It proved a greater challenge than either of them expected. A Gothic mansion? More like a Gothic maze: long corridors of windows and paintings, stairs that got progressively narrower as they went up and, now and then, large ballrooms and small bathrooms. They kept getting lost and having to turn back, and one time they went around in circles along a dim corridor lit only by windows along the top of the wall. Doors opened only into murky closets stacked with linens and cleaning supplies. The floorboards creaked as they walked, and Kellen experienced a terrifying sense of claustrophobia. When Rae finally spotted the narrow doorway that had led them into this loop, and they at last returned to a more traveled part of the house, Kellen had to stop and breathe slowly and deeply. She couldn’t speak; her throat was constricted and her chest tight.

Rae waited patiently, looking more than a little unsettled herself. “It feels like Hogwarts,” she said. “The stairways and doors change when you’re not looking.”

Kellen nodded, and when she could speak, she said, “If you don’t have a nightmare about that, I will!”

“That’s okay, Mommy.” Rae put her hand in Kellen’s and smiled up at her. “You can come to my bed and sleep.”

Kellen smiled back. “I might. Now let’s pay attention to where we go. We have to get back from this adventure.”

The last flight was steep and constricted, and ended in a narrow attic door that had once been painted white. It was now a sort of yellowish color, and creaked like the ominous warning in a scary old movie.

“Mommy, you go first.” Rae stayed close to Kellen’s back.

But nothing ominous lurked behind the door. Here they found a large, airy, white-painted room with casement dormer windows set into the sloped ceiling. Spacious window seats loaded with squishy cushions, two couches upholstered in faded maroon flowered material popular in the fifties, and a worn maroon easy chair with an ottoman. A large bookshelf held well-read paperbacks and hardcovers.

Rae lost her trepidation, gave a delighted gasp, dropped the picnic basket, and ran to one of the west-facing window seats. She crawled in and pulled a throw over her legs.

Luna ran with her and wagged her tail.

“Can she come up?” Rae begged. “Can she? It’s not really furniture.”

Because Luna wasn’t supposed to get on the furniture, except on Rae’s bed when Rae was in it, and not even then…but that was a battle Max and Kellen had chosen to ignore. “Invite her up.”

Rae patted the seat next to her.

Luna leaped and looked out the window, wagging her tail, then turned to face the room. She curled up at Rae’s side, and kept an interested eye on Kellen as she explored.