Coven

~ Unforeseen ~

Lilah's car was the last to pull onto the drive. The rest of the teens were waiting just inside the front door, anger and worry battling on their faces. Bren and Cas were the most obvious about their emotion. Pure, incensed rage was palpable. The sky was midnight black, the storm raged, incensed by the frustration of Cas and Zee. As Lilah stepped out the car, the light of the moon dimmed and shadows drew across their faces, leaving the dim artificial fluorescence of the house to form a tense backdrop.

As the twins exited the vehicle, lifting Avery's limp body between them, the group surged forward. A nervous and jittery energy filled them as they saw her blood covered face and clothes. She had passed out on the journey home, still weeping blood. Flora and Lainey took the small girl from the twins and led her into the house, leaving the pair open to the glares of the remaining coven members. They made their way through the open door, pushing past Bren and Cas, walking purposefully to the kitchen, where they turned to face their coven.

They had barely made a one-eighty when the two boys were immediately in their personal space.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Bren spat in the girls' faces, grabbing at his girlfriend's forearms. Evie slapped his hands away. Cas watched on, a grimace on his face, his own anger thinly veiled now in the grimace of his mouth and narrowing of his eyes.

"We did what we needed to do," Frey responded, her tone acerbic. "Avery had to erase the memories the men had of us. It was easier for her if there were only memories of the three of us, and even then she had to use our power. You've seen what that did to her. Imagine what having to do it for all thirteen of us would do."

"That's not good enough Frey. We could have all given her power." Cas held the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb as he spoke between gritted teeth.

"And how do we even know that it worked?" Bren fumed, smoke rising as his magick was stoked by his fury. Cas placed a hand on his shoulder as he started forward again, Evie stepped up to meet him. Her arms folded and eyes sharp.

"We know because we have faith in Avery. Now step back and calm down. I understand you're angry. But can we stop pretending it's because we had a plan you didn't like. You all are upset that your will was taken from you. Again, that's understandable. But would you have gone if we asked?" Bren's mouth opened to respond, "Don't respond. It was rhetorical Bren. Of course you wouldn't and I know that because we wouldn't either. Freya said the exact truth, we did what we needed to do. Now can everyone get off our backs for it? We got the grimoire. Now we need to focus on healing Ave and freeing Eira." Evie pushed past the others and went to the living room where Flora had Avery lying on one of the Murray's copious sofas.

Flo was muttering soothingly while she spread a green paste across Ave's forehead and Lainey washed the blood from the small girl's face.

"Get out of this room if there's any ill will. It won't help the healing process." Flora ordered, staring straight at Bren and Cas. Bren held his hands up in a surrendering motion, while Cas only smiled amicably. The group all sat around the room, knowing their presence would be helpful in healing Avery. For hours, the group sat in silence, moving only to follow the orders of Flora.

"Is there anything we can do Flo?" Robin asked as he watched the pair working tirelessly over the girl, still without her waking up.

"I'm trying all I can think of, would those of you with grimoires be able to check them for healing spells please- maybe check for Eira's too. Oh and look for a burn salve too." She commented pointing at Evie's arms which she had been hiding under the sleeves of a cardigan. The group were temporarily distracted in fussing over the twins' burns until Lilah shouted over the din in the room.