Transformed [W&W Book 1]

Chapter 13

Jim had inferred that Wildwood might help them out of simple curiosity and perhaps he was correct. The wizard had sounded intrigued by her dilemma.

The wizard looked towards Daphne and asked, "Did you see your sister's transformation?"

Daphne nodded.

"Please tell me exactly what you remember happening."

Daphne spoke rapidly. "Um, we ran away so we left at night. It was really dark and there was lightning and thunder and then suddenly we heard our aunt's voice in the woods. Then there was this terribly bright flash of green light and it came straight towards us. Theresa pushed me out of the way. Then she turned into this." Daphne gestured towards Theresa with her hand.

Theresa wondered if it were really necessary for Daphne to give so much detail. He did not really need to know that it had been their aunt who had cursed her.

She eyed Wildwood, wondering if they could really trust him. Just because Jim had seemed comforting and he seemed to trust his friend did not mean that Theresa and Daphne needed to fully take him into their confidence any more than was strictly necessary.

The wizard nodded. "A green flash of light, you say?" he repeated.

"Yes," agreed Daphne.

"I must confess myself curious about several aspects of your story. You said that your aunt did this to your sister?"

"Yes, she did not want us to leave," Daphne explained. "She was holding us magically, I think, but we—especially Theresa—started to not be affected by it as strongly. She made us think and do what she wanted us to do. My memories are all sort of foggy. Then finally Theresa decided that we should escape, so we left."

He nodded again. "That does happen sometimes; immunities towards a particular spell can be built. It would likely be difficult for anyone to maintain such spells on you two now."

"That's good," Daphne said and Theresa silently agreed.

"It seems quite likely that your aunt has had to put increasing amounts of force into controlling you. However, another question that strikes my mind is why does she want to control you in the first place? Why were you running away from her?" Wildwood asked.

Theresa could hardly see how that was relevant information for removing the spell.

"When our parents—" Daphne began but Theresa interrupted her with a loud meow as she jumped up onto her sister's lap. There was no need to tell the wizard that sort of personal information. Theresa gave Daphne a look and then sent a glare towards the intrusive wizard.

He looked back at her coolly and calmly and with possibly more curiosity than he had displayed before. However, he did not ask anything further. She could practically see the thoughts spinning behind those dark eyes.

Daphne broke the silence, "I'm so sorry! I don't know what to say sometimes. It's just that we've been staying with our aunt since our parents died when we were young. Or rather she was staying with us. What I mean is we thought that it was time to go off into the world. She's probably trying to capture us right now. Or rather something... Oh, I don't know what to tell him!"

Theresa suppressed a groaning meow at her sister's incautious outburst.

The wizard observed Daphne for a moment and smiled rather knowingly. "Don't worry, Lady Daphne," he said.

Theresa was pretty certain that he already knew more than she wanted him to. It was dangerous and it annoyed her. Oh, Daphne, she moaned inwardly.

"Can you help us?" Daphne asked in a begging tone. Theresa was annoyed all over again. She did not like seeing her sister pleading for help from anyone.