The Cinnabar Box (Guardians of the Earth)

A tiny Cinnabar box contains the key to the water supply of an entire planet. The ecology of the planet depends on a great river that periodically overflows, much like the Nile in Egypt. Only the key's rightful owner can restore the water supply, which has been hidden for centuries. The task needs a trained army – but for the moment, it is in the hands of thirteen-year-old Donna, who has just learned a shocking secret about herself. Donna must survive in an alien reality where magic is commonplace, and where she meets many dangerous beings she previously considered the products of fairy tales. A nightmarish trip to the terrifying Wizard Island, a ghost town that imprisons visitors in its empty houses, and encounters with an evil renegade vizier who is determined to turn the planet into a desert, are just a few of her adventures. Throughout many ordeals, Donna uses her wits and relies on two important facts. First, she must save her kidnapped aunt, whatever it takes. Second, she must never, ever break the Wicca Code!

Ilil Arbel is the author of several books, including biographies, memoirs, novels, mythology/folklore, and fantasy. She also wrote short stories, articles and educational materials. Some years ago, she wrote Witchcraft, a curriculum-enrichment book, currently available on www.pantheon.org for the benefit of those interested in the theory behind the fiction. She contributes regularly to Encyclopedia Mythica, an award-winning online encyclopedia of mythology and folklore.