The test went on for another two hours before every woman in the town of Ellford had sat in the chairs. When the last five women stood and returned to the crowd the men were allowed to return and husbands went over to hug their wives and daughters, pleased and relieved that their fears had turned out to be unfounded.

     Tala watched the reunion of the Tanner men with their women with anxiety and impatience. She still remembered how the Knight with the greasy skin had seemed to become more interested in her during the worst part of the trial and she couldn't help wondering whether they were laying some kind of trap for her. Perhaps the real test was to make them think they'd passed, to lull them into a false sense of security, and then... Something. She wasn't sure what the something would be but she knew she wouldn't be able to relax until they were all safely home. Every moment the men spent hugging their women was an agony for her, therefore. Let's just go, she mentally pleaded. For God's sake, let's all just get back aboard the buggy and go home!

     She became aware of a presence closing on her from behind and turned, expecting to see Grady the healer, perhaps, coming to ask how she was coping in her new home. She almost leapt put of her skin in terror when she saw that it was Gareth, the youngest of the Knights of Vell, striding purposefully towards her. His eyes were fixed on her, dispelling any thought that he just happened to be coming in her direction. She was definitely his target. There was no doubt about it.

     For a moment she almost just ran. She came to within a hairsbreadth of just fleeing in panic, an unmistakable admission that she was one of those they were hunting. She was saved by the look in his eyes. It was a hopeful look, and it was obvious what he was hoping for. Perhaps, feeling relieved at having passed the test, she would now be more open to his advances. After all, she'd only known Dougal for a few short weeks. It was clearly a marriage of convenience, she needing a home and he looking for a woman to bear his children. She clearly didn't love him, and maybe she would be in the mood for a brief fling before he and the other Knights went on to the next village.

     She made herself stand, therefore, and waited for him. She saw other women taking note of the Knight's advance and pointing it out to their friends with knowing, conspiratorial smiles. It made Tala hate them, but she put them out of her mind. She would need every ounce of her wits and willpower to survive this unexpected final trial. She braced herself to endure it.

     "Well, there we are," said Gareth when he reached her side. "All over. I expect you're relieved to finally have it behind you."

     "Just thinking about the work on the farm we need to catch up on, really," Tala replied. "It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."

     "I know all this must seem like a terrible inconvenience," the Knight said unapologetically. "You know why we have to do it, though, and now you can relax knowing there are no witches in your town."

     "We were pretty sure of that anyway."

     "You can never be really sure until we've been and made sure," said Gareth. "They're becoming really good at hiding."

     "Where will you be going next?" asked Tala.

     "Sweddell," said Gareth. "But not for a couple of days yet. We've got a few small things still to do before moving on. Just trying up loose ends, really. So I'll be in town for a little while longer."

     "Well, I doubt I'll be seeing you again. As I said, I'll be busy on the farm along with the rest of the family."

     The Knight looked disappointed but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. "We could still meet up one evening, if you want," he said. "No funny business. Just to enjoy an evening together. I could tell you what it's like to be a Knight and you can tell me about life on a farm."

     "Like she said," said Dougal, coming over and deliberately inserting himself between the knight and the girl. He glared at him fiercely. "She'll be too busy. Lots of things needing do be done. You know how it is."

     "Yes, of course," Gareth replied, taking a step back and giving a forced smile of understanding. "And you'll be anxious to return home. If you'll please excuse me..."

     Dougal just glared at him, and so the Knight gave a polite nod, one hand raised to his head. Then he turned and left. Dougal watched him go with barely concealed anger. "The nerve of the man," he said. "He dared to insult you, to imply that you were the kind of woman who would dally with a stranger while engaged to be married. I should have punched him in the face."

     "He's gone now and we won't be seeing him again," Tala told him. "He was just trying his luck. He'll probably try his luck with some other young woman and forget all about me."

     "He'd better," said Dougal with feeling. "Come on, we're going home."

     He led the way to the buggy, which the others were already climbing aboard, and Tala followed gratefully. Soon, this awful day would be over and she could forget all about it. She would have an early night tonight, she decided. She really, really needed to be alone for a while.

☆☆☆

     When they arrived back at the farm they went indoors to have a cup of tea and some cakes while they talked about what had happened. Everyone was happy and relieved and Tala received a good bit of leg pulling about the Knight who'd tried to chat her up. Tala accepted the teasing with as much good humour as she could manage and even managed to take a few mouthfuls of the buttercake Tilly handed her, even though she'd never felt less hungry in her life.

     When they'd finished eating there was still enough daylight for them to get a bit of work done and so they went out into the farm. Tala went with Dougal to help him repair a broken gate while Daisy went off alone to a neighbouring farm to return a post hole digger Drisco had borrowed a couple of days earlier. Tala watched her setting off down the road with the heavy tool balanced on her shoulder, its weight making her lean slightly to the side. She'd have an aching back when she got back, she thought.

