There was an old saying that everyone whispered by the fireside on winter nights. “You never can tell with witches.” The meaning here being that you never could tell whether the one you went to see was the good one or the bad one. It didn’t help that they were the same person. But that was uncharitable to say. They used to be the same person. But somewhere along the way, the good and the evil magics pulled away until they came away with separate halves of the same person. Some said it was just too much for one person to hold, but Jessa thought that maybe the problem was in the original witch’s heart. It’s too hard to knowingly hold so much good and evil in the same place. It was just easier to hold it if you were two people. Jessa climbed the hill, her little feet aching and the basket slowing her gait. But she pressed on. Her errand was too important to quit now. The cottage emerged into view as she reached the top of the hill. It was right where the old drunkard said it would be.