𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐃; rio v.

IX

Theodora lays beneath a tree, her eyes shut and she manages to sleep. Rio watches over her from afar, her fingertips tracing her lips as if she wanted more.

Lilia startles awake abruptly. "They're coming. We have to go." She says. Theodora lifts from her sleep, her hands lifting to rub the tiredness from her eyes. "The summoning spell, we left the door open!" Lilia explains as she lifts to put her jacket back on.

"What are you talking about? What did you see?"

Rio and Theodora look at each other, a smirk on Rio's face as she notices the slight panic in Theo's eyes. "Go on, Lilia. Tell them." Rio encourages as she holds eye contact with Theodora.

The others stand up and eye Lilia with dread. "The Salem Seven."

"Scary black dresses?" Teen inquires as he describes the group, leading Lilia to nod. "When Theodora almost killed some witches..."

"With a wave of chaos magic." Jen interrupts. "Because Evanora Harkness tried to have her executed!" Rio buts in, the urge to defend her ex-girlfriend being strong.

"Yeah, I wonder why." Theodora mutters as she lifts from under the tree. Though the coven didn't hear her, Rio did.

"Are you really defending a noted serial killer, you creepy lurker?" Jen asks. "Come on, someone finish the story!" Alice groans. "When Theodora and Agatha murdered their sister witches, they spared their young children."

"I wasn't aware they had children, just saying." Theodora said.

"Yeah, and then they became a feral, hive-minded coven bent on revenge." Rio continued. Agatha rushes over, reaching for coat in a hurry. "The moral of the story, kids, is always finish what you started." She exclaimed.

"Also, mercy is overrated."

"All right, everybody, pack up your shit! Let's go!" Theodora jogged beside Agatha quickly, both running away from their problems. The coven hustles down a gully, a screech coming from forward.

"That was ahead of us." Jennifer informed them, and they all almost turned back before hearing an identical sound behind them. "That's behind us." Alice gulped. "We're trapped!"

Theodora looked around, her eyes in search of the children of the late witches. "What about a hexenbesen?" Teen calls out, receiving a series of different responses. "Yes!" Theodora and Rio yell above the others, Theo holding up a thumbs-up at the boy.

"Well, if you're all too cool for a practical means of escape.." Another sound echoes through the woods, sending shivers down everyone's spines. "Nope, brooms are great!" They all begin to yank thick roots from trees. Theodora looks over at Rio, who had seemed to already be looking at her as she adjusted her broom.

Theodora added leaves and ivy to the root, a symbol that matched Rio's personality. Rio bloomed hibiscus flowers on top of hers, a smile pulling at her lips. "You're just a show off." Theodora grumbled, Rio's smile turning into a smirk.

Rio and Theodora circle each other with their makeshift brooms as they chant in Latin. Once they're done, they trade brooms, they're hands lingering on top of each other for too long before Theodora clears her throat and moves along.

Agatha did a trio with Alice and Teen, Alice ending up with Teen's, Agatha with Alice's, and Teen with Agatha's.

"It's about selflessness, Teen. We fly together, or not at all."

Suddenly, one of the Salem Seven appears and jumps onto Teen's back. He groans, but Alice is quick to hit the witch onto the group. "Alright, let's go!" Theodora yells.

The jog quickly before they lift into the air, their legs wrapped securely around the thick tree root. "We got to get off the Road!" Alice yells. Theodora guides her broom upward, the others behind her as they fly over the trees in a single file line across the full moon.