Wolves and Roses

by Christina Bauer

  I’d say that’s totally weird, but this is my life, after all. Strange stuff sticks to me like toilet paper to a shoe. I sit upright, and that’s when I see it.

  I’m dressed in a red toga. What the WHAT?

  The dress loops over my shoulder and ties around my waist. Sure, it’s ankle length, but it’s the kind of thing you wear to a prom, not to sleep. Fear tightens up my ribcage. There aren’t a lot of reasons to dress me this way. None of them is good.

  There’s a knock at the rickety door. “May I come in?” The voice is female, overly bright, and somewhat familiar.

  “Sure.” Not like I have a lot of choices here.

  The door swings open with a long creak, and through it steps someone I never thought I’d see again. At least, not while she was still alive.

  It’s Blanche, the girl who went missing from my Magicorum Teen Therapy Group.

  She’s wearing a version of the outfit Madame Grimoire always favored: an A-line dress in sky blue with a pillbox hat and white gloves.

  My mouth seems to move on its own. “You’re alive.”

  “Of course I am, silly. I’m Denarii now.” She exhales a dreamy sigh. “Perfected.” In some ways, Blanche looks the same as she did in group: pale skin, black hair, and red lips. Only, now she looks like someone made a wax model of her. Her skin has no pores or imperfections anymore…more like a mannequin than a person.

  Just like Philpot.

  Damn. Blanche is a Denarii. And now she looks too perfect to be real.

  Can Philpot be one, too?

  I want to face-palm myself. Of course, he’s one of the Denarii. Only, Philpot’s personality was so flawed, I never really focused on the perfection of his face. And he brought me here. Not good.

  I work hard to stop myself from shaking. “Where am I?”

  “I would’ve thought that was obvious.”

  “It isn’t.”

  “It must be those silly drugs we gave you. They can make you downright addle-brained.”

  Addle-brained? What is she, eighty?

  I speak super-slowly. “Where am I, Blanche?”

  “You’re in the Thornhill Arms hotel, of course.”

  “Right. Of course.” My voice is super-sarcastic, and I don’t care. “I’m in the creepy abandoned hotel that overlooks Elle’s cabin.”

  “We all know what you did to Madame Grimoire, by the way. That was very naughty.”

  I pick at the filmy layers of my skirts. “Why am I here, Blanche?”

  “I dressed you while you were passed out. I hope you like it.”

  “I don’t like it, and that wasn’t an answer to my question.” Blanche was always like this in group, too. It took ten follow-up questions to get her to answer anything.

  Blanche blinks a lot and tries to look innocent. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “Why am I here? Are you planning to…” I can’t bring myself to say the words.

  “To what?”

  “Roast me for dinner or something?”

  “We eat all our meat raw.”

  “So you are going to kill me.” I gesture down at the dress. “This dress is just…what? The equivalent of putting those little chef hats on the stumps of turkey legs?”

  “Don’t be such a silly-nilly. Come on outside, and Jules will explain everything to you.”

  “Jules.” Reggie told me about this guy. He’s the leader of the Denarii. And that means I’m in deep trouble. “He wants to talk to me?”

  “Of course.” Blanche pushes the door open. “Let’s go down the stairs. Jules is waiting for you in the courtyard.”

  “Oh.” I glance toward the windows, but they are all too cracked and dirty to see outside. But now that I know I’m in the Thornhill Arms, I have a better idea of my whereabouts. The old hotel was built to look like a fake castle. It even has two stucco towers. Since my room is round and the windows are super-thin, I’m guessing I’m in one of those tower rooms.

  I scan the space around me, looking for any kind of weapon. Nothing.

  Blanche stands by the open door. “We really shouldn’t keep Jules waiting.”

  My mind races through options for escape. This hotel is so rundown I’m bound to find something I can use as a weapon. I just need to get out of this room and look around. Heading downstairs to the courtyard seems as good an idea as any. “Sure, lead the way.”

  Blanche starts down a winding staircase. The steps are rickety and filled with cobwebs. Sadly, there isn’t anything around that can be used as a weapon. Someone took the time to take down the light fixtures and handrails…all stuff that could be used in a fight. Even the carpet’s been pulled up and all the nails removed.

