As Theresa rushed away from the rooms she had been sharing with her sister, she began to plan her journey.
The door from the kitchen would most likely be the best way to leave, so she strode in the direction. Perhaps she would ask the chef for some food supplies for her journey.
Daphne was following her. "I really don't think that this is a good idea."
"If you're coming, be quiet." Theresa muttered as she pushed open the kitchen door.
The room was empty, so she threw a loaf of bread from of the counter into her bag and then walked straight for the exit. She was so angry with Wildwood she did not care that he had turned her into a common thief.
The cool night air hit her face. She was glad that the partial moon was out because it would give them extra light. The lantern's glow was feeble but it would be more than adequate to get away. It was a shame that her feline form's excellent vision in the dark had not transferred to her human form.
While she walked, she fumed. She would not ignore Wildwood's underhanded subterfuge or pretend that she had any reason to trust him any longer.
She had known that something was not right; she focused on the bitter satisfaction that she had been correct to help her avoid the disappointment that she could not rely on him.
Bloody Wildwood!
She still did not know what his motives were but he had finally shown his true colors. She told herself that she did not care because she did not want to trust anybody.
Daphne was still trailing behind her, as if she were hoping that someone would come and carry them back to the castle.
Theresa at least gained grim satisfaction from the fact Daphne was at least carrying her travelling bag, reluctant though she may be.
"Theresa, why don't you talk to Lord Wildwood about it?"
"When has talking ever helped with anything?" Theresa asked.
"Your plan for dealing with Aunt Francine entirely revolves around talking to the king," Daphne pointed out dryly. "Why not talk to him?"
"I've got nothing to say to Wildwood," Theresa said through gritted teeth. She had plenty to say to that untrustworthy wretch, but she had other pressing matters to focus on instead.
"We could at least ask him for a coach. My feet are already hurting," she begged.
Theresa laughed harshly. "We've barely been walking an hour. If we asked Wildwood for a coach he would probably make us stay. Clearly one cannot trust a wizard."
"No, he wouldn't. He's made no move to restrain us. Besides, you trusted the Wizard Jim."
"A foolish act of desperation. He was probably in on it since he sent us to Wildwood."
Daphne's voice was pleading, "Theresa, I think your anger is making you irrational. It's dark out. We should at least wait until morning."
"I'm not being irrational. Would you just cease your prattle? I need to think."
"I think we—"
"I think that you should be quiet. If you are too afraid to come, turn around and go back. Just stay at Wildwood and let Francine and Thomas and Wildwood steal your inheritance and control your life! I can go alone," Theresa said, feeling angry. She was weary of Daphne's reluctance.
She knew what she had heard. She had never felt quite at ease at Wildwood and the reason was now before her eyes.
Her suspicious instincts had been correct. Perhaps her cat mind had been trying to warn her, though it too had been lulled by the wizard's calm mannerisms. Had she not started to warm up to him once she had been returned to human?
What other explanation could there possibly be?
She had been a fool to even consider trusting anyone. The world was full of those who preyed on those who let down their guard; those like her horrid aunt or like the wretched, lying, spying, betraying wizard.
She was going to take care of herself and make sure no one would have dominion over her ever again.
Or over he sister, if Daphne would just stop arguing with her and cooperate.
Daphne had apparently given up protesting as she continued to trail behind. Theresa ignored her. She had heard enough arguments.
In time Daphne would come to understand that she was simply infatuated with the wrong sort of man. It would pass, surely.
They continued in silence for a long time. Theresa began to believe that her sister had resigned herself to the journey when she spoke again.
"Won't Lord Wildwood be able to find you by following his spells?" she pointed out. "That's how he found you before."
Theresa ground her teeth. "We just have to move fast enough that he doesn't catch up before we reach the capital."
"I don't think that will work. Can we please go back?" she asked, stopping.
Theresa whipped around and glared at her sister. "There is nothing for us there."
