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Roderick Grey. We
are eternally grateful for your presence here tonight.”
    Grey inclined his head, only a slight beard
on a chiseled chin visible from beneath his hood. “I only hope I
can help. I was informed you have a werewolf problem.”
    “We do, a very serious problem,” Saribella's
father sighed. “For nearly a month now. The moon seems to hold no
power over them. A short time ago, a group of strangers came to our
village, demanding we hand over our mage and if we did they would
leave us be."
    Grey’s eyes slipped to Saribella at the word
mage, but he quickly returned them to Lord Greenley. “Did you give
them the mage?”
    It was Saribella’s mother who spoke as she
spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “We have no mage here.
There has not been one in our village for nearly a century.”
    Then they did not know. Grey masked the
surprise he felt. They did not know that the girl standing behind
them was their mage. He wondered if even she knew. He nodded in
response. “I’ve been tracking this pack for a year now. They are
seeking the blood of a specific mage. It is said that this mage’s
blood has the power to lift the curse upon them. They are forced to
undergo the torment of changing every night; save for the night the
moon is missing from the sky. They have no power over their
turning. This mage could undo that."
    “But we have no mage here,” Lady Greenley
insisted.
    “Perhaps you do not know she is here. I will
begin my search tomorrow for the mage, so I can protect her, and
for the werewolves so I can put an end to these needless
deaths.”
    “She. The mage is a she,” Saribella asked,
unable to stop herself, torn by the idea that he would seek out
another woman. She felt ridiculous at even thinking it, but her
soul continued to whisper Mine. Finally, mine. Go to
him.
    Lord Greenley stifled a sigh as he put his
arm around her shoulders. “Master Grey, this is Saribella, our
eldest daughter.”
    Grey reached for her hand, and she gave it to
him. He brushed his lips across the back of her soft skin and she
breathed a sigh of relief. “It is an honor to meet you, Lady
Saribella.” He stood, but never took his eyes off of her. “Yes, the
mage is a woman. I can sense her.”
    Grey smiled at the flash of jealously that he
saw in her eyes as he dropped her hand.
    Lady Greenley turned to the hall. "The hour
is late and Master Grey needs to rest before he begins his duty
tomorrow. Please, return to your homes, sleep well, and take
comfort in knowing that this tragedy will soon be behind us." As
the villagers dispersed and her husband ushered away her younger
daughters, Lady Greenley bowed to Grey. “The servants will show you
to your room, Master Grey.”
    "Thank you for your hospitality, Lady
Greenley." His eyes darted to Saribella, making her heart skip a
beat. When the servants came to collect Grey, Lady Greenley turned
to Saribella. “And you, my darling, you need your rest. You have
your fitting tomorrow.”
    Saribella glanced back over her shoulder at
Grey as her mother guided her away. When he disappeared from sight
she turned back to her mother. “Please, do not make me marry
Thomas. He may as well be my brother.”
    “Then would it really be so terrible? To
spend the rest of your life with your best friend? This is a good
match, Sari, dear. You will go through with it.”
    "I do not want—"
    "This is not about what you want." Lady
Greenley laid a hand on Saribella’s shoulder, stopping her before
they reached the hallway. "Thomas is from a highly respected
family. You have grown up with him and have known him your entire
life. This wedding will happen. It is time you made peace with
that."
    Saribella’s response was silence as her
mother led her back to her chamber. Once they had reached her door,
her mother gave her a peck on the cheek.
    “Rest well tonight, Sari. Our salvation from
the werewolves has come.”
    Salvation . He could be my
salvation. He could save me from this