  With every turn downward, I look for a door or window. There aren’t any. Every possible exit has been nailed down tight. I do hear rustling sounds beyond the walls, though. “Are we the only people here?”

  “There are Denarii in residence.”

  Any bit of information could be useful. “How many are here?”

  “I’m sure I don’t know. Denarii just follow Jules around. I don’t waste my time with the rank and file. You and me…” She glances over her shoulder and grins. “We’re special.”

  Oh no. They really did scoop out her brains, because what she’s saying now? It’s nothing less than mindless. “Glad to hear it, Blanche. Do we have to visit Jules right this second? Can’t you give me a tour of the hotel or anything?” I force on a smile. “I’d love to catch up.”

  “Why, I’d love that, too. There’s so much to talk about as well. But later. You see, Jules would be sorely disappointed if you kept him waiting.” She reaches the bottom of the winding staircase and sets her hand on a levered door. “Here we are. Jules is just past this door.”

  The walls seem to press in on me. Silver spots appear in my vision. My limbs turn shaky. Something rattles inside the deepest well of my being. It’s that damned lockbox from Colonel Mallory. Whatever is in there, it’s trying to escape.

  No, no, no. I can’t have an episode now.

  “You didn’t by any chance get my inhaler, did you?”

  “Silly me, I do have it.” Blanche pulls the small device from the pocket of her skirt and hands it over. “Now take your medicine like a good little girl and go see Jules.”

  I uncap the device, take a few puffs, and reset the inhaler into the folds of fabric at my waist. This dress doesn’t seem to have pockets, so it’s the best I can do.

  “Good work,” says Blanche happily. “Jules wanted you to do that.”

  Well, if Jules wanted me to take my meds, it can’t be a good idea. I remember how Knox freaked out when he scented my inhaler. I make a mental note to ask him about that later on. You know, if I ever escape here alive.

  “Come along, now.” Blanche pushes open the door. Bright beams of sunlight blind me for a moment before I adjust. “Jules is waiting.”

  “I got that, thanks.” I step out onto the courtyard. It’s a huge square space lined with gray flagstones. On one side, there’s the hotel itself, the Thornhill Arms. On the other three sides of the square space, there stand walls made of thorny branches. It’s like a hedgerow maze, only with no way out. Even worse, all the walls glitter with silver light. I’ve seen the same effect on the plants Auntie Mirabelle grows in our penthouse.

  They’re enchanted with fairy magic.

  Blanche extends her arm across the courtyard. “And there’s our beloved leader, Jules.”

  I follow her gesture. At the far end of the flagstone yard stands a lone figure. Although his back is facing us, I can tell that he’s tall and strong with a full head of brown hair. Somehow, I expected an old and withered version of Julius Caesar. How come he looks young and hot? I shiver, realizing the answer. It’s just what Reggie said. Jules has been fed well. Gross.

  Jules is also wearing modern clothing, which is another shocker. Namely, he’s dressed up in a modern military uniform that’s blue and has shoulder epaulettes. A long red sash crosses his chest to tie at his
waistline. And atop his head, there sits a thin golden crown. He’s dressed like a Prince. The thought makes my skin prickle into gooseflesh.

  Oh, no.

  I’m trapped in a castle that’s protected by magical thorns. Unless I take my medicine, I’ll fall into an enchanted sleep. And I’m about to meet some dude named Jules who’s decided to dress up like royalty. Worst of all, it’s getting close to sunset on my eighteenth birthday, the exact time when I’m supposed to wed my dream man.

  This is the Sleeping Beauty template, and it sucks.

  I scope out the flagstone yard. There’s definitely no easy means of escape. Those thorns will kill me in two seconds flat. That said, I do have one last shot at freedom. Sure, it’s a slim chance, but I have to give it a try, so I set my hand by my mouth. “I summon thee, Colonel Mallory the Magnificent!”

  Blanche titters. “He can’t help you here. No one can.” She lowers her voice. “Take my advice. Whatever Jules tell you to do, you do it. Although his plan must be obvious by now.”

  “Yeah, I got it.” A little bit of bile creeps up my throat. “Yuck.”

