Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON ONE (Completed!)

Part 2.9

Our people are energy. When we're seriously injured, our particles scatter into the atmosphere. They can't be destroyed. But as the First Witch clutched Lazarus's lifeless form, she knew something was wrong. She knew Lazarus wasn't coming back.

I still feel anger, but I pat it down. I'm not the First Witch. And I'm not Scion.

He isn't pleased when I tell him I haven't got any new information. "There's a servant," I say. "She started a few weeks ago. I found her snooping in my drawers. She might be the Phaedrean..."

"Might isn't of any use to me," Scion snaps.

Why don't you kill me, Scion? I have to bite my lip to keep from saying it out loud. I'm not being very useful, so kill me. Any Ariadni would do it.

"Why don't you help me watch the mansion? It's a big space."

Scion shakes his head. "The Phaedrean would sense me."

He can't mask his own energy - someone has to do that for him. He's looking to be discreet. He'll have the upper hand with surprise on his side. He wasn't going to rush into a fight either, not knowing whether the odds were stacked in his favour or mine. Always cool-headed, our Scion.

"But surely you're stronger than him. You said you were a warrior."

His energy flickers. He's annoyed. "The Phaedreans are not without their own powers."

"You're worried he might be stronger than you."

"I did not say that."

"How strong are you? Could you destroy this mansion? Could you survive an explosion?"

Scion bites his lip.

It's something he does when he doesn't want to answer. He bit his lip that night too, a thousand years ago on Phaedra, when I asked him about the flowers.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" I said. And they were, little pinwheels of light green turning in the breeze.

Scion bit his lip. "They're alright."

I came out of my mist and crouched next to him in solid form. He was like a little brother in a way. The two of us, orphans under Lazarus's wing. I felt like I owed him some advice. "You can say you like them," I told him. "Flowers aren't a symbol of weakness. They're as strong as any warrior. See here? It fought for these pretty petals. It fought against wind and heat and even other plants. It's standing before us in victory."

Scion turned his emerald eyes to me, confused. "It fought?"

"Yes, and its battle was amazing. Every cell was a fighter. You see this pod here? It's filled with sticky seeds. If a predator tries to eat this plant, the pod bursts and the seeds stick in the predator's teeth. It's a booby trap."

"Traps are for cowards. A warrior faces his enemy head on."

I sighed. He was just a boy, but the Ariadni started their brainwashing early. No wonder Scion always had a new bruise to show Lazarus when he visited Kronos.

Scion wasn't like the others. He didn't have that thirst for bloodshed. He was curious, he liked to learn things.

I took his hands in mine and looked him in the eyes. "You like learning about these plants as much as I do, Scion. It's who you are, and the other boys can hit you and call you names, but that doesn't make them any better than you are. Lazarus brought you here because he saw something in you. There is a light in your eyes, Scion. I can see it."

I search for that light now, lying on my back strapped to Scion's table. All I see is impatience. Perhaps that light went out when Lazarus blinked out of existence. Or perhaps it had never been there at all.

"I could not destroy this building on my own," Scion says. "But the being in the orb can do so easily. An explosive would certainly cause me serious injury, but all that means is that my particles will be scattered far and wide. I cannot truly die. Our people are forever."

Lazarus wasn't forever. You made sure of that. You repaid his kindness with something worse than death.

I clench my fists. We were good to him. We helped him, took him away from a place where he was ridiculed for being who he was. We accepted him, and what did he do?

My energy sizzles beneath my skin. I have the traitor before me. I could make him suffer. That's all I want. I want him to suffer like we did, worse than we did. I want him to crack.

But I told myself no. I remember telling myself no. It's very important that I deny myself this. I want to reach for Scion so badly. He betrayed us.

But I promised myself.

I promised.

The hatred claws at my resolve, but I hold on.

Scion eyes me suspiciously. "I know about the Witch Doctors. I know you've hired them. I've been watching you. Don't think you can sneak around behind my back, human. They cannot help you."

I close my eyes. The anger is still hot against my eyelids, but I'm in control. I'm Lily from Witch Doctors Inc. I'm not the First Witch.

"I told them but they didn't believe me. They think I'm crazy."

Scion howls with laughter. "What did I tell you, human? Your intellect is pitiful."

Yes, Scion, you're smart. But you don't care much for that. You never did.

I watch his arrogant face, and I smile on the inside. I can't kill him now, but the time is coming. My ice magic is getting stronger by the day. I'll face him soon and I'll make him pay. It's what the darkness in me wants.