After Damon finally stopped, Balor said, "What do you expect if you eat disgusting, infested glop? You idiot. Let's go in, unless you're going to blow chunks again."

Damon held his stomach like he wasn't sure, then looked back at the pie. "Pie..." he said with admiration.

"The only pie pie you need to worry about is the pie locked away inside," Balor said. "The pie that will bring Bethany to us." you need to worry about is the pie locked away inside," Balor said. "The pie that will bring Bethany to us."

Bethany gave Erec an incredulous glance. "Huh?"

But Damon gulped another scoop of the disgusting pie on the table. Balor shook his head in his hand. "You idiot. Now you're going to barf again."

Dollick looked like he could not handle watching. He wandered onto the lawn, dropped down, and munched some grass.

"Bethany loves pie," Damon said, taking another bite. Then he gagged and threw up again.

"Yes, she does. Dad says pie will bring her to us. We gave her cat Cutie Pie the message, twice now. So as soon as she gets it, she'll come right away." Balor raised a finger at Damon. "Now don't be stupid and go calling him 'Dad' again. He doesn't like that, okay? Just say 'Shadow Prince,' like before."

"I just don't get it," Bethany whispered, stunned. "Are they all crazy?"

"Dumb name, anyway," Balor said. "Who would name a kid Pi?"

It was not until then that Erec realized they had been talking about Bethany's brother, Pi, all along.

Bethany was pale. Her mouth hung open in shock. She had just learned that she even had a brother a few months ago. He traveled 406.

with the Alypium springball team, but she had been able to meet him and spend some time with him. He was the only real family she had, and Erec knew how important he was to her.

Bethany started to charge out of the bushes, but Erec grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "You can't go out there," he whispered. "It's a trap."

"They have Pi in there." Bethany's eyes were stormy. "I'm getting him out."

"How are you going to do that? They've been waiting for you. I don't know why they want you--maybe to trap me. But you can't just run in there."

"Erec," she whispered fiercely, "he's my brother. I have to try. Maybe you can go find the scepter. Right now Balor is just sitting there alone in front of the Green House with those two. I have to find out what's going on." She broke loose from Erec's grip.

"Bethany! No!"

"I won't go inside, okay? I'm just going to talk to them out here." She ran ahead toward the Stain brothers.

Erec slammed his fist into the dirt. Why was she being so stupid? Anyone could see her out there. He knew she must be out of her mind with worry for her brother. It was clouding her judgment.

He sunk his face into his knees. This was just what Baskania wanted. He had sent messages to her through her cat, Cutie Pie, to get her to show up at the Green House and save her brother. And now she was doing exactly that. At least the message had gotten flubbed by the cat before, so Bethany had thought the Stains were stealing pie from people. He wondered if Cutie Pie made it sound like that on purpose to protect her.

Little good that did. She went right in on her own anyway.

In a minute, Bethany stopped before the Stains, seething. "What have you done with my brother? Where is he?"

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"Well, lookie there." Balor gloated. "We were just talking about you. Looks like my dad was right."

"Bethany loves pie." Damon nodded thoughtfully and gazed back at the rancid, oozing pie on the table.

"Damon likes pie?" Bethany asked. "You like this nice pie I left for you boys?"

Balor's eyes narrowed. "You did this?" He looked back and forth between her and the sickening slop. "How did you make it so disgusting?"

"Magic," she shrugged.

"You don't know enough magic to make these." Erec saw Balor push a button on his wristband. He cringed. Balor was letting someone know Bethany was there. She had to get away.

"Bethany!" Erec shouted.

But at that moment, Baskania appeared in front of her. Erec did not see any extra eyes on his face today. Baskania opened his hand, and a coil of rope shot from his palm, twisting around Bethany until she was wound tight from the neck down. The end of the rope formed a stake, planting itself in the ground behind her to hold her up. Erec was only too familiar with those ropes. He had been tied with them before. The only things that could undo them, that he knew of, were a silver knife, a scepter, and dragon claws.

Dragon claws.

He looked up at the faded blue sky. He wasn't in Upper Earth now, so he could do a dragon call. Dragons could come into Alypium--he knew that, since Patchouli had brought him near the castle. It would be dangerous for them, since the Alypium army was on the alert to shoot dragons on sight. But this was an emergency.

Through his watch, Erec could hear Baskania talking to Bethany. He was laughing. "You made these tasty treats by magic? I wonder if you're telling the truth, girl. That would be no small feat. Hmm..."

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He scratched his chin. "I might have to make you eat the rest of this cake, pie, and pudding. Unless, that is, you can prove prove to me you made these. I hate to be lied to." to me you made these. I hate to be lied to."