     The Crone was somewhere nearby. She could sense the presence of an astral form hovering somewhere in the air above her, but it didn't speak. Neither did Tala. She just helped Dougal with his work, helping him lift things and handing him tools from the leather bag he'd brought with him while he sawed off rotten sections of wood and screwed in fresh, new wood to replace it. After a while Tala sensed the Crone moving away. Maybe she'd given up on her and found another witch whose body she could steal, she thought. She didn't think it likely, but she gave thanks for the Crone's departure none the less.

     Dougal made short work of the gate and then they made their way back to the house, but on the way they heard Daisy screaming. A sound of pure terror. Dougal dropped his bag of tools and ran. Tala went to follow him but Dougal stopped her. "Go back to the house," he commanded her. "Get dad." Then he turned and started running again without looking to see whether she was obeying him.

     Tala did as she was told, deciding that a forty year old man would be of more use if there was trouble than a sixteen year old girl. She burst in through the door yelling for him and Drisco appeared from another room with part of a broken vase and a stick that had a blob of home-made glue on it. "What is it?" he demanded. "What's happened?"

     Tala babbled out what has happened and Drisco dashed into another room to grab a spear. The weapon had been in the family for three generations, he'd told her a couple of evenings before, and had never seen serious use, although all the men of the family had practiced with it. He was holding it now though as if he would be happy to break his run of good luck. "Stay here," he told her before dashing out through the door in the direction Daisy had gone.

     Tala was in no mood to just sit and wait, though. <Birds!> she called out in her green voice. <Please help me!>

     <Mother!> cried a starling in delight. It was one of her friends from her old cottage. <You're talking to us again.>

     <Yes, and I'm really sorry I couldn't before but I need your help now. Will you go to the south and look for humans? Just tell me if there are humans out there.>

     <Of course. Did you win the game?>

     <The game?>

     <The hiding game. Did you win?>

     <Oh yes, I won. Go look now, please.>

     <Going to look now.>

     She waited tensely for the bird to report back, and while she was pacing back and forth the other members of the family came back from other parts of the house, looking alarmed. "What's going on?" demanded Sarah. "Is it the Knights?"

     Tala ignored her. Instead, she strained her green ears for what the birds were saying to each other, and as she did so she became aware of a dark, malevolent presence hovering over her. <Crone!> she said in her head, shouting with fear and anger. <Is this your doing, you loathsome bitch?>

     <If you're going to insult me, you might as well use my real name,> the Crone replied amiably. <My friends call me Gryla.>

     <What have you done?>

     <Done?> Tala could almost see the Crone's eyebrows rising in indignant innocence. <If a little girl goes off into the countryside on her own, is it my fault if she runs into a pack of ravenous wolves?>

     Tala gasped with horror and fled from the room, followed by the cries of the other family members. "Tell me what's happening," demanded Sarah, reaching out to grab her arm. Tala shook her off and ran from the house, followed by Edward and Brian, the grandfather gasping for breath as he tried to keep up with the others.

     <Found some humans,> the starling called back. <Three of them, surrounded by wolves. The wolves look angry.>

     <What do you think you're going to do, Tala?> asked the Crone. <If you use your witch powers you'll be giving yourself away.>

     <Tell the wolves to leave,> demanded Tala.

     <Why should I? So long as you're living with these people you're putting them in danger. There are vipers in this part of the country, you know. One bite...>

     <You wany me to leave them and give myself to you?>

     <They may be able to protect you from me, but who's going to protect them from me? A few deathcap mushrooms dropped down the well. A couple of nightshade tubers added to the potatoes... They look completely indistinguishable from real potatoes, you know, and cooking doesn't get rid of the poison. Tuber nightshades are very rare, but I know where to find them.>

     Tala had long since stopped listening, though, and was just running, her hair flying out behind her as she tore along the road that Daisy had used. Soon, she saw the first of the wolves. It wasn't one she recognised. It was a member of the pack that claimed this part of the country, but as she skidded to a halt she saw one she did recognise. Black Tooth.

     It was growling at Daisy, Drisco and Dougal, the two men standing together in front of the girl. Five other wolves were gathered around them, their teeth bared at they glared with angry yellow eyes. Drisco was brandishing the spear, but apart from that they had nothing to defend themselves with and Dougal was looking terrified as he backed away until he bumped into Daisy behind him. She put her hands on his shoulders as if he were a shield she was carrying.

     "Tala!" said Drisco in horror. "I told you to stay in the house."

     <There you are,> said Black Tooth, his lips drawing back from his teeth in savage pleasure. <She said that if we scared the younger female you would come.>

     <Well I'm here and now you're going,> said Tala. <Get out of here before you feel my Eyes that Bite.>

     <I have a pack now,> said Black Tooth, though. <Their leader was old and weak. I bested him in combat and now they follow me.>

     The wolves didn't look happy, though. <Hunting humans is bad,> one of them said. <If we anger them, they come hunting us with their long knives.>

     <Do as I say!> said Black Tooth furiously. <I am pack leader. You do as I say.>

     The pack shifted uncertainly and an idea came to Tala. <You must be a pack of weaklings to follow such a cowardly leader,> she said.

