Free Hair of Gold: Just Right (Urban Fairytales Book 6) by Erik Schubach

to travel the lands to find those who would do harm to other innocents, like was done unto us, and stop those who would corrupt others with dark magics. Maybe then we can be freed of our curse. It is what Rapunzel did before she disappeared. We owe it to her and to us, or at least the innocent children that we had once been.”
    She rested a hand on my arm and started to speak but paused as we listened to a wolf howling closer to our camp. I laid my hand on top of hers and assured her, “There are only two out there. My brothers will...”
    I was interrupted by the bellowing roar of Andrei a hundred yards away, in the direction the howling came from. There were snarls and growls followed by sounds of a skirmish and a yelp. Then all was silent after Andrei made a satisfied grunt.
    I smiled at her and amended, “There is only one out there.”
    She cocked an eyebrow at me and moved her eyes to my other hand, which was resting on the pommel of my sword. I chuckled and dropped my hand from it, then shrugged as I said, “My brothers are not perfect.”
    She gave me a silly, knowing grin then glanced at her own brother. I tried not to chuckle. It seems all brothers are the same.
    I was acutely aware of the fact that I had not removed my hand from hers, and she had made no move to withdraw her own. She placed her other hand on my arm and leaned her head on my shoulder as she asked, “So tell me about Katiana, and how you come to be in the company of bears.” Then she added with a tone that told me she wasn't sure if I were just teasing, “Are they truly your brothers? Or do you pull my leg?”
    I sighed and relaxed into Little Bear's warmth as I said, “Truly. Well, they are my brothers in all but blood. They saved me from the wolves on a Wolf Moon and took me in when I was a young child. I am their kin as surely as you are Hansel's.” Then I grinned. “And they are truly human most of the time. They just stay in bear form for the Wolf Moon to protect me.” Then I added, “And you and Hansel.”
    She cocked an eyebrow again, and I added, “Not that you need our protection.”
    She chuckled in a delighted manner, and I had to smile at it. Then I told her the story of the little girl who's mother had called her Goldilocks, and the tragedy that had but one redeeming point, that the little girl found another family that loved her as much as her slain parents had. Of how that little girl became the fourth Inanov.
    I then shared the reasons for our quest and how I believe that their own attack was our fault, that these men were raiders on the way to Chernivtsi to terrorize those whom we protected.
    She just nodded into my shoulder and said quietly, “Then perhaps you could use allies in your quest. Our goals are the same, and this Narcisa and Baird must be stopped.”
    I smiled down at her. “Says the maiden who fights with a cast iron skillet.”
    She grinned without looking up and released my arm to slap it before reclaiming it. She mumbled in her own defense, “I bloodied your nose with it didn't I?”
    I snorted and slapped my hand over my mouth in embarrassment.
    Then we just sat there like that, staring into the dwindling fire, listening intently until Vlad and Andrei lumbered back into camp to have Pavel and Hansel relieve us. I knew that Andrei wouldn't really sleep, he was the most overprotective brother in the world.
    We stood when Little Bear got up. He thumped Hansel on his way out of camp as my other brothers laid down. Hansel waved his hand, trying to slap the offender. “Just a few more minutes Gretel.” Then he sat up and blinked and seemed to remember where he was. He just stared at Pavel for a moment until my brother nudged his head toward the howls in the distance.
    Hansel nodded and stretched then stood as he grabbed his silvered whip, looking around sheepishly. “Right.” He gave us a mock salute then headed to the edge of the clearing to stand by a small outcropping.
    Gretel moved to one of the