Cathy listened to Jake's teeth chatter as he huddled in a ball on the ground. Before they left Phillip's house, Cathy had given Jake a warm woollen jumper to wear, but he'd thrown it aside, and now he was cold. The sun had set a few hours earlier, and already a frost had formed. Cathy pulled her jumper over her head and handed it to Jake.

"Here! Take this."

"No, I'm fine."

"Don't be so stubborn. Your lips are blue." Cathy dropped the jumper beside him and untied the blanket she carried. Jake reluctantly put the jumper on and when she handed him the blanket, he wrapped it around his shoulders.

Satisfied her brother wouldn't die of hyperthermia, Cathy gathered enough wood to build a fire. She heaped the twigs and branches and checking the coast was clear, Cathy made a wish. As her dress glimmered, the fire lit and burned brightly.
Thankfully, this time there was no huge, smelly troll stomping through their camp, heading toward Prince Horace's castle. Foolish troll! The only reason they were heading towards the castle was because Hex was there. And Cathy trusted Hex. The sorcerer may be bad-tempered, he may be a little selfish and a lot stubborn, but she had seen another side to him. A caring side. He would protect her and Jake, of that she was certain.

"Are you hungry?" Cathy rubbed her arms to get the blood circulating and stomped her frozen feet.

"Yes!" Jake pulled the blanket tighter as he shivered.

"Then you best make a wish." Cathy sat beside him.

Jake clutched the hem of her dress. "I wish for a cheese toastie, a bowl of soup, and a hot chocolate."

The children waited for the food to appear, but nothing happened. "Cathy, what's wrong?"

Cathy shrugged and made a wish. "I wish for an apple." Again, nothing happened. "I think we've used all of the magic."

"Can we do that?"

"I suppose. Nothing lasts forever."

"Great! We're lost with no food. I told you we should turn back. We're going to die out here!"

"Don't be so dramatic. We'll be fine," Cathy said calmly, but she wondered what if she couldn't find Hex? What if they never made it home?

Jake stood and shuffled closer to the fire. With his back to Cathy, he asked, "Would you like to share the blanket?"

Cathy could no longer feel her toes, so she joined her brother beside the fire.

*

Shadow slipped into the darkness without a sound. He effortlessly wove between the trees, gracefully gliding from rock to boulder and from ridge to valley. Virtually invisible, he followed Boy's trail of one ruby and three diamonds. As large as his thumb, the stones were worth a fortune. It was obvious why Prince Horace wanted Cathy.

That greedy imp had built his castle with jewels stolen from the Gem Makers. Horace had amassed his vast wealth by capturing the few fairies capable of manifesting gems from emotions and thin air. Some Gem Makers created precious stones with love, others from hate, and some... by accident.

Shadow paused at the valley leading to the Castle of Jewels. To his right, an old wooden sign pointed straight ahead. He frowned as he read the words, Castle of Jewels, Turn Back. That was sound advice, and how he wished he could. Instead, he took a deep breath and headed toward the glowing fire in the distance.