When Eyrick transported them, they appeared in what Kevin could only describe as a massive library in a great stone castle. He'd live in this town all his life, and he had never seen or heard of any castles.
He was about to ask Eyrick about this anomaly when he heard Jared bark and turned to see the English sheepdog staring in fascination at a tapestry spread across a bare stone wall that featured medieval huntsmen and their hounds.
"Interesting scene, isn't it?" Eyrick asked.
Kevin walked over to his brother the sheepdog. "Where are we?"
"In the family stronghold," he said. Then, in a distracted manner, "Oh, you mean all this." He waves his hands in an encompassing gesture. "Well, obviously, I have to cloak it from prying eyes of the public.
"Obviously," Kevin said.
Eyrick smiled and looked down at the furry sheepdog. "While I cannot restore your brother's human form yet, I could make this entire situation a bit more tolerable."
Eyrick, to Kevin's surprise, produced an assembly of wood and crystal in his hand. "Is that a wand?"
Eyrick smiled and waved the wand. Something about the eyes hidden behind the fur showed a glimmer of awareness.
"Jared!" Kevin exclaimed. "Is it you?"
Jared barked. And barked. Then barked some more.
Eyrick stepped closer. "Jared, let's try this," he said. "One bark for yes, but two barks for no."
Kevin nodded and tried again. "Jared, are you in there?"
Kevin exhaled in relief when Jared barked once.
Eyrick smiled and spoke. "I guess you believe in wizardry now, huh?"
Jared barked once, but then he growled.
"Don't get upset at me," Eyrick said.
Jared continued to growl.
"Look, I'm sorry," Eyrick said. "I only meant it as a prank to teach you a lesson. How could I know that your brother's a wizard?"
Jared whimpered and looked up at Kevin. "We're still trying to figure all this out," Kevin said.
"We will," Eyrick agreed. "It may take some time, though, so I need to warn you about a few things."
Kevin and Jared exchanged a concerned look.
Eyrick tried to reassure them. "Kevin's interaction with the medallion is causing reality to shift to accommodate you as a dog. Kevin and I know the truth because we are wizards. You're not a wizard, unfortunately."
"What's that mean?" Kevin asked.
"Well, reality will do its best to force Jared to behave like a dog because, well, he is a dog," Eyrick said.
Jared barked twice in disagreement.
"That's the spirit. Stay on your guard. Don't give in to your new instincts. You've got to remain human, at least in your mind, until I can figure out how to overcome your brother's work on the medallion."
Kevin looked pale and Jared whimpered slightly.
"Don't worry," Eyrick said. "I'll get you back to your true self."
Jared barked once.
"Besides, you're way too cute to be hidden under all that fur," Eyrick said.
Jared would have experienced a crimson blush if not for the shaggy fur covering his new face.
Kevin's reaction, meant to smooth over the moment, made things worse.
"It's no big deal," Kevin said. "Besides, I've seen your surfing history."
Jared whimpered.
"It's not my fault you're lousy at erasing your browsing history," Kevin said defensively.
Jared wanted to tell himself this was not happening. The one time he had worked up the courage to get to know a guy better, the guy turned out to be a wizard who had just outed him to his kid brother.
Eyrick, despite a mastery of wizardry and classical studies, lacked a firm grasp on social norms and realized it might have been better if he hadn't used that moment to flirt with Jared.
"Well, you both make yourselves at home," he excused himself. "I need to consult the compendium."