Chapter 1 - Secrets

Emma’s P.O.V

I sat cross-legged against my favorite sturdy apple tree. I had my head leaning back against it enjoying the afternoon sun. The sounds of the dense forestry from behind me calmed my nerves. Today would hopefully be the last day living in the middle of nowhere. The closest town was an hour and a half walk and mother was against getting a car so we did not get the chance to go very often. I know it sounds rather lonely but the house had this aura about it. It was like a big hug, always making you feel safe and loved. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the small cabin I had called home for the last 10 years. The 2 story cabin sat nestled among the forestry with its gorgeous dark wood coloring making the surrounding gardens an even brighter green. I loved the way the wood changed to a lighter milk chocolate color with each sunray breaking through the forest. Its colored paned windows were currently open letting in the afternoon breeze. Allowing me to see every room from this position. My mother had built this home in her youth with help from her ex-partner Erik. It was a sad story how they split and I rarely brought him up as when I did the pain was evident on mother's face. I looked at the cabin with conflicted feelings, although I hated being isolated I did love this place. I spotted Sera’s silver curls hanging loose down her back stopping just above her waist in the kitchen leaning against the counter. She supported her famous frown and I wondered if she was thinking about leaving here too. I wondered if I should go and speak with her, after all, we were planning on moving to her father’s hometown.

I sighed remembering the first day I walked into this home, wonder had filled me initially as a child thinking that this place was perfect for a witch. Sera was always smiling back then, always seemed to be happy.

I tried to remember what the cause was to change Sera from a happy bubbly girl to this angst-filled, frustrated woman. I would have nightly terrors of my birth mother screaming for me to run and something chasing me for many years. Perhaps that caused it? No. Those dreams had subsided over the years and I would only get them occasionally as I got older. I smiled remembering how excited and ecstatic Sera was when I first met her, I being shy hid between my mother's legs as this sliver-haired girl barrelled towards me squealing in excitement. She jumped on me and hugged me so tight. Sera is 2 years older than me, and the day everything had happened was on her birthday. Such a terrible thing to happen but she didn’t seem to mind. It took her less than one day to start calling me little sister and a week to come up with special nicknames. She called me EmEm and in return, I came up with SeSe because her eyes reminded me of the sea. Honestly, I think my child's brain just thought she was some kind of fairy. But now, Sera had fully grown. She looked so much like a mother apart from her silver hair. She had dark blue eyes, the color of the deep sea with flecks of white/silver like the foam on the waves. Her petite frame from childhood had filled out completely, she had a rather large frame now. Wide hips, hourglass figure with a large bust making me feel a pang of jealously. I may have been younger but when I stood next to Sera I looked like a twig with crazy red hair. My curls are thick and untameable whereas hers are silky ringlets. I could only hope that I too would be that stunning when I reached adulthood.

“Emma?”

I snapped my eyes to my left, seeing my mother walking up the cobblestone path from the creek holding a basket of berries. She didn’t look much different from that first day I met her apart from her raven black hair which had grown much longer, now reaching below her buttocks. Her frame was still quite muscular for 45 and her age only showed on her face. She had the best kind of wrinkles, smile lines from years of laughter. Her cheeks were rounded apple-like and her lips full with a permanent smirk in the corner.

“Yes, mother?”

I smiled warmly and she returned a wider smile, I had never felt anything but love from this woman and I cherished it so much.

“I just wanted to check that you had everything packed up? I don’t know how long it will be before we return”

“Well, almost. I have a few bits of clothes I wanted to bring but they are still drying”

She nodded before a pained expression took its place.

“Okay, would you come inside please little one? I need to speak to both of you”

I loved that I had a special nickname from her too. I stood and stretched. I was not sure how long I had been lounging by the apple tree but my muscles had started to ache. I followed behind mother into our kitchen, for a moment I looked around taking a mental screenshot. Our kitchen was small and quite old-looking. We did not have any modern appliances apart from a small bar fridge, all our cooking was over a fireplace oven. I loved it. It gave anything we cooked a smoky flavor. The kitchen connected with an open room that housed our small dining table leading out to two smaller rooms on its left and right side that we kept most of the kitchen items in.

Sera turned and looked at us as we approached, smiling.

“Emma, where did you get off to today? I wanted to practice sewing with you this morning”

I groaned and looked at her apologetically. Mother had tried to raise us to be able to survive on our own, which included making our own clothes which I hated. Sera laughed.

“I’m joking, but I did make you a new dress for when we get to Diamond Lake for my birthday party”

I glanced at the dining room table noticing the velvet green dress, it was long with even longer sleeves giving off princess vibes. I grabbed the hem feeling the gorgeous velvet.

“Wow”

I glanced at Sera with her grinning triumphantly. Even though it would be her birthday every year she insisted I dress up and get presents too. Her reasoning was that was the day I came into the family so it was kind of my birthday as well. I had tried to explain to her that my birthday was later in the year but she would not listen. Now, I guess it had become somewhat of a tradition.

“You are going to look like a real princess EmEm”

I hugged her tightly, I didn’t know why I had been gifted such amazing people to love and cherish me. I thanked the Moon Goddess every day.

“Oh you too girls are so sweet to each other”

Mother smiled as she sat down at the head of the table, she pinched the bridge of her nose before continuing.

