Evie and Mateo’s family were now regular clients at Paperblank Village’s hospital. Evie was certain her family members went there more than the actual villagers. She felt both embarrassed and nervous by the observation.

        Only the family members were in the hospital’s waiting room: Evie, Keegan, and Charlotte. Ms. Julie took Evie’s group members in, saying that what was going on was a “family” matter.

        Evie clutched her mother’s hands.

        Charlotte was brave. She did not cry. She had to be strong in front of her daughter.

        Keegan stared into space, lost in his thoughts. Curiously, he didn’t even blink. He looked like a statue. Something happened when he saw the white, ghost-like figure at the edge of the village.

        Dr. Kato soon stepped into the waiting room, as well as Evergreen. Both people were calm.

        Evie, Keegan, and Charlotte stood up.

        Charlotte wasted no time. “Well, give it to us, Dr. Kato. Is my sister going to die?”

        A small smile stretched across his face. “Of course not, Mrs. Madison. Your sister will be just fine. Evergreen and I put her to sleep, and we’re going to keep her like that for a few days so she can rest. Surgery is not necessary.” He emphasized by waving his hand. “There is definitely a break in the sternum, but it’s nothing that a little rest and over-the-counter pain medicines won’t solve.” The doctor shrugged. “In fact, we’re more worried about the son than her.”

        “Oh, thank God.” Charlotte let out the breath she was holding. She still could not get the horrific image out of her head of her sister bleeding on the ground and Mateo yelling for her.

        Dr. Kato’s eyes roamed around the empty waiting room. “Where is the son?”

        Evie jumped in. “He’s at the cabin.”

        Instantly, Dr. Kato’s smile faded. “Alone?”

        “No, of course not!” Evie quickly said. “John and Mateo’s fiancée are looking after him.”

        “Okay.” Dr. Kato relaxed his shoulders. “Is he still refusing to see a doctor?”

        “Yep,” Charlotte answered. “Dr. Kato, we don’t know what to do.”

        Keegan scoffed. The cold presence in his head was strong. He crossed his arms. “I have a suggestion. Let’s let him die. I mean, that’s what he wants.”

        “Dad!” Evie snapped.

        “Well, it is,” Keegan fought back. “I’ll be much happier once he’s out of my life.”

        Charlotte clenched her fists. “For God’s sake, Keegan! The boy is only twenty-one years old, and he just nearly lost his mother! Don’t you think you should be taking this a little more seriously?”

        Keegan surrendered. He held up his hands. “I don’t care about that kid. That child Maria is carrying does not deserve him. Heck, Maria herself just needs to dump him and find another man.”

        “Dad, you’re disgusting!” Evie yelled. “Mateo is family. Why can’t you just accept him?”

        “Because I don’t like the fae,” Keegan replied. “The boy’s father was a showoff. He spent his days bragging about his ‘good’ looks and his magic. The fae are notorious for that.”

        Evie narrowed her eyebrows. “Dad, you’re being prejudiced.”

        He scoffed. “You don’t even know what that means.” He glanced at Charlotte. “Now, Charlotte, I’m glad your sister is all right, but she should have really picked another man to have a child with.”

        Charlotte crossed her arms. “You know what, Keegan? I’ve had enough of you. You’re sleeping outside tonight.” She pointed at the hospital’s exit. “I don’t want to see you until you get your priorities together.”

        Keegan glared at her. He placed his hand on his heart. “My priorities? My priority is to get rid of that stupid ranger and return to Ms. Gilbert.”

        Evie started to sweat. “Dad, you’re not talking about… Please tell me you’re not.”

        “That’s enough, Keegan!” Charlotte could not help herself. She lifted her hand and slapped her husband across the cheek, right in front of her daughter. “Get out of here!”

        Keegan massaged his cheek. Scoffing, he closed his eyes and left the hospital.

        Evie shivered. Her parents were on the verge of a divorce. She just knew it.

        Charlotte turned to Evergreen and Dr. Kato. “Sorry about that. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. Um, do you think I can see my sister?”

        “Sure.” Dr. Kato nodded. He gestured for Evie and Charlotte to follow him.

        Evergreen stayed behind. She glanced at the door Keegan left from and thoughtfully rubbed her chin.

***

        Maria and John did not leave Mateo’s side that night. He was so weak. There was no way he could make it to the hospital to see his mom, and it hurt.

