Chapter 52: Witch
"We have to find him," Jae murmured.
"Not now," Jess intervened firmly, crossing her arms in front of them. "You can’t go outside. Wandering the woods could reveal this place’s location. You have no idea how dangerous that would be."
"Then let me go," Caelan said immediately. "I’m used to wandering alone in the forest, I won’t make a sound. And besides, Rong Ye won’t show himself if people he doesn’t know come after him."
"You’re not going out, Caelan," Jess said, her tone sharper this time. "It’s too risky."
"Why don’t you want us to leave?" Jae asked, narrowing his eyes. His tone wasn’t challenging, but it was suspicious. Something about Jess’s attitude didn’t quite sit right with him.
Before she could respond, the cabin’s front door creaked open. A small, brown-haired boy walked in. His face lit up at the sight of Caelan and Jae, and he smiled curiously, but when his eyes fell on Jess, his smile faltered and faded. He froze in the doorway, staring at her in confusion.
"Sam, let me in," a female voice said from outside.
Caelan and Jae stood completely still.
"Did you hear that?" Jae whispered. "It sounded exactly like her..."
The boy stepped aside and behind him appeared another woman.
Another Jess.
The second Jess strode through the doorway as if she owned the place. She looked so much like the first that, for a moment, Jae thought his eyesight was playing tricks on him. Same height. Same face. Same braid falling over her shoulder. But while the second Jess watched them with a weary, hard look, the first Jess looked at them with a mischievous, almost mocking smile, as if she enjoyed the confusion in the room.