Balor and Dollick were cackling with glee. Damon, on the other hand, looked upset. "Why does she get the rest?"

Bethany's face was pale, looking at the rancid, infested slop on the table through the tears in her eyes. Then she perked up, relieved. "I can prove it! It's in...the proof is in the pudding."

"It is?" Baskania said. "What's in the pudding?"

"The magic tray I made these with."

That seemed to interest Baskania. "Magic tray, huh? Reach in and get it, Balor."

Erec was relieved but surprised that Baskania wasn't instantly killing Bethany. He seemed to be toying with her. Why would he do that?

Then he realized. Baskania was using her as bait to draw Erec out. Erec closed his eyes with relief and concentrated on doing the dragon call.

Love. It took a moment to overcome the hate he felt for Baskania and the Stains. But his memory of his love conquering the hate of the red Awen flooded back. Then it was simple to bring his dragon eyes forward.

When his eyes turned, everything became green. Big knots of Substance hung in the air around him. He stared into the skies, beaming love into them and calling to the dragons. Dragons! Help me. Baskania captured Bethany. He'll kill her. Dragons! Help me. Baskania captured Bethany. He'll kill her.

The Substance, the world, looked beautiful through his eyes. Please, come quick! We're in danger. Please, come quick! We're in danger.

His concentration was broken by a scream. Balor had stuck his hand into the pudding and pulled out a plump rat by the tail, which was reaching up to bite him. He flung the rat into the grass and it 409.

scampered away. Bethany wrinkled her nose at him and stuck out her tongue.

"Must I do everything?" Baskania pointed a finger at the pudding bowl, and a gleaming silver tray rose from it, spotless. He snatched it and looked it over. "Nice. Give me an apple." A worm ridden pile of rotten apple mush appeared on the platter. Baskania tossed the magic silver tray behind him.

Damon started after it. "Apple..."

Balor knocked him on the head.

"Dad." Damon pointed at the apple. "Can't I eat the apple?"

Baskania sneered at him. "Do not ever call me that again, you idiot."

He looked at Bethany. "I'm so glad you showed up today. I've been meaning to have a chat with you, Miss Bethany Cleary. I think you have something interesting to tell me. A secret, maybe? Ever since I found out about it, I've been looking for you, but it seems you and Erec Rex have been traipsing all over the globe, from the hottest to the coldest spots." He sighed. "If only Rosco had told me that you had a little secret before I saw you last, it would have saved me a lot of time."

Erec felt his stomach drop. Baskania wasn't just using her to trap him. He had found out about the secret she'd almost told Oscar. The one he couldn't know about. Of course.

What had his cloudy thought told him would happen if Baskania learned the secret? Erec tried not to remember. But it was too hard to forget. Baskania would take Bethany with him back to his headquarters, she would die, and the world would soon end.

And now it was happening? Why wasn't he getting a cloudy thought? What was wrong with him?

He focused again on the skies. Hurry, please! Baskania might find out a secret that will end the world! Hurry, please! Baskania might find out a secret that will end the world!

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Baskania pointed two fingers at Bethany. "You will tell me the secret, now. The one you almost told Oscar before Erec Rex stopped you. I need to know what it is."

Bethany looked mesmerized. She opened her mouth to speak.

But then something appeared in the sky. Everyone looked up. Six dragons flew toward them. Erec nearly collapsed in relief. There were shouts of fear from the street, and people running.

With a wave of his hand, a shimmering bubble appeared around Baskania, the Stain boys, and Bethany.

Baskania laughed a crazy, high-pitched cackle of glee. "Erec Rex." He sang the words. "I know you're out there somewhere. And I'm going to find you now. You don't think your dragons scare me, do you? Remember this dragon shield spell? I already used it before with you, didn't I? Tsk, tsk. You don't seem to learn your lessons, boy."

Five of the dragons dove at the bubble, clawing at it to rescue Bethany. But the bubble resisted them easily. They breathed fire on it, bashed it with their mighty tails--but nothing happened to it. Bethany was untouchable.

Loud blasts from detonation bombs rang through the air. Gunshots soon followed as people joined with the Alypium army in its attack, firing at the dragons from a distance. Bethany looked at the bubble around her with horror.

Patchouli found Erec. "It looks like your friend is stuck. We can't stay long, under attack. Climb on and I'll fly you to safety."

"I can't leave her and her brother Pi," Erec said with a gasp. "He's somewhere in the Green House." Then Erec got an idea. "Maybe we can crash through and find him." He climbed on Patchouli's back and sailed above the Green House lawn. A black band of smoke whizzed past them with a loud whistle. The detonation bomb narrowly missed 411.

them, leaving a crater in the lawn where it exploded.

