Hidden World

Chapter XXIII - Darkness is here

Rose stayed at home trying to process all that she learned along with her emotions. She felt overwhelmed and cursed herself for coming back to this town but now it was too late for her to turn back as the wheel of fortune never stopped from turning.

The next day, around lunch she decided to go back to the fare ground to see if the eerie tent from a few days ago was still there and it seems that she drew a lucky card.

This time of day, the fare was not as crowded so she carefully made her way and entered the tent.

"It's you again" the woman inside said once Rose entered. Her reaction caught her off guard as she remembered that last time she encountered an old woman.

"What do you mean?" she said and sat down, and it was good she did. In a second, the young woman in front of her changed slowly in the face that was familiar before turning back into her younger self. "I assume I came to the right place." She said and sighed.

"Indeed, you did. It seems that now you are looking for me." The woman said and sat across from Rose. She could not help but stare at the woman's beauty, she did look like a goddess and now she was sure that the one in front of her was no other than Hecate.

"I need you to make a spell." Rose said but her voice did not sound as confident as she would have liked.

"This means you want to make a deal?" Hecate responded and her curiosity was peaked.

"I do."

"I am a little bit intrigued but why would I do that for you?"

"Sebastian has your book, and he will use it if he didn't already." Rose crossed her arms over her chest. "I assume you already know all this."

"I do know. This is a mess you created and one you must clean before it becomes too late. If only you would have listened, but I guess is not in your nature as you are here instead of your place at the border between worlds."

"What can I say, is a blessing and a curse."

"You know when I asked the witch to write the book for me...." Hecate started to say and in Rose's mind came the thought that she was again subjected to a speech and a history lesson. "...I did not expect you to get involved. I wanted to give my witches more power but in the same time a way to defend themselves as some of the Gods out there are not as kind to humans as they should. But, one day, you decided that you wanted the book for yourself. You did pay a price but you put all of us in great danger."

"And I assume you do not like me as much."

"Exactly but, I will make the deal with you. The question is what would you offer me in exchange?"

Before Rose could answer, he phone pinged and she looked at Hecate "I forgot about this." She said and took the phone out only to see that she had an unread message from Sebastian. Without a second thought she opened it and her face became way paler than it was before. She dropped her phone from her hand and got up from the chair not knowing what to do.

When she opened the message all she was met was with a picture that was bound to give her nightmares. In front of her there was an image of Malwin with his hands bound behind his back and kneeling on a concrete floor. His shirt was ripped and she could see bruises forming along with deep cuts. Along with the picture there was only one message:

Bring me the dagger.

Hecate saw her reaction but said nothing as she did not understand why the sudden change in Rose's mood.

When Rose came back to her senses, she took the phone and replied:

Where are you?

She looked back at the Goddess and the other could see the determination in her eye. Something inside Rose changed as her expression went from pure fear to anger. "Anything." The girl said with a cold and steady voice that only made Hecate smile.