Life Of Hera

Part 31 - Right Under Your Nose

The woman walked towards them. Light shined on her. It was Gianna. Hera and Jovie looked at Claire.

"You betrayed us!" said Hera furiously.

"Wait, it's not what you think," said Claire nervously.

"Oh it's exactly what you think. Claire has been helping me to find out who the keeper is. Little did I know, that this keeper has talked to me so many times," said Gianna with an eerie voice.

"You are a sorceress," said Hera.

"Indeed. That night when you and your two other friends came to the Enchanted Forest to collect ingredients for your little potion, I happened to be collecting ingredients for _my_ potion too. Don't you remember? Also, you and Jovie knocked on our door few days after the Blue Moon Festival. We were also brewing potions, that's the reason she skipped school. Also, that day at the cafe, this pesky child was about to find out my little secret when she tried to open my basket," she pointed at Jovie's nose with her long index finger.

"So all this while, you were just setting me up? So that you can hand me over to her! " said Hera while looking at Claire with a finger pointing at Gianna.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm not just any _her_. I'm Jemisha." Gianna looked at them with an evil smile.
Hera and Jovie stepped back, shocked.

"You can't be Jemisha! She had blonde hair," said Jovie, voice trembling.

"Oh, hasn't your sorcery teacher mention it? Ten years ago, a few potions were stolen. One of them was a colour-changing potion."

"You're a thief. You changed your hair colour as well as your name. That's the reason no one recognised you," said Hera.

"Indeed," said Gianna. "We gave the bracelet to Claire. But what we didn't know was that the bracelet only shows its magic in the presence of the blue moonlight. It wasn't some family heirloom, but a magical item."
Out of the sudden, a brown haired man walked towards them and stood beside Gianna. He said, "I'm her husband, Aric. That night after the festival, we discussed the bracelet. The child of the keeper is still alive," He smiled evilly.

"Now, let's not waste any time," said Gianna. She pulled a wand out of her pocket and waved it. The scroll slipped off Hera's hand and Gianna grabbed it. Everything happened in a blink of an eye. Hera and Jovie were about to run but Gianna pointed her wand at them, freezing them. She walked towards them and said in a soft, eerie tone, "I can't let the keeper leave. I need you to pass the power to me, making me the new keeper. Don't make me destroy you." After that, she waved her wand again. Hera and Jovie were forced by magic to follow wherever Gianna goes. Both their arms were held together by magic.

All of them were now in Gianna or Jemisha's house. As they were walking in the hallway, Hera and Jovie looked around. It was spooky, filled with pots and magical items. On the walls, there were statues of gargoyles. No wonder they don't allow anyone to enter, Hera thought. Their legs which were controlled by magic followed Gianna into a lair. There were pots, wands and books opened on the table at the centre of the lair. One of the books was opened to a page with a picture of Claire's bracelet and handwritten words. Gianna waved her wand and recited a spell. Two giant bird cages formed at the corner of the room. She waved her wand and the cage door opened. Hera and Jovie felt a feeling of relaxation in their legs. Their legs weren't held by magic anymore. When they looked up, Aric pushed them each into their cage and locked the cage door. After that, Gianna and Aric left the room and shut the door.

"What should we do now?" asked Jovie.

"Find a way out apparently," said Hera furiously while holding the bars of the cage with both hands. "I can't believe Claire after everything we've been through together."

"What if Claire is not as bad as you think?" said Jovie.

"Gianna, or Jemisha, adopted her since she was little! She grew up with the person who killed my parents! She is part of the Malevolent Sisters. She's just like them."

"Didn't you see the expression on her face just now? What if she's not as bad as what you think?"

Hera sat in her cage, arms crossed in anger.

Jovie moved to the corner of her cage towards Hera and said, "Hera, do you remember the first day meeting her? You said she's adopted just like you. The society believes that those adopted could be anyone, whether good or evil, child of a hero or a villain. But that doesn't define who you really are. Even if you are the child of some hero, that doesn't mean you are a hero yourself. Many people betrayed their love ones and friends. In the black, there is some white. In the white, there is some black. It's not about where you come from but who you chose to be."
Hera was still angry.

Suddenly, they heard noise coming from outside. They heard Gianna's voice." What are you doing?" she said furiously. Aric shouted, "The scroll!"

After that, they heard footsteps all over the house. "Find her!" he said loudly.

The door of the lair squeaked opened. It was Claire. She was holding a scroll and a magic wand in hand. She hurried towards the cage and uttered a spell while waving her wand. The lock on the cage unlocked. They are free.

"Hurry, we have to get out of here," said Claire.

"How do we know if this isn't a trap?" said Hera.

"Hera we don't have a choice," said Jovie nervously.

Hera reluctantly followed Claire out together with Jovie.