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“What are you thinking about, Gothel?”

Gothel laughed, looking up at Priing in the black and twisted tree branches Pri her book “You seem sad to me, Gothel What’s the matter?” asked Primrose, her brow furrowed

“Nothing, Prim” Gothel directed her attention back to her book

Primrose shoved her ribbon and little knife into her pouch, walked over to her sister, and sat down beside her “Really, what’s theher hand on her sister’s

Gothel sighed “It’s Mother I don’t understand why she won’t teach us her eneration of witches in this faeneration How are we to uphold our faic?”

Primrose squeezed her sister’s hand and smiled “Because Mother never intends to die She will always be here to honor our ancestors, so don’t worry”

Gothel stood up in a huff, brushing the leaves off her rust-colored dress

“Don’t be upset, Gothel, please! Forget about Mother’s ic and have fun with me and Hazel!”

Gothel was losing patience with Priic as well, and Mother is keeping it from us! Let’s say Mother lives forever, and so do we Hoe spend our endless days?”

Priht “We spend theether Sisters Together Forever” Gothel loved her sisters, but they were naive, especially Primrose They were perfectly content to live their lives in the forest, letting theirno idea hoorked Priive them their dead Gothel was always keenly aware this was a topic she shouldn’t bring up with her sisters, for fear she would upset their blissful ignorance and disrupt their sisterly balance

“I love spending my days with you, Prim, I do! But don’t you want to see the world outside of this forest? Don’t you want to live a life of your own?”

“We are living a life of our own, Gothel! Don’t be weird!” said Primrose as Hazel walked up the path to join her sisters

“I can’t believe you would want to leave us!” said Hazel, overhearing her sisters’ conversation

“I don’t want to leave you! I want us to always be together I couldn’t live without you, but if Mother refuses to show us her ic, then I want to be with you on the other side of that thicket! I want to see the world with you” She sighed again and continued talking “If Mother won’t teachto teach me theirs We’re witches and we have no idea how to use our powers Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Shhh!” Hazel put her finger against her lips, cautioning her sisters to be quiet, annoying Gothel

“Mother isn’t here! You’re so paranoid, Hazel!” But the sisters heard the snap of a thich rang out louder than thunder in the quiet woods “Shhh! What is it?”

The sisters stood frozen in fear Nothing lived in the forest except the witches It was either their mother or the dead, and they couldn’t decide which wasto be furious, Gothel!” whispered Hazel

“Shhh! I don’t think it’s her! Maybe soh the boundary!” whispered Primrose

“That’s impossible No one has wandered into our woods in our lifetime Not once!” said Gothel