 
Beasts and Maidens

## By M.E. Timmons

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## Copyright 2012 M.E. Timmons

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## Smashwords Edition, Licence Notes

##

## This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Beasts and Maidens

Prologue

The air was hot and humid, and a faint smell of alcohol lingered. It was night, and only two candles burned in the room, casting a pale glow that flickered over the wood-paneled walls. There were four people in the room, three of whom were gathered around the woman lying in the roughly-hewn wooden bed. The off-white sheets appeared brown in the dim light.

Sweat beaded on the woman's forehead, and her young daughter mopped it away with a dry white cloth. The little girl cringed back when the woman moaned, moving to sit in the chair at the bedside. She hated seeing her mother like that, and it scared her.

"Just one more push," the midwife encouraged her. "You're almost there. Just one more."

The woman gripped her husband's hand hard enough to turn his fingers purple, but he knew better than to complain. His wife was in far more pain than he was.

The woman pushed. Her face turned red from the effort, but she was determined. Then the midwife was busy, and the woman drew in a shuddering breath of relief. She looked down, still clenching her husband's hand, though not quite as hard as before. She couldn't see anything, but she heard her husband's sharp intake of breath, and her daughter got up from her chair to take a look. The woman could tell by the girl's expression that she wasn't going to get good news. Indeed, the midwife confirmed her fear a moment later.

"It's a boy," she said softly, as if trying to lighten her words.

The woman nodded. A single tear escaped from her right eye, but she wiped it away before it could be noticed. Even though it was the third time, it still hurt to get such news.

The midwife finally lifted the baby so she could see him, though she didn't offer to hand him over. He wouldn't be staying there for much longer anyway.

The baby was small. Instead of the shining pink face of a daughter she had been hoping to see, the boy had red skin that was covered over on his abdomen with tufts of black fur. His eyes were large and deep purple in colour, and his face was slightly elongated and almost bat-like. The woman cringed involuntarily and looked away. She told the midwife what she wanted the boy to be named without looking at him again.

"Don't worry," the midwife said, wrapping the baby up in a blanket. "He'll be well taken care of in the forest, just like the others."

The woman nodded again, hoping that was the truth. She didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to her son before he was taken out of the room, never to be seen by her again.

Chapter 1

Dahlia spun around so she could see the back of her white gown in the mirror. Her lips puckered as she stared intently at her reflection over her shoulder. "Do you think this will do?" she asked Selene, her younger sister.

Selene was sitting a few feet away on the rough wooden bench near the entrance hall of the small house. She had her legs tucked underneath her in an unladylike fashion, but Dahlia was too used to such behaviour to bother scolding her for it.

"I think the sleeves are a little too poufy and the neckline a little too high, but it's suitable otherwise," Selene commented, shifting her position slightly. Her foot was starting to fall asleep.

Dahlia couldn't help but grin. "That's what happens whenever mother makes dresses. I suppose I could have tried making one myself, but I've never really had a talent for sewing."

Selene had to agree with that. While her sister was beautiful, with her shining dark brown hair and wide brown eyes, she had yet to find something that she was particularly good at. She was especially bad at performing magic spells, despite the witch's blood that ran through her and her sister's veins. She was a sweet young woman though, and much liked in their village of Spring Meadow.

Selene sighed. "I can't believe you're eighteen already. Promise me you'll tell me what happens during the ceremony. It's really annoying growing up knowing you're going to do it, and yet not having a clue what actually occurs."

Dahlia moved away from the small, cracked mirror and sat next to her sister on the bench. She leaned back against the peeling peach-coloured wallpaper, resting her hands on either side of her legs, feeling the bumpy texture of the wood with her fingers. "You know I can't tell you," she said, smiling slightly. "You aren't supposed to know what happens until you go through it yourself. I hate not knowing too, though. It makes me nervous. They're all going to be hideous, and yet I'm supposed to somehow fall in love and take one as my husband. A week doesn't seem like enough time for such a thing to happen."

"Maybe that's why only two or three women walk out of the forest with men every year," Selene suggested. "Who knows, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones. You're certainly beautiful enough to catch their attention, though I'm not sure that any will catch yours."

"I hope I do find someone," Dahlia said, her eyes taking on a dreamy quality. "It would be ever so nice. I'd have someone to share my life with, and I could even have children. I think I'd like to have children."

"I'm sure you'd be a great mother, but wouldn't you be worried about having a boy? You know how hard it was for Mother, and she had four. Four boys, four brothers, who we'll never know unless they fall in love and join the rest of us. Do you think you could handle that?"

Dahlia frowned. She tried to imagine what it would be like to have her own boy. She remembered being there for two of her brother's births, and she remembered how hideous they had been. The thought of such beasts coming from her own womb made her feel slightly nauseous. "I wish there had never been a curse. It really isn't fair to anyone. I wish we could grow up with boys who look like human beings, and be able to know our brothers."

"Don't you think that things would at least be better if the beasts lived with us instead of in the forest? Surely they're no different than us on the inside."

Dahlia crinkled her nose and gave her sister a funny look. "They're beasts, Selene. They have no place here. Who would want to look at them anyway? There's a reason why things are as they are."

Selene sighed. Unfortunately everyone seemed to share her sister's opinion. Even though the beasts were really just boys and men with a different exterior, they weren't allowed anywhere near the villages. They were forced to live in the forest, away from the rest of the population, which mostly consisted of girls and women. There were some men though, but just the ones who had become normal again, which only happened when they fell in love. That was the reason for the week-long ceremony that was held at the beginning of every summer. Selene thought it was all ridiculous, but she usually had to keep that opinion to herself, since it wasn't one that was commonly shared.

The girls' mother and father entered the front room together, both in their best clothes. Their mother, Frieda, walked over to the girls and reached down to clasp Dahlia's hands in her own, which were rough from years of hard work.

"It's time," she said, smiling. The skin at the corners of her brown eyes crinkled. "I remember when I was your age. I was terrified before the ceremony, and yet I got your father out of it. Let's hope that you'll be as lucky, and Selene when her time comes next year."

Velkan, their father, stood aside and watched. He was a quiet man, and he tended to keep to himself, though there was no question that he loved his daughters very much, especially Selene. While Dahlia took after their mother with her darker colouring, Selene looked and generally acted more like her father. She had the same dark red hair and grey eyes, and she was more thoughtful and serious than her mother and sister.

"Our house is awfully crowded as it is," Selene pointed out to her mother, trying to imagine having an extra person living there.

"I know that, but your father has agreed with me that if Dahlia brings a man home we will make an addition to the house. It will be expensive, but we could certainly use the extra space."

Velkan nodded. "It will undoubtedly be necessary."

"Yes, yes," Frieda said, releasing Dahlia's hands. "Anyway, if we don't leave now we'll be late. Come on girls. Selene, what did I tell you about sitting like that?"

Selene resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and she stood up, wincing as the foot that had been falling asleep came back to life with an onslaught of sharp tingling.

They all left the house together and walked toward the edge of the forest where the other families were gathering. Dahlia walked ahead with her arm linked through her mother's, prattling on nervously as she had a habit of doing. Selene walked behind them with her father, though they were both silent.

Most of the village was gathered in the meadow by the edge of the forest. It was the meadow that had given the town its name, and it was a place frequented by wildflower pickers. They were always careful to keep a safe distance from the woods, since entering the forest was forbidden, except during the ceremony. Selene spent a lot of time in the meadow herself, often collecting plants with which she and her mother made potions.

There had to be almost two hundred people there, but there were only around twenty standing in a line closest to the edge. Dahlia went up to join the line after giving her mother's hand a parting squeeze. Selene watched as Martin, the village's oldest man, walked up to the group. He turned to look back at the rest of the villagers who had gone to see their loved ones off and he raised his hands in a command for silence.

"I do believe everyone is here by now," he started. "You all know why we are gathered here today. These twenty two women are about to go into the forest. Some have been through this before, but there are a few new faces this year as well. In the forest they will meet the beasts who are also eighteen years and older, and I should caution you all that they won't be a pleasant sight. The women will meet with them to try to find a beast among them who could become a man they'll love. It is a ceremony that must be completed in order to continue our population. We must all wish these women good luck, and hope that they will be successful."

A few people in the crowd murmured to each other, while others shouted out to the women with their best wishes. Selene just silently squeezed her father's hand, and he gave her a light press in return.

With that part of his duty done, Martin headed into the forest, waving for the women to follow. Many looked back at their families for a last wave or smile, and a few hesitated before turning around and walking into the woods. One by one they disappeared into the shadows of the trees until they were all out of sight, not to be seen again for an entire week.

"Oh, I do hope she finds herself a husband this year," Frieda said, clasping her hands to her chest. "It would be wonderful for our family to be able to grow."

Velkan rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure she will," he reassured her.

She gave him a smile and patted his hand, and then they turned to go home, since they both had plenty to do. Selene was about to follow, but she heard her name being called so she stopped to see who wanted her. Jill Springdale, a fourteen year old girl from the village, was waving to her. She went over to see what she wanted.

Jill was an energetic girl, which was great for her mother, who was a widow and needed all the help she could get. She was short and wiry, but she had bright blue eyes and a smile that was contagious, making her seem bigger than she was. Selene liked her, but she could only stand to be around her for short periods of time because she found her a little exhausting.

"Mom's been having some bad luck with her garden this year," Jill said as soon as Selene was within hearing distance. She didn't even bother with a greeting, and she shifted her weight continuously from foot to foot. "She was wondering if you could make a potion or something to keep the slugs out, or maybe cast a spell to help with growth. I heard you did that for the Sunfields last year and they had the biggest harvest in the whole village."

"I think that had more to do with their hard work than my spell," Selene admitted. Her, her mother, and her sister were the only witches in the village, so they were often doing things for the other villagers. Frieda got paid for her magic, but Selene wouldn't get paid for it until she was eighteen, which wouldn't be for almost another year. Until then she would just have practice, and she was in higher demand than her mother because her services were free. The villagers weren't looking forward to the day she turned eighteen.

"I think it was the spell," Jill said. "Anyway, do you think you could help us out?"

"Yeah. I'll come by tomorrow afternoon to see what I can do," Selene told her.

"Great!" Jill said, smiling brightly. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." With that she ran off toward her house, which was at the bottom of a hill closer to the other side of the village. Selene turned and started walking home, far behind her parents.

She stopped suddenly when she was about to turn away from the forest and head to the road. She looked around cautiously. Her parents were a distance away; already well on their way home and almost out of sight. Most of the villagers had already dispersed, but a few remained to talk with other people. Selene knew she had to wait until they were gone, so she started picking wildflowers as a way to keep busy. No one paid any attention to her.

It took another five minutes before they were all gone. Selene looked around one last time, and then she slunk into the forest. There was a small path that started behind a large grey rock that had been created by her frequent trips. She followed it carefully, keeping a sharp eye out for dangers. In a few minutes she found herself in a small, mossy clearing that was dotted with rocks and surrounded by tall trees whose canopies provided a measure of shade. Even after being in the forest so many times, which was a forbidden act in itself, the sound of the rustling leaves still made her anxious. It drowned out the sound of anyone approaching. She sat down on her favourite rock, which was at the edge of the clearing.

She relaxed after a minute, as she always did. She looked up at the leaves above, where the bright sunlight filtered through only in spots. One spot hit her eye, and she had to blink a few times before her vision cleared. She closed her eyes anyway and sat with her head back, listening to the sounds of the forest and enjoying the fresh earthy air. A small rustle of leaves that sounded close caused her to open her eyes and look around.

A large brown rabbit appeared in the clearing. It came out from behind a rock and started slowly hopping around, looking for food. Its small nose twitched continuously as it sniffed around, completely ignoring Selene's presence. She watched the animal with fascination.

Suddenly, without the slightest bit of warning, an arrow appeared in the rabbit's side. It made a small, desperate squeaking sound as it tumbled over. Selene stared at the small creature with horrified shock.

A beast stepped out of the forest and into the clearing, a sheepish look on his face as he noticed Selene's expression. "Sorry you had to see that, but we've got to eat. I couldn't pass up the opportunity."

Selene glared at him. "You know how I feel about killing," she snapped.

The beast raised his clawed hands in a gesture of peace and the quiver of arrows behind his shoulder shifted slightly. "I know, Selene. Just give me a second and I'll get it out of your sight."

He set his bow and arrows down on the moss and took a canvas sac out of his belt. He pulled the arrow out of the rabbit, and Selene flinched at the sound. He put the rabbit in the sac and left it by his bow while he went over to where Selene was and sat down on the fallen log that was next to her rock. He had to make sure his tail didn't get in the way.

"Did your sister go into the forest for the ceremony?" the beast, whose name was Tornado, asked.

"Yes, only a few minutes ago. She was nervous, but I'm betting she'll come out with a man. Hopefully more of the women will this year. With the number of people who died this year from the flu, our village has been shrinking instead of growing. The farms have been suffering, and we could use all the help we can get."

Tornado nodded. He couldn't wait until it was his turn to go to the ceremony. He was used to being a beast, but even the beasts didn't like looking at each other. They had a few books with pictures in them of how normal people looked, and he wished he could be like them. He was covered from head to toe with long tan fur that tended to get in his eyes, and he had a wide head, two noses, and teeth that were short and blunt that went all the way across his wide, lipless mouth. His ears were no more than holes on the sides of his head, and he had to keep the hair around them trimmed in order to hear anything. His tail was three feet long, and it tended to get in the way when he wasn't using it to climb trees.

"Did you find anything new?" Tornado asked, changing the subject.

Selene frowned and shook her head. She hated giving Tornado bad news. "I've been through Varla's entire spell book, and I'm telling you there's nothing there. I don't think she wrote down how to break the curse. Of course, there are some pages in the book that I can't read, and some have even been reduced to dust. It's a very old book; almost a thousand years, I think."

Varla was the witch who had started the curse that turned the men into beasts almost a thousand years before. She had meant it to be temporary to get back at the men in her village who tended to be drunken slobs who preferred whores to their wives. It ended up being permanent, however, when Varla was killed in a duel with Wicesla, who was the most powerful witch at the time. Wicesla, being the evil witch that she was, left the curse in place even though she had the power to end it. There were rumours that she had taken the Draught of Eternal Life and was still alive somewhere, but no one had seen her for hundreds of years.

Selene, who was a descendant of Varla's, had her spell book and had been trying for months to find a spell to break the curse, but she couldn't even find the original curse in the book.

"Well, maybe there's some potion you could make to give to us that would make us normal again," Tornado suggested, and not for the first time. They had had this conversation many times and it always seemed to continue, ever since Selene first broke the rules three years before and ventured into the forest, where she found Tornado.

"I told you already, I don't think there is such a potion. We've already tried all the ones I could find," Selene said, looking down at her hands. She looked up suddenly at Tornado and grinned. "I did come up with another idea, though. I know they're forbidden, but what about a love potion? If you just need to fall in love to break the curse, then shouldn't that work?"

Tornado brightened, and his tail started dancing around behind him, which often happened when he was excited. "That's a really good idea. It would have to be given to a woman too though because she needs to love the beast in return. If we do that it just might work."

"We'd need test subjects, though," Selene pointed out, her smile fading. She felt something crawling on her hand, and looked down to see a small black spider. Instead of flicking it away she picked it up by its leg and set it in a small glass jar she always carried in the pocket of her dress. Spider webs were a common ingredient in love potions.

"True. We could always try it ourselves, I suppose," Tornado said, though he didn't sound enthusiastic about the idea.

Selene didn't like it either. "If we were supposed to be in love you would be human by now. I don't want to ruin our friendship. Besides, neither of us are old enough, and we'd both get in trouble if it worked."

"What if you had someone's backing? You could talk to the mayor about your idea, and maybe she would help you find people to try it. Surely there are desperate older women who have been going to the forest for years during the ceremony in hopes of finding someone. I know there are plenty of frustrated old beasts."

"Mayor Thornbrook wouldn't go for it. I think she likes things the way they are. If the plan worked it could put her seat as mayor in jeopardy, and she's far too power-hungry to let that happen."

"You could always try, Selene. Do it for me?" Tornado begged. He even pouted as best as he could.

Selene laughed. "Oh, alright. I'll ask her, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Good. Anyway, I've got to go clean out that rabbit. Come visit me tomorrow?"

"If I have time," Selene said. "I've got to help Jill with her mother's garden, and I promised Mom I'd help her with the laundry." She bit her lip. The word 'mom' was kind of a soft spot for Tornado. He had never known his mother. She saw a hint of some emotion play in his eyes, but it passed quickly, almost like it was never there in the first place.

Selene wished that she had met his mother herself so she could tell him about her, but she didn't live in Spring Meadow. The forest in which the beasts lived bordered three villages, and the beasts came from all three to live in the forest together. Tornado was actually born in Three Lakes.

"Maybe the day after, then," he said, shrugging. He stood up and brushed off the little splinters of wood that stuck to his shorts from the log. They were the only clothing he ever wore, even in the winter. He picked up his bow and quiver and the sac that contained the rabbit, and with one quick wave he was gone.

Selene sighed and stood up. She didn't want to have to talk to the mayor, but she knew it was her best option, and she really wanted to be able to help Tornado and all the other beasts who had done nothing wrong except have the misfortune of being cursed. It wasn't fair for them to be punished because of something that wasn't their fault. That was the way things had been for hundreds of years, however.

Selene thought about the prophesy. It had been made by the seer Gilda five years after Varla's death. She had been sitting by a fire with her needlework when it came to her, and it was her third one. One of her prophesies had already come true by that time, and the second since then, so the third was widely believed in despite the amount of time that had passed since its making. Gilda had nothing to write with at the time when it came to her, so she sewed it into the cloth she was holding. The cloth had long since ended up in the Queen's office, but there were written copies all over the lands of the kingdom.

Selene couldn't remember the exact words. It had been many years since she had seen a copy. It said something about a witch breaking the curse. She knew there were other witches in other villages in the kingdom, but she hoped to be the one in the prophesy. She was a descendant of its creator, after all, and she had plenty of reasons to break the curse. Still, she wasn't powerful enough, and she knew it.

She walked along her worn path to the edge of the forest. She peered around the rock at the end of the path and, satisfied that there was no one nearby, stepped into the meadow. The sun was rising higher into the sky and it left Selene's skin feeling warm and almost stiff. She looked around her.

From the meadow, which was at the top of a tall slope, she could see the whole village spread out below her. Spring Meadow was actually a valley, which made it isolated from the rest of the kingdom. There were mountains on three sides and the forest on the other, and the only road leading to and from the village was squeezed between two mountains. The valley had many hills, and one small river ran through the village from one of the mountains. The hills of the village were grassy, with very few trees dotting around the landscape. There was an area in the shade of a mountain near the road where there was a concentration of buildings that included the village hall, courthouse, church, and some small shops, all of which were tall wooden structures. There was no school, since in the village it was considered the parents' responsibility to teach their children. Elsewhere there were small houses spread out around the valley, most with barns and fields that were just sprouting new crops. The only large houses in the village belonged to the mayor, the judge, and Harold Greenwood, who owned most of the shops.

Selene looked over at her own home, which was at the top of one of the hills. It looked small, and she could swear it leaned a little to one side. They had no crops, but they had a small field for the cow, June. Selene could see June by the edge of the fence, her head down as she munched on the long grass. Her parents appeared as specks from the distance, but she could see her mother outside picking a few herbs from their small garden, and her father was waving goodbye as he headed off to work at a neighbour's farm.

Selene smiled at the scene of the valley below. It was her home, and the only place she'd ever known. She stayed for a few minutes to collect some plants, and then she headed down the hill and to the small dirt road that led into the rest of the village.

Chapter 2

It was cold when Selene woke up the next morning. She shivered and pulled her scratchy wool blanket tighter around her small body. Normally Dahlia would scold her for such an act, since they shared the bed, but Dahlia wasn't there to do so. Selene missed her suddenly, and she hoped the week would go by fast.

She heard her mother call from downstairs, and she remembered that she was supposed to help with the laundry, which was her least favourite chore. She groaned and sat up in bed. She wished there was a fire in the fireplace in the corner of the tiny room, but no one had thought to light it in the summer. It was still the beginning of summer, however, so there was still the crispness of spring in the air.

Selene shuddered when the cool air touched her body as she untangled herself from her blankets. She quickly changed into a simple brown cotton dress and tied on her apron, which had once been bright white but was now yellowing and worn from years of use. She pulled her curly red hair into a tight bun at the base of her neck, and then she headed down the narrow stairway to find her mother. The stairs creaked with almost every step.

Frieda had already filled the outdoor metal tub with water from the well at the base of the hill, and she had brought out the scrubber and the dirty laundry. When she saw that Selene was up she left to help Ms. Deer protect her sheep from wolves, which involved a complicated spell that Selene had not yet learned.

Selene sighed and rolled up her sleeves before testing the water with her fingertips. It was colder than she thought it would be, and she knew her hands would be numb before she had the chance to finish. She got to work anyway.

Amber Rosehill showed up by the time she was half done. Selene had seen her approach when she was at the bottom of the hill, and she quickly made her way over to where Selene was sitting on a rough wooden stool in front of the washing tub. Selene hung the pants she had been washing on the clothesline and used the interruption as a chance to warm up her hands, which had became mottled-blue in colour.

"I can come back another time if you're busy," Amber said. She stood looking down at Selene with her hands clasped together.

Amber was the mayor's niece, and since the mayor had no children of her own she had taken Amber under her wing and spoiled the girl as best she could. Amber was still a good-natured girl, and the same age as Selene at seventeen. She was probably the most beautiful girl in the whole valley, with her glistening blond hair, sparkling green eyes, and fair complexion. She was also lucky enough to not have to do any work, and she always wore nice clothes that looked brand new. Selene liked her anyway because she was a good listener, and Amber liked Selene because she was thoughtful and peaceful. Amber was Selene's best friend in the village, not counting Tornado, who she wasn't allowed to see anyway.

"I can spare a minute, at least," Selene said. She started rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them up. "What brings you over?"

"Well, there's something I wanted to tell you about. Are you up for it?"

Selene looked down at the tub of soapy water, and then she looked at Amber. She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess, if it won't take too long. Let's go inside."

The two girls went into the house and sat down in the small kitchen. The window was open, and the bright sunlight spread across the table between them, which was old and smooth and made of a light wood.

"So, what's on your mind?" Selene asked.

"Is anyone else here?"

"No. Mom and Dad have both gone out to work, and Dahlia's in the forest for the ceremony."

"Good." Amber leaned in closer. "I was visiting Harold Greenwood with my aunt yesterday, and his son Lloyd was there. You know, the one who married Susan last year? Anyway, I noticed that he was looking at me funny, and I couldn't figure out why. I didn't even know what his look meant since I hardly ever see any men."

"Well, did you figure it out?" Selene urged when Amber paused.

Amber blushed slightly, the hint of pink in her cheeks making her look more beautiful. "Yes, I did. You see, when Harold got up to take my aunt for a walk in the garden to show her his new roses, Susan went with them, leaving me alone with Lloyd. He came over and sat with me. Then he tried to kiss me."

Selene gasped, horrified. "You didn't let him, did you?"

Amber dramatically waved a hand. "No, of course not. I kind of wanted him to, though. He is rather handsome."

"Amber!! Don't you know what would happen if you let him kiss you?!"

The girl looked confused. Her eyebrows came closer together and she frowned, thinking. "Nothing would happen, right? Well, aside from what would happen if Susan found out. I certainly wouldn't want to do anything to hurt her or her marriage. Oh Selene, I can't wait until we are eighteen."

Selene's large grey eyes narrowed to slits, as they often did when she disapproved of something. "If you let him kiss you he would turn back into a beast," she informed her friend. "I thought you would have known that already. It's happened before. When a man kisses another woman he turns his back on the love that made him a man in the first place."

Amber scrunched her nose up. "Ugh. Imagine if I had been kissing him and that happened. I would have run out of the house screaming. I guess it's a good thing I didn't let him kiss me."

Selene sighed. Amber reminded her an awful lot of Dahlia sometimes. They were both beautiful and had similar personalities, and yet they didn't get along at all. "You should never let any man kiss you unless he is your husband," she said.

"I can understand why now. I wish we could go into the forest now, instead of having to wait. Eighteen years is a dreadfully long time. Surely we would be ready at sixteen. I want to know what it's like to be kissed."

Selene secretly did too, but she didn't like to admit it.

Amber left shortly after and Selene went back to doing the laundry. It took her another hour to finish, and by that time her hands were not only freezing cold but also raw from all the scrubbing. She went inside and had a quick meal of bread and cheese and then headed out to see Jill, bringing her own spell book with her. She thought of stopping to see Tornado, but she didn't have anything new to report yet so she continued on her way.

The Springdales' little house at the bottom of a hill was empty when Selene arrived. Ursula Springdale, Jill's mother, was probably down by the shops where she sold her cloths and vegetables, though it was still too early to be selling the latter. Selene managed to find Jill outside, where she was collecting eggs from the chickens.

"Oh good, you're here," Jill said when she saw Selene. She pulled her hand out of the chicken coup, holding an egg. She put it in the cloth-lined straw basket she held in the other hand. "I've got to bring these eggs inside, and then we can get to work. The garden's over there if you want to take a look."

Selene nodded. She already knew where the garden was, but that didn't matter. She walked over to it while Jill skipped toward the house. The garden patch was perfectly square and about ten feet long and wide. The soil was in good shape, but the plants growing in it were small and feeble. Jill had mentioned slugs the day before, but Selene only saw one. She picked it off its perch and put it in her jar. Her mother used slugs often for sleeping draughts.

"It's pretty sad-looking, isn't it?" Jill said, appearing suddenly and smiling as always. Selene hadn't heard her approach. "Do you think you can help?"

"Do the vegetables usually grow better?" Selene inquired.

"Not every year. It varies."

Selene looked up at the sun, which was almost hidden from view because of the hill. The garden was already in shadow and it was only midday. "They aren't getting enough sun. The hill's in the way."

Jill stopped grinning, though she didn't frown. "Does that mean there's nothing you can do? Do we have to move the whole garden?"

"Give me a moment," Selene said. She sat on the grass by the garden and pulled her spell book out of the pocket in her apron. She scanned the pages quickly. The book contained every spell she had learned so far; copied carefully from her mother's or ancestors' books. She stopped on a page near the middle. "I think I found one that will do."

"What is it? Can you do it now?" Jill was practically hopping up and down in her excitement.

Selene nodded. "I can do it now. It's just a simple growth spell, but it should work even with the lack of sunlight, if all goes well." She was starting to get eager to be done, since Jill was starting to annoy her already. Jill stepped back, watching with a wide smile as Selene recited the ancient words.

# Spirits of the forest help me now,

# Those of green and good,

# The ones that make the trees grow green,

# And rise as tall as they should.

#

# Spirits of the sun,

# I am also in need of your aid,

# Shine your light upon this earth,

# From whence good things are made.

#

# Join me now bright spirits,

# And infuse this here ground,

# Give it your energy and strength,

# And let great greens be found.

As soon as Selene started the recitation, she felt a power rise within her. Jill watched with wide eyes as a green glow began to surround Selene. When she finished saying the words the green glow broke away from her entirely and slowly spread over the patch of land before disappearing into the earth. Selene shut her spell book.

"That should help. If it doesn't do anything just let me know and I'll come back and try something else."

"Thank you!" Jill screeched. She jumped and gave Selene a hug that left her feeling breathless by the time she let go.

Selene nodded. "Good luck," she said, stepping away.

"Oh, won't you stay awhile? Mother would love to have you over for dinner. Do stay, Selene."

She shook her head. "Perhaps another time. I have something I need to do." She didn't really, but she wanted to get away. She figured it was a good time to talk to Mayor Thornwood anyway, since she was closer to town hall than she was at home. It wouldn't be a long trip. She wasn't looking forward to it, but it was better than staying with an extremely energetic fourteen-year-old. She even found her sister tiring and Dahlia wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about anything. The only people who never bothered her were Tornado and her father.

Jill protested some more, but Selene got away. She walked down the worn dirt road, avoiding the occasional rider on horseback and one carriage. She stopped a few times along the way to pick some flowers that were growing along the road. She put them in the pocket of her apron next to her spell book.

The town hall was one of the oldest buildings in the village, and also one of the nicest. It was three stories tall and it actually had a stone foundation, whereas most buildings in the village were built right on the ground. It was made of wood, and the windows were made of glass, which was a rare and expensive material throughout the entire kingdom. Selene's house just had shutters to cover the window holes when it got cold.

When she went inside she was directed by a portly woman at the front desk to the mayor's office, which was on the second floor. She went up the carpeted staircase and turned to the right, surprised that there were not more people around. The mayor's office was the first door she came across, and it was wide open. She knocked politely anyway.

"Come in," Mayor Thornbrook's gruff voice called out.

Selene stepped in cautiously. Mayor Thornbrook was sitting behind her large oak desk and was peering at a document through a looking glass. She was a tall and thin woman with greying brown hair and sharp brown eyes. She was wearing a stiff wool dress in a deep shade of blue that almost matched perfectly with the flowery wallpaper in the room. There was a mixture of smells in the air that Selene had a hard time identifying, though she thought she could make out the scents of jasmine and an expensive type of ink that was always present on official papers.

"Sit," Mayor Thornbrook barked. She looked up finally and glanced appraisingly at Selene, who was trying hard not to fidget, even though she had met the mayor before a few times when she was with Amber. "What brings you to my office, Ms. Brookbank?"

"Well, I have been trying to find a way to break the curse, or at least do something to minimize its effects," Selene explained, trying not to let her voice shake even though she was nervous.

The corners of the mayor's mouth turned down slightly, but otherwise her expression didn't change. She wasn't happy though. "Go on," she encouraged.

"I was thinking that maybe a love potion would work. It would have to be given to both a beast and a woman, I know, but I think that maybe it could work and help us get a few more men in the village to help us out with everything, and it would help our population grow." Selene's voice was starting to waver a little despite her best efforts.

Mayor Thornbrook looked at her blankly. "Why did you come to me with this idea?"

Selene squirmed. "Well, I would need help and support, especially with finding people to test the potion on. I can't do it myself. A beast would have to be involved, and I'm not allowed to just go waltzing into the forest to find one."

The mayor rested her elbows on her desk and brought her hands together. She rested her chin on her fingertips, her gaze almost becoming a glare. "The curse has been with us for almost a thousand years, and you really think no one has tried a love potion? You're not as bright of a girl as I thought you were."

The mayor's words stung Selene like the crack of a whip. She flinched in her seat. There was a tense moment of silence before she could gather the courage to speak again, though when she did her voice came out sounding small. "Do you know for sure that someone has tried it?" she asked.

The mayor stood up, and her newly gained height only made her more intimidating. She walked over to a wooden cabinet in the corner of the room a couple feet away. When she opened the door Selene saw that the cabinet was full of shelves that featured layer upon layer of scrolls. The mayor ruffled through them until she finally pulled one out. She brought it over to her desk and unravelled it.

"'The love potion was given to both the beast and the woman,'" the mayor read out loud. "'They were put in a room with only each other, but I watched what happened through a peephole in the door. The beast, who was hideous enough to make me feel queasy, took one look at the woman and said it wasn't working. She could hardly look at him at all, but when she did she had to agree with him. Neither of them felt the effects of the potion. I opened the door. As soon as I did the woman in the room looked at me and sighed. The potion worked, alright, just not for the right person. I had to make an antidote so she would stop following me everywhere. The beast, however, was not affected in the slightest.'

"That was a small excerpt from the writings of Vincent Moonflower, who died back in the year of the maple. There are memoirs from many witches over the centuries who have tried to break the curse, and clearly none of them succeeded. Do not waste your time with this foolishness, Ms. Brookbank. It will take you down a lonely path that will only lead to bitter frustration. I can assure you that anything you wish to do has already been done."

"But surely-" Selene began, but she was interrupted.

"You heard what I said, Ms. Brookbank. Now kindly go home to your parents and don't waste any more of my time with this nonsense."

Selene didn't know what else to do, so she merely got up and said a quick goodbye before turning to leave. Before she stepped out of the room she noticed a framed piece of parchment hanging on the wall, and she took a few seconds to read it:

# It takes one of heart to destroy darkness,

# And one of honour to destroy fear,

# It will take a young witch to destroy hatred,

# Of how one is forced to appear.

#

# The beastly curse will be ended,

# The one that has plagued our land,

# Our peace will be restored,

# And the free population will expand.

Seeing the prophesy only made her feel worse as she left the building. She felt dejected and hopeless, and she barely paid any attention at all to her surroundings as she walked home, thinking of nothing but her own uselessness.

Chapter 3

Selene went to see Tornado first thing in the morning. There was still dew clinging to the grass as she walked through the meadow, and it was almost dark in the clearing because the sun hadn't quite gotten high enough in the sky to make it over the trees. She sat there, shivering, for almost twenty minutes before Tornado arrived. He sat on his usual log, absentmindedly brushing some hair out of his eyes with one clawed hand.

"I found a neat spot by the stream," he said, not bothering to say hello. "It's a little cave. I think something might have lived in it once, but it's been empty for a while. Want to check it out?"

"Torn, I went to see Mayor Thornbrook yesterday afternoon," Selene told him. She wanted to break the news as soon as possible so that it wouldn't be eating away at her conscience. "Love potion has been tried before, and it didn't work."

Tornado's face fell, and his tail stopped moving. "So what do we do now?"

"I don't know. I'm running out of ideas." Selene started feeling that uncomfortable lump in her throat that meant she wanted to cry, but she fought the feeling angrily.

