𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐒 | Moral choice. Nothing is properly considered either good, or bad, aside from those things that are within our own power to control, and the only thing fully in our power to control is our own volition.
Esmerelda's attempts of...
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▬▬▬ CHAPTER TWENTY ▬▬▬
( warning! )
lots of drugs being mentioned here, but don't worry neither Essie or Ethan are taking them. They're too precious for it
ESMERELDA VAGUELY REMEMBERED ETHAN TELLING her that an empousa had tried to kill him after he ran away from home. She eyed the monstrous woman warily, was this really the same one? It seemed unlikely, but then again she met the Chimera for a second time after two years.
The empousa smiled beautifully. "Ah, so you still remember me after all this time? I'm flattered." She turned to Esmerelda and requested politely, "Can you please tell your pet to fall back, my lady?"
Ethan bristled at being called a 'pet' but Esmerelda spoke up before he could do anything, "Er, 'my lady'?"
She frowned in confusion. "Do you wish for me to call you 'Your Highness' instead? One of the Dark Lady's titles is the 'Queen of Witches' so perhaps that would be more appropriate..."
She genuinely looked like she was considering this, so Esmerelda shook her head hastily. "N-no, just Essie's fine. Um, why exactly did you help us?"
"I could not allow the daughter of the Dark Lady to die, she would be furious with me! She also sent me here to retrieve you since it appears you needed help." She explained.
Uh oh, Esmerelda thought. 'Retrieve' usually meant 'kidnap' whenever she was concerned. She glanced over at Ethan and the look on his face told her that he came to the same conclusion too.
"Retrieve me?" She echoed weakly.
The empousa nodded. "Yes. I am to take you to a safer location and allow you a temporary rest before your pet—sorry, your friend—arrives with you to Mount Tamalpais."
"We don't need a place to rest," Ethan said rudely. "We're kinda on a time crunch here."
"There is no deadline," she scoffed. "And I am aware of your dwindling supply of nectar and ambrosia. The Dark Lady has ordered me to give you all you need if you just let me lead you to a safe location."
"No way," Ethan rejected the offer, but Esmerelda bit her lip thoughtfully.
Empousai were creations of her mother and they never harmed daughters of Hecate (though sometimes they attacked sons if they were hungry enough). But then again, she and her mother weren't exactly on good terms... Could she really trust this woman—er, monster?
"If you're lying to us," she began. "Then I'll kill you."
She actually shuddered, as if being threatened by a beaten-up looking thirteen year old girl was the most terrifying thing in existence. "I could never betray your trust, my lady—er, Your Highness—no, wait, Essie."