“I’m afraid we need to have a serious talk, I have not been completely honest with either of you”

Sera and I shared a look. Neither of us had any clue what she could be talking about. Mother did keep her secrets, however Sera and myself and pretty much discovered most of them over the years if not all of them.

“So, where do I start?”

Mother sighed again as she placed her head in her hands. After a few moments, she looked up at Sera.

“Okay, so Sera I know I have not told you much about your father”

Sera’s eyes narrowed waiting.

“You know he lives in Diamond Lake… but I think it’s time for you to meet him”

Sera growled anger glinting in her eyes

“So, due to… what we discussed earlier… I have organized for us to stay with him for a while”

“No! I will not meet that… that … so-called man”.

Sera interrupted, anger seeping from every word.

Mother looked at her pained.

“Sera this is not open for discussion, I just wanted you to know so you don’t lose it at him.”

Mother’s voice was soft but firm before she said,

“I wish you girls had never found those letters”.

“But we did, and we know what HE did to you. I will not be in the same room, no, the same town as that man”

Sera was getting angrier by the second, I glanced at her hands to see them shaking violently. Mother sighed again closing her eyes, I knew she was trying to calm herself down so as to not snap. Sera and mother had the same stubborn attitude that caused them to butt heads occasionally.

“Mother why would you do this? After everything, he did to you?”

I spoke up trying to figure out why she would insist on this, mother opened her eyes and looked at both of us. I suppose it would have been funny for a brief moment, Sera would have her frown and I apparently went wide-eyed when I was confused.

“It is not up for discussion. I am telling you what is happening and that is that.” Her tone was stern, a tone I had only ever heard when we had broken something or did something dangerous. She was not open to hearing our displeasure. Sera huffed and got up from the table, her hands still shaking.

“Fine but just know, when I see him I will hurt him.”

With that, she stormed off slamming her bedroom door. I looked back to mother, wondering if I should press it further. Why would mother push for this? In those letters he had sent to her he admitted to doing many terrible things before ending with an apology for hurting her. Although we did not know the extent of what had happened both Sera and I could gather it would have been horrific. I remembered mothers face turning ghost white when we showed her the letters, her eyes tearing up and she cried for a long time. I guess we were too young at the time for her to completely open up to us on what happened but to see our mother so hurt broke our hearts. Sera was so angry, after that day any mention of her father would send her over the edge. And now she was so quick to anger. She never hurt me or my mother but would insist on going on long runs to clear her mind. I hated running so would wait by the forest line under my favorite apple tree for her to return. I felt a wave of understanding. That was the moment! The moment she changed. Maybe mother had told her more about him without me around? No, Sera would have told me. We did not keep secrets between us.

Mother looked at me softly,

“Emma dear”

She had a pang of pain in her voice and I knew this was serious, mother never used my name unless it was.

“I have something to give you too”

Curious I waited for her to continue, she walked over to one of the locked draws in the adjacent hallway rooms. After a few minutes she came back in with an opened letter and gave it to me her eyes full of regret.

“I’m sorry Emma, I opened this when I first found you thinking it may have answers to your family”.

She took a moment to compose herself.

“Unfortunately it did not give me much, but I want you to have it. I think you are old enough now to understand it better”

I glanced at the letter she placed in my hands, a flowing and gentle handwriting greeted me;

To whom may find my sweet Emma,

I know you have a lot of questions but please know I am not long for this world and need you to keep my Emma close. She is young and cannot take care of herself yet, I have not told her of the changes as I wanted her to keep her innocence as long as possible. She is not like the others, she has never shown any anger or lust for the hunt. Please know that if Emma should arrive without me by her side please raise her with the kindness you showed her dad. I have attached a photo of all of us for when she is older. Thank you and Emma please never doubt that mummy loves you with everything she had and I am sorry we could not know each other for longer.

Kindest Regards

Rubi Cantavilli

I re-read the letter as wet splotches started to appear on the ink, I was crying. Mother rubbed my shoulders while humming the same tune she did for me every night I had a terror. I held my breath as I grabbed the photo left in the envelope and gasped. My mother, looked just like I did. Her fire-red curls framing her tight face, her lips were pursed and seemed very serious. She had my glistening green eyes, red-tinted lips, and white translucent skin. I glanced at the male standing next to her, his eyes bright blue with dark honey brown shaggy hair. He had a playful spark in his eyes. He was notably taller than my mother, his head bent down at an odd angle to fit inside the frame. I saw my father holding a baby snuggled into lime green blankets in his arms, a few little red curls hanging over the top corner of the blanket. Staring at this photo I was consumed with so many emotions. Joy at seeing who my parents were. Anger that they were gone. Guilt that honestly I had not given them much thought through the years and finally sadness. Mother gave me a hug from behind,

“I’m sorry I did not give it to you sooner. I was waiting for you to ask me about them initially… but then your nightmares started and I wasn’t sure if it would be the best option…”

She trailed off, her voice soft and comforting but I could feel the small sobs through her hug.

“It’s okay, thank you Mum”

I answered back just as softly. Turning to hug her back just as tightly. We stayed like that for quite some time until it was time to finish packing before dinner. I made my way towards my room, my now dry clothes loaded into my arms. I paused in front of Sera’s door. She had not left since her mother had brought up her father. Maybe she needed someone to talk to, I really wondered if she was keeping something about him to herself. I did not like thinking that. I breathed in deeply before knocking to talk about everything.