Giving 13 chapters Mass Release, don't forget to leave comments on the chapters and also use your power stones to vote~

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"I don't mind," answered Penelope for Damien to clap his hands together.

"That is lovely. Penny will come here from tomorrow and if needed I can set up a place for both of you to meet so that her presence doesn't draw any attention. Have you sensed any black witch other than yourself pass by here?"

Bathsheba looked at her door, "There are many who pass by with the black market next to this village but no one dares to stay. And on another note, councilman Damien. You should know that there have been deaths. The recent one being taken place five days ago," the black witch smiled, and the human tongue which she had posed until now turned to a hiss as the snake-like tongue came out of her mouth before sliding back in.

Stepping out of the house from the back door, Damien took Penny inside the forest where Penny's feet walked quite fast than his own. She appeared to be in deep thought who hadn't spoken a word after leaving the house of the black witch which had been close to twenty minutes ago. Damien didn't mind walking but Penny was walking aimlessly whilst not knowing the direction of where to walk.

Damien himself was surprised to hear that Penelope's mother was still alive unless the woman who had been buried was never her mother and there was some fault in Bathsheba's reading. How strange, thought Damien to himself. The girl was warped with mysteries which she herself wasn't aware of.

"You are walking in the wrong direction, mouse. Go farther away and you will step into the wilder part of the forest," Penny upon hearing this stopped immediately, her trans like self broken at Damien's voice.

"I am sorry," she apologized for not realizing it until he pointed it out to her.

"I didn't notice it."

"You didn't," agreed Damien before his eyes swept from looking at her to the forest they had stepped in farther than away, "Do you want to go see your mother?" he asked knowing if he confirmed it herself she would feel much more at ease than feel agitated as she felt right now.

"Do you think it is possible that my mother whom I thought to be my own was never my actual mother who gave birth to me? And that the woman who gave birth to me is still alive?" asked Penny with a worrisome face.

"Various theories can be pulled from it, Penelope. But until and unless you don't see it yourself, you might not be able to find the truth on what you want to hear that is if you are ready."

Some of the crows that had perched up in the tall lush trees cawed together which sounded distant from where they stood. With the clouds that had gone to cover the sky again and the leaves that were spread out wide turned the forest dark and cozy, "The villagers won't speak about it or might not even know. So far as I remember and you should know it too that my mother and I were unwelcomed after my father left us," she looked down at her hand where she had been clutching on to Damien's kerchief that had blood inked in it.

"And your answer was that it was because the villagers shunned your family at the possible thought that your father had run away with another woman. But now that we know that it isn't true and that he has passed away, there should be something else we can find. What about the magistrate?"

Penny shook her head, "He is a newly appointed magistrate. The previous magistrate was found hanging on the tree with a noose around his neck."

"The village you grew up in sounds very much interesting with every passing time of when it is brought up for discussion. I have a proposal if you don't mind," seeing Penny continue to hear in silence, the Damien continued, "Let's get a bone from your deceased mother."

"How would that help?" she asked.

"Bathsheba is more than a capable black witch. And the only handy one where you can find your answers," that was true thought Penny in her mind. It wasn't that she minded the idea but it seemed odd and who dug graves all over again unless it was moved to another cemetery which was a very rare occurrence as the villagers often preferred to keep everything in one place, "If we get a bone, we can prove to see if the woman was your actual mother as she has posed all these years or if there is something more to the story which we aren't aware of."

"Okay," she agreed willing to try it, "When do we do it?" the villagers wouldn't be happy if they found someone digging the already dead people from the ground. It would only cause another rift that could end up under the light of the magistrate or other higher-ups which they didn't want right now.

"If I am not wrong, the village is having a festivity of carnival that has been up for two days now. We can go there at the time of night when it is over and everyone is asleep."

The carnival in the village extended for two more days before the things that had been put up were being pulled down so that the people could move to the next village to attract people to earn money and continue their livelihood. It was the time of night where Penny sat in the room waiting for Damien who had gone down to be with his family as his father had requested for his presence with the rest of the family members.

When he finally returned back, Penny looked up at Damien like an actual pet who had been waiting for its master's arrival. Curious Penny asked, "Everything went well?"

"Yes. He said walking to the bathroom to come out of there after a few seconds, "Why do you ask? It is something my father does every month. To have a family meeting to make sure we all are getting along well with each other and to know if there's anything that the family needs to know. Nothing too big. Are you ready?" he asked to find Penny quickly jump from the bed and stand in front of him.

Damien who wore his coat pulled another one to hand it over to her, "Wear this one," he said while going to his door to lock it with the bolts which were built on the wall and the doors. Once it was secure, he came back to her where she wore the coat he had given her.

The clock on the wall of the room hooted with the owl that came out with every move of the pendulum, "Grab my hand," and she placed her hand. In a second, the cold wind rushed through her while she felt like ice due to the time they had stepped out to finally be back near her village standing behind a couple of trees. Crickets chirped behind the bushes and in the grasses that surrounded them. As expected, there was no one sight as everyone had gone to sleep with the time that had moved to the next day.

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