to be
considered only a silly fairy tale for children. This is our greatest
protection."

"I understand," said Graham. "I won't tell him about it."

"But you have proven yourself by your love for Telly," said the Queen.
"You can stay and live in Oz forever. You will be a citizen here, where
you will never have to grow old. You will never again know sickness, and
you will never have to die."

Graham was taken aback by the offer. "You mean it?" he said. "I can stay
here and be with Telly and the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger
forever?"

"You can."

Graham still seemed overwhelmed. "That would be super," he said. "But...
My family! I love my family. Can't you bring them here to live as well?"

"No," Ozma said solemnly. "That is not possible. You are invited only
because you have proven your value. Even the Shaggy Man had to prove his
worth before staying on in Oz. Your family has not proven itself worthy.
You alone may stay in Oz."

"Then I want to go home right now," said Graham. "I can't leave them."

"I thought you'd say that," sighed Ozma. "But you already know too much.
I can't send you back there. It isn't that I don't trust you. But I fear
that someday you may let the secret slip. Maybe you'd talk in your
sleep. Maybe you'd grow older and be taken in by the terrible drugs and
alcohol which are so common in the mortal lands. These might make you
say things that you'd normally never say. I'm sure it could never happen
to a boy like you, but what if... I'm sorry, Graham. You must stay here.
I have already arranged for you to have a lovely mansion not far from
here. Or you can stay with Telly or whomever you please. You can take
any apartments you might desire in the palace if you prefer. In fact,
you are free to roam as you please. I don't want to have you think of
yourself as a prisoner. I know it will seem that way at first. But I
promise you that the benefits of living in Oz will soon drive those
ideas from your mind."

Graham looked at Ozma. Any sympathy he might have felt for her was gone.
He saw her point, but he did feel more like a prisoner than a citizen of
Oz.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

A WINDOW, A WINDOW

Graham's apartment in the palace was not at all palace-like, and it
looked as if it had not been lived in for some time. But he agreed to
live there. He had no desire to live in Ozma's palace, but he wanted to
have the ability to visit his friends on occasion. He still saw Ozma as
a ca