"Lorren! Marlin!" Gabby shouted as she ran to hug the two oddly colored men.

Marlin grabbed her first and swung her around before handing her off to Lorren. "Are you teaching here too?" Gabby asked as she let go of Lorren.

"We won't be teaching," Lorren explained, "But we will probably help out."

"After all," Marlin reasoned, "We have kingdoms to look after."

Gabby nodded. "Of course, I was just hoping to see you around more."

"We'll be around," Marlin reassured her, "We aren't fully in charge just yet. Now, come on. We should be helping run booths."

The entrance hall of the manor was lined with folding tables. Each had a sign that indicated what the stand was assessing; be it an element test, healing test, combat test, or magic enhancement test. At each table, there was a long line of students. Tasha stood at one booth labeled "Background Analysis" and waved Gabby and her companions over.

"I see you're expanding on your Fairy Finder concept," Gabby remarked, observing Tasha's sign.

Tasha smiled, fiddling with her devices and scanning a new student. "Welcome back! And yes, I have. It now includes any trace of goblin, merperson, fairy, troll, or dwarf."

"How many have you gotten of each this year?" Lorren asked.

Tasha shook her head at the boy she had been scanning, indicated he had no traces of anything other than human. "So far and including returning students, we have ten with a decent amount of fairy in them, five with miniscule amounts of merperson, a lost count of the number traced with dwarf, and only three with small amounts of troll in them."

"Wow and there's still more to scan," Marlin said, "This should be interesting."

There was a sudden crash and a snarl by the combat assessment stand. Tasha didn't seem fazed by it, far too into her work, but Lorren, Gabby, and Marlin looked at each other with unease. With a terrible feeling in her stomach, Gabby craned her neck to see what was going on over there. All she could see were students backing away from the area.

"Um, Tasha?" Gabby tapped the girl's shoulder nervously. "Have you seen Lindsay?"

Tasha looked up from her work for a moment with a questioning look on her face. "I think Zach asked her to run the combat stand. Why?"

"Oh no," Gabby muttered, "No reason, just wondering."

Exchanging another worried look with Lorren and Marlin, Gabby took off towards the combat stand with Lorren trailing behind her; Marlin stayed with Tasha, concern written on his face. They weaved through the crowd of students, apologizing here and there for shoving one. The students at the combat station had looks of stunned relief at the sight of Lorren. Gabby assumed it was the fact that an adult would be able to fix whatever had happened and that this adult was green.

Behind the folding table, two teenagers were screaming in each other's faces. The boy towered over the girl, and his dirty blond hair covered his face. The girl looked up at him with hostility, raging fire alight in her black rimmed brown eyes. They each threw profanities at each other and argued that they belonged there.

Gabby cleared her throat from across the table and demanded, "What's going on here?"

"Zach told me to run this stand," Lindsay explained, "But Mr. Know-It-All here claims that Zach told him to run it!"

"Hey!" Alex objected, "He specifically told me to handle it! It makes sense, you know, considering I'm his top student."

Lindsay started yelling at him about being an arrogant fool. He argued back saying she was no better than him.

"Look," Lorren interrupted, "Nothing is getting done here. Zach probably got caught up in how hectic the day has been and assigned both of you on accident. How about I take care of it, okay? That way there's no more arguing."

"Yes," Gabby agreed, "That's a great idea. Now, move it or lose it, you two."

Glaring at each other, Lindsay and Alex walked away from the table and let Lorren take over. Lorren sighed in relief and welcomed the next person in line, who looked like she just walked away from a war zone. Figuring it wasn't a good idea keep the two enemies in a crowd where someone could get hurt, Gabby led her peers outside. The whole time neither one would let up the intense glowering contest they had going on.

Once outside, Lindsay got fed up. "You know what?" she burst out at Alex, "I challenge you to a race! If the reason you're so inconceivably arrogant is because your griffon is fast, then I'll cream you and get rid of that obnoxious smirk you always have on your face."

"You're on," Alex accepted, "We'll start from the Portal Field, then follow Wolf Run Pass and the Mist Trail to the Manor. Then, we'll loop past the Topiary Gardens back to the Portal Field. Got it?"

"Prepare to lose!" Lindsay taunted and took off towards the Portal Field.

Alex raced her, and Gabby sighed as she followed, knowing she would have to be there to judge. There was just a sinking feeling in her stomach that she had read how this would end.

"On three!" Gabby shouted, making Scream squawk, "One, two, three!"

