She nodded and started walking up to the house.

She could see lights on in the window, and her family moving about in the kitchen. There was Moms slender frame, bent over the sink, and Luke in his faded overalls, putting a stack of dirty plates on the counter. And if she squinted hard enough, she could just see the top of Ethans curly head, poking over the kitchen table.

She walked to the front door and knocked.

"Isnt that precious," a voice hissed.

she stopped and looked around.

She's the only one in the palace who knows.

Yeah. In the palace.


"Up here, princess."

she looked up.

She's there for hours. She doesn't come out even once.

Her vision was filled with a thin, shimmering net an instant before it struck her and sent her tumbling back. The net was actually made of fine, flexible wire. Harsh laughter rang out. On the lone set of power lines that stretched to the roof of the house perched three bulbous creatures with spindly legs that glinted under the moonlight.



Stil, nobody bothers her.