‘But, Raff,’ sniffled Cassandra, ‘if you destroy the city, you may kill me doing it.’ ‘I’ve been thinking of that, Cassie. There is a cellar in the tower. When the attack comes, hide there. It’s the only chance.’ ‘Oh, Raff, I shall be so scared.’ ‘I know, Cassie, but if I don’t go, how can I save you? Besides, I promised the animals I would help them.’ ‘But, Raff, why not let Gæa help them?’ ‘She does, Cassie, through me. I don’t see how she can do any more unless she destroys the city herself. I am her messenger. I must not fail her. The animals alone can’t fight the Sorcerer. He would kill them with the death-ray or his poison gas.’ ‘Raff, do you think there is such a person as Gæa?’ Raphael was startled. Sometimes he had wondered. The Mother of All Things. Well, he could fly--he had never been able to do that before. He remembered suddenly, with panic, that his feather suit had been taken away. Could he still fly? The Sorcerer evidently didn’t think so. He must take the chance. It was their only hope. ‘Yes,’ he answered Cassandra after a pause. ‘I believe in Gæa. I can fly and live underneath the sea. I could never do that before.’ Cassandra was half convinced. ‘Cassie,’ said Raphael, ‘I must go now.’ ‘Oh,’ said Cassandra faintly. She looked pale and frightened with her dark hair falling down about her face. Raphael was frightened himself. ‘If you’ve got to go, Raff,’ said Cassandra bravely, trying to keep her mouth from trembling and the tears out of her eyes, ‘come back soon.’ And she threw her arms about his neck. Raphael kissed his sister and then stole to the window. Could he fly in these white pajamas? They belonged to the Sorcerer. Was Gæa still looking after him or had he lost her friendship through his lack of faith? ‘My dear boy,’ said a voice in the doorway, ‘come away from that window and climb into bed. You’ll catch your death of cold.’ It was Mechanus himself. Raphael gave a startled cry and dove head first through the window. He was very frightened and beat the air frantically with his hands. Slowly he checked his fall and righted himself. He could fly. Gæa still watched over him. He heard laughter from the window and the voice of the Sorcerer. ‘Bravely done. When you get tired of your animals, come back. We shall expect you in a day.’ He had escaped. The Sorcerer had let him go. Raphael wondered why. He felt vaguely uncomfortable. In his clumsy fashion Raphael flew across the city of Mechana to the fields nearest the hill on which he had left the animals. He lit heavily and walked on in the moonlight as rapidly as he could. The smell of green things and rich earth refreshed him. Suddenly a rabbit scurried across his path. ‘Hullo,’ said Raphael. But the rabbit did not stop. Raphael was more troubled when he saw a fox slink from behind a bush and drift into the woods.