She refused to cry. Ember felt the anger and the hurt bubbling up inside of her, waiting to erupt. She felt hyper aware of everything, but the anger. The anger felt almost palpable, and that frightened her. This wasn't her. What did they do to her? How could they do this? Without talking to her about any if it. How could they keep something this life altering from her? Her entire life she had been lied to. They were real witches. She was a witch! Magic was real! They didn't even ask if she wanted to be given this. They called it a gift. Ha! Some gift!

Ember slowed her pace, seeing the lights of the village. The festival was still going on.

She groaned inwardly.

She did not want to run into any of the people that she had met from the group earlier. Their words floated back to her. It all made sense now. The way they reacted initially and her later encounter with Selia and Conor. Were they witches too? They must be. That or they knew that her family was. Either way, she couldn't deal with being around anyone right now. Not even if the two had seemed indignant about her family taking her to the hill. They obviously knew and didn't tell her. Not that she would have believed them even if they had told her. Ember snorted.

"Ember!" She suddenly heard her Aunt's voice from somewhere behind her.

"Shit." Ember muttered, glancing over her shoulder. She couldn't see the woman yet, so she had to decide quickly where she was going to go. She refused to be around either of them especially.

Through the field, to the meadow, into the forest beyond. Ember cut through the outskirts of the village, making her way towards the meadow. She saw a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye as she hurried past the faint glow of village lights.

It was Selia and Conor.

Fucking great! Ember thought. Maybe they won't notice me.

No such luck.

Conor started towards her, calling her name hesitantly. "Ember, please stop."

Ember shook her head emphatically, making her curls bounce and her maroon highlights glint looking too much like a flowing river of blood. "No, Conor. Not now. Please?" Her voice came out a strangled whisper.

Selia grabbed his arm, preventing him from coming any closer to the distraught woman. Conor jerked away from her, rushing to catch up with Ember, his steps cautious.

"Please, you don't have to stay, you don't even have to say anything but please take this." Conor held his arm out, a dark cloak draped over it, much like the cloak that the strange man in the meadow had worn.

Ember felt a lump in her throat as she accepted the item from him.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Conor nodded, eyes solemn, backing away as she turned, watching her as she sprinted towards the meadow ahead.

Embers heart pounded in her ears, moisture drying on her cheeks. She slowed once she made it back to the clearing, contemplating on resting at the big rock for a moment but quickly decided against the idea. She didn't think the meadow was visible from the village but with the moon still hanging high and bright in the sky, she did not want to chance her aunt or grandmother seeing her. No, she had to get to the woods. Then she would stop and rest. Then she would have time to collect her thoughts. The meadow was too open, she felt exposed there now. She paused briefly to wrap herself in the cloak. It was too large, but it concealed her completely. Raising the hood, she picked up the hem slightly and made her way into the enchanted looking forest that seemed to beckon her towards its dark pulsing heart.

Once under the forest canopy Ember slowed her pace, taking in the beauty of the dark woods that cocooned her. The forest smells assaulted her. Its woodsy incense surrounded her from centuries of trees and leaves decaying and regrowing from the earthy floor. The further she traveled the more mystical and spellbinding it became. The deep haunting melody of its ancient song called out to her. Umbrellas of black shadows danced above her despite the luminescent moon still hanging in the sky high above. The deep forests heart haunting diapason was an elixir for her soul.

All of the anger and hurt she felt seemed to melt away the longer she remained in the vast stygian sea of trees.

The trees suddenly fell away revealing a wide glade. Situated in the center of the clearing was an ancient gnarled Oak. It seemed to glow in the moonlight, growing taller as Ember made her way quietly towards it. She stopped, hearing a faint rustling sound in the woods beyond the glade.

She shouldn't be able to hear that. Ember realized then that the forest sounds around her were more pronounced. She could hear the whisper of a raven's wings overhead, the metallic tinkling of a stream somewhere to her left, and another sound that she could quiet place. Almost a rumbling hum, some wild animal deep in the woods around her. What she didn't notice, as she sat under the lone majestic tree was a pair of bright emerald green eyes, staring out at her from the thicket beyond.

Watching. Waiting. 

          Ember sunk further down into the plush ground, leaning back against the worn bark of the massive tree trunk. She pulled the cloak tight around her small frame, as a chilling gust of wind blew around her. It was getting late now. Ember knew that she would need to head back to her grandmother's soon, but she wasn't ready just yet. She didn't want to face her aunt and grandmother and what they had done to her.

What was she? A real witch? Could she even do any magic? Did she want to? Did she even know how to?

