Chapter 7: Hidden Doors On Forest Floors

My mother finally returns several hours later with blood staining her sleeves. She briefly glances at me before slipping her robe off, revealing her long midnight blue dress underneath. She takes her place in her chair before addressing me.

"Sometimes we have trouble with the new recruits."

I nod. "You mean they don't like having their fingers chopped off against their will. Shocker."

She releases a frustrated sigh. "Jacklyn-"

"What secret were you harboring from the coven? What was so awful that you had to leave your three year old daughter with her drunken suicidal father?"

Her eyes grow wide. "Your father...."

I fold my arms and lean back. "Papa passed away the same year you did. But you miraculously came back to life so maybe he will too right," I spit.

Her eyes well with tears. "I'm so sorry-"

I hold up a hand. "No, tell me the truth. Why did you fake your death? Why did you leave us? Me?"

She inhales a shaky breath. "You...are not Damien's daughter."

I scoff. "What are you talking about?"

"You were born as the daughter of a member of the Finger-Less Coven."

I scan her features for a hint of amusement, something to tell me this is a joke. My heart pounds louder in its cage when I find nothing.

"What?"

She nods. "I was young, and naive, I didn't know any better. I went into the woods one day and I met a young man, and after a while of secretly meeting with him....we fell in love. And that is how y-"

"Wait," I interrupt again. "Are you telling me that you had me with some man you found in the freaking woods? Did papa know?"

She shakes her head. "No, I was already engaged to your father when it happened, so I rushed the marriage and made the child, you, look like his."

I inhale a sharp breath. "So I'm....I'm from..."

"Yes Jacklyn, you were born into the Finger-Less Coven. Your father was the leader, I lead in his stead when he travels. He took me in when I had to escape."

"So our Coven almost found out about your treason and you faked your death?"

She nods. "I did it to protect you, if they found out what you are..."

I close my eyes and inhale before opening them again. "I need some air."

She stands up and holds back the curtain to let me out, James follows after me.

I walk as far as I can without leaving the camp, though I would very much like to. The thought of finding my sister is holding me back.

"Are you okay?" James asks.

I slide down the metal wooden stakes that make up the gate to the camp until I'm sitting in the moonlit leaves on the ground.

"If what she's saying is true...then I'm a half breed. If our Coven finds out, I'll be burned. They would say I am a cursed child."

I draw my knees to my chest. "Best case scenario, they'll abandon me in the forest for the animals."

James crouches down in front of me and forces me to look at him.

"Hey, I'm not gonna let that happen to you. Besides, your mother won't tell the coven, she'd be risking too much. The only other people who know are you and me, and neither of us will say anything. So lets find your sister and get the hell out of this devil's camp."

I swallow the lump of tears in my throat before meeting his fiery gaze, I will have plenty of time for self pity later.

"Okay, let's find her."

He nods and takes both of my hands to pull me up. Dusting off my coat, he says "Let's go find the little witch, I have a feeling she knows exactly where your sister is."

.....

We happen upon the little witch leaning on the post outside Mother's tent. She licks her lips the moment her gaze lands on me. I shiver as she comes closer.

"Where is my sister?"

She giggles before speaking. "You want to find your sister? Follow me."

She leads us to the area behind my mother's tent and pulls out an intricate key. Whispering an incantation, she slips the key into an invisible lock. My eyebrows crease as a long black door appears out of thin air. My eyes grow wide as she pushes the door open to reveal...