"Hey now, it's okay," Tornado said. He got up from his log and sat next to Selene on her rock, putting an arm around her shoulders.

Selene realized that she had lost the war on her tears, and they were falling quietly down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and leaned into her friend, comforted by his warmth. She thought about how silly it was that he was comforting her when it should have been the other way around. Her failure to help affected him more than it did her.

"I just... I just really wanted to be able to make a difference, you know? I wanted you to be free. I wanted all of you to be free. You shouldn't be stuck in the forest, and..." Selene trailed off, unable to stem the flow of her tears.

"You sound like you've given up," Tornado observed, carefully controlling his anger. It wasn't Selene he was mad at. He was mad at Varla for creating the curse, and he was mad at Mayor Thornwood, since he knew she had something to do with Selene's newfound hopelessness.

Selene looked up at Tornado and wiped her tears away. "I'd never give up on you, Torn. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. I feel lost."

"I have an idea," Tornado said, brightening suddenly. His tail started moving again. "You might not like it, but I think it's a good idea."

"Oh?"

"Go further into the forest with me. I'll take you to where we live, and you can meet the others. I'm sure they'd be happy to see a normal human being in person, instead of just looking at pictures. You can even meet your brothers. They all live together near the western edge of the forest. I don't know them very well, but they'd probably be happy to meet one of their sisters."

Selene sighed wistfully. "That sounds nice, but what would it accomplish? If anything it would likely just get me in trouble. Actually, it would probably get everyone else in trouble. What if the authorities thought I was kidnapped or something?"

Tornado scrunched up his face. "I'm not really sure what it would accomplish, but I still think it's a good idea. If you really want to do it, then why not?"

"You know I can give you dozens of reasons why I shouldn't."

"And you know I can give you more reasons why you should," Tornado countered.

Selene didn't need much convincing. She desperately wanted to meet her brothers, and she wanted to see the other beasts as well. More than anything she wanted to give them hope, but she knew that would be a dangerous thing to do, especially when she had nothing to offer but her dedication. At least she could show them that at least one female was willing to stand by their side, no matter what they looked like.

She didn't voice her acceptance to the plan out loud, but Tornado could read it in her face by the way it slowly lit up while she thought about it. He grinned suddenly, and the expression took up most of his face. "Want to go now?" he asked.

Selene thought about it and then shook her head. "As much as I'd love to, it isn't the best time. I think we should wait until the ceremony is over. There will be less risk of me getting caught by then."

"The day after it ends, then?"

"Yes."

Tornado was as excited as Selene was, but he hid it better. He couldn't wait to share the rest of his world with her, and he was happy to do something that would help Selene after all she'd tried to do for him. He owed her, and introducing her to her brothers seemed like a good way to make her happy.

Tornado actually felt guilty most of the time when he was with Selene. She was always trying to find ways to break the curse, and sometimes he felt like he encouraged her too much. He didn't mean to put pressure on his best friend, no matter how much he wanted to be free. She had always accepted him as he was, even on the day they met three years before.

"So, do you want to check out that cave now?" Tornado asked.

"Well, if you insist," Selene said, grinning.

"I do. Just follow me, my lady," Tornado said, bowing and holding out his hand.

Selene giggled and shoved his hand away, then starting running further into the forest. Tornado, who was laughing, had to run to catch up to her.

"You're going the wrong way!" he teased, though Selene already knew the way to the stream and was going the right way.

The stream was little more than a trickle of water falling over a few rocks and pooling in areas. Unlike the river, it didn't come from the mountains. The water came up from an underground spring, though Tornado had yet to find its origin and Selene never went far enough into the forest to look for it.

On the way to the cave the two chatted playfully. Tornado told stories about the beasts and how they had just taken in another baby from Blue Falls, the third village on the border of the forest. Tornado thought the baby was a particularly interesting shade of orange. Selene told him about helping Jill with her garden, and then she told him about Amber, even though Tornado always said that Amber sounded like a silly person whenever she talked about her. Selene secretly thought he was just jealous.

Tornado was just telling Selene how close they were when they both stopped dead in their tracks. There had been a distinct snapping sound of someone stepping on a dry twig, and that sound was followed by a rustle of leaves and then someone humming. Tornado relaxed.

"It's just Edgar," he whispered. "He's a daydreamer. Just stay low and he won't see us."

Edgar soon came into view, and he certainly did seem to be off in his own world. He hardly paid attention to where he was going, and he even walked into a tree as he got closer. He was lucky he had great curling horns on either side of his head with which to protect himself. They were as blue as the rest of his body.

Selene and Tornado were crouched behind a bush, though it offered little cover. As they were watching Edgar stumble about, they didn't notice the rabbit that hopped out in front of them, but Edgar did. He stopped walking and looked at the rabbit, and then he looked up, right at Selene.

She sucked in a breath and stared back at Edgar, unable to move. They started at each other for almost a full minute, and then Edgar's eyes shifted to Tornado. He shrugged and then started walking again as if he hadn't just seen someone who wasn't allowed to be there. His humming resumed as he walked past them, not bothering to look back.

Selene stayed in her crouched position until Tornado gave her a little shove that almost knocked her off balance. She stood up slowly.

"See? That wasn't so bad," Tornado said, shrugging like it was no big deal, even though he knew that it sort of was.

"He saw me," Selene whispered, still shocked. It was the first time any beast other than Tornado had seen her in the forest.

"Edgar keeps to himself since he's one of the older beasts. I don't think he'll say anything. Most of us beasts don't care much about the rules anyway," Tornado said honestly. "We only follow them if it'll harm us if we don't. For example, we don't leave the woods because we know it's a death sentence. You being here doesn't actually do much harm, especially since you aren't likely to be caught."

"Um, I just was caught, remember?"

"Not by anyone who cares," Tornado assured her.

"Do you mind if we skip out on the cave today? I'm thinking it's probably safest for the both of us if I just go home for now."

"I don't think it'll disappear any time soon," Tornado said, though he was disappointed and worried about his friend. "Come back to see me?"

Selene made an effort to smile, even though her insides felt like they were turning in jagged circles. "You know I will," she said, and she headed out of the forest, leaving Tornado behind.

Chapter 4

The day the ceremony ended came quickly enough. It was a day of celebration throughout the village, since it usually brought a few new men. Everyone was excited, especially the mothers who had had sons, since they desperately hoped to see them again. They had been talking of little else for the past week.

Selene was anxious. She missed Dahlia, and she wanted to know if her sister was bringing a man home with her. She doubted it, mostly because Dahlia was kind of shallow, but she still hoped. She thought it might be nice to have a brother-in-law, and someone to keep Dahlia distracted.

Selene's mother was more anxious than she was. It was the first time she had a daughter in the ceremony, and she had high hopes for Dahlia. She was also one of the mothers who hoped to see a son. Two of her sons were old enough to be in the ceremony, and she wanted them to come home. Selene still remembered the time four years before, which was when her eldest brother turned eighteen. Frieda had been able to think of nothing else, and she was so anxious she was almost impossible to talk to during the week of the ceremony.

The entire village was gathered in the meadow by midday. A colourful tent was set up along with a bright blue banner, and many people had brought dishes of food for the celebration. There was a small band of fiddle players standing just outside the tent to provide some entertainment, and a few people were dancing merrily.

Selene arrived with her parents, but she was dragged away from them by Amber, who insisted that she dance. After a couple of songs Amber got tired and so the girls went over to one of the tables under the tent and sat down. Selene watched Mayor Thornwood, who was talking to Mr. Sunfield, while Amber prattled on about how excited she was. The mayor was looking as stern as she usually did, and when she caught Selene staring she just stared back with a blank look on her face before turning back to Mr. Sunfield. Seeing the mayor brought back the anger and hopelessness Selene had felt after what the woman had said.

A trumpet called sometime in the middle of the afternoon, and everyone in the meadow suddenly became quiet. Even the fiddlers stopped playing. Mayor Thornwood moved from where she was to the edge of the forest, where she would greet everyone who walked out. The trumpet was the signal that let them all know that the women and hopefully men would be coming along shortly.

Selene left Amber and went over to her parents, who were standing together. Her mother was grasping her husband's hand, and her complexion had suddenly become whiter. Selene grabbed her mother's other hand and watched the forest carefully for any sign of movement. Her heart was beating faster than usual, but she had no control over it.

It was tradition for the women who found men to come out of the woods last, so everyone was hoping that the people they were waiting for wouldn't be the first to step out. The air was heavy with tension as everyone waited. It was the biggest moment of the whole year for everyone in the village, and it was taken very seriously.

Isobel Sunfield stepped out first, her spotted face red with embarrassment as everyone looked at her. She quickly went to her parents after shaking the mayor's hand, as if joining the crowd would take the attention away from her, though it didn't. Eyes remained on her until the next girl stepped from behind the trees.

Three more girls stepped out, all looking ashamed of themselves since they were clearly alone. They went to their families, who tried to hide their disappointment, though it was still clearly written on their faces.

By the time the twentieth girl stepped out alone, the whispers of the crowd converged into an audible hum, and people were straining their necks as they tried to see through the trees. Selene could feel her mother grow excited because Dahlia would be one of the last two people to leave, and that meant her chances of being with a man were much higher.

Dahlia came out next. There was a collective cheer from the crowd as a handsome young man stepped out beside her with a silly grin on his face. Selene didn't think he looked like anyone she knew, so she assumed he was from a different village. Dahlia led the young man over to her family, where her mother was eagerly waiting to be introduced to her future son-in-law.

Up close Selene saw that the man had black hair and hazel eyes, a slightly crooked nose, a wide smile, and a strong chin. He nodded to her parents by way of greeting, and continued to grin.

"Mom, Dad, this is Henry," Dahlia told them. She was positively glowing with happiness. "He's from Blue Falls."

Frieda pulled Henry into a hug, which caught him off guard. He had never been hugged before. "Welcome to the family, dear," she said once she released him. "We're very glad to have you, as long as you treat my daughter right."

Dahlia rolled her eyes. "Mom..." she whined.

"Your mother makes a fair point," Velkan said to Dahlia as he shook Henry's hand.

"Sure. This is my sister, Selene," Dahlia told Henry, nodded to Selene. Henry shook her hand politely as well.

They had been too busy greeting Dahlia and Henry to notice the last two people to come out of the forest. One was Norell Juniper, who was twenty three, and the other was Viron Westbranch, who was thirty and from Three Lakes. There was a cheer for them as well, though there was also much hidden disappointment, since there were no men from their own village, which meant no sons.

The celebration was a short one, and people started heading home pretty early. Selene and her family were some of the last people to leave the meadow since they were some of the few people who had something to celebrate. Dahlia and Henry spent much time dancing (after Dahlia taught him how) until they were too tired to continue and the whole family decided to go home.

Henry had to stay with them, since he had nowhere else to go. Their house was small and had only two bedrooms, so Frieda turned the couch into a bed for Henry. It was likely that he would end up sharing the second bedroom with Dahlia, leaving Selene on the couch, but it was improper for that to happen before they were married.

Selene couldn't help but like Henry. Unlike most men, he was rather cheerful and social. He liked to talk, and one didn't need to know about the curse to see that he loved Dahlia. He often held her hand, and he would gaze at her as if she were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He never left her side the whole evening.

When Selene and Dahlia finally got to bed that night, it was clear that Dahlia wasn't ready to go to sleep. Selene curled up into a ball and closed her eyes, but her sister rested on her back with her eyes wide open. She was far too excited to even close her eyes, and she couldn't help but keep Selene awake since she wanted to talk to her.

"Isn't Henry perfect?" she said, sighing lightly. She rolled onto her side to face her sister.

"He's great, Dahlia," Selene said sleepily without opening her eyes.

"He's more than just great. I couldn't ask for a better husband. Of course, he isn't my husband yet, but I was thinking of asking father tomorrow if we could get married this week. You'll be my maid of honour, won't you?"

Selene reluctantly opened her eyes even though she desperately wanted to get some sleep. Dahlia's face was only a foot from hers, and she was smiling brightly. Her eyes appeared glossy in the moonlight coming in from the open window. "I will be if you want me to. I'll even help make your dress so that it doesn't end up looking like the rest of the ones Mom makes. I'll pick some flowers, too."

"Oh, thank you! That would be wonderful. I'm sure it will be the most beautiful wedding the village has ever seen. Henry will look ever so handsome all dressed up, don't you think?"

Selene mumbled an unintelligible response, though that didn't discourage Dahlia.

"I hope we have many children together," she continued. "Of course, it would be great if they were all girls, but I can't honestly expect that. With Henry being as handsome as he is I'm sure our daughters will all be beautiful. It will be wonderful having them running around the house. Of course, the house would need to be bigger. We'll have to make our own once we can afford to buy our own land. Henry seems strong, so hopefully he'll be able to make a decent amount of money. I'd help myself if I had any talents. Do you know of anything I could do to make some money?"

Selene had closed her eyes again and was pretending to be asleep. Dahlia finally noticed, and she sighed. She could spend all night talking about Henry and her future, but supposed her sister needed some sleep. There would always be the next day, after all. The prospect made her smile as she turned over and closed her eyes.

Selene noticed that her sister had stopped talking, and she was glad. She had big plans for the next day, and she wanted to be ready. She was tired but not sleepy though, so she knew sleep wouldn't be as easy to find as she'd like it to be. She was too busy thinking about meeting the other beasts to care. By this time the next day she would know her brothers.

Chapter 5

Selene slept in accidently. When she woke up Dahlia was gone and the covers were thrown back, exposing Selene through her nightgown to the chilly morning air. When she looked out the open window and saw how high the sun was in the sky, she scrambled to get dressed and ready for the day.

When she went downstairs she found her mother in the corner of the cramped kitchen that she used to make potions. She was cutting up some ingredients, but she put her knife down when Selene entered the room.

"I was starting to think you'd be sleeping all day," Frieda said. She wiped her hands on her apron.

"You could have woken me up; I didn't mean to sleep for so long. Where are Dahlia and Henry?"

"Henry had to go out looking for a job. There are a few places around the village that need the help, so he shouldn't have too much trouble. Dahlia went with him to show him around. She was in quite a good mood this morning."

Selene grabbed an apple from a basket on the counter and then sat at the kitchen table to eat it. Her mother returned to cutting up clover root.

"I could use your help with collecting a few plants I need for a healing draught," Frieda said.

Selene rolled her eyes behind her mother's back and groaned inwardly. She just wanted to get to the forest, and she was late enough already. "I kind of already have plans, Mom. Is there any way you can do without me for today?"

Her mother sighed. "Fine. I'll let you off the hook for today, but I'll be expecting your help tomorrow. We're going to have to work as hard as we can to save enough money for an addition to the house. Wood isn't cheap, you know."

"I'll help as much as I can," Selene promised. She wanted the new addition as much as anyone else, and she wasn't afraid to work for it. She could help her mother with a lot of things, especially with her witchcraft. She was pretty good at making potions, and as long as her mother was the one to give them to their customers they'd get the money for them.

As soon as she was finished eating, Selene left the house. She almost ran to the forest in her haste to get there, and she was very glad that there were no other people around. She slunk into the forest and followed her path to the mossy clearing, where Tornado was already waiting for her.

"I wasn't sure you were going to be able to make it," Tornado said. His tail was dancing around behind him as if he couldn't control it.

"Of course I came. I just accidently slept in, is all. I'm far too excited to miss this. I hope there hasn't been any change of plans?"

"Not on my side," Tornado told her. "I haven't exactly told anyone that I'm bringing you, so expect them to be surprised. Hopefully they'll react well, but you never know. I've got my bow with me just in case, but I highly doubt that I'll have to use it. I'm going to take you through the main camp first, and then out to where your brothers live."

"Did Edgar mention me to anyone?" Selene asked. She hadn't been back to the forest since he'd seen her, and during that time she'd lived in an anxious state; always thinking someone was going to come and take her away for breaking the rules. She was still worried about it, though she was about to do something far more drastic that would be much more likely to get her in trouble. At least it was intentional this time.

"He didn't say a word to anyone but me," Tornado assured her. "He mentioned it to me once when we were alone together, but he wasn't accusing either of us of anything. He just wanted to know who you were, though I didn't feel comfortable telling him. He didn't ask me anything else after that."

Selene breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," she said. "Can we go now?"

Tornado grinned his wide grin, displaying all of his small, flat teeth. "Of course. Just follow me."

They didn't talk much as they walked through the woods. Tornado was excited and yet relaxed, and he knew the forest well enough to have to pay little attention to where he was going. Selene was nervous, and she was in unfamiliar territory, so she had to pay close attention to the ground and trees around her to avoid tripping or walking into anything. She couldn't help but enjoy the walk since it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly and it warmed her whenever she was out of the shadows, and the air was a little more humid, though a slight breeze kept it from becoming stuffy.

Selene knew when they were close to the camp because she could hear it. There were the sounds of people speaking as well as the sounds of people working. Some of the beasts weren't capable of proper speech, and they made some unusual sounds, including gargling and a high-pitched wailing.

She saw the beasts before they saw her. When they were at the edge of the camp she saw that the ground was different. It was well worn, and there were no bushes or other short plants growing there; only tall trees, some of which held up homes. There were brightly coloured beasts walking around, mostly carrying things like pieces of wood, vegetables, or dead animals. There were small huts and tents everywhere, almost as if they were a natural part of the forest. They were in the trees, around the trees, on the ground, and some even seemed to be underground.

When Selene and Tornado stepped into the main clearing of the camp, the beasts finally noticed that there was a stranger in their midst. They stopped what they were doing and stared. All of the younger ones and some of the older ones had never seen a woman before, or any man other than Martin, who brought the beasts supplies. They looked at her with as much interest as she looked at them. She had heard of the variety of different beasts, but it was a whole different experience to actually see them.

Something happened then that caught Selene entirely by surprise. She was looking around at the beasts, taking in all of their colours and shapes. Then she stopped on one of them. He looked gigantic, since he must have been at least seven feet tall, and he was covered in ragged black fur. His eyes were small and bright green, and he had a snout that was full of razor-sharp teeth. He had one arm that seemed to be coming from his chest, and his three legs were long and spindly. He was probably the biggest and ugliest beast there, and yet there was something in his eyes that drew Selene's attention and made her heart pound in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. A few seconds later he started to transform right before her eyes.

The transformation looked painful. He moaned, and then he fell down to his knees. The arm in his chest shrunk, and two new arms started coming out of his shoulders, and they were free of fur. In fact, all of his fur seemed to be disappearing, except the fur on his head, which only changed colour and texture. His face flattened out, and his body shrunk as his legs became shorted and more naturally shaped and one disappeared entirely. In what seemed like only seconds, there was no longer a beast kneeling there. He got up and had to keep a hold on his shorts to keep them from falling off.

Selene admired his beauty. His entire upper body was bare, as were his lower legs, so she could see how well he was built, and it sent a shiver down her spine. He had curly brown hair and eyes as blue as a clear summer sky. He looked at her with those eyes, and she felt like she wanted to melt.

The other beasts had watched his transformation with amazement. Many had never seen it happen before, and to see it then was wholly unexpected. They looked at Selene, who was in more shock than they were. Love at first sight was a very rare occurrence, even during the ceremony.

The beast who had just become a man walked up to Selene and took one of her hands in one of his, using the other to keep his shorts up. He felt awkward using his new limbs, and yet they felt more natural to him than his previous ones ever did. "My name is Jenson Redwing," he told Selene, who hadn't resisted his hand. He thought she was incredibly beautiful, with her fiery red hair and penetrating grey eyes.

"I'm Selene Brookbank," she managed to reply. She didn't really know what else to say to this man who had just changed for her. All she knew was that she never wanted to let him go.

Tornado cleared his throat loudly. Selene turned to look at him, though she continued to hold onto Jenson's hand. Everyone turned to look at him, actually, so he decided to address them all. They waited in silence.

"Everyone, this is Selene," he said, motioning to her. "Despite the risk and the law, she has come here to meet everyone. She isn't like most normal humans because she's able to see past what we look like, and she's been trying to help us for a while, though it's proving to be a difficult task."

An older-looking beast with a scaly brown body stepped forward from the crowd. "It ain't a smart idea to be bringing her here," he growled. "You've already caused one problem by doing so. If Jenson leaves the forest with her they'll both be in serious trouble."

"Yeah, I wasn't really expecting anything like that to happen," Tornado admitted. He turned to Selene. "That's Brisham, the beast who raised me."

"It's nice to meet you, Brisham," Selene said, nodding in his direction. She had heard much about him from Tornado during the years she'd known him. "I apologize for the disturbance I've caused."

"I'm not sorry," Jenson spoke up, looking down at Selene and smiling. She blushed slightly and smiled back.

Brisham shook his head. "Kids," he muttered, turning to go back to his hut. A few others went back to work as well, though a few stayed to watch Selene, still amazed to see her.

"Um, I guess we should continue on," Tornado said. "We've still got to get to the outskirts to see your brothers."

"Is that why you came in here?" Jenson asked.

"Not entirely," Selene told him. "It played a large part in the decision, but it wasn't the only reason. I kind of wanted everyone to know that there was someone out in the village who still supported them, and wasn't afraid to be around them."

Jenson nodded, but he didn't comment. He started walking with them to her brothers' hut, but Tornado stopped him.

"I think you should probably get some clothes on," he pointed out, since Jenson was still struggling to keep his shorts up.

"Fine. Will you be coming back here?"

"Yeah. We'll pass through on our way back."

Jenson reluctantly let go of Selene's hand, and he gave her a parting smile before turning and heading for a nearby tree that held up his home. She watched him for a few seconds before following Tornado out of the camp.

"That's going to create a few problems," Tornado said as they walked through the woods, passing the occasional hut or tent.

Selene sighed. "I know it will, but it's not like I did it on purpose. Now I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I have to do something. I didn't even want to fall in love, but now that it's happened I can't say I really regret it."

Tornado was actually a little jealous of both of them. He wished that he too could fall in love, and not only so he could be human. He was a bit of a romantic, though he would never admit that to anyone. Regardless, he was happy for his friend.

The Brookbank brothers, all still together, lived in a one-room wooden hut by the edge of the stream. They had been with a guardian for most of their lives, but he had died two years before. They were old enough to be on their own anyway.

They didn't know that they had two sisters. They were only now aware that they had one, since two of the brothers had met Dahlia during the ceremony, but they didn't know about Selene. They were certainly surprised when she walked up to their camp with Tornado, who they barely knew.

Andy, the youngest, was outside when they arrived. He was only twelve years old, and he was covered with bright yellow fur. He was short and round, and his face was flat. His fingers and toes were short and blunt, which made it difficult for him to hold things. He was shocked to see a normal person in front of their hut, and he ran inside to tell his brothers, who didn't believe him until they came out to see for themselves.

The other three were Rocky, Domino, and Max. Max was the oldest, and he had hairless green skin, wide yellow eyes, and a very small round mouth. Domino, the second oldest, was tall and incredibly thin, and he had purple skin and long black hair, and four eyes. Rocky was red with black fur on his abdomen, and a bat-like face. They all looked at Selene.

"Who are you?" Max asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm Selene," she told them. "I'm your sister."

"We have two sisters? Are there more of you?" Domino asked. His voice was oddly high-pitched.

"No, there's just me and Dahlia. I've wanted to meet you my whole life."

Andy suddenly went up to Selene and hugged her with surprising strength. She smiled and hugged him back, and her heart felt like it was swelling in her chest.

"It's dangerous for you to be here," Max said. "Still, it's good to finally meet another member of the family. I hope you don't find us too hideous." He smiled, though it was hard to tell since his small mouth barely moved. It was more visible in his eyes, which turned up at the corners.

When Andy finally let go, Max stepped up and shook her hand. Rocky and Domino held back, though they were also happy to see their sister. They all introduced themselves.

"Don't mind Andy," Domino said. "For some unknown reason he always likes strangers. I swear he likes them more then he likes us."

"I like new people," Andy said, shrugging.

"You really don't mind being around us beasts?" Rocky asked, speaking for the first time. There was a tone in his voice that reminded Selene of her father. "I thought all humans hated us. Isn't that why we have to live in the forest?"

"Most people don't like beasts," Selene admitted. "I've never felt that way, even though I was brought up to. I actually find you all very interesting. You're all so much more unique than the rest of us. I think it makes you special, not worth hating."

"I knew we'd have a cool family," Andy said, grinning and looking very much like a bright yellow sun. Selene didn't think he was ugly at all. "What are our parents like?"

"Well, Mom's a witch, so she's usually busy making potions and doing spells for people. She sews a fair bit as well, though she tends to make clothes that aren't really in style. She's very loving, and she's especially fond of our sister. She's been waiting for you all to become men so she could finally meet you, and she gets very anxious every year during the ceremony."

"Cool! I can't believe we've got a witch in our family. Maybe we'll have powers when we're human," Andy said.

The beasts never had magic, even if they came from magical families. Sometimes, however, they would gain powers when they became human. It didn't happen to all of them because witch blood tended to run more strongly in females.

"What about Dad?" Rocky asked.

"Dad's kind of quiet, and he's very thoughtful and affectionate. He works hard to earn money for us, so he's often gone, but he's there when you need him."

Domino smiled wistfully. "I can't wait until we get to meet them. I hope I don't end up marrying someone in Blue Falls or Three Lakes."

"How old are you, Selene?" Max asked.

"I'm seventeen," she replied.

"Ah. I guess you'll be going though the ceremony next year, then."

"Um, actually..."

"That's not going to happen," Tornado said. "She turned Jenson Redwing into a human not an hour ago when she walked into the main camp."

"That's not good," Domino said. "I mean, I like Jenson and all and he's twenty one so he's old enough, but with you being only seventeen that'll cause some problems, unless Jenson stays here."

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," Selene assured him, though she wasn't too confident.

Chapter 6

Selene stayed and talked to her brothers for almost an hour, by which time they were all sitting down and swapping stories of their pasts and having a lot of fun. Selene didn't want to be gone for too long, though, so she had to go home. It was hard for her to leave her brothers behind, but she had already made plans to return to visit them again. She especially liked Andy, who still possessed the cheeriness and openness of youth.

She walked with Tornado back to the main camp, where Jenson was waiting for them. He was wearing some worn brown pants and an off-white shirt that fit him much better than the shorts he had been wearing, though the shirt was pretty big on him. He wasn't wearing shoes because he couldn't find any, but he didn't care because he had never worn shoes before. He stood up from the log he was sitting on and went over to Selene and Tornado.

"Are you leaving now?" he asked Selene.

"Yes. I don't like to be gone from home too long in case someone goes out looking for me. It has happened before. What are you going to do? Are you going to stay here, or you are you going to come with me?"

He sighed. "I'm just going to stay in here for now, until I can come up with a decent plan that won't get you in trouble. This has been my home for my whole life, so I don't mind staying a little longer, as much as I'd love to go with you."

Selene knew that was for the best, but she felt her heart drop just a little bit. She didn't want to have to say goodbye, even though she would see him again. The thought made her heart ache, and she wished she had better control over her own feelings.

Before Selene turned to follow Tornado, who was already walking away, Jenson cupped her face in his palms. He leaned forward slowly and kissed her very gently and sweetly on the lips. Then he chuckled lightly as he pulled his face away. "I've always wanted to be able to do that," he whispered, stroking her face with one fingertip.

Selene felt breathless, and she was still trying to control her heart, which was pounding so hard she could hear a rushing in her ears. "Me too," she whispered back. His face was still close to hers, so she went up on her toes to kiss him one last time. The kiss was a little longer than the first, and it had a bit of an edge to it that Selene could only describe as a type of hunger, though she had no idea what she was hungry for. Then his arms dropped away and he stepped back.

"Come back soon?"

"I'll try," Selene said. She continued to stand there staring at him, as if trying to commit every detail of his face to memory. She didn't want to be thinking about him and not be able to remember what he looked like.

"Come on, Selene," Tornado said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she finally turned away, feeling a little ashamed of her own behaviour.

She said goodbye to Tornado at the clearing, and then she headed out alone. There were two small girls in the meadow picking flowers when she got to the rock at the forest edge, so she had to wait a few minutes until they left. Then she walked home; her head full of many things.

Dahlia and Henry were back, and they were out in the field with June, the cow. Henry was leading the animal with a rope to the small barn they had, and Dahlia was carrying the old metal bucket they used for collecting milk. She was laughing at something Henry had said when Selene entered the field.

"Henry doesn't have any experience with farms," Dahlia explained when Selene came up to them. "No one wants to hire him until he has a few skills. I'm teaching him how to milk June, and Father's going to teach him how to plough a field later."

They entered the barn, which carried a strong smell of manure. There were two stalls and a small area at the front with some hay and a shovel. Selene leaned against the wall as Dahlia took June into her stall and grabbed a stool. She handed the bucket to Henry.

"So, what do I do?" he asked. He looked at the cow, and then back at Dahlia, who laughed.

"Here, I'll show you." She took the bucket back and sat on the stool. She patted June's side to comfort her before she started milking, since she had a tendency to kick if she didn't know what you were doing.

Henry watched her closely. His eyes were squinting in his concentration. "Okay, I think I get it now," he said after a couple of minutes.

"Then go ahead and try," Dahlia said. She got up and let him take over, and he started milking like he had done it his whole life.

"You're a quick learner," Selene commented. "That will work in your favour."

"We've chosen a day for our wedding," Dahlia announced suddenly, as if she had just remembered. "It's going to be in three days. Henry wanted to have it in the church, but I wanted it to be outside, and eventually he gave in and agreed with me. We're going to have it in the meadow."

"That was fast," Selene said, smiling. "I was sort of hoping you wouldn't be able to decide right away so that I'd have more time to make your dress."

Dahlia put an arm around her sister and gave her a hug. "You're too good to me, Selene. I hope you don't expect me to make your wedding dress when the time comes. I'm afraid you'd be the laughing stock of the entire village." She grinned.

"Surely your sewing isn't that bad," Henry said, still milking the cow.

Selene laughed. "You should have seen the shirt she tried to make for Father last year. The sleeves were so narrow he couldn't even get his arms into them, and the seam along the side split before he tried to put it on."

Henry laughed too, and Dahlia blushed. "In my defence, I think there was something wrong with my measuring tape," she said, which only made the other two laugh harder.

Selene left them to their work and headed to the house, where she found Amber waiting by the door, wearing a pretty new pink dress that had lace along the neckline, which was very expensive.

"You look lovely," Selene said to her. "What brings you here?"

"Must I have a reason? Actually I'm bored. I was supposed to spend the day with my aunt, but then she had an emergency meeting about a tainted water supply. I have nothing to do. Want to go shopping with me?"

Selene shrugged. "I don't have a lot of money, but I do need to get some fabric, so I might as well go."

"Making Dahlia's wedding dress, are you?" There was a slight edge in Amber's voice as she mentioned Dahlia.

"Yes. You know what would happen if Mom made it."

Amber crinkled her nose. "Ugh. You certainly have a point there. That woman's sense of style is the same as it was twenty years ago. Not that I have anything against your mother, but I wouldn't want her making a dress for me either. You, on the other hand, seem to be a natural, and I would trust you to make my wedding dress too."

Selene smiled. "You're just saying that to be nice. The clothes I make are nothing compared to the ones you wear."

"That may be true, but I believe that has more to do with a lack of means rather than a lack of either taste or skill. I can't very well blame you for being poor."

"No, I suppose you cannot, but I still think you'd be far more likely to get Mrs. Cornflower to make your dress for your wedding. It is this most important day of a girl's life, after all."

Amber shrugged. "Well, hopefully we'll find out next year!" She grinned and winked at Selene, who just shook her head and grinned back.

The two girls headed down the road to the village. Amber complained about the dust, which she claimed would ruin her new shoes and stain the hem of her dress. Selene just laughed. She was used to Amber being picky about her appearance, even though she hardly ever had anyone to impress. Selene was much more laid back, not that she could afford to look nice anyway.

When they entered the clothing store Amber went straight to the shoes while Selene looked at fabric. She found a nice white satin and a white filmy material, both of which would be perfect for the wedding dress that Selene was picturing for her sister. She bought small squares of each.

"What on earth are you going to do with that small amount of fabric?" Amber asked as they were leaving. She was carrying three large bags full of new things.

"There are some advantages to being a witch," Selene said. "I know a spell that will turn these little squares into bigger pieces. I just needed some material to start with."

"Wow. Why don't you do that with everything? You could make more food and wood from what you already have, and you'd never run out of anything. You could even sell it all and get rich."

Selene had to admit that that sounded nice. "I wish I could do that, but the spell only works for fabric, and it isn't an easy one to do. It takes up a lot of energy and makes me feel exhausted every time I do it, so I can't do it often."

Amber headed home since she lived close to the shops, and Selene walked home alone, thinking of Jenson the whole way and wishing she were back in the woods.

Her mother was home when she got there, and she was busy in the kitchen making a potion that smelled to Selene like a healing draught, which she found had a faint odour that reminded her of roses, even though there were no roses in the potion.

She brought the swatches of fabric into the living room and then went to get her spell book. She turned to the right page, which was well worn from years of use. It had saved her a lot of money since she learned how to use it.

