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wasn’t for Eli.
    “ What right have you to come into someone’s home and threaten
them? Look at her daughter, she is frightened. She doesn’t need to
see our village behaving in such a manner.”
    The crowd looked at her. She tried not to grind her teeth, she
hated when people stared at her. She worked on her face trying to
make it appear terrified rather than angry. Some of the men looked
sheepishly down at the floor realising what their actions looked
like.
    Cora noticed that some of the crowd at the back had dispersed;
the violent energy to spill the witch’s blood had already
dissipated. Eli only had to appeal to the few strong minded ones
that remained.
    “ Please, we’ve lived in this village all our lives, you know
us, we sell you produce, we give what we can to you when you are in
need. Please do not resort to this, this is not the
way.”
    “ Aye, John, we can’t do this.” The man wielding a large shovel
spoke and touched John’s arm, the leader who was holding the
pitchfork.
    John stepped towards them. Jack subtly moved his body, she
sensed the tension grip him. Jack would use his element if
pushed.
    John stopped, his body nearly brushing up against Jack. His
eyes were focused intently on her mother. “If you are a witch and I
find out, I will kill you myself,” John spat the words at her
mother but he dropped the pitchfork which clattered on the stone
floor as he stomped out.
    Eli stepped forward and took the pitchfork as he walked
outside leaving to make sure none of the men remained. Cora blew
out a nervous breath. That had been too close. She turned and
hugged her mother feeling her bones quake with fear.
    If Eli hadn’t seen this, if they hadn’t intervened, what could
have happened? She couldn’t think about losing her
mother.
    “ Sweetheart, I’m fine, what good can a pitchfork do if I’m the
one controlling it? I could have taken it from his hands and pushed
it through his body,” her mother spoke calmly but Cora could hear
the anger bubbling through. “He would have felt every spike pop
through his flesh and rupture his internal organs before the others
had realised what was happening... but I didn’t do
anything.”
    “ Mother, please don’t think or talk like that,” she
said.
    It was at times like this that she realised how powerful her
mother is. What she would do to protect those she loved. For that
matter, what any witch was going to do if the mobs continued with
this rampage.
    “ I know, love,” her mother sighed pushing her hand through her
long hair. “I’m sorry but you know what will happen if they try to
hurt you. I love you more than life itself and I will give mine
willingly to save you.”
    “ It won’t come to that. We will be fine.” She swallowed the
large rock that had taken up residence in her throat.
    “ We will take care of each other,” her mother
whispered.
    Cora smiled as her mother hugged her tight.
    “ You will come and stay with us,” Eli spoke from the open
door.
    “ No, no, we are fine,” her mother responded.
    “ No, I insist, work needs to be done on your home and whilst
that is happening you will live with us.”
    “ I’m-”
    “ It is not open to discussion,” Eli snapped and folded his arms
across his chest.
    Her mother sighed like she wanted to argue further, which Cora
was sure she would do, but she gave in. Eli was never a serious
person but they both knew by the tone of his voice that this wasn’t
open to discussion. Eli wouldn’t budge until they moved into his,
his stubborn streak was definitely showing.
    Cora put her arm around her mother’s waist as they moved to
collect some of their belongings. She was so thankful her
grandparents had been at the market and hadn’t witnessed this. But,
she couldn’t deny that things were getting worse.
    Why were the villagers hell bent on bringing witches to
justice? Witches had done nothing wrong in the past, all they had
ever done was help commoners, where did they think most of