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Unmemorable.
Sigils lit from the inside carved ashen paths from her hairline down to her jaw. The carvings in her eyes were slow, cuts made by hands unseen. My hand on her throat burned past her flesh, sending hellfires to trail vicious streams through her. Her mouth opened, a silent scream blown into the air.
Her final moment played behind my eyes.
What happened before then was anyone’s guess. I couldn’t remember. It hadn’t mattered until now.
“Well?” Vi was on her feet, the threat Lulu issued forgotten.
My gaze flashed to the woman with her wild curls and her freckled face. Her brown skin duller than the others. “I—”
“You what?” Catalina pressed.
“I burned her.” But it wasn’t that simple. It couldn’t be. There was something before. Something I had to do in order to finally get my hands on her, to break free of the sludge she encased my thoughts in, but that part of my mind was blank. I couldn’t remember it no matter how hard I tried.
Catalina’s hand lifted, cupping the side of my face.
“Wait.” Imani was on her feet, her hand out as though trying to save Catalina from the contact. It was beginning to irk me the way these women behaved. I wasn’t this thing that needed their permission, in this world or any other. I wasn’t something to be halted by their hands or moved by their will or faith.
Catalina’s eyes hardened as she pushed herself to her feet. Her pose mimicked Lulu’s as she set a stern eye on the group of women. “That is enough of that. I am a woman of faith. I have always walked the path I thought God laid out for me, but even I am not fool enough to think I know his will or his ways. Yes, Asmodeus is a demon, but if I am to live by faith I have to believe it was God’s will that put him in my path. And it was by God’s grace that he so effortlessly changed my life… and Eden’s. Now, I won’t have you sitting there thinking you know better than the Lord. Am I clear?”
My brow dropped. Not this again.
I would have to find this lord when this was all over and ask him how he so effortlessly reigned over these women.
The women exchanged glances and Lulu took a step forward. “She said, is she clear?”
Their heads immediately bobbed.
“Good!” Catalina clapped. “Asmodeus, dear. It’s time you tell us everything there is to know about this witch.”
* * *
These mortal women would be the death of me, that was beginning to be painfully apparent.
It had been an ordeal to get something Lulu called a leaf out of the hallway closet and insert it into the middle of her wooden table to extend it. That task wasn’t as tedious as feeling the weight of everyone’s eyes on me as the matriarchs moved around the room, busying themselves creating snacks and brewing teas. When they were satisfied with the spread, I held out my hand, my flames creating a replica of Vindictia.
Eyes were wide but lips remained shut. Though both Lulu and Catalina wore smiles now, they had made their threat clear. They wouldn’t tolerate the women lashing out and getting in the way of Eden’s safe return.
Waves of emotions kept rolling through my chest as I stood and pressed my palms against the wood.
Catalina dipped her head. “Asmodeus.”
I nodded in turn. “I know little of Vindictia, so I can’t fully know what will be needed in order to get rid of her. She is called a ruborae witch. These witches have the power of confusion and can easily weave their fingers through the mind. She effortlessly found her way into Eden’s thoughts and dreams. She can also take the form of shadows. She will be a friend to everything dark and fearful. A companion.” It would make dealing with her difficult. “You may begin to have nightmares if she decides to toy with you. Dreadful daydreams will try to sway your thoughts. Make you believe in things that aren’t real. For most of you, it will be impossible to know what are whispered lies and what is truth.” It was hard to know the strength of the mortal mind.
“Was that different from the other one? The sister?” Sarika asked.
From what I could remember, Maledictia was a storm. She was chaos embodied. Unpredictable and wild.
Hungry. That was the best way to describe the witch I barely remembered. I remembered the look on her face. Ravenous as she stared at me with everything she ever wanted shimmering in her eyes.
“No.” I should say more, but I wasn’t sure what there was to say. There wasn’t much these women knew or understood of the worlds outside their own.
“Okay.” Sarika nodded slowly, her finger looped through the little ring on the teacup. “So what now? What do we do?”
“Vindictia will make the first move.”
“Hasn’t she already?” Vi’s voice was quiet as she cast a wary gaze on Lulu. Her eyes dropped to her hands folded on the table before her, teacup untouched. “She took Eden. Wouldn’t that be the first move?” She puffed her cheeks up before she continued. “That was her book?”
