Nineveh woke slowly to a sickness all over, a cold hard surface under him that was causing his head to ache, a whining sound, and something small and warm pressing down on his chest.

He opened his silvery eyes slowly, blinking in the half-light. The first thing he saw was the cause of the only pleasant sensation, the warmth, brought to him by the small white fox that was standing up on his chest and watching him intently. The little fox had been trying to wake him, Nineveh decided. Its clever eyes were the color of emeralds, and its large pointed ears were tipped in black. It tilted its head to the side as if waiting for Nineveh to do something.

'Little fox,' Nine whispered as he instinctively reached to stroke its soft snowy fur. The fox whined and shifted, restless. Nineveh caught a spot along its jaw and scratched there, and for a moment the fox stopped his fidgeting, closed his eyes, and lifted his chin up in the ecstasy of a scratch in just the right spot. Presently, however, the fox seemed to remember something, and he again took up his task of nudging with his nose at and scratching with soft paws at Nineveh's chest, urging him to get up.

Nineveh scooped the fox up in his arms so as not to topple it, sat up, and peered at his surroundings mournfully. Back in Xyn's fortress. Trapped. He cradled the fox closer, doing his best not to cry.

'But what can I do?' he said to no one in particular, but the fox gazed up at him as if listening. 'I promised I would do as the Prince asked, and now Ishrael is safe somewhere far away, and if I do this thing Xyn asks of me, I will be safe and far away again soon too. And I will bring you with me, little fox, because Xyn is not very nice, and you should be living free in the forest, not trapped in here.'

The fox snorted and hopped dexterously from Nineveh's grasp. Fleet-footed, it landed on the ground, hopped once and twisted in the air, yelping loudly as it did so. Having done this, it looked up at Nineveh expectantly.

'What are you trying to tell me, little fox?'

The fox leaped, spun in the air, and barked again.

'I wish I could understand you,' Nineveh lamented. 'Poor little fox. You don't belong here at all. Perhaps you can dig your way out, you're good little diggers. Me, I can't go with you. I wish I could. I miss my dear friend Ishrael.'

Ishrael finally woke, ran away with me from Prince Xyn's awful underground fortress.

Ishrael did not blame me, but I still know that it was all my fault that he slept for so long. Enchanted. Xyn told me that I could have made Ishrael wake up, but I was too frightened and too weak to save him.

It didn't matter. Ishrael came away with me back to our park, so that we could listen to the birds in the tall trees and sleep in the soft grass under all those distant stars.

He promised to stay with me this time. 'Always,' said Ishrael.

It's not Ishrael's fault what happened yesterday. We went to find some plants I need that I can only get from the desert peoples. I cannot go often because the sun is too strong for me, but we traveled at night. Ishrael is clever, he knows how to protect me from the things that I cannot bear, just like Miah used to - when the sun was out he wrapped me up in a blanket and hid me away in our tent.

In the market... I can't bear to think of the market now. I had all my plants and herbs out on the blanket, I was sorting them before we made our trip home. Ishrael heard the merchant there selling pomegranates. 'Pomegranates!', and Ishrael started to go. 'Don't go,' but Ishrael only chuckled and tousled my hair. Teasing look, for worrying too much.

Fear for him. Fear to be alone. But I do not argue with Ishrael because he is good, and very good when he smiles.

Then there was the Prince - terrible, beautiful Prince. Sidhe Prince. Evil Prince, come to hurt us. Threats to hurt the children - Briony, Defrin, Kendrew. Threats against others too. Worst, threats to hurt Ishrael. Why won't the Prince leave Ishrael alone? Because Xyn must use Ishrael to bring me to him. What does Xyn need me for? Twisted words. Confusion. If the Prince will never hurt Ishrael again, I could be brave. I could go with Xyn. For Ishrael. For the others.

The heat shimmers in my eyes. 'Save Ishrael,' I say. Xyn smiles his cruel smile. 'Yes,' and then the sun was too bright, the heat too intense. All swam into blackness - Ishrael out of reach of the Prince now.

Me, in his place.