Stefan had no idea, which did trigger guilt within Maxine, but they were getting on well and she didn't want to return to the matter of Theon and let it spoil their friendship again. She was just casually steering them towards the dungeons, Stefan not noticing due to his great involvement in the conversation.

"Did the letter say how she's linked to Nick?" She asked her friend, who was clutching the latest letter, this time written in Monroe's hand. 

"No." Stefan answered, taking the letter up again and skimming through. "But I think we can trust her."

"Well of course we can trust her if Nick does." Said Maxine incredulously. Stefan seemed to have this big thing about trust, even when it didn't concern Maxine. It had taken him a while to put all faith in Maxine and even longer with Fauna and Rose. His wariness was often useful and kept them both safe, but sometimes he went a little overboard. 

"Apparently she can be identified as a tall blonde woman under the name of Amy Cann." Stefan went on, reading the letter. "We'll be meeting her in the Hogs Head again."

Maxine  frowned. "It's gonna be a bit difficult evading our friends again. Damian can't make it so we'll have Fauna with us." 

Stefan nodded. "And it's dangerous...so, well...I thought that we could-" He paused and laughed. "Actually, never mind."

Maxine laughed but turned on him. "Don't give me that! What's your plan? I bet it's brilliant." She said with a grin.

Stefan laughed embarrassedly in return. "No, actually, it's a bit stupid and very risky."

"Just tell me." She ordered with a grin. "You can't just leave it hanging there."

Stefan shifted awkwardly. "Well, I thought we could use my invisibility cloak to sneak into Hogsmeade and just tell our friends we weren't going." He said sheepishly, watching Maxine. At once she let out a burst of laughter and pushed him with amusement.

"Stefan, that's a brilliant idea! Why on earth were you embarrassed about it, you dork?" She questioned with a grin, beginning to walk again.

"Well - it's very easy to get caught." He said, grinning. "Plus I don't know if these royals might be able to see through them....enchantments affect Wesens and Grimms differently, I believe."

Maxine creased her brow. "Well, it's the best we've got. And I don't think it'll happen - I mean, they can't be able to see through invisibility cloaks." She grinned. "Good one, Stef." 

He laughed. "Thanks." There was a pause, then he spoke again, different tones entering his voice. "I can't wait." He admitted, excitement in his voice. "Perhaps she can also give us more information on the Wesen world. We didn't have much time to talk to Nick last time."

Maxine nodded. "Yeah, it'll be really interesting meeting another Grimm. And we can finally know why I'm being hunted."

"Well I think the key is why, isn't it?" Said Stefan, glancing at the heavy brass object that hung round her neck. 

"Yeah, but you have one too." She said, moving her hands to finger her own with thought. 

"Nick said they didn't know about me, so that's why I'm not targeted." Stefan answered reasonably.

"There seem to more reasons behind it that they didn't tell us, though." Maxine persisted. She dropped the key from her fingers and let it lie against her chest once more. "Hopefully we'll find out in this meeting."

Stefan nodded, then reintroduced the subject of the keys. "By the way, Maxine - you know you were talking about how the keys seemed to be different in some way that you couldn't put your finger on?"

Maxine creased her brow. "Oh yeah...." She looked round at her friend. "And you were going to say something before-"

She paused and Stefan nodded again. "Yeah - you see, I realised what's different about them."

Maxine's eyes glinted with eagerness and curiosity. "What is it?"

Stefan reached into his pocket and pulled out his own key, stopping mid-walk. He didn't even realise they were in the dungeons now, all focus on the keys. Maxine, getting the idea, moved to unclasp the chain that fastened hers around her neck and brought it round to lie in her hand. Stefan did the same, and it was then that Maxine realised what was wrong. She hadn't looked at her key recently, just kept it fastened around her neck as always and basically forgotten about it. But now, as it lay besides Stefan's and looked very much different to her, her face dawned with realisation.

"They're..." Her words trailed off as she marvelled at the change and was intrigued by it. Stefan, eyes on the keys, finished her words for her.

"They're changing. The carvings on them - the patterns that form the map - they're fading." 

And sure enough, as Maxine ran her fingers over the cold brass of the key, could feel the edges were blunter and the metal less pronounced. She couldn't read one of the latin words on it now and the lines were almost untraceable. Strongly, though, the metal was becoming shinier - rather than the usual dull, greying brass, it hinted at gold in some areas, even in the dark light of the dungeons. 

Maxine, both amazed and confused by the change, opened her mouth to speak again, but was suddenly halted by a door nearby opening and the sound of footsteps on the stone floor of the passage. Quick as a flash, Stefan slipped his key into his pocket, Maxine doing the same before turning to see Theon standing there.

"Hey Maxie." The boy grinned, seeming to have missed the scene of Stefan and Maxine inspecting their keys. "Ready to start?"

Maxine smiled but could feel Stefan staring at her from behind. "Of course." She pulled her bag up higher onto her shoulder and turned. "I'll see you at dinner then."

Stefan's face was stoney as he nodded. "Yeah." He glanced at Theon, anger barely contained. "Have a nice time."

Maxine did not miss the acid in his tones, and neither did Theon, but the latter simply smiled at the boy, out of Maxine's view. Then Stefan, after looking at Maxine once more, turned away, walking aggressively down the corridor.

Maxine sighed, regretting her choice not to tell him. But Theon was still there, and she lightened the mood to avoid awkwardness and faked a smile.

"Ok, let's get started!" She turned to slip inside the room and started to remove books from her bag. Theon soon followed, but not before glaring at the retreating Stefan who still strode angrily away. This was only the beginning of all the trouble he'd get from that boy.