“Are you sure where you are going?”

Elias was asking the same question for the fifth time this hour. Sasha was sick of it. She tucked hard at the chain around her hand, dragging Elias along the small path in the wood. Hopefully, it hurt as much around his hand as hers.

“You said she wanted me to take you to the summer place. And this is the way.”

“It’s freaking damp here, and the wood is dense enough that no one could walk through it.”

“City boys, you are something aren’t you?”

Elias shut up. He killed a mosquito but he kept up with her speed, and he did not ask any more questions. Sasha whistled a tune and wished Ella wouldn’t have asked to bring this man to her summer cottage. It was a secluded place, a place for just her, Ivy, and Ella. It was a place to collect herbs and be alone, without customers or people like Elias invading.

“This is it.”

“Wonderful”, Elias said dryly. “There are mosses on the roof, and a fucking brook is running through it. Are you farming those insects here?”

Sasha grumbled, but before she had an answer Elias interrupted her.

“Wait, of course, you are.”

The door opened then, and out of the door came an old lady. Sasha run forward, not caring for Elias to catch up, not caring that the chain tried to hold her back, hurting her wrist.

“Mother!”

“Sasha”, Ella said. She held her face in her worn hands, and there was mist in her eyes. “I´m sorry you had to witness this. And I'm so sorry I miscalculated.” Ella swallowed and looked to the other side of the chain, her eyes mirroring all emotions at once. “I never thought they would go for you as well.”

Sasha couldn’t read the story that was told in her mother’s eyes, but she hoped it hurt the man behind her, badly. He was the king’s man, and he had gone for the killing. She didn’t care whose son he was.

“Mother”, Elias said as if he tasted the word and didn’t quite like the taste of it. “You have to be kidding me? I thought you were her apprentice?” He sounded disgusted. “Is she my sister?”

His tone was hard. The question directed to Ella sounded more than a threat than a question. Her mother looked down, not daring to face Elias.

“In your dreams”, Sasha muttered low enough that Ella wouldn’t hear her. Elias put his hand in hers and he squeezed hard.

“Any time”, he said, “but until you decide to give back what is mine, it seems that we will be bound with more than our blood.”

He tugged at the chain, making his point. Sasha ground her teeth.

“I gave the orb to Isaak”, Sasha said, before her mother got the time to say otherwise.

Ella looked up, and she looked angry. Sasha tried to make her puppy face, pledging to her mother to agree. Now was not the time to discuss how the king was best eliminated.

“I will not take part in this. This you will have to sort out the two of you”, Ella said. “But mark my words. Nothing good has ever come from taking such an orb. You might not want to forgive me neither of you, but that orb has to reunite with its owner.” She gave Sasha a stern glance. “Believe someone who has seen far more than you.”

“You have not been especially truthful so far”, Elias said. “Why would we believe anything you are saying? Let's start with some actual proof of you being my mother shall we?”

Sasha hadn’t thought he would show some motherly love, but she didn’t expect him to be quite so harsh at her either.

“I did what I did, but I have lied to neither of you”, Ella said. “I wanted to protect you Elias, and now I ask you to protect my daughter. You know in your heart that it is true. You know magic as I, I have not held back anything.”

“Your daughter? Please tell me she is not your daughter.”

“She’s mine by heart, as are you, although we don’t know each other.”

“She’s my mother”, Sasha said. She couldn’t be mad at Ella. She probably should, but all she could feel was a rage from within as if Elias had stolen something from her. She logically knew he wasn’t the one at fault, but he was her son, and she, she belonged to the hound of the devil. She hated him because he sure didn’t feel like a brother to her, and she wished he had.

Elias shook his head. His eyes narrowed and he looked skeptically at Ella.

“Since last, I have been home, paying a visit to the castle. I know who Ivy is. Who wouldn’t? You didn’t think I would take your word for it? Did you mother?”

