high tides ☆ TOH au

Chapter 7

I wake up at noon the same day. I slept for only a bit, but I guess I needed it, because I feel much better now. Willow's still sprawled out on the bunk above me, so I tread lightly as I look around the room. Luz's Azura book is still sitting on the bookshelf, where Camila had left it earlier.

The pit of anxiety in my stomach has grown since last night. We're so close to her, so close to being back, and I just can't wait any longer. She's so close, just a few steps away. If she's still alive, that is, but I push the possibility of her being dead out of my mind. She can't be dead, she's too strong for that. Besides, she promised me we'll find each other again. She doesn't break her promises. I know that for a fact.

I get out of bed, and head downstairs. I try to ignore the feeling in the bottom of my body, telling myself that it's nothing important. This week, at least, we would find a way back. This week, I will see my awesome girlfriend again. And we'll go on a normal date, like she promised, with no person or thing trying to kill us. No monsters, or murderers, or coven scouts.

I don't hear anyone as I leave Luz's room. I don't know if the others were up yet, and I don't want to wake them if they weren't, so I move down the stairs quietly. I plan to figure out how to create a natural portal with the Titan's blood today. It'll be harder than it would be in the Boiling Isles, without the echo mouse or any other references on Titan blood portals.

I find the jar of Titan blood sitting in the same spot Willow put it this morning. The contents are swirling together, even if it is just the blood itself and water. I stare at it in awe for a second, admiring the swirling shades and colors. It's beautiful. They seem to be mixing, but I can't be sure. If they are, there's no outside force making it happen. Maybe this is how natural portals are created?

I put the thought in the back of my mind for later reference, thinking maybe the idea could help us. It makes sense that natural portals would come from Titan's blood and water swirling together. Witch-made portals take many other ingredients because it's fitting into a certain shape or place, I assume.

I pick up the jar and shake it a tiny bit. It doesn't affect the mixing inside, or the contents themselves. I put it back down, and look around the kitchen for anything else that might help. This would be easier, or at least better, if I had someone else to discuss it with. Willow would be helpful, but Hunter would probably be the most helpful, since he studied things like this in the Emperor's coven.

The books we had gotten at the library the other day were sitting on the counter. I thought maybe they could help, but I don't think they have anything in them about Titan's blood. I sigh, and lean against the counter, staring at the glass jar. What can I even do with this? I expected an already open portal, not the blood by itself and a tiny bit of water.

I hear footsteps padding down the stairs, and Willow enters the kitchen. I wave, not saying a word, still staring at the jar. Willow rubs her left eye, and slides her glass on. Her hair is down, scattered in waves over her shoulders and back. I'm so used to seeing it in braids, that I forgot how beautiful it was down.

"Morning," She says to me after a few seconds in the room. "Trying to figure out what to do with the blood, huh?" She stands next to me, staring at the jar as well. "We could let it loose in a lake or something. See what it does?"

"Maybe. Only a small amount, though. We don't want to get rid of it all in one go." I respond, looking at her. My head is foggy, but also clear. I know exactly what I'm saying, what I'm doing, but I have no idea why I'm doing them. It's almost pointless at this point. We've been gone a week now. That's longer than it should have been. We shouldn't have ever left.

"Right," She says, rubbing her left eye again. Willow pushes herself off of the counter and grabs the jar. "Why is it doing this? Mixing, I mean. I've never seen any liquid do this." She rubs her head, messing with the curls that stem from her scalp.