Book 1: The Chaos Keys

Chapter Nineteen: Lilith 🌊

Lilith sat on the cozy chair, and Lydia was on the carpet with her head against the armrest. Lilith could not help but run her thumb nervously over the brace. She could just imagine the questions Lazuli would ask… and she did not have the answers to the ones that scared her. 

She did not know how long she had been sitting there, but she was too terrified to accept any offers of food. Lydia had even tried offering her a place to sleep the night before, but Lilith was glued to the chair, terrified to bring attention to herself. Even Melody was unable to convince her to accept anything else. 

She had been increasingly uncomfortable since the night before. And the worsening pain in her arm was not even the cause. It felt like Lazuli was watching her. Every time she closed her eyes to sleep she could see his steely blue eyes. Hear his voice, haunting her, torturing her. And she was terrified of what he would do now that she had disobeyed his direct orders.

She could take it no longer, and made up her mind to just leave. She moved to stand, and her foot gently brushed the woman sitting on the floor, leaning against her chair. 

Lydia shifted a bit, which made Lilith jump. She had not noticed the woman was  awake. She had been there all night, and now the sun was beginning to peek into the sky.

"You know in good conscience I can't let you leave this house alone." She said quietly, her voice holding the rasp of someone who had just woken up.

Lilith held up her hand to sign, and immediately flinched. She slowly lowered it, and uncontrollable tears began to well in her eyes once more.

"Who hurt you?" Lydia whispered. Partially to herself, partially to Lilith.

Lilith sat in complete silence, and slowly a tear slipped down her cheek. She was afraid. Terrified. Of what Lazuli would do to her if he found her.

She swallowed nervously, and Lydia quickly glanced up.

"Poor baby." She mumbled. She reached up her hand, and gently wiped the tears from Lilith's eyes. Which only caused them to fall faster. 

Her shoulders quivered, and she moved to stand.

Aspen's dry voice made her jump. "Wouldn't reccomend that."

Aspen had been asleep on the couch all night. She too seemed to have difficulty staying asleep, and Lilith had caught her awake more than once, her grey-green eyes always peering at Lilith, constantly full of suspicion and distrust. 

Lilith looked over in fearful confusion, and thankfully Aspen thought to continue.

"Lyds isn't gonna let you out if you're a mess. That's just how she is." 

The door swung open suddenly, and Lilith quickly retracted into her seat. She half expected to see Lazuli storm in to grab her, but she saw… Drake?

He sighed wearily, and Lydia cleared her throat. He glanced over, and his eyebrow raised slowly.

"Why..?" 

It took him a moment to take in the scene, and his eyes went between Lydia and Lilith, then back again. Then again, then out the window at where the sun was barely rising. 

He pulled his hand through his dark locs, and dropped his bag on the floor. He looked at Lilith for a moment longer, then glanced to Lydia again.

"Did you feed the dog, Aspen?" She asked absently, and lightly brushed Lilith's hair from her eyes. 

A sudden recognition flickered through Drake's eyes, and Aspen shifted in her chair. Lilith seemed to be missing something,but she had no clue what Drake was thinking, or why he suddenly seemed to understand what was going on.