Chapter 3
Rolfe heardthe party of knights in his woods and was relieved by the sound. He cared little about their mission—it was enough for him that they were here, close enough to aid him in gaining hisfreedom.
This last month had shown the curse was real, indeed. Rolfe’s skepticism of djinns and their powers had been eliminated by the experience of changing from man to wolf and back to man again with a relentless repetition that echoed the sun’s rise and fall eachday.
The second djinn had proven to be right about the timing. He had spent that first night as a wolf but not another since. Perhaps because night had been falling when she cast her spell, its effect had to wait until sunset the next day. Rolfe did notknow.
He only knew how profound his relief had been when he changed back to aknight.
And how devastated he had been at the dawn to feel that silver tailagain.
Each night since, as soon as darkness fell, he found himself a man again, but confined inside the palace as surely as he was locked out of it by day. Within the palace, he had every luxury. There was fine fare and a soft bed, a garden of pleasures and his horses to tend. Outside, there was the wilderness and thewolves.
Each day since, he had taken the form of a wolf and found himself outside the palace walls. He feared to leave the area as a wolf, for he might be hunted and his horses would be abandoned. He dared not leave as a man, for he knew it was several days riding to any abode. He had no desire to be a man alone in the forest atnight.
It was a vexingsituation.
The other wolves avoided him, although the djinn’s acceleration of winter had made them gaunt with hunger. It was as though they knew him to be different, though Rolfe had little desire for theircompany.
His life, such as it was, was a lonelybusiness.
The familiar sound of men and horses brought him running, but not before his fellow wolves had attacked. To Rolfe’s dismay, the largest and meanest wolf had separated one rider from thegroup.
A noblewoman. And on a small palfrey. Though the horse was quick-footed in terror, Rolfe knew the lady had no chance against the wolf’sdetermination.
The oath of knighthood he had sworn years before burned in his heart. Though he might be condemned to look like a wolf, Rolfe was yet a knight to hismarrow.
There was only one thing he coulddo.
He gave chase, hoping that the large wolf would be satisfied with the horse. Somehow, Rolfe would save this woman, even if he had to pay the price with his own miserableexistence.
There was nothing else a man of honor coulddo.
* * *
The palfrey ranlike the wind. The stark silhouettes of the trees danced past in endless succession as Annelise sought some glimpse of a sanctuary ahead. She would call back to Yves if she found one. She would see them allsaved.
But the carpet of snow appearedendless.
The sounds of the other horses faded behind her, but she could not have slowed her palfrey to save her life. The beast was possessed of such terror that it might run to Outremer. It cared little for its footing and Annelise feared she would be thrown, that both of them would be injured. She tried murmuring to the horse and stroking its neck, to no discernibleeffect.
When she heard an anguished cry, her mouth wentdry.
Had one of the men fallen prey to thewolves?
Surely it could not beYves.
Annelise dared to look back, but she could not see the other riders. Their shouts carried to her ears and she was certain they fought a battle. She tried to turn her horse about, but then she saw a lone wolf loping through the forest directly towardher.
It had separated from the pack. It was large and its gaze chillingly cold. Too late Annelise realized that she had only a very small eating blade with which she might protectherself.
Then she saw that a second wolf dogged the footsteps of the first, and her heart sank to hertoes.
Even if she defied the odds and outran the first wolf, the second would still claim her life. Annelise clutched the reins. The palfrey ran on, as yet unaware of these two wolves in closepursuit.
The sounds of the men faded evenmore.
Annelise wasalone.