# Greed is not a virtue,

# And can be an evil trait,

# To have it is to be alone,

# As apathy turns to hate.

#

# To need something is different,

# Since we all need to survive,

# There are things we all must have,

# In order to be well and thrive.

#

# It has been in our human nature,

# To clothe ourselves since times of old,

# To live in modesty,

# Or protect us from the cold.

#

# Because of this I ask you now,

# Great spirits of desire,

# To increase this piece of fabric,

# And help be my supplier.

A large cloud of dark red energy poured forth from Selene's chest. It sparked angrily as if it didn't want to be there, but it enclosed the fabric nonetheless. As soon as it disappeared into it, the fabric suddenly grew into more than enough to make a dress. Selene felt the decrease in her energy just as abruptly, and she had to go lay down before she could get to work.

Chapter 7

Selene went back into the forest the next afternoon, after she helped her mother and worked on her sister's wedding dress. She still had plenty to do, so she knew she couldn't stay away for very long. She decided to only go to the clearing, even though she really wanted to see her brothers and Jenson. With all of the things she had to do she would be lucky to see them again before the wedding.

Tornado wasn't there when she arrived, but he came a few minutes later, carrying his canvas sack, which contained some mushrooms that he had found while out hunting. The clearing was part of his hunting ground, which was why they had chosen it for a meeting place. Tornado went by there many times a day, and he would often wait there for Selene to come.

"You look tired," Tornado observed as he sat down on his log after putting his bag, bow, and quiver on the ground.

"I am tired," Selene admitted. "Dahlia's getting married in two days, and there's a lot to do. Plus we all have to work hard to make money so we can add onto our house. Things were cramped enough before Henry came along."

"You know, I completely forgot to mention that yesterday, since we were so busy with other things. I heard from some of the others who were at the ceremony that Henry had gone off with Dahlia. How are they doing?"

"Oh my, I forgot to mention it too," Selene said, biting her lip. "They're doing well. Henry still has a few things to learn before he can get a job, but he and Dahlia are happy. They're both very excited for the wedding. We all are, even though we have to do so much work."

"Is there any way I can help?" Tornado had helped Selene on a few occasions with gathering some materials for potions. There were some things that were easier to find in the forest, even though no one was allowed in there. Selene used to have to buy more things from the shops before she met Tornado, and he didn't mind helping.

"There are actually a couple of things that I need, if you have the time. I can come back tomorrow to see if you have them." She told him what she needed, and he said it wouldn't be a problem. She felt guilty for asking her friend to help her, but she knew it would save a lot of time and money.

"Have you had any more time to look through your spell books lately?" Tornado asked.

Selene nodded, frowning. "I looked through a couple late last night, but I still haven't found anything. I'm sorry, Tornado, but I don't think I'm going to be the one to break the curse. The most I can do is ask people to accept you all for what you are, and that doesn't tend to go well either. The fact that they never see any of you probably doesn't help."

"Then maybe they should see us," Tornado said, thinking. His tail started dancing around.

"You know that's against the law, right?"

"Of course, but it's not like that law has any purpose. All it does is force us to be exiles, and I don't think any of us truly like living this way. We all want to be able to know our families and have a chance to fall in love. I think I could get almost everyone to march out of the forest and into the village."

Selene's eyes went wide. What he was suggesting was a full-scale rebellion. At the worst it could end up getting all of the beasts killed, though Selene was sure that there weren't enough watchers in her village to take down all of the beasts. There were enough beasts to outnumber the entire village as long as the watchers didn't call for reinforcements. Watchers were the eyes of the queen, and were responsible for maintaining order and carrying out punishments for those who broke the law.

Despite the risks involved in a rebellion, Selene liked the plan. If they marched all of the beasts into the town, the people would be forced to see them, and perhaps Selene could help them see the beasts for what they really were.

"Are you serious about that idea?" she asked Tornado.

He thought about it for a moment. "Yes, I'm serious," he said finally. "I know it's probably a terrible idea that could end up getting some, if not all, of us killed. Still, I think it's time. We can't live this way forever. Would you support us if we did it?"

"Of course I would. I'd even march with you. When do you want to do it?"

Tornado was surprised that Selene agreed to such a dangerous plan so quickly. He wasn't quite as confident about it as she seemed to be, and he wasn't sure he wanted to do it soon. It was a big step, and he wanted to be ready. Really, he wanted everyone to be ready.

"I don't know," he answered. "Not right away, I guess."

Selene nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't want to do it until after my sister's wedding. It wouldn't be fair to her if we caused a huge disruption. Maybe a few days after that?"

"How about a month from now," Tornado suggested. "That will give us more time to prepare and decide exactly what we're going to do and get as many beasts as possible to join us. I don't want to rush things."

"A month is an awfully long time," Selene complained. Now that she thought about it, she wanted it to be soon. She was eager to get Jenson and her brothers out of the forest.

"I need time, Selene."

"Alright. I guess I can understand that."

They fell silent, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. The clearing wasn't completely quiet, however, since there was a light breeze that rustled the leaves overhead, and a bird was singing not far away. Still, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Selene immediately wanted to hide, but then she remembered that the beasts already knew about her.

It was Jenson who stepped into the clearing. He was wearing a different outfit than the one he had on before, though he was still shoeless. He smiled when he saw Selene.

"Sorry to barge in on you two," he said. "I was just going for a walk. Do you mind if I join you?" Selene shook her head so he sat down on the soft, mossy forest floor.

Tornado frowned. "You never come out this way for a walk. No one does. That's why we meet here."

Jenson looked a little guilty. "Fine. I followed your tracks to get here. I knew you'd been meeting with Selene, and I wanted to find out where. I was hoping she'd be around."

"I'm glad to see you," Selene said, smiling down at him from her rock. "I would have gone further into the forest to see you, but I don't really have that much time. I should be leaving by now, actually."

"Stay a few extra minutes?"

"Yes, I might as well, since you're here," Selene said.

Tornado was getting a little annoyed. He was used to having Selene to himself whenever she was in the forest. "I think I'm going to head back home," he announced.

"Why? You don't have to go," Selene said.

"I have things to do," he lied. "I'm sure I'll see you again soon enough. You said you'd be back tomorrow, right?"

"Yes. I'll try to come sometime in the afternoon."

"Good. I should have what you need. I'll see you then."

With that he grabbed his things and walked off into the forest; his quiver of arrows bouncing against his shoulder with every step. Selene watched him go, and when he was out of sight she turned to Jenson.

"Oh dear," she said, frowning. "I don't think he's very happy with me."

"You two seem to be pretty close," Jenson observed.

Selene nodded. "We've been best friends ever since the day we met."

"How did you end up meeting, anyway? You must have had some reason for going into the forest, even though doing so was forbidden."

"It was kind of silly, really," Selene admitted. "I was only fourteen at the time. My mother was trying to make a memory-enhancing elixir, but she didn't have all the ingredients. She needed the bark of a willow tree, and there are no willow trees in our village. She asked for my sister's help finding some, but when I offered to help she told me not to. I got mad because she thought Dahlia could find it and not me, and I wanted to prove her wrong. I looked everywhere in the village for a willow tree or just the bark of one, but there was nothing. I ended up in the meadow by the edge of the forest. I looked up at the trees and thought, why not? It wouldn't really do any harm. Surely there was at least one willow tree amongst all the others.

"I made sure no one was looking, and I walked right into the forest. I couldn't really explain why, but I wasn't really afraid. All the other girls I knew were terrified of the forest, but once I went in I didn't even want to leave. It was so peaceful, and the air seemed different. It was more still, and it carried heavier scents that were unfamiliar to me at the time.

"I ended up in this very clearing. There's a willow tree right there across from where I'm sitting now. I eagerly collected some bark, and that was when Tornado stepped out from behind the trees. I was far too fascinated by him to be afraid or disgusted, and I think he felt the same way about me. He spoke first; asking me what I was doing. When I told him he laughed at me, and for some reason I started laughing too. We ended up talking for over an hour that day, and I've kept coming back ever since."

Jenson smiled, enjoying the story. "So it was competition with your sister that led you here? I suppose you have a lot to thank her for, then."

"I do, but I've never been able to tell her that. She believes what she's been brought up to believe, like most other girls in my village."

"And you're a witch?"

"Yes. I suppose you wouldn't have known that. I'm so used to people knowing, so I don't usually have to tell people. I wasn't trying to keep it from you."

Jenson grinned and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "I wasn't accusing you of doing so. I think it's great that you're a witch. Since I've always been around beasts I've never met anyone magical before, except maybe during the ceremony."

"What happens during the ceremony?"

Jenson laughed. "You know I can't tell you that, no matter how I feel about you. It's a very closely guarded secret. They make us swear not to tell anyone every year."

"Why?"

"I don't honestly know. I guess we must have some secrets left in the world, or there would never be any surprises in life."

"That's not fair," Selene complained.

"Tell me something that is."

"Touché." Selene looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was barely visible over the trees. She stood up. "I have to get back. I still have a lot to do, and my mother could be looking for me right now."

Jenson stood up as well and brushed some pieces of moss off of his pants. He took Selene into his arms. She rested her head on his chest and breathed in. He smelled like the forest.

"How do you know how to do all this stuff, anyway?" Selene asked.

"What stuff?" Jenson asked. Selene could feel the vibrations of his voice through his chest.

"Stuff like kissing and hugging," Selene clarified. She was thinking of Henry, who had been so surprised when her mother hugged him.

"Oh. We have a lot of books. Martin brings them to us when he can, though usually just to borrow. It's how we learn about what goes on in the rest of the world. Some of the beasts think we'd be better off not knowing, since they think we'll be happier if the forest is all we know. Martin disagrees, and he says we should be prepared for if we ever become human, and I agree with him. Plus, I like knowing that there's more out there. It's always given me something to look forward to."

"I see," Selene said. She lifted her head up, and Jenson kissed her quickly. She reluctantly dropped her arms and stepped away from him, and she waved goodbye before turning to leave the clearing.

Selene stopped on her way home to pick some plants in the meadow and along the road, since her mother was going through them so quickly. She managed to find a couple of spiders as well, and she put them in her jar to take home. They had a very expensive glass bowl at home where they kept a supply of spiders so they could harvest their webs. A few of them had died recently, so they weren't producing as much web as Frieda needed. Selene was always on the lookout for more.

Selene found her mother in the kitchen when she got home. She was busily chopping up some violets, and she looked like a mess. Her hair was coming out of the bun at the back of her head and was sticking up in a few places, the hem of her skirt was caked with mud, and her apron was covered in smear marks from where she had wiped her hands. She looked up only briefly at Selene when she stepped through the door, but she continued her chopping.

"Did you find any rose leaf while you were out?" she asked.

Selene started emptying her pockets. "Yes, I got some. I found some daisies and honeysuckle as well, and a few stones that might be of use. I also got three spiders."

"Good. I have a pot going outside. Can you give it a stir? Oh, and if it's turned purple, it needs two small mint leaves. There are some on the table."

Selene did as her mother asked, and then went back to the kitchen to put the plants she brought home away, while trying not to get in her mother's way. "How many potions do you have left to do right now?" she asked as she lifted the cloth off the spider bowl and dumped the new ones in. There was only one small web in the side of the bowl.

"Twelve, but some are the same so I only have to make six different ones. Still, that's far more than I usually have to do. Taking on all of them was probably a bad idea, but we'll get a decent amount of money for all of it."

Some potions could take days to make and require many ingredients at different times. To try to make six all around the same time would be almost impossible for someone to do alone, and still very difficult for two people. Plus, some of the ingredients were very hard to find.

"Is Dahlia helping at all?" Selene asked.

"She's been gathering a few things like you have, but I wouldn't trust her within five feet of the cauldron. That's what I need you for, whenever you have the time."

Selene helped her mother for a few more minutes, but then she had to get back to making Dahlia's wedding dress, since she had only just started. She was feeling overwhelmed by all of the things she had to do, but she knew her mother was far more busy than she was, and she hadn't seen her father at all that day because he had been out working. They were all doing the best they could, hoping that it would be worth it.

Chapter 8

Dahlia was awake when Selene woke up. She was just lying in bed, with her eyes wide and pointed toward the ceiling, though she clearly wasn't seeing anything. She was too lost in her own thoughts, so she didn't even notice that Selene was awake.

Selene sat up, and in the process threw back the blankets. She peered out the window and saw that the sun was just starting to rise over the distant mountain, and the air wasn't quite as cool as it had been. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the air coming through the window carried the fresh scents of wildflowers and grass. It was the perfect day for a wedding.

"Are you getting up?" Selene asked, looking back at her sister.

Dahlia blinked and looked over at Selene as if just realizing that she was there. "Is it time to get up? I think I've been awake all night."

"You aren't having second thoughts, are you?"

Dahlia laughed. "Of course not. I love Henry, and I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. I'm just so excited. Oh, I hope I don't look tired all day. I don't want to have bags under my eyes while everyone's looking at me."

Selene got up and started changing into a simple yellow dress. She had a different dress to wear to the wedding, but she didn't want to wear it until the time came, since she had a bad habit of getting dirt on her clothes. "I'm sure you'll look beautiful, as you always do," she said.

Dahlia got up and walked around the bed to give her sister a hug. She held on for almost a minute, resting her head on Selene's shoulder. "Oh, Selene, if only you could be as happy as I am now. I do hope you find someone next year during the ceremony. It is the most wonderful feeling in the world to be in love, and to know you get to be with the one you love for the rest of your life."

Selene knew exactly what it felt like to be in love, but she couldn't say that to her sister. She just smiled and nodded, thinking of Jenson. She wished that their relationship could have been normal so that they wouldn't have to be separated. She missed him, and she hadn't seen him since two days before when he was in the clearing. She couldn't help but imagine what her life would have been like if she were the one getting married, but the thought just made her sad. The chances of her being able to marry Jenson were almost nonexistent.

After Selene got dressed she left her sister upstairs and went down to the kitchen. Her mother was already busy cooking, so the air was rich with the scents of spices, gingerbread, and roasting meat. Selene grabbed some bread to eat and then headed out, since she had to go to the meadow to help set up for the wedding. Dahlia had wanted to help, but her mother insisted that she just relax and let everyone else do the work so she could enjoy her day.

Henry wasn't quite as lucky. He was out with her father in the meadow, where they were setting up the wedding arch, and he waved to Selene as she approached. It was her job to cover the arch with flowers, and to prepare the flowers for everything else, like the bouquets and the flower girl. There was also a tent to be set up, and tables and chairs to be brought out. They were renting everything from one of the shops that specialized in such things, and they also brought a crew to help with the setup, though they were just getting started.

Selene spent the entire morning picking flowers and decorating the arch, and she also created the bouquets. It took a lot of time, but the end result was beautiful, so she was happy. She used a lot of lilies and daisies and buttercups, which were Dahlia's favourite flowers, and she gathered some white rose petals for the flower girl.

The wedding was to take place in the middle of the afternoon. Everything was set up by lunch time, and everyone was happy that the weather was still clear and warm. Henry and Velkan went back to the house to eat lunch and get ready for the wedding, and Selene went over to the Juniper household, which was nearby. The girls were getting ready there so that the men wouldn't see them until the wedding. Norell Juniper had offered to let them use her family's house, and in return the Brookbanks would let her use theirs for her wedding, which was in a couple of days.

Frieda wasn't around when Selene went into the house, which was little bit bigger and nicer than theirs, since Brunham Juniper made a fair bit of money with his carpentry skills. Selene found Dahlia in the living room, where Norell was pinning her hair up in an elaborate twist.

"Did you bring the flowers?" she asked.

Selene was carrying a woven straw basket that held the bouquets, as well as a few loose flowers for the girls' hair. She handed a few white lilies to Norell. "Yes, I've got them all here," she said. "Did you two eat lunch yet?"

"Yes, we did. There's some cold meat and fresh fruit left in the kitchen. Help yourself," Norell said.

Norell was a plain-looking young woman, and at twenty three she was older than Selene and Dahlia, and she had been through the ceremony six times before she met Viron, her fiancé. She was shy, and she had a reputation for being very good with children. She was short and a little round, and she had straight brown hair and brown eyes, and her nose was just a little bit too big for her face. She tended to spend most of her time babysitting, or else she was at home knitting, which she was also good at. After fearing that she would never get married, she was thrilled to have finally found the right guy.

After Selene ate she helped Dahlia into her dress, which she had just finished the night before. It was made of the white satin she had bought, and it was tight at the top and flowed out from her hips, and had a short train at the back. Dahlia's arms and shoulders were covered by the filmy white material, which also made up a sash at her waste with a bow in the back. Selene had also stitched a few flowers into the bodice with a silvery thread. It was a fairly simple dress, but it was still beautiful, and it complimented Dahlia's figure well.

"Thank you so much for making this for me," Dahlia said to Selene once she was in the dress. "I couldn't have asked for a more perfect dress. I'm sure everyone will be jealous of me, and they will be asking me who designed it. You may end up with a few customers for more than just your magic."

"It is a lovely dress," Norell added. "I doubt that mine will be quite as nice. If it wasn't already being made I would certainly ask Selene to make it instead."

Selene blushed, since she wasn't used to receiving praise. She adjusted the sash slightly to make sure it was straight.

Norell got started on Dahlia's makeup, which was just a bit of powder and a little bit of rouge for her lips and cheeks. While they were doing that, Selene got into her own dress, which was the nicest one she owned. It was made of deep blue satin that went well with her red hair, and it showed off her slim figure. She also pinned up her curls so they wouldn't be in her face.

Frieda came in then, and she got ready in a hurry. Finally, they were all ready to go and it was time for the wedding. Selene could tell that Dahlia was excited by the way she couldn't stand still, and her face was often flushed and her eyes held a certain twinkle. They all left the house together, and they walked up the hill. There was no point in taking a carriage since they were so close.

There were no chairs out in front of the wedding arch, so everyone was standing up instead. There was a lovely white carpet going through the middle of the crowd to serve as an aisle. Velkan walked down the aisle when he saw his daughter standing at the back. Henry was under the arch and facing the forest, waiting for the music that signalled for him to turn around.

Norell went to stand somewhere at the back, and Frieda walked up to the front so she would have a good view. The sound of a flute pierced the air with its heavy melody, and signalled the start of the ceremony.

Selene went down the aisle after the flower girl, and then she turned to look at her sister, who was just starting her walk to the arch. She was holding onto her father's arm, and she was smiling brightly. Her eyes were shining from unshed tears of happiness. Selene then looked at Henry, who finally turned around. As soon as he laid eyes on Dahlia his face broke into a wide grin, and he looked like he was getting a little teary himself.

Velkan gave Dahlia away, and she stood with Henry in front of the judge, who welcomed everyone to the ceremony. She made a little speech about love and marriage, and then she asked the couple to exchange the vows that they had written for each other. Dahlia couldn't get through hers without crying, and it made her voice shaky. Still, she got through it, and her words were lovely.

Henry said his vows next. His were more eloquent than Dahlia's, and it was clear by the way she couldn't stop smiling at him that she was enjoying every word.

After that they exchanged tokens, as was the custom in the kingdom, since rings were hard to come across. Dahlia gave Henry a pen that she had made with her father's help, and he gave her a small wood carving of a rose that he had made. Then they kissed for the first time in front of everyone, which brought a few cheers from the crowd. Selene found herself wiping away tears, though her mother's face was far more wet than hers.

After the judge got them to sign their papers, the newlyweds walked back down the aisle under a shower of petals thrown by the guests, and they headed over to the tent, where they stood at the entrance to greet their guests and accept their congratulations. They both looked very happy.

Selene sat next to Dahlia for supper, which was held under the tent. Their mother had made quite a feast, much to everyone's delight. There was roast turkey and ham, fresh bread, cheese, and several types of vegetables, including potatoes that had been baked with butter and spices. There were sweetened boiled pears and strawberries with almonds for dessert, along with the wedding cake, which had three tiers and was decorated with real lilies.

"Is it everything you dreamed of so far?" Selene asked her sister as they started on dessert. Selene was already full, but the cake just looked so delicious, and it was a rare treat, so she had some anyway.

"Oh, I don't know. It is one thing to dream, and another thing entirely for something to actually happen. I can't say that my expectations were anywhere near as grand as my dreams, and I can say that they have been met at the very least. Of course, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine having a husband as handsome and friendly as Henry." She looked at him dreamily, and he patted her hand on the table. He probably would have spoken if his mouth wasn't full of cake. "It was a beautiful wedding, though. Did you hear what Henry said in his vows? It was most romantic."

"And well deserved," Henry added, winking at Selene.

Selene laughed. "I think you two are perfect for each other," she said. "Welcome to the family, Henry. Now you'll have to put up with us for the rest of your life."

"Hey now," Velkan said with a twinkle in his eye. He was sitting across from Selene. "Don't scare the boy off already."

"We're a very normal family, I can assure you," Frieda added. "Except for the fact that we're witches."

Henry laughed. "I couldn't have asked for a better family," he said. "Or a better wife."

"Well, if you do get tired of us, you could always start a family of your own," Frieda hinted, which caused Dahlia to blush deeply.

Once supper was finished there were a few toasts, and then it was time for dancing. The tables and chairs were moved around to make room for a dance area, and some local musicians started playing a slow song for the first dance. Dahlia and Henry got up to start the dancing, and after a minute of having the floor to themselves a few people joined them.

Selene sat and watched the dancers. Dahlia was resting her head on Henry's shoulder, and he was whispering something in her ear that was making her smile. The girls' parents were dancing, and they were smiling at each other in a way that made Selene think they were remembering their own wedding.

Then Selene noticed Amber, who was also on the dance floor, and not by herself. In fact, she was in the arms of a man Selene hardly recognized, though she knew who he was. It was Lloyd Greenwood, and he was holding Amber far closer than he should have, and she was giggling. Selene started getting angry, though she didn't know which of the two she was angrier at. She spotted Susan, Lloyd's wife, over in a corner talking to the mayor, and she looked oblivious to what was happening.

Selene cursed out loud to herself, and then she stood up, prepared to separate the two. She only got about two steps closer when a hand rested on her shoulder; a hand that sent a pleasant, electrifying shock to her core. She didn't have to look to see who it was, and she was shocked that he was there.

When she turned around she saw that he had managed to somehow find some dress pants and a clean white shirt, and he was actually wearing shoes for a change. He smiled at her.

"What are you doing here, Jenson?" she hissed. "It isn't safe."

"Shhh," he said, bringing a finger to his lips. "Don't say my name. Just call me Robert."

"And why should I do that?" Selene asked. She looked around and saw that a few people were already looking over at Jenson; curiosity unmistakable on their faces.

"I was born in Spring Meadow," he explained, whispering. "My parents could be here right now for all I know, and I don't want to be recognized."

"Ah," Selene said. She knew the Redwing family, and she knew they had a son, but she hadn't been sure that Jenson was theirs, since there could have been Redwings in the other villages. Selene had done a few spells for Mrs. Redwing in the past.

"I know I shouldn't be here, but I wanted to see you. I have to admit that it's a little weird seeing so many normal people. You all look so similar."

"People are looking at you," Selene pointed out. "There aren't a lot of men in our village, so new faces are hard to miss. They're all going to want to know who you are."

"Tell them I'm a distant relative of Henry's, and I'm visiting from Blue Falls, though only for the night. I don't want to be around for too long in case people get suspicious."

"If you're from Blue Falls, then you have to be married," Selene reminded him.

"Can I be a widower?"

"Fine."

When a man's wife died he stayed normal unless he killed her himself, in which case he became a beast again. Widowed men were rare, but they were also highly sought after by women, since they were free to love again.

Dahlia and Henry came up to them then. Selene hadn't noticed the song end, but the musicians were playing a faster one that had brought a few more people to the dance floor. Dahlia looked at Jenson as suspiciously as everyone else did. "Who is that?" she asked Selene, even though Jenson was standing right there.

"Well, apparently he's a distant relative of Henry's from Blue Falls," Selene told them, pretending she didn't know him.

"Yeah, I'm Robert," Jenson said extending a hand.

Henry shook it, though he continued to look suspicious. "I don't remember knowing any Robert in the forest. How long have you been out? How did you hear about the wedding?"

"I didn't live near the main camp," Jenson explained. "I've been out for three years, though my wife died a year ago. I heard about the wedding from Oaklen." Oaklen was an old guy from Blue Falls who was in charge of the ceremony there and he also brought stuff into the forest for the beasts, kind of like Martin. The villagers could exchange news through the beasts when it was passed between Martin, the beasts, and then Oaklen, or the other way around. "We're second cousins or something like that. I was the only one who could come, since everyone else was busy. I'll only be here for the night."

"Well, welcome to Spring Meadow, Robert," Dahlia said. "I hope you enjoy your time here." She was excited about having a widower in town, which was generally considered to be a big deal. There would be plenty of gossip going around.

Dahlia and Henry went off to dance some more, leaving Selene and Jenson by themselves again. They grinned at each other, both pleased to be getting away with what they were doing.

"May I have this dance, Ms. Brookbank?" Jenson asked, bowing slightly and extending a hand.

Selene laughed. "You may," she said, placing her hand in his. "I don't suppose you actually know how to dance?"

"Not in the slightest, but it looks like fun."

Chapter 9

When they headed to the dance floor, Selene realized that she had forgotten about Amber and Lloyd. She looked around for them, and was happy to see that Lloyd was dancing with his wife and Amber was off to the side talking to someone. Selene was relieved that nothing had happened, and she was a little startled by the realization that she had expected something to.

"Is something wrong?" Jenson asked, noticing that she was distracted.

"Not anymore," Selene said, smiling.

There was still a fast song playing, so Selene showed Jenson a few of the steps to the dance, and he caught on quickly. He moved fast, and he danced like he had done it before. By the time the song ended he was breathless and grinning.

"Can we do that again?" he asked.

Selene laughed. She was glad that he liked dancing, since she did too. "I'm afraid not. They're starting a new song, and it isn't nearly as fast."

Jenson looked around and saw that the other couples on the floor were moving closer together and swaying gently to the music. "Would it be entirely inappropriate if we did that too?" he asked.

"I think it would be," Selene said. "The others who are dancing are married couples, and we aren't even supposed to know each other. We should sit this one out."

They went over to an empty table and sat down. A lot of people were looking at them, including Dahlia, who was dancing with her father. Selene saw Amber looking over at them as well, and then Amber got up and joined them at their table, smiling at Jenson, though she turned to Selene.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Amber asked her. She sounded like she was offended that she hadn't done so already.

"Oh, um, this is Robert," Selene said. "Robert, this is my friend Amber."

"Are you really a widower?" Amber asked, not bothering with any small talk. She was looking at Jenson with far more interest than Selene liked, and Selene was shocked by her lack of tact. Being a widower would mean that he had lost his wife, but Amber wasn't thinking about that at all. She was only thinking about what it could mean for her.

Even Jenson looked a little surprised by how forward Amber was being. He looked briefly at Selene for guidance, and she just nodded, frowning. "Yeah, I am," Jenson said.

"Have you given any thought to remarrying?" Amber asked, leaning in closer.

Jenson's sky blue eyes went wide and he sat back in his chair. "Um, I only lost my wife a year ago, and I loved her very much, so no. I'm not ready to move on."

Amber looked disappointed. "Well, if you ever-"

"Want to dance, Amber?" Selene interrupted. She knew that Amber was very beautiful, so she was really starting to get annoyed that she was showing interest in Jenson. She didn't even know him well enough to trust him around strange girls, and Amber always seemed to be on the lookout for men lately, eligible or not.

"Not at the moment. I'm kind of tired. Why don't you go ask Dahlia or Henry? They're sitting down."

Even Jenson knew what she was trying to do, so he intervened. "I wouldn't mind dancing again, if you're looking for a partner," he said, smiling at Selene.

"That would be lovely," Selene said.

They got up and left Amber there, looking angry that she didn't get the time alone with Jenson that she wanted. Selene was starting to wonder why she was even friends with Amber. She had changed a lot in the last few years, and she was becoming far more self-centered and vain. She wasn't nearly as sweet as she used to be, when she and Selene were better friends. Selene thought that maybe her aunt had something to do with it. She was probably spoiling her and giving her a superiority complex.

"Is she always like that?" Jenson asked while they were dancing.

"Nowadays, I suppose she is."

"I hope most women aren't like that. I'll admit that she made me feel pretty uncomfortable. I'm not used to being around women at all."

Selene grinned. "No, most women aren't like that, but you probably should have said you were still married. Now they all think you're an eligible bachelor. I suppose if I'm not careful one of them will steal you from me."

Jenson laughed. "You know that's not going to happen. For one thing, you are the most beautiful woman here by far, and secondly, you know what would happen if I went after someone else. I didn't completely hate being a beast and things haven't changed a whole lot since I've been normal, but I'm not eager to look like that again."

"I am not," Selene said, referring to what he had said about her being beautiful. She was blushing, even though she didn't believe him. "Amber is far prettier than I am, and so is Dahlia. You must be blind, or else you're just trying to get on my good side."

"I wasn't aware that you had a bad side," Jenson joked. "Besides, I was telling the truth. You're prettier than all of them. If you can't see that, than you must be the one who's blind." He started leaning in, and Selene was thankful that she had the good sense to push him away discreetly, even though she didn't want to. He seemed to realize that he shouldn't kiss her there, and he leaned back again and put a little more space in between them. "I hope the plan you and Tornado made works. Then maybe we can be together like we're supposed to, and hopefully even get married. I hate having to sneak around."

Selene sighed. "So do I. Sometimes I almost think it would be easier if we just told everyone the truth, but then the watchers would probably arrest me for being in the forest."

Jenson frowned. "We can't let that happen. The penalty for being in the forest is getting sent to work in the mines for two years, isn't it?"

"Yes, and I've heard it's a horrible place to be. Most people don't even survive, which is why only prisoners ever end up working there. It doesn't make any sense to have such a severe punishment for something that shouldn't even be a crime. Everyone knows that the beasts are safe. The only thing wrong with them is what they look like, and I don't understand why that should matter so much."

Jenson gave Selene a look of admiration. "I wish everyone could be like you," he said. "Not only do you care about the beasts, but you're also doing something about it. I doubt that anyone else is."

"Of course not. Everyone is raised to hate the beasts because of what they look like. That isn't the real reason why they're stuck in the forest anyway. It started out that way, back when people thought they were dangerous as well, but it's been hundreds of years since people really believed that. There's a different reason why things have stayed the way they are."

"What reason might that be?" Jenson asked, interested. He really didn't know. He thought the beasts were just kept in the forest because of the way they looked, and he had never really understood that either.

"When the beasts were exiled and put in the forests, it was the women who were left who took charge," Selene explained, leading Jenson back to an empty table since the song was finished. "Some were happy about the change. They hadn't liked the way things were before because they had no power. After the curse started they realized that they had a way to control the male population and hold more power themselves. Such women are still in charge today. Mayor Thornwood is a perfect example. She's definitely going to be an obstacle."

Jenson sighed. "I didn't know that things were so complicated. Does everyone now about that?"

"No, but some do, though they don't talk about it. I've just talked about it a lot with Tornado."

Jenson nodded, thinking. It was almost a minute before he spoke. "Were things so bad before?" he asked. "I've read a lot over the years, but I haven't found much information about what the kingdom was like before the curse. Were things better or worse than they are now?"

"That's a good question," Selene said. "According to what I've heard things were far worse before the curse, but I don't know if that's true or not. That could just be information spread by the people who want things to stay the way they are. There are plenty of tales about men being greedy and violent and free of moral values. Judging by the men and beasts I've met, I'd say they stories greatly exaggerated."

"But what if it's true? Wouldn't it be better to keep the men in the forest?"

Selene was surprised. "How can you even ask that, after being stuck in there your whole life? It just isn't fair. Anyway, I don't think things would be any worse than they are now. We've got plenty of problems because of the shortage of men, like a shrinking population and a lack of strong workers. Besides, the only men I know who I don't like are the Greenwoods."

"I'm glad you think the best of us," Jenson said, smiling.

Selene laughed, and then she looked around. People were still watching them closely, though no one else was approaching them. "I'm going to go dance with someone else," she said. "If I spend all night with you people are really going to talk."

Jenson understood, and he nodded. Selene got up and danced with her new brother-in-law, and he stayed where he was, hoping that no one would bother him. Luckily, no one did, though Amber kept her eye on him.

While Selene was dancing with Henry he asked her about Jenson (or Robert, as he referred to him). He wanted to know why Selene had been spending so much time with him, though he didn't ask that outright. He just asked what "Robert" was like, and what Selene thought about him. Her answer was vague and unsatisfying, but he didn't press her.

Jenson left shortly after. He just waved goodbye to Selene since she was talking to Dahlia, and then he slunk off, heading to a spot where no one would see him entering the forest. Selene hated seeing him go, and she felt a strong urge to go with him, but it was getting late. She hoped she'd be able to go to the forest in the morning, but she still had a lot to do to help her mother make potions.

When the wedding party did finally end, the whole family, plus its new member, went back home together. Frieda and Velkan were exhausted, and they both went to bed right away. Despite being up most of the night before, Dahlia still seemed to have some energy left, and she was smiling and laughing happily with Henry. They headed upstairs as well to go to bed, though Selene doubted they would be sleeping any time soon. She followed them upstairs only to grab her nightgown and a change of clothes for the morning from her dresser, and then she went down to the couch, which would be where she'd be sleeping until they had more space.

She put on her nightgown and laid out some blankets and a pillow. When she was snuggled up under the blankets, she really hoped it wouldn't be long before they made the addition to the house, since the old couch was hard and lumpy. She twisted around to try to find a comfortable position, but eventually she gave up and just lay on her back, staring up at the wooden boards and beams of the ceiling above. She was tired, but she still felt too awake to fall asleep.

