Eva's Journal

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I looked up from the floor and towards a young woman who outstretched her hand for me to take. I hesitated and scanned her face. She had dark eyes and dark features to match, but her smile comforted me. On her forehead, she bore a white crescent something I had read about in my books. It meant the mark of a good sorcerer.

"I can take away those nightmares if you would let me, my child." I looked into her eyes and felt trust surge through me even though I had never met her. I took her hand and watched as the images of Atlas washed away and were replaced by the few memories I had of him; the two of us walking through the forest talking about our past, the incident by the stream and the night spent in Olivia's house. I smiled and opened my eyes I didn't realize I closed and looked over to the woman.

She squeezed my hand and lead me into the forest. The walk was slow and steady. She turned to check on me every few minutes and smiled every time. I took the time to look around at the forest wondering how she knew the way as we passed black trees that looked identical. There was no indication we were heading towards something until we landed right on top of it.

She suddenly stopped walking causing me to bump into her as I wasn't paying any attention. I looked at her before my gaze was interrupted by two bright white trees woven together to create a large entrance into what looked like a small village. I gasped at the sight of something so beautiful in such a place.

I reached out, running my hands over the soft bark of the trees, with no white mark on my hand.

"Those are hope trees. They keep the nightmares destroying the good memories we make in the village. The dark trees were enchanted long ago to destroy whoever entered the woods. That's why you saw all those horrible images." I turned to look at her, in shock.

"Could you see my nightmares?" She shook her head and walked past me into the village, ushering me to follow her.

"I knew you were struggling with them and normally we are to let people die in the woods but there was something about you that made me bring you back here."

"And what was that?" She looked at me turning her head and simply said, "Agatha."

"You know my mother?" Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"Agatha is your mother? Is she still alive?" I nodded my head.

"Yes, but surely you knew that." She frowned and continued to walk towards a larger hut in the centre of the village.

"I only knew it was Agatha's magic because she used to live in this coven with us. She left almost 20 years ago and no one heard from her. We just assumed she was dead. Humans are awful creatures."

"Is that how you ended up here? Humans?" She nodded and knocked on the door of the large hut.

"I will explain more to you after we speak to the elders." We heard a come in and the woman opened the door ushering me in.

"What is your name?" She giggled slightly and started to close the door behind me.

"Oh, I'm Martha." As the door shut, I was left in the darkroom alone, to meet the elders.

I walked further into the room and called out, "Hello?" into the darkness.

From the darkness, I heard a voice that was rough and jagged. "Speak your name child."

"My name is Eva, daughter of Agatha and King Leopold of Sceneria."

The voice scoffed and I reached my hand into my bag, grabbing ahold of the purple flowers my mother grew. I dropped it on the floor.

"What are you, child?" Another voice spoke, this time sweeter and gentle.

"I am half-witch, half-human. I have little control of my magic but I'm trying." Whispers filled the empty room until light flooded in. As my eyes adjusted, I looked to a table with three women sat behind it. They all had long, grey hair which was plaited in different ways, all with white branches woven in.