They were all stuck in place while the filthy creatures crawled towards them like lizards.

Matilda shivered, "I told you we shouldn't trust Oona!" she shouted at Ferry, ready to quarrel. "Now they're going to take us to the Blind Alley!"

Ferry was baffled, "Matt, it doesn't make any sense... Oona wouldn't do that to me..."

"Well she just did," she snapped back at him.

"Well, we wanted to go to the Blind Alley anyway," Izzy concluded.

"Stop it this instant!" Baldie interfered. "There's something strange happening to Oona..."

They all turned to Oona who's been keeping some distance. For some reason, the Kallikans let her alone. A smirk appeared on her face, that would've scared the bravest heart. Her eyes turned solid black. Her face disfigured; that being, who most certainly was not Oona, coiled, turning smaller and smaller. Short fur grew on its body and the locks vanished; instead, long, rabbit-like ears appeared and the tail that Ferry thought to be a snake, was now moving freely. Those strange cries were still coming out of its throat, giving everyone the creeps.

"Why didn't I see it?" Baldie shouted. "It's a Pooka!"

When they thought things couldn't get any worse, a twirl of dry flowers and leaves fell from the skies; Alwyn came out of it.

"Well, well," she roared and the guffaw broke into thousands of echoes, "what a strange gathering!" She then turned to the hairy creature, "Thank you, my little Pooka! Thank you for bringing me the Moonlight Boy. Fae Queen will be so pleased..."

She came closer, not letting Ferry out of her sight. "So I finally meet you, Moonlight Boy. I've heard so much about you." Ferry dared to look into her eyes. Alwyn was truly beautiful, more beautiful than any other fairy Ferry has ever met. But her eyes were dark and empty and Ferry couldn't see any flicker of kindness in them. Asking Alwyn to let them go would've been useless.

Alwyn walked around him, studying Ferry with the greatest interest. At some point, her immaculate hand reached out to take his hood off. But Baldie broke in before she could do anything else.

"Don't touch him!" Ferry heard his calm, yet firm voice.

Alwyn laughed, "Don't worry, I'm not interested in him. Sometimes, I don't understand why he's so important to so many. He looks so... human," she said with disgust. "Fae Queen must have her reasons to keep him here."

"What are those reasons?" Baldie asked.

"Oh, don't be hasty," she laughed. "You'll find out when the time comes, during the Moon Ritual. It won't be long," she said, stepping away. Then she clapped her hands and Pooka came to her.

"Take all his possessions and bring them to me! " she ordered.

Before Ferry could tell, Pooka grabbed his backpack and placed it at her mistress' feet, taking a deep bow.

Alwyn emptied the backpack and examined all Ferry's belongings with her long fingers.

"Where is it?" she hissed.

Pooka leaped to her and started to fervently search along with its mistress. The magical feathers didn't seem like presenting any interest. Neither did Poppy's doll and Ferry thought they were probably looking for the magical scissors.

Alwyn turned to Pooka, venom in her eyes; and the small, long-eared creature retreated, whimpering.

"Useless creature," she said between clenched teeth, "you said he had it. Where is it?" she yelled.

All of a sudden, she flew at Ferry's throat like an eagle on its prey. But Baldie was faster than her. The other Guardians gathered around Ferry, forming a living wall.

"Leave him alone," he said just as calm; yet, his eyes pierced Alwyn's who stepped back, her fists clenched.

"Where's the Moon's Tear?" she yelled and her cry made the dark foliage nearby shiver.

"He doesn't have it," said Baldie. "He couldn't. The Moon's Tear was lost a long time ago. Ages have passed since it was lost in the world of humans."

But Alwyn wouldn't give up. She made a short gesture and, at her signal, several Kallikans rushed at Ferry, invading him like ants. Others did the same with his Guardians who were desperately fighting to chase them away. It was useless; when the filthy creatures stepped back, others took their places. They were frantically catching at the clothes of their victims, turning their pockets upside down, scratching them with their claws, incited and scared at the same time. Strangely, none of them touched Matilda, who was trying to help her friends by shooting at them with her inseparable sling.

