Moon Witch Ch. 08

My skin prickles. I look up to see the grim general staring at me. Or rather... The exposed tops of my breasts. My cheeks burn and I hastily finish tying my robe closed. "D-did you find what you needed?"

He looks away in response, embarrassed. "I did." He walks over to me. "Awvag told me to ask about your necklace."

"Oh," I say. Awvag must have thought it be important that the general know I'm a witch. Then again, there really was nothing that was preventing me from telling Erik. Though, when I think about telling him the truth, my heart pounds.

"Miss Selene?" He says with a raised eyebrow. I realize that I've been staring silently at him with a panicked expression.

"Sorry, I-" I can't bring myself to say it to him. It goes against how I've lived my whole life, keeping my magic secret in the Sorrean forest. "Awvag made me this, he said. I don't know what it is but he said he made it for me."

The general nods. "I thought so. I wasn't sure what he meant when he talked to me about it but I realized when I saw it just now. Why didn't you tell me you were a witch?"

"What do- How did you know?"

The general smiles tightly. "They never got around to telling you what Awvag is? He works metals but has always specialized in magic. He works enchantments into his pieces and sells them to magical folks who need a little something extra."

Something about the general finding this part of my life out feels more panic inducing than when Hes revealed he knew the truth. "I guess I just thought that he made pretty things with metals. I should've pressed them for more details on why he had made this for me. Did he tell you what it's for? Or do you have any idea?" I look up at the tall man, excited at the prospect for some answers.

But to my disappointment, he shakes his head.

"In all honesty, it could be anything at all. But knowing him, I'm sure that the reason will reveal itself to us when we need it."

I nod, not quite being able to hide my disappointment. "It's weird, though, because I'd left this behind on Abelo's cart when we were caught. I thought it would just be lost forever. But it was here, along with this book, with this note on top." I hand it over to the general, who reads it over with a furrowed brow.

"Abelo sent me to return this here for the right person to find. Selene, sorry for failing you." Eryx reads aloud. He puts the note back down. "He probably wouldn't have felt right keeping your belongings when you were captured under his watch. He's always been a decent man."

I'd taken the necklace off because the way that I curled up in the bed of Abelo's cart had made it poke into my breast in an uncomfortable way. I had slipped it off and wound it up around my fingers, with the journal tucked in the gap between my stomach and thigh. They packed so many objects on top of me that I was almost scared I'd suffocate, but there was just enough room for me to wiggle around if needed. When Abelo's cart reached security, they threw everything off to find me helplessly curled up in the cart. They'd roughly grabbed me and in the excitement of it all, I'd left the journal and necklace behind.

"What is that book, though?"

I sigh, slightly relieved that now I have nothing to hide, though I still feel the dull disappointment that I was found out by the general. "It was a weird book that I found in the library one night. I took it because it just seemed to call to me. It's so weird, though, Everything is in Sorrean and it feels like it's a journal, written... To me."

General Erik frowns. "Is that a thing, though? Is that a magical thing that happens?"

"I don't know, I honestly don't know a whole lot about magic either." I say honestly. "I was just trying to make a living with my healing magic once my parents died, no one every taught me stuff. Well, I guess this book taught me some stuff."

"What, like some dark magic or something?" The general seems to be teasing me, but I can't quite refute his suggestion when I remember the disturbing sections about life magic I'd read. My silence must be telling. "Oh."

"Areana noressa was the only word not written in Sorrean in here. I needed to know what it meant."

"You're sure? She really doesn't have the best reputation. People say that going to see her will lead to a fate worse than death. I don't have the best feeling about it all."

"If you're willing, general, then I'm sure." My stomach churns a bit with my nerves. "I weirdly feel confident about it - I need to see her."

"I guess if anyone would be able to help with your weird feeling of confidence, the Desert Rose is one option. She's one of the most powerful entities alive today. She commands massive respect around the desert tribes. We should get going, though. You're lucky that she's so close to here." And so the general once again helps me up onto the horse and we set off to see the Desert Rose.

---

If you enjoy my writing, please consider leaving your comments, voting, and following me. I appreciate your thoughts!