Ella’s POV
“Mummy!”
I could swear that my heart stopped working at that time when I heard Nathan scream. I ran forward to where he was, afraid he had hit his leg against a stone and was bleeding. I made them walk in front of me and I walked behind them so I could better protect them but that also meant that they would be the first to be exposed to the dangers of the road but I felt that was better than having them kidnapped behind me and spending the entire journey looking for them or fighting for them. I couldn’t afford to waste time. I had to do what was here to do on time and go back home.
I got to where he was, squatted by his side and heaved a sigh of relief. He wasn’t hurt or bleeding. He was perfectly okay asides from the tears running down his face and I pulled him into an embrace to calm him down. The others could start crying as well and I didn’t need that distraction at the moment. Tugging three crying kids wasn’t part of the plan.
“What is the problem, baby?” I asked him.
“That bird is staring at me, mummy. I think it wants to swallow me.” He cried, pointing at a bird perched on the nearby tree.
I looked at what he was pointing at. The bird was truly staring at him but it didn’t want to swallow him. I didn’t blame him for thinking that way though. Two hours ago, I had fought off a humongous bird that had wanted to pick Neo off the ground and I believed that had given Nathan the fright.
I sighed, feeling my heart bleed inside as I thought of the trauma this was going to give my boys. I hated that I had to take them with me on this risky adventure but they were important tools if we wanted to save their father.
I turned to him, smiling as I spoke. “That bird isn’t big enough to swallow you. Even if it wants to, I will be here to protect you.”
“Promise, mummy?”
I chuckled. “I’m your mother. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The boys nodded at my words and Neo moved closer to Nathan, patting him gently on the back. “Stop crying, Nathan. Mummy will protect us.”
I smiled as Nathan wiped the tears off his face. I loved the bond between the boys and that might be what would keep us sane on this journey.
“Let’s go, boys.” I said to them as I moved back to my initial position of being behind them. “We still have a long way to cover.”
“I don’t like this adventure again. I’m afraid.” Nick grumbled.
“When is daddy coming, mummy?” Neo asked. “You said he would join us soon.”
I felt bad for lying to my kids but it couldn’t be helped. Kevin would never have let me leave if he knew of my plans and I didn’t trust that Liam wouldn’t run to snitch on me to him that I came to his place to ask about the witch. I couldn’t afford to waste too much time in that house doing nothing.
“Dad would soon be here.” I said to them.
They smiled, seeming relieved by my promise. I hoped that they would be able to find it in their heart to forgive me when they eventually find out that I had been lying to them and their father wasn’t going to show up.
I thought of Kevin and wondered how he was doing at the moment. I wondered if he had found the letter and hoped he didn’t anytime soon in case he hadn’t. I wanted to have gone far before he finds it. I didn’t doubt that he would be in so much pain if he had found the letter and my heart clenched at the thought of him hurting.
“Mummy, I’m tired.” Neo said two hours later.
“Me too.” Nick and Nathan said at the same time and they all stopped walking, refusing to move further.
I sighed as I looked around, trying to find where we could camp. They had tried. I had even expected them to cry out of fatigue minutes ago. It had been a long journey, one I had intentionally made longer.
Liam had drawn me a map to the witch’s house and there were two paths that led to where she lived. The second path was longer but it wasn’t filled with dangerous animals and creatures as much as the first path and I had chosen that so I wouldn’t have to deal with much stress while trying to protect my kids.
“Let’s rest here.” I told the boys after making the tent we would sleep in for that night.
They got in without a word and slept off immediately while eating. I wished I could sleep too but I didn’t dare to. Someone had to stand guard and watch my children.
I cursed as I ran my hand over my face, wiping off the sleep. I had no idea I had slept off and wondered when exactly it was that I had slept off. I sighed as I quickly checked behind me to look at the boys and heaved in relief when I found out that they were all there, sleeping soundly.
What a life. I couldn’t believe I had planned to not sleep all through the night. I saluted the men who had watched all through the night while the rest of us slept when we were coming back from the Utopia town. I didn’t blame myself though. I had had a long day. From finding out that my man was closer to his grave than I thought, enduring the insults of his clingy ex, packing a travel bag to sneaking out of the house to avoid being seen by the servants, yesterday hadn’t been easy on me.
I moved outside the tent to stretch and jumped in fright when I saw a strange person lurking at the tent. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here and quickly assumed an attack pose, ready to fight her off if she tried to move closer to my children.
Her eyes widened as she saw me move into an attack pose. “Who are you?”
“Who are you?” I asked her.
She snorted. “I should be asking you that. I don’t expect anyone to be here. No one comes here anyhow.”
I relaxed a bit. “I’m not traveling anyhow. I came here with a purpose.”
“What do you want? Why do you come to a place people don’t stay in?”
“There is one person who lives here. I’m looking for the witch Elizabeth.” I said.
She arched her eyebrows, taking a good look at me. “Why are you looking for her?”
I frowned at her nosiness. “That is between me and the witch.”
“I guess I should take you to her then. You shouldn’t stay here any longer than is necessary. It’s dangerous.”
“You know her?” I asked, wanting to be sure she could take us there in case this was a trap.
“She is master. I’m Jennie.” She smiled as she nodded at me.
I didn’t know the witch had an assistant but I would take the chances I could get. She was right about one thing though. This place was dangerous and there was no mother on this earth that would risk their children to unnecessary danger.
“Let me get my kids and I will join you shortly.”
Her eyes seemed to widen more at my words than when I had told her that I was looking for her master. “You have kids here?”
“It’s a long story.” I sighed. I knew it sounded crazy that I had my kids with me on a supposed dangerous journey but I wasn’t about to explain myself and be judged for it.
“I guess we have to move fast to protect the kids.”
I had been protecting the kids on my own but I didn’t tell her that to not offend her.
“Since this place is dangerous, why are you here? Alone at that?”
She chuckled. “I’m here to gather herbs and I’m a witch’s assistant. I’m protected against creatures that might want to harm me. The spells around me repel them.”
“So you are our best bet at protection at the moment.” I pointed out.
She nodded. “I’m your best bet at protection at the moment.”
I nodded. If the spells around her can repel the evil creatures around here, I was going to stick closely to her as much as I could.
I moved to the tent, woke them up, folded the tent and hurried after Jennie.