This explained so much from her childhood. Why she wasn't allowed to bring friends home, why the other parents didn't want her to play with their children.

Ember's face twisted menacingly, a snarl escaping her lips, at the thought of it all.

The wind suddenly twisted fiercely, blowing the heavy branches of the tree above her, making the leaves flutter down around her furiously. She gasped. Taken aback by the weathers sudden change and the odd noise that came from inside of her.

What was happening to her? Had she made the wind do that? It had to be a coincidence, right? And what was that sound? It sounded like an animal. It didn't sound like her, and it didn't sound human.

Suddenly Ember felt frightened. There was so much she didn't understand. As angry as she was with her aunt and her grandmother she needed to go home. To them. To talk with them and give them the opportunity to answer her questions and explain what was happening to her.

She had so many questions. She didn't know why, but she felt like there was something they were keeping from her, still. Something big.

"It's me." Something whispered.

Ember's eyes flew open and somehow without realizing she had leapt into a crouched position, ready to attack, or flee from, whoever or whatever had said that.

She glanced around warily, looking for the woman that had spoken. To Ember's surprise, however, she remained alone, in the glade. Shaking herself, she arose, readying to make the trek back to her grandmother's. Luckily no clouds adorned the night sky, it remained awash in the brilliance of the full silver moon.

Making her way across the lush grass, Ember remained alert. Looking for whoever was out there.

Someone had spoken to her. She hadn't imagined the voice. It almost sounded familiar. It was a voice she had heard before. She was sure of it. Perhaps one of the girls she met in the village at the festival?

Ember hummed. No, that wasn't it either.

"I'm in here." The voice said again, stopping her dead in her tracks.

Ember whirled around, looking for the girl, but still, she saw no one.

"Whoever is out there, show yourself now!" Ember commanded, hoping her voice sounded stronger than she felt.

An echo of a laugh seemed to surround her then, almost ghost-like in its timbre.

Who the hell was out there with her? Where were they hiding and why were they trying to frighten her?

Ember clutched at her pendant, hoping that she could pull some sort of strength and protection from the amulet that had once belonged to her mother.

"Listen to me!" The voice snarled, almost sounding inhuman now.

Ember let out an anguished cry, having had enough. She took off running towards the trees, hoping like hell that she would be able to outrun whatever it was that had found her alone in the glade. Once she disappeared into the cover of the thick forest canopy it all at once became much, much darker, but Ember continued to run at full speed. Too afraid to stop or slow down. 

  He stepped out of the shadows, lowering the hood on his cloak, standing in the exact spot the frantic woman had been standing just moments ago. He cocked his head to the side, listening. There was no one else out there with them, so what had frightened her so badly, and who had she been talking to?

Even with the dark cloak hiding her, he knew it was her. Ember. He would know her scent anywhere, but there was something new there now. Instead of the jasmine and honey, he smelled radiating from her earlier, there was something different there now, mixed within. He closed his eyes, focusing on the lingering scent of her, that seemed to envelop him. The smell of fresh rainfall floated all around him, tinged with vanilla, jasmine, and honey. He could almost feel the heat of the rainforest encircling him. The musky earthy aroma of the jungle floor. That heady fragrance, he knew it well. She smelled like home. His piercing emerald eyes flew open. Like gemstones reflecting on an abandoned ocean floor, they glimmered in recognition.

His chest rumbled deeply. With a sigh he ran his hands through his dark curly hair, staring into the forest after her. Bringing his hood back up over his head, once again hiding his face, he moved silently in the direction that she had run. He had to find her. He just hoped he did before it was too late. 

Ember stood quietly in front of her grandmother's house, contemplating her decision to return so soon. She could have gone back to the festival to see if Selia and Conor were there. To find out what they knew about all of this. She could have even gone to the shop instead. But here she was, and she needed answers from her family more than anything. Groaning inwardly, she slowly made her way up the steps onto the front porch. In truth, she had to talk to her aunt and grandmother. She wanted to hear about her mom and dad, and only they would have the answers. Once inside the house Ember shrugged off the cloak gently and hung it on one of the pegs that lined the entryway. Before she sat down to talk to the two women, she wanted to change her clothes and freshen up. Ember crept up the staircase towards her room. She heard the crackle of a fire and low voices floating up from the study below. Her bones seemed to ache with the chill of the late night.

Ember hung the beautiful dress up, letting her eyes linger on it for a moment before stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door. As she sunk into the deep claw foot tub her mind drifted back to the glade. Whoever or whatever had been out there didn't give chase, and for that she was grateful. She glanced down at the necklace that hung gently around her neck.

