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She ran to the wall and crouched beside the wainscot panel pictured in the granny’s painting.

“It’s not here.” She ran her fingers over the wood. “Yes, it is!”

“Wait!” said Granny Kye, and the urgency in her voice made Bardon put down the book he held.

Toopka pushed against the wall, and a panel moved downward six inches, exposing a gap. Toopka put her hands on the thin sheet of wood and peered into the darkness.

“It’s a secret cupboard. There’s probably treasure in here.”

“Toopka,” said Bardon, “that wood looks fragile. Don’t—”

He took a step toward her and heard a crack. Instead of the panel splintering, it suddenly slipped all the way down, and Toopka tumbled head first down the hole.

Bardon raced across the room and threw himself down beside the gap in the wall. “Toopka!”

He reached into the darkness and felt nothing but rough wood.

Regidor was beside him, removing his cape and jacket. “Let me try,” he said. “My arms are longer.”

His wings expanded and then folded against his shoulder blades. The stylish coat he’d dropped to the floor had two large slits in the back.

“I’m all right! I’m all right!” Toopka coughed. “Really, I’m all right.” She coughed again. “I got something. It’s…it’s only a book. What is it with this castle and books?”

Bardon looked over his shoulder and saw that Toopka had captured everyone’s attention.

Kale stood at the open window. “Tell her not to be afraid. Ardeo is coming to give her some light. The others are coming too.”

Bardon turned back to the hole. “Ardeo is coming. Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid. I’m stuck.”

“Are you hurt?”

“I scraped my face and my arm.” Her voice did not sound quite as brave as it had a moment before.

“Gymn is coming,” said Bardon. “He’ll come down and heal you.”

“At least I know there aren’t any spiders or leggybugs down here.” Her tone had slipped to timid.

“That’s right,” said Regidor in a deep, reassuring voice. “No insects.”

“It’s kind of stuffy,” she whined.

Bardon frowned. “I don’t suppose there’s a window you could open.”

“Of course not.” She sounded disgusted, which was what Bardon wanted to hear. Toopka being fainthearted just wasn’t natural.

Ardeo came in through the window, flew across the room, and dropped down the small shaft.

Toopka giggled. Gymn and Pat followed in a few seconds.

The little doneel laughed. “Gymn, you’re tickling me.”

Kale came to kneel beside Bardon. “Gymn says your fuzzy face is very red beneath the fur.”

“I’m upside down.”

Kale winked at Bardon and Regidor. “Toopka, Pat has figured out how to get you out. He wants you to put your hands down on the crossbeam Ardeo is sitting on. Pat and Gymn are going to unsnag your britches. You have to ease yourself down onto that beam and then turn right side up. The other dragons are coming to make sure you don’t fall.”

“Tell Metta not to sing to me. I don’t want Metta to sing to me.”

“Why not, dear? When Metta sings to me I feel brave. She could sing a song about marching into battle.”

“All right. But no baby-go-to-sleep songs.”

“Of course not.”

By peering over the edge of the floor, Kale and Bardon could see the activity below. As the dragons made suggestions, Kale relayed them to Toopka. She soon sat on the large crossbeam, her feet dangling over a space that opened to the inner wall of the floors below. She still had the book clutched under her arm.

“Give your treasure to Pat and Filia, Toopka,” said Kale. “They’ll carry it up for you.”

“It’s not a treasure. It’s just a book.”

The minor dragons shot up the skinny shaft with the book between them. Bardon took it and handed it to Regidor.

“Is it?” asked Cam.

The meech dragon smiled. “It is!”

The room shook with cheers.

“Hey!” yelled Toopka. “Hey!”

Bardon yelled back. “You can come out now.”

He heard scrabbling and looked down to see Ardeo lighting the way and the other dragons showing her where to put her hands and feet as she scaled the rough timber inside the wall.

When her head popped up