Prometheus

Chapter 22: Everyone's got Mommy Issues

Chapter 22: Everyone's got Mommy Issues

"Beans!"

Luz startled awake, flailing in the air before falling on her back. Groggily, she opened her eyes again, being met with the kitchen ceiling.

"We ran out of apple blood." Eda voiced out her dismay. She also kicked the fridge door closed. "Any luck you two?" Eda asked, turning to Luz.

Luz lifted herself over the pile of books she and Flint had been sifting through, though Flint was still out like a light and hunched over the table flat on his face. "None. We were up all night too. And we searched everything, even tea leaves." Luz brought up a nearby mug and turned it toward Ead, the leaf forming the outline of someone shrugging. "But nothing explains how to make a portal to the Human Realm. And if Flint's from the Demon Realm, we don't know how he managed to get across realms either."

Eda sighed. "I wish I could help ya, kid, I really do. But as far as I know, that door was one of a kind."

Luz frowned at that. "How come?"

Before Eda could answer, a scream could be heard from the living room, this one being enough to finally cause Flint to wake up with a start and fall back with a yelp.

"Ow." Flint groaned.

While Flint lay there, Eda and Luz ran to the living room and the source of the scream. When they got there, they were met with the sight of Lilith on the floor, her fingers beginning to grow into claws as black feathers sprouted from her forearms.

"Help...me." Lilith pled as she tried desperately to resist the transformation.

Eda rushes over, swiping an elixir from behind a pillow on the couch. She repositioned Lilith as she uncorked the elixir. "Calm down, just calm down. The curse acts stronger when you're stressed." Eda reminded as she fed Lilith the elixir.

Lilith panted as the feathers receded. "That was...horrible. How have you managed all these years?" Lilith asked, rubbing her forehead as her brain tried to comprehend it all.

"Well, it's been hard. But since we split the curse, at least the elixirs are working again." Eda answered, helping her sister up.

"That's a relief." Lilith sighed as she raised her left hand...only to realize it was no longer there.

Lilith cried out in terror as Luz did in mild shock. After all the shit Luz has seen, this was nothing, but it still manages to slip her mind.

"Whoops, forgot to mention that," Eda said sheepishly as she retrieved Lilith's missing ligament from the ground. "Not really sure why, but it's kinda fun and useful sometimes," Eda remarked as she set the hand back in place.

"It's still a bit unsettling," Flint said, leaning on the doorway as he looked somewhat strained. "But given I watched you get your head cut off not even fifteen minutes after meeting you, it has its uses," Flint admitted, holding his hip.

Eda shrugged in agreement before looking back to Lilith. "Don't be such a worrywart, I've stashed elixirs all over the house," Eda says, revealing a great many elixirs hidden around the room. Under the couch seat, behind a flower pot, and pulls one out of Luz's hood in the typical 'what's this behind your ear?' kind of way. "Whenever you start feeling feathery, just help yourself to one of these bad boys."

Luz claps her hands at the last one.

Lilith looked on in a mix of disbelief and regret. "And you've dealt with this for thirty years...all because of me," Lilith said with a downcast look.

Eda's brow furrowed as she flicked Lilith in the forehead, causing the woman to sputter as she rubbed the spot.

"Oi, I thought we already went over this. None of that. It happened, deal with it. But hey, you've got an expert at dealing with it, and now I've got company. I've got your back, 'kay?" Eda said, handing Lilith an elixir and patting her shoulder as she and Luz walked out the door.