  And that’s when my memory clicks in. The red toga dress. In ancient Rome, brides always wore red togas on their wedding day. This isn’t just the Sleeping Beauty template; it’s the big final scene of that story.

  I’m here to marry an evil zombie version of Julius Caesar.

  My life has officially reached rock bottom.

  But then, I underestimate how low I have yet to fall because Jules turns, and I recognize his face immediately.

  It’s Philpot.

  Philpot the Turd is actually the evil leader of the organ-eating Denarii, and I’m about to marry him on my eighteenth birthday, just like my aunties always wanted.

  Blanche steps closer to whisper in my ear. “I heard rumors that you can fight. But whatever battle skills you think you have, you’re nothing compared to Jules. You’re weak, Bryar Rose. Incomplete. He can help you.”

  With that, Blanche sets off my rebel-reflex yet again. I straighten my shoulders and glare at him with everything I’ve got. “No, I’m stronger than you can imagine. All of you are underestimating me.”

  It’s a total lie, but Blanche’s mouth falls open with surprise. Good. At least, she’s buying my story. I make a mental note to thank Elle later. All her lessons in conning and bluffing your way out of trouble are paying off. I can almost hear her in my head.

  “Keep up the con until you can escape.”

  In this case, the con is pretending I have a way out of here…until I find one that could actually work. Lifting my chin, I flip my hair over my shoulder and sashay toward Jules with a hip-swish that says I can handle anything. It’s not the best plan I’ve ever had, but right now? It’s the only chance I’ve got.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Knox

  My inner wolf growls in my head. “Find mate. Save mate.”

  He’s wrong about the “mate” part. Still, when it comes to finding and saving Bryar Rose, my wolf and I are definitely on the same page. For the last hour, I’ve been trying to get past this forest of thorns and reach Bryar Rose. Alec and Elle stand nearby.

  It took the three of us all night—along with a ton of wizard spells—to find out where Philpot took Bryar Rose. But we did it. She’s not far from this very spot, in a place called the Thornhill Arms hotel.

  So far, so good.

  About two hours ago, Alec cast a transport spell for all three of us to come here. We couldn’t get right into the hotel itself—it’s shielded with too much magic. Instead, we landed beside the boundary between this enchanted thorn forest and some regular woods. Since then, we’ve been pacing along the borderline, trying find a break in the thorns. All you need is one path through magic like this, and you can get through. But whoever cast these thorns is a master. We haven’t found a single break.

  I stare at the black and twisted branches. The thorns here are razor-sharp and enchanted to attack anyone who enters the forest. An hour ago, I stuck my hand in, and my palm got skewered. Sure, I have the shifter power to self-heal, but even then, I can only handle so much.

  Elle and Alec step closer. They’re both wearing jeans, T-shirts, and hiking boots. Of course, Alec is also sporting a suit coat that’s packed with tons of pockets for his gemstones. He thinks that wizards who carry around man-bags of jewels look like losers. I have to agree with him on that one. Also, it advertises who you are, which isn’t too clever either.

  I stare greedily at the thorns.

  Sure, those things look killer. But they’re what’s keeping me away from Bry. She needs help, right? I’ve got to do something. Maybe I should just jump in and trust my powers of healing. Anything’s better than standing around. Besides, when I stuck my hand in before, I was in human form. What’s the point of being a warden if I don’t test my limits every so often?

  Alec steps up to my side. “I know what you’re thinking.” He lets out one of his long-suffering sighs. “I don’t like this, Knox.” Still, I know Alec’s sighing routine. He won’t stop me.

  “Look, I’m going in. That’s not up for discussion. You can watch my back or take off.”

  He sighs again. “You know I’ve got you.” His face looks pale, though. Between casting all those spells to find Bryar Rose and bringing us here, my friend is wiped out. A small part of me says that if things get tough, he might not be able to heal me.

  I decide that little part is wrong. Time is running out. By sunset, Bryar Rose will lose her wolf. Some things are simply worth taking a risk. I give Alec a playful punch on the shoulder. “Thanks, man.”

  Elle steps closer to Alec. “Can’t we talk him out of this?”