The riders and their griffons took off into the night sky, neck in neck as they began. Scream was much bigger and stronger than Silence, and Alex rode him with confidence. Lindsay sat cross-legged on Silence's back, leaning over with a loose grip on his feathery mane. Even with the difference in size and power, Silence kept pace with agility and experience.

Observing the way Lindsay was mounted, Alex exclaimed, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? You'll fall riding like that!"

Lindsay glared at him in response. "Only if someone says I will. Don't tell me how to ride. I probably have years of experience on you!"

With that, she patted Silence to go faster. Silence used one powerful beat of his wings to take the lead. The racers took the first bank at the Mist Trail towards the manor. Alex eyed Lindsay's balance nervously but disregarded it in order to focus on catching up. The manor was in sight, and Scream pounded his wings to meet Silence once again and squawked in victory. Silence tensed at Scream's noise but made no sound in response.

Speeding past the manor and approaching the Topiary Gardens, they made another sharper turn. Scream slowed down to keep Alex well balanced as they neared the bend. Noticing their opponent slowing down, Lindsay smirked as Silence took the turn at full speed. However, the smirk was quickly replaced by a look of terror on Lindsay's face as she felt herself torn from Silence's back by the momentum of the turn.

Scrambling desperately for Silence, she plummeted into the trees. The forest tore her up as she hit branch after branch, until she finally managed to grab one and stop her fall. Scream screeched as Alex whipped him around to go after his opponent, and Silence followed mournfully. Lindsay clung to the branches for her life, terrified to finish the fall. Scream lowered himself into the trees until he was low enough for Lindsay to grab his claw. Carefully avoiding trees, Scream lifted Lindsay over the last bit of forest and set her down next to an elephant shaped bush in the Topiary Gardens.

Lindsay clutched her bleeding side, and Alex slid off of Scream's back to help her. She was covered in bruises and cuts, but a sharp branch had stabbed her in the side when she had first hit the trees. Alex told her to lie down so he could heal her wounds.

Furiously shaking her head, Lindsay breathed, "No, go get Gabby or Emily."

"I'm a healer too, Lindsay," Alex explained, "I can just do it."

"No," Lindsay growled through the haze in her head, "You don't understand. You can't do. It has to be Gabby or Emily. The manor is close, so go get Emily. She should be at the healing test station."

"I'm not leaving you here, especially when I can help you, "Alex objected, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"You don't know how to heal me," Lindsay snapped, "Now, get your hand off me; I know what you're doing. I know what your powers are, and you won't be putting me to sleep anytime soon. You're wasting time and might end up making matters worse. Go get Emily."

Alex took his hand off her shoulder. "I'm still not going to leave you. And what do you mean I don't know how to heal? Emily is the one who trained me!"

"For the love of all that is holy!" Lindsay exclaimed, making her body ache worse, "Would you get over yourself and go get one of them? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not in very good shape right now!"

Alex grumbled and turned to Scream, who was observing quietly for a change. "Go find Gabby and bring her here, okay? She's the girl who sent us off in the Portal Field."

Scream squawked and took off. Silence rested his head next to Lindsay.

"Why don't you go get Emily?" Lindsay protested, "She's closer."

Alex shook his head stubbornly. "Scream can't go in the manor. And I'll never leave a wounded person."

Lindsay didn't respond.

"Hey, if you're so scared, why don't you just let me heal you?" Alex asked.

Lindsay glared at him, wiping a bloody hand on her pants. "You may be able to see my emotions, but you certainly don't understand them. I'm not afraid of my wounds. I'm afraid of what might happen when someone heals them."

"What are you talking about? What could happen?"

Lindsay sighed, "You wouldn't understand."

"I can try."

"No, I'll never allow that."

"Why not?"

"Why should I?"

Alex deliberated for a moment. "It's not good to coop feelings up, especially in front of someone who can see them. It's infuriating."

"It's bad enough you can see my emotions," Lindsay snapped, "You don't need to know all about them. As far as I'm concerned, we aren't even friends!"

Alex struggled feebly for a response as Scream landed beside them. "I'll figure you out eventually," he vowed.

Gabby slid off of Scream's back and knelt at Lindsay's side. "He said you'd fall," she concluded.

Lindsay rolled her eyes and nodded.

Alex gaped at her. "How did you know that?"

"She's cursed like that," Gabby laughed, "If you warn her about something, it will happen. If you don't say anything, it won't happen. That used to happen with spilling things all the time."

