Transformed [W&W Book 1]

Chapter 26

Theresa arrived at the rooms that she had shared with her sister. She dropped her travel bag on the bottom of the wardrobe and lay down.

She felt tired and she felt out of sorts. She had thought that returning to her human state would feel different somehow, that it would feel comfortable.

It was easier than learning an entirely new form, certainly, but after scant weeks as a cat it already felt a bit unfamiliar.

She was certainly glad that she was in her true form, but now that the first excitement had worn off she just felt the sort of dissatisfaction that comes from failed expectations.

She thought that she would be happier, perhaps.

Theresa eventually fell asleep and her dreams were filled with restlessness and anxiety. Sometimes she was a cat, sometimes she was human but she was always being hunted by Francine or by Francine's henchmen. She kept finding a safe place, only to be discovered or betrayed to her pursuers.

She came to understand that there was nowhere in the world that was safe; there was nowhere that she could run to escape.

Daphne, Thomas and Wildwood flitted into her dreams. Wildwood and Thomas helped her and they also helped her aunt. Daphne tried so hard but to no avail.

Their parents were dead. It was Aunt Francine who came into her room and told her. It was a terrible feeling, like someone had taken the whole world away from her. She missed them so much and she was so scared without them. She did not know what she was going to do.

But Aunt Francine was there and she knew what needed to be done. She was not as nice as mummy but she made sure that they were cared for. Theresa was glad that her aunt was there and could not quite remember why she was upset with Aunt Francine.

Theresa knew there was something that she had to do but she could not remember what and or why she cared because Aunt Francine would take care of everything. Still, she could not quite escape that nagging feeling that there was something she was missing so she looked all around the castle, trying to find what it was from the deepest cellars to the highest towers.

She found Aunt Francine at the top. She spoke in brisk tones and Theresa agreed with everything she said. Then Aunt Francine's face changed and she was like a monster with grasping claws. Theresa ran but she could never get away, Francine would not let her niece go no matter how hard Theresa struggled. Theresa felt despair. She screamed and ran but she could not escape.

"Theresa!"

Theresa opened her eyes. Daphne was sitting on the bed, staring at her with bright blue eyes by the light of the candle she held. "Wha—?"

"You were screaming. I heard you from my room. Were you having a nightmare?" Daphne asked.

No, I was screaming for fun, Theresa thought sourly. "Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Daphne inhaled heavily, apparently not sure how to handle Theresa.

Theresa could not really blame her; she did not know how to handle herself either lately.

She knew that she was not exactly the way she had been, but what could anyone expect when she had spent days trapped in a foreign body? Or maybe she was Theresa, but she did not even know who that human was anymore.

Theresa shook her head as if to clear it. She still felt anxious. There were real things that needed to be done.

They had to get to the capital and talk to the king. She had to make him understand what her aunt had done before Francine completely soured him with her lies. She wished that she had more proof.