Apart from the crew operating Singh's privately hired steamship, Bunny counted only a handful of staff. There was the prince's servant, Gupta, and two other Indian men. One was responsible for washing clothes, the other prepared the meals. Madhur, the cook, was busy in the ship's kitchen. He chopped vegetables and threw them into one of the many pots that bubbled on the stove. Steam and heat filled the high-ceilinged galley, making Bunny's skin clammy.

Madhur handed her a wooden spoon and pointed at a pan of curried meat. "Make yourself useful and stir the food."

Bunny mixed the aromatic spices and mutton. The aroma made her mouth water. Lord, she'd missed good food. Her gaze wandered to Madhur. She could only wonder if he was human or a werewolf like his master. There was no way of knowing.

Without looking at her, he barked another order. "Pass me the sultanas."

A shelf rack spanned the wall, crammed with sacks, tins and boxes. Bunny reached up, fumbling between ingredients. She found the sultanas in a glass jar, but when she moved her hand, a sack of finely ground chillies fell on its side. A cascade of red powder poured onto the worktop.

Madhur looked up from the chopping board and exhaled loudly. "Be careful." He put down his knife and snatched the jar of sultanas. "And clean up that mess."

"Sorry."

"Keep stirring while I get fresh water." He turned away in search of a container.

"Anything else?" she muttered when he was out of earshot.

Gupta entered the galley and saw her wiping up the spillage. He scowled and spoke quietly to Madhur in his native tongue.

"Is that chilli?" he asked. "I hope you haven't forgotten his highness' sensitive stomach?"

"No, no."

Sensitive stomach?

Clearly Gupta assumed Bunny wouldn't understand his dialect, but she did. Over the years, she had taught Anju and her father's servants to speak English, and in return, Anju had helped her learn Hindi. Bunny listened discreetly until Gupta left and Madhur went to fetch the water. A plan sparked in her mind.

So, the prince can't handle a little heat, hm?

She peered into the pot of curried meat and bit her lip. Perhaps she could use his stomach ailment to her advantage. With the prince debilitated, she and Anju could escape. She'd seen lifeboats on the upper deck.

She grabbed the sack of chilli and poured the contents into the pan. The heap of red powder sank into the simmering juices. Swiftly, she blended the spice into the curry.

Madhur returned. "Still stirring?"

Flustered, she mixed in every last trace of the powder. "Yes."

He handed her a brass pot filled with water, then scraped the food into serving dishes and took everything to the prince's table. Dread twisted Bunny's insides.

I hope I haven't just made a big mistake.

Tasked with serving water, she carried the pot along the passageway. Outside, the sea had grown rough. Each step she took was a challenge. From side to side the floor pitched like a see-saw, and she struggled to keep the water from spilling. In the airy dining room, she found Singh at the head of the table, neatly dressed in an English suit and waistcoat. He piled rice onto his plate.

Anju sat adjacent to him, draped in an ornate sari and glittering jewels. The heavy manacle still glinted around her neck. Bunny approached the table and poured them each a glass of water.

Anju wouldn't touch the meat dishes. Only the prince was at risk of a good dose of fire. Bunny waited against the wall, cradling the water pot. Behind the prince, Gupta stood dutifully, watching her through narrowed eyes.

"As I was saying," said Singh. "It's a matter of preserving tradition. For centuries my family have kept our true nature a secret. Every marriage has been an alliance with others of our kind, keeping the bloodline strong."

"The astrologer was wrong," said Anju.

Singh filled his plate with more rice. "Not according to my father. As far as he is concerned, we are a match. When he learnt of your whereabouts, he sent Gupta with a palace invitation and a chest filled with gifts." He motioned to the fine clothes and jewels she wore. "But by then you were on your way to England. So Gupta followed you."

"He almost killed a man."

Bunny smiled inwardly, proud of Anju for speaking her mind.

"I'm sorry if he frightened you. Our kind... well, you know how it is when the monster takes over. Here, have something to eat. Chicken?"

"I'm a vegetarian."

Singh paused and stared at her. For a moment, his eyes searched her face, then he laughed. "That's very funny."

"It's not a joke."

His amusement faded when he realised she was serious. "What about when you change? Surely then you require meat?"

"No."

He blinked, his lips parting slightly. "You're not compelled to hunt?"

"No." Anju looked away from his intense stare and spooned rice onto her plate.

The spell broke and Singh began to eat with his fingers.

