The Seed || A Madam Spellman Story

A Snake in the Garden

"A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisper separates close friends," 

- Proverbs 16:28 

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Zelda's nightmares returned unexpectedly.

Three weeks had went by since the meeting with rest of the council members and her display of power. Every night since then, she had been plagued with new terrors and new fears since the Caligari spell had lifted, and she had killed Blackwood.

Most nights she would awake in Lilith's arms, her whispering calming words and trying her hardest to placate a delicate and scared witch.

"It's alright, darling, I'm right here." Lilith would often say. And Zelda would ask why her nightmares had returned to her, desperate for answers and for relief.

"I'm sorry Zelda, I don't know," She would reply, tears in her own eyes, "Try and sleep now, I won't leave you."

Lilith would stay for as long as she could, and Zelda would be guarded from the worst of it. But not always. And it was more than frustrating organising for war, leading the church, and looking over her shoulder for the remaining princes of Hell to show up in an attempt to assassinate her while sleep deprived and "functionally depressed" as Ambrose had aptly stated it.

So when Sabrina suggested that she take a walk and leave some of the administrative tasks to Prudence and herself, she took it. Judas holding one hand, and Leticia holding the other, they walked through the semi busy streets of Greendale's square looking for some decadent ice cream, and a much needed break.

Unfortunately for Zelda, the universe wasn't in the business of giving her breaks.

They passed around the corner, and two suspicious looking men stood in front of a seemingly deserted building. Once Zelda concentrated hard enough, she could make out the glamour that surrounded them. And when she peeled back that glamour, it revealed two demons underneath; dressed in the similar cloaks that the other princes war. Dammit.

"Judas, Leticia," She started, pulling them back around the corner where they couldn't be seen. "I have to take care of something, quickly. You'll have to stay with Dr.Cerberus for a bit."

"Mommy, do you have to fight bad guys again?" Judas asked, concerned. She knelt down to meet them.

"Yes, I do. But it won't take long, I promise. I need the both of you to be brave for me, yes?"

"We'll be brave, we promise. Right Letty?" Leticia smiled in agreement, placing her hand on Zelda's face as she often did to communicate comfort and trust.

"Good, now let's get you both to safety."

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After getting them to the book store, urging him to call Hilda if anything went wrong and Lilith if things went super wrong, she put her plan into work. 

Zelda was aware that these next two demons were worse than the lasts, as was the pattern. After a few weeks of inadequate sleep, she'd rather not run the risk of serious injury or death by fighting them head on. She would have to be clever and set a demon trap strong enough to subdue both of them. 

Slipping into the abandoned building, she quickly went to work on the trap. The spell was simple but the execution was finicky at best. Lines crossed within the pentagram when she spoke the Enochian she had been studying, testing the extent of her powers. Zelda was relieved that it had worked.