She thought about Jenson. She could hardly believe he had actually been at the wedding; it all felt like a dream already. It hadn't been hard to convince people he was someone else. Sure, they were still suspicious of him, but no one had accused him of anything. Selene started thinking of other possibilities, and she fell asleep soon after as exhaustion overtook her.

Chapter 10

It was pouring rain the next morning. Selene awoke to the sound of it banging against the sides of the house, and she could hear the sounds of water droplets from upstairs, where the rain leaked through the roof. Velkan fixed it every year, and yet it always seemed to spring a leak after the first rain since it was fixed.

The sun was barely up yet, so Selene knew she couldn't have slept more than three hours, but she sat up anyway. The room was bathed in the pale light of a cloudy dawn that was coming in through the open window. Despite a small shelter over the window, the wind managed to blow some rain in, which dampened the floor. The couch was too far away to get wet.

No one else had gotten up yet, and Selene didn't expect that they would get up for another couple of hours because of the late night they all had. She changed into the old black dress she had brought down the night before, and then she headed out into the rain.

It wasn't very warm outside, and the wind whipped the rain into her face, making it hard for her to see. She held a hand up to shield her eyes and she kept going, even though she was already soaked by the time she was only a couple of feet from the front door.

Once Selene was under the cover of trees, she lowered her hand. Larger drops that accumulated and rolled off the leaves above hit her as she walked along her path, but she didn't mind. At least the forest protected her from the wind. It was also darker, but she knew the way well enough to not have to see well.

Even though it was still dawn and raining, Tornado was already in the clearing. He had his bow with him as usual, and he was sitting on his log, sharpening one of his arrows. The heavy rain masked the sound of Selene's approach, so she startled him when she walked into his line of sight.

"You're up early," he observed. He almost had to shout over the racket the rain was making in order for Selene to hear. It was almost deafening as it pounded against the canopy of leaves above.

"It seemed like the best time to come here, since no one else was up," Selene explained. She sat on her rock and leaned in so that she could hear what Tornado was saying.

"I'm glad you're here, actually," Tornado said. "I wanted to talk to you. I talked to a couple of people about our idea for a rebellion, and then word spread fast. Many people were interested, and they were far more eager than I was expecting. Everyone came to the general consensus that they want to do it very soon, since they're all tired of waiting. Before I could even protest, they decided to do it two days from now."

Selene was surprised. "Two days from now? That's far sooner than I was expecting. It's good though. I want it to be soon as much as they do."

Tornado nodded. He still wasn't as eager, even though it had originally been his idea. He wasn't overly comfortable with the risks, but he didn't say anything to Selene. He didn't want her to think less of him for hesitating. "You're okay with that, then?"

Selene thought about it. She knew it probably wasn't the best time, since her sister had just gotten married and her family was still working hard to earn some extra money, and she didn't want to impede their progress in any way. Still, she thought about Jenson and her brothers and Tornado, and about how they were forced to live in exile. Her heart swelled at the thought of having her brothers at home, marrying Jenson, and spending as much time with Tornado as she wanted. More than anything else, she was filled with joy at the thought of them just having a chance to be free.

"I'm okay with that," she said after a minute, and she meant it.

They discussed the particulars of the plan. Tornado decided that it would be best if they moved out of the forest early in the morning, while it was still dark. They would head down to the square in front of the village hall and wait for people to start getting up. Selene didn't think it would take anyone long to notice the crowd in the square, and they would undoubtedly investigate.

By the time Selene left the forest, the rain had slowed down to a drizzle. The sun was peeking over the mountains, and it was visible through a break in the clouds. Selene hoped that meant the weather would improve.

Everyone was awake when she got back home. Her mother asked her what she was doing out in the rain, and she mumbled something about going for a walk before going upstairs to change. When she was sufficiently dry and in a clean dress, she went back downstairs to help her mother. She already had a new potion started, and it was in the cauldron outside, which had a roof over it. It wasn't generally a good idea to have one inside because the fumes from potions could be almost as powerful as the potion itself if made in an enclosed space.

By early afternoon the sun was out again, and the ground was starting to dry off. Selene was outside by the cauldron, stirring it and adding some thyme, when Amber started walking up the hill to their house. She looked around as she approached, and then she smiled at Selene.

"Great wedding last night," she said. "It was a lot of fun. I feel like I hardly saw you at all though, since you spent so much time with that guy. Is he still around?"

So that was what she was looking for, Selene thought. "No, he left last night. He wasn't planning to stay long. He probably went back to Blue Falls or something."

Amber nodded. She turned away from Selene to admire the view from the hill, though she continued speaking. "He was pretty handsome, and a widower. I was hoping he'd be around for longer. I know he said he wasn't ready for a relationship, but I was kind of hoping I could change his mind. Men do usually seem to find me attractive."

"Amber, he just lost his wife. You can't expect people to be able to love again so easily. It doesn't always work like that." That was a lie, but since Amber had already been told it she should have respected it more. Selene was really starting to get mad at her, though she kept her anger well hidden. She wasn't the type of person who shouted or stormed about.

Amber just shrugged, since she still didn't care. She turned back to Selene, staring at her with eyes narrowed in a way that was almost accusing. "The two of you seemed to be pretty close last night. What was up with that?"

"I don't know. He didn't know anyone there, and yet he had come all that way from home, so I didn't want him to be alone. We started talking and got along pretty well, so I kept him company. He's a nice guy."

Amber smirked, as if she thought that was funny. "Uh huh," she said. "Well, I should probably be going. My aunt wants me to have tea with her before supper. Just thought I'd drop by."

"Sure, have fun," Selene said, even though she was seething. Amber had only gone to see if Jenson was there. Selene felt like she was being used, and she didn't like it at all. She didn't bother to wave goodbye, and Amber didn't turn around to wave either. Selene could feel their friendship starting to crumble on both sides, and she was almost happy about it, though she wasn't happy about how Amber was acting. She just didn't want to have to deal with it.

To Selene, it was just evidence that the problems blamed on men in the past were really characteristics of humanity in general. Women could be every bit as bad as men were described as being, whether in the same ways or not.

Selene continued to help her mother until after supper, by which time the potion she had been making was finished, and she didn't want to start another one until the next morning. Frieda left to do some spells for people instead, and Velkan went out to work some more as well. Henry and Dahlia stayed in, but they were too absorbed with each other to notice Selene slip away.

She went back to the forest, even though she had been there in the morning. She had more time, so she decided to go see her brothers. She stopped at the clearing, but when Tornado didn't appear she continued walking, hoping she was going the right way.

When she passed through the main camp she was surprised by how friendly the beasts were to her. Some of them waved, and some even went up to talk to her about the upcoming rebellion. One even thanked her for supporting them.

She continued on until she got to the little hut by the stream. Andy was outside again, and he waved enthusiastically when he saw his sister approach. Max was with him, and he appeared to be trying to carve a long piece of wood. Domino and Rocky were out of sight, though Selene suspected they were nearby since she could hear people arguing.

"Hey Selene! Want to fish with me?" Andy asked. He was holding a stick with a piece of string tied to it and a hook on the end. He stuck a worm on the hook.

Selene looked at the stream, which was hardly more than a trickle of water. "Um, are you sure there are fish in there? Have you caught any before?"

"Not yet, but I'm bound to catch one sooner or later. Tommy told me he caught one the other day."

Max shook his head, grinning. "I told you not to listen to Tommy. He likes making up stories." He turned to Selene. "There aren't any fish in that stream. There isn't enough water for them to swim in. That hasn't stopped Andy from trying to catch them."

"I'll prove you wrong," Andy said. He marched over to the stream and cast his line into a small pool of water. He sat on a low curved branch that was sticking out of a tree. He turned to Selene. "You coming or what?"

Selene suppressed a laugh and shook her head. "I think I'll pass," she said.

Rocky and Domino had heard them talking, so they came out of the hut to see what was going on.

"Hey Selene," Rocky said. He sat on a stool next to Max while Domino just stood there. He smiled briefly at Selene as a greeting and leaned against a tree trunk.

"What were you two arguing about?" Max asked. He was still carving, and Selene realized he was making a wooden spoon.

"Domino isn't sure a rebellion is a good idea," Rocky told him.

"He doesn't have to take part if he doesn't want to," Selene said. "No one is being forced to do anything."

Max put down his carving. "That's not true. We're all being forced to stay here, away from the rest of our families. That's why we're doing this in the first place. We want a change."

"I want a change as much as everyone else," Domino said. "I'm just not ready to die for it. We don't really know what's going to happen. Things have been the same for a thousand years, so I doubt we'll be able to make a difference overnight. No one else ever has."

"Well, I'm going, and I'm proud of it," Rocky said.

"Are there many people who aren't?" Selene wanted to know.

"I think most are going," Max said. "I'm rather excited about it myself. I'm glad Tornado decided to change the date so it would happen sooner, though I'm not surprised that he did. A lot of people are eager."

"I'm going too!" Andy said, coming over. He set his fishing rod down, and didn't bother to take the worm off. "Max tried to talk me out of it because he thought it was too dangerous, but I want to go. I want to see my parents, and I want to see the open land and the mountains. I bet it looks awesome."

"I'll be sure to introduce you to our parents if I get the chance," Selene said, smiling at his enthusiasm even though she worried for his safety.

"How was Dahlia's wedding?" Max asked.

"It was beautiful. She and Henry are very happy together. It was a fun night, and I think half the village showed up. Even Jenson came, though he told everyone he was someone else. I'm not sure everyone really believed his story, but no one said anything. He even gained a few female admirers, much to my annoyance."

Domino scowled somewhat. "I wish we had that option."

"I have to agree with you there," Max said. "If we crashed a wedding people would probably run away screaming. Even our own parents would look at us with disgust. I doubt that'll change even if they ever manage to live with us. We are quite hideous."

"What you look like on the outside doesn't matter," Selene said. She hated it when Tornado called himself ugly, and she didn't like it any more when her brother did. By the standards of the village they were, but she didn't even see them that way anymore. She had almost grown to like the way they all looked so different. "You know, when Jenson was at the wedding he said he was surprised by how similar all the normal people looked. It's true that we don't have quite as much individuality as you beasts. You should consider that to be a good thing."

Max just shrugged, and no one commented. Even they were raised to hate what they were, which Selene thought was the saddest thing of all. If they couldn't accept themselves, how could they truly expect others to accept them?

Selene stayed with her brothers until it was almost dark. She didn't want to get lost, so she had to leave by then, though she was as sad to leave as she was last time she was there. Even though she still hardly knew her brothers, she loved them. They were already family to her, and she enjoyed getting to know their differences and their strengths.

It was getting very dark by the time she reached the top of the hill her home sat on. It was so dark, in fact, that she almost didn't notice Henry, who was sitting on a stool in the yard, looking out at the rest of the village. He looked over at Selene when she stopped, and he smiled, though the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. He looked like he was feeling sad about something, so Selene pulled up another stool that was over by the cauldron and sat next to him.

"It's a nice night," she observed, breathing in the fresh air. It was cooling down now that the sun had fallen beneath the mountains.

Henry nodded and made another attempt at a smile. "That it is."

"You and Dahlia didn't have a fight already, did you?" Selene asked.

Henry made a small snort of laughter. "No, we didn't. Why do you ask?"

"You look like something's bothering you. I'm here to listen if you want to talk about it."

"I'm fine," Henry said. He looked back out at the valley. There were some lights moving around in the distance where people were walking around with lanterns. The sounds of laughter carried on the wind from neighbouring houses; as did the sounds of arguing.

"I can see that you aren't," Selene said. Normally she wouldn't press since she didn't like to intrude in other people's business, but she wanted to know what was bothering her new brother already, when he had only been around for a couple of days.

Henry sighed and looked at Selene. "It's not really something I'm supposed to talk about, I guess. I don't want to bother you anyway."

Selene didn't respond, since she didn't know how. She just sat in silence, listening to the chirping of a nearby cricket.

Henry decided to continue, even though it was against his better judgement. "It's just that this life isn't everything I expected it to be. I thought it would be so different and so much better than life in the forest, but now I see that life there wasn't really that bad. I'm glad I'm here, and I wouldn't change it for anything, but I miss things. I miss the way everyone looked so different, and I miss all the people I knew. I even miss looking forward to the change, especially since it's not all I thought it would be. The people here really aren't much different than the beasts. In fact, there are some people here who I like much less."

Henry stopped and looked at Selene as if he realized that he really shouldn't being saying such things. He looked like he felt guilty about even thinking them.

Selene smiled serenely at him, which surprised him. "I'm kind of glad you feel that way," she said. "Well, I'm not glad that you aren't as happy as you should be, but it's nice to know that you care about where you're from as much as where you are now. Don't you think it would be best if we could combine the two worlds?"

Now Henry was really shocked. She was saying something that was not only never talked about, but was also against the law. Plus, he had been under the impression that all normal people liked the segregation and wanted things to be kept that way. Then he thought that maybe she was joking or teasing him, even though she had sounded perfectly serious.

"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

Selene rolled her eyes. "You know exactly what I mean. We shouldn't be separated. It isn't fair, and it isn't helping anyone."

"Is that a widely held opinion?"

"Not at this point," Selene admitted. "In fact, it's best if you don't mention this conversation to anyone. Even Dahlia doesn't like the beasts, though I think that's just because of the way she was raised. Really, it was the way we were all raised. We aren't supposed to like the beasts any more than we're supposed to go into the forest."

"But you do?"

"Yes. I like the beasts and I've been in the forest." Selene felt like she could trust Henry enough to tell him that.

"What?! You've been in the forest?"

"Shhh, not so loud," Selene said quietly. "Yes, I have been in there many times. I know the risks, but in the three years I've been going there I've never been caught. I was just there, actually."

"I never saw you in there."

"That's because I never went to the camp; at least not until a few days ago. I only went as far as a small clearing near the edge of the woods, where I would meet Tornado. It wasn't until the day after the ceremony ended that I actually went further. I got to meet my brothers for the first time, and I fell in love."

Henry's eyes went wide. "Wouldn't that create a problem? Who did you fall in love with?"

Selene nodded. "It is a problem. I wasn't supposed to be in the woods, and I'm underage, so we both decided that he should stay in the forest for now, though you saw him just last night. He called himself Robert, but it was really Jenson Redwing."

Henry actually laughed, and once he started it took him almost a full minute to stop. "Wow. I didn't recognize him at all," he said once he had calmed down somewhat. "He was twice as big before, and he was probably one of the ugliest beasts in the forest. I'm glad to see he's much better looking now. He was actually one of my favourite people. He was the kind of guy who would always help someone when they were in trouble."

Selene had been offended while he was laughing since she thought he was laughing at her. When she realized that wasn't the case she smiled. "I only saw him for a few seconds before he changed, but he certainly wasn't easy on the eyes. I'm glad to hear that he's a good person. I'll admit that I still don't know him very well, though I love him anyway."

"It was love at first sight? I thought that never happened," Henry said. He was back to being serious.

"Yeah, well, it does," Selene said, shrugging. "Anyway, I should get to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. I think Mom wants to get two potions done, and we still don't have all the ingredients."

"Right. Goodnight, Selene. I apologize for causing you to have to sleep on the couch."

Selene smiled. "I'd rather have you around than sleep on a bed."

She went inside, leaving Henry to his musings.

Chapter 11

Selene was woken the next morning by her mother, who stood over her and gently shook her shoulder. Selene groaned and tried to push her hand away, but it kept coming back. Her mother was being persistent.

"Selene, it's time to get up. I'm sure you're tired, but there's a lot to do and I need your help," Frieda said. She stopped shaking her daughters shoulder, but she continued to stand over her until she opened her eyes.

Selene blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the bright morning light coming from the window. "I feel like I haven't slept properly in days," She complained, sitting up slowly. She felt stiff and drowsy, and she would have loved to sleep in a little longer.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have gotten up so early yesterday. Why you wanted to go for a walk in the rain in the early morning is beyond my understanding."

Selene grinned at that but didn't respond. She stretched and yawned, and then she got up. "Is everyone else up?"

"Yes. Henry started working today, and Dahlia is out gathering flowers and herbs, and she's going to go to the shops later to get the rest of what we need. Your father has been off at work since before the sun rose, and I've been up for an hour. I started one potion, but I'm still missing ingredients for the second. I need you to look after the cauldron and add the appropriate ingredients while I go perform a spell."

Selene sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Fine. I'm going to get dressed and cleaned up first, and then I will be out."

"Thank you, darling. I'll watch the cauldron until you're ready, and then I'll be leaving."

Selene hurried to get dressed in an old blue gown and then she went outside to the cauldron. She sat on the stool next to it underneath the shelter, which was attached to the side of the house. Her mother pointed out the recipe in her potion book and added one last ingredient before she said goodbye and headed out. The bubbling mixture in the pot was the start of a Strength Master Potion, which gave its drinker super strength for about an hour a cup. It smelled oddly like skunk, though that would change by the time it was finished.

Unfortunately the potion was fairly involved, so Selene couldn't really leave it. She sat by it and flipped through her mother's potion book, adding the occasional item to the cauldron. There were a lot of oak leaves to add, as well as ants. Selene didn't like killing them, but the ones she was using were already dead. Then she had to add ox blood, which had an unpleasant odour, though it actually made the potion smell better. It turned a bright shade of blue for a moment before becoming muddy green. Selene muttered the appropriate incantation and added a drop of lemon juice.

While she was sitting there, Selene ended up thinking about her father. She had hardly seen him at all lately, and she was starting to miss him. He was always working, and he looked tired whenever she saw him, though he tried not to show it. She was grateful for the sacrifices he made for their family, but she also wished he was home more. They used to be so close, and now Selene felt like she hadn't talked to him in weeks.

Selene tried to imagine what life would be like if her brothers lived at home. Would they ease their father's burden and help the family grow? Would they get along with their parents? Would they all have a bigger house and a happier life? Selene couldn't quite picture having beasts around at home, even though she wanted that to happen. It had just never happened before.

Then she imagined what it would be like if her brothers weren't beasts. Perhaps Max and Domino would be married already. Andy would be running around making everyone smile, as he already did. Maybe they would even have magic and be able to perform spells and make potions, which would help not only their family but also the whole village. They would probably get into all kinds of mischief, and yet they would all have fun together. They would be a real family; one without holes. Selene wouldn't see her mother cry sometimes at night when she didn't think anyone was watching. They would be complete.

Selene wondered if her brothers ever imagined such a life. She knew they wanted to experience life outside the forest, but did they dream about it? What aspect of this life would they treasure the most? Would it be their freedom, their looks, or their family? Perhaps they would enjoy the wide open spaces of the valley, or being around females.

Selene added a crystal of quartz to the cauldron. It was only there during the brewing process and would be removed before the potion was drunk, but its essence would seep into the mixture. She stirred three times in a counter clockwise direction and then added a log to the fire under the cauldron.

When that was done Selene sat back and watched the potion turn colours, but then she was distracted when something fell to the ground in front of her, just out of the shade of the shelter. She kneeled down in the grass and saw that it was a butterfly with a broken wing. It was trying to fly, but it kept falling.

Selene hated seeing the beautiful creature suffer, so she took out her spell book. She remembered performing a spell to fix a moth's wing when she was little. Indeed, she found the spell near the beginning of the book.

# Spirits of nature hear my words,

# For a struggle is at least a try,

# I cannot stand to watch so still,

# As this creature attempts to fly.

#

# Please end this struggle,

# And let it reach the sky,

# For surely if it doesn't,

# It will only die.

A small white light sprouted directly from Selene's chest, and it sparkled with energy as it passed over and engulfed the broken butterfly. It disappeared, and the butterfly spread its wings and took off, dancing around in circles through the air in a display of joy that made Selene smile. She wished that healing people was quite so easy.

She thought about the curse. The transformation from beast to man was alike to that of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. She wished she could find the spell to end the curse, but the search was proving to be fruitless. In the years she had been trying she had tried every spell that could possibly have any effect, and had even tried to make one up. Most of the ones she invented herself either didn't do anything at all or didn't do what they were supposed to do. She had created a new spell that made cows fatter in the process, which was actually quite useful, though not in the way she wanted.

Curses tended to be the most complex spells in existence. One had to weave their words carefully for the desired effect, and it could take almost an hour to complete. Selene had never done one herself, but she had seen her grandmother perform one once when she was still alive. Curses always had counter spells, but only the witch who created the curse would know it. Often there was another way to break a curse, like someone saying certain words or coming to a specific realization or, as was most popular, true love's first kiss. Selene knew that the beasts falling in love served that purpose, though it didn't get rid of the curse for everyone. It was an entirely frustrating problem.

Frieda arrived back home not long after, and she was pleased with the potion's progress. She took over while she waited for Dahlia to get back with the materials she needed for the second potion, and Selene left to do a few spells for people herself.

By late afternoon the second potion was started and the first finished, and Dahlia had left again to get more supplies. Selene was back at home by the cauldron while her mother cooked supper. Her stomach felt like it was tied in knots as she worried about what the next day would bring.

She was scared. She couldn't deny that. She wasn't as worried about herself as she was about the beasts, who would be in a lot of danger. The penalty for them leaving the forest was death, but Selene was fairly confident that there would be enough of them to overpower any opposing physical force. It was the verbal reactions that would be the biggest problem. She had no idea what people would think.

Velkan and Henry both managed to get home in time for supper that night, so they all ate together. Selene watched her father closely, and saw that he did look tired, and yet he seemed happy as well. He smiled quite a bit and talked more than he might normally. He mostly talked to Henry, who was sitting next to him. Dahlia was thrilled that they were getting along so well.

Selene didn't talk or eat much, but no one noticed. Her stomach was still twisted, and she felt like she'd throw up if she ate more than a couple bites of the chicken stew her mother had cooked. By the time the meal was over, her heart felt like it was in her throat, but not because she was worried about the beasts. She was worried about her family.

No matter what happened, things would change. This would be the last night like this for her, and she knew it. The peace and quiet calm of the evening would be gone before the sun rose, and things would become either better or worse. Her family might not ever see her the same way again. She hated that she couldn't predict what would happen, but visions of the future came to seers, not witches, and there were no seers in Spring Meadow.

Selene couldn't get away that evening to go to the forest. She desperately wanted to go, if only to see her friends one last time before the uncertainty of tomorrow. She had to stay at home help her mother with the potion, and it wasn't finished until late. By then she knew it was best to get some sleep, since she would be up very early in the morning.

The whole house went to bed early. Selene said goodnight to her family before they went upstairs, and then she settled down onto the couch. It was a warm evening with a clear sky, so when she looked out the window she could see the stars sparkling brightly and the waning crescent of the moon.

Selene tried to sleep. She really did. Her heart continued to pound in her chest, and she felt fluttery all over. She had never been so nervous before about anything, and it kept her awake late into the night until she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

Sleep, however, did not bring her peace. She was plagued by strange dreams in which Amber started shooting arrows at Brisham and Edgar, Dahlia became a beast, and her parents danced around the meadow while the mayor laughed at them from the edge of the forest. Jenson ran off with a female beast, and Andy floated up into the sky and became the sun. Jill Springdale danced with Max beneath a set of gallows, and Tornado scolded Selene for wearing the wrong dress.

In the last part of her dream, a strange woman appeared in the village square and she started singing a garbled song that made no sense. Then spiders started pouring from her mouth, and she began to laugh. It wasn't a happy laugh, but one best suited to a madwoman. The spiders that came from her started crawling on top of each other, until they formed a wiggling and clicking fence between Selene and Tornado. She tried to reach him, but when she stuck her hand through the spiders they started to bite her, and when she pulled her arm away they didn't stop. They crawled onto her faster than she could brush them off, and suddenly they were over her eyes and she couldn't see, though she could still hear the woman laughing and Tornado's shouts as he tried to reach her. She started to scream, but the spiders entered her mouth, choking her. That was when she sat up on the couch, covered in sweat and struggling to breathe.

Chapter 12

Selene squinted at the ancient clock on the wall in the dim light of the moon. It was a little after three o'clock in the morning. It was earlier than she had planned on getting up, but she didn't want to go back to sleep. She could still feel the bites of the spiders that had covered her in her dream, as well as the sensation of them being in her throat. She shuddered and quickly looked down at herself, and was happy to see that she was spider-free. It was only a dream.

There was a creak from a floorboard upstairs. Selene paused and listened carefully, and she heard a rustle of blankets. Whoever was up was going back to bed. They had probably been using a chamber pot. Selene listened for another minute, and she heard no more sounds.

She threw back her blankets and got up. She shivered as she changed quickly out of her nightgown and into one of her newest dresses, which was a shade of pale grey, and put on a shawl. Since it was still night, it was bound to be cold out. She folded her blankets and then quietly tiptoed to the door. It had a tendency to squeak, but luckily it made only a soft noise as she opened it and stepped out.

It was hard to see in the darkness, even though the sky was clear. Selene couldn't help but wish the moon had been full. She walked to the forest with her shawl wrapped tightly around her. She didn't see anyone else up, and there were only a couple of lights on in the whole valley. It was a quiet and still night.

It was even harder to see in the forest. Selene made it to the clearing almost by feeling alone, but once she got there she wasn't sure where to go next. She cursed the darkness and stood there, trying to decide what to do. The forest was quite large, and she didn't want to get lost. The day was too important for that. She sat down on her usual rock as she deliberated.

A light suddenly appeared in the darkness. It cast shadows of branches and leaves around the clearing as it moved closer, until Tornado stepped out of the trees. He was carrying a lantern, and he looked surprised to see Selene.

"I was just coming here to wait for you," he said. "I wasn't expecting you to be here for another hour."

"I just got here. I couldn't really sleep."

Tornado nodded. "Neither could I, really. I think most of us have been up all night. It's hard to sleep when you know your life could change in the morning. There's just too much to think about, and yet so many things you don't want to think about. It's frustrating."

"That's very true. I actually managed to sleep a little, but I had a weird dream that freaked me out a little, and then I didn't want to sleep anymore," Selene said. "Are we going to go to the main camp to meet up with everyone else?"

"Not right now. We aren't leaving for a little while, so we might as well just stay here for a few minutes. This could be the last time we meet here. If it is I think I'll miss this spot."

"I would too. It's beautiful and serene, and this rock is strangely comfortable," Selene said. She sighed and rested her elbows on her knees. Now that she was up she was starting to feel sleepy, but she pushed the sensation away. She needed to stay alert.

Tornado sat on his log. For once he didn't have his bow and arrows with him, and he looked almost strange without them. He looked around the clearing in the darkness as if trying to commit it to his memory, even though he had spent enough time in it to be able to navigate around it blindfolded. He grinned slightly at the willow tree across from where they were sitting, since it was essentially the reason they had met.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Selene asked suddenly. She suppressed a yawn.

"Not at all, but I'm ready for it anyway. It beats sitting around doing nothing at the very least. We could end up making history today. It's a little exciting." Tornado was still terrified, but he had resigned himself to whatever fate had in store for him. "Are you having second thoughts? You can always just go home and pretend you didn't know about any of this. No one will really blame you for doing so. In fact, they'll be surprised if you don't, since they have little faith in normal people."

Selene smiled. "I would never do that. I plan on supporting you all to the end, no matter what the consequences. I'm hoping that somehow my support will have an influence on the other villagers. I want to help them see you all the way I do. Honestly, it feels great to finally be doing something after all this time."

"I know what you mean," Tornado said, nodding. He stretched his legs out in front of him.

"How's Jenson? I haven't seen him in a couple of days. Is he still coming with us?" Selene asked.

"Yeah, he's coming. He's been a little antsy lately, and he tends to sulk around a lot, though I'm pretty that's just when he misses you." He was getting on Tornado's nerves, actually, though he didn't say so to Selene. It wasn't that he didn't like Jenson, because he did. He was just still jealous. He wished he could be normal and have a girlfriend as well, and he was actually secretly hoping that he'd fall in love during the rebellion, even though he knew the chances of that happening were slim.

"It'll be hard telling people who he really is. My family will be shocked, and Dahlia will probably be hurt because I didn't tell her. I hope I don't get in trouble. I'm hoping people will be too distracted by the beasts to care about my wrongdoings," Selene said. She smiled to lighten what she said, even though she meant it seriously.

"Well, it's for the best. There will be too many questions if you don't tell them, plus you wouldn't get to be together."

"I know. I just really hope everything turns out well for all of us, even me. I suppose I'm allowed to have selfish wishes every once in a while."

Tornado laughed. "You should be selfish more often. Sometimes I feel like all you ever do is give. You deserve to get something in return."

Selene smiled. "It is nice sometimes, but I like helping other people. I feel like my life would be wasted if I didn't. I can't only live for myself, or my existence would be pointless."

"You know, I bet you'll be a really good mother someday if you and Jenson get married and have kids. I don't actually know any mothers, or even fathers, but from what I've read it's good to be willing to give up your time and energy."

Selene frowned as she thought about having kids. She wanted to, but she didn't like to think of things that she wanted at such an uncertain time. If she really wanted it and couldn't get it, she would only be more upset about it. She pushed the thought from her mind.

Tornado saw the conflicted expression on her face and changed the subject. "Do you think your friend Amber will come to the rebellion?"

Selene scowled. "I hope not. I'm not even sure that we are friends anymore. She's shallow and selfish, so there's pretty much no way she'll support us. Plus, she seems to become more and more like her aunt every day, and Mayor Thornwood hates the beasts."

"This is going to be difficult," Tornado commented, and then they both fell silent.

They sat there for a few minutes longer, and then Tornado suggested that they start walking toward the main camp. People would be starting to get up by the time they arrived.

They mostly walked in silence. Selene followed behind Tornado, since she couldn't see well enough to tell where they were going, even in the light of the lantern. The forest was quiet, so the only sounds were their footsteps and the occasional hoot of an owl or chirp of a cricket. The quiet gave Selene far more time to think than she wanted, and the fluttery feeling she had the night before returned.

There was a crowd in the center of the camp when they reached it, and many people had lanterns so it was far easier to see. Selene was surprised by the number of beasts there, and there were still more coming from all corners of the forest. The noise of the crowd increased when they noticed Selene.

"Glad you did decide to come, girl," Brisham growled, stepping away from the group and towards Selene and Tornado. He stuck out a hand that was surprisingly normal aside from its skin, which was as scaly and brown as the rest of his body.

"I hope you didn't doubt that I would," Selene responded, shaking his hand.

"How much longer until everyone will be ready?" Tornado asked.

"Another half hour should be plenty of time," Brisham told him. "There are still lots more to come, but they shouldn't be long."

"Hey Selene!" someone called, and she looked over to see Andy waving and jumping up and down in his excitement, looking as much like a bright yellow sun as ever. He was one of the shortest in the crowd, and he looked like one of the youngest as well. He was standing with his brothers, who looked much more serious. Selene waved back.

By the time the half hour passed, the crowd had grown to almost a thousand beasts. Selene marvelled at the variety of shapes and colors. One even had six legs that he crawled around on, making him look like a giant insect, and another had big feathery wings in a bright shade of purple. Selene wondered if he could actually fly.

It seemed like no one else was going to join them, so they started their march. Tornado and Selene led the way through the forest, which was illuminated brightly by all of the lanterns. There were a few beasts whispering to each other, but the group was, for the most part, quiet. The tension was almost palpable as many silently considered what their fate might be. It was a time to be serious.

Before they reached the edge of the forest, Andy jogged up and joined Selene. He slid his hand into hers, and held on tight with his chubby little fingers. She looked down at him and smiled, and he grinned in return.

"What's it like outside the forest?" he asked, his voice barely over a whisper.

"You'll find out in a minute," Selene answered.

"I'll see it in a minute, you mean. That doesn't tell me what life is like. Is it different than in the forest?"

"Not really," Selene admitted. "The differences are subtle. I suppose the basic structure of life is very similar. The people look different, and most are female. Plus we have to earn money, which I know doesn't happen in the forest. You all just help each other out, don't you? That would be nice. Money always tends to be an issue."

"Yeah, we don't use money, though I've heard about it. We trade stuff, too."

"You know, now that I think about it, it wouldn't surprise me if life was better in the forest," Selene said. "It would be almost peaceful."

Andy shook his head. "It's not better when you don't have a choice. Plus, we have to be raised by people we aren't related to because we don't get to live with our families. I think that's what I'd like most about living outside the forest. I'd get to be with the rest of my family. I'm glad I got to meet you at least. I like having a sister."

"Well, I'm more than happy to have four amazing brothers," Selene said, smiling. She really meant it.

It was at that moment that they reached the edge of the woods. Even Tornado hesitated before stepping out into the meadow for the first time in his life, but when he did a huge grin spread across his wide mouth. Andy grinned too, and squinted at the valley below. It was still quite dark outside, so they couldn't see much.

"You know, I think it's a little more windy out here," Tornado commented. He had stopped in the meadow as the rest of the beasts poured out of the forest. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, savouring the different scents in the air.

"We should really keep moving before someone notices us here," Selene said. She was still holding Andy's hand as he looked around in all directions, trying to take in as much as he could.

Tornado nodded, though reluctantly. He was as eager to look around as Andy was, but he knew Selene was right. They didn't really want to be noticed until they were in the village square in front of the hall, so they were going to have to move as quietly as they could. They extinguished their lanterns.

As they began walking down the hill there was no sound except that of their feet against the earth. Since they were now in a territory that Tornado was unfamiliar with, it was Selene who led them. There were still very few lights on in the village, and as they passed through no one came to investigate. The walk to the square took around thirty minutes, and it passed uneventfully.

