"Where do you think you're going human?" Came a sluttering voice.
Dessa stepped back, surprised. She hadn't noticed anyone ever since she stepped into this forest and the invisibility spell had worn off. The women in front of her were obviously witches. They looked exactly the same if not for the different hair color.
"Hello, I was only passing by." Dessa said, trying to avoid trouble. She didn't have enough strength left to fight as it took a lot of her strength to chant the invisibility spell.
"Give me the two books you took." One of the witches spoke.
"What books? I didn't take anything from your hut." Dessa said with a sly smile.
"Little human, don't let me do this the hard way." The witch said again, obviously annoyed.
"Carmela, why do you waste time talking to the human girl. Mistress has asked for these two books and we can't return without it." With that she struck Dessa with a staff.
Dodging, Dessa fought back with everything she got as the two witches attacked her.
"What's so important about a pair of gardening books?" she asked.
"Release the books now and we'll let you leave." One of the witches said.
"As if." Dessa scoffed, turning around she used the little strength she had left to make a hand gesture, stopping the hands of time. As the whole forest paused in every movement, she looked at the two witches more clearly. These were black witches, she could tell from the slight scales on their skin. She wondered what they needed in the two books she found. Smiling sarcastically, she ran all the way to the palace as she couldn't pause the hand of time for too long. As she approached her room, she made another hand gesture and everything went back to normal.
In her room, she was shocked to see a figure lying comfortably on her bed and staring at her who was still in a commoner's outfit.
"Where have you been, Dessa?" he asked.
Seeing that he recognized her, Dessa felt like cursing. Every step she took was always noticed by Zamien. No matter how hard she tried to be cautious and careful she was always caught. The only good thing being that the man had never tried to make things difficult for her.
"I left the palace." She said and Zamien smiled. Dessa felt that the smile was the type of smile a wise man would give a fool.
"I can guess. What did you do outside the palace?."
"I met with a friend." She replied succinctly.
"What friend?" he asked with a smirk.
"She's a childhood friend."
"Ohh, really?"
"Yes." Dessa said dryly.
Zamien didn't reply anymore and instead relaxed on the bed with his eyes closed as if preparing to sleep. Dessa stood there awkwardly, wondering if he bought everything she said.
"Don't just stand there, wife," Zamien said "Take a shower and take a rest. You must have tired yourself out while visiting your friend."
Dessa felt guilty, but brushed it away, proceeding to call the maids.
"Ohh, umm, Dessa?" Zamien called and Dessa turned to look at him. "Don't forget to return those reports you took. I still need to study them."
Shocked, Dessa smiled warily and pretended to casually bring out the case files. There was no use lying if he already knew.