Chapter 2

Jonas sat up weakly. Two policemen handcuffed him without a word and took him—or rather dragged him—out of the room.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Melaine asked stiffly.

"As a matter of fact, yes," one policeman said, facing her as the others surrounded the room, watching silently. "We have reason to believe an unregistered citizen has been here at least once today.”

"Who, may I ask?" Melaine said, looking confused.

The policeman showed her a picture—and Dylan saw his face on it. The Inspector must have gotten suspicious, he thought uneasily. But how could he? Dylan was registered.
"Dylan Smith," she said with recognition. "Of course. He's one of my assistants.”

The policeman shook his head and put the photo into his pocket, laughing. "You really expect me to believe that, Marguerite Benson?”

Is that her real name? Dylan wondered. He'd always wondered if there were things she didn't tell him—but the thought of her using an alias hadn't really crossed his mind. Yet it made sense.

Now Melaine was really confused—or so she appeared. She was a really good actress. "You're calling me by the name of a rebel?”

"Let's try something, shall we?" the policeman gave a wry smile. "Swear your allegiance to the Magician—deny the King and any loyalty you may have previously held for him, if any.”

Oh no. Now she was trapped.

Melaine—or Marguerite, whoever she really was—looked him in the eye. "I can't do that.”

"I thought so," he answered triumphantly. He snapped his fingers, then two guards stepped forward and handcuffed her.

"This doesn't prove anything!" she sputtered as she was led out.

"Tell it to the judge," the policeman answered with a smirk. "As for the other rebel," he muttered to himself, "he was always fond of secrets, wasn't he?”

Was he talking about Jonas now?

"Search for panels," the policeman suddenly ordered. "Search everywhere for those kids!”

It sounded ridiculous for someone to be making such a big deal about finding a bunch of 'kids' (though Dylan mentally excluded himself from that terminology). He backed away from the panel and moved to the bookcase. He pushed hard, but it was stuck. He kept trying to ease it open. It was dark and he wasn't sure he wanted to turn on the light switch near the entrance, though it would have made things a bit easier for him.

"Dee, Dee!" a tiny voice said with obvious relief as a short figure ran up and hugged Dylan's leg.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered as he picked her up.

Just then a voice yelled from the other side of the bookcase: "Dylan? We're stuck! Maria's out there…"

"Shhh!!!" he said, moving his face closer so he could hear her and so that he wouldn't have to yell in order for her to hear him. He could hear the police tapping walls outside of the secret room. "Are you sure? Try again.”

He heard her push and shove desperately. "It's still stuck!”

Dylan looked towards the windows Melaine had been so proud to show him not too long ago—they were just big enough for him to climb through with Maria on his back, if he could manage to get them open. He glanced at Maria and realize she was peeling a banana, looking calm and without a care in the world.

"I didn't mean to really lock her out!" Josh said regretfully. "I was just kidding around."
"It doesn't matter right now," Dylan said, even though he was a little irritated by the confession. "We have to get out of of here before the police find us.”

A hand knocked on the panel and even Maria froze at the sound, pausing right in the middle of taking a bite from her banana. "It's hollow!" a voice shouted from the other side.

Her shout was followed by bangs and scratching noises as they fought to open the panel. Desperately, Dylan set Maria down and worked again to open the bookcase—it still would not move.

"Darla," Dylan said in a louder voice, picking up Maria. Amidst all the scratching and banging, he figure it didn't matter whether he whispered or not. "Get the others to safety. I'm going out the window.”

"Don't you dare leave me here!" Darla shouted angrily.

"I'll find you later," he said, hoping he would be able to keep his promise. "Get out before the police—,”

There was a crack in the wood of the panel, and he figured he didn't need to say more in order for her to get the idea. Maria screamed. Dylan found a pan on the stove and hit the tough glass several times before it cracked and burst into pieces. He kept smashing until there was a space big enough for him and Maria to escape through.

He set her on his back and she gripped his shoulders as he dragged over a chair to help him reach the window. He climbed onto it and pulled himself up to the window, ignoring the fact that he was probably cutting his hands a little—okay, a lot—on the glass to do it. But between getting a few cuts that would heal and getting captured by the Magician's police, he would take the cuts.

"Hang on tight, Maria!" Dylan shouted, then jumped out onto the green backyard before he could think about the height from which he was doing it. He braced for impact and fell onto his hands and knees, trying to make sure he didn't smash Maria. He stood to his feet, wiping his grass and blood stained hands onto his t-shirt. Good thing it was black.

"Hey!" a voice shouted, and Dylan turned around. There were two police guarding the back door of Benson Manor. One of them shouted, "Stop where you are!”

Dylan tried to shade his features so they wouldn't be able to study him. He stopped for a moment, giving the appearance of cooperation as he looked for a place to run to. Then, just as the policemen were walking toward him, Dylan slipped the fence gate of the backyard open as quickly as he could and ran out into the street. He heard gunshots from behind and wished he could hold Maria in front of him so she wouldn't be as much at risk—but it would slow him down.

Maria looked back and dropped her banana peel. "They're mad," she said with conviction.

Despite himself, Dylan smiled at her innocence. "No kidding.”

****
Any other time Dylan might have gone to the Cozy Corner when he was stressed or trying to figure something out. But the police were probably swarming that area too, since it was right in front of Benson Manor.

"Dee, Dee!" Maria said as they picked their way through a trash clogged alley, "I'm hungry.”

"You just ate.”

"I'm hungry again," she declared, squeezing his neck. "Get me some food, Dee, Dee.”

