Part 12

     I had gotten up an hour after noon and had just finished recording what had happened yesterday when I heard the shoats outside. Worrin had unlocked my window and I had opened it after I got up to let a breeze blow in. The shoats, easily heard but hard to decipher, came into my room on the cool mountain breeze.

     I joined Snowfur at the window and asked, “Do you know what is going on?”

     The dog nodded. 'Adelliza arrived early and she is arguing with the family's head wizard. The man is an idiot and said Adelliza was wrong about the type of transformation you put olden through.'

     “I hope you understand that I didn't get any of that.”

     'I do.' The dog crocked his head in the direction of the shoats. 'Oh, good. Now Adelliza is going to turn the moron into a dog.'

     “What?!” I squeaked. Marcee had wanted me punished for accidentally turning someone into a dog and she didn't like Aunt Liz. I could only imagine what she would do to her.

     'Don't worry,' Snowfur said calmly. 'The clan's laws do not apply to Adelliza. Not that they are strong enough to do anything, anyway. Plus, she just turned him back. It was for informational purposes.'

     I sighed in relief and heard the door open. I turned and saw Worrin walk in. He only wore a pair of basketball shorts. His hair looked as if it had been tied back in a hurry. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed. The sight sent my heart fluttering.

     “Aw. You're up.” He smirked. “I was hoping to wake you.”

     I blushed bright pink and gestured out the window. “Snow says that Aunt Liz just turned someone into a dog.”

     “I know,” he said with a nod as he joined us at the window. He wrapped an arm around my waist. “She's been here for less than fifteen minutes and she is already causing trouble. She turned my mother's scarf into a snake and ordered my to come fetch you.”

     “A snake!” I gasped.

     Worrin grinned. “A boa constrictor, I think. Gave Mother a start. I don't know when she will learn to not insult Adelliza, bu your aunt does love to teach her a lesson or two while she's here.”

     A shriek cut through the air and several other voices screamed. Snowfur leaned out the window a little more.

     'You brothers are idiots,' the large dog sighed. 'The two not currently terriers saw Adelliza and started yelling at the top of their voices. They called her many nasty things.'

     “Can you see what she's done from here?” Worrin asked excitedly as he leaned out the window.

     “Worrin!” I tried to sound stern, but its hard when trying not to laugh at his hopeful expression. “Chaser and Nickolai are your brothers!”

     “Brothers or not, they are nasty little b******s and deserve what ever they get.” Worrin saw the look on my face and looked startled. “They know what they do isn't right, but they do it anyway. They do deserve it.”

     I sighed and frowned. I couldn't argue with the truth, but I didn't want anyone hurt.

     “Alright, my love.” Worrin took my hands and smiled at me. “Let us go save my brothers from your aunt.”

     'I'll just stroll around the manor, if that's all right,' Snowfur said as he walked to the door. 'Tell Liz I said hello.'

     Worrin knelt by the window. “Hop on and we'll take a short cut.”

     “But we're on the third floor!”

     Worrin grinned at me over his shoulder, showing fangs. Fur sprouted along his spine and arms. “So?”

     I took a breath to steady myself and climbed on his back. He gripped my legs behind my knee and I wrapped my arm around his neck. He shifted me to make me more secure on his back and my T-shirt rode up a little. I felt his soft, silky fur against my stomach. A little shiver ran down my spine and hoped he didn't notice.

     He turned his head to look at me out of the corner of his eye. His smile told me that he had noticed and I wondered if he had meant for it to happen.

     “Ready?” he asked. I nodded and pressed myself closer to him. I told myself that I did because I was nervous, but I don't think I believed me.

     The next second we were in the air. The air rushed by as we fell and I squeaked in surprise. I saw the forest stretch before me. The sight and the experience were breath taking. Worrin's face was right next to mine and he smiled at my expression.

     I was strangely sad when we landed on the ground. The earth under his feet was a little lower than the rest of the lawn. He then loped toward the shoats that came from around the corner.

