Chapter 7

Ratatosk and Tina looked at Lynx but fay ignored them and the Queen turned to Ratotosk. "And you brought your friend with you, too. How nice of you. I didn't ask that of you. I'm sure I'll find a way to use her. I just need to make her quiet first."

"Lynx?!" Ratatosk backed away but the Queen gestured with her hand and Ratatosk froze on the spot, unable to move anything else than her eyes. Tina watched it happening, frozen with fear. What's happening? Had Lynx betrayed them? She wanted to say something but Lynx turned to her with cold eyes and said, "Now, I call on your promise. Overthrow her!" Tina stared at Lynx, then at the Queen, and then back at Lynx. She had to do something! But what? She took a couple of steps towards the Queen but the Queen just laughed. "So this was your plan, Lynx? Very clever, very clever indeed. But tell me, why would a promise to you force her magic out?" Lynx looked around, unsure now. It hadn't worked as fay thought it would, Tina thought. Then, with one last effort, she saw fay pull a knife from fair belt and bolt towards the Queen. "Run!" fay cried at Tina. But the Queen just rose her hand and pointed at Lynx. "Lynx, Lynx... Do you really think I let you escape without taking your name?" Lynx froze, but before Tina could see what happened next, she felt Ratatosk whisk past her. The squirrel jumped on the Queen and scratched and bit her face. The Queen's spell must have lost its power when she concentrated on Lynx, Tina thought. The Queen stumbled around as she tried to get Ratatosk off her. "How do you dare!? Your dirty little squirrel!"

"Run!," Ratatosk cried at Tina. Ratatosk's voice brought Tina back, and she looked around. Lynx!? Where is Lynx? Where had fay gone? And then she saw that on the ground where Lynx had stood was now a cat, a bit wobbly. Tina didn't think, just grabbed it and with one last look at Ratatosk ran from the hall.

She came out to the corridor and all around them were screams and animal noises and beings running through the palace. Tina had never seen so many animals, but none of them seemed to notice her. They must have been set free when the Queen concentrated on Lynx, just like Ratatosk, Tina thought. She ran down the corridor with Lynx the cat in her arms when she suddenly heard the howling of wolves in the distance. She froze. The Queen had called on them! Something bumped into her from behind, and she stumbled, almost dropping Lynx. She woke up from her thoughts and began running down the corridor again. She sprinted past doors and parallel corridors, not knowing where to go or how to escape. It felt like the wolves were getting closer, and she imagined them running behind her, almost catching up with them. She turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks. There, some distance away, was an old dog making his way towards them. Tina hesitated. It wasn't a wolf, she could see that, but she wasn't sure it was friendly. As it came closer, she could see it was limping and badly ragged. Maybe it was okay? She stayed put as it came up to them and spoke. "Follow me! I'll show you the way out." Tina hesitated, but something about the dog made her trust it. She looked back one last time at the corridor, then followed it. He led them away from the sound and noise of the running animals, and soon even the howling of the wolves faded away. As they came to a small gate, he turned to them and said, "Behind this gate is the forest. You will be safe there."

"But what about my friend Ratatosk!? I can't leave her!", Tina said.

The dog shook his head. "You cannot save her now."

"And Lynx, what happened to fair!?". Tina pointed to the still wobbly cat in her arms. The dog looked at the shaken cat and said, "The Queen took fair name."

"Fair name!? What do you mean? Please, you need to help me!"

But the dog just looked at her with sad eyes. "I cannot help you anymore. She'll be punishing me for this already. You need to go. You need to find fair name."

"But how!?" Tina didn't know what to do. Lynx was a cat in her arms and Ratatosk was lost with the Queen. The dog looked at her and as she caught his eyes she realized there was something strange with him.. His eyes were the ones of a wolf... But before she could ask, he pushed the gate open and said, "Now go! And bring the Sun back!" Tina sprinted out, leaving the palace, Ratatosk and the Queen behind her.