Exquisite Poison (Original Draft)

Chapter 48 - To Dream, Darkly

Upon awakening the next morning, Netta found that the Witches were busy downstairs.

As they hurried, rushing, Netta was at a loss for what it was that she was watching them do in such a hurry until she saw the tinsel that Ophelia was hanging over a doorway.

"You're celebrating... Christmas?" From behind Netta, the anxiety-riddled Erwinnia spoke in a quiet voice.

In spite of how quietly she had spoken, it was Morgan who answered, rampaging past them with an armload of decorations, a gigantic mass of colored lights on a line thrown over her back. "Move, move, move - well, we do it every year, and it's a bit late this year, but everyone's here and it's not as though there are homicidal manaics roaming about freely or anything -"

Wu, appearing from out behind a fake christmas tree that struck Netta as being ridiculous, given their close proximity to real ones, added, "This is a time for thinking happy thoughts and being thankful for family. Oh shit, I've still gotta decorate this thing - mother - fucker."

A loud, raucous laugh bubbled up from Ember, who had been busy garlanding the area above the fireplace in gaudy green and red tinsel. "Yeah, shouldn't have agreed to tree duty, thinking that you could finish it in twenty minutes. Putting that old thing together must have taken over a half an hour, and if those decorations don't look right, Miss Kienna's gonna tan your hide..." She trailed off, throwing her head back to laugh crazily.

Miss Kienna herself - Lucia - appeared, coming out of the kitchen and not seeming to see Netta or Erwinnia, she looked at Ember, her hands on her hips. "I can hear a lot of laughing and not a lot of wor-" She snapped her fingers and turned to look, her eyes widening at the sight of Netta. "Ah, the both of you, you're awake."

Netta turned to look at Lucia and felt a trepidation growing in her. "Hello, Miss Kie- Lucia."

Lucia hurried up to her and examined her face with disconcerting focus.

When she seemed to see something that made her feel contented, she stood back, a smile forming. "You seem to be in better cheer - or, at least, these fools have made spectacles enough of themselves for your amusement. How is your savior doing today?"

Erwinnia approached, her head held low. "H-hello. We didn't have much time last night to explain what happened yesterday -"

"On the contrary," Lucia said, her arms crossed. "I think I heard enough last night to understand what occurred with the Oleander Coven in the last week, while our newest member had disappeared."

"O-oh."

"So, I take it that you'll claim that you had no idea that Neith here was to be sacrificed, you had your hands clean leading up to the debacle."

Erwinnia looked up, her eyes widening considerably, her body beginning to shake. "I would. U-um, if I may, I just want to add -"

"I've heard enough to render my judgement, concerning your fate, following the events of yesterday. Unless, that is, our mutual friend has anything more to add to what I've heard of your behavior..."

Netta could feel her adopted Sister's shocked, desperate eyes on her.

Clearing her throat, Netta made eye contact, as much as she could manage with those cold blue eyes of the head of Coven Gardenia. "She - Erwinnia saved my life. Three times, then -"

Erwinnia coughed, then said, "Four times."

"-Five times."

"That so?" Lucia had raised one of her fine-boned hands up to her chin, resting it on her curled index finger as she turned her attention finally to Erwinnia. Softly, she asked, "Do you truly wish to stay among us? Because I must say, I am adamant that no Witch may join our ranks in a time of war without a Familiar to lend them strength. This is war we have been forced into, not an afternoon chess match."