I look at him in horror. “Here?! They burned her here at her home?!”
He nods. “Afraid so. Until her hearing, she was tossed in her dungeon to await her trial.”
When he said that it all became crystal clear. “Take me there... to the dungeon.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He glances around. “The place looks like it could collapse any minute.”
I was never one for begging to get my way, until now. “Please Cash, take me there.”
He stood there what seemed like an eternity, staring at me. “Fine. Come here.”
He opened his arms and I stepped into his embrace. Within seconds we went from being out in the sunshine to standing in the underbelly of the rotting ruins in a circular room. The stench was enough to knock a horse over, but I didn’t care, I needed to see where Lilith spent her last days on this earth.
There were three doorways, each facing what looked like an old well in the center of the room. I walked to the closest one and stood outside looking in. A rusty iron door hung from it’s hinges, stood open to the tiny room. A barred window that a small child would have trouble climbing through was the only source of light. I closed my eyes and listened, only to be met was silence.
“It’s not this one,” I said, moving on to the next door. Again, I closed my eyes and listened. This time I heard the low mutterings of a woman in distress. My eyes sprang open and when they did, I could see and old lady sitting on a raggedy blanket on the floor with her back to me.
“I see her,” I whisper softly, more so to convince myself than to tell Cash.
Flies hovering over a plate of rotten food, were ignored as she raised her hand to the wall. On the damp surface I watched as she extended her index finger, the tip of it turning blue, almost like a laser beam.
Afraid to say anything more, I watch her without saying a word. When she’s done, she lowers her hand then turns to look at me. A feeling of pure evil washes over me as I hear her begin to cackle. At this point, I’m thinking this wasn’t such a good idea, but I can’t look away. It’s like she’s locked me into her sights and she’s not letting go. She’s like a trainwreck, you know you should look away, but you can’t.
“Cash...” I quietly say. When he doesn’t respond, I say his name again. “CASH? Ahh, I could use a little help here!”
Help arrived but it wasn’t from Cash. George appeared out of nowhere to stand between me and her. With jaws snapping the big beast advanced on the old crone which gave me enough leeway for me to break the connection and send a blast of ice at the old bitch. It ricocheted off the wall and hit her in the back of her head, knocking her to the floor. A look of pure shock crossed her face then fury. Quite frankly I thought I was a goner when she raised up into the air but then a blast of lightning flew past my shoulder and sent Lilith on her way to whatever hell she’d come from.
I turn and gawk at Cash. “Where the hell were you?!”
“I’m sorry! Believe it or not she had me imprisoned. I couldn’t move! The one time you needed me I failed you.”
I walk to his side and put my arms around him. “It’s not your fault, neither of us expected that. Especially when we assumed she was on our side.”
Cash pulled me into his arms and hugged me, burying his face in my hair. “If it wasn’t for George, I’d have lost you.”
Hearing the anguish in his voice, I hushed him. “Enough of that. I’m here, safe in your arms.”
He leaned back and looked me in the eyes. “How are you so calm?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose if my aim was better, I’d have gotten her good. Did you see the look on her face?” I laugh.
He tightens his arms briefly before dropping them and smiles. “Yeah, you shocked the shit out of her.”
I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and took him by the hand. “Come on. She was writing something on the wall, and I aim to find out what it is.”