"I worry about losing you. I cannot think about what will happen if I were to lose you or our children," she said, her voice wavering at the end. She sighed, "Shall I come along with you?"

"Ester will be left alone with Kiren. It would be better to have you here looking after and we already decided that you would be here while I take Kiren with me. He needs to meet and learn how things work in the witch's life now that he has turned thirteen. It is time for him to leave the nest." 

His wife unwillingly nodded her head. 

"Okay. It is a two-day journey. I will wait for four days before coming to travel to you," she said as her heart couldn't agree to every word her husband said. No matter how many times she was rea.s.sured, she couldn't help but worry. 

When the day arrived where her son and her husband left home to travel to Valeria after creating the potion which would be utilized by the Lord of Valeria as said by the councilman, they left on foot to have Ester and her mother looking at their diminis.h.i.+ng body as they walked further and further away from the house. 

Ester asked her mother, "Mama," she turned to look at her mother who picked up a flower that had been at the front of the house. 

"What is it, dear?" 

"Will we not live here anymore?" there was a small concern that hung on the little girl's face. 

Her mother turned, seeing her daughter who looked bothered with it, she bent and sat down on her heel, "That's what we planned. Are you not happy with it?" 

"Why?" the young girl questioned. 

Her mother placed both her hands on either side of her shoulders, "It is so so that we can go to the market without fear. I won't have to worry that if you step out of the house where someone will take you away from it. Your brother can get better work along with your father. You can make friends," her mother encouraged with a small smile. Since her children were born, both she and her husband had restricted their interactions with the outside world. 

"I can?" there was a budding enthusiasm in the girl's voice.

"Of course. You can make friends, bring them home, play house," her mother, running her hand on her daughter's head. She leaned forward to kiss the girl's forehead, "Wouldn't you want that?" 

The little girl nodded her head eagerly. Patting the girl's head, the mother stood up, "Let's get back inside," she said nudging her daughter gently before her eyes took in her surroundings. There was no one around, with the village houses that were scattered around the forest ground, the houses were distributed against each other with a good distance. 

At the time of night, Ester slept on the same bed as her mother, her hands clutching on to her mother's dress with her eyes closed as she was fast asleep. The woman in the meantime read the parchment which was handed down to them by one of the fellow white witchers. Reading under the lantern's light, she finally placed it away. Stopping to pat her daughter's back and pulling back her hand so that the little girl could sleep comfortably. 

She let her daughter sleep while she wondered where her husband and son were. If they were alright. 

Tempted by worry over the time that had pa.s.sed where one day had pa.s.sed she couldn't help but ponder about their well being. She pulled the little vessel from the bottom of the cupboard. Placing the candle in the front and bringing the knife close to her wrist before swiping on it to draw blood. Red blood drops fell into the vessel. One drop falling after another until the bottom was covered in her blood. 

Letting go of the knife by placing it down without making much noise, she moved her hand in the air slowly until a fog-like smoke appeared which was black in color. Tapping into something which was forbidden, just for the sake so that she could know her family's well being, she received the answer of their well being. 

But everything had a price to be paid. Her back started to itch before a scaly dark formation started to develop on her smooth skin beneath her clothes. 

"Mama?" 

Hearing her little daughter, Ester's voice behind her, she quickly pushed the vessel away and behind her so that her daughter would not see it. But the girl had seen it all, hearing every muttering words which she had found the opportunity without her parent's knowledge. 

"What happened? Bad dream?" the mother asked, going to sit next to her daughter whilst hiding what had happened a few moments ago. 

"What were you doing?" asked the little girl. 

"Making sure your brother and father are alright," she didn't want to lie about what she did but at the same time, she didn't speak more on it. Forbidden magic was something no one was supposed to use. The more one used, the more they turned to the darker side with no control over it, "Go back to sleep, dear. They are fine and safe just as we are," the woman smiled down, going back to pat her gently. 

Far away from where they lived, the father and son continued to walk in the lonely and deserted forest. Their feets scrunching on the dried twigs and leaves which were on the ground. Suddenly, the white witcher stopped his son by raising his hand. Halting his footsteps to look around the area they were in. His eyes moving in the dark...