With the butler who had left the room, Penny sank back to sit on the bed. Her stomach felt full, waiting for Damien she took a look at the clock on the wall that continued to tick its hand forward. Letting her lie down with her back hitting the surface of the bed she looked at her reflection above at the ceiling of the bed. The mirror reflecting her worried self as her mind drifted back towards her dream.
Penny didn’t know what to make of it. With the memories of the image turning blur, she felt her head starting to ache like a splitting ache which would break her head in two halves. Pushing them away, she closed her while holding her forehead with her hand with closed eyes. Waiting for Damien, her eyes drifted back close even though it had been barely more than half an hour since she woke up.
By the Damien returned back home, he stepped into the room to find Penny who laid on the bed with her eyes closed and her breathing steady. Sitting on one of the plush chair’s armrest he pulled out the lace of his shoes. One after another before removing them off his feet. Going to her side of the bed, he lifted her head carefully before pulling the pillow below her head so that she could sleep much more comfortably. His feet padded around the room on the carpeted floor, taking off his clothes he stepped into the bath.
Penny who had her eyes closed opened her eyes gently with a hint of blush on her cheek. Was this man really Damien? Pulling up a pillow for her while she was fast asleep. It was hard to tell. There were different sides to Damien and it reminded her of an onion. The onion had layers one after another with a different shade and she wondered if he was like that too. The Damien who injured people easily, the Damien who was sarcastic and teaseful. The Damien who was kind which was very rare to see like his current action. Where was the kindness when he had made her walk on the tree? asked Penny to herself. Had there been a reason behind it?
She was so lost in thoughts that she forgot to close her eyes when Damien stepped back into the room with the towel wrapped around his waist that hanged loosely as if it would drop any second if he were to move more.
When their eyes met, Penny quickly closed her eyes as if wanting to pretend that she was sleeping.
“I now doubt your acting skills, mouse,” she heard him say, hearing his footsteps which were very light and distant. Pursing her lips, she opened her eyes as she turned herself to look back at the mirror without daring to look at the almost n.a.k.e.d master of hers, “I will be the first one to throw a rotten tomato at you if you were to act like this in the theater though you don’t have to worry about it as you won’t be stepping on the stage to act.
“I was going back to sleep,” she murmured, placing both her hands below her bosom she closed her eyes.
“Wouldn’t you want to know what happened to the black witch?” hearing this Penny quickly sat up, looking at him. The man had finally worn a night trouser which did a better job than the towel that was previously wrapped around his waist. The upper half of the body was bare, his black hair wet and dark under the candle and fireplace light, “Bathsheba is safe.”
Thank God, thought Penny to herself, “Did you find her?” asked Penny for him to shake his head.
“No.”
No? How could he confirm she was alive then?
As if reading her mind, he answered, “There was human blood, not a black witch’s blood.”
“The hunter caught up to her,” Penny murmured in thought. That would mean she wasn’t safe but if there was the blood of the human…
“She killed him and ran which is good but at the same time, witches have started to pour in or it might be a coincidence but there’s nothing called a coincidence. That can explain why there are witch hunters coming in. That only tells that something is brewing in the back which the council hasn’t caught up to yet.”
“Will she be alright?” asked Penny to see Damien shrug.
“Let’s hope she does,” he answered, picking a shirt he wore it before heading towards the bed. Seeing Penny thinking he then continued,
“Bathsheba is a smart black witch. She has lessons and knowledge to impart to you. We can’t have her dead so soon,” he pulled the blanket to cover his legs, “Why do you look lost?” Damien realized it wasn’t because of Bathseba but there was something going on in her mind.
“Um, that day Bathsheba said that it was only black witches who could identify the other witches while the white witches didn’t have the ability,” she started as her eyes darted left and right, “I had a dream.”
“Did you dream about your parents?” her eyes snapped up to look at him. This man was always one step ahead with the answers.
Penny wet her lips when she felt them go dry before speaking, “I think I had a memory recollection. When I was young and with the lies that were fed to be until a few months. Another lie my mother said was that my father died when I was a baby.”
“You saw him,” he murmured. Penny nodded her head, taking in a deep breath. Releasing the breath, she responded back,
“I did. The sad part is though I was young enough to remember, I have no recollection of how he looked until a few hours ago. I don’t even remember any of it. I also saw her. My mother knew what my father was but…I don’t think my father knew that my mother was a black witch.”
