It was Petra who stepped inside. “My mother wishes to see you.”
Antonia’s stomach tightened.
“It is about my cousin.”
Chapter Ten
While Lady Antonia had been explaining to Philip what had likely occurred, Basilia, the dryad, had told his aunt what she had witnessed. Basilia had then demanded that a protection spell be placed around the Sacred Grove to keep Philip from entering until the matter of his animal state was corrected. To do so would require both of his aunts and mother, and likely every female witch of Drakos blood.
The dryads were truly frightened of him.
He was frightened.
“I have sent for your mother and your other aunt, Lady Norcott, still remains here,” his aunt stated.
He in turn told Aunt Iris of the spell that Lady Antonia had cast.
She did not appear overly concerned but did send for the witches who were present.
He was turning into a bloody werewolf.
Philip strode across the room and poured himself a brandy, not caring that it wasn’t even noon.
A bloody werewolf!
What if Lady Antonia couldn’t fix him. Would he endure changes for a short time every midnight? Would he become a wolf during the next full moon? Would they have to lock him up to keep him from killing someone? What if it was permanent?
What if he turned into a werewolf and was never a man again?
Changes! The Romani said he would go through changes until the next full moon.
Is this what she had bloody seen?
Each question compounded his anxiety, and he drank deeply.
Cassian entered the parlor, followed by Amcaster, and paused. “Why is Chedworth drinking so early?”
“He has been suffering some changes of late, which will be explained.”
“Like your hand?” Amcaster asked with a laugh.
Philip speared him with a threatening glare. He was not at all in the mood to endure his friend’s humor.
Amcaster quickly sobered. “As serious as that,” he mumbled.
“You wanted to see me?” Maia asked as she entered the parlor, followed by Samantha. They glanced around and frowned.
It wasn’t long before Petra arrived, followed by Lady Antonia.
She paused just inside the threshold.
“I understand you may have turned my nephew into a werewolf.”
Lady Antonia immediately lost all color as her eyes grew panicked.
“No, not possible,” Petra said. “The spell…”
She trailed off as her mother lifted an eyebrow in curiosity.
