Byzantium

Stage 14

Ivy's mind reeled and she rubbed her upper arms anxiously, her nails scratching as her fingers moved. She hardly noticed. Judah's gone. He fought, but he's gone. Elise's words swirled around in her head and she scrubbed her face, tired and scared. Was Judah okay? Was he alive? She had no idea. She focused on the room, watching Elise walk around the kitchen, wanting to know what Elise would do next.

"She deserves to die," Elise was saying, mostly to herself, her eyes focused on the floor. Her jaw was twitching dangerously and her fingers curled and uncurled. A controlled growl sat in her throat. "A beating at least!"

Ivy swallowed, trying to keep her mind clear, since Elise's obviously wasn't. "Where do you think she took Judah?"

Elise's steps remained around one small portion of the kitchen, Ivy noticed. "I don't know, Ivy. I don't know."

"Then... let's calm down and think about this, okay?"

"Aren't you worried?" Elise growled, her eyes still on the floor. "He's your brother!"

"I know that, Elise!" Ivy covered her mouth with a hand at the outburst. She was stricken. She worried for her brother, worried for Elise's state of mind, worried for herself. Elise continued to circle that small area of the kitchen. Ivy sighed angrily at the odd display. "What are you doing?"

Elise pointed to the ground. "There's something there. Like... like someone spilled something."

"Who cares?"

Elise stopped circling and looked up. "I do, Ivy. I care. I care because you want your brother back, and this spot didn't come from us."

"Who did it come from?"

"I don't know."

"Then I ask again, who cares?"

Elise's mouth twisted angrily and she narrowed her eyes. Ivy actually took a step back out of fear, not knowing what Elise would do in her state. Elise's eyes softened at Ivy's reaction and she took a step forward, relieved that Ivy didn't retreat more than she already had. "I'm sorry. That wasn't directed at you, I swear. There's a trail, see? It started over there, that's why it took me so long to find it." She pointed to the ground, just outside of the kitchen and traced an invisible trail beyond the walls with her finger. "Well, you can't see it. I can, or smell it anyway."

Ivy perked up. "So you can find Judah?"

"I can find the person who took him at least." Following the invisible trail, Elise jogged around the house twice, then finally made it to the front door. She opened the door, closed it, then opened it again. She cocked her head. "Something's not right."

Ivy, who had been following Elise's seemingly pointless run of the house, frowned. "What?"

"I can smell the plasma- the stuff on the ground- but I can't smell Judah. It's like... I don't know, they must have done something to him. They want me to follow that plasma scent and not Judah's."

"Why would they do that?"

"Maybe... maybe they thought I'd be so angry that I'd follow for the kill without thinking about Judah." Elise shook her head. "It's probably a trap."

Ivy placed her hands, palm up, into the air. "What if it's not? What if... what if Judah hurt the guy and then... I don't know." Her hands dropped.

Elise grunted. "Do you think Judah's smart enough to have left a clue for us?"

Ivy made a face. She didn't think Judah was smart enough to know how to cross the road properly, much less think far enough ahead to leave a clue behind.