     <You dare call me a coward?> said Black Tooth, rounding on her and baring his fangs. One of them was black and rotten. Tala could sense the pain it was causing the wolf. Enough constant pain to drive it mad and savage. She wondered how things might have been different if the creature had allowed her to pull it for him. A wolf without a fang was only half a wolf, though. No other wolf would have taken it seriously as a member of the pack.

      "Tala!" cried Drisco in fear. "Brian! I'll attract its attention and you run away. Just run as fast as you..."

     Tala didn't have time to argue with him. Hopefully he'd just think she was paralysed with fear. She prayed that he wouldn't do something stupid in an attempt to save her or Brian, whom she could sense standing behind her.

     <You are a coward,> she told the wolf. <You can't even face me without quivering with fear.>

     <I'll show you how much I fear you,> said Black Tooth, crouching down and preparing to leap at her. Tala stood her ground, though. She locked eyes with it and used what the wolves called the Eyes that Bite.

      The power poured into the wolf and made it quiver with pain. Tala took a step closer to it, increasing the power of whatever she was doing to it and the wolf's eyes rolled upwards in their sockets. Froth flecked its jaws as its tongue flailed around between its teeth.

     "God, it's mad!" gasped Dougal in horror. "It's got the rabies."

     <See how he shakes in fear,> Tala told the other wolves. <You must be a sorry lot to follow a pathetic wolf like that.>

     <We are the fiercest wolves in the land!> one of the wolves protested indignantly. <We only follow the strongest and the best.>

     <Is that the strongest and the best?> asked Tala. She was beginning to get a headache. She'd never kept the power going this long before. If the situation didn't resolve itself soon, she would be forced to stop and Black Tooth would kill her.

     Drisco was approaching the stricken wolf, though, the spear held ready to deliver a killing blow. With a sudden shout he thrust downwards and the steel point pierced its hide. Black Tooth gave a whimpering cry and Tala released it from her power with a gasp of relief. Drisco pulled the spear back out with a spray of blood and thrust again, this time aiming for the throat. The wolf gave a final kick with its legs as if, deep in its tortured brain, it thought it could run to safety, and then it died.

     Drisco pulled the spear out again and roared at the other wolves, blood dripping from the steel tip as he brandished it at them. As one, the wolves turned tail and ran, disappearing into the trees, and a moment later the five humans were alone on the narrow country road. Tala heard wheezing breaths and turned to see Edward arriving, looking relieved to find his family safe.

     "What were you thinking, lass?" demanded Drisco, walking over to Tala. "They could have savaged the lot of us."

     "I just thought you might need help," Tala replied, trying to look guilty and afraid. "And then, when I saw the wolves I just froze. I couldn't move."

     Drisco looked at her for a moment longer, then nodded as if he understood. He turned to Daisy. "And are you okay?" he asked her.

     "Yes," she replied. "They just surrounded me and growled at me. They didn't hurt me."

     Drisco nodded with relief. "It's probably as Dougal said. The pack leader had the rabies. It were crazy and led the whole pack to do something crazy. Now it's dead, we won't be seeing them again. Nobody's hurt, that's the important thing. Come on, let's get ourselves back home. It's been a long day. I don't know about the rest of you but I could do with a small shot of brandy."

     <Not bad,> said the Crone as they began walking home. <With the right training, you could have been one of the best of us. What a pity you will never achieve that potential.>

     <Maybe I'm too powerful for you to handle,> said Tala. Now that she'd actually spoken to the Crone, she was surprised to find that much of her fear was gone. Maybe most of it had been fear of the unknown, but now she was beginning to know her enemy. <Maybe you should find a less powerful witch. Someone you'll find easier to dominate.>

     The Crone laughed. <Oh I don't think that'll be necessary,> she said. <Remember the deathcap mushrooms in the well and the nightshade tubers in the potatoes. You may have beaten the wolves but I have plenty of smaller friends to do my bidding. You will present yourself to me in my temporary home or you will watch the members of your new family die one by one. Bluebell cottage on Flywell Lane. Anyone in town will tell you where it is. I look forward to seeing you.>

     The Crone's presence faded and Tala knew she was alone once more. She felt sure that the older witch would carry out her threat, though, and Tala knew she wouldn't be able to bear the guilt if people died because of her. And yet, she couldn't give herself to the Crone. She loved life too much. She didn't want to die. So, what did that leave?

     Only one thing, she knew. She would have to leave. The Tanners were in danger every moment she was with them so she would have to leave and find a far distant part of the country to live in. Somewhere the Crone would never be able to find her. She would never be able to use her witch powers again, and if there was a cat in her new home that liked catching mice she would have to harden herself to endure the pitiful screams of the poor creatures. And she would live the rest of her life with the ever present threat of discovery, both from the Crone and the Knights. It would be awful, but that was the only life left open to her now.

     She would leave tonight, she decided. The sooner the better. There was nothing else for it. She would slip quietly out of the house in the early hours of the morning and hope she was far enough away to be safe before the Tanners realised she was gone.