'Oh, ma, what am I going to do? Am I going crazy? I wasn't imagining things. After finding out that witches and magic are real, anything seems possible.'

A tear slid down her cheek, but she didn't seem to notice it, too lost in thought from the night's events.

Ember wrapped herself in a fluffy worn green robe and piled her hair on top of her head in a loose messy bun. She could at least be comfortable for the uncomfortable encounter she was sure was about to occur. She squared her shoulders and padded down the stairs, stopping in front of the closed study door. She could hear her aunt and her grandmother quietly talking. She almost wanted to turn around and go back to her room, crawl under her covers, go to sleep and put all of this off until the morning. Almost.

No use in putting it off any longer. Ember thought, raising her hand and knocking on the solid oak door.

"Come on in Em'." Her aunt called out, voice soft and tired.

Ember pushed open the door and stepped into the glowing warmth of the room. Her grandmother was seated in an oversized chair, a steaming mug gripped tightly in her wrinkled hands. Arwen had a throw tucked around her sitting in the floor, leaning against the couch, across from the old woman.

Ember closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to try and calm the bubbling anger she felt threatening to rise up and spill out of her, like some overflowing dam ready to burst.

"Come sit wi us child." Nori told her, voice gentle.

She walked stiffly through the room, taking the chair adjacent to her grandmother's, nearest the door.

"Would you like some tea?" Her aunt asked. "It's chamomile."

Ember sighed. "Yes, please."

Her aunt leaned forward, on her knees, over the thick coffee table that sat in the middle of the sitting area.

"Em, I know you are angry with us right now," Arwen began, pouring the hot liquid, from a kettle between them, into a cup, "and you have every right to be. I hope that with some time you can forgive us."

Arwen held the mug out towards her, an unspoken peace offering.

Ember stared at her aunt, her amber eyes pools of melted gold and copper. She wanted to take the mug and fling it at her, instead she took the cup and wrapped her hands around it, not speaking.

"Ave knowed the women in this family been witches fer as long as I can recall." Nori spoke from beside her.

The old woman stood, moving to the bookshelves that surrounded either side of the doorway. Ember watched as she pulled a thick leather-bound book from one of the lower shelves.

"This be our grimoire Em'. It holds our history. Our potions an our spells. Ery woman has added ta this here book. Yer Ma added ta it, yer aunt added ta it, an they got it from me aft I did me own addin' ore the years. Jus as we hope ya will be addin to it now. Tis special, an tis be an honor." Nori walked back to her seat, placing the thick book on the edge of the table, in front of the silent young woman.

Ember bit her lip, looking down at the mug resting in her lap. Her knuckles were white from gripping it so tightly and she knew that if she wasn't careful, the hot liquid would be all over her lap and the mug in broken pieces.

She turned sitting the cup on the small side table with a clink. She didn't want to be excited about the book, but she was. Her mother was in that book!

The three women all sat quietly for a moment. The only sounds coming from the crackling of the fireplace, and the gusting wind outside as it blew around the house rattling the windows.

Ember sighed, finally breaking the silence that filled the room. "So those kids I met at the festival." She stopped and looked at her aunt. "The ones I spoke to you about. Are they like us? Are they...," Ember paused, chewing on her bottom lip, "Are they witches too?"

Arwen glanced at Nori, then back at her niece, giving her a small nod of confirmation.

"So, they knew what you two were taking me up to the hill for."

She made it a statement.

Arwen glanced back at her mother, tightening the blanket around herself.

"Yes. They knew once you told them it as to welcome you into being. Don't be mad at them for not telling you, Em. It was forbidden. They couldn't tell you anything, Ember. It wasn't their place to tell you." Arwen added.

Ember huffed, narrowing her eyes at her aunt. "You're absolutely right. It wasn't their place to. It was yours. Both of you." She sucked in a ragged breath, trying to calm herself.

Why was her temper this bad? This was so unlike her, and she knew it. She didn't want to fight with them again. She wanted answers and blowing up would only prolong getting them.

She could feel her cheeks starting to warm as the anger continued to build. Closing her eyes, she gripped the arms of the chair and began taking deep breaths.

Ember wanted to know why they had both kept this secret from her until now. She wanted to understand what being a witch meant. Not just going off imagination and myth. Flying on brooms, warts, and turning people into toads!

Ember emitted a low growl.

She needed answers about her mother, about her magic, and ultimately about whatever secret that she knew the two women were still keeping from her.