"Ferry, give them the bloody stone!" she shouted.

Ferry could barely face his attackers who kept on coming, like a growing tide. "I don't know what they're talking about!" she shouted back at her. "I don't have any stone!"

The Kallikans kept on crawling at him, pulling at his clothes. The cloak from Lavender Sky was torn apart, just like his clothes. And to cap it all, one of them nipped the Raven's Stone. That moment, all the other Kallikans stopped.

Alwyn received the stone from the Kallikan's trembling hand and studied it with great interest. But the sparkle of excitement in her eyes vanished. She threw it in the backpack like a useless thing, together with the other things.

"That is not the Moon's Tear!" she spat the words. Then the smirk reappeared on her face. "But Fae Queen will be pleased to add some more things to her collection. The Moon's Tear doesn't even matter. I have a stone a thousand times more precious to bring her," she said, giving Ferry a look he couldn't read.

Then, she turned to the Kallikans, "Take them to the Blind Alley in the safest dungeon, the one in the west. Guard them with your life! They are our most precious prisoners."

Then, she turned her back at them, her locks fluttering behind like a golden cloak. She vanished in the darkness she came from, followed by her little pet.

"Now what are we going to do?" asked Matilda, almost bursting into tears. The Kallikans circled them, jostling them to the darkness that stretched ahead.

"No matter what happens, we must stay together," said Ferry reaching out her hand. "Just don't let go of my hand, all right?"

"I'm scared, Ferry," Matilda whined.

This time, Shadow was the one to comfort her, "Don't be afraid, Mattie," he softly said. "You have us. We are ready to give our lives to keep you and Ferry safe."

Matilda forced a smile but she knew, just like Ferry knew, that it wasn't going to be easy in the darkness that embraced them with every step they took. Ferry held her hand, trying to spirit her, but he was just as scared. He had no idea what laid beyond the darkness. He didn't have the magical feathers, nor the Raven's Stone and he felt completely helpless. The darkness was getting thicker and Ferry could barely see his friends' faces. Baldie smiled and Izzy winked at him before they entered the heavy iron doors that rose up to the black clouds above. As they passed them by, the darkness swallowed them completely.

They were now guided by their smell and hearing. Wails and sobs came from everywhere. Whispers reached their ears and then melted into the darkness. A moist smell, of stale water, came from all over, getting stronger as they advanced. The Kallikans, the only beings that could see in the darkest darkness, kept on pushing them ahead. The prisoners barely walked, stumbling on each other, but without letting go of their hands. Ferry walked between Baldie and Matilda who held Shadow's hand; Izzy and Rosemary protected them from the sides.

They would feel each other's breath; they could almost hear each other's heartbeat.

"Why don't we sing something?" Shadow suggested.

"Sing?" Ferry heard Baldie's irritated voice. "This is not the time, nor the place for singing."

"You're just saying this because you don't have the slightest talent at singing," Shadow cut him short.

"Of course," Baldie answered, irritation growing in his voice, "I'm a warrior, not a domestic fairy like you, to sing in front of the fireplace."

"But there's nothing wrong with being a domestic fairy," Izzy added, protected by darkness from Baldie's fiery look. "We know how to do a lot of things. Who would cook for you? Who would take care of you?"

And without caring too much, he slowly started to hum.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;

Remember me to the one who lives there,

For once she was a true love of mine.

Soon, Shadow and Rosemary joined him and the entire place started to echo with their song. The Kallikans didn't seem troubled; they even started to clap their hands, giving yelps and howling like dogs at the sheepfold. The hubbub was growing because other voices joined them as they moved along; women's voices or men's voices, deeper or softer, nicer or less talented at singing. The Kallikans seemed to be the worst singers they've ever heard; yet somehow, their growl was more pleasant than the wailings that welcomed them at their arrival. Funny enough, Ferry didn't feel the fear anymore and a gleam of hope appeared right there, in the darkest darkness.

