Shades of Grey

CHATEAU DE MAUVAIS— FEBRUARY 1844

She was certainly a beautiful wolf: with her deep amber coat, tall, lean body and lively gold eyes; but my horror and shame overwhelmed my appreciation of her magnificence.

“No!” Ryder exclaimed in horror, falling backwards as the flames died and the dark foyer was silenced.

“You’re a wizard!” I cried suddenly, turning sharply to Verrilius.

“Well spotted,” he remarked snidely.

“You have the power to free her!”

I strode toward him, my strength returning with my anger.

“Perhaps,” he stated plainly.

“Would you release her? Please?!” I begged. “I will do anything! Just please free her from this!”

Verrilius studied the intensity of my reaction and I saw a plan begin to form in his mind.

“I will free your Fairy if you will perform one task for me.”

“Anything!”

“I have a problem that has been steadily growing in a city nearby. If you can eliminate this problem, I might see fit to lift this curse.”

“Absolutely,” I said quickly.

“Should you fail, you will remain in the city forever and never see your Maisling or this Maisling again. Are you still as eager?”

Ryder looked to me with persuasive eyes.

“No! Grey, don’t! I’m coming with you!”

Verrilius tapped his staff on the ground once and the same purple flames that had shown me Forma’s transformation enveloped him, transporting him to some other part of the castle in a wisp of lavender smoke.

“I have no intention of failing,” I replied.

Verrilius smiled.

“Excellent.”