Just then, a luminous white snow fox bounded through the snow-covered fields outside the palace and stopped at the grand doors. It pawed frantically at the entrance, calling out urgently, “Mol! Mol! Let me in!”
The doors creaked open to reveal Jack, the playing card knight, standing at the threshold. As the doors swung wider, a blast of icy wind swept into the hall, making everyone shiver. The music abruptly halted as all eyes turned toward the entrance. When they saw it was only Lumi, dancing resumed, and the hall came alive again with laughter and singing.
“Lumi, what’s the rush? You’re interrupting the fun!” Sorceress Sherwood twirled in the center of the hall, her voice light and melodic.
Lumi darted past Jack, bounding into the hall. Breathless, he stopped in front of Sorceress Sherwood, his eyes wide with alarm. “Mol! Another child has gone missing from Brightmoor! It’s the third one this month!”
The lively music drowned out Lumi’s words. Sorceress Sherwood, completely engrossed in her dance, sang loudly:
“Snowflakes twirl, brooms take flight,
Laughter fills this magic night.
A world of silver, pure and bright,
This is our enchanted delight!”
“Mol! Mol! Stop singing! Didn’t you hear me?” Lumi waved his paws desperately, but Sorceress Sherwood remained oblivious, spinning gracefully in time with the music. Desperate, Lumi leaped toward the band of playing cards, landing squarely on the King and Queen. Startled, the pair stumbled and fell, their instruments clattering to the floor and bringing the music to an abrupt stop.
“Lumi!” Sorceress Sherwood’s song broke off as she turned, her silver hair swishing. Her brow furrowed, and her voice carried a note of irritation. “What’s the meaning of this? Why are you interrupting my party?”
Gasping for air, Lumi exclaimed, “Because another child has gone missing in Brightmoor! I just saw it through the Glacial Eye! The whole village is in chaos!”
“The Glacial Eye?” Sorceress Sherwood blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then understanding dawned on her face. “You mean that ancient bronze mirror buried behind Snowveil Peak? The one we all thought useless?”
Lumi nodded earnestly. “Yes! That’s the one! Through it, I saw parents crying and searching desperately. Their children have vanished without a trace. I have to tell you right away!”
Aldrin appeared at Lumi’s side with a whoosh. “Little fox, you’re the only one who sees strange visions in that mirror. The rest of us just see our own reflections. Are you sure this isn’t some kind of illusion?”
Lumi hopped nervously from paw to paw. “Of course it’s not an illusion! In every other mirror, I see nothing but myself. But the Glacial Eye—it shows me things no one else can see.”
Sorceress Sherwood listened intently, then raised her wand. With a graceful flick, she addressed the animated objects that had been dancing moments before. “Back to your places, everyone.” The vases, rugs, brooms, and mirrors twirled once in midair before floating gently back to their original spots.
“What could be causing this?” she asked, her expression serious.
Lumi swished his tail anxiously. “No one knows. The villagers are searching everywhere, but the children have disappeared into thin air. They don’t even dare approach the edge of the Shadow Grove. The whole town is paralyzed with fear.”
Aldrin leaned lazily against the wall, his voice calm and detached. “And what does that have to do with us? Brightmoor’s problems are none of our concern. We live high up on this mountain for a reason. Why meddle in human affairs?”
Sorceress Sherwood’s gaze turned steely as she shot Aldrin a sharp look. She turned toward the frosted windows, her expression conflicted yet resolute. “We can’t just ignore this. Something evil is at work here.”
“No, you can’t go down there!” Lumi cried, his voice rising in panic. “The people of Brightmoor fear you, remember? Those awful legends—they’ll never trust you!”
