George looked at the gypsy and could not help but suspect her as dishonest.  After all, the woman and her accomplices had him stolen from his bed in the dark of night. Still, there was something that rang true with what she was saying. George asked, “Did you know the woman who gave birth to me? Louis Napoleon says she was a prostitute. He also says that he killed her.”

“Your mother is a gypsy. She dishonored herself with Napoleon and was banished from the tribe.  If not for Joseph and my niece, she would have remained banished. You owe Joseph for her sake. You must seek Joseph out in Sitnalta. He must be warned not to trust Louis Napoleon. Joseph must stop the two masters of Sitnalta from becoming united.”

 “But I’ve never gone beyond the gates. I don’t think it is possible for me to go beyond the gates.”

“Perhaps Louis will help you to enter Sitnalta.”

“Louis Napoleon knows that I am his enemy. I can’t pretend to have a change of heart just so that I can betray him.”

“Why shouldn’t you pretend as he pretends with Joseph?”

“If I should join in such games of deceit how will I ever truly stand in confidence with anyone. I want to live a normal life without the games of deception. I truly loved Adele Hugo, but our deceit made that love too painful for me to enjoy.”

“I speak as Fortune Teller who has met you through the hands of two who have held you in their arms.” Magadelion took hold of George’s hands and turned them where she could see his palms. “No hand that has held control of your destiny, not even your own two hands, suggests you truly want a normal life. Unless normal to you means living on the edge of excitement and danger, that is not what you want.”

And with those words, the sound of rifles being fired rang out and the wagon came to a sudden halt. Magadelion grabbed her chest and George saw oozing blood flow between her fingers. Then a third shot creased near George’s head but missed. George screamed, “What the!” Then crouching down George opened the door and jumped out of the wagon. He saw the large, muscular gyspy who had been driving the wagon lying on the ground dead. George saw no sign of anyone around, but heard horses galloping in the distance.

Weak and still holding her chest, Magadelion stepped from the wagon. She looked at George standing naked in front of her. She demanded, “George, come here.”

He did as she asked and she placed her hands on his shoulders. “Until those I love are free from Louis Napoleon, I curse you though I love you as only a mother can love her son.” Looking up at the stars and the moon Magadelion whispered with the sound of a death rattle in her lungs, “And with this curse, your soul will be trapped when the moon is full." Magadelion coughed up blood as she struggled to continue. A tear rolled down her cheek and blood flowed down her chin as as she told George, "Your soul will be trapped and your essence will be transformed by an ancient spirit of the moon that time has forgotten. The spirit will transform and weaken your conviction to Sitnalta." Then she bowed her head and faintly slumped in George's arms as she said, "You confessed weakness to me and so you must find someone stronger than you to save those I love and to lift the curse I put on you.”

Then as Magadelion died in his arms, George looked up toward the heavens at the moon’s bright yellow light streaking through the dark, foreboding clouds. Then George heard a sinister howl and realized the howl was his own. In pain and in anguish he looked at Magadelion as he dropped her body to the ground. Then in horror as he felt himself changing into a werewolf he screamed, “Mother!”