The thousand or so beasts took up the entire square. It was surrounded on three sides by the village hall, the courthouse, and the watcher headquarters, and the ground was covered with flat stones. There was also a well in the center of the square surrounded by a small, round platform that was only about a foot high and five feet in diameter. The porch in front of the hall was the highest raised area around, so that was where Selene went. She was glad the buildings were empty at that hour of the day as she went up the three steps. Tornado followed her, since he was kind of leading the rebellion.

Once Selene was standing there on the porch, she looked out at the sea of strange faces before her. Many of them looked as apprehensive as she felt, and maybe even more so. She spotted Jenson, who had been near the rear of the group as they had walked, though he was now making his way toward the front. He looked strange to her when surrounded by so many beasts.

Selene wasn't really sure what to do, since they had to wait until people started getting before anything would really happen. She thought that maybe she should say a few words, but she wasn't sure what to say.

Tornado stepped forward instead. He held his hands up for silence, even though there had only been a couple of beasts whispering. They stopped immediately, and everyone looked at him expectantly, which made him nervous. He wasn't really used to being a leader.

"Hi everyone," he started. "I'd like to thank you all for coming here and supporting our rights. We wouldn't have been able to make a difference if only a few came, so it's great to see so many faces. I hope that we can make a difference, and change things for the better. We've been stuck in the forest for too long, with no choice in how we live. At least we're finally doing something about it.

"Things could get dangerous once the people start realizing we're here. I recommend that everyone stays together, since we'll be stronger that way. I hope we all make it through this."

There was a polite smattering of applause, but most didn't respond. They were frightened, and reasonably so, Selene thought. Anything could happen.

Selene and Tornado sat down on the steps of the village hall. Jenson joined them while everyone else just stood about; some quietly talking while others remained silent, anxiously looking around for signs of people.

"I hope we can all handle this," Jenson said quietly as he sat next to Selene. "I don't necessarily doubt anyone's courage, but none of us have much experience with conflict. We've all just sat back and done what we were told until now."

"That just means we were saving up our energy," Tornado said from Selene's other side.

Jenson shrugged. "I hope you're right," he said.

Selene grabbed his hand, and he squeezed it tightly. His touch was comforting to her, and helped sooth her agitated nerves. She still couldn't think of anything to say, so she sat there in silence.

The sky gradually started to lighten. By the time the sun was finally visible over the mountains, Selene was starting to get excited. She was growing tired of waiting, and she desperately wanted to know what the outcome of this day would be. She kept a close eye out for signs of people. She could see some farmers in the distance getting up and heading out to the fields, but none of them seemed to notice the large crowd in the square. Perhaps it was still too dark outside. It was becoming quite cloudy, which didn't help.

Finally, the sounds of a carriage rolling down the bumpy dirt road caught Selene's attention. She looked up and saw it approach, and she knew immediately that it belonged to the mayor. Her feeling of excitement left her suddenly, and she was left feeling nothing but dread. Jenson chided her softly for squeezing his hand too hard, so she let go and stood up. Jenson and Tornado stood as well, and watched as the carriage grew ever closer.

The mayor wasn't the only one on her way to the square by then. A few other people had seen the dense and strangely colourful crowd and were coming to investigate. Most were more curious than anything else, though when one older woman finally saw who was in the square, she choked back a scream and fainted. Thankfully, most weren't quite so fearful.

The carriage pulled up at the end of the square, where the crowd stopped. Mayor Thornwood stepped out of her carriage, and she was flanked by two watchers, who were dressed all in black. The mayor looked furious, but she showed no sign of fear. She walked purposefully through the group of beasts, who parted so she could pass. Her furious look turned to one of open disgust.

Other villagers were starting to reach the group, and their reactions varied. Some were shocked, some disgusted, and some interested. They stood around the edges of the crowd and watched what was happening.

The mayor finally reached the hall. She stomped up the stairs past Selene, Tornado, and Jenson without even looking at them, and the watchers followed closely behind. Their presence would have been more menacing if they weren't so old and thin. They weren't used to there actually being any trouble.

Mayor Thornwood stopped on the patio and turned. She glared at the beasts with her beady dark eyes, which looked even smaller when narrowed in hate.

She didn't acknowledge the crowd. She turned instead to the pair of watchers. "Arrest them all," she commanded, and then she promptly turned and entered the hall, slamming the door behind her.

Chapter 13

The watchers stood there, looking stunned. They knew that the two of them were no match for a thousand beasts. Really, they would hardly be a match for two.

The beasts watched them carefully as well, but they didn't move. They seemed frozen, and unsure of what to do. The dungeon beneath watcher headquarters only had four cells, and altogether they wouldn't be able to fit more than fifty people in them. They just looked at each other, but neither could suggest any course of action to the other.

Tornado spoke up. "We aren't going to go quietly if you try anything, so I suggest you just leave," he said.

One of the watchers actually looked frightened of him. He slowly nodded and backed away, and the other followed. They went to their building and went inside, shutting the door. A few seconds later Selene could see them peering out the window.

The mayor, who had seen the watchers leave, came back outside. "You are forbidden by the laws of the kingdom to be outside of the forest," she said, addressing the crowd of beasts from the porch. "You being here is punishable by death. I give all human citizens of this village permission to kill any beast here. You don't belong here, and I won't have you disturbing the peace of this village."

No one responded, and no one moved. The mayor gave up and went back inside, cursing the watchers under her breath. She knew there was nothing she could do, and she hated to lose.

Some of the villagers who had been on the fringes of the group started moving forward to get a better idea of what was happening. Selene saw Henry and Dahlia approach. Henry was smiling, and he nodded to a few beasts he knew from his life in the forest. Dahlia looked scared and confused, and she kept turning her head around to watch everyone around her as they passed the beasts and made their way to Selene. She was holding on tightly to her husband's hand.

"What's going on?" Dahlia asked her sister when they reached the steps. "Why are all these beasts here? What are you doing with them?" She noticed Tornado, who was standing next to Selene. He was watching her as carefully as she was watching him.

"The beasts are standing up for their rights," Selene told her sister. "I'm standing with them. They deserve as much freedom as we do, and the way they look is no excuse to treat them like they aren't human beings."

Dahlia didn't really know what to say. She just looked around. She was repulsed by the creatures before her, but even she could see the sadness and determination in their eyes, which were feelings that helped her to see them as human. Before she married Henry she would never have understood, but she had fallen in love with a beast. She frowned, but she nodded.

"I knew you supported the beasts, but I wasn't expecting this," Henry said. He was still grinning. "I hope it accomplishes something."

"So do I," Selene said.

Henry stuck out a hand, but not toward Selene. He offered it to Jenson. "Jenson Redwing, it's good to see you again. I must admit that you do look much better since you fell in love with my sister-in-law. I wish you the best. Perhaps someday soon we will be brothers."

Jenson shook his hand and smiled. "I hope you're right about that, Henry," he said. He cast an adoring glance toward Selene, who blushed and looked away.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Dahlia asked, looking back and forth between Selene and Jenson. "I thought your name was Robert."

Jenson shrugged. "I lied. I didn't want to get Selene in trouble."

"Why would she be in trouble?" Dahlia demanded to know.

"I was in the forest, Dahlia," Selene said softly. "I met Jenson there, since he was a beast at the time. It was love at first sight."

Dahlia's eyes narrowed. "You mean all this time I've been seeing you so unhappy and wishing you could be in love like I was, you already were? I can't believe you didn't tell me." Her voice was starting to rise as she got angry.

"I couldn't tell you," Selene argued. "You never would have understood. You hated the beasts, and I didn't. I never have."

"I don't hate them, I just...I just didn't understand them."

"No one does. That's because they never get the chance. We're here to change that," Selene said.

By then most of the villagers had arrived, and most of them looked confused. Tornado instructed the beasts to back up and make room for them in the square. Jenson led the villagers up in front of the porch, where Selene and Tornado still stood. Henry and Dahlia joined the crowd and stood next to Frieda and Velkan, who had arrived. Frieda's eyes were nervously darting around, though not because of the beasts. She was more afraid of what the other villagers thought about her daughter, who was standing before them with a beast. Velkan's features betrayed none of his thoughts, though he was very interested in what was happening.

Selene was finally ready to speak. She looked out at all the people she knew, who she had grown up with, and hoped that they would understand. "I'm sure you're all wondering what's going on," she said loudly. No one was talking anyway, so they could hear her clearly. "These beasts behind you have come out of the forest today for the first time in centuries because they want their freedom. I will admit that I've tried everything in my power to break the curse, but my power was not enough. It seems the only way to let them live a normal life is to let them live among us."

There was a buzzing in the air as people started whispering to each other. Only one person spoke out loud, and she pushed through the crowd in order to stand on the porch to address everyone. "That's crazy," Amber said. She looked like she was offended by the thought. "They don't belong with us. Just look at them." Her lip curled in disgust, and a few people did actually turn around to look at the beasts. "Things have been the way they are for hundreds of years for a reason. Those aren't men; they're animals. Who would want to have to look at them all the time?"

"You're wrong, Amber," Selene said. Her eyes had narrowed, and it was her old friend whom she looked at with disgust, not the beasts. Then she turned to the villagers. "They are men. I'm sure all of the men from the village could attest to that, since they were all once beasts. Not only are they men, but they are also your children, who you were forced to give up at birth. Wouldn't you like to know your sons?"

There was a collective murmur from the crowd, and many heads nodded, both male and female. Amber could see them agreeing with Selene, and it made her angry.

"They aren't men until they fall in love," she said, glaring at no one in particular. "They aren't men now. Just because they are the children of humans doesn't mean they are human. It's obvious that they aren't. Humans don't have five legs or purple skin or fur. It's completely unnatural."

"You're right; it isn't natural. It was caused by a curse," Selene pointed out. "They can't help the way they look any more than we can. They are the same on the inside as the rest of us."

"Or perhaps they were made to look that way by the curse so that their outsides match their insides," Mayor Thornwood said coldly from behind Selene. She hadn't even noticed her come outside again, but when she turned around the mayor was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. Amber moved to stand by her.

"The curse was created for a reason," Mayor Thornwood continued, addressing the villagers. "Men are like animals, which is why they were made to look like them. The ones you know are well-behaved because they lived in the ways the law says they should. If they live with us from birth they will only go back to their old ways, with drinking, gambling, and some unspeakable acts. It's in their nature."

Amber nodded in agreement, and turned to Selene with a smug look that implied she thought they were winning the argument. She wasn't looking at the crowd, though, so she didn't see the men shaking their heads and the beasts getting angry. Even some of the women didn't like their men talked about in such a way.

Selene was heartened by the response of the crowd. She turned to Amber and Mayor Thornwood. "What makes you think you're any better than they are?"

Tornado's eyes opened wide, and Jenson tried to hide his grin.

The mayor was furious, though she tried not to show it. She didn't want anyone to think Selene was getting to her. She was just a girl after all. "Things have been going great for the past thousand years. There has only been one war, which was small, and the people have been happy and healthy. That proves that women are better leaders."

"You are delusional if you think things are good the way they are," Selene seethed. "You say you have no wars, and yet wars are not the only measure of peace. The beasts, who are our men, don't have the peace they deserve, and neither do the rest of us. Everyone has to work far too hard to earn enough money just to survive, and survive is all we do, though barely. Most people are unhappy, and they have plenty of reasons. Many are lonely, everyone works too much, living conditions are poor, the flu and other illnesses kill more people than they should, and the population isn't even sustaining itself. Then there are the mothers who have to go through the ordeal of having a child only to have it taken away. We are neither happy nor healthy with the way things are. The fact that you refuse to see that proves how poor of a leader you really are."

Now the mayor looked like she wanted to kill Selene, which scared Jenson. He moved to stand closer to her so he could protect her if he needed to.

"You're out of line, Ms. Brookbank. I might also add that you are young and know little of the ways of the world. Regardless, I won't stand by and let you spread your lies and poison the minds of the innocent people present. You shall be punished," the mayor said. Her voice was almost shaking with the strength of her anger. "Amber, go and fetch the watchers please. They may not be willing to arrest everyone, but surely they can arrest one person. I don't doubt that Ms. Brookbank is responsible for this whole mess in the first place."

Amber actually paused. For a fleeting moment the old Amber was back, and she looked upset. She hadn't been getting along well with Selene lately, but they had been friends for years. She didn't want Selene to be arrested, especially because she could be sentenced to death for what she had done, but she didn't want to betray her aunt either. She had to choose in that moment who she would be loyal to.

She didn't choose Selene. She shot her an apologetic look behind her aunt's back and then started walking to the watcher headquarters. It didn't ease the sting Selene felt over her old friend's betrayal. Her heart started pounding at the thought of being arrested, but in a way she was almost proud because it meant she was doing something serious enough to have gained attention.

There was silence in the moments before Amber came back out with the watchers. They marched up the stairs to the porch, and one carried a set of old iron handcuffs.

Jenson moved in front of Selene. "If you want to arrest her, you have to get through me," he warned.

Tornado moved too. "And me," he added.

There was a disturbance in the crowd below, and then all four of Selene's brothers came up the steps.

"There's no way you're touching my sister," Max said, glaring at the watchers, who were starting to look frightened and unsure again.

There was a gasp from the crowd, and Selene looked over to see her mother with her hand clenched over her mouth. She had heard Max call Selene his sister, and had realized that she was seeing her sons for the first time since they were born. She recognized their colours, since the images of the tiny infant beasts were forever burned in her mind.

Selene was touched by the response from her brothers and friends, though she didn't want them to risk anything for her.

The watchers looked at her, then those standing around her, and then at the mayor. They still didn't move.

The mayor snatched the handcuffs away from the watcher and moved to put them on Selene herself, but she was blocked by Max, who could look rather menacing when he wanted to. She tried to put the cuffs on him instead, but he snatched them from her quickly, before she had time to react.

"No one is being arrested here today," he snapped.

Mayor Thornwood was both appalled by his behaviour and disgusted by his appearance. Still, she was powerless and she knew it. Her title was only as good as her word, and her word was no longer accepted.

Tornado turned to the group of women and men in front of the porch. "I'd like to call a vote. Who here is in favour of letting us, the beasts, live among you as equals?" Almost all of them raised their hands. "Who would rather things be kept as they were?" Only seven hands went up, not including Amber and the mayor. "I do believe the people have spoken."

"This isn't a democracy," the mayor snarled. "It's a kingdom. You have no say in the law, and even if you can convince these people to go along with your plan, there's no way you'll be able to convince the rest of the kingdom. An army of watchers will come in, and then you'll regret ever breaking the law in the first place."

"Let them try," Jenson said. "I don't know about anyone else here, but I'm willing to fight for what I believe in and care about. I like to think I'm not the only one."

There were shouts of agreement from the crowd; both from the people and the beasts. It lightened Selene's heart. They had actually managed to convince people. She truly believed in that moment that everything would be alright.

Mayor Thornwood knew she was defeated, at least for that moment. She grabbed the watchers' arms and pulled them into the village hall with her, with Amber following close behind. She planned on deliberating and coming up with a plan.

Before the mayor shut the door behind them, she stopped in her tracks with her hand on the doorknob, and stared out at the square with an odd expression on her face that looked somewhat like confusion. Selene turned to see what had caught her attention.

A thick cloud of black smoke had appeared over the well in the center of the square. Selene knew immediately that it wasn't natural because it was fraught with little bursts of light that looked like static. It was a magical cloud. It started to disperse, and a figure began to be visible from within. She waved her hand, and the rest of the cloud disappeared.

The witch was tall and majestic, and she had straight features and eyes that were almost violet. She looked to be middle aged, and there was a white streak through her raven-black hair. Her presence was commanding even before she spoke, and Selene couldn't help but be afraid. The woman looked familiar in some way, and she filled Selene with a sense of dread. She shivered involuntarily.

The witch was standing on the rim of the well, and she stepped down to the platform. The people nearby backed away for no reason in particular other than the fact that they didn't want to be too close to this mysterious stranger.

That was when Selene noticed something that made her fear the woman even more. She was holding a staff. Only the most powerful of witches could control their magic using a staff. It helped to focus their energy and save the need for long incantations, but it took immense power and years of training to be able to wield one effectively. Whoever this witch was, Selene wouldn't be able to stop her if she tried to do anything.

"Your mayor is right," the witch said. Her voice was sharp, and it carried easily across the silent crowd, who were all looking at her. "Beasts don't belong among women. I'll give you ten minutes to start moving back to the forest. If you don't, I will start killing."

Tornado looked at Selene with wide eyes. "What should we do?" he asked her.

"I hate to admit it, but I think you should listen," she told him quietly, her heart sinking in her chest. "She's a very powerful witch, so I have no doubt that she's deadly. She probably uses dark magic."

"We can't give up now," Tornado said bravely. "This could be our only chance to make a difference."

"Tornado, don't..." Selene started to say, grabbing his arm. She was too late, however, since he had already turned to the crowd.

"I'm not going anywhere," he announced. Many beasts nodded in agreement, and none of them moved. They were going to stand their ground.

"Don't..." Selene started to say again, but Tornado held up a hand to stop her.

"We knew this wouldn't be easy, but that doesn't mean we should turn and run away," he said. "I'm willing to die for what I believe in."

"I'm glad you feel that way," the witch said, pulling something from behind her back.

Selene didn't see what it was because she turned when the mayor spoke from behind her. She was still standing in the doorway. "I'm glad someone has some sense around here," she said.

Selene turned back to try to discourage Tornado from staying, but she only turned in time to see a glistening black arrow with green feathers lodge itself in Tornado's chest.

Chapter 14

The witch was holding a black bow that had been enchanted to find its mark. When she saw that her arrow had reached its target she smirked and lowered the weapon. She almost started to laugh with glee as a panic ensued in the crowd around her, and the beasts started moving to the forest. She held back her laughter and instead let it dance around in her bright purple eyes, which she knew would scare the people more.

Selene didn't see any of that. She had grabbed Tornado and eased his fall to the porch beneath his feet, all the while staring in shock at the arrow and the dark red liquid that had begun to pool around the hole it made in his chest. She felt like her own heart had stopped, and everything else in the world faded away in the background as she held her best friend, tears silently rolling down her pale cheeks before she could stop them.

Tornado moaned, and he looked at Selene. He showed no sign of fear; only a strong sense of purpose. "Don't give up," he said quietly. "Don't let this all be for nothing." He shuddered and gasped for air, holding Selene's hand tightly in his.

"I won't," she promised him.

Tornado drew in one last breath, and then his hand went limp and his head rolled back. Selene's emotions at that moment were so powerful even she didn't know what to make of them. She pushed them away and felt a calm numbness take over instead. She reached up and closed her best friend's eyes so that he may sleep forever in peace. She couldn't let him go.

Gradually she became aware of hands on her shoulders and voices speaking to her. The background noises and faces slowly came into focus. Jenson was kneeling behind her, and it was his hands on her shoulders. His own tears were falling on her, but he wasn't the one speaking. Selene realized that her family was there, and then she looked up sharply at the square. All of the beasts were gone, and she could see them in the distance climbing the hill to the forest, where it was likely they would be returning forever.

Velkan was speaking. Selene looked up at him. "It's Wicesla, Selene," he was saying. "She has returned."

Selene looked at Wicesla, who was still by the well, with pure hatred. Then she tried to reign in her anger since she knew it was an ugly thing to feel. If she acted in anger and hatred she would be no better than the evil witch. Tornado would not want her to turn her back on who she was, even for him. She kissed his forehead and let go of his hand, and then she stood. She was vaguely aware that she was covered in his blood. She reached blindly for Jenson's hand, and found it.

Before she could speak she became aware that the mayor and the watchers were standing right next to her, and the watcher had gotten his cuffs back and he moved to put them on Selene. She was too numb to really care at that point. The watcher didn't get to put the cuffs on her, however.

"No, let the girl stay," Wicesla said, moving up toward the porch. She grinned for some mysterious reason, and her eyes sparkled. "Surely the beast's death is punishment enough for her. She's too weak to do anything anyway. The magic in her family isn't strong enough to compare to mine, which has been growing for hundreds of years. Even her ancestor, the strongest in her bloodline, wasn't a match for me."

Mayor Thornwood didn't like taking advice from anyone, since she preferred to be the one in charge. Still, she had to recognize and respect Wicesla's power. "Very well," she said. "She may be free for now, but if she tries anything she will be punished immediately."

Wicesla couldn't hold back her cruel laughter that time. "If she does, I will deal with her personally," she promised. Then she disappeared in another puff of black smoke.

Jenson knew that Selene hadn't been paying attention, so he filled her in. "Wicesla said that she was going to put a spell around the entire forest so the beasts wouldn't be able to get out and no one else would be able to get in except during the week of the ceremony. She's making it a true prison." His voice was sad as he told her.

Selene didn't think it was possible for her to feel worse, but now she did. She had made a promise to Tornado, and now it would be almost impossible for her to keep it. She fell to her knees at the edge of the porch and threw up over the side.

She heard the mayor's bark of laughter. "Get rid of that body and make sure everyone gets back to work," she said to the watchers.

One of them moved to the crowd to get them to move, and the other stepped over Tornado's body and leaned down to grab him.

"No!" Selene cried. She lunged from where she was to try to keep him away from Tornado, but Jenson held her back.

"He's gone, Selene. You have to let him go," he said.

She tried to push him away, but he held on tight. She could only stare in horror as Tornado's body was carried away. She knew it would be the last time she would ever see his furry, tan form. The pain in her chest was so strong she felt like it would split her in two, and all she wanted was to be able to escape from it. A wave of blackness began to pass over consciousness, and left her blissfully unaware.

Jenson's heart felt like it was breaking from seeing Selene in so much pain. He was almost relieved when she finally fainted. He picked her up, and was surprised by how light she felt in his arms. He turned to her parents.

"We should really take her home," he said.

"Who are you?" Velkan asked curiously.

Jenson had to tell them the truth. "I'm Jenson Redwing. I fell in love with your daughter in the forest."

Frieda looked far more shocked than Velkan did. "What on earth was she doing in there?" she asked.

"She was trying to help the beasts," Jenson told her. "Tornado was her best friend." He nodded to the pool of blood on the porch not far from where they were standing.

Frieda sighed. "She's going to be heartbroken for a long time," she said sadly. "I lost a friend when I was her age, though she wasn't murdered. It was the flu that got her."

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Velkan asked, after placing a comforting arm around his wife.

"I've been staying in the forest, but if Wicesla casts that spell I won't be able to go back. I hadn't really thought about that before."

"You must stay with us, then," Frieda said. "We don't have much space left, but surely it will be better than being on the streets. Besides, if you changed for Selene, that makes you family. She'll need you now more than ever."

Jenson didn't want to be a burden on the family, but he didn't know what else to do, and he did want to be close to Selene, so he nodded. "That would be greatly appreciated," he said. "We should best be going there now before there's any more trouble."

Jenson carried Selene all the way home, and she didn't stir. Her parents walked ahead of him, and her sister and Henry walked behind. He could hear them talking about everything that had happened, but he didn't join in. He didn't even want to think about it. Tornado had been his friend as well, and he felt the loss greatly.

He looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and he could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Her eyes were closed and her lips parted slightly, and to Jenson she looked like a sleeping angel. He knew the peace she had then wouldn't last long. When she woke up the crushing weight of reality would threaten to tear her world apart.

Jenson was surprised by how small their house was. He had seen the houses in the village, and he had though that a witch would be able to make more money, but he supposed that would be difficult when even her customers had no money. There certainly wouldn't be much room for him in the little two-story house that had only two bedrooms. He would have to sleep in the living room with Selene. There was a comfy-looking worn out chair in one corner that he thought would work for him. It would be better than his bed in the forest anyway.

Under Frieda's instruction he lay Selene down on the couch. She made a small noise and her eyes moved slightly beneath her eyelids, but she didn't wake up. He threw a blanket over her and sat on the edge of the couch so he could keep a close eye on her.

"We have to go out to do some work," Frieda said to Jenson. "I'll be back when I finish my spells, and then I have potions to make. Dahlia will still be here, so if you need help with anything just let her know. Take good care of my daughter while we're gone."

Jenson promised that he would, and Frieda, Velkan, and Henry all left. Dahlia had gone upstairs when they had arrived, but once her family left she came back downstairs and sat across from the couch in the chair in the corner.

"How long have you known Selene?" Dahlia asked quietly, not wanting to disturb her sister.

Jenson took Selene's hand in his and just held it. "Not long," he said. "We met the day after the ceremony ended."

"You were there, weren't you? At the ceremony, I mean."

Jenson nodded. "Yeah, I've been going for only a couple of years, but I was already starting to lose hope of ever finding anyone who could love me the way I was. Then your sister came out of nowhere and completely changed my life. I couldn't imagine a more perfect person. Not only is she beautiful, but she cares about people, no matter what they look like. It takes someone with a strong heart to see past the ugliness of the beasts."

Dahlia smiled. "Yes, she has a very big heart." She paused, and her smile turned into a frown. "I hope it isn't broken by what happened to her friend. That was a horrible thing to see. I can't believe Wicesla returned. She's the most famous evil witch in history. I'd heard she was still alive, but I never really believed it until today."

Jenson nodded thoughtfully. "I wonder why she returned, and how she knew about what was happening here. Was she waiting for something to happen?"

"She must have been. Maybe she knows a seer," Dahlia suggested. "There's also the possibility that she has spells that tell her what's happening. She had a staff, so she must be very powerful. I don't know much about dark magic, though. To be honest, I know little about magic in general. Selene has always been the young witch in the family. I was never very good at controlling what little power I had."

They sat in silence for a moment, both thinking. Jenson watched Selene, but she still didn't show any signs of regaining consciousness, which worried him. He thought of trying to wake her, but decided to let her rest for a little while longer to give her a chance to wake up on her own.

"You know, now that I'm beginning to see things differently, I really do wish the beasts lived here with us instead of being in the forest," Dahlia said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I never would have said that before, but both Henry and Selene have managed to convince me. Besides, I would like to know my brothers. I met two of them during the ceremony, but I barely got to speak to either of them."

"I like your brothers," Jenson said. "I know Max well, and he's a very responsible and caring kind of guy. I really like Andy, too. He always knows how to cheer people up. I think you'd like all of them."

"I hope they aren't really stuck in the forest forever," Dahlia said sadly. "I think I'm going to go to the forest now, actually. I want to know for sure if Wicesla cast the spell." She stood up, and then she went over to the couch and kissed her sister on the cheek before heading out.

Jenson watched Selene again. Her eyelashes fluttered as if she was having a dream, but she still showed no signs of waking up. He was about to go out and get some water to use to wake her up, but then she stirred. He stayed by her side as she opened her eyes. He could see her pain in their grey depths as she looked up at him.

Chapter 15

It took Selene a moment to realize where she was after she opened her eyes. She saw that she was home, but she couldn't remember the journey to get there. The last thing she remembered – well, she didn't want to think about that. It hurt too much.

Jenson was sitting on the edge of the couch by her midsection, and he was looking down at her; his blue eyes filled with concern. She tried to smile at him, but her lips didn't want to cooperate. Still, she was glad that he was there, in her home. She wasn't happy though.

"Please tell me that I just had a really crazy nightmare," she half-whispered.

Jenson had trouble meeting her eyes, but when he brought his back to hers they were filled with sadness. "I wish I could say that, but I'd be lying. It wasn't a dream at all."

Selene nodded. Her throat ached with the urge to cry, but she held it back. "I knew that, but it hurts to hear it nonetheless. You wouldn't be here if it was a dream."

"True. I'd say I'm glad to be here, but the price that was paid was far too great."

"Are you going to be staying here?" Selene asked.

"Yes. Your parents said that I could. If Wicesla puts a spell around the forest, then I won't be able to live there anymore anyway."

Selene frowned and sat up. There was a blanket covering her, so she pulled it back. When she saw the blood that still stained the dress she was wearing she almost threw up again. She was glad that it was too dry to get on the blanket.

"I need to change," she said. "Then I want to go to the forest. I want to know if the spell has been cast. If Wicesla said she would do it then I have no doubt that she did, but I want to know for sure. There's always the possibility that she didn't do it yet anyway."

Jenson's eyes were drawn to the bloodstain as well, and a wave of sadness passed over his features, though he was quick to hide it. He also tried to look away from the blood. "Dahlia went to check. We might as well stay here and find out from her. There's no sense in all of us going, and I'm sure you could use the rest."

"Alright," Selene said. She wanted to go check herself, but she knew it was pointless. Besides, the idea of staying home with Jenson was far more appealing. Being near the forest would bring back a lot of memories. She wanted those memories, but not quite yet. It was still too soon.

Selene got up and went outside to get some water, and then she headed upstairs to change. She used the water to scrub the blood off of her skin, which wasn't an easy task. It didn't want to be removed; almost as if it didn't want to be forgotten. By the time Selene was dressed and cleaned up she realized that she had been crying. She dried her face and hoped her eyes weren't red and puffy.

Jenson wasn't in the living room when she came back down the stairs. She peered into the kitchen, but he wasn't in there either. She was starting to worry when he poked his head in through the front door.

"Sorry, I just went outside for some air," he explained. "Dahlia's on her way back. I can see her walking along the road, and she should be here shortly."

Selene nodded and walked over. She went outside with him, and looked out at the village around them. She could see people out working, though they seemed to be moving slower than usual, and there were many people standing around together. Selene had no doubt that they were discussing the events of the morning, and it made her heart ache.

Jenson noticed her expression and took her hand. "What did he say to you, right before he died?" he asked. He hated to remind her of that time, but he wanted to know, and it was better to ask while the memory was fresh.

She continued looking out at the village for a moment, and Jenson started to think she wouldn't respond, but then she turned and looked up at him.

"He told me not to give up, and I promised that I wouldn't, but I have no idea what I'm going to do."

Jenson pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I have no doubt that you'll think of something or find some way to help the beasts. I'm not saying that to put more pressure on you or anything, but I do really believe it. You're an incredible person."

"I'm not a very powerful witch," Selene murmured, her face resting against his chest. "I'm no match for Wicesla, and I have no idea what to do about her. What if she stays in Spring Meadow?"

"You have a stronger power of a different kind," Jenson said. He tapped the middle of her chest lightly with his fingertips. "She doesn't have the same strength of heart. Surely that gives you some advantage."

"Dark magic has always been more powerful than light magic."

"Then why doesn't dark magic rule us all?" Jenson asked.

"It does," Selene said sadly. "The curse that was placed upon all men was dark magic, as all curses are. In many ways it holds great power over all of us. It has also been powerful enough to be unbreakable for hundreds of years."

Jenson couldn't think of anything to say to that. In fact, it made him feel angry. Not at Selene, but at dark magic and the witches who used it. It wasn't fair that they held more power than the witches who used their magic for good.

Selene felt worn out. She was tired from being up so early, and she was emotionally exhausted as well. Tornado's death had yet to really hit her, and she wasn't looking forward to the time when it did.

"I think I'm going to go lie down," she said.

"Alright," Jenson said, and he kissed her briefly before letting her go.

He didn't follow her as she went back inside. He figured she could use a little time on her own. He stayed and waited for Dahlia to return, since he wanted to know about the forest.

Selene went back to the couch and sat down. She realized that she was shivering, even though she didn't feel cold. She grabbed the old grey blanket she had thrown off earlier and wrapped herself in it before laying down. She barely even noticed the bumps in the couch, though she also couldn't fall asleep. She just lay there with her eyes closed instead; trying to keep her mind as blank as possible.

When over twenty minutes had passed, Selene was surprised that she hadn't heard Dahlia arrive. She hadn't come inside, and Selene hadn't heard anyone outside either.

She finally heard the door open and someone walked in. She peaked up over the edge of her blanket expecting to see Dahlia, but it was her mother who walked in, and she headed upstairs before Selene had a chance to talk to her. Selene wasn't even sure if her mother had seen her. She shrugged and tried to relax, listening for anyone else coming in.

Dahlia came in a minute later, and Jenson followed her into the living room, eagerly awaiting her news. She didn't look happy.

"She did put the spell up," she said once she was sitting down. "I tried walking into the forest and I hit an invisible wall. There was a beast on the other side trying to get through as well, but he couldn't. Then he tried to say something to me, but I couldn't hear him at all. The wall blocks out sound, so we can't even talk to the beasts. The most we could do to communicate would be to write messages."

Selene sat up but kept the blanket around her. "How powerful do you think the spell is?" she asked.

"Well, just think about it. It has to be powerful enough to surround the entire forest. That aspect alone means it could be far too much for you or Mom to handle."

Selene agreed that that made sense, but she wasn't happy about it. She sighed. "I almost wish it was a curse instead of a spell."

Dahlia nodded in agreement, but Jenson looked confused. "Why would you wish something like that?"

"Curses can usually be conquered in some way, but spells have to be reversed," Dahlia explained.

"So there could be a way to conquer the curse on the men?"

Selene shook her head, fighting back tears. "There undoubtedly is, but if no one figured out how in a thousand years then there's a good chance no one ever will. The solution could be quite complicated."

They sat in silence for a moment, all pondering that. Selene couldn't hold her tears back any longer, and she wiped them away with frustration. She hated feeling so powerless, especially after her promise. That promise was almost all she could think about, and the fear of failure was already eating away at her resolve.

Dahlia suddenly announced that she had to go collect some herbs for her mother's potions, leaving Selene and Jenson alone.

"Are you going to look for a job?" Selene asked.

"Yes. I don't have much of a choice if I want to continue living here. It's only fair that I help out as much as I can. In fact, I should get Dahlia to help me, since she has experience from helping Henry. I hope she wouldn't mind. I should go catch up with her now."

Selene was almost hurt. "I should be the one to help you. I don't mind, you know."

