Maera's words echoed in the dense air of the forest, laden with a meaning Eliza was just beginning to comprehend. Her mother, a witch? Known and taught by this mysterious woman with green eyes? It was as if the roots of her own existence extended far beyond anything she had ever imagined, connecting her to an unseen and dangerous world.
Eliza was overwhelmed by the sudden flood of revelations. Her father, the hunter, consumed by grief and ignorance; her mother, a witch initiated into magical secrets; and herself, feeling a strange awakening within. It all fit together eerily, like pieces of a dark puzzle she never knew existed.
"My mother...why didn't she ever tell me?" asked Eliza, her voice barely a trickle.
Maera sighed, her gaze filled with an ancient sadness. "Your mother was a big-hearted woman, Eliza. But she lived in fear. She loved your father, in spite of his fervent belief. She feared what he might do if he discovered her true nature, and she feared for your safety if he came to suspect you."
Lira nodded, her expression now more understanding. "In Oakhaven, being different was a sentence. To be a witch... meant death."
Eliza remembered the grim stories her father told, the summary trials, the brutal executions. A shudder ran through her at the thought that her own mother had lived under that constant shadow.
"And why did my father...why did he accuse me now?" asked Eliza, confusion still clouding her mind.
Maera frowned, her gaze hardening. "Caleb has always been blinded by his obsession. Perhaps he found some object of your mother's, something he interpreted as proof of witchcraft. Or maybe...he sensed the awakening in you. Hunters sometimes develop an uncanny intuition for detecting magic."
Eliza thought about the strange energy she had felt over the past few days, the blue flower that had appeared out of nowhere. Had her own body given her away?
"You need a safe place, away from here," Maera said, her voice now steady and determined. "A place where you can learn to control what is awakening in you, without the constant fear of being discovered."
Lira nodded, looking at Eliza with unexpected determination. "We'll take you with us. To a place where you'll be safe from him and his people. A place they can't see."
Eliza felt a surge of relief at the offer from these strange women. She had nowhere else to go. The thought of facing her father's fury and the fear of the people alone was terrifying.
"Are you sure?" asked Eliza, feeling a pang of guilt for imposing on their lives.
Maera offered her a small reassuring smile. "We've been waiting a long time for someone like you, Eliza. Your mother's blood... it's important. And it needs to be protected."
Without another word, Maera turned and began to move deeper into the forest, moving with surprising agility for her age. Lira motioned for Eliza to follow, her green eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
Eliza followed, feeling unsure and clumsy at first, stumbling over hidden roots and branches. The forest, which had once seemed like a dark haven to her, now revealed itself to be a labyrinth of invisible paths and silent secrets. Maera and Lira moved with an intuitive familiarity, pointing out the best paths and warning him of hidden dangers.
As they moved deeper into the forest, the air grew thicker, laden with the damp scent of earth and decaying leaves. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves in mottled patches, creating a play of light and shadow that made every corner seem mysterious and full of secrets.
After several hours of walking, following trails Eliza would never have imagined existed, the landscape began to subtly change. The trees became older and twisted, their branches intertwining like bony fingers. The air vibrated with a barely perceptible energy, a sensation Eliza was beginning to recognize as the same one she had felt near the blue flower.
Suddenly, Maera stopped in front of a group of moss-covered rocks that looked identical to many others she had passed. She held out her hands and murmured a few words in a language foreign to Eliza. For an instant, the air around him seemed to distort, as if he were looking through rippling water. Then an opening revealed itself among the rocks, a dark passage that had been invisible before.
Lira motioned for Eliza to follow her. "This is where the forest holds its greatest secrets."
Cautiously, Eliza followed Maera and Lira through the passage. On the other side, the sight took her breath away. It was not a simple hut that was hidden deep in the forest, but a small clearing bathed in golden light, where several houses of wood and stone, built in harmony with nature, were clustered around a circle of ancient trees. The air vibrated with a soft, warm energy, and Eliza felt a sense of peace she had not experienced in years.
Several people, men and women of all ages, dressed in simple clothes of earthy colors, greeted them with curious but kind looks. There was the same piercing green glow in their eyes as in those of Maera and Lira.
"Welcome, Eliza," Maera said with a gentle smile. "Welcome to our home. To the Green Haven."
Lira put a hand on Eliza's shoulder. "Here you will be safe. Here you will understand who you are."
Eliza gazed at the small hidden village, feeling a surge of hope and wonder. This was not just a refuge, but a place where perhaps she could find answers, where she could learn to accept the truth about her mother and herself. The green secrets of the forest stretched far beyond anything she had ever imagined, and her journey was just beginning.