Daughters of Creation

Chapter Twenty-Five: Lamia (Part One)

"Witch; Sorceress; Enchantress"
—Lamia

October 28

Rena's piercing grey eyes were inescapable, though her sinful lips were crooked as she regarded Emerson. "I hope you would be in this bad of a mood if something were to happen to me."

Emerson sent the siren a flat look. "Of course, I would."

The siren blinked at the Crystal witch's blunt confirmation. Rena straightened a little, surprised she'd really just heard Emerson agree with her. Before any of this had all happened she would have never told Rena the truth, but she was beginning to tire of running from her feelings and if Casimir's deadline was All Hallows Eve then she only had three more days left with Rena; she didn't want to waste anymore time stuck on holding a grudge—especially when all of them had been reminded how fragile time was; of the possibility of even the indestructible being fallible.

Rena blinked, realizing she'd been staring at Emerson far longer than what was considered normal. She cleared her throat, the teasing throatiness missing as she spoke. "Ahem, well then." 

She smirked, pleased she'd surprised Rena. Rena had been clear in her pursuit of Emerson, it was time she made her intentions clear as well. She leaned closer, pinning Rena with a unreadable look.

"Rena, I—" whatever it was she was going to say never got past her tongue.

A slightly puffy-eyed Millicent came around the corner fast, a cautious fae right behind her. Rowan had one arm permanently stretched behind Millicent, looking as if the witch might fall at any moment. Millicent's entrance got everyone's attention and Emerson felt the words she'd wanted to say evaporate.

She smiled ruefully. It seems now isn't the time to tell her. Rena looked at her imploring, but she shook her head. "Later."

Emrie Michele rose from where she'd been perching on the kitchen countertop. "What is it, Mila? Has Rowan finally got you out of the room?"

Millicent's energy slammed into Emerson full force and she gasped. Something had happened with Millicent. She caught Rosalyn's eye, she'd sensed it at as well. Emerson wasn't surprised, Rosalyn was a strong empath. She focused on Millicent's energy; it was a chaos of swirling emotions, the most prominent being surprise, relief, and agitation.

"Mila," Rosalyn stepped forward, gently taking her sister's arm. "It wasn't Casimir was it?" Panic flitted through her green gaze and Emerson felt her heart constrict in response to Rosalyn's reaction.

Millicent shook her head and all of them released breaths they hadn't known they'd been holding. "No, no, it wasn't Casimir. I found where the Sword is."

A moment of silence followed her declaration before all of them erupted in hundreds of different questions. The Dreamwalker held up her hands, hazel eyes wide.

"Whoa, slow down all of you. None of you are making sense."

Rowan snorted beside her. Millicent shot the fae a glare before clearing her throat. "While I was at the Markets in one of the stalls I ran into Kozel—" A multitude of "What?" and a sharp "Millicent!" briefly stopped her from continuing. "As I was saying, I ran into Kozel and made contact with him. I then used that to put him to sleep and I walked through his dreams."

"You did what now?" Emrie Michele started, the protective—perfectly motherly sculpted—tone causing Millicent to wince.

"Do you want to know where the Sword is or not?" Millicent edged around Emrie Michele, putting the kitchen table between them.