Jenson leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. "I know you could help me, but it's best if you stay here and rest. I'll be back later."

Selene didn't want to see him go, but she was also glad that he was going to try to get a job. She didn't want him to be a burden to her parents any more than he did.

Since she was left alone, Selene laid back and tried to sleep. She longed for some sort of release from the pain that lingered in her heart, but sleep still wouldn't come.

She was about to get up to go for a walk to clear her head, but her mother came downstairs. She was holding an ancient-looking wooden box that had metal plates on the corners and a carved flower in the center of the lid. On closer inspection Selene saw that it was a violet, which had been Varla's symbol.

Frieda sat down on the end of the couch. Selene had to move her feet to make room for her, so she sat up, looking curiously at the box. She didn't remember ever seeing it before, but judging by the care with which her mother held it, it had been in the family for some time.

Frieda confirmed her suspicions. "This box was created shortly after Varla's death, centuries ago. It has been passed down through the family ever since, though no one has actually used what's inside. I thought it might help you, though, so I'm passing it on now."

She passed the box to Selene. The wood felt soft in her hands from years of wear, and the metal corners were cold. She was almost afraid to open it, especially now that her mother had given her a glimmer of hope that it could be something she needed. She did not want to be disappointed.

"Go on, open it," Frieda encouraged.

Selene was too curious to not open it. She opened the metal clasp and carefully lifted the lid. The hinges creaked as if they hadn't been moved in a long time, and they put up some resistance. The inside of the wooden box was smaller than she was expecting because the wooden sides were thick. It was lined with violet coloured velvet that was as worn with age as the rest of the box. In the small space was a stone amulet in the shape of a violet that was a little smaller than the size of her palm. She knew immediately what it was, even though she had never seen one before.

"It's a spirit amulet, isn't it?" she said, looking at the stone with a sense of awe. Spirit amulets were incredibly rare and took tremendous magic to make, and Selene hadn't known that one was made for Varla.

Frieda nodded. "Varla made it herself when she was alive. I think it took her a few years to store enough power in it for it to work. When she died her daughter sealed the spell so that it could be used in the future. To be honest, I don't know why it has never been used before, though I don't think anyone except the members of the family ever knew about it. It could prove dangerous if in the wrong hands, though only in the hands of a witch."

Selene didn't want to touch the stone. She wasn't repulsed by it or anything, but she was awed by its power. If anything she was drawn to it. It could be the answer to her problems, and it had been sitting in her house the entire time.

There were words carved in the inside of the lid. Selene had to squint to make them out, but she recognized the words of a spell. It was the incantation to activate the stone. Selene was tempted to read it right then and there, but her mother stopped her.

"Don't activate it right now," she said, as if reading her mind. "That stone has been in our family for many generations, and should only be used if absolutely necessary, since it can only be used once. You should wait until you have no other options."

"But I don't have other options," Selene pointed out.

"That isn't true," Frieda argued. She took out her spell book. "Shield spells aren't black magic. They can have complexities woven in to make them specific, but there's a counter-spell that works for all of them. I have it right here in my book. I had to do a shield spell once to protect the Bluebells' sheep from a wolf."

"Do you think I could do it?" Selene wondered.

"Not on your own, dear. You are a fairly powerful witch for your age, but you lack the necessary experience and energy. Even I couldn't do it on my own, but perhaps we could do it together."

Selene's heart leapt. "Would you really do that?"

"I lost my sons once," Frieda pointed out. "I'm not about to do it again. I didn't even get a chance to talk to them."

"Can we do it today?"

"No. I don't think that would be a good idea. We'll wait a few days to make sure Wicesla is gone, since she will surely resist us if she's still here. I don't want to end up in a duel, since I know I wouldn't survive."

Selene shivered at her mother's words. She also remembered what Wicesla had said before she had fainted: that she would deal with Selene personally if she tried to do anything again. Selene doubted that she would be unaware of the spell's reversal no matter how long they waited. She would know about it, and she would react.

Selene gently shut the lid of the box, even though she didn't want to. Varla knew how to end the curse, so the stone could truly be all she needed. She just hoped it was that simple. She wasn't even sure if Varla would help, considering the fact that she started the curse in the first place. Maybe she would rather keep things the way they were like Wicesla did, even though they were enemies.

Frieda reached over and placed her hand over her daughter's. "Everything will be alright in the end," she said. "We'll at least get the beasts out of the forest, and at best make them human again."

"You aren't including the consequences of those actions," Selene pointed out. "We could all end up dead for all we know."

"Don't talk like that," Frieda scolded. "Have a glimmer of hope, at the very least. I know your friend just died, but that doesn't mean more will follow. Perhaps there will be some way to defeat Wicesla. She really is our only obstacle in this."

"That isn't true. The mayor and whatever followers she has are against us, and that's just in our village. She's perfectly capable of getting an army sent in if need be. No, we have more than one enemy."

Frieda just sighed and shook her head. She hated seeing her daughter so negative, and yet at the same time she knew Selene was right. They would be very lucky if they managed to accomplish what they wanted to without unleashing the anger of the kingdom.

Frieda went into the kitchen to prepare the ingredients she needed for her potion, leaving Selene in the living room with the box in her hands. She didn't even ask for help, which was strange. Selene ran her hands over the soft wood and traced the pattern of the violet with one finger. She was tempted to just open the box and activate the amulet right then, but she didn't.

She stashed the box under the couch to get it out of her sight. It wouldn't be seen there by anyone, for which Selene was grateful. She didn't want to tell anyone about it; even Jenson. It was best kept as a secret, as it always had been.

The only person Selene wanted to tell about the amulet was Tornado. The thought brought back the realization that he was gone, which hit her like a blow to the stomach and left her gasping for air. The breathless feeling reminded her of the dream she had the night before, in which the spiders had tried to close off her airway.

That was when she realized something. The woman in her dream had been Wicesla. She had never seen the woman before in her life, so she shouldn't have been dreaming about her at all. It was a scary thought, and it made Selene wonder just how much control Wicesla had over their lives.

Chapter 16

Things seemed to return to normal by the next day; at least for most people. It was almost as if nothing happened at all, though the very public killing of a beast still lingered in many minds. Of course, it played a bigger role in Selene's thoughts than anyone else's.

She was back to helping her mother with making potions while Dahlia did the laundry. All of the men were out working, since Jenson had found a job without much trouble the day before. Instead of working on a farm like Velkan and Henry, he was hired to work at the bank. Apparently he was quite good with numbers.

Selene didn't like how things were. It wasn't because things had gone back to the way they were, or because Jenson was out working, or even because the previous day's attempt had been unsuccessful. It was because she felt like no one cared about Tornado. She wondered how people could so blatantly ignore his death. She knew that no one else in the village was as close to him as she was, but she still felt like he deserved more respect and recognition. He had, at the very least, died trying to help everyone. Selene was stung by the way no one even mentioned him. It was like he never existed.

Selene thought about that while she was outside by the cauldron. She was sitting under the roof with it because it was raining hard, which matched her mood quite nicely. She also thought about Amber.

Selene remembered the look on Amber's face right before she went off to get the watchers. She had proved that she stilled cared, even if she didn't care enough to do the right thing. While Selene could certainly blame Amber for betraying not only herself but also all of the beasts and villagers, in a way she couldn't blame her for following her aunt. Not only was she Amber's family, but she was also powerful, and even Amber had always feared her a little bit. Selene expected that that fear had something to do with her decision. Amber wasn't exactly what she would call brave.

Still, Selene didn't forgive her. If she had been arrested, she could have been killed. She couldn't help but wonder how Amber would have felt about that. Would she feel any guilt?

It was unavoidable for Selene to see Amber again. They lived in the same village after all, and attended the same events. She hoped she could sort out her feelings before that happened because she didn't want to end up doing or saying something she would later regret. She had a bad habit of acting impulsively when angry.

Dahlia had been doing laundry on the other side of the house, and in the rain. After she hung the clothes up in every available space she could find indoors for them to dry, she came out and joined Selene, interrupting her thoughts.

"How are you doing today?" she asked, pulling up a stool.

"I've been better," Selene said bitterly. "You?"

Dahlia smiled. "I don't think you really need to ask how I am. My life hasn't changed quite as much as yours. I'm sure you miss your friend. If you ever need to talk I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Dahlia. I'm not really ready for that yet. I'm mostly just trying to not think about yesterday and blaming everyone else for doing the same. I guess that makes me a hypocrite."

"It was an awful thing to see," Dahlia said quietly, almost to herself.

"Yeah," Selene said dismissively. "Can you pass me that chopped radish?"

Dahlia did so, and then she got up and made an excuse to leave. She was too worried about hurting her sister, so she didn't really know what to say. She figured it might be best to leave her alone for a while. She went inside to see if her mother needed help with anything.

Selene felt bad. She knew her sister found her difficult to talk to. She thought of going inside and apologizing, but she didn't know where that would lead, so she stayed by the cauldron. She had work to do anyway.

By the middle of the day Selene felt a horrible urge to go to the forest, which she knew was pointless. The feeling was leftover from her many days of looking for time to sneak off to see Tornado. Now she couldn't get into the forest at all. Even if she just wanted to go to the clearing just to sit, she wouldn't be able to. There was no point in that though, since Tornado wouldn't meet her there ever again. She hated the way such thoughts kept attacking her, but she knew it would be her reality for a long time.

Instead of going to the forest, Selene set out with a different plan in mind. She had promised Mrs. Redwing that she would perform a spell to fix a mirror she had broken, and she figured it would be a good time to talk to the woman about her son. She didn't know if Mrs. Redwing had heard that Jenson was living with them, but either way Selene wanted to tell her. She also hoped to invite her over for dinner so that she would get to meet her son. She asked her mother first if that would be alright, and Frieda said it was a wonderful idea, and she even promised to make something good for supper.

Selene knew that April Redwing had lost her husband a few years before, and she lived with her three daughters, who were all younger than Jenson. He was the only son she had.

Mrs. Redwing, who was a fairly tall and slim woman with a stooping posture, was outside when Selene arrived. The Redwing house was a little bigger than hers, though not by much. Mrs. Redwing and her girls were the best bakers in town, so they got a fair amount of business. They worked hard to earn their income, like most people in the village.

"Selene, dear! How good to see you," Mrs. Redwing said brightly when she noticed the girl walking up to her. She was walking to the house from the chicken coup, where she had just gathered a basketful of eggs. "Why don't you come inside with me? A batch of biscuits just came out of the oven, and I don't mind parting with one or two of them. They're for us anyway, not customers."

Selene followed her inside, where the air was rich with the scents of fresh baked goods. There were pies and loaves of bread cooling on the counter, and Vida, the youngest daughter, was busy at the table with her arms elbow-deep in batter. She smiled at Selene, but didn't say anything. She was only eleven, and tended to be shy around people she didn't know well.

"That's very kind of you, but I think I'll pass," Selene said. She wasn't very hungry, even with all the delicious smells.

"Are you sure, dear? There really are plenty. How about some tea? No? Oh, well. What can I help you with, then? Did you come to make an order?"

They went into the living room and sat down across from one another on the two sofas in the room.

"Actually, I came to see if you still needed help with your mirror," Selene told Mrs. Redwing. "I have some free time at the moment."

Mrs. Redwing clasped her long hands together and beamed at Selene. "Oh, that would be wonderful!" she exclaimed. "It has been dreadfully difficult getting along without it, since it was the only one we had. I've laid all the pieces together like you asked the last time I talked to you, so it should be ready. I'll go get it now, and you do whatever you need to do to prepare."

She got up and exited the room. All Selene had to do to prepare for the spell was take out her spell book and find the right page, which wasn't a difficult task. She waited for Mrs. Redwing to return, while listening to the sounds of dough being kneaded from the kitchen. She also looked around the room. Since they did business at home, the room was suited to having visitors. The wallpaper was a pleasant shade of teal and featured a pattern of ivy, and the furniture was slightly worn but well-maintained, and the sofas were covered in an off-white material. The floor was a polished dark wood that matched the end tables well, and the room featured a large set of windows that would offer much light if they were open. They were closed to keep the rain out, so the room was lit with a few candles instead.

Selene was studying a painting of the capitol when Mrs. Redwing bustled back into the room. She was carrying the small mirror frame so that it was flat. She set it gently on the coffee table between the two sofas. The pieces of the broken mirror were all arranged perfectly so that it was hard to tell it was broken, but the cracks were still visible upon close inspection.

"Do you think you can fix it?" Mrs. Redwing asked.

"It shouldn't be a problem," Selene assured her. She read from her spell book.

# Spirits of light and image,

# Surely you wish to be seen,

# And what would be better for that,

# Than a surface reflective in its sheen.

#

# This mirror has been broken,

# Its image distorted and untrue.

# It would remain so imperfect,

# If only fixed with glue.

#

# Help me to repair it,

# So that it may be whole.

# For to see myself in it clearly,

# Is now my main goal.

The magic flowed from the tip of Selene's finger and blanketed the broken glass. It was an interesting shade of purple that was almost silvery. The blanket of magic was so thick they couldn't see through it at first, but then it seeped into the mirror. When it vanished completely the mirror was fixed, and it reflected their faces as they leaned over to look at it.

Mrs. Redwing gingerly picked it up to examine it. "Oh, would you look at that. There isn't even a scratch in the glass anymore. It clearer than it's ever been. You truly are quite the witch, Selene."

Selene looked down at her dirty black boots. "Thanks, Mrs. Redwing," she mumbled.

"Why don't you stay for dinner? I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind having you here. I'd love to be able to repay you."

"That will never be necessary," Selene assured her. "In fact, I would like to invite you over to my house for dinner tonight instead. Mom's roasting a turkey, so there should be plenty."

"Roast turkey? That's quite a treat. Is it a special occasion?"

"Well, actually..." Selene hesitated. Because Mrs. Redwing hadn't mentioned Jenson, Selene had to assume that she didn't know he was living with her. It was big news to give someone. "It would be a special occasion if you were to join us. We have a guest staying with us who we would very much like you to meet."

"Does that mean I don't already know the person?"

"Well, you've seen him once before, but that was a long time ago."

Mrs. Redwing paled slightly and drew in a sharp breath. "How long ago?" she asked.

"About twenty-one years, I believe," Selene told her, not looking directly at her as she spoke.

Mrs. Redwing surprised Selene by not asking any further questions about the matter. "I shall certainly be there," she said instead, and quite seriously. "I hope you don't mind if I leave the girls at home. I don't want to give you too many mouths to feed, and there is always much to be done here."

"I suppose that will work out just fine, then. Supper will be at around six o'clock, but feel free to show up whenever you'd like. There's almost always at least one person home, now that our house is so full."

Mrs. Redwing appeared distracted. "Sure, dear. Like I said, I'll be there. Thank you very much for your help with the mirror. They are dreadfully expensive things to replace, so I am sure I could not afford another one. Now I must get back to work." She stood and offered her hand.

Selene stood as well and shook her hand before departing. She thought the meeting had gone fairly well. Now all she had to worry about was what Jenson would think. She hoped he'd be happy to meet his mother.

Once home, Selene helped her mother make supper. Frieda had always liked Mrs. Redwing, and often ordered bread from her when she didn't have time to make any herself. It was considered a treat by the family, since the Redwings' bread was always delicious. Frieda was keen on making a good impression on the woman.

Jenson arrived home shortly before six o'clock. He greeted Selene, who was reading a book on the couch by that time, with a kiss on the cheek. She smiled at him, which startled him a little. She had been depressed since Tornado's death, and her smiles had become almost extinct.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked, joining her on the couch. He couldn't help but smile in return.

"That wasn't a happy smile; it was a nervous smile," Selene admitted.

"Well, I find it very difficult to distinguish between the two. I believe your nervous smile is brighter than your happy smile."

Selene laughed. "If you say so."

It was good to hear her laugh again. "What are you nervous about, anyway?" Jenson asked. "Is something going on? I can smell turkey cooking. Who's coming over for supper?"

"You are very perceptive," Selene said. "There is someone coming for supper. I invited her to come today when I was at her house earlier. She had a broken mirror that she had asked me to fix for her, and I figured it would be a good excuse to go over and see her. I fixed the mirror, and then I-"

"Selene. Calm down, please." She had been talking fast, which was something she wasn't in the habit of doing, unless she was avoiding something. Jenson grabbed her hand in an attempt to reassure her. "Who is coming over for supper?"

"Mrs. Redwing," Selene finally admitted. Then she started babbling again before Jenson could react. "I didn't tell her you were here, and she didn't seem to know. I kind of hinted, and I think she knew what I meant, but I didn't explicitly say it was you, and she didn't ask. She said she'd come, anyway. She has three daughters, you know... well, I suppose you might not have known that. Anyway, they won't be coming because Mrs. Redwing didn't want to be too much of a burden on us, and they have work to do at home. Mrs. Redwing and her girls are all bakers, and they make the very best bread in the whole village. We've ordered a cake or two from them in the past as well for special occasions. We had one for Dahlia's last birthday, and it was the most amazing thing I'd ever tasted."

Jenson just kind of stared at her with his mouth half open.

"What?" Selene asked.

Jenson was surprised that she didn't start babbling again, and he smiled. He found it kind of endearing. "Um, nothing. Do you know when she'll be here?"

Selene bit her lip. "You aren't mad that I invited her, are you? I don't know how you feel about meeting your mother. I really should have asked first."

"Yes, you should have asked. Then you could have saved yourself all of this worrying. I'm actually excited to meet my mother. I never had a chance to do so before, and I used to be worried that I never would."

"I think you'll like her," Selene said. "I know I do. She'll like you, too. She's a very friendly woman."

"Is my father dead?" Jenson asked solemnly. He already expected the answer.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Jenson. He died a couple of years ago. I can't really tell you anything about him because I never really knew him. I saw him around a few times, and I can say that you looked like him, though he had dark eyes. Mrs. Redwing will be able to tell you about him, I hope."

Mrs. Redwing arrived a few minutes later. Supper was cooked and set out by that time, and Jenson and Selene were still chatting in the living room. When the knock on the door was heard, they both jumped up. Selene nervously patted her hair and smoothed the wrinkles in her dress, and Jenson went into the kitchen instead of going to the door. Selene answered it herself.

"How do you do?" Mrs. Redwing greeted Selene when she opened the door. She was still looking a little pale.

"I'm alright. Please come in, Mrs. Redwing. Supper is all ready and waiting in the kitchen."

"It does smell delicious. Please Selene, call me April. There is no need for formalities."

Selene noticed that Mrs. Redwing was peering around, as if she were looking for something. Or, more specifically, for someone. "He is in the kitchen. Shall we go and sit down? The whole family should be in there by now."

Indeed, when they entered the kitchen, everyone else was sitting down. Frieda, Velkan, Dahlia, Henry, and Jenson where arranged about the small table. The two remaining seats at the crowded table were on either side of Jenson, who looked up nervously at his mother. Then he smiled.

"I think you've met everyone else here, but this is Jenson Redwing," Selene told Mrs. Redwing before sitting down.

Mrs. Redwing took her seat next to Jenson and stared at him. Then she reached out and pulled him into her arms. "Oh, Jenson; I thought I'd never get to see you again. The day they took you from me was the most difficult day of my life." When she pulled back they both had tears in their eyes.

"It's good to see you too, Mom," Jenson said. He tried to keep his voice calm, but it shook slightly.

There was a loud sniffing sound, and Selene looked over to her other side and saw her mother dabbing her eyes with a napkin. When she saw everyone looking at her she shrugged. "It's a beautiful moment. I wish I could experience the same with my boys. At least I got to see them yesterday."

Mrs. Redwing looked over at her. "You know, I heard about what happened in the square yesterday, but I wasn't there myself. I was too busy working to even notice that there was something going on." She turned to Selene. "If I had been there, I certainly would have supported you, dear."

"Thanks, Mrs. Redwing," Selene said. "I doubt that it would have made much of a difference, though. There wasn't much we could do after Wicesla showed up."

"Yes, I heard she's quite powerful. I'm just glad that my boy got out of the forest in time. How did you become normal, anyway?"

Jenson glanced quickly at Selene. "I fell in love, just like the others."

Mrs. Redwing was quick to realize who he had fallen in love with. She didn't comment on the fact that Selene was only seventeen. "Well, congratulations you two. I hope you'll invite me to your wedding, whenever it is."

Jenson grinned at the realization that they could get married. At least, they could get married when Selene turned eighteen. "Of course you'll be invited. You are my mother, after all. Of course, Selene has to agree to marry me first." He winked at her.

She pretended to look at him appraisingly. "I don't know... I might find someone else before then," she joked.

Everyone laughed, even Mrs. Redwing.

Chapter 17

Selene enjoyed the evening. Mrs. Redwing stayed until it was almost dark, joking and laughing with Jenson. They got along great, which made Selene happy. She loved watching them together, and she was starting to really see a resemblance between them.

It was late when she finally got to bed. Or rather, it was late when she laid down on the couch. She was tired, but she was also in a pretty good mood. She said goodnight quietly to Jenson, who was curled up in the corner chair.

The first thing Selene saw after she closed her eyes was Tornado. She knew she was dreaming, but it was a shock nonetheless, especially because he looked so real. He stood at the edge of the forest with a sad look on his face. Then he turned to go into the woods, but he stopped suddenly as if there was something in his way. He put his hands up and reached out, but they didn't go through the invisible barrier. Suddenly, his tan fur started falling away, and his features changed.

The boy standing in his place was young and handsome. He had straight, light brown hair and kind green eyes. He looked down at himself, and when he looked back at Selene he didn't look happy. Selene had always imagined he would be very happy if he ever got to look normal, so she knew something was wrong.

Tornado tried to say something, but a strong wind came up and drowned out his words, and it blew him backward toward the forest. To Selene's surprise he fell back between the trees as if the wall had disappeared. The wind was gone as suddenly as it had come, so Tornado was able to get up. He tried to walk back toward Selene, but he stopped as he hit the wall. It hadn't disappeared at all; he was just on the other side of it.

Tornado's mouth moved again, but Selene couldn't hear him through the wall. He grew anxious and started pacing restlessly, still mouthing something to Selene. She was frustrated because she didn't know what he was saying. Then his eyes went wide and he looked like he was shouting. He pointed toward Selene.

She looked down at herself, and what she saw was a shock. She was still wearing her nightgown, but her bare feet were furry and purple. Her hands were covered in purple fur as well, and they only had three fingers each that were tipped with long claws. She could tell that her whole body was covered in fur. She was a beast.

When she looked back at Tornado, he was still shouting and pointing. That was when Selene heard a chuckle from somewhere behind her, and she realized that Tornado hadn't been pointing at her after all; there was someone behind her. She turned.

Wicesla was only five feet behind her. Her statuesque form was draped in silky black fabric, and her black hair that was streaked with white was pulled back into an elegant twist. She was quite beautiful, but there was something wrong with her beauty. It was tainted somehow, as if it wasn't real.

The flowers of the meadow were blooming all around them, but the small circle of ground that Wicesla stood on was charred and black and featured no life, almost as if she were sucking it up from the ground. Selene had to wonder if maybe she was. Perhaps that was how she survived for so long.

There was also a strange smell in the air. To Selene it smelled like death, since it was a combination of smoke and rot. It was faint, but it permeated through the air in a way that it was almost tangible, and it seemed to cling to Selene. It made her feel dirty.

"What do you want from me?" Selene asked.

Wicesla grinned. Her teeth were perfectly straight and white, which contrasted well with her dark red lips. "I want you to suffer."

"Why? I never did anything to you. I didn't even think you were actually alive until you showed up. How do you keep getting into my dreams?"

Wicesla wasn't about to answer that question. "You did try to get the beasts out of the forest, and I can't have that. That isn't why I want you to suffer, though. You see, the men aren't the only ones who were cursed by your ancestor. The curse she placed on me has caused me to suffer greatly, and it has been the only curse I have never been able to lift. I shall pay you back for her deeds."

"But I'm not Varla," Selene argued.

Wicesla laughed loudly. "You really think that matters to me, insolent girl? You carry her blood in you. That is close enough."

Selene was about to argue more, but the smell of smoke was growing stronger. She turned, and she saw smoke billowing up from the middle of the forest, though it seemed to be spreading quickly. Then she heard screams. Tornado was still standing behind the invisible wall, and he pounded on it fiercely; his newly human hands stained with the blood of his effort.

More faces began to appear at the edge of the forest. They were all male, and they were all human. They were panicking, and they started pounding on the wall along with Tornado. One even bent down and started digging as if trying to go under the wall.

Wicesla chuckled again, but when Selene turned back to her she was gone. She looked back at the forest. The smoke was rising higher, and flames were visible over the tops of the blackening trees. The whole forest was burning down, and the people in it were trapped.

Selene walked toward Tornado, trying not to cough. He stopped pounding and placed his hands flat on the wall. He watched as Selene pointed up. He looked to where she was pointing. She had seen that the smoke was escaping up there, which meant the wall didn't go all the way up. It was only about twenty feet high, and there were plenty of trees along the edge that went higher than that. Getting down on the other side would be the biggest problem, but Selene thought that maybe they could make a rope by tying some clothes together.

They never got the chance. The flames were spreading faster than Selene had thought. She could see them only feet away from Tornado. She didn't want to watch him die again, but she didn't want to leave him either. She put her hands up to his, though she couldn't feel them through the barrier. He smiled sadly and looked into her eyes. She didn't turn away as the flames took him.

Selene bolted up on the couch, and she could feel tears falling down her face. The dream had seemed so real, and it was frightening. She felt like she had just lost Tornado all over again.

The smell of smoke had been so strong in the dream. The sensation lingered in her airways. She threw back her blankets quietly and tiptoed to the window. She could see the forest in the distance, and she was glad to see that the sky above it was clear. Still, she couldn't help but worry. By then Selene had no doubt that Wicesla was actually playing with her dreams.

Jenson made a small sound in his sleep that was like a sigh, and then he rolled over and curled into a ball. His blanket fell off of him and slid to the ground, but he didn't wake up. Selene replaced the blanket carefully.

A quick glance at the clock told Selene that it was still the middle of the night. She felt restless and anxious and depressed all at once, and going back to sleep was the last thing she wanted to do, since she feared Wicesla's presence in her mind. She grabbed the box from under the couch and headed outside, careful not to wake Jenson. It was warm out, so she didn't bother putting on a housecoat.

The box was heavy, but she carried it all the way to the meadow. She was guided there more by instinct and experience than by light, since the moon was little more than a sliver that offered hardly any illumination. Once there, she set the box gently in the tall grass and stepped over to the edge of the forest. When she put a hand out her fingertips brushed against the invisible wall, which confirmed that it did, indeed, exist.

Now that she had felt it for herself, she went back to the box. She sat down on the ground in front of it and crossed her legs. Then she reached out and opened it.

The amulet emitted a faint glow in the darkness, which was a good indication of how much power it held. Selene lifted it out of the box and held it in her hands; the stone cool to her touch. Its surface was smooth, aside from the ridges of the violet carving, and it felt like it weighed about as much as a small bowl of water.

The feeling of loss that the dream had left her with still remained. It was the driving force that led her to take the amulet out to the meadow. She knew she should wait. Her mother had asked her to, and they were going to take down the wall together. Still, Selene knew it wouldn't be that simple. They needed more help.

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The stone in her hands was her best option for accomplishing anything. The longer she waited the more people would forget and lose hope. Now was the best time, when the issue was fresh in their minds.

Selene peered at the inside of the box. The words carved into the lid were barely visible in the darkness, so she couldn't read them. She muttered a few words and a small ball of light appeared over her. It was dim because she didn't want to use up too much of her energy, but it was enough to allow her to read the words.

Selene was just about to recite them when she heard something. It was a soft rustle; the sound of something moving through grass. She practically threw the stone back into the box and shut the lid; her heart thumping so strongly she could hear it. It was probably an animal, she told herself. Still, her instincts told her it wasn't.

The stopped her spell and the light went out, plunging the meadow back into darkness. If there was someone there, they undoubtedly already knew where she was, so she stood up and moved a few steps, then stopped to listen.

There was silence, and then the sound came again. The noise of footsteps became more distinct, and it seemed like the person, for Selene was sure it was a person by then, was moving hesitantly. They were moving in the direction of where Selene had been a moment before. She looked around, trying to see who it was, and she could just make out the outline of a woman. Her heart clenched in fear for a moment when she realized it could be Wicesla, but then she changed her mind and relaxed. Wicesla wouldn't move with hesitation. Besides, she was taller.

"Hello?" a soft voice called out, barely over a whisper, as if to speak loudly in the darkness would be like shouting.

Selene recognized the voice. She was surprised to hear it, and she wasn't pleased. "What are you doing out here, Amber?" she asked, her voice cold.

Amber's form jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, but it helped her find her way to Selene. When she was closer Selene could make out her features.

"I followed you from your house," Amber said, continuing to whisper. "I went over to tell you something and I saw you leave. I tried to follow you, but I kind of lost you when you got to the meadow. I couldn't see where you were."

"Why were you going to see me in the middle of the night?" Selene wondered. While she was still mad at her old friend, she couldn't help but be curious. She hoped Amber wasn't looking for her because of some business of her aunt's.

"Like I said, I have something to tell you. Really though, it'd be easier to show you. I know you have little reason to trust me after what I did, but if you come with me you won't be disappointed. I promise I won't do anything to harm you or anyone else, and my aunt doesn't know about this at all. She'd probably kill me if she found out."

By then Selene's curiosity was truly peaked. She wanted to be cautious, but she was beyond caring. "Where do you want to take me?"

"Just to my house. What I want to show you is in the cellar. Everyone else in the house is asleep, so they shouldn't hear us. Are you going to come?"

"Yeah, I'll come. I want to stop by my house on the way, though."

Amber hesitated. "Why do you want to go there?" Her voice was filled with suspicion.

Selene scowled at her friend's distrust. She held up the box. "I'm not carrying this all the way to your house. I just want to drop it off."

Amber laughed nervously. "Oh, okay. Let's go then."

They stayed close together so they wouldn't lose each other in the shadows of the night. Selene walked slightly ahead, since she was more sure of her direction.

"Can't you make that light appear again?" Amber whined after stubbing her toe on a rock.

"I'd rather not draw attention to us," Selene told her stiffly as they reached her house. "Wait here."

She slipped inside. The door creaked, and she hoped no one heard it. She went quietly down the hall and into the living room, where Jenson was still sound asleep. He was flat on his back with his arms and legs splayed out, and the blanket had fallen to the floor again. The sight made Selene smile. She slid the box under the couch and put the blanket back on Jenson before heading back out.

"Did anyone see you?" Amber asked as they joined up outside.

"Not that I know of," Selene responded.

They didn't talk as they walked to Amber's house. It wasn't a long trip, but it took longer than usual because they had to move cautiously. Even Selene managed to hit her toes a few times, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

When they got to the house, Amber directed Selene to the doors to the cellar, which were outside at the back of the house. She bent down and unlocked the padlock that held a chain in place between the handles on the doors. She was careful not to make any noise as she removed the chain. She pulled back the doors, revealing a set of steps that led into the cellar.

Before Selene followed Amber down, she saw that there was a light on in the cellar. It was faint, so she figured it was just one candle. It told her that someone was down there, and she didn't know who. The possibilities frightened her.

"Come on," Amber beckoned, after looking back and seeing Selene hesitate.

Selene took a deep breath to steady herself, and then she went down the steps.

Chapter 18

The first thing Selene saw when she reached the bottom of the stairs was a ball of yellow fur flying at her. She cried out with surprise as it hit her, nearly knocking her off her feet. There was something awfully familiar about it as it hugged her.

"Andy?" she inquired cautiously.

He lifted his face up and beamed at her, but he didn't let go.

Just seeing him made her feel better, and brought a responding smile to her face. Still, she wondered how he had come to be in Amber's cellar. "Andy, what are you doing here? How did you get out of the forest?"

"I never went back in," he admitted, finally letting go of Selene and stepping back. He moved over to a set of old chairs that were in the corner. Aside from a worn coffee table, they were the only pieces of furniture in the musty cellar, and they looked strange surrounded by a dirt floor and stone walls. "None of us wanted to go back, but we were being watched. Before we got to the woods, Max told me to run and I did. I hid behind a wood pile, and I stayed there for a while. Then all of the other beasts were gone and Wicesla was by the forest and she looked distracted, so I left to find somewhere to go. Amber found me, and I thought she was going to tell on me, but she took me here and she's been feeding me."

"You should have seen the look on his face when I found him hiding behind the barn. He looked like he thought I was going to kill him or something," Amber said, her expression grim.

"Why did you protect him?" Selene asked. She couldn't make sense of it herself. Amber hated the beasts, or at least she acted like she did.

Amber wasn't even entirely sure. "When I saw him my first thought was to report him, I'll admit. Somehow, I couldn't do that. There's just something about him, you know? As far as beasts go, he's actually kind of cute, with his bright yellow fur and all. He looks like a little sun. Even though I knew it was a huge risk for me, I couldn't let him get in trouble, so I took him here. Then he told me he was your brother."

Selene hugged her, which caught her by surprise, but she hugged Selene back.

"I don't suppose you forgive me?" Amber asked hopefully.

Selene frowned and pulled back. "Not really. I still don't trust you either, and I doubt that I ever will. Still, I'm grateful that you've helped my brother. I'm surprised that he managed to stay out here without Wicesla's knowledge."

"I guess she just isn't that powerful," Andy said, smiling. "Can I go home with you, Selene? Amber's been nice and all, but I don't like being stuck in her cellar."

