The wolf within roared that the chase was on and leaped in pursuit, teeth bared. The other wolves fell back as the horse galloped through the forest, Rolfe fast behind. Enguerrand was frightened and Rolfe savored the smell of his fear. It gave the wolf more strength to make another leap for the saddle. Enguerrand swore and pulled his dagger. He made to stab at Rolfe, then froze as he stared into Rolfe’s eyes. He paled. Rolfe bared his teeth again, and Enguerrand gave the destrier hisspurs.
Rolfe cut through the forest when the path bent and he leaped suddenly in the air, knowing he would abruptly appear at Enguerrand’s side. The destrier shied and Enguerrand swore again, struggling to remain in the saddle. He threw his dagger at Rolfe, his features contorted in fury, but his aim was poor. The blade sank into the trunk of a tree and Rolfe once again trotted behind the terrifieddestrier.
He smelled the rest of Enguerrand’s company ahead and knew he could not battle six and survive. He fell back, letting the other wolves gather around him, and knew their eyes glowed as they watched the departingknight.
“I will be back, Rolfe de Viandin!” Enguerrand shouted, his courage returned now that he was safe. “I will be back and you will regret yourdeed.”
Rolfe tipped his head back and howled, the wolf within reveling in the sound of the other wolves adding their voices to his. He found his fellows watching him, considering him, deciding what to do about him, and left the pack to review his ownchoices.
If the wolf within gained ascendancy, would he injureAnnelise?
Would he forgether?
Would she forgethim?
* * *
The book.
Once it was clear that Annelise was trapped alone in the palace, she hunted the book. It was the only reference she had for djinns and their ways. Perhaps there was more to be gleaned from that tale than she had realized. Perhaps there was more to the book than she hadseen.
She did not like this new spell at all. Would Rolfe even be able to enter the palace at night? Would he change to a man but be left naked in the forest? How quickly would he become a wolf in truth? What could she do to assisthim?
Every puzzle has akey.
The book was in the chamber where Enguerrand and his men had eaten. The tables were cleared and all returned to order, the book reposing alone in the middle of the room. Annelise was reminded of the most ornate Bible in the convent, the one that was kept in a place of honor and only touched by the mothersuperior.
She opened the book and was confounded by the sight of that foreignscript.
Remembering her husband’s feat, she tentatively touched the letters with her fingertips. For a moment, nothinghappened.
Then the letters shimmered as they had once before, and she could readit.
Thrilled that some matters showed consistency, Annelise read the tale again from start to finish. She could discern nothing in it that was helpful, though. Had she met Leila? It was possible, for the djinn seemed to have a similar attitude. Leila had built a palace and she had been spurned by a mortalman.
That still did not give Annelise any idea of what todo.
A meal had appeared for her while she was reading. She ate a bit of it, although she had little appetite, then returned to the book. What had she missed? Annelise was so deep in thought that when she heard a throat being cleared, she jumped in shock. She spun around only to find a short, plump woman sitting on the opposite side of thechamber.
“Greetings!” The woman waved at Annelise, as if her presence wasunsurprising.
Annelise blinked, but the woman did notdisappear.
Her kirtle and cloak were commonplace enough, but she wore the most peculiar fur hat Annelise had ever seen. Annelise could not have easily guessed herage.
“Who are you?” Anneliseasked.
“I might ask the same of you.” The woman laughed and wandered around the chamber, as if she had never visited before. She peeked into the bed chamber. “Oh, that is a fine addition,” she mused. “There is nothing like a greatbed.”
“Have you been here before?” Anneliseasked.
“Not for a very longtime.”
Annelise noticed a faint rosy cloud hovering around her companion and kept her distance. “Are you that djinn again?” she dared to ask. “Or another onealtogether?”
The woman grimaced. “Not much of an ambassador for our kind, isshe?”
Her expression made Annelise suspect that they shared the same opinion about the djinn, but Annelise was determined to becareful.