"I'll try in a little while," he said absentmindedly. He had to find Darla, Josh and Jackson. He wished he'd told her to meet him somewhere. Where did the tunnel from Benson Manor end? Did it come out somewhere or stay underground?

He wanted to help Melaine too—but she had said if there was ever an emergency and the Magician's police came for them, because they were descendants of a Swordbearer, that Dylan should only think about getting him and his siblings to safety.

He knew a little about his parents, but there were still some things Melaine had never explained or told to him—at least he thought so. He knew his dad had been the Ice Swordbearer and had met his mom in another community outside of the Middle Ground.
Even though his mom hadn't been a Swordbearer herself, she had always been helping their cause. Their mission had always been to protect the Middle Ground until the true King's return—but the First Magician had begun to abuse his power and position, believing that the King would never come back, after several years of not seeing him.
No one quite knew what had changed in the heart of the Magician. Some said there was another evil that had drawn him into greed and then controlled him. Some said it was simply the Magician's inner darkness unleashed.

Whatever the case, Dylan thought as he felt around his pocket for cash, one thing was for certain—whether the Magician's heir was worse than his father or not, Dylan could almost guarantee that they would be enemies. Just as their parents had been.

****
It was probably around midnight when Dylan was still walking through June City, keeping to the darker and more shadowed places to avoid being noticed.
He wasn't sure where he should go now—staying out in the streets wasn't a wise idea, with all the thieves, pickpockets and others of that kind who could be lurking around. And he didn't want Maria in dangerous territory. At the same time though, what choice did he have?

Wanted signs would probably be posted all over the community with his name on them, and possibly a picture of him. If not now, then soon. Dylan didn't think the police would be able to identify his siblings though—they probably didn't even know they existed. The only one who might be at risk now was Maria, if they had seen her while he was escaping Benson Manor.

Fortunately, the streets were nearly empty right now—most of the citizens were in the Main Square, readying themselves for the Coronation. Still, Dylan stayed alert. He was aware of every moment a shadowy figure came by, and tried to hide in the alleys until they passed.

The bell tower struck 12 midnight just as Maria was limp on Dylan's back, fast asleep. Reluctantly he picked an alley between an apartment building and a closed restaurant, made a bed of old newspapers, and placed Maria on it. He leaned against the wall of the alley, trying to stay awake so nothing would catch him by surprise. But he kept dozing off, even though his position was uncomfortable to sleep in.

A shadowy figure entered the alley. Dylan jolted awake as his head was dipping down and froze, hoping whoever it was didn't see him.

"There you are," a voice whispered. It was Jonas.

"What do you want?" Dylan demanded as he stood. This man might be on his side—he had seemed to be warning Melaine before. But then again, he might not be. The police had come to Benson Manor not long after his arrival. How could that be a coincidence?
"Melaine told me to track you if something ever happened.”

"Track me?" Dylan echoed.

He smiled. "I was a hunter before I was ever a part of the Uprising." He changed the subject and said, "They've begun the procession towards Lilithia for the Coronation. People will be swarming the streets soon. Let's go!”

Dylan started to pick up Maria but Jonas scooped up her sleepy form, resting her head on his shoulder. "Focus on getting ahead of the crowd," he said. "I'll take care of her. We're a little late in starting, but we can make it.”

It crossed Dylan's mind that Jonas might have chosen to carry Maria to ensure that Dylan wouldn't try to escape him. He was about to say that it was fine, he could take Maria himself, but Jonas was already hurrying down the alley and into the streets.
June City was soon in an uproar of excitement and chaos as a procession of colorfully dressed people came ahead of the new Magician. Dylan stayed right behind Jonas but was soon having to thread his way past people in order not to lose him. Maria, amazingly, was still asleep despite all the noise. There were a series of cracks as the sky began to light up with fireworks.

Someone elbowed Dylan in his gut and he pushed past the stranger. Jonas was ahead and didn't even look back once. Dylan was more concerned about losing Maria, though, than losing Jonas.

People wherever they stood suddenly began to kneel on the ground. Dylan stood where he was, thinking they were all acting ridiculous. Then he heard a voice declare, "All hail the Magician's son, now King of the Middle Ground!”

Dylan saw a throne being carried on a litter, and the figure of a man robed in silver sitting on it. Actually, on a closer look, Dylan didn't think the "king" looked much older than he was.

"Bow to your king!" a woman whispered to Dylan urgently. He recognized her as Mariel, an employee at the Cozy Corner. "Don't get yourself into unnecessary trouble.”

"This is treason," Dylan said. "He's not the real king. I won't bow to a counterfeit.”

"Just be tolerant," the woman said. "This doesn't mean you have to betray your loyalty to the King. Just give the appearance of loyalty to the Magician.”

"If he will be loud about his treason," Dylan declared, "I'll be loud about my loyalty."

A few on the ground responded by gasping a little, in fearful surprise, at his bold statement. He looked in the opposite direction to where the throne was, where Jonas had been running with Maria. But it was too late to expect to see him. Dylan desperately hoped that he could trust Jonas to take care of Maria.

It was impossible now for Dylan to blend into the crowd. He saw police coming toward him and decided he would just have to make a run for it.

Glancing once at the litter where the arrogant "king" sat, Dylan dashed between the kneeling figures—or tried to at least. It wasn't easy to pick his way, without accidentally stepping on someone, but he managed to dart towards one of the alleys just as police were preparing to close in on him. A shocking sensation suddenly pulsed through him.

Then everything went black.