"I don't think that's true," Daphne said stubbornly.
"You're just infatuated with that idiotic Thomas. But he does not feel anything; his interest in you is purely a pretence for gathering information!" she said angrily.
Theresa spun around again and resumed walking. They would never reach the capital if Daphne kept stalling. Whose side was she on, anyway?
Daphne still did not sound convinced and sounded as if she were starting to get angry. "Is that what he said?"
"Not in those words precisely, but—"
Theresa's words were stopped by a horribly familiar ripple of cold fingers through her hair, across her skin and washing through her veins.
"Theresa!" Daphne gasped.
Theresa felt the ground rising up towards her and the trees towering even higher. The forest around her was grey and visible, loud with the sound of rustling life, and full of intriguing scents.
The cold of the magic left and she could feel a hot rage beginning to boil. What trickery had Wildwood cast upon her? Why had this happened? Was this another method to force her to remain at his castle?
She wanted to scream out her disappointed fury or kick or cry or throw her fists around in an unladylike display. But she could do none of those, because Theresa was a cat again.
The first thing Theresa realized as her horror gave way was that her feline vision was indeed perfect for travelling at night.
They would simply go and find another wizard who could and would lift the spell, one who could be bribed with promises of future wealth.
Once she was restored to her properties, she would have ample funds to reward such a wizard. If the wizard was doing it for money, she could trust and understand his motives.
She would not go back to Wildwood for help. He had betrayed her and she only had to look as far as her own paw to see it.
Why had he been helping her? At best she was nothing more than an interesting magical experiment; at worst he was in league with her aunt or some other sinister reason she could not even imagine.
"Theresa? I'm having trouble seeing you. The lantern disappeared with your transformation, but I think you're a cat again."
Theresa meowed so that Daphne would hear that she was continuing on the journey. They had to put as much distance between them and the castle as they could this night. She would not go crawling back to the lying wizard.
"Theresa! We need to return so that Lord Wildwood can change you back."
Theresa hissed and kept walking. It did not matter that she could not talk now, because obviously Daphne had not listened when she had been able to speak.
She would just do as she saw fit and hopefully Daphne would see reason and follow her. Daphne had become so much more astute in the time that they had been free from Francine, surely she would understand in the end.
"Please, Theresa, you can't possibly be thinking of continuing tonight. You can't talk to the king in this state. Please come back." Theresa could hear that Daphne's footsteps behind her.
Daphne was starting to sound rather desperate. Theresa hoped that she would not start crying again as she had when they had first set out together.
"I really believe that our best hope is with Lord Wildwood. I understand that you're upset but I think that you are overreacting."
Theresa scowled even though she knew that Daphne could not see it and continued. Daphne was depressingly naive, but at least she was following behind her, for whatever reason. Even if Daphne disagreed, it seemed that she would follow.
Then Theresa felt herself being picked up. She was frustrated and upset and her cat side was feeling uneasy with all of her jumbled emotions.
Following her first instinct, she scratched her paws across whatever part of Daphne that she could reach.
"Ouch!" Daphne squealed and Theresa was dropped unceremoniously to the ground. She saw Daphne crouch down, holding her arms together.
Theresa could smell her sister's blood on her paws and coming from her sister as well. She felt regret, but there was nothing that she could say that could change what had happened. There was nothing she could say at all.
Either way, she was not going back. She started walking again and hoped that Daphne would follow her.
"I don't want you to leave again. Please," Daphne said quietly. "You're the most important person to me, Theresa. But, I'm going back."
Theresa stopped. She closed her eyes. She was tired. She still felt betrayed and angry. She did not know what she was going to do, or where she was going to go. She did not know what she could do in her feline body. She was so helpless in a world of humans again.
It would be so much easier just to be a simple cat and disappear into the darkness.
After a minute of silence, Daphne spoke. "I'm going to take you back to the castle. Don't attack me."
Theresa let herself be picked up.