Rolfe’s grip tightened on Mephistopheles’ reins. No one would take from him what washis.
“You grant nothing to me,” Rolfe argued. “This is merely atrick.”
The djinn’s eyes blazed. “A trick?You spurn my gloriousgift?”
“I have no need of your spells and sorcery,” he retorted. “Return my palfrey and let me continue on myway.”
“No need?” the djinn echoed. Another wolf howled beyond the walls and a glint lit her eye. Dread trickled down Rolfe’s spine, and he took a step back before he could stophimself.
The djinn pursued him with terrifying speed. Her face filled Rolfe’s vision, and when she smiled, he saw that her teeth were not just sharp, but points ofbrass.
“Perhaps you will soon see the need of spells and sorcery,” she hissed. “I reserve the right to reward ingratitude.” She drew herself up taller and flung her hands skyward, her growing size making both Rolfe and his black destrier ease toward thegates.
Rolfe wondered if they could flee while her attention wasaverted.
“Rolfe de Viandin,” she roared, and the ground trembled at herwords.
“Ingratitude for my gift has earned you thisstrife:
as a wolf, you will live out yourlife!”
Awolf!
Despite his conviction that this was nonsense, Rolfe waited for a moment, holding his breath. When nothing changed, he dared to feel relief. His relief was quickly followed byscorn.
Spells and sorcery werefables.
“A wolf?” he repeated, his toneskeptical.
“You do not believeme?”
Rolfe shrugged. “I believe in what I see, as well as what I can hold in my hands. I see that nothing has changed. I suspect that you and this—” he gestured to the palace “—are a reminder that the cheese I ate at midday was past itsprime.”
“Cheese?” the djinn echoed. Rolfe jumped at the volume of her voice and even Mephistopheles’ eyes widened. “You dare to attribute my presence tocheese?”
Her eyes flashed as the clear sky was abruptly obscured by dark clouds. Thunder rumbled overhead. Lightning crackled and the ground stirred beneath Rolfe’s feet. The black destrier stepped sideways with a skittishness more typical of the lostpalfrey.
“I am more than mere cheese and you will see thetruth!”
“Perhaps I should have been more tactful,” Rolfe murmured. Mephistopheles flicked one ear, as if to agree. The djinn grew to the height of a mountain before them and Rolfe could not help but dread herpronouncement.
Cheese.Rolfe repeated the word like a litany, but as he watched the ominous cloud grow, his convictionfaded.
When the djinn spoke again, her voice made the ground shake. The trees quivered from the tumult of her breath. The flowers abruptly closed against thestorm.
“Powers vested beneath theearth,
Hear my words and attend mycurse.
Teach this one to respect mypowers;
Leave him trapped outside thesetowers.
Condemn him to howl and prowlnear,
This place a reminder of all he helddear.
Mortal ways he shall pursue nomore,
