Witch, Wolf, Woods

CHAPTER 28: A LIFE-CHANGING CONVERSATION

The next morning, Katja was surprised to find a Helferin at her door, asking her to meet with Tante Gerta and Tante Maedra either at her earliest convenience or in a few moments, which ever was easiest.

"I wonder what they want," she mused, lacing up her boots. "Perhaps they remembered something else about the ring!"

"That would be helpful," agreed Wolf.

Rather than attend the meeting, he'd decided to stay behind and work on writing down more of his Schwarzwald stories, taking advantage of his time with hands, and he would meet Katja at her workroom later.

Katja followed the Helferin to an office where both of her aunts were waiting, and she took a seat in a large armchair across from them. Drapes embroidered with brightly-colored hummingbirds were pulled back, allowing sunlight to flood the room, but the welcoming morning light was at odds with the seriousness permeating the space.

"Katja, there's something we need to tell you," said Tante Maedra without preface. "Some will say we should have told you sooner, but you must know it's only ever been our intent to protect you. The plan was always to tell you the truth when we felt you were old enough to understand it. We almost told you yesterday, but...it just didn't seem right, doing that to you on your birthday."

Katja's heart slammed against her rib cage, and she felt like she might explode before her aunts could reveal whatever they meant to tell her.

At the same time, she wanted to tell them to stop, assure them she didn't want to hear whatever was about to be revealed because deep down, she knew it was going to change everything.

Instead, she merely clasped her hands together and drew a shaky inhale, waiting for what she could no longer avoid, waiting for what she'd wanted for as long as she could remember—a story.

"Regarding the circumstances of how your mother left the Hexen," Tante Maedra continued, "perhaps a bit more context will be helpful. Your mother was a singularly gifted metallurgist, and she was constantly pushing the boundaries of working with metal, experimenting, trying new things most of us barely understood and were content to be left out of.

"Your mother lived for her research, Katja, often locking herself away for days when she was in the middle of something and didn't want to be disturbed. She always had a breakthrough, though, or eventually hit a dead end and changed focus, so, when she became especially passionate about a particular area of research, we didn't think anything was out of the ordinary.

"As the days passed, however, she became more and more distraught. I eventually went to visit her to see if there was something I could do to help, but she barely noticed I was there. She kept talking about things like alchemical transfiguration and botanical chelation. I suggested she might consider taking a holiday somewhere, but she was adamant about solving whatever puzzle was vexing her."

Tante Maedra shook her head. "The next morning, she announced she was leaving. She said there was only one place she could find answers, and even though she might end up paying with her life, she had to try or she would always regret not taking the chance. We pleaded with her not to leave, but there was no stopping her."

Tante Maedra lowered her eyes to the ground, sadness sweeping over her face, and Tante Gerta gently gave the other witch's forearm a squeeze before picking up the story.

"We had a suspicion of where she was going, but no one dared say it out loud," said Tante Gerta, sunlight catching on her fair hair, pulled back into numerous straw-colored braids. "Maedra and I followed her outside and watched her go—down to the river, across the bridge, and into the Schwarzwald.