"Yeah, sure," Alex scoffed, "Like she wouldn't have fallen riding cross-legged anyway!"

Lindsay glared at him. "No, I wouldn't have. I'd never fallen until now."

"You ride like Zach," Gabby realized, smirking.

Lindsay shrugged. "Just heal me and let's get this over with."

Nodding, Gabby told her to lie down on the grass. Lindsay pulled her shirt up halfway to reveal the long gash in her side. Putting her one hand just below Lindsay's chest and the other over the biggest wound, Gabby closed her eyes to focus on the healing. Alex watched in stunned amazement as a black circle of light illuminated through the hand Gabby had just below Lindsay's chest. As the side gash closed, so did the smaller cuts and bruises. Lindsay would twitch occasionally, and Gabby would shove her hand harder onto the light, like she was jolting the life back into her.

"What was that?" Alex demanded as Lindsay stretched and sat up.

Gabby deliberated between Lindsay and Alex. "Lindsay," she murmured, "He's not going to let that go."

Lindsay stared blankly at her friend. "I know, but he's not finding out now. I'm already off balance and I don't want anyone hurt."

"What was that light?" Alex insisted, "Why wasn't I allowed to heal you?"

Lindsay stood and faced him with the same empty gaze. "You said you'd figure me out eventually. I'd like to see you try."

With that, Lindsay hopped onto Silence's back and took off into the night. Gabby watched her friend go a bit mournfully, and Alex grumbled with frustration. In an effort to avoid questioning, Gabby made to walk back to the manor rather than ride with Alex to the Portal Field. Alex caught her first though.

"Don't think you can go off without explaining," Alex growled in a rage.

Gabby stopped and sighed. "It's Lindsay's business to tell you."

"You don't have to tell me everything," Alex persisted, "Just tell me what that light was and why I can't heal her. Oh and why her emotions look like a tornado."

"That light is one of Lindsay's skills," Gabby gave in a little, "It centers her magic. You can't heal her because her magic is always in limbo, and the smallest disturbance of another person's magic will throw the balance off. As for her emotions, Ravenswood brings back some dark memories for her."

"Is that why she's scared?" Alex asked, "I've never heard of someone's magic being off balance. She said she's afraid of what could happen when someone heals her. What happens? And what dark memories does Ravenswood hold?"

Gabby shook her head. "Alex, I told you this is Lindsay's business. The only thing I can tell you is that something happened here that messed her up. And horrible things can happen if that balance is upset. Now, I'm going to find Emily to tell her what happened."

"Fine," Alex snapped, "I'm taking Scream back to the Portal Field. And I will find out what's wrong with her."

Gabby smiled at him despite his tone. "Good, that's exactly what I want to hear."

Emily was talking to a red headed little girl, when Gabby found her. The girl held hands with who had to be her older brother. Both had similar heart shaped faces and red hair, but the boy, who looked about Gabby's age, had grey eyes while the girl had blue.

"Oh, Gabby," Emily greeted her, "This is Anna, a returning student, and her older brother Keller, who is new. Anna will be one of your students."

Gabby smiled at the little girl. "Nice to meet you, I'm Gabby."

"I'm so excited!" Anna squeaked, "Emily and Zach said you are really nice! But they said Lindsay can be intimidating."

Emily gave a sheepish smile. "Guilty, but it was worth warning her."

"Lindsay can be intimidating but she has a good heart," Gabby explained to Anna, "Did you have Zach as a teacher?"

The boy, Keller, rolled his eyes and laughed. "She rides a dragon named Canna. Zach was her riding coach."

"Wow, a dragon riding healer?" Gabby grinned, "And have you found out what you are, Keller?"

Keller had a modest smile. "I'm a Blazing Star."

"A boy Blazing Star," Emily said with a smirk, "Kara will be thrilled. Anyway, did you need something, Gabby?"

"Oh," Gabby remembered why she had sought Emily out, "Keep an eye on Lindsay when you see her. There was an incident."

Emily nodded, becoming all business. "No one was hurt? Did she lose control?"

"Nothing happened," Gabby assured her mentor, "She's just a little edgy now."

"Is something wrong?" Keller asked suspiciously.

"It's nothing," Gabby explained, "There was just a disagreement between Lindsay and another student and she got hurt in a griffon race."

But then Gabby heard gasps from those around her and turned her attention at the odd horse making its way towards her.

Spell it with me! R. E. V. I. E. W! What's that spell? Review! That's what you should do!