  A muscle jumps along Alec’s jaw. “No. Trust me.”

  “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.” Now that the decision is in motion, I can’t wait to get started. Setting my hands at the waistline of my leather pants, I prepare to strip.

  Alec sets his hands on Elle’s shoulders and turns her away from the “Naked Knox Show.” Whatever. If she’s going to hang with Alec and me, she’ll eventually see my junk. It’s just how life goes when you’re a shifter.

  The moment I’m bare, my wolf bursts through my flesh. It’s like being torn apart from the inside out. Agony explodes inside me. My bones crack, and muscles snap. Fur replaces skin as my hands change into claws. It’s over in a heartbeat, which is some kind of record for me.

  The moment my transformation’s done, I leap straight into the wall of thorns. My claws rip through the thick branches. There are too many of them though. Faster than I can tear them apart, the branches loop around me from head to toe. Thorns spike through my hide and stab me in a hundred places at once. Pain radiates everywhere.

  A moment later, I’m surrounded in red light. I’d know that particular shade anywhere. Alec is casting a spell. The branches loosen from my body. The thorns retract from my skin. Elle grabs my back paws and hauls me out of the wall of thorns. I look like a bloody pincushion. At least I’m alive.

  But I’m no closer to Bry.

  Alec leans down beside me. His face looks pale. Black circles droop under his eyes. “That was close. I almost lost you.”

  I get that he’s bummed, but I’m too busy healing to care right now. My fur is pretty much soaked in blood. Changing back will hurt like hell, but it’s the best way to get cleaned up and healed so we can keep on looking. Glancing over at Elle, I chuff out a low breath. That’s all the warning she’s getting that I’m about to transform into a naked dude.

  Alec’s been around me enough that he knows exactly what happens next. He leaps to Elle’s side and angles her away from me once more. My body slowly starts turning back into a human. Every snap of bone and tear of skin is excruciating. Still, it’s better than running about as a blood-soaked wolf. Within a few minutes, I’m back to my regular human self, only fully healed and dressed. Only, recovering from those thorns took a toll on my inner magic. Normally, I’d rest for a few hours before going on. T
hat won’t happen today, though.

  Bry still needs my help.

  A faint shimmer of silver dust fills the air. Someone is coming, and that someone is definitely a fairy.

  Alec and I exchange a confused look. “Anyone expecting fairies?” I ask.

  “Not me.” Alec turns to Elle. “How about you? Could that be one of Bryar Rose’s aunties?”

  My mouth thins to an angry line. I don’t know much about Bry’s aunties, but they seem to be far too concerned with her marrying that Philpot for my taste. Having them around will not be helpful.

  “I doubt it,” says Elle. “Bry’s aunties aren’t powerful enough to transport here. And even if they could, they’re three self-centered skanks. They’d never bother.”

  I smirk. “No, what do you really think?”

  The glitter comes into focus. A human outline appears, and whoever this is, it’s definitely a guy. Elle pops her hand over her mouth. “I know this fairy. It’s Colonel Mallory the Magnificent.”

  I’m not thrilled about this news, but Elle said that this fairy dude might actually want to help Bry. At this point, I’ll take any aid we can get.

  The fairy dust finally congeals into what looks like an older version of Clark Gable. He wears a black suit, white shirt, and wide-brimmed hat.

  “Colonel Mallory the Magnificent, at your service.” He sets his hands on his hips and surveys the wall of thorns. “I see you’re having the same troubles that I am. Can’t seem to get through to Bryar Rose.”

  I eye him carefully. He seems legit, but you never know with fairies. They always have an agenda. “Why are you looking for Bry?”

  “You seem to have an interest in my girl.” He gives me one of those sly Southern smiles.

  I make sure my eyes glow golden, just so he knows who he’s dealing with. “Answer the question, fae.”

  “I never cursed Bryar Rose, if that’s what y’all are thinking. I saved her. And if you needed any further proof, it would be in the fact that I’m standing on this side of the thorn forest. So, let’s get down to it. Have you found any breaks in the magic?”

  “No,” says Elle. “And we’ve been looking for hours.” Her shoulders slump. “You haven’t found a way through either, I’m guessing.”