I took a deep breath and began. “Sioni, there’s something I should have told you a long, long time ago.”

Sioni put down the chicken and stared at me, one delicate eyebrow raised, her green eyes quizzical. She looked just like her father when she did that. Thank goodness she took after his side of the family, I had nothing but ogres on mine…

“What is it, mom? And why are you staring at me like that?”

“What? Oh – sorry. I was just gathering wool. Ahem. You have a curse, a very dangerous curse that was laid on you by a witch when you were just a baby.”

Sioni looked as though she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Oh, come on, mom, you can’t be serious.”

“I’m sorry, my dear, but I am being serious. Why do you think your father and I have gone through so much trouble just to keep you safe? Why else would I lock you in a tower?”

“So what’s this ‘curse.’”

“You can’t cut your hair, not ever. If you do, you might – you might die.”

Sioni stood up, the red whips of her hair flying. “I don’t believe you.”