With a shaky sigh, she gave in. "I saw Isabelle. She and I were in the castle looking down at the dovecote, and then this woman attacked us. She lookedhorrible. Flesh was decaying and falling off her, and she clawed my face."

He didn't say anything for several seconds. "All right There was no way you could have made those scratches to yourself. Who was the woman who did this?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure who. Isabelle just told me to protect her home, and that this ...