        The pain in Maria’s belly left, but now she had to deal with her seriously ill fiancé. He had such a high fever; it was hard for her to cool him down.

        John turned on the ceiling fan and grabbed a few portable ones from the room’s closet. He scattered them around Mateo, turning each one to High.

        Maria hugged Mateo’s hand. “Mateo, why won’t you just let us take you to the hospital?”

        “Because I don’t need one,” he replied.

        Maria moved her hand across her eyes. “But you’re getting worse.”

        Mateo released his hand from hers. “All I ask for, Maria, is for you and John to take care of Mamá. Don’t let her die.”

        Even John was getting a little angry. “We’re not going to let you kill yourself, Mateo.”

        “Why not?” Mateo pushed up on his palms. “This is all my fault. My mom is injured because I said ‘yes’ to this stupid mission.” He glanced at Maria. “I got you pregnant, Maria, and now I’ve failed my duty as both a ranger and counselor.”

        “Babe, stop.” Maria pushed him back onto his pillows. “I’m at just as much fault with what happened at the banquet as you. I forgot to take my pill that day. Stop putting all the guilt on yourself.”

        Mateo removed Maria’s hands from his shoulders. “Ugh!” he yelled. He slipped under his pillows and covers, hiding himself from view.

        John touched Maria’s back with his wing. He carefully pulled her away from Mateo. The second he did, she and he heard the cabin’s door open.

        “Who’s there?” John asked. He and Maria turned toward Mateo’s door.

        It was Keegan. He sauntered into the room, his feet not making a sound.

        As quick as a flash, Maria held her arms up to Mateo’s lump. She hopped onto his bed. “What do you want, Mr. Madison?”

        He scoffed. “Well, excuse me. Can’t a guy see his nephew?”

        “Get out of here,” Maria growled.

        John got up on the bed with her. He held his wings out in a karate pose.

        “I just want to say hi,” Keegan cooed.

        “Leave Mateo alone!” John shouted. Before Keegan could get any closer, he flapped his wings. The wind gusts they gave off pushed him back. His heels slid across the shiny wooden floor.

        Before he could make a beeline for Mateo, the doors of his balcony flew open. A familiar figure soared through it–a figure who had long blonde hair and silky white wings on his back.

        Edger landed in front of Mateo’s bed. He unleashed a ball of green magic from his palms. It hit Keegan square in his chest, pushing him up against the wall.

        Edger’s eyes jumped back and forth between Maria and John. “We need to get the boy out of here. The spirit is angry.”

        “What are you talking about?” Maria wondered.

        “Uh, run now. Questions later,” Edger responded. He jerked Mateo’s covers from him and pulled him out of bed. Edger put up a temporary protective barrier between him, Mateo, Maria, John, and Keegan.

        Three times in a row, Mateo’s belly flickered. He fell into Maria’s arms, knocking both him and her to the ground.

        She cursed under her breath. Then she asked, “Why, Mateo?”

        Edger grabbed Mateo’s underarms, while Maria took his legs. He, she, and John escorted the semi-conscious man out of his room and toward the cabin’s front door. They moved fast but were careful with him.

        Maria tripped over a stool. She lost Mateo’s legs.

        Struggling to breathe, he coughed.

        Edger glanced at Maria and John. “Ben’s going to take him to Seranet,” he explained. “He’ll be safer there.”

        “What about Evie, her friends, and mom?” Maria asked. She picked up Mateo’s legs again.

         “The spirit wants the Green Guardian and the Green Guardian only,” was Edger’s answer. Behind him, John, Mateo, and Maria, his protective barrier dropped.

        Keegan re-emerged in between Mateo’s doorframe.

        A ghostly voice passed through his head like a light ray. “Don’t let them get away. Release the basilisk.”

***

        King Benjamin was already ready with Joey at the foot of Paperblank Village.

        Maria could not make sense of everything going on. Since when did protecting Mateo become a matter of life or death?

        Edger turned him over to Ben. “The time has come, Your Highness,” he said. “You know what to do. Get this boy to Seranet.”

        Ben, who now wore his cape, nodded. “I will, Edger.” His Spanish accent was quite distinct with that line. Ben must have known who Mateo was all along. He held him in one hand and his reins in his other.

        Keegan appeared on set, looking angry. He clenched his teeth and lifted his hand. He gave his wrist a small flick.

        At his command, a large, familiar lump appeared behind him. The basilisk’s head emerged from the soil.

        Edger slapped Joey’s rump. “Now ride!” he told Ben.

