The Magic of Hecate
Chapter 0 Prologue Prologue

“Sssh sssh, don't wake Daddy up,” I whispered in my child's ear and sheimmediately hushed before looking up at me with her huge, crystalblue eyes.

"Good girl," I replied kissing her gently stroking the curls of blond hairon her head before placing her carefully back into the crib beside hertwin sister. "I'll miss you, my babies,” I added resting my hand onFrancesca and then Marie's cheek.

"Mommy?" a little voice said from the open doorway of the twin'snursery.

"Cato, what are you doing awake?" I asked my little toddler as I liftedhim into my arms. "It's so late.”

"I wanna play a game," he protested hugging me tightly.

"I know a good game,” I replied taking one last look at my sleepingtwins before carrying Cato down the hall and back to his room.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Sssh. You have to whisper. Daddy is sleeping remember?" I saidquietly.

He nodded before we got to his room and I closed the door.

"What's the game, Mommy?" he questioned in the best whisper hecould muster.

"It's called...sleeping lions," I said with a smile. He let out a gigglebefore slamming his tiny hand over his mouth.

"How do we win?"

"You have to stay totally silent and you definitely can't move. If you do,I win. If I do, you win. Okay?"

He nodded again before lying down on his bed as I took a seat on thearmchair beside it. I waited for ten minutes before I was sure he wasasleep. I kissed my first born softly on the forehead before leaving theroom for the second time that night.

I had said my farewells to all six of my children. All that was left was mymate. I crept silently down to his office and found a piece of paper anda black ink pen. I sat in his chair and began to write

To my dearest Leonardo,

By the time you are reading this I will be far away. And that is how itshould be. I am sure you will try to chase after me and there is nothing Ican do to stop you but please understand that this is for the best. Thereis something that has to be done.

As for your worries? There is no need. Trust me when I say I can defendmyself from danger now.

I know this will come as a shock and I am sorry that my only way ofsaying goodbye is through a letter but it was the only way. We bothknow that you would never have allowed this.

Please let our beautiful children: Cato, Mathias, Silas, Francesca, Marieand Lili know that their mother loves them. It pains me to think that Iwon't be there for a portion of their childhood but this isn't a finalgoodbye. When what needs to be done is done, I will return. I don'tknow how far in the future that will be, but I have all intentions ofseeing you again Leo.

Until we meet again,

Ella

A tear ran down my cheek and onto the letter causing some of the inkto run. Since it was still readable and I was concerned about any of theseven sleepers upstairs waking, I wiped my eyes and left the letterbefore grabbing my small but loaded satchel and slipping out of thewindow in the bathroom that, despite the fact that three years hadpassed, still had a broken lock.

I took one last look at my home before disappearing into the woodswithout a sound.

Goodbye for now Leonardo.