Sioni sat on the hard cloth of the pallet, fighting to stay awake as she listened to Ridda. But her eyelids were so heavy, and the fire was so warm…

Ridda’s clear eyes were beseeching, begging Sioni to understand. “Your mother loves you very much, and despite what you might think, she really does trust you, Sioni. But this curse is just too powerful, and Arelia has always been so vengeful. You must be very careful, for we don’t know what Arelia -“

A voice from across the room suddenly spoke, interrupting Ridda and startling Sioni. “Her name’s not Arelia anymore, mother. It’s Malvolia. We should name her what she is – the evil one.” Sioni, still half-dazed from exhaustion, gazed at this young man who stood defiantly, nostrils and eyes flaring. There was a long, jagged hunting knife gripped in his left hand. It gleamed in the firelight.

“Why are you dressed like that, Joseph? And that knife!” Ridda exclaimed.

“I’m going to do what should have been done a long time ago. I’m going to kill Malvolia.”