By the time I was done narrating the episode of my encounter with the strange witch in the forest, my adoptive parents were sure it was anything but a joke; if the looks on their faces were anything to go by. “It’s not a joke!” Laura stated vehemently. Well, there went my suggestion of it being a joke. “And can’t you see? It’s what we have been telling you… to stay away from those twins and their wicked family?” She continued, her hands clasped while her feet tapped on the floor.Diana and I exhaled at the same time. We had seen this coming. “Mother, is there really a way to avoid them? In case you’ve forgotten, I take classes with the Queen. Exposing her pettiness to the people hadn’t been enough to stop it; if anything, she was tasked to take care of me adequately in case I’m the next in line for the throne…” A pause, where I swallowed the bitter pill; I didn’t think I would ever get used to the idea of being next in line to the throne just because I had white hair. For all the
“Where are you two coming from at this time of the night?” A significant pause followed. “Or rather, where have you two been since morning?” Peter asked immediately after Diana and I stepped into the compound. It turned out he had been waiting by the wooden gates. At first, Diana and I exchanged glances, both of us wondering if it was a good idea to talk about the cave and how it had deceived us. Rachel should have told us that the cave had a slower time clock before getting us in there! Diana laughed and shook her head, as though she could see what was going on in my head. “I see you both are still having fun. Follow me,” Peter commanded before heading in the direction of the sitting room. He never looked back to see if we were following him. Well, we had no choice in that, really. Peter was calmer, but his anger wasn’t something I would want to see every day. “Come on, let’s go before mother joins him to burn our hairs off, just with their eyes,” I chimed, making Diana laugh
The darkness-enshrouded witch took her time before answering. Darkness enshrouded because I couldn’t see any clothing material on the figure floating in the air a couple of feet away from us. Only darkness. Pulsing darkness from her head to toe—bodily features I couldn’t even see. The darkness formed a cloak around her, even making a hood over her head and boots around her legs. You just couldn’t see any of her bodily features, not even her eyes. From our perspective, she was looking at the floor, if the inclination of the hood was any indication, but I knew she was staring right at me.I was tempted to take my phone from my pocket and check the time, but I was slightly afraid that a single movement might alter this moment. I could always check the time later. Hopefully, Laura and Peter wouldn’t have my head when I finally came back with Diana.“Are you not going to speak?” This time it was Raul who spoke. I was not sure what gave him the confidence since I could still smell his s
I was more than surprised to see that the sky was dark when we emerged from the cave. Shock seemed too mild a word; if there were a term more expressive than shock, I would gladly use it. What the hell! Or perhaps, What in the heavens! Beside and behind me, my friends all stood with their jaws dropped—well, except for Rachel and Raul. "Can you see why I was hurrying us out of the library? It's already late outside," Rachel stated matter-of-factly, as if that explained why it was night already when we had entered the cave at what felt like nine a.m. Where had the hours gone? We had spent no more than two hours inside! Our confusion must have shown on our faces because Raul raised a placating hand, as if expecting us to attack him if he didn't speak. Maybe we would have. "Time runs slower in the cave. Way slower." It certainly hadn't felt that way while we were in there. "How did you two keep track of the time, then?" I asked, needing to know. If I was going to return to that p
My heart immediately surged with anticipation at the mention of my parents. Did he finally discover the truth? Was this the last bus stop on my journey to uncover the truth?But then Raul sighed deeply, a downcast expression settling on his face, causing my heart to beat irregularly. Were my parents dead? “Are you going to talk, Raul, or do you want me to develop high blood pressure first?” I asked, unable to tolerate the tension any longer. “I’m sorry… I just saw the hopeful look…” He paused, inhaling deeply, further confusing me. What was he talking about? Did something happen to my parents? “Dora, we couldn’t trace your lineage. I tried; the people…” I raised my hand, silencing him. “Don’t beat yourself up about it.” I stated firmly, noticing the myriad of emotions flashing across his face—disappointment in his tracking skills, loathing, and self-hate. But none of that was necessary. It’s not like I was that invested in this matter—though I was a tad bit curious. I really w
I tried to see the beginning or the end of the ancient wall, my eyes straining, my steps faltering as I leaned forward to satiate my curiosity. But it was all to no avail. I couldn't see either the end or the beginning. Was the wall demarcating anything? "There's an end to the wall..." Raul started, as if reading my mind. "But no one has found it yet." I almost hissed out of frustration. If no one has found it, how then did they know there was an end to it? "It's just what the legend says…" He continued, answering my unasked question. Yet my question remained: the person who had written whatever textbook that was—how did he know there was an end? Or did the goddess breathe inspiration upon the author? Sadly, Raul didn't provide any further explanation, thereby increasing my thirst for information. "Does it demarcate anything, maybe one community from another?" Levina asked, her hands folded across her chest. "Not exactly," Rachel answered, stepping closer to the wall. "It serve