Enchanted Ivy

'That's what makes Jake perfect,' Lily said, loudly enough for Tye's father and the council to hear. 'If he can find something to save in Jake, then he has to save them all!'

'So be it,' the tiger man said. He strode out of the chamber. The other council members filed out behind him. He threw open the door to Nassau Hall and roared across the yard, 'Bring me the boy held by the dryad queen!'

With a caw, the gold eagles pushed off their pillars and soared toward the sky. Lily saw the eagles circle once over the yard and then spiral down into the forest beyond the gate. As she watched them, the Literate Ape joined her.

In a quiet voice, he said, 'You are bold. I admire that.'

Moments later, the trees thrummed and branches quivered. Soon, the leaves shook as if in a high-speed wind, and the dryads emerged. Lily spotted her grandmother. Her pale green hair was curled on her head and decorated with leaves in the shape of a jeweled crown. Her dress swept around her in green strands like weeping willow branches.

Behind her, two green-skinned men carried Jake. The other dryads flanked them. They moved closer, then lowered Jake to his feet. 'Oh, no,' Lily whispered. He looked even worse than she'd feared. His face was pale and covered in slick sweat. His hair clung to his forehead.

Standing in front of the council, Jake swayed. Lily started forward, but the ape clamped a stone-cold but fur- covered paw on her arm. 'He must speak for himself.'

Jake's eyes widened as he focused on the monkey gargoyle. 'Professor Ape, you left your post!' He took a step toward the Literate Ape, but one leg caved. He rested his hands on his knees for a second and then straightened. 'Why are you here? What's going on?'

'First, we must ask you questions,' the centaur said.

Fanning out in front of him, the council began to question Jake. They grilled him on his childhood, his training, his knowledge of their world, his opinion of the other knights. ... Lily watched him shake and tremble as if every sentence were a stab to his lungs.

Finally, Lily couldn't stand it anymore. 'Stop it! You don't need to know his favorite breakfast cereal or how often he clips his toenails. Can't you see he's a good person? He's worth saving.'

Everyone looked at her. Jake flashed her a smile, but it was a weak smile that trembled at the corners. Lily felt her face flush bright red and wished she'd kept her mouth shut.

'Are you our enemy?' the tiger man asked Jake bluntly.

'Depends,' Jake said. 'Am I going to die today?' He straightened his shoulders and looked directly into the eyes of each of the council members. The council members exchanged looks, and Lily couldn't read their expressions.

Oh, God, she thought, it's not going to work. She pictured Mom trapped in the club, not leaving Grandpa's side as the Feeders closed in, and Lily felt sick.

Beside her, Tye cleared his throat. 'Council, you're asking the wrong questions.' He took a deep breath as his father fixed his cat eyes on him. 'It doesn't matter if he's a good ally or not. It doesn't even matter if we like him or not. If we don't aid the humans, we will become their enemies. We can't afford that. We have to keep peace between the human and the magic worlds.'

The tiger man stared at his son, as if stunned that Tye had had the audacity to speak. Beside her, Lily felt Tye shrink back. She covered his hand with hers.

Jake frowned. 'Aid them in what? Lily?'

'Feeders are attacking Vineyard Club,' Lily said.

He jerked as if struck. 'I have to help them. Take me back!'

Professor Ape stepped forward. 'It is clear from this young man's testimony that we gargoyles have failed our purpose. The new generation of knights has doubts and fears about the magic world that we alone were not enough to assuage. You must make a gesture of goodwill if relations are to be repaired.'

The elf spoke. 'Of course the half breed wants relations repaired, but we don't travel between worlds. We have no need—'

Speaking up again, Tye said, 'If you don't help the knights, then the battle will become public and everyone will see magic creatures as the enemy. If that happens ... the humans will come here. They'll force a Key to open the gate, and they'll send their armies. Count on it.'

The tiger man flexed his claws. 'We are not defenseless.'

The ape snorted. 'It won't be enough. There will be retaliation on a scale that you cannot imagine. Humans outnumber us by the millions. Casualties of a war would be catastrophic. Princeton ... both Princetons were founded to prevent such an occurrence.'

The centaur leveled his gaze at Jake. 'Young knight, do you concur?'

'Yeah, we'll kick your ass,' Jake said. 'And right now, that's fine with me.' He doubled over in a fit of coughing.

Tye held up two fingers. 'Only two ways to avoid humans pouring through that gate and raining death, destruction, and unprecedented mayhem on our world. One, you help the knights now. Or two ...' He looked directly at his father. 'You shut the door. You kill Lily and me.'

Silence spread across the yard.

Jake doubled over again in another fit of coughing. Tye went to his side and wrapped his arm around Jake's waist. 'Lean on me.'

Raising his head, Jake stared at him.

Lily held her breath. It felt as if everyone, including the trees, was holding his or her breath, too, waiting to see how Jake would react.

'Thank you,' Jake said, and leaned on him.

Both of them looked at the council.

The tiger man sighed gustily. 'You have made your point.' He turned to the council. 'I will lead our warriors into the human world. Summon them here.'

CHAPTER Fifteen

Lily waited by the gate as dreams and nightmares trickled into the yard. Looking out over the warriors, she saw wings and tentacles, scales and fur. She saw skin of emerald and ruby and sapphire, as well as moonless-night black and earth brown. A few warriors were as tall as the oak trees. Others no larger than moths darted through the air.

'Follow me,' the tiger man boomed. He strode toward the gate.

Hastily, Tye stepped against a pillar. His left arm and foot vanished. Lily mirrored him and leaned against the other pillar. She stuck her arm into the human world.

Without pause or even a glance at his son, the tiger man strode through the gate and disappeared. Others followed: a lion with feathers instead of fur, an eight-foot troll, a lady centaur, three unicorns. Soon, a steady stream of creatures flowed through the gate.

As the stream slowed to a trickle, Jake begged the dryad queen, 'Let me fight.'

'Our daughter is not yet returned to us,' the queen said. She leveled a finger at the two dryads who flanked Jake. 'Keep him here.'

'No! Let me go!' Jake cried. The two dryads held his arms tight.

Lily's grandmother swept toward the gate with her entourage. 'Mom's inside Vineyard Club, second floor,' Lily said.

Leaning forward, the dryad queen brushed her lips against Lily's cheek. The gesture felt as soft and cool as a leaf. 'She will be brought home.' Before Lily could respond, the dryads disappeared through the gate.

Jake continued to thrash in the grip of his captors. Lily crossed to him. 'Jake,' she said. She touched his shoulder. 'Jake, it's okay. We'll come back for you. I promise.'

He sagged against one of the dryads. 'Just ... help the knights, okay?'

She opened her mouth to tell him about his grandfather, but he was trembling so violently that she couldn't