disappeared in an instant, replaced by a cold nothing, and then the temperature rose to boiling anger.

You must not trust this deceiver at all.

The Fairy queen channeled hatred so strong, it filled Kendra with darkness and rage. It was a similar feeling to the one when the Fairy queen spoke of Gogorog, the demon king who she believed had slain her consort.

Tears fell from Kendra's eyes and immediately the hatred changed to trembling worry and salty sadness. It felt like she were being cradled by the ocean.

Listen to me, Kendra. I am sorry that I yelled, but I lost many of my subjects to that demon-dragon, and if my son ever discovered this evildoer was alive…

Kendra nodded, "I-I understand." She wiped the tears from her eyes and cracked a smile.

Bracken is…

There was a long pause, and it felt like, for a second, the connection was cut off completely.

"Fairy queen?" Kendra asked, wondering if she was even listening anymore. Suddenly the connection came back and this time the Fairy queen sounded urgent.

I had turned my vision to Bracken, and could not find him. Please help me find him; the power must be great indeed to obscure him from my sight. Lend me your energy, Kendra.

Kendra complied, and the little pool began to shimmer, then a vision of grey fog appeared. She leaned closer to the pool and watched the scene.

Seth and Bracken walked through the thick, dark grey fog looking for something. Bracken suddenly stopped and Seth followed suit. Bracken's eyes scanned the air in front of him, and then motioned for Seth to be very cautious.

They continued a little farther, then Seth bounced back from something, as if he hit an invisible wall. Bracken turned around quickly, helping her brother up. Bracken waved his light stone in the air around the place where Seth had knocked into something, a magic wall glowed softly.

Bracken and Seth exchanged some words, then Bracken continued on alone. Seth kept sending worried looks at Bracken's back as the unicorn walked through the blackness.

An eternity seemed to pass, all was black and Kendra could no longer see Bracken, but she could see her brother searching with his eyes. Suddenly Seth's face lit up in excitement, then a look of horror and concern clouded his features.

Bracken came back into the pool's line of sight, but when he did, both Kendra and the Fairy queen understood something was wrong with him. The Fairy queen saw what he was carrying and grimly understood what it meant.

The images in the pool faded to water a moment later and the Fairy queen addressed Kendra once more.

Bracken, her voice trembled with emotion, is in grave danger. He has touched the horn of the dark unicorn, the one I have banished from my realm. Any unicorn would have died by touching it, but his third horn is far away, and was not affected by the evil. Go to him, I can help get you out of this preserve.

"But how can I help?" Kendra asked, feeling hopeless. Her heart thudded painfully at the thought of Bracken in pain. "You are powerful, can't you heal him?"

I cannot.

Kendra's shoulders drooped, she felt useless and pathetic. The guy she liked was in danger, and she could do nothing to save him.

Fortunately, you have that demon with you.

The Fairy queen continued, begrudging contempt obvious in her voice,

And I do not wish for him to be anywhere near my son, but a must is a must. The demon will be able to draw the darkness away, he is a powerful creature.

"Gavin- I mean- Navarog can help heal Bracken?" She asked, barely daring to believe, until she realized that both of her crushes would be in the same room together.

Go, quickly!

"Er-yes!" Kendra forgot her problem with the plan and stood up and quickly made her way over to Navarog.

He looked at her tear-stained face and knew something had made her upset. "What is it?"

"You have to come with me!" She blurted, grabbing his hands and dragging him to the pool's edge, "There's a friend who's dying! I need your help." She looked up at him and begged, "Please."

Gavin nodded and took her hand, "Where to?"

"I don't know. We just jump." In a leap of faith, she jumped into the magic pond, taking Navarog with her.