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Roxana stood as I ca her hand She looked her usual gorgeous self: glossy dark hair, perfect makeup, a blue dress that showed off her curves I felt like a scarecrow next to her

I took her hand, and we gave each other a quick peck on the cheek "I didn’t expect to see you so soon," I said

"Your aunt was a trereed on the best recipe for the ointht over No point in wasting tih with the ritual "Shouldn’t you do more research? Don’t we need to wait for a propitious ti?"

Mab came over and patted my shoulder with three quick pats: onetwothree It was her way of reassuring me "Child, I understand your reluctance But the ointment is safe to use; I’ll vouch for that The only question is whether it’s strong enough to counter Myrddin’s ," Roxana added, "that doesn’ta dose of medicine when you’re sick--the sooner the better"

Kane sat up and barked his agreeainst his I put my arms around him, felt his warmth "Are you sure you want to try this?"

He didn’t even have to nod His eyes showed how much he did

We pushed back furniture to clear a space in theroom Roxana suently pressed on his shoulder, so he lay on his side When he was situated, she placed four small tea candles, each about a yard away from him, at the points of the compass: north, east, south, west She stepped inside the circle they for north, she bowed and closed her eyes in meditation Her lipsShe bent and lit the candle After a moment she moved on to the east candle and repeated the process Within a few minutes, she’d lit all four candles

She stood beside Kane and pointed at the north candle Going clockwise, three ti finger When she’d finished, she closed her eyes and lifted her face skyward Then she drew a jar fro, to each of the four quarters, always turning clockwise When she was finished, she knelt beside Kane

Roxana reloves from her pocket and put them on Gloves--to protect her own skin from the wolfsbane I was half out of my chair, ready to stop the ritual, before I made myself sit back down Kane wanted to do this, and Mab approved Still, if Roxana needed gloves to apply the oint that stuff on Kane’s unprotected paws But I bit ue I didn’t want toRoxana’s concentration

Please, please let this work

Mab noticed ly

Inside the circle, Roxana chanted as she rubbed the ointment into Kane’s paws Her voice sounded far away andbeneath the waves I watched Kane for any sign of pain or discomfort, but his eyelids drifted shut as she did her work By the ti I could see hilued to the up-and-down

Roxana stood She went to the east side of the circle and ht side, and then on her left She stepped outside of the circle As soon as she’d crossed the barrier, she turned around and closed the door she’d arded Mab, then me "Noait"

AND SO WE WAITED, WATCHING KANE, TALKING LITTLE, dozing in our chairs Roxana had set up the circle to last as long as the tea lights burned--about two hours While the candles burned, her circle formed a bubble of protection around Kane When they went out, the circle would une: a shortening of his fur, a change in the shape of his lie--any tiny alteration to show the oint--I couldn’t see it

Eventually, the candles began to sputter They extinguished in the opposite order fro of them: west, south, east, and finally north When the final candle stopped burning, sending up a thin streah Kane He twitched, and we all leaned forward His eyes opened He stood, stretched, and yawned Then he stepped outside the circle--every bit as much a wolf as when Roxana had cast it around him

18

"I’M SO SORRY," ROXANA SAID, PULLING ON HER COAT "I really thought the oint as we dared," said Mab "More wolfsbane would have been too risky"

Kane was fine, no worse for wear than if he’d taken a twohour nap I’d checked his paws: no burns or ulcerations His heart beat norh he seemed despondent that Roxana’s spell had failed We all were More than that, though, I was relieved he was okay--in any forht be helpful" Fro that looked like a s loop

"What is it?" I asked, taking it A buzz passed from the object into my hand