Zann could tell they'd landed in First City, though he didn't recognize the area.
A light green rain was falling, casting a lime-tinted glow over the whole scene.
"Where are we?" Gliss asked.
"Edgewood," Saffa said, sounding perplexed.
"It's a neighborhood on the far northern border of First City.
But why did you bring us here, Wyssa?"
Zann wondered the same thing.
He realized that it was probably too risky to use the palace wormhole right now.
But why wouldn't Wyssa bring them out in Wormwood?
After all, she used to live there.
"There's no time for idle chitchat."
Wyssa snapped her fingers. "Zap!"
This time Zann recognized the spot where Wyssa had taken them.
"The zoo?" he said, staring at a pair of nibblers in an enclosure nearby.
"Why are we here?"
"Are we going to borrow a dragon to ride to the Far Frontier?" Darb asked.
Gliss glanced toward the dragon pen with a nervous expression.
"The dragons here aren't very tame."
Wyssa didn't seem to be listening.
She peered through the green rain, which was falling harder now.
"My errand here won't take long."
Saffa stepped toward the zoo entrance, looking restless.
"We should check on Venna," she said.
"She might have been taken prisoner by now."
"There's no time for that," Wyssa said.
"We need to find Morb before he gathers more power!"
"The election is less than a month away," Saffa said, sounding stubborn.
"If things get any worse, it could be a disaster for all of Magica."
Zann wasn't too worried about the election.
But Saffa's words had reminded him of his parents.
"We should check on the prisoners too," he said.
"Yes!" Gliss exclaimed. "I want to see my uncle."
Wyssa sighed. "Go," she said. "Make sure they're all okay. I'll wait for you here."
Zann looked at the others. Could they trust Wyssa?
Or would she take off for the Far Frontier on her own as soon as they zapped away?
"Wyssa, we might need your help getting into the palace," Saffa said.
Wyssa didn't look happy. But she agreed to go to the palace with them.
"We have to hurry," she said.
Everyone joined hands. Zap!
They landed at the edge of the palace square.
It was still raining, and Zann had to wipe water from his face before he could see clearly.
When he did, his eyes widened.
The square looked much different than usual.
Dozens of guards were marching around, all of them wearing that new dark uniform they'd seen on the guards in the dungeon.
"What's that all about?" Saffa muttered.
"Who knows?" Perda said.
"Maybe we can figure out a way to sneak in without the guards seeing us."
"We don't have time for that." Saffa sounded impatient.
"This is still Magica, isn't it?
We have the right to visit the palace anytime we like without fearing imprisonment.
I'm tired of sneaking around!"
"But—" Zann began.
It was too late. Saffa was already marching toward the main entrance.
"Should we go with her?" Gliss asked.
"No." Wyssa snapped her fingers, and a glowing wall appeared in front of them.
"Hey." Zann was annoyed. "You can't stop us with a Shield spell."
"It's for your own good," Wyssa said.
Just then Darb poked Zann on the shoulder. "Look!"
Saffa had reached the closest group of guards.
While the kids watched, she appeared to argue with the guards.
A moment later a guard clapped his hands.
A large bubble enclosed Saffa! She yelled and struggled to get out, but it was no use.
The bubble was already floating toward the palace.
"No!" Zann blurted out, louder than he'd meant to.
His voice attracted the attention of a guard.
The guard turned and peered toward them, his face suspicious.
Zann felt panic flash through him.
If they all ended up in the dungeon, there was no way they'd be able to stop Morb!
He grabbed Perda with one hand and Darb with the other. "Zap!" he yelled.
Splash!
They landed in a deep puddle in the gutter outside Teplo's house.
Zann glanced around to make sure his friends were there.
Perda, Gliss, and Darb were there, but someone else wasn't.
"Where's Wyssa?" Perda asked.
"I don't know," Zann said. "I guess she didn't zap with us."
Gliss glanced up and down the street nervously.
"We should get out of sight while we decide how to find her."
Moments later they were in the hatch.
Zing danced around Darb's head, shooting happy flames.
Fala seemed relieved to see them.
"Where's Saffa?" she asked.
"The dungeon, probably." Zann told her what had just happened.
"Oh no!" Fala twisted her hands together.
"This isn't good. Especially given everything that's happened while you were gone."
"What happened?" Perda asked.
"For one thing, the palace guards found the Mask of Zanta in Zann's house."
"What?" Zann cried. "How did it get there? I'm sure my parents didn't steal it!"
"I know they didn't," Fala said. "But now your parents and Boz are in real trouble."
Zann gulped. "What kind of trouble?"
"I'm not sure yet," Fala said.
"They're being kept in the dungeon until the election is over.
Then the new king or queen can figure out what to do."
"What about my uncle?" Gliss asked. "Did they let him go?"
"No. All the prisoners are staying until after the election," Fala said.
"It's okay," Zann said.
"At least this gives us some time to deal with Morb first.
After all, the election is almost a month away."
"No, it's not," Fala said.
"That's another thing that happened while you were gone.
Laddno is insisting on holding the election next week!"