The next morning Rose awoke to a strange feeling, one she had never felt before. She got up from her cozy bed and slipped on some slippers. She crept out into the hallway and slowly pushed Snows door open enough just enough to peek in.

Snow was still fast asleep completely lifeless to the world. Rose smiled at her sister and closed the door as she left. She was about to go back to her room to jump into her warm bed but felt the sudden urge to check in on her mother.

She went down the hallway toward her mother’s room. There was a dark shadow imitating from under the door. Rose slowed down and became more cautious. She stepped onto the darkness. It retreated into the room. “Ma?!”Rose yelled.

There was no answer.

“Ma?!” she asked once more before turning the door knob. She opened the door to an ominous darkness. Everything in the room could be seen but there was this dark fog like substance hanging everywhere.

“Ma!” Rose cried. In the middle of the haze Charlotte’ s arms were being held back by the same man in the dark robe that had appeared before. He covered her mouth with his other hand.

“Let go of my ma!” Rose stepped forward. A vortex appeared behind him once more.

“Bring me Amaris, or else you will never see this woman ever again.” She stepped back into the darkness and it closed before them, the fog followed leaving Rose in utter disbelief.

She fell to her knees. Snow knocked on the open door. Rose ignored it or most likely didn’t even hear it. “Rose what are you doing? Where’s mama?”

Rose didn’t answer.

“Rose.” Snow walked over to her sister who seemed lost in her own despair. “Rose! What’s wrong .” she shook her widely. Rose’s hair fumbled across her face in a frenzy. Finally Snow slapped Rose across the face. Rose started to cry. She fell into her sisters arms. Snow didn’t question her sister any further and just held her closely.

#

“What are we supposed to do?” Snow said pacing back and forth. “Who is Amaris?”

“He didn’t even tell me where to bring his person.”

“I’m guessing that person would know.”

Moon-Light was huddled on the carpet listening to the conversation. He seemed distressed.

Snow looked at him. “Maybe it’s all this bears fault. As soon as he came into our lives strange things started to happen.”

“Don’ blame Moon-Light! He has nothing to do with this.”

Moon-Light got up. He nudged at Rose’s leg. She looked down. He had something in his mouth. “What is this?” she asked taking it from him. It was a map. “Where did you get this?” Rose opened it. On the inside there were images that tilted back and forth on the page, Rose’s eyes widened in amazement. She saw their little cottage sitting just outside of the Amber forest. It was almost she was standing outside the house looking at it herself.

“What is this some sort of sorcery?” asked Snow looking from behind Rose.

“It’s some sort of magic map.” Rose responded. Rose’s eyes scanned across the map looking at the places she had never even known existed. Finally her eyes settled on the only dark and isolated place on the map. A castle. It was made of bricks that were a dark gray almost black. Thick clouded surrounded it. “I suspect this is the place. It would seem the only place a guy like that would inhabit.”

“We have to go there!?” Snow gasped.

“Mama has it worse, she’s being held captive there.”

“Maybe we should gather some help…like the bakers son. He seems strong and brave.”

“Really Snow? You’re using this as an opportunity to snag the bakers son. Our mama is in peril!”

“No really we need help.”

“No we must do this on our own. I suspect if we bring anyone with us he might doing something horrible to mama.”

“Rose you know we’re missing one big part of this equation.”

“What?”

“Amaris.”

Moon-Light made a whimpering noise. “What’s wrong?” Rose asked concerned. She kneeled down to pet him. Moon-Light touched his nose to the map, he touched the castle.

“Will you protect us Moon-Light?” Rose asked.