I watched Elizabeth vanish into the dark alley, the only light was from the pale moon. I turned quietly, deep in thought and made my way down the empty streets of the Isle to my home. As walked only a little longer, I felt eyes on me. I stopped in the middle of the street, “Elizabeth?” I demanded.

Sheepishly, she stepped out of the shadows and came to join me as I continued on my way, “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much.” I replied, ruffling her black hair fondly.

She smirked, “Well someone has to look out for you.”

“How sweet.” A female voice suddenly interrupted us.

I stopped short, glaring into the darkness, “Who’s there?”

“You don’t recognize my voice, captain?” A girl stepped out of the shadows and I snarled: Etta.

“You just won’t leave, will you?” I demanded.

Etta smirked, “I thought you would have recognized me in the bar…”

“I’ve never seen you before in my life.” I snapped.

“Maybe not in this form…” Etta’s voice and face began to change simultaneously. Soon, instead of a young teenage girl, a shockingly beautiful woman stood in front of us. Pale white hair flowed down her body, and glittering green eyes stared back at us.

After a moment of silence, I continued, “Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

The woman glowered, “My name is Ettalia Myth, sorceress to the wild and protector of the dead.”

After another moment of silence, Elizabeth spoke up, “Well...we’re not dead...so...what do you want?”

She snarled, “Have you no fear?”

Elizabeth and I looked at each other, then shook our heads.

“Very well then. I will change your reckless ways…”

“You can’t just...change someone’s personality.” I grumbled.

But even as I said it, a sharp pain ran through my body. I yelped, crumbling to the ground. My vision began to blur, and in it, I could see Elizabeth fall to the ground as well, writhing in pain. Soon, my vision became clear again and the pain subsided, but everything was different now. Everything was in sharper focus, but...without color. I blinked, “Have you made us colorblind?” I tried to ask, but all that came out was a whine...a canine whine. I jerked backwards, but instead of falling, my feet landed: All four of them. As I looked down, I realized I now had paws for hands and feet. I yelped in fear as a creature beside me rose. The largest wolf I’d ever seen, nearly the size of a horse, whined in fear. Her sharp blue eyes made me recognize Elizabeth. I choked, but all that came out was a low growl. I looked at the wolf beside me, for some reason, I understood what she was saying when she spoke, “What have you done to us?” She demanded with a growl.

Ettalia smirked, “I have turned you into my servants. With that privilege comes good and bad for you. All good for me. Good for you is that now you are horse-sized wolves. Bad for you, you now must obey my every word. Oh, and no human can understand you.”

Elizabeth bared her teeth, then seemed surprised that she could bare her teeth, and sat down in confusion.

“Don’t worry.” Ettalia continued, “You will get used to your new bodies soon.”

I turned to look at Elizabeth’s new self and she stared back at me. Her fur was pitch black like her hair, and one of her ears was completely white, like the streak through her human hair. Her eyes remained sky blue, even in wolf form.

“Come.” Ettalia ordered. As she turned away, I sat down stubbornly; there was no way I was going with her.

But the next instant, an unseen force began to drag me behind her, pulling my feet against the hard mortar bricks of the street. I whined as I scrambled to my feet.

“I told you: You have no choice but to do as I say.” Ettalia called out without a backwards glance.

Then, quietly, Elizabeth and I began to trot after her, feeling much like trapped animals.

* * *

(Back at the mansion)

*Tanner's POV*

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Perryn!?” Rachel’s terrified scream jerked me out of my thoughts. Around me, the walls of the library were usually my safe haven, but now Rachel’s scream interrupted the tranquility of the night. Everyone was mostly asleep, but Henry had stayed with some of the royals a little while longer.

“Tanner!”

Speak of the devil. I thought grumpily. Then I sat back down on my sofa and buried my nose in my book.

“Tanner!” Henry’s voice echoed through the house again, “Help!”

I growled in anguish as I pulled myself to my feet. Then I stomped out of the library and down to the living room.

“The Odyssey.” I snapped when I walked in, slamming the book in front of Henry, “It’s a great read. Hard to read, so one needs concentration to be able to understand what Odysseus is going through. So answer me: What could be so important that I need to put him on hold?”

Henry swallowed, then pointed behind me, “Something’s wrong with Perryn.”

I whirled to see Perryn on the ground, curled up into a ball. Rachel sat beside him, trying to coax him into talking, but he was shaking in fear or pain, I couldn’t tell. Sweat dripped down his forehead as I approached him.

Gently, I nudged him, “Hey P. What is it?”

“D-don’t...c-call...me t-that.” He managed.

“He’s okay.” I announced.

“Tanner!” Rachel protested, “Please! What’s wrong with him?”

I sighed as I gently began to inspect Perryn. Bead of sweat dripped down his forehead, back and chest. He bit his lip to keep from crying out and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Does it hurt?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Where?”

“Everywhere.” He whispered, “But mainly my head.”

I swallowed, “Do you see anything?”

Rachel frowned at me, “His eyes are closed you--”

“Yes.” Perryn interrupted.

