**Reviewing Before Advancement Please Standby** More That Meets The Eye

Chapter Five- Family Reunion

I would love to say that myself and my brother knowing the truth was enough to restore our mother's magic also to free her. But sadly it was not. If only things were that easy. Since we found out the truth our father was bound to know that the truth had been revealed. It was just a matter of time till he'd come marching over here. That meant trouble for me. After we had a short amount of time catching up we rejoined the others. We filled them in of course they were shocked. We went back to the secret room we had found and armed ourselves. Then we went to the basement door. It was locked but we used our combined magic to open it. Once we were in we ran down the stairs. When we made to the bottom of the stairs there she was. Huddled in at the back of the cage in the corner with her back to us. Our mother. We approached slowly so we didn't startle her but also because we were overwhelmed. We both grew up thinking someone else was our mother. I thought mine had died. So it was very strange to suddenly know the truth and have our mother barely inches away from us. For me it was even stranger I had grieved the mother I had lost and here she was my biological mother right in front of me. Someone I didn't know but felt so connected to her almost as though there was an invisible rope connecting the three of us together. As we approached she put her hands over her ears then began rocking back and forth. "Matthias this is cruel go away. Stop playing tricks on me. I know the twins aren't here. You are a monster leave me alone!. Our daughter is lost and our son is in your crooked grasp just leave me be. You have me where you want me now just leave me to rot. You've won. My sister and Willow aren't coming back."

My heart almost broke when I heard how broken she was by her voice. I took my brothers hand with my spare hand. Weapon in the other ready to defend ourselves. It was dark and we could just about see her. But as we got closer a small bit of the sun from the window shone in just enough for us to see her a little better. Her bright red hair was now dull and matted. She was covered in dirt. Her clothes were ripped. My eyes then drifted to the part of her back that was most exposed. There I could see deep whip marks that had healed but not healed properly. Then my eyes moved to her arms they obviously were the most recent to be hit. My heart sank as I saw the blood pouring from the fresh wounds. Our arsehole of a father must have done this before we arrived. I ripped off some of my shirt and asked one of the others to give me a water bottle from their backpack. Within seconds I was in the cage though I wasn't 100% sure how I had gotten in. Arthur looked shocked as he eyed up the lock I had not touched. I didn't have time to question how I got in any longer. I crouched down beside my mother and poured some water on the part of my shirt that I tore off. I then moved it forward so I could clean her wound. She flinched when I did. "Mama it's okay it's me Willow. I've come home.". She looked at me in disbelief. I continued to clean her wound. Then I felt her hand on my chin she gently lifted up my head. I looked at her with a warm smile. She then believed me when the light shone on my eyes and she gasped saying "Willow!" before pulling me in close for a hug. She unfortunately smelled worse than the back end of a horse after a poop. But I didn't care she couldn't help it.

Seconds later someone joined our hug. I saw Arthur coming in for a hug in the corner of my eye and well it just felt right. This, the three of us reunited. Cassandra then slowly broke the hug she caressed my face with one hand and then Arthur's with the other "My babies. Together again. Oh how I have dreamt of this day" she whispered as we smiled back at her. Then her smile left her face. "Mama what is it?. Mama? Are you alright?" Arthur asked as he took her hand. She took both our hands and her face looked super concerned. "You both need to leave before he finds you. You two can leave no one else can. I'll be fine but you two need to get to safety" she pleaded with us as tears flooded her cheeks. "We're not leaving you mama we came to free you" I said as I looked at Arthur and we both nodded in agreement. A loud sickening roar of laughter filled the room and a shiver went up my spine. Mama looked petrified and gripped onto our hands even tighter. I refused to turn around as did Arthur. He held onto me in such a super protective way. Seconds later he was ripped from my grasp.