Katrin laid on her back, gazing at the roof of the carriage. Over time, she had regained movement of her fingers and was currently tapping her index finger with the uneven rocking of the cart as it departed the town.
The small space was being lit by a little lantern and beside her, the old woman mixed liquids of different colors, pouring the concoction into a wooden bowl before bringing it to Katrin's lips. "Here, drink this."
Katrin eyed the green mixture suspiciously. After what she'd just experienced, it was certain she could not trust the witch. "What is this?"
The lady kissed her teeth in frustration. "It's a cure. It will give you back control of your body, except your legs. I'm sorry but I can't risk you trying to escape." She nudged the bowl to Katrin's lips, making sure the girl drank every last drop.
After a while, Katrin could move her upper body. And using her hands she pulled herself up into a sitting position, resting her back against the cart's moldy wall.
"I'm sorry about these situations child." The witch apologized, taking a seat to face Katrin. "I never intended for any of this to happen."
Katrin scoffed, turning her face away. 'Yet here I am,' she thought to herself.
"Don't act as if you had no choice in this. I asked you to reconsider." She remindes, turning her yellow eyes away from Katrin. "It's not my fault you were gullible enough to believe your sisters' words, or haven't you heard the saying 'once you're born, you're born'? You can't change your nature; you were made that way for a reason."
Tears welled in Katrin's eyes. The woman's words struck deep. She knew it had been foolish to trust Malissa, but it was her longing to fit into her family that turned her naive. After all, she had always been the black sheep.
The suppressed sniffling from behind caught the old lady's attention. Had she been too harsh? She sighed and turned back around, this time holding a silver cup filled with yellow liquid in one hand and a tattered cloth in the other. Her hand reached out, motioning to Katrin's left arm. "Give me your hand."
Katrin complied after a bit of hesitation, a puzzled expression on her face. She watched as the old woman turned her arm over, revealing a nasty cut just below her elbow. She let out a gasp, surprised at how she hadn't felt the pain of it until now.
"You must have been cut by the iron hook on the door when Richard tossed you in." The woman explained, dipping the cloth into the liquid and straining out any excess. In her head, Katrin deduced that Richard was the man with the scar across his face.
She winced and closed her eyes in pain as the wet cloth touched the wound, causing a sudden sting to travel through her arm.
"Stay still; this will be quick, the witch reassured, holding the cloth in place. The pain subsided after a few seconds, and when the cloth was moved aside, the wound had vanished, leaving only a faint line for a scar.
Katrin examined her arm in surprise before her gaze shifting to the liquid then to the lady. "Um... Ma'am-"
"Lucinda," the woman corrected, a hint of annoyance in the tone of her voice. "But just call me Lucy."
"Lucy." Katrin repeated, the name taking its place in her memories. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you doing this? Taking and tricking people. What do you gain? because you seem like a powerful witch so why would you work with these people?"
Lucinda chuckled, moving the bowl aside. "I'm a witch child, but not a full witch child, I don't even consider myself half of one. I am what you'd call mixed, a combination of two different species. In my case, a witch and a human," a small smile grazed her lips and she nearly laughed at Katrin's surprised expression, not everyone imagined such a combination to exist.
"It's the same reaction every time." The half witch sighed, "But, there are more mixed ones across the Seven Lands than you might think, although most are in hiding."
Katrin nodded, in a somewhat understanding. Not every land was as accepting as the next. The cart jolted, and she remembered her current situation. She turned to Lucy nervously. "Where are we headed?"
"The Midland, to Ruvishia. It's where all the slaves are sold. Wealthy individuals from other lands gather there monthly for slave auctions," Lucinda answered as she tended to more injuries she spotted on Katrin's body, injuries inflicted by Marissa, her friends, and sometimes Ruth.
Over time, Katrin had gotten used to the pain of the healing process, which now felt like minor, painless needle pricks. She had also found satisfaction in watching her wounds vanish like magic. well, it was indeed magic. "W-will I be sold too?"
The old woman hesitated, unsure how to answer the question as she had also played a role in placing Katrin in this situation. "I'm sorry. You'll be added to the auction list once we get there." her reply was honest, dampening Katrin's hope. "I wish I could help, but if I do, neither of us might survive."
Katrin looked at her, puzzled. "Why not?"
Lucy turned her neck slightly to the left, revealing the right side; she moved her silver locks out of the way revealing a red marking, in the shape of a bird, engraved into her skin.
"I'm cursed," she said lightly before covering the mark back up. "I was cursed by a wizard, one I trusted more than anything. The curse compels me to serve whoever I pledge loyalty to, and in this case slave traders."
"Why not break the curse yourself?" Katrin asked, her eyes filling with hope again. "You are part witch, Aren't you?"
"My magic isn't potent enough; I'm only half a witch. Besides, only the wizard who cast the curse can undo it," Lucinda sighed. "And this wizard has been missing for years. They're as good as dead to anyone who knew them, so I might as well live with this curse."
"Lucy," Katrin called gently after a while, she had now accepted her fate, much like Lucy had.
"Yes?" Lucy responded, meeting the now lightless gaze of Katrin's eyes.
"Tell me about the Seven Lands and what I might face. I want to be prepared."
Lucy nodded understanding her, she takes a small breath before she began. "The..."