Chapter 24

With a shaky sigh, she gave in. "I saw Isabelle. She and I were in the castle looking down at the dovecote, and then this woman attacked us. She lookedhorrible. Flesh was decaying and falling off her, and she clawed my face."

He didn't say anything for several seconds. "All right There was no way you could have made those scratches to yourself. Who was the woman who did this?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure who. Isabelle just told me to protect her home, and that this woman was still here. She said I was blood of her blood, flesh of her flesh. I don't know what that means. And there was something weird about the dovecote. There was this blackened spot of earth, and all the grass and plants near it had died. Isabelle was pointing at it."

"If you did see Isabelle, then that means the curse" He brushed a hand over his suddenly pale face as he struggled for words. Outside the storm's ferocity lessened.