Patchouli signaled the other dragons to leave. She darted back and forth in the air with Erec, avoiding being a still target.

Baskania spotted him, though. "There you are, Erec Rex." His voice rang sharp through Erec's watch. "Why don't you come join our party? We have some tasty food down here waiting for you." He snickered. "Your girlfriend baked it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"I'll be back, Bethany!" Erec shouted. "I'm going to find something for you."

Baskania's face broke into a sneer. He snapped his fingers and Pi Cleary appeared next to Bethany, in the bubble.

Pi was bound in rope like she was. They gazed at each other sadly. Erec was glad he could not hear what they were saying. It was too awful.

Now what would he do?

"You can't save Bethany and Pi with your dragon friend," Baskania called to him. "The only way is for you to come in here yourself. We can make a trade. You for them."

The last time Baskania made a deal with him, he had broken it immediately. Baskania said he would let Erec free if Erec gave him the Archives of Alithea. But when Erec handed the scroll to him, Baskania captured Erec. There was no way he would hold to his word in a "trade."

Baskania turned his attention to Bethany. He pointed his fingers back at her. "Tell me your secret."

"No!" Erec screamed. "Stop them!" He dove with Patchouli toward the bubble, sailing into it full force.

When Patchouli hit the dragon shield, she bounced off it so hard, Erec went flying into the grass.

Through his watch Erec heard Bethany say, "When you asked the Archives of Alithea to tell you the secret of the Final Magic, and where it was hidden"--she sounded like she was in a daze--"Erec 412.

asked it how old he was at the same time. And it told you both the answers to each other's questions. But Jam, the butler, heard both of the answers."

Erec pulled himself to standing, dizzy and helpless. What could he do? He didn't even have a remote control on him. Was there anything around?

And then the answer came to him.

Baskania spoke quietly, in shock. "Erec and his butler know where I can learn the Final Magic? Do you know too?" Recognition settled over his face. "You have the answer, don't you? You know what the scroll told the butler and Erec. What did it say?" His voice became harsh. "Where is the secret of the Final Magic?"

"No!" Erec shouted, running toward them.

Bethany sounded like a robot. "The secret of the Final Magic is hidden in the mind of the smallest child of the greatest seer of the first king of Alypium."

"The smallest child of the greatest seer..." Erec could see Baskania working out who that was. "The smallest child. Yes. I knew the key was in something small." He cackled with glee. "But you're you're the smallest child of Ruth Cleary, the greatest seer of King Piter. the smallest child of Ruth Cleary, the greatest seer of King Piter. You You hold the key I have been looking for all these years? You? What amazing luck. And you've delivered yourself to me." hold the key I have been looking for all these years? You? What amazing luck. And you've delivered yourself to me."

Laughter like blades of icy steel erupted from his chest until he howled with mirth. "Somewhere in you, my dear, lies the Great Secret. You will show me how to use the Final Magic. Give me control over everything I desire, life and death. And"--he smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching--"if I can't find the answers from torturing you alive, I'm sure I can discover them when I remove your brain."

Erec fumbled with the tiny Awen balls on his chain. Which should he pick? They were his only hope, whatever they would do. Maybe the yellow one would confuse Baskania enough that he could rescue-- 413.

But then Erec remembered his own letter to himself.

Choose the blue Awen ball first. The yellow one would be a disaster.

He twisted the tiny blue dodecahedron, and its stem cracked off the empty glass boar vial. He ran closer and threw it at Baskania.

White smoke filled the air. At first Erec could not see a thing but white. But then his vision became perfectly clear. He could see the Stain boys looking around wildly, stumbling and falling. It was obvious they could see nothing.

Baskania looked around in a rage, blinded. He shouted, "You're still not safe from me, Erec Rex!" He pointed in the direction of Bethany and a puff of red smoke shot toward her. Erec saw it whiz past her, part of it touching her face. Her head fell limp on top of the coils of rope.

Erec ran toward her and Pi under the cover of the smoke. But Baskania opened his palm. Another of his rope coils unwound from it. Erec darted away as the rope shot toward him. It did not need to see to know where he was. He remembered how these ropes had chased after them in the water when he dove into the well of the Oracle. If the Fates had not intervened then, they would surely have been caught.

Erec stumbled back as the rope flew toward him.

It shot through the air, twisting, ready to capture him.

His heart sank. Baskania had won. When the fog cleared, he would be tied up on the grass with Bethany and Pi.