"I wonder if you speak the truth," he said between mouthfuls. "My own experience with the condition has not been agreeable. How can I put this? Sometimes I feel possessed. Not myself. The creature takes control and I can't stop it. Not without chaining myself in silver, or throwing myself in a lake. Tell me, how do you control it?"

"You wouldn't understand."

He sucked his fingers clean. "Explain it to me. I want to understand."

Anju sighed. "If you think you can control its spirit, you're mistaken. The more you fight the wolf dwelling inside you, and the more you try to rule it, the harder it bites back. But it is possible to make peace with it, and work together."

"How?"

"When I meditate, I see my wolf. She has a gentle side, and we have learned to trust each other. They can be tamed."

"Hm." Questing brown eyes studied her.

After a while, Anju spoke. "Where in India are we going?"

"We travel far north. To my father's palace in Purabad. The Chandni Mahal."

The Palace of Moonlight.

Bunny knew of the princely state of Purabad. It bordered the province of Chagra where she grew up. That meant they would not be far from the cantonment. Or what was left of it. In her heart, she hoped Uncle Appleby had alerted someone to their abduction. Perhaps he'd sent a telegram to the regiment, on the chance that her father might still be alive. Someone had to be aware and searching for them.

"I haven't been there in five years," said Singh. He reached for the curried meat and tipped a portion onto his plate. "I've been living in London. Studying."

Bunny's heart raced under her ribs.

Anju looked up and met his eyes.

He smiled. "I'm a graduate in Biophysics. Science is my life."

"Then, I'm surprised you believe in something as superstitious as astrology, your highness."

His smiled waned, and he dipped his fingers into the curry. "What I believe doesn't matter. I have orders from my father. I'm to bring you back personally. Nobody disobeys his commands. Not if they value their life. And please, call me Sujit."

He lowered his gaze and scooped curried meat into his mouth. Bunny held her breath. Singh ate not one mouthful, but three before he registered a problem. His breaths grew deep, and he reached for his glass. The water vanished down his throat in two large gulps.

"More," he panted. "Water. Quickly. Water."

Bunny rushed forward to refill his glass, but the rolling ship threw her off balance. The water leaped from the pot, splashing in Singh's lap. He stood unsteadily.

Gupta knocked the brass pot from her hands, and it hit the floor with a clang. "Stupid, clumsy girl."

Bunny backed away.

Singh didn't seem to care about the spillage. He winced in pain and clutched his middle. "Where is Madhur, that useless cook?"

The ship listed and Singh stumbled. With a groan, he sank to the floor.

"Highness? What happened?" asked Gupta, kneeling beside him.

"Too much chilli. Arg. My stomach." His body tensed into a ball. "I need to lie down. Gupta, help me to my cabin."

***

The storm blew in rapidly, and while Gupta rushed Singh to his quarters, the girls retreated to Anju's cabin. Lightning flashed through the porthole, glancing off the walls. Jewellery and embellished veils glinted on the dresser, unwelcome gifts from the palace.

"What were you thinking sabotaging his meal?" Anju said over the hammer of rain.

She'd had things under control. If only Bunny hadn't been reckless.

"I can't sit here and do nothing," said Bunny, gripping the bed when another wave tossed the steamship. "I saw a chance to take down our enemy, so I took it."

Anju clutched the edge of the bunk, her heart drumming wildly. "Arey, Bunny. If he finds out it was you, I don't know what he'll do."

"Then let's hope he doesn't find out. Listen. While they're all fussing over their precious prince, we should think about escaping. There's a lifeboat we can cut loose."

Anju's eyes widened, and she looked at the rain lashing the porthole. "What? In this storm? We'd die out there."

"Perhaps the storm will settle down before he recovers. Here, let me get that thing off." Bunny reached for the manacle around her neck and tugged.

"I've already tried. It won't open without a key."

The cabin door flew open with a slam, making the walls shake. Anju gasped at the sight of the prince in the doorway. His eyes shone with unholy light, and a feral growl climbed its way out of his chest.

Alarmed, the girls sprang to their feet and edged away. The iron wall met Anju's back.

"That was a very unwise thing to do." He ground out the words, deep and rough.

Lightning flared, illuminating his dishevelled figure. Sweat soaked his shirt, glistening on his skin where his buttons hung loose. His chest heaved, and he clenched his fanged teeth. With dread, Anju realised he was primed to turn at any moment. A pair of bushy ears unfurled through his hair.

"I've been nothing but amiable," he snarled. "Did you really think you'd get away with it? Conspiring to make me ill!"

