Transformed [W&W Book 1]

Chapter 38

They reached the inn which Wildwood had planned for their stay just as the sun was beginning to sink behind the horizon. They ate a tolerable, hearty supper and headed to bed.

There were only two rooms available for their party, so Theresa, Daphne and the maid shared one room and Thomas, Wildwood and Jim stayed in the other. Theresa was not sure what became of the rest of their party. The maid helped both Daphne and Theresa get ready and excused herself from the room.

Daphne lay down on a bed. "I'm exhausted. This spell is tiring me out terribly."

Theresa felt a twinge of annoyance. Daphne was whining about a little disguise spell?

"I think that it's giving me a headache," she moaned.

Theresa could not stop herself from answering sharply "Spells don't work that way, unless they are supposed to give you one. Especially not little disguise spells. It doesn't even do anything to you, it just bends the light around you."

The only thing around here that could give headaches were irritating sisters.

"Since when have you been the expert?"

Theresa gritted her teeth. "Let's see, I've been carrying around spells cast upon me since we left Waldwick. And I've been reading magic texts, Daphne."

"Oh?" Daphne said, her tone clearly indicating how little impressed she was.

"You wouldn't know, of course. You've been running around with Thomas the whole time."

"Sir Thomas! And I was learning archery!" Daphne cried defensively.

Theresa smiled, but it was a nasty one. "And is that the only thing that you were doing with him?"

Daphne blushed a deep crimson. "You're a beast!" she said angrily and rolled over and showed Theresa her back.

Theresa felt slightly bad that she had upset Daphne, but she could not seem to help herself. They had never fought before they escaped.

Theresa did not know if it was because of the stress they were under or because Francine had forced them to be pleasant to each other.

Theresa went and lay down on the other bed. She heard the maid return and lie down on her cot and finally Theresa fell asleep.

* * * * *

Theresa was at home again and something was terribly wrong. She knew that someone was dead but she was not sure who it was. Perhaps it was her mother, or Daphne. It could be her father, or Wildwood. Maybe it was the chef or Jim or even the annoying Thomas. She just had a nagging feeling that she had lost someone.

She was standing before the door to her aunt's chamber, but she did not know who it was that Francine had killed. The door opened as if on its own.

"Theresa, come join us," said her mother. "We'll have a picnic on the lawn." The other people she feared for intoned the same words, until they were all talking at the same time.

But they were dead. All of them.

* * * * *

"Wake up! Theresa! Wake up!" Daphne said loudly.

Theresa's eyes flew open. Daphne's face was leaning over her. Her dead sister.

Theresa screamed.

"Theresa, calm down!" Daphne ordered.

It was so odd to hear an order from Daphne's mouth that Theresa really did calm down a bit.

"What were you dreaming? You're crying."