     The first thing I saw when we turned the corner was Adelliza. She was a short women, barely more than five feet tall. I had a good handful inches on her in height. Her skin was a pale pink that reminded me of the roses she'd send me for my birthday. Her hair was reddish-brown and down in a thick braid that fell down to her knees. Her dark blue blouse matched the color of her eyes and her jeans were too long.

     “They well stay in there until I say so!” she shrieked. I saw her eyes spark with fury as we got closer. “I don't give a flying pile of horse s**t how they treat everyone else, but THEY WILL RESPECT ME!”

     “Are you sure you want respect, Adelliza?” Worrin asked. He let me slip off his back. My shirt rode up more and I quickly grabbed the hem and tugged it down. I did feel his fur slide against me entire stomach before I fixed my shirt. He smiled and his fur disappeared. “Or do you want them to fear you?”

     “Its the same damned thing when it comes to those three. That werewolf is lucky to be a terrier! I'd have skinned his a*s alive otherwise!”

     “Aunt Liz!” I gasped. The small woman caught sight of me and the anger on her face turned into happiness.

     “Rose!” She closed the distance between us and hugged me as tight as she could. “My dear, I am so glad to see you! It has been far, far too long!”

     I smiled and hugged her back. “I've missed you, too, Aunt Liz.”

     She pulled back and straightened her spine. Her smile stayed in place, but I saw the faint glimmer of tears in her eyes. “Did you get your flowers, dear?” she asked.

     “I did and I loved them.” I smiled. “I kept them in my room until Mom made me throw them away. It always amazed me that the pink roses you sent every year lasted longer than any other flower in the house.”

     Aunt Liz grinned. “I spelled them to last longer. Made your mother mad as hornet.”

     I laughed. A wordless yell pulled my attention to the large gray metal things hanging upside down in the air. It took me a whole minute to figure out what they were.

     “Oh my god! Are those iron maidens?”

     Aunt Liz's grin turned devilish as she looked up at her handy work. “Yup. Made them special for two very stupid boys.”

     I thought my eyes were going to pop right out of my head, like a cartoon character's would. “You can't do that! Aunt Liz, you have to let them out!”

     “I certain do not!” she countered. “Not a single person here can make me do a damned thing! No offense, Worrin.”

    “None taken,” he said with a shrug.

    “But, Aunt Liz, they could die!”

    “Nonsense.” She shook her head. “I didn't put spikes on the top part of the inside. They'll be fine as long as they stand on their hands.”

     “Aunt Liz, please,” I asked softly, “let them go.”

     For a minute her face was completely blank as she stared into my eyes. She sighed in defeat and, after raising her hand over her head, snapped her fingers. The iron maidens disappeared and the two men that had been trapped inside fell to the ground heavily. The small group of men who Aunt Liz had been arguing with before went to them.

     “You well keep them out of my sight or I will ignore my niece's request and do horrible, horrible things to them,” Aunt Liz commanded. The men scrambled and quickly took the unconscious brothers away. After they were gone the smaller woman sighed heavily.

     “These people are daft as posts,” she said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “I hate stupid people.”

     “I know what you mean,” Worrin agreed. He put an arm around my shoulders and gave me a half hug and a smile. “I think most of the time Rose here is the only person with any common sense around here.”

     I laughed and put an arm around his waist.

     “Oh, dear me!” Aunt Liz put a hand over her heart. “I'd forgotten how damned cute goo-goo eyes were! You're adorable!”

     I blushed and Worrin laughed. I searched my mind for something to change the subject. The conversation from last night was top on my mind. I suddenly remembered that Sofia had said Adelliza wouldn't get to the manor until later that night.

     “Why are you here early, Aunt Liz?” I asked.

     “Oh, I had to beat them here,” she said with a shrug. “I can't let those nasty breding b******s get at my only niece, now can I?”

     Worrin's face turned murderous. “They are coming here?”

     Adelliza nodded and I'm pretty sure I fainted.

Author's Note

A lovely new piece. I like it.
^_^

Reviews

[A.r. Bazian]

i flucking fluved it!
lol
damn amazing the way you... i dont know, enchant the reader! i dont know, its magic!
damn girl ur good!
cant wait!