Have a choice

"Aunt Stella" called Annie as she smiled and she saw Stella standing next to the Carriage as she looked like she was casting a spell.

"Oh hello my dear" said Stella as she turned around and she smiled as she walked to where Annie and the others.

"Hello Maddie" said Stella as she smiled.

"Hello Aunt" said Maddie as she smiled.

"Are you girls ready?" asked Stella as she smiled.

"Yes we are Aunt Stella" said Annie as she smiled.

"That is good" said Stella as she smiled and she looked at Curtis, they had already spoken everything that needed to be spoken, now once they left, it would be all up to Curtis to make sure that whatever it is that he had planned would work.

"Where is Matt?" asked Stella as she could not see him anywhere, he was usually always where Annie and Maddie were.

"We have no idea Aunt, I haven't seen him since yesterday" said Maddie, she had tried contacting Matt, but she just could not reach him.

"Hmm, well that Is odd" said Stella as she wondered where he was, she was going to have to ask Sapiens where his Grandson was, or maybe he was not allowed to go to Caligo, after all, Sapiens and Lucinda knew just how dangerous Caligo was.

"Anyway, are you ready?" asked Stella as she smiled.

"Well do we have a choice?" asked Maddie as Annie hugged Aunt Stella.

"I will miss you Aunt Stella" said Annie as she smiled.

"And I will miss you too dear, I would have loved to come along with you, but… I just cannot leave the Realm alone at this time" said Stella.

"It's alright Aunt, we understand" said Maddie as she smiled.

"Finally, I found you guys" said Matt as he sighed and he walked outside as he caught sight of Stella and Annie as Annie broke their hug.

"Matt, where have you been, we have been looking for you everywhere" said Maddie as she looked at Matt, she was relieved that he was finally here, they could not go on an adventure like this without him, it would just not be the same.

"Sorry, it took a lot of convincing to get my mom to agree to let me come along, but in the end my dad and Grandfather convinced her to let me go" said Matt as he smiled.

"Lucky" said Maddie as she laughed.

"I am glad that she did" said Annie as she smiled and she looked at Matt, she was happy that he was here, things would not be the same without him, they were a trio after all, Maddie, Matt and her, they were the best trio she knew.

"Yes" said Matt as he smiled at Annie as he suddenly felt like he was being stared at, and then he looked at John, and then he remembered how this was going to be far from a peaceful ride with John coming along.

"Curtis, the Carriage has been cloaked, and the route has been set, is there anything else that you need to be done" asked Stella as she looked at Curtis.

"And what about the driver?" asked Curtis.

"There is no one that will know where you are going, I already casted a set spell on the Carriage, it will take care of itself once you reach Caligo" said Stella, they could not risk an ambush, or worse, which was why she had sent away all the Palace staff, and they were currently at the secret exit of the Palace.

"Alright then" said Curtis as he nodded his head, Stella had truly taken care of everything, just like she had said.

"Everyone you have five minutes, and then we leave" said Curtis as he turned to look at Annie, he knew that he sounded harsh, but this was necessary for them, he was just as frustrated as all of them were, and all he wanted to do was to make sure that his thoughts were right and that he could get Annie's powers by going to Caligo.

"Okay" said Annie as she nodded her head, she could tell that Curtis was on edge, and she did not blame him at all, she was the same too, only that she tried to make sure that she looked like she was okay.

"Awww sweetie, I will miss you, and be good okay" said Lisa as she gave Annie a big hug and she gave Annie a kiss on the forehead as Annie giggled.

"I will miss you too mom, and of course I will" said Annie as she laughed and Lia let go of her.

"Come here my dear" said John as he smiled and Annie walked as she hugged him.

"I will miss you Dad" said Annie as she smiled and she hugged him.

"I will miss you too" said John as he sighed, it was very hard for him to let his little girl go all alone, but it had to be done, she could not be little forever could she now?

Stella smiled at the family saying their goodbyes, it made her feel like she had missed out on something very important in life, which she did.

"Dad, don't crush me" said Annie as she laughed and John let go of her as he smiled.

"Aunt Stella" said Annie as she turned to look at Stella and she smiled as she hugged her.

"Oh dear, I will miss you too" said Stella as she smiled and she hugged Annie.

"Everything will be alright" said Stella as she smiled.

"Be good dear, and take care of yourself" said Lisa as she smiled and she hugged Maddie.

"I will Aunt, thank you" said Maddie as she smiled and Lisa broke their hug.

"Take care Matt" said Lisa as she smiled and she hugged Matt.

"I will Matt, and take care as well" said Matt as he smiled and Lisa broke their hug.

Matt held his breath as he sighed and he saw John walk towards him, he was in big trouble wasn't he.

"Matt" said John as he stood in front of Matt.

"Mr. Grey" said Matt as he was surprised when he saw John bring out his hand for a handshake, he was hesitant, he did not want to shake his hand, who knew what he was planning, but one look at John's face told him that John was not joking at all, so Matt had no other choice than to shake his hand.

"Take care of my daughter" said John as he said it so only the two of them could here, he hated to admit it , but his mind and heart were put more at ease with him knowing that Matt would be there, he did not like the boy, but he knew that he would make sure to take good care of Annie while he wasn't going to be there.

"Yes Mr. Grey" said Matt as he nodded his head and John had a firm grip on his hand as John let go of his hand and he walked away to talk to Stella.

"You think that's a truce?" asked Maddie as she walked closer to Matt.

"I don't know… maybe??" asked Matt as he was just confused, John was so confusing, he wondered just what he did to make John dislike him so much.

"I wonder what I did to make him dislike me so much?" asked Matt as he looked at Maddie.

"You were born that's why" said Maddie as Matt looked at her with an expression that was a mix of unbelief, and disbelief of what she just said.

"Gosh relax Matt, I was just joking alright" said Maddie as she laughed.

"Come on, let's go, Curtis really looks on edge" said Maddie as she laughed and she walked to where Curtis was standing by the Carriage as Matt followed after her.

Annie said her final goodbyes as she walked to the Carriage and Matt helped her up as Curtis spoke to Stella for one last time as they said what they needed to say and he turned away as he walked to the Carriage.

"Alright, it's time" said Curtis as he entered the Carriage and the door closed, and the Carriage began to move.

"Everything will be alright" said Stella as she smiled and she looked at Lisa.

"I really hope so Stella, I really do" said Lisa as she sighed and it was like the Carriage had disappeared.

"How long till we get to Mountain Caligo?" asked Annie as she looked at Curtis as she was sitting beside Maddie as Matt was sitting next to Curtis.

"A few hours" said Curtis.

"Can't we find a way to go faster?" asked Maddie as she looked at Curtis, a few hours was too much.

"No, we are taking a longer route on purpose" said Curtis as he explained.

"Just in case" he said.

"You think we are being followed?" asked Matt as Curtis did not look at him.

"You never know" replied Curtis as he looked outside the window.