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plank floor looked the same as it had the day before. The only parts of the house that were higher than ground level were the white beams growing up out of the ground. They were up to Willa’s knees now. The hammering stopped, replaced by sawing. Willa sat down, enjoying a moment of calm, listening to the wind in the trees. She looked up to see a great flock of starlings settle in a swaying elm in the park.
    There was movement in the grass, and a small green hoop, a little larger than a bracelet, rolled toward her. Willa smiled as it reached her foot and unclamped itself. Four beady little eyes peered up. It was the amphisbena, a two-headed snaky-lizard -type creature.
    â€œSo you’re still around,” she murmured softly. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
    The amphisbena heads looked at each other and responded with a quiet little chitter.
    Just then a thunk sounded behind Willa. Startled, one lizard head chomped onto the neck of the other and it rolled off, disappearing into the tall grass. Willa turned to see a hammer poking up through a gap in the boards covering the basement. Slowly it rose, the handle coming into view with six little fairies straining to heave it the whole way out. They spotted Willa and froze, eyes wide and guilty. The sawing below stopped, and Willa heard muffled, angry voices. She looked sternly at the fairies.
    â€œSarah! What are you up to?”
    Sarah feigned innocence, her eyes going wide in a “who, me?” look.
    â€œGive the dwarves their hammer back.”
    The other fairies looked to Sarah, who shrugged, still grinning. They let go and the hammer dropped. A great howl of pain sounded from below and the fairies scattered, giggling.
    â€œAlways something,” sighed Willa.

Chapter Three
    War is declared
    â€œH e said to look through her eyes,” said Willa. “So I’ve been staring and staring, but she doesn’t seem to like it. She keeps hissing and spitting at me.”
    â€œHmmm.” Tengu nodded and peered into the cage. The phoenix hissed and he jumped back.
    â€œSay, Tengu …” Willa went on. “You don’t know where Horace’s cufflinks are, do you?”
    Tengu looked blankly at her. “Horace has cufflinks?”
    She smiled. “Never mind, I’m sure they’ll turn up.”
    â€œLet me try something.” Tengu pulled up a chair and sat down, facing the bird.
    â€œWhat are you going to do?”
    â€œ Hypnotize her!” Tengu grinned. He turned and stared intently at the bird. She squawked and circled the cage, feathers dropping behind her. There were bare patches on her neck and back. Tengu started humming a low note.
    Willa crossed her fingers and watched. More humming, more staring. No reaction from the bird.
    â€œTengu, what do you know about Belle’s past?”
    Tengu didn’t take his eyes off the phoenix as he answered. “Nothing, really. But I do know that mermaids are flighty and selfish.”
    â€œThat sounds like Belle all right.”
    â€œThat sounds like people too. Mermaids and people are very similar. Mermaids are just … sharper about it. They hold grudges for centuries, not weeks. They live for so long you never know what’s floating around in their heads. They’re hard to pin down.”
    Willa thought about this. What kind of family could she have that included a mystery like Belle?
    The bird was now frozen in place, head tilted a little, eyes blazing as she stared unblinking into Tengu’s eyes.
    â€œTengu! I think you’ve got her!” Willa whispered.
    Tengu had stopped humming, totally absorbed in the staring contest. Willa held her breath. The room was silent. The bird looked like a statue. Tengu was swaying slightly, his eyes bugging out. Then one eyelid twitched and he let out an ear-splitting …
    â€œSQUAWK! SQUAAAAWK!”
    â€œTengu!” Willa gently put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a little