        “Hyah!” Ben said. The heels of his boots sank into Joey’s flanks. Instantly, the horse took off, and the basilisk chased him.

        “Mr. Edger, what’s going on?” Maria fearfully asked.

        Edger turned his head to her. He grabbed hold of the young woman’s hand and tilted his head in the direction of Keegan. “The spirit possesses the weak-minded. Never look him in the eye, or else he will pull you under his spell.”

        “What spirit?” Maria chimed.

        From where he stood, Keegan started to move his feet. Before he could give the basilisk any further orders, something hit him in the neck–a dart. John the Red-Crowned Crane had grabbed one of his tranquilizer guns when he, Maria, Mateo, and Edger left the cabin.

        He tossed his weapon off to the side, seeming to smile to himself. “Ah, I knew they would come in handy.”

        Keegan fell onto his back with his arms outstretched. He snored up a storm.

        Maria looked from him to Edger. “Mr. Edger, what are we supposed to tell Evie and Mrs. Madison?”

        He shrugged. “Simple. We tell them that because Keegan does not accept Mateo as a member of the family, he has been punished.”

***

        King Benjamin galloped his fastest through the Paperblank Forest. Luckily, his eyes had adjusted to the dark. Joey’s hooves picked up grass, dirt, and twigs. The nighttime breeze brushed through his and Ben’s hair. The basilisk was hot on their tail.

        Ben rushed up a hill. He peered over his shoulder at the basilisk’s lump. Some of his hair covered his left eye. He and Joey reached the top of the hill.

        Without warning, the basilisk leaped out of the ground in front of them.

        Startled, Joey whinnied and reared.

        Ben maintained a tight grip on Mateo so he wouldn’t lose him. He patted his horse’s shoulder to calm him.

        Joey got back down on all fours. His dark brown eyes widened at the sight of the basilisk chucking its tail toward him and his rider.

        Ben waited for the perfect opportunity. Just before the serpent’s tail could hit him and Joey, he urged his horse forward. The king got in a two-point position.

        Joey leaped right over the basilisk’s tail. He stretched his front legs as far as they would go. Wham! The landing was perfect.

        The basilisk roared, frustrated that a human outsmarted it.

        Ben hopped into a dense section of the woods. He ducked under tree branches, protecting Mateo’s head in the process.

        The basilisk lost him and Joey because it could not focus on all the plants and them at the same time–not without its head spinning. It knocked trees down as it tried to clear the path.

        Ben and Joey stumbled upon a river that cut through the everlasting greenery. Joey pushed his way through it, even though the water went up to his shoulders. His hooves bumped against some rocks under the water. He whinnied to his rider.

        “Hang in there, Joey. We’re almost there,” Ben encouraged.

        Joey followed through with his orders. He managed to make it to the other side of the river, and he dragged himself out of the warm water.

        The horse galloped on. He was doing so well, and then his front hoof crashed into a hole in the path. He, Ben, and Mateo went down hard. Joey almost landed on top of Mateo.

        The ranger hit his tummy, and he hit it violently. He yelled.

        Ben crashed down on his arm, but he did not hit his elbow. The fall knocked the wind out of him. He took a few minutes to catch his breath. His chest bounced up and down at a rapid pace. For the time being, the overgrown section of the forest was quiet.

        Eventually, Ben recovered from his fall. Cape sticking out behind him, he sat up. His eyes rolled over to the motionless Mateo. He gulped when he saw how close Joey came to crushing him.

        The horse stood up. He shook like a dog to get the dirt off his coat.

        Ben crawled to his friend, who lay on his front with his eyes closed. He placed his hand on his burning forehead. Ben, scared for him, lowered his head. However, he quickly lifted it when he heard a crack in the dark woods. The king wasted no time to stand up and grab his sword from his scabbard on Joey’s saddle. He and his horse glued their attention to the cluster of plants where the crack came from.

        Two shadows appeared from within the bushes. They were small but bulky. The voice that spoke was high-pitched. “Drop your sword. We’re here to take you to Seranet.”

        The second being chimed in. “And help that ranger become a fairy.” He and his partner came out of hiding.

        Ben and Joey were shocked when they discovered who the voices belonged to.

        The two, bulky dwarves were just as shocked to see their king standing in front of them, but they shook out their heads. They had a job. Seranet and Euphorbia were waiting, waiting for them to deliver Euphorbia’s successor to the safe haven.