The Shadow Witch, who had bent her eyes upon the ground, raised them now, and turned upon the Prince an earnest gaze as though she rejoiced to look upon him. “I am no friend of the Earth Fairy,” she answered quietly. “She is nothing to me. I will tell you fully if you wish to know, why it is that I have brought you here. Of late as I sat unobserved in a corner of the Wizard’s Cave, where my brother dwells, I saw Flying Soot come in, and heard him say that he had work for my brother to do, if he was willing. What could that mean but mischief? I crept close, yet taking care lest I should be seen, and listened keenly that I might lose nothing. Thus I learned all that Flying Soot had to tell him concerning yourself and Princess White Flame, and about the Veil that the Earth Fairy claims that you have stolen from her.” “Nay,” interrupted the Prince indignantly. “If she says that she tells a wicked falsehood. The magic Veil is a gift to me from the Wise One. The Earth Fairy has never even beheld it.” “However that may be,” answered the Shadow Witch, shaking out her grey sleeves, “she means to wrest it from you, and my brother has promised to help her. You may take my word for it that his help is not to be despised. I heard Flying Soot suggest also that he should get me to assist in the matter, but the Wizard replied, ‘Nay, you need not trouble yourself to ask her. She can do nothing that is really worth while.’ When he said that, I determined to cheat them both, and as you see, I have done so.” “Alas, that you should have succeeded,” cried Prince Radiance. “It may be that even now my Princess is in the hands of your wicked brother.” “Is then this Princess so dear to you?” asked the Shadow Witch softly. “Ah, yes. So dear that no witchcraft of yours shall be able to keep me from her,” exclaimed the Prince. “Yet she is no more than a flame, and a voice,” murmured the Shadow Witch. “But such a voice as none have ever heard before, and such a flame, so pure, so white, that I wonder how I could have been deceived by the false flame of your contriving that has lured me here.” The lips of the Shadow Witch curled in a smile. “I have much skill with magic,” she said. “Beautiful may be the flame of your Princess, of wondrous sweetness may be her voice, yet if you would consent to remain in my land, I think I should be able to make you forget them both.” “Nay,” replied Prince Radiance firmly, “that would never be.” Turning from her, he sought to depart, but the Shadow Witch would not have it so. She waved her long arms to her servants, and instantly they surrounded him in so dense a barrier that he could not pass.