I nodded, putting a finger to my lips as I glared at Rachel, “What do you see?”

“A-a woman.”

“What does she look like?” I continued to quiz him as Lydia and Amber came into the room, looking very sleepy and confused.

“She’s beautiful...with… white? Yes...white..hair. And she looks like...like...Etta. An older version of her.”

“Etta?” I asked, “The girl who challenged Serah?”

Perryn didn’t answer, instead he continued, “There’s something else.”

Perryn’s voice became stronger and he stopped shaking, “A wolf. A huge wolf.”

“A wolf?” I frowned.

His green eyes flew open, and met mine. But even as he looked at me, I could tell he was in a far off place, seeing something that no one else could see.

“The wolf...she looks familiar.”

“If the wolf were to be a person...who would it be?” I asked, an idea shooting into my head.

“I…” Perryn stopped and looked past me. I followed his gaze and saw William, standing in the doorway, looking concerned.

When I turned back to Perryn, he was looking at me again, “Elizabeth.”

The silence in the room was terrifying, before Lydia ended it, “The girl. No wonder she had the emerald.”

“What?” Amber asked, “What does it mean? How can Elizabeth look like a wolf?”

“She’s a sorceress.” I muttered.

“Elizabeth is a what?” William demanded.

“For all we know, she’s a dog right now.” Lydia explained, “Etta, the girl, is a sorceress.”

“Perryn, how does the wolf look?” I demanded.

“Black fur. A white ear. Blue eyes...like Elizabeth’s.”

“White ear.” Lydia muttered, “Like her hair. Okay, wait. So listen to this, Tanner.” I tilted my head to meet her eyes, “Etta, the sorceress, found the emerald. But she wanted to use it.”

“What does it do?” Rachel asked.

Lydia waved her off, “That information isn’t for outsiders.”

I could tell Lydia’s words stung Rachel, but I didn’t say anything. None of us had forgotten Amber’s words.

“Serah wouldn’t show her how to use it, so Etta went with the violent approach.” Lydia continued.

“Add Serah and Elizabeth to her horse-sized wolf army as they’re walking down a dark street in the middle of the night where no one would know if they went missing until morning.” I nodded, catching on to her idea.

“Except...Perryn.” Lydia nodded.

“What?” Perryn demanded.

“Somehow, you have a better connection with...I think Serah considering you didn’t see her...than one of us. I don’t know why, and jealousy is slowly sinking in, but let’s not talk about that right now. So basically, you see what she sees when she’s caught off guard.”

“Do you see anything right now?” I asked.

But he shook his head.

Lydia nodded, "She has gathered her senses."

“This all sounds insane.” Henry said, “And as much as I trust your instincts and occasional nerd side, this can’t happen, Tanner.”

“You believe in the sorceress?” I demanded.

“Well...yes.” Henry admitted.

“Then what’s not to believe in this?”

“It just sounds crazy. And Lydia, how do you know all this?”

“I’ve read the history of the Isle. Like, multiple times.”

Henry groaned, “So Serah and Elizabeth are suddenly wolves, what next?”

Lydia and I exchanged glances, “Uh, horse-sized wolves.” Lydia corrected.

“That can’t be so bad, right? I mean, they can fight off the sorceress.” Kate, who sat beside Henry, said gently.

“No.” I said simply, “All wolves in the sorceress’ army are under her control.”

“As far as we know, old Serah and Elizabeth are gone.” Lydia nodded.

“If we come within sight and the sorceress orders them to do it, they will tear us to pieces whether they want to or not.” I continued.

The silence in the room stretched, before it was interrupted.

A loud and desperate knock resounded through the house, coming from the front door. We heard the butler scramble to open it.

Footsteps resounded through the hall, running towards us. I rose, drawing my sword, expecting the sorceress. But instead, a breathless Uthera ran in.

“Uthera?” Lydia asked.

“Help.” Uthera gasped, “I-I was in the street, going t-to Serah’s h-house.”

“Slow down.” Lydia said, she pushed Henry off of the couch, “Sit down.”

Uthera obeyed, lowering herself in the cushions breathlessly.

The royals backed away, wary.

But we approached her. In public, Uthera was our enemy. But in reality, she was a friend.

“What did you see?” Lydia knelt in front of her.

“S-Serah. I saw her…and Elizabeth…both of them. But Elizabeth wasn’t supposed to be with her, I heard them talking.”

“What were they saying?” I asked.

“They were just…I don’t know, talking! I wasn’t eavesdropping so I don’t remember…”

“Okay, but what happened?” I prodded.

“Well I wanted to talk to Serah about me being a jerk the other day, but when I went up to talk to her, this girl started walking towards her. It was the girl from the bar…”

Lydia and I looked straight at Henry, who scowled, “It doesn’t mean your ‘theory’ is right.”

“It’s not a theory.” Lydia replied, “It’s true.” She turned to Uthera, “Did the girl turn into the sorceress of the Isle and proceed to curse Serah and Elizabeth?”

Uthera’s face paled and slowly, she nodded, “That’s exactly what happened.”