"Zann's right," Perda thought. "We have to find Mellis!"
"Let's use a Uniting spell," she said.
"Okay," Zann said. "Now that we know she's still on our side, it should work."
Perda turned to Anso. "Stay here in the village, okay? Try to learn more about what's going on."
Anso agreed and hurried off.
"Let's join friction," Zann said. "Uniting spells take a lot of energy."
They rubbed their hands together. Perda pictured Mellis and murmured, "Unite!" She grabbed Zann's hand, and he grabbed Zing's wing as they were zapped away. They landed in an empty meadow.
"Did it work?" Zann asked. "I don't see anyone."
"It took me several zaps to unite with you earlier," Perda said. "Luckily Vilkor and Mellis didn't have much of a head start. I bet we'll catch up to them on the next zap."
But she was wrong. It took three more zaps before they finally spotted Vilkor. He was surrounded by a small group of goons and other servants.
"I wonder why they stopped here." Zann looked around at the wooded foothills where they'd landed. "There aren't any other people around."
Perda made sure that they were hidden behind some bushes. Then she sat down to catch her breath. "They probably stopped to rest," she said. "I'm glad. I don't think we could have zapped any more today."
"Where's Mellis?" Zann murmured.
Just then Vilkor shouted, "Mellis! Where are you?"
Mellis stepped into view from behind an extra-large goon. Perda was relieved to see that she looked okay.
Vilkor pointed to a flat bit of ground. "Create my sleeping quarters here," he said. "Make sure it's comfortable. I want to be well rested when we arrive at the mountain village tomorrow."
Mellis nodded and rubbed her hands together, quickly creating a large, luxurious tent with soft cushions inside. Next she created a table full of delicious-looking food and drink. Zing noticed the food and tried to fly toward it, but Zann held him back.
Perda watched Mellis create a comfortable lounge chair, which she magically placed next to the food table.
"Wow," Perda whispered. "No wonder they were able to zap so far today. Mellis has a lot of power!"
"I guess Zira was right," Zann said. "And I bet you were right when you said it's because Mellis was in the well when all that magic energy poured out."
Perda nodded, feeling worried. If Zira knew how strong Mellis really was, she probably wouldn't let her remain free for long. "We need to get Mellis alone and talk to her."
They didn't have a chance to do so for a while. While Vilkor lounged by the table, eating and drinking, he made Mellis work. He ordered her to make small, plain tents for the goons and servants. Then he told her to create an addition to his tent for herself.
"Don't make it too big though," he said. "You don't want to wear yourself out. And what does a mere girl need with a lot of space?"
Mellis nodded meekly. She snapped her fingers, and a smaller tent appeared, attached to Vilkor's large one.
Meanwhile the goons were digging a fire pit. As darkness fell, they lit a campfire.
Vilkor peered at it from his lounge chair. "Fetch more wood," he ordered. "We can't let the fire go out. I don't sleep well when it's chilly."
"Doesn't he realize he could snap his fingers and make more wood?" Zann whispered. "Or he could create a fire that doesn't require wood to burn."
Perda shrugged. "Vilkor still doesn't seem to understand how magic works. No wonder Zira can trick him so easily."
She noticed two servants, a man and a woman, hiking into the woods nearby. She and Zann ducked down farther so they wouldn't be seen, holding Zing still between them.
As the servants passed the kids' hiding place, one bent to grab a fallen branch. The second glanced back over her shoulder.
"This is ridiculous," the woman whispered. "Vilkor and Zira claim that magic involves secret spells and that only certain people can do it. But I heard a rumor back in town that magic can be done by anyone and that it's not difficult at all!"
"Really?" The male servant looked skeptical. "Who told you that?"
"My friend Finna," the woman replied. Then she looked worried. "It was right before she disappeared. You don't think Zira did something to her, do you?"
The man shrugged. "Who knows what Zira might do?" He lowered his voice even more. "But actually, my sister told me the same thing Finna told you. She heard it from a miner who'd just returned to the village. Do you think it could be true?"
The pair moved farther into the woods until Perda couldn't hear them anymore. "Wow," she whispered. "I guess the truth is spreading!"
Eventually Vilkor ate and drank so much that he fell asleep in the lounge chair, snoring loudly. The servants discussed whether to move him into the tent. Finally a goon shrugged.
"Doesn't look like rain," he said. "Let's just get some rest."
Everyone else crawled into their tents, including Mellis. Perda and Zann waited until they heard snores from all directions. Then they crawled cautiously past the sleeping Vilkor to Mellis' tent. Zing followed, sniffing in the direction of the mostly empty food table.
"Zing, stop!" Zann whispered. But the little dragon had just spotted Mellis sleeping inside the tent. He rushed in and breathed hot air in her face, flapping his wings in greeting.
Mellis sat up and rubbed her face. Her eyes widened when she saw Zing. She glanced at Perda and Zann, and her expression went dark. She pushed Zing away and shook her head angrily.