"Well, you can't just go walking around in the open. People could see you, and if they talked you'd be in a lot of trouble, as well as anyone involved in hiding you. Plus, we don't really have room for you in our house, and the journey to get there would be dangerous. We would need a way to keep you from being seen."

Andy's normally bright expression drooped slightly, though he refused to give up all hope. "Maybe you can bring our parents to me instead. I really want to meet them. It would probably be safer for them to come here to visit than for me to go there."

"That can be arranged if Amber's okay with it." She turned to her. "Would you mind keeping him here, at least for a little while until we can figure something out? Can I bring my parents to see him?"

Amber didn't hesitate. "Of course he can stay here. I really don't mind, and no one ever comes down here anyway. You can bring your parents, too, but only when my parents aren't home. They don't know he's down here. I'll let you know when they'll both be out."

"Sounds good," Selene said, and Andy nodded in agreement.

Selene didn't stay long. The sun was going to come up soon, which meant people would be getting up. She talked to Andy for a little while, and by the time she left she was under the impression that he was no more free than the beasts in the forest. In fact, his prison was smaller, though at least he still had contact with his family. Still, she knew he deserved a better life.

When Selene quietly snuck into the living room just before dawn, Jenson was still fast asleep in the same position she had left him in. She quickly checked under the couch to make sure the box was still there, and it was. Finding out that Andy had escaped being in the forest did nothing to lessen her conviction. She still planned on activating the amulet as soon as possible. She believed it was the only way the men could be free forever, if things worked out well. It could, however, wait until later in the morning, so Selene laid down on the couch and fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

Of course, her sleep didn't last long. She was woken up by the sounds of people talking only an hour later. Henry and Dahlia were in the kitchen, and they were discussing money. They weren't speaking loudly, but it was loud enough to wake Selene. When she looked over at the corner of the room Jenson was just waking up as well. He was stretching, and he smiled at her lazily when he saw her watching him.

"Are you working today?" Selene asked.

"No, not today. The bank isn't open on Sundays, though that's the only day they're closed. We can spend the day together, if you'd like."

"Sounds good to me," Selene said honestly. The prospect of spending the day with Jenson was quite appealing. She hoped it would get her mind off of her problems. "I'll have to see if Mom needs my help first. I don't want to abandon her."

Jenson nodded. "I understand."

They both got up and went into different rooms to change for the day and get washed up. Selene found her mother upstairs. She asked if she needed help, and Frieda said she could do without her. That put Selene in a good mood, so she went downstairs with a smile on her face; her dream from the night before almost forgotten.

After a quick breakfast, Jenson suggested a walk, since it looked like it would be a sunny and hot day outside. Selene, though tired from being up at night, agreed that it sounded like a lovely idea. She looked out the window and saw the sun rising over the mountains, casting a strong glow over the land that brightened all the wildflowers and made them look more alive. It seemed like the entire valley was colourful and cheery. Selene wished the place was as happy as it looked.

"What was your life like before you met me?" Selene asked once they were walking along the road. They had no particular destination, but they walked in the direction of the village square, since that was where the main road led.

Jenson frowned and thought for a moment before answering. "Well, it wasn't very exciting. I was somewhat of a bookkeeper. I was in charge of keeping track of all the food we had, since we always had to know if there'd be enough for the winter. I sometimes kept records of trades as well. It was boring work, but someone had to do it. I did a bit of log-cutting too."

"What about your social life? What were things like in the forest?"

"Everyone knew pretty much everyone," Jenson told her. "I didn't know everyone well, but I got to meet most people through my job. People came to me often when they needed help, and I was always happy to do so. I was friends with quite a few people, including Tornado. He never told me about you, though. I don't think he told anyone until the day you walked into our camp."

At the mention of his name, Selene fell silent for a moment, just remembering him. She missed him so much. "Do you miss living there?" she asked eventually.

"I haven't been gone for very long, but I'm starting to. Things are more stressful here. It's awfully difficult to make money, and yet you need money to survive. I miss my friends, too, but I like a lot of the people here as well. If Wicesla hadn't shown up, we might all be together." Jenson scowled at the thought.

Selene decided to tell him the truth. She didn't like keeping things from him. "My mother gave me something yesterday that could help break the curse," she admitted. "It's a spirit amulet, and with it I can bring Varla's spirit to me. She's the only one who knew how to break the curse, other than Wicesla. Mom told me not to use it until I had no other options, and I'm tempted to use it now. I almost activated it last night."

Jenson stopped walking and turned to Selene; his eyes bright. "That's wonderful news," he said. "I hope she really can help and is willing to do so."

Selene nodded. "I hope so too. I'd like to activate it today, if possible, and preferably somewhere with some privacy."

"Can you do it now?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why not. I'll just have to be careful to sneak it out of the house without Mom seeing me. After that I don't know where to go."

"Let's go to the meadow. It isn't exactly private, but it's out of the way to some degree," Jenson suggested.

"That's where I was going to do it last night," Selene admitted. "I suppose it's the best place around here anyway."

"Did you actually get up and go to the meadow last night?"

"Um, yeah. I couldn't sleep." Selene was reminded of her dream, and she shuddered at the memory. She automatically glanced at the forest to make sure it wasn't on fire.

As they turned and walked back to the house to get the amulet, Selene told Jenson about her dreams. He didn't like the idea of Wicesla being in her head while she was sleeping any more than she did.

"It's a scary thought," he said. "I wonder if she can only do that to other witches, or if she can get into anyone's dreams."

"She can probably get into anyone's. I would imagine it would be more difficult to get into a witch's mind than a normal person's."

"That's not fair," Jenson said, though he smiled as he spoke.

"You know, I think I actually learned something from Wicesla when she spoke to me in my dream," Selene told him. "She told me that she was cursed by Varla, and she couldn't break the curse. I wonder if that's true. I should ask Varla about it if the amulet works."

"That's certainly an interesting thought," Jenson said. "They did get into a duel, and no one ever knew what it was about. Maybe it had something to do with that curse."

"Surely Varla had some reason to put the curse on her in the first place," Selene reasoned. "Maybe Wicesla did something to her. I wonder what the curse is. It must either be very powerful or very difficult to break, or both, if Wicesla can't even stop it. She's the most powerful witch alive."

They reached the house. Dahlia was no longer home, but Frieda was in the kitchen. She didn't even hear Selene enter the house. She was humming to herself as she ground some potion ingredients. Selene was able to grab the box and get out of the house without being noticed.

"It's in that box?" Jenson said questioningly when Selene came back outside. "It certainly does look old. Wouldn't it have been easier to just take the amulet?"

Selene shook her head as they began walking toward the meadow. "No, I need the box. The spell to activate the amulet is carved on the inside of the lid." She didn't see anyone around who would care, but she tucked the box under her apron to keep it out of sight. It was an awkward way to carry it though, and it created a very noticeable bump.

Jenson took off the brown vest he was wearing over his white shirt and gestured for Selene to give him the box. She did so gladly since her wrists were starting to ache. He wrapped it in his vest and carried it under his arm as if it were just a normal package. They looked like a young couple going out for a picnic.

"I suppose that works much better," Selene said.

"So what was your life like before I came along?" Jenson asked as they kept walking. "I feel like we only talked about me before, and there's still so much I don't know about you."

"We did talk about me. I told you about my dreams, didn't I?" Selene pointed out. She continued anyway. "My life was almost the same as it is now. I helped mother with making potions, and I performed spells for people in the village. I also helped with things at home, like cooking and cleaning and sewing. I still do all of those things. The only real difference, other than your presence, is that I'm no longer sneaking off to the forest at any chance I can get."

"You really miss him," Jenson observed.

Selene nodded and felt a lump in her throat. "I feel kind of lost without him. If I didn't have you with me I don't know what I would do."

Jenson could hear the pain in her voice, and he stopped her by placing a hand on her arm. He turned her to face him, carefully keeping the box under his other arm. Then he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

The sweet kiss took her breath away and wiped all thoughts from her mind. When he pulled away she protested and put her hand behind his neck. She kissed him in return, and he reached up and cupped her cheek in his palm.

When they separated, Selene smiled brightly. Jenson liked the way the expression met her eyes and seemed to make them sparkle. He couldn't help but smile in return, and he felt the tug that the girl had on his heart. He couldn't imagine ever losing her.

Selene wanted to kiss him again, but they had work to do. She grabbed his free hand and started pulling him to the meadow, which was only a few steps away. The bright sun really did make the flowers seem more vibrant.

There was a little girl in the meadow by herself picking wildflowers. She looked up at them as they approached. She vaguely knew Selene, so she waved. She could tell that they probably wanted to be alone, so she continued on her way.

Once she was gone, Selene and Jenson sat down in the grass near the edge of the forest. Jenson took the box out from under his arm and unwrapped his vest. He handed the box to Selene and then put his vest back on.

Selene set the box on the ground and opened it. The amulet was still there, looking as tempting as ever. She couldn't see the glow it had emitted during the night because it was too bright outside, but she could somehow sense the power that was pulsing within the stone.

"It just looks like a nicely carved rock to me," Jenson said, looking at the amulet. "Why is it shaped like a violet?"

"It was Varla's symbol. It's on everything we have from her," Selene explained.

"Do all witches have symbols?"

Selene smiled. "No, only the powerful ones. There's a spell you can do to find out what your symbol is, but it's difficult to perform. I certainly don't know what mine is, and probably never will."

"What's Wicesla's symbol? A snake?" Jenson asked, grinning.

"No, it's actually a rose, oddly enough. I could see one on her staff the other day. It seems odd for such an evil witch to have such a majestic symbol, but it's fitting in a way. Wicesla is beautiful after all, and she certainly has her thorns."

"I see," Jenson said.

Selene picked up the amulet. She could feel her heart rate starting to increase, and she wasn't sure if it was because she was excited, or if it was because she was nervous. It might have been a combination of the two.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked Jenson, although she was really asking herself. When he simply nodded in response, she took a deep breath. She pictured Tornado's face in her mind, and that was all she needed to gather her strength. She held the stone in her hands as she recited the spell from the lid of the box. It was difficult to read, but she could make it out.

# I call to you now,

# Spirits of those who have passed.

# I seek the soul of one,

# From your sea of souls so vast.

#

# This stone was her creation,

# And her power it does hold,

# Sacrificed to continue,

# For the rest of her story is untold.

#

# It is the soul of Varla that I seek,

# For only she can help me.

# I am in need of her guidance,

# And then I will set her free.

It wasn't visible, but Selene could feel a sudden drain in her own energy as it poured into the amulet from her hands. Then the stone's glow became apparent, and it grew hot in her hands. She was tempted to let it go before it started burning her, but she didn't want to interfere with the spell, so she held on as the spell took effect.

A wispy cloud of silver smoke rose from the amulet. It grew in size and moved to the ground beside them, where it started to move around. It only took a few seconds to form into the silvery shape of a woman. Her eyes, though transparent, were penetrating as she spoke.

"Why have you called upon me?"

Chapter 19

Varla wasn't overly tall, yet she had a commanding presence; even as no more than the silver cloud of smoke that made up her form. There was just something about her that emanated power, even though she was only a spirit. She glared at Selene, who was still holding the amulet in her hands. It was no longer hot, but it vibrated slightly with the force of its magic.

"B-because I need your help," Selene managed to stammer in response to Varla's question. She couldn't help but be frightened by her ancestor, even though Varla was essentially powerless. She searched her face for any sign of resemblance, but found little to comfort her. There was perhaps a similarity in the shape of their noses, but Varla's features appeared longer and more stern than her own. Selene wondered what color her hair was, and only knew that it appeared dark. Perhaps it was brown, like her mother's.

Varla's expression didn't soften. She looked around briefly, studying the meadow and the village below. She didn't recognize any of it; not only because she was from a different time, but also because she was from a different village. Spring Meadow had never been her home. "Tell me, what year is it, who are you, and why am I here? Answer in that order." Her voice was commanding and rough, and would have seemed almost wild if not for her cultured accent.

Selene glanced at Jenson, who looked slightly less frightened than she felt. He smiled reassuringly, and that gave her strength. She looked back at Varla, who was studying her in a way that made her feel naked.

"It's the year of the hornet, and it has been about nine hundred years since you died. My name is Selene Brookbank, and I am from your bloodline, which is why I have the amulet. I called you here to help me end the curse you started before you died, since it has been with us ever since. The beasts are forced to live in the forest, and aren't allowed contact with the outside world until they become human. It's creating a lot of problems, and it isn't fair to the men."

Varla stood in silence for a moment, pondering that information. "That is a long time," she said finally. "I thought the curse would have been broken a long time ago. I now have even less faith in humanity than I had before."

"Can you help us?" Jenson asked.

Varla looked at him as if just realizing he was there. She looked him over, trying to get a sense of who he was and why he was there. "Who are you?" she demanded to know.

"Jenson Redwing," he answered simply, still waiting for an answer to his own question.

Before she could answer, a cloud of black smoke appeared. Selene recognized it instantly because of the bursts of static, and her heart started racing in fear. Jenson recognized it as well, and they both stood up. Selene put the amulet in the pocket of her apron and held the box in her hands. She hardly noticed its weight.

"I recognize that magic," Varla said, also watching the black smoke. She looked confused, and yet curious.

Wicesla stepped out of the cloud, which disappeared behind her. Selene was surprised to see that she was smiling, since she expected her to be angry. On Wicesla, however, the expression wasn't pleasant, since she somehow managed to look like a snake that had just eaten a very satisfying meal.

Selene looked at the ground beneath her feet, remembering her dream. She was almost surprised to see that the plants that surrounded Wicesla looked alive and well, instead of being dead and decaying. Perhaps she didn't need to suck energy from the earth after all. Selene wondered why it had appeared that way in her dream.

Wicesla's eyes went immediately to Varla, and she laughed. The sound was low-pitched and yet penetrating.

"Oh Varla; how powerless you are," she said, her voice almost singing with glee at the sight of her old enemy in a weakened state. She reached out to Varla, and her hand went right through her, disturbing the silver cloud. It righted itself when she took her hand away, and her smile only grew wider.

If Varla was shocked to see Wicesla still alive after almost a thousand years, she hid it well. She merely looked enraged instead. "Yes, I'm sure you're happy about that," she said, glaring at her old nemesis. "You are, after all, the one who reduced me to this state. Shall I do a dance for you, just to add to my humiliation?"

Wicesla ignored that comment and continued smiling. She turned to Selene. "You really are desperate, aren't you? Well, don't think things will be so easy for you, girl. Your ancestor is naught but a wisp of smoke created by some ancient energy. She won't be around for long, and she won't be able to help you. Still, it's good to see her again, as nothing but a shadow of her former self. Not that she was very impressive before."

Varla didn't respond. She just continued glaring at the witch who had killed her.

"Oh, none of you are any fun. I've never seen such a serious bunch in all my long years," Wicesla said, her eyes sparkling. Selene couldn't help but think that she was trying to point out her immortality to Varla just to upset her, not that it was working. Varla was angry, not upset.

"What are you doing here?" Jenson asked.

Wicesla ignored him, so Selene repeated the question.

"I came to see my old friend, of course," she responded, her voice sickeningly sweet. "I came as soon as I felt her presence. She should be flattered, really, that I would go through such trouble."

Varla knew that Wicesla was seeking a reaction from her. Her expression had gone blank and almost appeared to be carved from stone.

Wicesla, seeing that she wasn't going to get much more of a reaction, just chuckled. Then she turned and disappeared in a fresh cloud of black smoke that lingered for a few moments after she was gone.

Varla spoke when all traces of Wicesla and her black smoke had left. "Had the Draught of Eternal Life, did she? Serves her right. Now she can live forever in the torment that I caused her." There was actually a flicker of a smile on her face.

"Did you really place a curse upon her?" Selene asked. She was suffering greatly from her curiosity.

Varla smirked. "Of course I did. We didn't end up in a duel because we disagreed on our favourite colours. I'm happy to see that she hasn't been able to break it, or perhaps she hasn't been trying to. It doesn't surprise me at all that she didn't bother breaking the curse on the men, though."

"So what happened? What curse did you put on Wicesla?"

Varla's expression darkened as she remembered that time, so long ago. The memories weren't pleasant. "We were once good friends," she told Selene. "We grew up together, and were taught magic by the same witch. We got along great back in those days, when we were young. She was the adventurer, and I was the responsible one. I always thought we balanced each other out nicely, even though we occasionally had our squabbles.

"When I was older I got married, and I had two daughters. Wicesla was jealous, since she never had a family of her own. At least, I thought she was jealous. Then one day I found her in bed with my husband.

"I had loved him and trusted him. We were happy together, and I had no indication that there was anything wrong in our relationship, so seeing him in the arms of my friend was quite a shock. I never trusted a man after that. That's why I created the curse. To me, all men were nothing but beasts, and they deserved to look like them until they learned to love and be faithful. Even then I see them as questionable." She shot a glance at Jenson.

"That was punishment enough for the men, but Wicesla had done wrong as well. I could have gotten her arrested for adultery, but I took matters into my own hands. I put a curse on her too; one that prevented her from being able to touch any man. If she does, it causes her terrible physical pain that will kill her if the contact lasts long enough. Men were her weakness before, and after the curse they were actually dangerous to her. That's probably why she's eager to keep the men out of the way. That's also why she challenged me, not that it accomplished anything. I may have died, but both of my curses lived on."

"Wow," Selene said after a minute of letting that sink in. "I had no idea that there was so much more to the story than what I was told." She had always thought Wicesla and Varla had been enemies from the start, and that they duelled because they hated each other. Now she knew there was a reason, and it changed her beliefs. She wasn't even sure if Wicesla was actually evil. An adulterer, sure, but evil? She had reasons for all of her actions, not that they really justified anything. Selene almost felt sorry for her.

"There's always more to a story, child."

"Is there a way to end the curse on Wicesla?" Jenson asked.

"There's always a way to end a curse. I certainly didn't make it easy for her though," Varla said. She grinned at the thought. "She has to lose her magical powers before she'll ever be able to touch a man again. She knows that already, but she doesn't know how to do it, and I doubt she'd be willing to make the sacrifice anyway. She enjoys her power too much."

"Is there a way she can do it? Lose her powers, I mean," Selene wanted to know.

"Yes, there is. It isn't even a difficult spell because it requires little energy from the one who performs it. I invented it myself and wrote it in my spell book, which is hopefully long gone by now."

For some reason Selene felt compelled to keep the fact that her mother had the spell book a secret. Now that she knew that it could help her, she didn't want Varla to know she had access to it. She changed the subject instead.

"Can you tell us how to end the curse on the men?" she asked. She was nervous to ask the question, but she desperately wanted the answer. Varla could be her last hope.

Varla thought about it. "I could tell you how, but not for free. I must ask something from you in return, and I will only tell you how if you do what I ask of you. No exceptions."

Selene didn't like the sound of that. "What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"You must kill Wicesla."

Chapter 20

Selene shrank back at the shock of her words and stared at her in horror. Varla looked somewhat smug at her reaction. Selene took the amulet out of her pocket and put it in the box and almost slammed the lid shut. Varla disappeared immediately.

"Where did she go?" Jenson asked, still looking at the spot where Varla had just been hovering.

"The box acts as a kind of shield for the magic. When I put the amulet into it Varla disappears and the remaining energy in the amulet is conserved," Selene explained, her voice shaking slightly. She sat back down on the grass.

"Are you alright?" Jenson asked, concerned. Selene looked paler than usual and her expression was oddly blank.

She just shook her head. She was too busy thinking to speak. Jenson decided that it would be best to let her think, so he didn't disturb her.

The decision Selene was faced with was the most difficult decision of her life. The weight of it felt like it was crushing her and stealing the air from her lungs. She set the box on the ground and leaned forward, resting her head on her knees. She felt Jenson's arm go around her shoulders as he sat next to her, and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

More than anything, Selene wanted to free the men, once and for all. Still, she wasn't sure just how much she would do to make that happen. She had to choose between taking a life to get what she wanted, or letting Wicesla live and possibly never freeing the beasts. Was one life worth so much suffering? How could Selene know the answer to such a question?

"Remember the prophesy," Selene heard Jenson whisper softly. "It foretold of a young witch breaking the curse. No matter which path you choose, you have a chance."

Selene lifted her head to meet his eyes. Hers were pooling with tears. "I have always valued life," she said. "Even the smallest animals deserve to live. We all have our purposes in the world. How could I possibly kill someone? I don't even know how I could do it, since she's far more powerful than I am. What should I do?" Her tears spilled over and streaked down her cheeks.

"I can't make that decision for you," Jenson said. He didn't know what to do any more than she did, though he didn't like to admit that.

"Wicesla might not even be evil. She has used black magic, but she's had reasons for a lot of what she's done. Besides, she hasn't been bothering anyone in years. If she was truly evil wouldn't she have been doing something for all that time?"

"I hate to point this out, but she did kill Tornado," Jenson reasoned.

"You know, I honestly forgot that she was the one who did that. Perhaps she is evil after all. Does that really justify killing her, though? I'm not even sure Tornado would agree that it does."

Jenson sighed. "No, it doesn't. It should never take an evil to end an evil."

Selene nodded. She had made her decision, but she knew it would be hard to live with, though not nearly as hard as the other option. "I'm not going to kill her," she announced. "Besides, you were wrong about the prophesy. I read it only recently, and I don't think I could be successful either way. It talks about heart and honour, and destroying hatred. Killing would lead me on the wrong path."

"Where does that leave us? Do you think Varla will help anyway? Maybe she can be convinced."

"No, she's too bitter. She died hating men, and those feelings haven't changed. She wouldn't help us without me doing what she asked. That is, assuming she would have helped us at all." Selene wiped her tears away and was glad when no more came.

"It's kind of a waste of the amulet," Jenson commented, looking at the box.

"There could still end up being a use for it." Selene lowered her knees, which had been brought up to her chest, and she put the box on her lap. She noticed that a bright purple bar had appeared on the front, right below the clasp. Selene recognized it as a magic meter. It had a black outline, and the purple went almost all the way to the end. There was still plenty of magic left in the amulet. She pointed it out to Jenson, who laughed at it.

"You witches think of everything," he joked.

He stood up and offered Selene a hand to pull her up. Once standing, she gave him the box and he wrapped his vest around it again.

"I feel like I'm back where I started," Selene complained as they started walking back home. She felt exhausted because of all that was going on, and yet she didn't seem to be getting anywhere. The magic required to activate the amulet had also drained her energy, so she was starting to feel like she could collapse at any moment and fall asleep.

"You aren't," Jenson reassured her, taking her hand again. "Varla may not be able to help us, but that doesn't mean there isn't another way. You have more knowledge now than you did before, and that knowledge could be very powerful if used in the right way."

Selene knew what he was talking about, and she couldn't help but agree with him. "Wicesla knows how to end the curse. Do you think she'll help us if we help her?"

"It's worth a try."

When they got back home, Frieda was running frantically between the kitchen and the cauldron. She had her hands full, and she sighed with relief when she saw Selene.

"Dear, I know I said I could spare you, but I got an extra order today and I'm swamped. I could really use your help. Also, the cow really needs to be milked." She looked pointedly at Jenson, who simply nodded and headed for the barn.

"What do you need me to do?" Selene asked, sighing inwardly. She hoped she had enough energy to make it through the rest of the day.

"There's a hair growth potion in the cauldron that could really use your attention. I've marked my place in the spell book, and this should be everything you'll need. I've got to run next door to do a spell and I'll be right back." She dumped the contents of her arms into Selene's, and then hurried off without another word.

As soon as she was gone, Jenson snuck back over. "Where should I put this?" he asked, indicating the box in his hand, which was still wrapped in his vest.

"Under the couch, if you don't mind," Selene answered, almost dropping a turnip. She dropped a small branch of pine needles instead.

"Not a problem," Jenson said. He stole a quick kiss and then hurried inside. Selene went over to the cauldron before she could drop anything else.

What Selene really wanted to do then was go inside and upstairs to find Varla's spell book. She desperately hoped that the spell she needed to end Wicesla's curse was still intact, and not on one of the pages that were missing or falling apart. She couldn't leave the potion, though, since there was much to do to prepare it. She hated waiting. Patience had never been one of her stronger traits. The fact that she was having a hard time staying awake didn't help.

Selene was stirring the cauldron the appropriate number of times when she heard Jenson's voice from behind her, and it was strangely cool. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Selene turned, wondering what he was talking about, but then she saw that Amber had just arrived. Jenson was standing protectively between them. He had seen Amber coming just as he finished milking the cow.

Amber held up her hands in a display of surrender. "I come in peace, I swear," she announced.

"It's alright Jenson," Selene said. She put the spoon she was using down and wiped her hands on her apron.

He turned and looked at her, and then looked back at Amber. "You trust her, even after she betrayed you?"

"No, but I'm guessing she has an important reason for being here." She looked at Amber, who appeared uncomfortable. Selene smiled slightly to show that she wasn't going to be hostile, and Amber visibly relaxed. "Are your parents out?"

"Not right now, but they will be this evening. They were invited to dine with my aunt, and when that happens they're usually out late. I suggest coming by after seven, but no later than nine. I'll keep an eye out for you."

"Sounds good. Thanks for letting me know."

"Yeah...no problem," Amber said. She gave Jenson one last glance and then she left.

Jenson crossed his arms and turned to Selene. He didn't look happy. "What was that all about?"

Selene looked around. There was no one there, but she motioned for Jenson to come closer anyway. When he was a little over a foot away she stood. "Andy managed to escape being in the forest. Amber found him and she's been keeping him in her cellar."

Jenson scowled. "And you didn't think I should know about that?"

"There were a lot of other things going on," Selene pointed out. She was trying hard not to get defensive. "I wasn't keeping it from you on purpose. I only learned about it last night, or rather very early this morning. Amber followed me to the meadow last night, and then she took me to her house. Seeing Andy there was quite a shock."

"And yet you forgot to tell me..."

Selene frowned. "Jenson, seriously. With Varla and Wicesla, I wasn't thinking about it. Don't take it personally."

He sighed. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm over-reacting." He took Selene into his arms. She hesitated at first, worried that he was angry, but she hugged him back. Then he kissed her. The kiss was soft, and yet it spread fire through her body, and she kissed him back more urgently.

He pulled away first. "Selene..."

"Mmm?"

"Is that potion supposed to be turning red?"

Selene glanced at it, and then she swore. "No, it isn't," she said, and she hurried to fix it. Luckily it only took a little dried mint leaf to bring it back to the shade of brown it was supposed to be.

"I should probably leave you to your work," Jenson said, smirking.

"Don't give me that look," Selene warned half-heartedly. "But yes, you should definitely stop distracting me before I end up doing something dangerous."

"Like setting the house on fire?"

"No, that's not exactly what I had in mind..."

Jenson actually blushed slightly and cleared his throat. "Right. I should be going." He turned and started heading to the other side of the house, where there was some wood waiting to be chopped. He was in a bit of a daze, and tripped over a rock that was protruding from the ground. Selene giggled from somewhere behind him, and he kept walking, embarrassed by his own clumsiness, and his thoughts.

Later, when both of her parents were home, Selene sat them down in the kitchen and told them about Andy. Her father showed a rare smile, and her mother nearly lost herself in her tears. After waiting so long to see her sons, she was overwhelmed by the opportunity to meet one of them, especially the youngest. They both agreed to go see him.

Selene told Dahlia as well, though she arrived home later after spending the day gathering more ingredients for potions, which was a never-ending job. Dahlia was shocked to hear the news, but she was also excited to meet Andy. She told Henry, and he wanted to go too, since he had known Andy when he was living in the forest.

The whole family ended up going after they ate supper. Selene hoped that they didn't look too conspicuous as they walked to Amber's house, since there were six of them. It was a big group, and a larger one than was usually seen walking around, except to go to some event. It also worried Selene what people would think if they noticed that they were going to Amber's house. Amber had betrayed her in front of most of the villagers, so they might be suspicious of why her whole family was going to her house. Perhaps they would think they were ganging up on her.

Despite Selene's fears, they arrived without incident, though they did receive a few looks on the way. Amber had seen them coming, and she was out by the cellar door when they walked up. She unlocked the chain and pulled the doors open. Selene was glad that the cellar doors weren't really in the view of the rest of the village, so no one could see where they were going. Her whole family going into a cellar wouldn't exactly be normal behaviour either.

Andy rushed to greet her as she arrived at the bottom of the stairs first. She expected his hug that time, so she had no trouble keeping her balance.

"I'm so glad you came back!" Andy exclaimed. "There's hardly anything to do down here, and no one to talk to most of the time." There were a few books on the coffee table that Amber had brought him, but he had nothing else for entertainment.

Andy noticed the other people coming down the stairs and almost filling the tiny cellar. They all stared at him, which made him uncomfortable.

"That's Frieda and Velkan, your parents," Selene introduced them. "That's Dahlia, your sister, and her husband Henry, who you've met before. Of course, you already know Jenson, too."

Andy was shy for a change. "Hi," he said, staring back at his visitors.

Velkan was the first to step forward, and he offered Andy his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, son," he said.

Andy grinned widely as he shook his father's hand for the first time. The sight almost brought tears to Selene's eyes. There were a lot of emotions flowing through the room, even though most were hidden.

Frieda couldn't help but gather her son in her arms and hold him close. Andy was a little surprised by the display of warmth from her, but it made him feel more relaxed, and he hugged her closely in return. He learned for the first time that his mother smelled like pine and lilac, and that she was a tight hugger.

Dahlia just kind of waved. She wasn't used to showing affection to strangers, even when they were family. Plus, she had a harder time than the others at seeing him for what he really was. He still looked like a beast to her, though even she had to admit that he was fairly cute for a beast.

"You're all so good-looking," Andy observed, sounding a tad awestruck. "I hope I look like you someday."

There were a few laughs at that, including Henry's chuckle. "They certainly are a good-looking family. I clearly married to my advantage," he said, winking.

"I think he was including you in that," Selene said, smiling.

"And me too, of course," Jenson added jokingly. "And you know what I looked like before. I don't think you have anything to worry about, kid."

"I like you just the way you are," Selene said to Andy. "I can't imagine you looking any other way. I don't want to lose my little sunshine."

Andy rolled his eyes. He was used to hearing people say that he looked like a sun. He turned to his parents.

"Can I go home with you? Please?"

They looked at each other. It said a lot about their relationship that they could communicate with just a glance. Velkan was the one who answered.

"There must be some way. We don't actually have much room in the house, but maybe we can set up a cot in the attic?"

"Yes, though we'll have to move some stuff around up there to make room," Frieda said. "We wouldn't make you stay in the attic, of course, but you could sleep there and go up when we have company."

"You'd have to stay away from the windows, and we should probably move you at night, when no one will see you," Selene added.

"Really? I'm really going to get to live with you guys?" Andy asked, looking back and forth between them, an expression of gratitude lighting up his features.

"I'd do almost anything to get to know at least one of my sons," Frieda told him, her eyes brimming with tears. She hugged him again.

Selene shared an excited smile with Andy, and she could tell that he was going to love living with them as much as they would love having him around.

Chapter 21

Selene was thoroughly exhausted that night after being up most of the night before, so when she got back home she went straight to her couch and fell into a deep and, thankfully, dreamless sleep.

She felt refreshed when she opened her eyes the next morning. She could smell eggs cooking in the kitchen, which made her stomach growl. Then she saw something yellow out of the corner of her eye, and she smiled.

"I guess you made it without any difficulties," Selene said, looking at Andy. He was sitting in the chair that Jenson usually slept in, since he was already gone to work, and he had a plate of food on his lap.

Andy nodded; his mouth full. He swallowed loudly. "Yeah, Dad came to get me at around midnight, like he promised. Amber accidently dropped the chain that was on the door and it made this big noise, and I thought someone was gonna wake up and come investigate, but they didn't. Mrs and Mr Rosehill must be very sound sleepers."

"Andy, would you like some more eggs?" Frieda called from the kitchen. Then she stuck her head through the door and saw Selene sitting up. "Oh, honey, I guess I should make you up a plate too. I'm afraid we have another busy day ahead of us, so it's a good thing you got your rest."

Selene groaned inwardly. She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and then yawned. She wasn't tired, but she still wasn't fully alert yet either, and she felt stiff from lying down for so long.

"What are you going to do today, Andy?" she asked, stretching her feet.

He frowned and took his last bite as he thought up an answer. He chewed for a while before he spoke. "There's not much I can do, since I'm stuck inside all day. I wish I could help with something, but I'm not used to living in a house like this, and I'm not very good at anything."

"You've got plenty of time to find out what you're good at," Selene reasoned. "You're still young, and there are many things you haven't tried yet."

"I wish I could do magic. It isn't fair that beasts can't have magical powers. By the time I become human I'll probably be too old to learn anything even if I have powers."

Selene smiled. "You don't need to study your whole life to be good at it. There have been several powerful male witches over the last couple of centuries, and they started after they were eighteen." An idea came to Selene. "You know, I may have something for you to do, if you're willing. It won't be fun and you'll have to be careful, but it will be very helpful to me. It's kind of a secret though, so don't tell anyone." She was careful to whisper that last part.

Andy nodded enthusiastically. "I'm glad to help, no matter what it is," he said.

They paused their conversation as Frieda walked in with two steaming plates of food. She handed one to each of them and took away the plate Andy had been using before. He licked his lips and then dove in; devouring a quarter of the food in a matter of seconds, before Selene even took one bite. She looked at him suspiciously.

"I thought you said Amber was feeding you," she said.