"It was an accident," Anju blurted.

"Lies!" With a cry of rage, he lunged at the dresser and swept every bangle, trinket, and shawl from the surface. Jewels rained around the cabin, striking the walls and floor.

She wished she hadn't spoken, and her face crumpled, close to tears.

"Leave her alone," said Bunny. "She had nothing to do with it."

"So it was you?" He gripped the chest of drawers and wrenched it from the bolts holding it to the wall. "Do you realise what you've done?"

Bunny's breaths grew rapid. "I think I have an inkling."

Anju saw fear flash through Bunny's eyes. She couldn't let Singh hurt her. Wouldn't. The silver collar had weakened her, inhibiting her ability to shapeshift, but she could still protect her friend. Adrenalin surged through her.

"Stop it!" she cried, pulling Bunny behind her.

Pain seized his body, making him yell. He braced his arms on the wall, fighting the change. Only a thin thread of humanity held him back. A line that might snap at any second.

Anju balled her fists. "Did you hear me? Stop it!"

His head snapped in their direction, muzzle forming and yellow eyes gleaming. "I can't!"

Without warning, he sprang forward, and they dived out of his reach. Bunny rolled across the floor, slamming into the wall. He followed her, hunched and panting.

Steeling herself, Anju tried to attract his attention. "Leave her alone, Sujit. I'm glad she sabotaged your meal. After what your family did to my village, to my parents, I'll never marry you!"

She charged and struck him in the shoulder. The ocean tossed the ship like a cork, and they lost balance, falling into the doorway. Before he could recover his footing, Anju fled the cabin. The passageway pitched, throwing her one way and then the other. Singh followed as she'd predicted he would, his footfalls stumbling after her. His ragged breaths grew close, and panic rose in her throat.

Her plan had been to draw him away from Bunny, but now she feared she had made herself a sacrificial goat. And wolves loved to hunt goats. Her knees trembled uncontrollably, and she willed her legs towards the companionway ahead. Lightning reflected in a puddle at the foot of the steps. The only escape was up and into the storm.

She burst onto the upper deck, and the roar of the ocean winds eclipsed Singh's snarls. Icy rain pelted her face, stinging her cheeks and blinding her. She dashed the water from her eyes and ran through a foot of seawater. Sheets of torrential rain had flooded the deck while waves as high as hills rose and fell around the ship.

"Anju!" Singh's voice called over the crashes.

She looked back to see him on his knees in the puddle. Their kind couldn't walk or swim through water, not in wolf form. The curse had forced the monster to withdraw. Thunder and lightning ripped through the sky, and the wind snatched her scarf from her head. The orange veil thrashed and spiralled through the air like a fantail fish.

"Anju," he shouted once more. "It's too dangerous to be up here."

"It's no safer to be below with you!"

Before she could decide what to do, the ocean rose and crashed over the guard-wall. A wave of freezing seawater slammed her to the deck, submerging her in eerie silence. It felt like an eternity underwater, currents tossing her body and tugging her ankles. The collar weighed her down, making each attempt to rise a struggle. Finally she broke through the surface and dragged in a lungful of the howling wind.

Bunny's distant voice screamed her name.

She staggered to her feet. The wave had pulled her far from the stairwell, and in the light of the companionway, Bunny looked around the dark deck. Another wave reared up, and Anju grabbed the edge of the guard-wall. Water rushed over her head, cutting her cry short and sweeping her feet from under her.

Panic squeezed her heart.

Is this how I'm destined to die? Dragged into the black ocean?

The wave receded, pulling her with it, and a sickening terror overcame her. She clutched the guard rail as she was swept over the edge. Below her dangling feet, foaming waves frothed and churned.

Pull yourself up. Come on!

Her arms burned, and despite her efforts, she couldn't climb back aboard the ship. The silver had drained her strength. A dry sob escaped her throat, then hands came out of the darkness, one clutching an orange scarf.

Singh grabbed her, and with supernatural strength he launched her into the air. She landed in front of him, meeting golden eyes that glittered with alarm. The solid deck had never felt so welcome, and her knees buckled in relief. In one swift motion, he caught her. She sagged against his chest, her breathing slowing, and became aware of his pounding heart and warm skin under her cheek. Thunder rumbled overhead, and she looked up.

Caught in the flicker of lightning, Prince Sujit's face hovered an inch above hers, dripping with rain. A chill shook her body. For a moment, she had forgotten she was in the arms of the enemy.