CHAPTER TWO
“Kill. The. Child.” Simone heard her mother spell it out to someone. She tried looking at who she was talking to but could not figure out who it was then suddenly she felt someone pass by her with an inhumane speed.
‘It is her.’ She thought and casted some spell. She appeared in front of the lady and the lady came to an halt almost immediately.
“Simone, what are you doing out here?” Nessa asked with an arched eyebrow and defense stance.
“To collect the baby from you.” Simone answered with a glare.
Back to present:
Simone scoffed.
“B-But you are about to kill a new born in cold blood. Look, I know you are an heartless assassin but killing a child…” Her voice softened for a moment.
“Won’t affect me.” Nessa completed with an emotionless face. She looked down at the wailing child and glanced at the moon whose light was dim. Simone slowly and carefully muttered a spell and a ball of purple mist suddenly appeared on Simone’s stretched hand. Nessa looked up suddenly and saw it coming towards her but it was too late. The mist hit her on her right arm, making her drop the child but Simone quickly muttered another spell and the child started floating in the air. Nessa groaned in pain as she held her her arm. She slowly stood up and stared at Simone with menace.
“I did not want to hurt considering the fact that you are of higher status and that you are Keeper Athena’s daughter but now you have crossed the line. Permit me.” She gritted her teeth and a ball of wine mist appeared on both palms of hers. She fiercely directed it at Simone who stood at her defense stance. Simone ducked it and immediately stood behind Nessa. It was like a flash. Nessa looked around, searching for her.
“Where are you?” She yelled out. Simone chortled and tapped her shoulders. While she was busy groaning on the floor, she had used that chance to hide the child.
“Right behind you.” She said and as she was about to turn around, Simone punched her in the temple, making her collapse on the floor. She groaned out aloud pain.
Simone chuckled and crouched down next to her.
“I know you are fierce and you are holding back, why?” Simone asked as she gazed at her with scrutiny. When she got no reply, Simone pulled a dagger that was in its sheath in Nessa’s boots. “You surrendered surprisingly, easily.” She said and dipped the dagger slowly into Nessa’s heart. Nessa stared at her with her eyes bulging out in immense pain.
“I know you have always wanted to die. The missions my mother made you do. The person you have turned today into, you have always wanted to be free from it. And guess what? I am making it easy for you.” Simone said as she pushed the dagger swiftly into her heart. Then she pulled it out and dropped it. Nessa’s lips twitched and her eyes slowly closing. She was not going down as easily as Simone thinks.
Yes, Simone was right.
She was forced on this path.
Killing and assassinating was never what she wanted to do.
But she was under Athena’s influence. She had no choice and finally, she would be free.
But not easily, she has to cause Athena the pain she caused her also.
Simone stood up, thinking Nessa as a threat has been taken out. She walked over to the child and carried her. Just as she was about to say that last word of the spell, she felt something pierced through her stomach. The word caught up in her throat as she stared at her belly. The dagger she used on Nessa was stuck in her.
“… hük…” She forced the last word out and she disappeared. Just as she appeared in what seem like a pack ground, she spat out blood and had it smeared on the child’s face. The child did not stop crying the whole time. Simone did not bother to look back, she dragged her feet towards her destination. Blood oozed out from her wound but she did not let it stop her. Her clothes were dripping with her blood. No doubt, that she is losing a lot of blood. The dagger was still stuck in her belly.
The promise she made to her sister kept repeating in her head.
She cannot disappoint her sister.
No!
She looked around the pack, it was dark. She had made sure to mask her scent and also muttered some quietude spell for the child to stop crying. But since her blood was dripping, They could track her. She hurriedly walked towards the place.
She finally saw what she was looking for. The orphanage.
She walked towards the entrance and stared at the baby in her arms. She placed her on the floor.
She pulled out the locket her sister had given and wrapped it round the child’s neck. She was in pain. Raw pain.
Then she suddenly remembered something, the girl can be a witch.
No!
They would kill her.
She stared at the child with determination.
“I have to do this.” She thought.
She closed her eyes and placed her hand on the child’s forehead. Then suddenly, a bright green appeared and sank into her forehead.
“This… This would protect you.” She said with a grim smile.
“My time on earth is running out. See you in the afterlife.” She mumbled and slowly released her from the spell. The child cried out loudly. Simone quickly stood and disappeared.
Just as she got out from the pack, she started freezing; ice covered her entire body. She had used the forbidden spell and so she must certainly bare the consequence.
“Sister, I saved her.” She said in a message and used the last strength in her to pass it across to her sister, Eleanora. She slowly closed her eyes and she froze… To death. The ice broke and her spiritual prowess flew to her mother’s coven.
“Ahrghh!!!” Athena yelled and a huge breeze blew everything away. The witches cowered in fear and they fell on her knees with their head bowed.
“How could she do something like this?” She fumed with heavy breath. She had lost her child. Her precious daughter.
“Now, listen to me. From now on, Eleanora Roosevelt, is not allowed and will forever be locked in the prison underneath the south wing. Till the day, she sets her eyes on her daughter, seeing the light of the day will be impossible.” Athena spoke with full authority and the thundered struck as if complying to her decree. The witches could not look up.
Eleanor smiled as she received her sister’s message but a lone tear slipped down her face as she heard the hidden message.
“I am sorry, I would not be able to accompany you anymore.”