Time's Tragedies- The Books Of Beginning [2]

65. One To Go

"Hey, E, can I borrow one of your shirts?" Lili asked. 

Eternity snorted, "you'll just steal it even if I say no, so sure. You're the true daughter of a thief, you know that?"

Lili chuckled, "I do my best."

She grabbed the stretchy white blouse that belonged to her best friend, also gathering up a pair of thick black pants, and gloves, thick socks, and a long black and warm coat that she had snatched from her mother's things. She made her way to the bathroom to change into the winter outfit, which would be hell to wear in the latex summer that it was now, but where she was going, would be necessary.

It was four days after the battle in the Cambridge Falls mountains, and also the day when Lili and Eternity were going after the third and final lost piece of the Scroll of Souls. Rafe had fretted at the thought of them jumping through time again so soon, but Lili had been firm that she was ready. Indeed, she felt impatience and the slightest hint of anger bubbling in her, impatience to heal her mother and finally defeat Robert Lloyd once and for all. 

This was necessary, and she was glad to do it and finish the plan as soon as possible. She had faith in her abilities to handle changing circumstances- she had rescued Gabriel from the Countess's boat, after all, and hid from two members of the magical council. She believed that with Eternity's help, she could get the parchment from the past. It was just... to do so, she had to travel back to 1899, around the time her parents first met and fell in love. Which was fine, of course.

It was not fine, actually. It was incredibly overwhelming and slightly terrifying. But Lili wasn't going to mention that. 

Lili quickly changed into her clothes that would protect her from both the cold and appearing too out of place in the past. Then she bolted downstairs to where her father and siblings were waiting.

"Dad, this isn't too noticeable for when we're going, right?" Lili double checked with the man who had actually lived through said time period. 

Rafe nodded, "should be, yeah. Got the money?"

Lili nodded. The money had been Jake's suggestion - to get the piece of the scroll from the seer that lived in the past, they should try to pay for it first, to make things as easy as possible. If she refused, then Lili and Eternity would resort to theft, but they could at least try to do things honestly. 

"Where's your other half?" Abby asked.

"Finishing getting ready," Lili said, sighing internally at what her little sister was insinuating. Abby and Jake had obviously picked up on Lili's little crush on her beautiful best friend, and insisted on playing match maker about it. She had attempted to tell them to knock it off, that Eternity didn't like her like that, and that she didn't want to ruin their fantastic friendship by confessing unrequited attraction, only to be enthusiastically ignored by her brother and called 'absolutely oblivious' by her sister.

"Is there anything else you wanna talk about before you go?" Rafe questioned, "any thing you need to go over?"

Lili shook her head, "I have everything down. I just... I could use a hug."

Rafe obliged, sweeping his daughter into his arms and holding her close, Lili's blonde head burrowed into his chest. Jake threw himself onto them as well, hugging the pair from the side, and Abby soon joined after that, taking the other side of the hug. The four stayed like that for a moment, before there was a soft thud as a fifth body joined their embrace, Eternity, pressing herself against Lili's back and extending her arms to hold the others. 

"Hey," Rafe said softly, looking down to see four heads, one dark blonde, two messy and black, and one curly and bright pink. The four children he would do anything for.