“I’m in, too,” said Leo.

“Moloch does have a dragon,” Isaac said. “At least, the dragon appeared outside at the same time he did.”

“Dragon,” Colin said, looking brighter. “Ooh.”

“Ahem,” said Willow. “Not certain we can be of help.”

Lark murmured, “Nor I,” and danced in little bobbing movements beneath Willow, her full now blue skirts bouncing.

“I think Willow and Lark should stay behind,” said Amelie. “You two can look after things in the castle. Willow, why don’t you try and find Canut?”

“Yes, please?” said Colin.

“We can do that, as long as we don’t run into him again. You always were our favorite, Amelie,” Willow said, and blew kisses.

Isaac said, “All right, then. Let’s find a way out of here that is a bit easier than those stairs, since we will be with the knights.”

Kat unrolled the scroll and they all crowded around. “There.” She pointed on the map. At the far end of the armory was an old door, shorter than Isaac was tall, that opened onto a long tunnel, which led away from the castle.

“Looks like it ends up on the edge of the cliff,” Leo said.

“That will be perfect,” said Isaac. He looked up at the others. “Are you ready?”

*   *   *

The knights, about two dozen in all, formed an orderly line and then began a slow march toward the door out of the armory. The children followed.

“Goodbye,” Willow called. “Good luck. You might just survive. And if not, you can always become ghosts and join us.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” Colin muttered.

“I’ll make a beautiful pie for when you get back,” Lark called.

“But don’t eat it,” Leo whispered unnecessarily.

The long, dim stone tunnel rose slowly upward. The air was close, and except for the soft clink of armor, it was still and silent. The faint blue light radiating from the knights guided them, and the walls of the tunnel closed in until Isaac had to hunch low and tilt his head. The knights were shorter than he was, even in their armor. They marched on and on, slowly, up and up. Isaac had to trust that the tunnel was leading them to a place where they could make a stand and face Moloch on their terms and not inside the confines of the castle that was overrun by forest magic.

Closer and closer, the walls of the tunnel drew on either side until Isaac began to smell the salt air of the sea and hear the distant pounding of surf. Then cold air rushed in on them, and they emerged into the chill of early evening.

They were on the cliff edge far from the castle, which they couldn’t see—the forest had overgrown it and crept down to the very edge of the cliffs. The air was damp and foggy, and Isaac was at once chilled to the bone. The others rubbed their arms for warmth.