Severance

30. Lilith

"You can't seriously be thinking about going in there," I scoffed, "what about Summer and Suzhe? What happens when they come back to the circle and find we're gone?"

"This won't take long," he promised, "if trouble arises, I'll get us out of it."

"Wouldn't it be best not to cause trouble in the first place...?" I sighed to myself as he slipped up the steps, my own feet following behind more warily.

On the door was one of those old knockers, a faded brass in color and shaped into a tree of life. August reached for it and let out three loud knocks: boom, boom, boom. An ominous air swept over me instantly as we waited for some type of response, a flicker of shadows at the window, a voice, something. Suddenly the door swung inward with a slow sweep, revealing a warmth that soothed my trembling and the scent of...cinnamon?

"Hello?" August called into the home, a glimpse of movement catching my eye. A woman's voice echoed through the home, soft and airy yet carrying an ancient tone.

"Come in!"

August and I exchanged looks of suspicion before we stepped inside, finding what would've been the most cozy, quaint little home had it not been hidden in haunted woods. There were portraits on the walls, hand painted and radiating beauty. The furniture was antique yet perfect in condition, all made from fine fabrics and real wood. There was no technology, just candles that flickered on the wall and a fire in the fireplace.

"You kids are just in time," the woman revealed herself, "the cookies just came out of the oven."

My heart practically stopped for a second; standing before me was a woman a few inches taller than I, curling, bushy auburn hair falling to her chest and a heart shaped face that held soft amber eyes, just like mine. She was just as busty and equally curvy, for Christ's sake, she could've been my sister. I couldn't even take a full breath I was so amazed. August was doing a double take, his eyes wide when he realized our guesses were right: she looked just like me.

"You must be Mina," she smiled, "I've waited so long to meet you. You even managed to get August out of London for more than an hour, that's something to be proud of."

"Lilith?" I asked tentatively, my voice merely a whisper.

"The one and only," she grinned, her face beaming like nothing else, "I see you found your great uncle's books."

"Did...did you meet him...?"

"I never got the pleasure, but I always knew what he was up to," her face darkened for a split second, a troubling memory crossing her eyes, "I was devastated when I heard he died in Hawaii. He was so kind to everyone."

"So I've heard," I laughed quietly, everything feeling so surreal. My eyes drifted down and I saw that her shirt lifted above her midriff, revealing inky marks on her stomach. She must've seen where I was looking because she lifted her shirt enough for me to see.

"Infans Thronus," she explained, "mark of the child. They may call me the mother of all evil but this mark right here cursed me to never be able to give birth. All of my children are adopted, aside from you and your family, that is."

"Adopted?" August asked suddenly. "From whom?"

"That would be me."

We all turned towards a staircase across the room, a figure descending the steps in the darkness only to reveal himself in the light. Inky hair was combed back while jade eyes stood out against his tanned skin; he reached out to snake his arm around Lilith's waist, pulling her against him as he kissed her crown of hair. That strange, numb feeling hit me again when I realized they were very much in love.