Chapter 15 #2
“Not now,” I insisted. This conversation was between me and my mother. “And you’re a hedge witch?” My voice shook a little at that.
Mother’s mouth dropped open, and she looked at Bargoth.
Bargoth scratched his head, as if nervous. “Denara did some… magic earlier, and it was surprising to her. She must have realized it came from you.”
“It’s nothing to be frightened of, my dear.” She reached out to me again, but I jerked away. My body shook. She hadn’t even denied it. Did that really mean that I was a hedge witch? The lid on my emotions was ready to explode if she pushed me further.
She pressed her lips together. “I suppose we have much to discuss.”
“I don’t want to.”
Pain flashed across my mother’s face.
“Come now. I am sure there are misunderstandings, but if you come to our home, you can relax and we can clear this up,” Bargoth said.
“She said she didn’t want to.” Vaelor positioned himself right behind me, and I found his nearness reassuring.
“It’s up to you, of course,” Bargoth replied soothingly. “But I suspect you’re hungry and in need of rest. Please let us at least supply you with that?”
Silence followed as everyone stared at me.
All the emotions raged, but a part of me also wanted to see my mother. A part of me had wanted to since the moment I learned Bargoth might know her. The two sides warred within me.
“Fine,” I finally ground out. “But only for a short while.”
“Come, my love. Let us go.” Bargoth went to my mother and took her hand.
I blinked. Mother and… and Bargoth?
Mother gave me one last despairing look but turned to walk with Bargoth. Vaelor and I left a small amount of distance before we started following behind them.
“Are you all right?” Vaelor murmured.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked as evenly as I could.
“Maybe because you are acting as though your mother is a viper waiting to strike.”
“She might as well be.” I couldn’t stop thinking about how she left and how everything deteriorated from there.
Years of not knowing where she was, wondering if she was dead and that was why she was unable to return to me and Gerand.
“She walked out on us without a word, and now she’s just here and expects me to be happy about it? ”
He studied me. “Hmm, that explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“Your lack of trust.”
“What, in you? You tried to kill me. You said you’d most likely still kill me.” Although I no longer feared that from him.
“Only one of us succeeded at killing the other, and it wasn’t me.”
Despite what had happened only a few days ago, from the time that he’d refused to poison me, he’d done nothing but protect me—fight for me, even when it wasn’t to his advantage.
He wasn’t a monster. He only pretended to be one.
I tried not to think about how fast my feelings for him were shifting, and how dangerous it would be if I let them.
As the bordering trees thinned, I made out a modest hamlet not far from us, concealed by the surrounding forest.
I gazed at it in wonder. “You have a hidden town ?”
“That we do,” Bargoth said proudly.
Buildings of varying sizes lined the road as we came into town. A few were as small as my and Gerand’s cabin, most were much larger. Moss and ivy covered most structures and even wrapped around a picket fence in front of one cozy-looking home.
As we entered the town proper, I immediately noticed the demons bustling about, selling wares, blacksmithing, cooking.
They were the mixed breeds that Misophae was known for—creatures with human bodies and animal heads like Bargoth, and some with two different animals mashed together with no distinguishable human traits.
We came to a small market. Booths where merchants sold their wares dotted the square, displaying meats, baked items, tools, and art trinkets.
More importantly, there were actual full-blooded humans.
Not humans in chains or moving about in the shadows with their heads lowered.
They spoke with the demons, sold goods to them, laughed with them.
A human child ran down the street with a demon child playing a wheel and stick game, calling to one another.
Vaelor peered around, his fists unclenched, a look of amazement on his face. “This place is different.”
I nearly stumbled into my mother, who had paused for us to catch up. “Derand is a special place. There are only a few other towns similar to it in Misophae, all of them hidden.”
“Derand?” I asked with a frown.
Mother gave me a soft, affectionate glance.
I blanched, uncertain whether to feel flattered or sickened that she cared enough to name this town after her children but never made any effort to come and find us.
“The demons are kind to each other,” I said, swallowing my emotions.
Bargoth nodded. “Your mother founded this village and runs it with the other matriarchs. As you see, in Derand, most everyone is welcome. Half-breeds, full-bloods, and humans. Those who come here must abide by the rules of common respect, and slavery is strictly banned.”
“Are you saying this is a kind of utopia?” Vaelor asked.
“Every town has its problems, and we are not above that,” Mother said. “We are only a place where everyone strives to limit their natural prejudices.”
“But we must keep it hidden. Outside of towns such as these, warlords run Misophae. They’d never let a community like this rest in peace,” Bargoth said.
As we moved through town, two familiar figures caught our eye. Erlinen and Feron were among the many selling goods. Erlinen’s stand overflowed with delicious food.
“Feron? Erlinen? What are you both doing here?” Vaelor asked.
“My lord? My lord!” Erlinen raced around the stand, her arms open before remembering her place and backing off and bowing. “Forgive me for my lack of propriety, sir.”
“Do not worry about it. I said you were free of my service and I meant it,” Vaelor said. “How did you come to be here?”