Secrets and Sins

Chapter 31

~Ava~

Lilith cleared her throat, she looked a little nervous, Ava didn’t think she had ever seen the former sister warrior nervous before.

“After Adriel’s demise I withdrew to…recover.” She shot Ava a look, the Halo bearer grimaced, remembering slashing her with the Cruciform sword during the final fight.

“Teleported?” Yasmine asked, fascinated by Lilith’s superpower.

“Yes. At that point I hadn’t had the skill for very long, but generally I could teleport fairly easily on earth, as long as I had been to the place I wanted to teleport to." She paused for a moment, seemingly gathering her thoughts.
"I think it's because I was injured that this time I ended up on the other side.” Lilith spoke quietly, shuddering.
“The world I had appeared in had been thrown into chaos by Adriel’s destruction, he had been able to keep the wraiths in line, sort of, by bringing them into this world, giving them a purpose. Even if it was an evil one.”

“Was that Hell? Where all the wraiths are?” Ava inquired, starting to join the dots.
“Wait, are you the ‘bitch’ that Reya was referring to? Do you command the wraith army?” Ava’s voice got louder and louder with each question, she felt jittery from the revelation.

"I'm getting to that, hold your horses." Lillith responded exasperated.

Ava nodded, fidgeting slightly, "Sorry."

Bea reached for her hand under the table entwining their fingers, helping to calm the Halo bearer's racing mind.

"As I was saying, the world was turned on its head, the wraiths were out of control. Many were leaking through to this side wreaking havoc, but they were even more destructive in their home world. Whatever happened to me to make me like this..." She gestured to her scales and wings.
"...seems to have given me the ability to control the wraiths like Adriel could." Lilith paused for a moment to let her words sink in.
"So, I basically took over, the inhabitants named me…Queen…as I could control the wraiths.”

“Lilith, Queen of Hell. Catchy.” Ava snorted; Lilith glared at her.

“Ava please let Lilith finish.” Mother Superior sighed, already sick of being the referee.

“Sorry.” She repeated, looking down at where Bea’s hand was linked with hers, trying to distract herself from the anxious energy thrumming through her body by tracing the tendons in the back of the sister warrior’s hand.

“I started rooting out anyone still loyal to Adriel and began bringing the wraiths to heel. It went okay for a while, but then Reya started sending tarasks, she wanted to control that world or at least cause it to fall into chaos again. She didn't like that I was creating order. Reya wants power, she wants to control all realms. She is more dangerous than Adriel ever was as she already has complete control of one.”

“Heaven?” Mother Superior had a very serious expression on her face, no doubt considering all of the church’s beliefs on such matters.

“There's not really names for the other realms, the people of earth have just named them heaven and hell, but neither are good or bad. They just are. There are other creatures living there as well, not just wraiths and tarasks. They are each their own world with politics and structure and life.”
“But yes, to answer your question Mother Superior, Reya seems to rule that realm of ‘heaven’, which is why she can control tarasks. I heard she usurped another ruler millennia ago by using the halo. In her hands it's nothing but a bomb, she can’t seem to wield it, not like the Halo bearer.”

“So that’s why she wants me on her side so badly.” Ava muttered furrowing her eyebrows.

“So why are you here Lilith?” Bea spoke up from beside Ava, the Halo bearer could still hear the distrust prevalent in her tone.

"One of my spies in this world told me that Ava had declined Reya's offer, so I'm here to ask for a truce. To work together to kick Reya's arse. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that shit.” Lilith answered simply.

~Beatrice~

The room was silent while everyone considered Lilith’s story and her offer. Beatrice didn’t like this, she sensed that whatever the plan was going to be it would hinge on Ava. She tried to focus on the Halo bearer’s fingers moving across the back of her hand, using the feeling to ground herself.

Vincent spoke first, “What do you know of the portals then Lilith? I think I speak for everyone when I say that we cannot accept your offer until we know everything you know.”

Beatrice was relieved that she wasn’t the only one who had suspicions, although she was a little surprised that Vincent was not willing to give the former sister warrior a second chance considering he had also been working for Adriel at one point.

“To be honest, I don’t know much other than they haven’t opened yet. I know that they are supposed to open somewhere in Madrid, but I don’t know when or why.” The winged woman had an air of concern about this topic.

“Madrid! Oh no, I liked Madrid.” Ava frowned.
“You don’t think the sinkhole will open up under the Prado Museum do you Bea?” The Halo bearer turned to her with a frown, Beatrice just squeezed her hand.

“Sinkhole?” Lilith queried, looking confused.

“Yeah, the portals open at the bottom of a sinkhole. I had a vision when I was shot.”

“You were shot? Who did it? They deserve a high five.” Lilith laughed.

Ava scowled.

“That was me.” Camilla raised her hand, looking sheepish.

“Really?” The winged woman raised her eyebrows.
“I’m impressed Cam, didn’t think you had it in you.”

Camilla looked both uncomfortable and pleased at the praise. Ava grumbled under her breath.

“So, if the sinkhole is going to open in Madrid, I suppose our plan would be to go there and monitor for any seismic activity. While we are waiting, we train and create a battle plan.” Mother Superior announced to the room.
“Camilla, do you think Jillian would have equipment for sensing an impending sinkhole?”

Lilith visibly stiffened, “Salvius is here?” The former sister warrior looked like she was going to be sick.

“Yes.” Mother Superior answered.
“And I think it would be best that you stay away from her at this stage, I will talk to her myself about your involvement.”

Lilith nodded looking away. Beatrice raised an eyebrow at the woman's expression.

Interesting, there's that remorse again.

“Very well, in the morning we will gather the sister warriors together and brief them on the plan to go to Madrid. Vincent, can you and Yasmine organize transport and accommodation? I will talk to Jillian myself. Lilith will you be needing to stay at the convent this evening?” Mother Superior looked towards the former sister warrior.

“No, I will return to my world and ready the army. When you reach Madrid, I will teleport back to check in. I’ll make sure to only appear to those in this meeting with no others around until you’ve ironed out everything.”
“So, I assume we are agreed to a truce?” Lilith asked, extending her hand to Mother Superior.

Mother Superior shrugged, not reaching out to reciprocate the handshake, “That would be up to Ava, she is the Halo bearer after all. And you did try to kill her the most times.”

Lilith gritted her teeth, turning to Ava, “Well Ava, what do you say?”

The Halo bearer looked at the hand for an instance, considering reaching out to take it, but before she did, she spoke, “I say yes, but if I see anything dodgy bullshit whatsoever, then that's it and I will kill you this time.”

The two women had a moment of intense eye contact as they weighed each other up. Finally, Lilith nodded, and they shook hands, but as soon as their skin touched the halo hummed loudly.

“What the fuck?” Ava yelped, pulling her hand away and checking her bracelet was securely fastened to her wrist, which it was.

Beatrice was on her feet the instant the halo started humming, everyone else were on the edge of their seats, tension thick in the room. She could see Camilla had a hand on her side arm. Beatrice moved forward so she was partially in front of Ava, shielding the other woman protectively.

“Why did the halo activate when Ava touched you?” She accused, suspicion coursing through her body.

“I don’t know? It never has before.” Lilith answered, she looked just as shocked as everyone else.

“Okay well definitely don’t touch her again until we understand why. Camilla, can you ask Dr Salvius about that?” Beatrice was worried, that shouldn't happen, they couldn't risk Reya taking over Ava again.

The nun nodded her agreement.

“Okay on that note, I think everyone needs to get some rest.” Mother Superior declared tiredly.
“Dismissed.”