"We here! We here!" they could hear a rattled voice in front of them. The song and the good mood ceased that very moment. The Kallikans pushed them ahead and Ferry stumbled and fell, letting go of Matilda's hand. The long creak of heavy gates could be heard somewhere behind; then the Kallikans' footsteps and growls distanced. Some of them still tried to sing. When they couldn't hear the voices anymore, they could finally talk to each other.

"Is everyone safe?" Baldie asked. "Follow the sound of my voice and gather around."

Ferry did just so and he soon felt Matilda's scent of cookies and shoe polish. Then he felt her warm hand holding his. The room they were in was wet and Ferry felt the cold of the stone slabs.

"Now what?" asked Matilda.

"Maybe you could try to make fire, Baldie," tried Izzy.

"I'm a warrior, not a Wandering Fay to tell a small incantation and make fire," Baldie replied. "But I could give it a try," he sighed.

They all waited, hoping with all their hearts that Baldie would make some light, no matter how small. The silence was suddenly interrupted by a deep, heartbreaking sob.

"Don't cry, Matt," Shadow gently said.

"I'm not crying," Matilda answered back.

They all stopped talking, listening.

"Then who's crying?" asked Izzy.

„Shhh, I think there's someone else in this room," said Ferry.

Indeed, someone was crying somewhere at some distance of their group.

"Who's there?" asked Baldie.

No answer.

"Oh, I wished we could have some light," Izzy complained. "Thyme, how is the fire?"

Baldie sighed, "There's no fire... I've tried every charm and incantation I knew," he huffily said.

Ferry felt sorry about Baldie. He always needed to be the most responsible one to get others out of trouble. But not this time. 

A thought crossed his mind, "Matt, do you remember what Oona said about this place?"

"Oona said many things..." Matilda muttered.

"She said," Ferry continued without minding her, "that no fairy fire could be lit here. So the fire made by Baldie wouldn't be of any help, even if Baldie could make it. There's a strong spell that rules over this place."

"So?" Matilda argued. "What are you trying to say? That we don't have any chance?"

"I'm saying that fairy fires can't lighten this place. But a human's fire could."

A short silence followed; everyone was thinking about Ferry's sayings.

"But how are we going to make a human fire?" asked Izzy. "We have nothing to light it up. There aren't matches in this land..."

"Nor flint," added Baldie.

Then Matilda shouted out with joy.

" Matt, stop being so loud! The Kallikans might hear us," Ferry called down.

"I have the humans' fire!" she shouted. Then she rushed on telling them, snorting and choking on her words, "Ben gave me proper training before leaving. And he also gave me his flashlight, in case we need it."

They could all hear her searching inside her backpack.

"Blessed be Ben and all his quirky, picky habits!" said Izzy.

"But is it safe to turn it on? What if the Kallikans see it?"

„Kallikans are not the brightest creatures of the fae people," said Baldie. "And they can only see in the dark, not what's in the light. Don't be afraid, Matt! Make some light!" he encouraged her.

Matilda turned on Ben's flashlight. Its strong light invaded the room. They all observed the dungeon. It didn't even look like one; it was the tallest room Ferry has ever seen. Taller than a cathedral. It was empty and their voices echoed. The walls were rising high, too high for the light to reach.

But they didn't have the time to study that odd place, because the sobs began again. Matilda turned the flashlight towards the corner the sobs were coming from. A frail, crooked figure was crying in that corner. They slowly stepped closer. It was a thin child, protecting his eyes with his hands, blinded by the light.

"Don't be afraid," Ferry gently said, "we're friends." And he slowly removed the child's hands from his face. Those sad eyes, red and swollen because of too much crying, looked back at him. Matilda let out a short cry. They both recognized that tired, washed-out face.

 It was Danny Stevens.

Thank you so much for reading this chapter! We are getting close to the climax. What do you think about this story so far?