Thirty-nine:
Zaan Pulfer
The village had a strange energy. Rumors were flying about Raoul missing, and something had happened with Crimson too although no one knew what. I tried to focus on my work during the day, and once night fell, my mother came to my room to wake me. “Zaan,” she whispered, “come on. I’m taking you to the witches.”
I wiped the sleep from my eyes. I got up, and got dressed, and then I followed her through the woods. We did not stop until we got to the witch’s camp. It was filled with rainbow-colored tents.
There was a group of men and women in cloaks around a fire. In the center of it lay Crimson, completely unconscious. “Mother,” I hissed, “what are they doing?”
Mother gripped my shoulder tightly. “Zaan, you’ve got to remain calm. This is a ri
