Page 2 of A Castle of Broken Memories

She'd already resumed painting, her hand moving impossibly fast as she added a beautiful, sandstone castle atop the clouds. “Take care up there, Mariana. The curse grows volatile. It won’t appreciate your interference.”

Up there? As in, the Sky Castle? Me?

A flicker of excitement had me inching forward, hand stretching out toward the painting’s twisting green stalk. How many times had I dreamed of breaching those clouds and seeing the castle firsthand? Jack would be green with envy if he knew I’d beat him to it…

Not that I cared what he thought.

Or where he was.

Or why the hell he left in the first place.

Gods dammit. This was why I avoided all things Mondue. To keep that bastard out of my head and in the past where he belonged. “Fuck this,” I muttered, pulling my gauzy, red nightgown over my head and bundling it up with my cloak and shoes. Taking a deep breath, I willed the wolf to the surface, shiny black hair sprouting along my arms and legs as I transformed. It wasn't until I was balanced on the window's ledge, my bundle clamped between my teeth, that Raz spoke again, making me pause.

The paintbrush clattered to the floor, and she turned, eyes glowing as she intoned, “Be ye alive or be ye dead, they’ll grind your bones to make their bread.”

And that was my cue to leave. I sprang from the window, wind tousling my fur as I descended. My paws stung as they struck the ground, but it only slowed me for a moment before I was off, tearing through the forest at a blinding pace while I made my way back home.

That's the last time I try to be social, I grumbled to myself, trying to forget Raz's vision. Which weren't always all that accurate. It probably wasn't even a vision at all, just a result of too much wine. No one had climbed the beanstalk in years, and the tumultuous clouds full of crackling purple lightning made it impossible even if I wished to.

Which I didn’t.

I was perfectly content to remain on my hilltop and watch over the pack. Who else would keep them from falling back into the old ways if not me? Just because they appeared to have changed didn’t mean they couldn’t slip up—get a little too crazy in the frenzy of a full moon.

I was their alpha. They needed me.

The sun was coming up over the hill as I returned, the roof of my cottage peeking through the trees as I slowed to a walk. My nose twitched at the barely-there whiff of an unfamiliar scent—like something attempting to smell woodsy without actually having anything natural about it. What in the world? I maintained my were-form as I broke free of the tree line. A lone figure dressed all in black sat on the front step of my cottage, a dimpled grin stretching across his face as he rose to greet me.

The bundle fell from my mouth while I transformed, uncaring that I was buck naked as I ran forward, arms outstretched. I threw myself at the young man, the night's worries slipping away as I squeezed him tight.

“Oh my gods, Tenebris. You're back!”

2

“It's wonderful to see you, darling, but if you don't put some clothes on soon, things are going to get awkward.” Tenebris extracted himself from my arms with a pointed look down at his pants—perfectly tailored black trousers, complete with thin, black suspenders over a fitted black button-up. The boy hadn’t lost his trademark style.

“How do you know that isn't the reaction I was hoping for?” I gave my chest a little shimmy. “What do you say, Ten-Ten? Once more in the hot springs for old times’ sake?”

“Tempting,” he chuckled. “But not why I'm here.”

“Ah. So there's a reason behind this visit.” A visit that occurred the morning after Raz's vision. Coincidence? Doubtful, since I didn’t believe in them. I retrieved my bundle of clothes and threw on my red cloak. “Shall I make us some tea then? I have a feeling I'm going to want something to hold on to.”

“Tea would be lovely, thank you.” Tenebris followed me inside and made himself at home at the kitchen table while I worked.

“I'm surprised the boys didn't come out to greet you,” I remarked, fussing over the wood stove. “I assume you had to come up the trail from Bremen like the rest of us now that you can no longer teleport.”

“It's this ring you gave me.” He held up his hand, and my traitorous heart squeezed at the sight of the slim, silver band encircling one of his fingers—my would-be bonding ring had Jack not run off before the ceremony. I hated the sight of it almost as much as I hated myself for caring about it in the first place. “Not only does it allow me to safely pass through the barrier to the outside world, apparently it dulls my scent as well. They probably don't even know I'm here.”

“Well, you'll have to say hi to them later.” I forced my gaze away from the offending ring and set the kettle on the stove top. “They'll be put out if they discover you visited without seeing them.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He pulled an envelope from his shirt pocket and placed it on the table. “But first things first—a message from your grandmother. Who misses you, by the way.”

I eyed the seal. A howling wolf silhouette had been pressed into the crimson wax—the pack's signet. “Last I checked, the barrier worked both ways. She’s more than welcome to come back and visit anytime. Besides, I gave you my ring, remember?”

“A truly devoted granddaughter would find a way.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course she would. So, is that what the letter’s for? Guilt tripping me into doing the impossible?”

He grimaced. “It’s more of a missive than a letter, I'm afraid. Something's come up.”