Ella lifted a hand to brush Elias, but let it fall again. There was a pain in her eyes.

“Well, what about Sasha?” Elias questioned. “I know you switched me and Ivy. Please just try to keep to the truth shall we?”

Ella sighed. Sasha rolled her eyes. He was beyond stupid.

“Are they treating Ivy well?”

“Well? My mother adores her. She spoils her rotten”, Elias sighed. “You have nothing to worry about, but Sasha on the other hand is your daughter. That would put implications.”

“She is not”, Ella interrupted. “She is not your sister, neither is she, my daughter. I know it’s hard to believe, but Ivy and Sasha are truly sisters. Unfortunately, there is a risk the King might kill Sasha before he accepts that the queen got twins.”

Elias was quiet. He said nothing at all. He just walked over to the small kitchen and sank down on a chair. Sasha couldn’t do anything more than to follow, hating the chain around her wrist, making her his involuntary puppy.

“That was not necessary Ella”, Sasha said and stomped hard at the earthen floor. It was not her secret to spill. She could have fooled Elias. Her sister had light blond hair, she had black as a raven. When Ivy looked like an angel, Sasha looked anything but. Still, Elias didn’t even question it, a small flex of some magic mist and then he nodded.

“This makes everything different”, Elias said thoughtfully, not even aware of Sasha´s displeasure.

“What?” Sasha asked. “What is different Elias?”

He shook his head, refusing to answer her question.

“You have seen your mother, now we will visit Isaak.”

“Is that a very wise move?” Ella asked. “I would assume Isaak is no friend of the king’s men.”

“You would assume”, said Elias, and he pushed at the chain connecting him and Sasha. “It’s time to move on, dear sister of mine.”

Sasha hated him. He was forcing her into a situation she hadn’t wished for. If she didn’t handle this with the care it would bite her ass.

“You could give Ella some slack you know, she did the sacrifice because of you.”

“She sacrificed me”, Elias bit off.

“Whatever.”

She crossed her fingers, hoping Isaak wasn’t at home. Two alfa males at the same place would only end in disaster. Most things with Isaak ended in disaster. It was pure luck he had such a soft spot for her, always had.

“I think it would be better if you let go of this chain and let me talk with Isaak alone.”

“So there are obstacles the witch can´t wriggle out of, is there?” Elias chuckled.

“You don’t know Isaak.”

“Oh, I would assume, when I present you as my beloved sister he wouldn’t mind. I might ask him to keep an eye on you for my sake, losing your mother and all.”

Sasha was done trying to smother the outcome, come what may. She sighed.

“You are a dumbass”, she said.

“Ah, such a sweet one… Will you blow my cover and tell him she is still alive? Believing Isaak would keep it secret?”

“You believe I will tell?”

Elias abruptly halted. The chain tugged at Sasha’s arm and she looked irritated at Elias.

“Will you?”

“I know Isaak”, Sasha said. She sure did, and she didn’t mind. He was a survivor. ”I would prefer if you didn’t tell him about Ivy and I actually being princesses.”

Elias could think what he wanted, Sasha cared only for Ivy and Isaak.

“Why, if I may ask?” Elias sounded intrigued.

“Should we keep walking? We are almost there.”

“I know. I have already ordered dinner for you. Wouldn’t mind the pea soup would you?” Elias smiled, and Sasha grinds her teeth. She and Isaak always had pea soup. The image he planted in her mind hurt.

“Lovely, and he just sits waiting for us to drop by?” she said as she saw the contours of the pub around the bushes. The sun was setting behind the roof and the smoke from the chimney was heavy, the air too still for it to lift to the sky. Isaak rarely waited for her, he was the one searching her up.

Elias bent down to the side of the road, picking up a red poppy. He carefully put it in her hair.

“There, much better. Now you are ready. I must say you look stunning sister.”

“Oh brother, you are in for a hard ride”, Sasha said and she walked rather briskly to the inn.