LAMIAE

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE: CONVERSATION WITH SANDRA

"Arleta gave me a family guide," Dagmara said, not really knowing why she was saying that. "It contains legends from the Świętokrzyskie region," she started rummaging in her purse, looking for a small book.

"Yes, I know these legends," Sandra broke away from her notes for a moment and looked at the book that Dagmara was already holding in her hand. However, she was soon looking at her notes again, so Dagmara started to move away. Then the girl's voice stopped her:

"There's a legend about witches' sabbaths," she began, putting aside her notes. Dagmara decided that it was probably a good moment for her to come closer and listen to what she had to say. "Of course, it's made up, although there are rumors that the author himself once climbed Łysa Góra and described what he saw.

"Arleta said that Kielce has been associated with witches for years."

"That's right," Sandra admitted. She thought for a moment, searching for examples in her mind. "There are organized rallies of witches on Sienkiewicza Street. So you can see how girls can dress up. This year, in June, there will be a Witches' Sabbath in the Kadzielnia amphitheater. It's true that last year it was more like a musical spectacle, but there is always some reference."

"And people really don't believe that witches exist?" although there was so much clear evidence of their existence, somehow no one put it together.

"No, because we can take care of ourselves," for the first time in Dagmara's presence, Sandra smiled. It was such an amazing phenomenon that the girl stared at her for a bit. SHE could smile. "I also think that you should have found out the truth the moment you entered this house," she took the opportunity to reveal her opinion.

"Really?" she tried not to sound skeptical, but there seemed to be some doubt in her voice. Sandra showed open reluctance towards her from the very beginning, or maybe she was just like that?

"Yes," Sandra was sure of herself. Dagmara sat down on the sofa, and Sandra narrowed her eyes as she pulled. "Of course, I don't make the rules, I just adapt to them, but when you arrived there was artificial commotion around you. I say artificial because, as you can see, you could have found out everything back then, but no, everyone was walking around you on tiptoe. That's what annoyed me the most," she was telling the truth. Dagmara remembered her words perfectly in the tunnel under the school, when she asked Alan to leave her alone, because he would bring misfortune not only to Arleta and himself, but also to her. "You're thinking about Alan, right?" Sandra asked, observing her closely.

Dagmara nodded. There was no point in lying.

"He's planning something," Dagmara started, with some sadness in her voice. "I know he has an idea how to save Arleta."

Sandra opened her mouth, but then closed it. Dagmara could tell by her body language that she wanted to say something. Finally, after a long moment, she spoke:

"I heard about the plan, too," her voice was firm, with no hint of hesitation in it. "But I don't know what he assumes, because he hasn't revealed it to anyone. Are you aware that even Arleta only knows part of the plan?"

Dagmara denied it. No, she hasn't heard about it. She thought that her friend knew everything and consciously agreed to it, just like Genevieve and the witches, one from each province.

"I'm not sure about your grandmother, whether she knows all or part of it, but Arleta once told me in secret that she was afraid. That she was simply afraid of this plan," it was clear that Sandra was bothered by it too. Maybe that's why this conversation took place, maybe that's why the Sandra wanted to talk to someone.

"Grandma definitely won't let anyone hurt her," even though she said it, the thought was still in her head that her grandma wasn't a clairvoyant, that Genevieve was just a human being who could make mistakes."