The house that the black witch lived appeared to look like any other house in the area. The walls of it painted white which had faded to form cream in color due to the continuous rain and the atmosphere change. If looked closer one could tell that it was one of the most decent looking houses here.
With no people seen on this side, Damien and Penny came to stand at the front of the door. Raising his hand, he knocked on the door once before dropping his hand down to his side. The door didn't open which gave Penny the time to look at the small potted plants that looked as if it had been dug only in the morning to loosen the soil in it. Looking at the window, Penny noticed the curtains that covered the inside of the house.
When the door finally opened, it didn't open completely until the person in the dark caught sight of Damien out the doorstep of the house. The door opened without the person coming out in the light. Damien didn't utter a word but stepped inside the house. Penny stared at the darkness inside before following Damien's footsteps to hear whoever the person had let them in speak,
"This one trusts you blindly."
"You think?" asked Damien mindlessly.
"Do you not trust Damien, witcher?" asked the female voice in the darkness of the room which was invited further when the door was closed shut as if leaving the outside world.
With a lot of light that was outside and with the cut of light, Penny took some time to adjust her eyes to the darkness to notice the room was not actually dark but had a lantern burning at the edge of the table whilst the curtains continued to be closed. Penny could see the outline of the person who picked up the lantern to turn around to bring it face to face in front of her and Penny.
Penny now understood what Damien meant earlier on not to stare at the Bathsheba. Half of her face was disfigured while the other half appeared to look beautiful. It was as if the face had melted out under the constant fire which was left beyond repair. She quickly lowered her eyes to not cause any offense to the black witch. If it weren't for the other half face no one would ever doubt her to be a black witch.
Feeling Bathsheba's eyes which were pale grey in color, Penny raised her eyes to look back at the black witch as if she were waiting for her to speak, "He's not done anything to harm me."
"Of course," when the woman smiled Penny couldn't stop herself from being mesmerized by the person. Even with a disfigured face the woman still managed to look charming with a small smile which she offered. This must be a black witch's ability to please people, "Come sit in here."
The house as much as it looked clean and neat outside, it was the opposite inside. It was an utter mess that made Penny itch to clean the room that she was in, "Still brewing your pot I see," Damien murmured who didn't hold back to look at things the black witch was up to.
"That is the most I can do for myself. It is hard to step outside with worthless men trying to woe me for marriage and women being jealous of what I am. It makes me wonder how much of their responses would still be the same if I wear to let them see the other half of my face," the black witch, her response causing a chuckle from Damien who responded with,
"I won't come to your funeral if that were to happen."
"How melancholic. Vampires never come to a witch's funeral not even if they are in love. It is a true fac," the last line spoken to Penny.
"You don't have to worry about that. Penelope won't die. At least not under my supervision," Damien chipped in before plopping himself by removing the clothes that were on the chair, "Did you get whatever you needed for your ritual?" he asked the black witch.
"Luckily I got everything set last night. Things you sent through your man was quite useful," answered the black witch before going to say, "Though I have to say that he makes me want to boil the pot for him," Penny who was trying to follow what black witch meant heard Damien respond with,
"Spare him. If it is people that you crave I have some very enticing looking men and women I am sure you would like to cook for your meal," hearing this Penny couldn't her eyes from going wide.
She had heard about black witches eating people but she had taken it to be like any other exaggerated rumor of the village she grew up in. To think that this person ate people she couldn't help but be wary and Damien had brought here. But then what other choices did they have? With the current circ.u.mstances of the white witches that were looked upon, she would only be another scapegoat of the council where it would be impossible to move. To be under the eye of the government was something she wasn't looking forward to.
After the little education she had received while also reading the books and trying to understand them which were stacked in Damien's room, she could tell that she didn't want to be part of it. There were some details that Penny had found it to be shady.
"Penelope. Sit down here," said Bathsheba pulling out the chair for Penny to sit. Clutching her hands together, Penny walked forward and took a seat at the table. Once she had seated herself, she glanced towards Damien who was looking at Bathsheba with his eyes not blinking away even for a moment. As if feeling her eyes, his gaze snapped to look at her where he gave her a smile.
"Bathsheba won't lay a finger on you," he said sensing her stressed nerves. Penny wished there were times when Damien wasn't this straightforward and would learn to keep a few things to himself without exposing her to the other person.