"She was," Andy replied, shrugging. "I'm just not really used to this type of food. It's so good. In the forest we mostly ate berries, nuts, and whatever the hunters could get. There weren't a lot of fruits and vegetables, and there were rarely any baked goods. I read about them in a book once, and always wondered what they'd be like. I never imagined that bread would be so soft and fluffy." He took a bite of the fresh slice of bread on his plate, and sighed in contentment, which made Selene laugh.

She took a few bites from her own plate, and then she peered through the door to the kitchen. Her mother was busy, and she was humming. There was little chance of being overheard.

Before Selene told Andy what she wanted his help for, she quickly set down her plate and ran upstairs and then back down, carrying a book in her hands as she sat back on the couch. It was leather-bound and well-worn, and there was an outline of a violet in black ink on the cover. It was faded from years of exposure to sunlight, but it was still clearly visible.

"This is a spell book," she said quietly to Andy. "Don't let Mom see you with it. It's very old, so you need to be very careful when handling it. I'd like you to try to find a spell in here."

"Why do you need me to do that?" Andy asked, looking at the book with interest.

"I just found out about the spell yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to look for it yet. It should be in here, but there are some pages that are missing or decaying, so you might not find it. I'd appreciate it if you look, because it saves me some time."

Andy shrugged. "I don't mind. What spell are you looking for?"

"I don't know what it's called exactly, but it's a spell to take the powers away from a witch, permanently."

Andy's eyes went wide with shock. "Why would you be looking for a spell like that?!

"It's kind of a long story, but it has to do with the curse, oddly enough. Don't worry; I'm not going to harm anyone. The only person I want to use the spell on is Wicesla."

"Ohhh," Andy said, nodding. He didn't look nearly as surprised. "That makes sense. It would be great if she didn't have any powers. It might make things easier. I'll definitely look for the spell for you."

"Thanks Andy," Selene said, smiling at him. It really would save her a lot of time if he could find it, and then she would be one step closer to freeing the beasts. At least, she hoped that's how things would go.

The day ended up being a long one. Frieda hadn't been kidding when she said they would be busy. Selene almost had to run to keep up with her mother's demands, which seemed to never end. There was just so much to do. Selene sincerely hoped that all their work would be worth it. In fact, she asked her father at supper if they were any closer to getting a new addition on the house.

"Yes, it should happen soon," he answered her.

"Your father talked to Anna Bluestone yesterday, and she agreed to help with the building and getting the supplies. She's coming over in a few days to take a look and start making the plans. With any luck, the new addition will be built this summer," Frieda said, filling in the details. Velkan nodded in acknowledgement.

Anna Bluestone was the village's builder. She was one of the oldest people in the village, but at 72 she still knew what she was doing. She had been planning and building houses and other structures for many years, and she had learned the skill from her father. She was good at what she did, and no one in the village ever built anything without consulting her.

"I can't wait," Dahlia said, picking at her boiled potatoes.

"Neither can I," Selene agreed. "I miss sleeping on a bed."

"I've never slept on a bed," Andy said, and everyone turned to look at him. He shrugged. "I slept on the ground in the forest, usually on some leaves. I had a pillow, though. It was made from rabbit fur, so it was nice and soft."

"Yeah, I didn't have one either," Jenson said, and Henry nodded as well.

"I have to admit, it's way nicer to sleep on a bed. They're actually quite soft and comfortable. I think I'd have a hard time going back to sleeping on the ground, and I haven't been using a bed for long," he said.

After supper, when most of the family was busy, Andy approached Selene. She was outdoors, just putting the finishing touches on a potion. Andy was wearing a cloak in an attempt to hide his beastly appearance in case anyone saw him from a distance, but there was no one nearby but family.

"I think I found the spell you were looking for," Andy said quietly, pulling the book from under his shirt, where he'd had it hidden.

Selene grew excited. "Can you show me?" she asked, giving the potion one last stir.

Andy handed her the book, which he had bookmarked with a feather. Selene opened it to the right page, and as soon as she saw it she knew it was the right spell. She carefully replaced the feather, and then she got up and gave Andy a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you so much," she said. "I really appreciate it."

He looked like his skin might have taken on a pinkish hew beneath his yellow fur. "No problem," he said. "Let me know if you need help with anything else." He went back inside, glancing around to make sure no one was there to see him.

Selene put the fire under the cauldron out and poured its contents into some bottles for her mother to sell. When that was done, she brought the bottles inside and placed them on her mother's work table in the kitchen, and then she went into the living room, which was empty. She pulled out the spell book. There it was, right on page 73. It was a power-destroying spell, said to take away all of a witch's powers without using up much of the caster's energy. It was perfect.

The only problem with the plan was that Selene had no idea where to find Wicesla. She didn't exactly spend her time wandering around the village. Selene figured she'd just have to wait until she showed up again, and if that didn't work she'd have to try something more drastic that would get her attention.

Selene slid the spell book under the couch so that it sat beside the box containing the amulet, just in case she ever needed to grab it in a hurry. Her mother rarely ever used the book, so Selene hoped she wouldn't notice that it was missing from its usual location.

When Jenson came in from helping her father patch some holes in the roof, Selene told him about the spell. He was as excited as she was.

"I really hope it works," he said.

"So do I. More than that, I hope she helps us. I'm tired of trying everything and nothing working. It's frustrating, and then I lose hope."

"But not all hope," Jenson pointed out. "Not yet, anyway."

Selene rolled her eyes. "Hopefully not ever."

"Stop using up all your hope," Jenson teased. "It's precious, and shouldn't be wasted on hoping you won't lose your hope."

Selene laughed. "Sure, whatever you say."

She had no trouble falling asleep that night, even though she spent a few minutes just thinking about Tornado. She was going through some of her favourite memories of him in her mind, which she liked to do because she was worried that she would lose them. She never wanted to forget the best friend she ever had.

With the busy couple of days she'd had, she'd forgotten about the dreams. As soon as she fell asleep, she entered another one. Her unconscious mind recognized it as one that wasn't her own, but there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She was in the clearing in the forest; the one she shared with Tornado. It was dark, and yet Selene had no trouble seeing. There was no one else around, so she simply sat on her usual rock and waited hopefully for Tornado to show up.

There was a nearby rustling, and Selene looked over expectantly. To her disappointment, it was only a rabbit that hopped out of the woods. It tentatively entered the clearing, as if weary of Selene's presence.

An arrow suddenly appeared in its side, and Selene was struck by a wave of déjà vu. She remembered the same thing happening not long ago. This time, however, the arrow was black with green feathers, instead of the simple wooden arrow that Tornado used.

Selene looked up, expecting to see Wicesla with her enchanted bow, but she was nowhere in sight. It was hard to see outside of the clearing anyway, since it was darker out there under the trees.

A figure suddenly approached. When it stepped into the clearing, Selene saw that it was Tornado, but not in beast form. He looked like he did in her last dream, before he had burned alive in front of her. The memory wasn't pleasant. This time, he was carrying Wicesla's bow, which he still had out and ready. He plucked the arrow out of the rabbit, and then he left the animal lying there, right in the middle of the clearing. That wasn't like him at all, since he knew how Selene felt about killing. It bothered her.

"Where did you get that?" Selene asked, gesturing to the bow. Seeing him holding it was more than unsettling, since it was the weapon that had killed him.

He shrugged. "I found it in the woods. It works strangely well. It's like I hardly have to aim at all." His voice sounded a little different than it had as a beast; probably because he used to have two noses. They must have affected the resonance of his voice.

"You don't recognize it at all?" Selene asked, worried.

"No, I don't think I've seen it before. Why do you ask?"

A strange whistle penetrated the air. It was low-pitched and wavering; not really like any bird call Selene had ever heard before, and it was loud and yet seemed to come from far away. Tornado lifted his head at the sound.

"I've gotta go," he said.

"But you just got here!"

"Yeah, but that call was for me. I'll see you again some other time." With that he turned and ran off into the forest before Selene could react. She wondered where the sound had come from.

When he was gone the sound stopped. Selene looked around again, but so no one. The rabbit was still lying dead in the middle of the clearing, and the sight bothered her. She stood up, wanting to get away from it, but it twitched suddenly. Selene moved toward it to see if she could help, but then it jumped up and ran away into the bushes. She didn't follow.

Selene turned to go back to her rock, but jumped when she saw someone already sitting there. She wasn't at all surprised to see Wicesla, looking as lovely as usual in flowing burgundy robes. There was a white rose stitched over her left breast.

"Perhaps I should burn your friend alive again," she said, smiling in a way that churned Selene's stomach. "I rather enjoyed it last time."

Selene set that comment aside, trying not to let it affect her. In a way she was glad to see Wicesla, since she realized it was a good opportunity to make a deal. She actually hoped that it was really her in her dream, and not a figment of her imagination.

"I can end your curse," she said, evenly meeting Wicesla's gaze.

Suddenly the whole dream erupted into fire, causing Selene to wake with a start. She had an even bigger shock, however, when she realized that Wicesla was standing over her, right there in her living room.

She screamed.

Chapter 22

Wicesla clamped a hand over her mouth hard. "There's no need to be making that infernal racket, girl," she hissed. "You'll wake up the whole house." She looked over at Jenson, who was sleeping in the corner. He stirred, but he hadn't woken up. Wicesla removed her hand, though hesitantly.

"What do you expect me to do?!" Selene responded angrily, though in a hushed whisper. "I woke up and you were standing over me! You really shouldn't do that to people."

"I didn't come to murder you in your sleep, if that's what you thought," Wicesla said. "Not that the idea isn't appealing. I came to talk, after what you just told me. Meet me outside in two minutes."

"Alone?"

"Yes, alone. I told you I didn't come to murder you, and I do keep my word. Two minutes."

Selene nodded reluctantly, and Wicesla slipped out. The door didn't make its customary squeak as she went through it.

Selene reached under the couch and pulled out the spell book. She turned to the right page to confirm the spell's existence. It was there, and that fact gave her strength. She shut the book and put it back under the couch. She didn't want the book to accidently end up in the wrong hands, and it was really her only bargaining tool, so she wasn't taking it with her.

It was still strangely warm outside, even though it was the middle of the night. Selene looked around, but there seemed to be no light at all, coming from the sky or from the village. She was hesitant to leave the safety of her home when she couldn't see a thing outdoors.

A light suddenly appeared near the barn. It was faint enough not to catch anyone's attention, but bright enough for Selene to see. She recognized it as a magical light, not unlike the one she'd made in the clearing. She headed for it, her heart pounding. She didn't want to be alone with an evil witch in the darkness of night. Really, she wouldn't want to do it in the daytime either. She wished she had Jenson with her for support.

The light moved. Selene stopped in her tracks and watched it. It began heading for the meadow. Selene couldn't see well enough to follow safely without a light of her own, so she created one to guide her way. The trip didn't take long.

Wicesla stood near the forest. Selene approached, extinguishing her own light, since Wicesla's remained. Its soft glow illuminated their faces, but little more.

"What do you know of my curse?" Wicesla asked, breaking a momentary silence in which they had been staring at each other, sizing each other up.

"I only know what Varla told me, though I don't necessarily know if it's true. She said she put a curse on you that makes you unable to touch any man without feeling tremendous pain. She also said that the only way to break the curse is for you to lose you powers, and that she didn't expect you to make such a sacrifice."

Wicesla nodded, thinking. She brought her eyes up to meet Selene's, and Selene was surprised by what she saw in them. There was no pretence; only a deep pain and loneliness.

"I wouldn't have made the sacrifice when I was young, but I've lived for too long like this. I miss being able to have lovers. The world is a lonely one when you never get to feel the touch of one you love. Tell me, how can you break the curse?"

"Varla created a spell to take the powers from a witch. I am in possession of it. It requires little energy, so I have no doubt that I'll be able to it. I must ask something in return though."

"You want me to help you end the curse on the men, don't you?" Wicesla said. It was a rhetorical question, since she already knew the answer. "I'm afraid I can't make any promises until you break my curse."

That wasn't what Selene wanted to hear. "Why not?" she asked heatedly. "If your curse is broken, then surely you'll have no reason to want to keep the men as beasts."

"That is true. Still, I'm not making any promises. I have my reasons. Do we have a deal, Ms. Brookbank?"

"That isn't a deal at all," Selene complained. "It helps you, but I highly doubt that it will help me."

"It could, however, be your only chance. Besides, I could just as easily steal the spell from you. Surely it's written down somewhere. I will repeat myself. Do we have a deal?" There was an edge of venom in her voice that made her sound very convincing.

Selene didn't have much time to think about, but she didn't need time anyway. She wanted to do the spell if only to make Wicesla less of a threat. She nodded, trying to appear reluctant, even though she was actually reasonably happy. She just wished Wicesla would promise to help her. At least there was a chance.

"When would you like to do it?" Selene asked.

"Meet me here at sunrise," Wicesla commanded. Before she turned to go, a sudden bright smile crossed her face, though only for a second. For once there was nothing dark or sinister about it; it was a smile of pure joy at the prospect of being freed from hundreds of years of living under a curse. To Selene, it made her look more human.

With Wicesla gone, Selene was left standing in the dark. It only took moments for her to become disoriented and forget which direction was which, so she lit her own light again in order to see. It was hard finding her way back, even with years of experience and her weak light. The darkness was just so overpowering; it was like walking through a thick fog that her light hardly penetrated.

Regardless, she made it back home. She winced at the creak of the door, but no one seemed to notice, as usual. Selene laid down on the couch, smiled to herself, and then closed her eyes.

Unfortunately, sleep wasn't so easy to come by. Selene was anxious for dawn to come, and worried that she would end up sleeping through it. She ended just lying there with her eyes wide open, staring up at the ceiling, even though it wasn't visible in the dark.

Sometime during the night she heard a rustling from the corner of the living room. She figured it was Jenson, even though she couldn't see anything. She heard him stand up and take a few steps toward her.

"Selene?" he whispered softly, as if checking to see if she was awake.

"Yeah?" she responded, straining to see him, but unable to do so. It was just too dark, since there was no moon and no lights on.

Selene felt Jenson's hands as he felt for her, and then he sat down on the edge of the couch. His weight made her shift slightly. She put her hands up to feel where he was, and then she rested them on his, which she managed to find.

"I can't sleep," Jenson said. "I don't know why, but I feel like something big is going to happen soon, and I'll miss it if I close my eyes."

Selene smiled, knowing that he couldn't see the expression. She could hear an edge of something in his voice, and she wasn't sure if it was excitement, or if it was something closer to fear.

"Wicesla came to me not long ago; first in my dream and then she was really here. I'm meeting with her at sunrise to break her curse, but she didn't make any promises to help me. She didn't say she wouldn't though, so I still have hope."

"Ah, so that must be what I'm expecting," Jenson whispered.

The sound of his voice was soft and yet rough at the same time; almost like a low growl. It sent shivers down Selene's spine. She sat up and moved her hands, trying to find his face, but he found hers first, and he kissed her. In the dark there were no distractions, so the feeling of his lips on hers was almost overwhelming.

She pulled away, trying to find her breath. Then she kissed him quickly once more, and then laid back down. Jenson laid down with her. There was barely room for the both of them on the tiny couch, but when tangled together it didn't matter much.

They stayed that way until a soft light came in through the window, finally allowing Selene to see. She still hadn't slept, though she could tell by Jenson's soft and rhythmic breathing that he was sleeping just fine. It wasn't easy untangling herself without waking him, but she somehow managed. She had a feeling that Wicesla wouldn't want him to be there, judging by the way she had ignored him in the past.

It was much easier getting to the meadow with the light of dawn to guide her way. The sun wasn't yet up over the mountains, but Selene could see that Wicesla was already by the forest, and she was standing there alone.

Selene was nervous. It helped in a way, because the adrenaline in her system kept her from feeling tired. She walked with an almost perceptible bounce in her step and the faintest hint of a smile on her face. She wasn't just nervous; she was excited. To her, it was a day when something big could happen. Like Jenson earlier in the night, she felt that there was something coming, and she hoped it was a change.

Wicesla wasn't facing her when she arrived at the top of the hill and started walking into the meadow. She spoke anyway.

"Do you have the spell with you?" she asked, turning around. There was even a hint of excitement on her features.

"I wouldn't have bothered coming without it," Selene said. She brought out the spell book.

"I should have known," Wicesla said, looking at the violet on the cover. "Well, I did know; just not for sure. It seems your little spirit friend helped you after all."

"My 'little spirit friend' doesn't know I have this," Selene told her. She opened the book to the right page. "Do you really want to do this now?"

"I wouldn't have bothered coming if I didn't."

"You do realize that this spell will take away your powers permanently, right? There's no spell to bring them back. You'll be just a normal human. You won't even be able to use magic to transport yourself, which you seem to like doing."

"I do like my dramatic entrances," Wicesla said with a hint of sarcasm. "Honestly, kid, I know what this means for me, and I'm ready. If you aren't, then I suggest you give me the spell book before I take it by force."

There was a hard edge to her voice that told Selene she meant what she said. She nodded and cleared her throat. Wicesla waved a hand, indicating impatiently for her to read the spell. Selene saw no reason to wait any longer, so she did:

# I call you spirits of magic,

# For I need you now,

# I have something to ask,

# A favour to allow.

#

# Abandon this witch before me,

# For she no longer needs you,

# She wishes to be normal,

# And view the world as new.

#

# Do not be offended,

# That she no longer seeks your aid,

# She will struggle without you,

# And be very much afraid.

#

# Some things are worth the sacrifice,

# For a sacrifice this will be,

# As much as you are loved,

# This witch needs to be free.

Instead of energy visibly flowing from Selene, a thick silver cloud seemed to erupt from all over Wicesla's body. She fell to her knees and moaned slightly as the energy rose up and coalesced into a throbbing orb. It flashed suddenly, as if it was exploding outward, and then it imploded into a pinprick of bright light that lingered for a second before disappearing. There was hardly any drain at all to Selene's energy, which she was thankful for, since she had little to begin with.

"It's always easier to take something away than to give or create," Wicesla commented. She sounded breathless and weak.

Selene went over and offered a hand to help her up. Wicesla took it reluctantly, and seemed to be shaky on her feet. Still, she managed to hold herself up with some sense of dignity.

"How do you feel?" Selene asked.

Wicesla chuckled weakly. "I thought the first thing you'd ask would be for me to help you."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I've been better, but I'll survive," Wicesla said. She was frowning slightly. "It doesn't feel right. Not having powers, I mean. It will be strange to start growing older again."

That surprised Selene. "Why won't you be growing older? You took the Draught of Eternal Life, didn't you?"

"Yes, but the spell took away my magic. It took away all magic within me, including the magic of the draught. I knew it was going to happen." She shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal.

Selene actually felt kind of bad, since she hadn't known that would happen. There was nothing she could do about it though. She figured it was time to ask the question.

"So, are you going to help me break the curse?"

Wicesla looked at her seriously. Somehow, her gaze didn't seem quite as sharp as before, as if it had lost some of its lustre. It did, however, appear more serious and honest.

"No," she said.

Chapter 23

Selene's heart immediately tightened painfully in her chest. She wasn't sure how many failures she could take. "Why not?" she asked as calmly as she could, even though she felt like there was a storm welling up inside of her. Her blood pounded in her ears, and she started feeling a bit dizzy.

Wicesla smiled, and there was nothing evil about the expression. It was almost kind, and oddly comforting. "You don't need my help, or I would give it to you. I do owe you, after all. Believe me, now that I'm free of my curse, I'd like to have some normal men around. I just think you're going to break the curse on your own. I don't have to tell you anything."

"But I don't know how!"

"You don't need to. I removed the spell around the forest this morning, just before you arrived. That should be all the help you need from me. Good luck."

With that, Wicesla turned and started walking away, heading down the hill to the road. Selene had no idea where she was going, but at that point she didn't really care. She didn't want to have to see the woman ever again. Wicesla had killed her best friend, after all.

"Thanks for that," she called softly, referring to her removing the spell around the forest. It was a start, at least. Now things were really back to the way they were. It was thoroughly maddening.

Selene blew out a breath, trying to let out some tension. She felt like she was letting Tornado down, and not for the first time. It was still painful.

The spell that had surrounded the forest really was gone. As Selene stepped from the meadow to under the trees, she felt nothing. There was no longer anything stopping her from entering, so she did, almost by habit. She moved further into the forest, not really sure what she was doing. She found her path, and she followed it to the clearing.

In the muted light of early morning, the clearing still looked almost the same as it always did. There was the mossy area in the middle, the canopy of leaves overhead, and the great willow tree across from her favourite rock. Next to that rock was the fallen log, which had a spot near the middle that was worn down and smooth from years of someone sitting there. It brought tears to Selene's eyes.

There was one very important difference in the clearing that day. Bunches of flowers were lain out on the ground around the log, along with a very familiar bow and quiver of arrows. Someone had even carved a name in the log, along with a heart.

Selene sat on her rock, right next to the pile. It warmed her heart to see that she wasn't the only one who cared. The beasts had lived with him and been his family for all his life, so he meant as much to them as he did to her. She wished she had flowers with her to add to the rest, but she had nothing except her own thoughts and the love in her heart.

Then she realized that she also had magic. As her way of adding to the memorial, she performed a complicated spell by memory. When she was done, the words on the log had been transformed and added to. They were now even and deep black in colour, and she had added 'you will be missed'. She had also left something else on the log, and it was an image of Tornado's face, just as she always remembered it. Just looking at it made her smile. It was well worth the energy it took.

She sat there for a long time, with her eyes closed and her ears alert. To her, being in the clearing was like returning home only to find out it was robbed. A place loses its value when something bad happens in relation to it, no matter how many memories you have. They'll always be tainted by the awful truth. For her, it was that Tornado would never sit under the canopy of leaves with her again. The memories of him in that place were polluted by the memories of his death. It was sometimes hard to separate the two.

Eventually Selene heard the sounds of someone approaching, so she raised her head and opened her eyes. Jenson had entered the clearing, and he was looking sadly at the pile of flowers by the log. He smiled at the picture though, just like she did. He turned to Selene.

"It's nice to be able to get into the forest again," he said. "Was that Wicesla's doing? Did she do anything else?"

"She did remove the spell around the forest, but no, she didn't do anything else," Selene told him sadly. "We really are back to where we started. The only plan I have now is to get the beasts out of the forest and ask Varla for help again. Who knows, maybe she'll be satisfied with Wicesla being powerless. Somehow, I doubt that though."

Jenson grinned unexpectedly. "When?"

"When what?" Selene asked.

"When are you going to get the beasts out of the forest? Now?"

Selene shrugged. "I guess it's as good of a time as any. I'm sure Mayor Thornwood will have a fit whenever it happens anyway."

"The villagers did vote for them to be out of the forest. I know that doesn't actually mean anything legally, but it means we have the support of the people. There's nothing the mayor can do, unless she does call for backup."

"Right. Do you want to start bringing people out? I'm going to go have a chat with Varla," Selene said.

Jenson nodded. "My pleasure," he said. He gave her one last smile before heading off to the main camp to find the beasts.

Everyone was up and getting ready to leave when Selene arrived back home. Her mother and sister were in the living room drinking tea when she entered, and the men were still upstairs, except for Andy, who was in the kitchen. Her mother asked her what she was doing outside in her nightgown, and she just shrugged, saying she wanted to get some fresh air.

"Want to go out and pick some flowers with me?" Dahlia asked. "I feel like we haven't been spending a lot of time together lately. It might be fun."

Selene was anxious. "Maybe later," she said. "There's something I have to do first."

She went over to the couch and pulled out the box; not bothering to hide anything, since she was tired of doing so. Her mother saw it, and her eyes went wide.

"Selene!" she exclaimed.

She was already at the door. "I'll be back soon," she said, and she left before her mother could protest any further.

Selene only went as far as the barn. The cow was outside, so there was plenty of room inside. She wasted no time in opening the box and taking the amulet out. Varla appeared immediately, looking annoyed.

"How long did you keep me locked up?" she asked. She had her hands on her hips and was staring at Selene with her sharp eyes.

Selene refused to be intimidated by a spirit. She'd had enough of people pushing her around and walking all over her. She was tired of all of it.

"Less than a day," she informed Varla. "I needed time to think and plan what I was going to do, and I've already done it."

"You killed her? Where's the proof?"

Selene scowled. "Of course I didn't kill her. I'm not like you, and I will never be like you, or her. I don't believe in killing, no matter what someone has done or how much they may be in my way. It's not up to me to decide who dies, and it never will be. It isn't up to you either. I did the best thing I could think of to do instead. I took away her powers. She's still alive, but she's not really the same person she was before."

Varla growled. Her eyes gained a heat that was almost piercing with her rage. "You just removed her curse. That's not what I wanted at all."

"I made her powerless, and she's no longer immortal. That should mean something to you. I'm asking you one last time: please help me end the curse."

Varla laughed coldly. "I wanted her dead, and all you did was break the curse that I put on her myself. Do you honestly think that I would help you? You're just a stupid girl who has no idea how to survive or get things done in this world. You can't get by without making sacrifices, no matter how big they may be. You're on your own-"

That was the last word she got out before Selene threw the amulet against the wall of the barn, where it smashed into a dozen pieces. Varla's form flickered and died, never to be seen again.

Selene wasn't used to losing her temper, but she just couldn't listen to people telling her 'no' anymore. If she was on her own, that was fine. At least she didn't have to deal with people, or spirits, who wanted to do nothing but manipulate her and use her for their own gain. Even Wicesla was more helpful than Varla was. She had to wonder who was really the evil one.

She may have regretted breaking the stone just a little bit once she calmed down. She picked up the pieces, which were useless, and put them back in the box, which no longer featured a magic meter. It was quite a waste.

Frieda was outside looking for her Selene when she left the barn. "I thought I told you not to use it unless you needed it. That stone has been in our family for generations. We haven't even broken the spell around the forest yet!"

"Well, that much won't be necessary anymore," Selene said. She pointed off into the distance, where dozens of figures were emerging from the forest.

Chapter 24

It ended up being a joyous day for the whole village, except maybe a select few. The beasts came out of the forest, standing tall and proud, and were greeted heartily by their families. Only the beasts born in Spring Meadow came, but Selene was told that the rest of the beasts went home to their own villages, where they were easily gaining support. The woman had been without their men for too long. It was like everyone knew that it was time for a change.

Max, Domino, and Rocky were welcomed home by a teary Frieda and grinning Selene. Andy was probably the most excited to see them, and he ran outside, overjoyed to not only have his brothers with him once more, but also to be free. There was a lot to celebrate.

The sight of all the beasts around brought tears to Selene's eyes, and she only wished that Tornado was there to see such a wonderful moment. He would have been proud. Selene could picture his face in her mind; grinning wildly and suppressing tears of his own after finally seeing that they had somehow made a difference, and they had done it together. Selene knew that without Tornado, none of it would have been possible.

When Jenson arrived home Selene ran into his arms, and they embraced as if for the first time. Selene laughed joyfully, and when she looked into her love's eyes, they were smiling and brimming with tears. He laughed too, and he picked Selene up and spun her around. To him, seeing her happy was the most wonderful thing in the world.

The mayor certainly wasn't happy about what was going on, but she stood alone. Even Amber abandoned her aunt, especially after catching the eye of a rather interesting-looking beast, who didn't remain a beast for very much longer.

Just to be on the safe side, the watchers themselves locked Mayor Thornwood away in one of their cells, where it was reported that she screamed for hours, demanding for someone to let her out. Only the watchers were around to listen, and they were lucky to have poor hearing.

That day was just the beginning. What happened in Spring Meadow started a revolution. Eventually, word of what was going on got to the queen of the kingdom. Having several sons herself, Queen Henrietta secretly rejoiced over the news. Having been threatened years ago by Wicesla, she had been powerless to do anything to free the beasts. After a second visit from Wicesla, however, she made a few changes to the law.

That was the day the most extraordinary thing of all happened. Selene was in the meadow with Jenson, Andy, Rocky, and Dahlia. It was beautiful day out, with a brightly shining sun and hardly a cloud in the sky. They were sitting on a large red blanket and were having a picnic. The others in the family would have joined them, but they were off at work. They were very close to beginning construction on the house, and needed all the money they could get, especially after the three newest additions to the family.

Jenson was lying on his back, with his shoulders propping up his upper body. Selene was sitting in front of his abdomen. She was sitting on her feet again, and they were starting to tingle already. Dahlia sat across from her, with a brother on either side. Andy was busily eating some sliced fruit, and Rocky was watching an ant make its progress across their blanket to the basket of food in the middle.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Dahlia said, giggling at the image in her head.

Andy grinned. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone look so furious before in my life," he said.

"I hope Mayor Dewbug knows what she's doing," Selene said, her face tight with worry. "She seems fairly accepting, but I don't know..."

Jenson nudged her playfully with his elbow. "There's no way she'll be worse than Thornwood was. Just relax, and we'll see how things turn out."

That was when it happened, right before her eyes. One second she was smiling at Andy, and the next his features began to transform. She looked at Rocky, and saw that he too had begun to change. In mere seconds they were both looking back at her from human faces, wondering why she was staring. She laughed out loud, and thought that her heart might burst with the strength of her happiness. She was delighted to see that Andy was a redhead, just like her.

She realized something in that moment. There was always a way to overcome a curse, and Selene finally knew what it was. Varla's words suddenly made sense as they came back to her: _'I thought the curse would have been broken a long time ago. I now have even less faith in humanity than I had before.'_

All it took to break the curse forever was acceptance. For centuries the beasts had been living in separation, shunned by the rest of the world, who were unable to see them for what they were. Now, that had changed. They were openly welcomed into society, and they were finally and truly accepted. The moment they really stopped being seen as beasts by the majority of the kingdom was the moment they stopped being them.

Selene got up on her knees and threw her arms around Rocky, who protested feebly. "What's going on?" he asked.

He looked over at Andy, and then his jaw fell with shock. He wrenched himself out of his sister's arms and moved to study his brother. "Whoa," he said.

Andy looked down at himself, and then back up at Rocky, and a slow smile spread across his face. Then he suddenly got up and did a fist pump, and began dancing around, laughing joyfully.

Dahlia laughed at him through the tears of happiness that had begun pooling in her eyes. Rocky stood and offered her a hand, and they both joined in on Andy's spontaneous dance, laughing like children.

Selene looked down at Jenson, who was watching them. He looked up at her when he felt her gaze, and they shared a bittersweet smile. They were both thinking of Tornado, who would have loved that moment. Selene remembered how he had looked in the dreams she'd had, when he'd been human. She could imagine now how happy he would have been to look like that, and to finally be free. In a way, she realized, he had been free long before the rest.

Jenson sat up and kissed her lovingly on the cheek. "I knew you could do it," he said.

"What makes you think I did anything?"

"None of this would have happened without you," he said, gesturing to Andy and Rocky, who were still laughing and dancing. "You were the one who helped them get out of the forest, and I don't doubt that that had something to do with breaking the curse. You really are the one in the prophesy."

Selene couldn't help but grin. "I always hoped that I was."

There was a sudden uproar of noise from the village below as the celebration commenced. Men everywhere were finally normal, and women could see what they really looked like. Everything was going to change, even more than it already had. Men would take their place in the world again.

"There's a valuable lesson to be learned from all of this," Jenson said. He spoke seriously, but there was a twinkle in his eye that told Selene he wasn't being serious at all.

"What might that be?"

"Never, ever place a curse on anyone. Ever."

Selene laughed, and then she kissed him.

Epilogue – 2 years later

"Oh, please let me hold him," Mrs. Redwing begged, looking at the tiny baby in Jenson's arms, who yawned and then reached up with one hand, stretching his little fingers. Jenson grinned at him, and then reluctantly handed the baby to his mother.

"Pretty cute, isn't he?" Selene said.

Jenson went to her side. "Yes, my darling. He's amazing."

She sighed contentedly, even though she was exhausted and sore. She reached for her husband's hand. "I'm sure Kylie will love her new little cousin. Where is Dahlia, anyway?"

"She's in the kitchen. Serena was getting into the cupboards again. I'm sure she'll bring them both in to see our little Tornado soon."

"I'll be honest; I'm kind of glad we didn't have twins," Selene admitted quietly.

"I'm not," Frieda complained. She was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, looking almost as exhausted as Selene felt. She was gazing adoringly at her first grandson while Velkan fanned her. "I wouldn't mind having two more adorable little babies around. Not that one isn't enough, but two would be even better. It was quite an ordeal for Dahlia, though."

After Mrs. Redwing was done admiring her new grandson, she handed the baby to Selene, who held him lovingly. He had bright blue eyes, just like his father, but his little wisps of hair were an unmistakable shade of red.

"Just imagine," Selene said softly, watching him stretch his fingers again. "If it weren't for Tornado, we would never get to see what our little son looked like. I would never have held him, nor would I get to keep him." Tears formed in her eyes.

Jenson kissed her forehead. "It was because of both of you," he pointed out. "I think he'd like that we named our son after him."

"I just wish he was here to see this."

Dahlia hurried into the room then, with a little girl in each arm. Kylie squirmed excitedly, but Serena just stared and sucked her thumb, which was a habit her mother had a hard time curing her of. Henry followed, smiling at Selene.

"It's a boy isn't it? Oh well. I guess I owe Max some money, then," he said, winking.

Selene laughed. She looked back down at the boy in her arms, then up at the man beside her, and then around the room. She was surrounded by her family, and all the people she loved. She couldn't help but think about how lucky she was. Somehow, she knew everything would be alright. The twinkle in her husband's bright blue eyes told her that he knew it too.

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