A Secret To Be Kept (Hosie)

Chapter 8: The Merge p2

AN: Hey guys! So, I didn't forget to post yesterday but by the time I had a chance to finish the chapter it was already past midnight my time so I decided to just wait until today to post. I know we've technically missed a day of updates but today's chapter is twice as long as a typical one so hopefully, that makes up for it. I had a lot of fun writing today's chapter so enjoy!

- B

Flashback

"How do you know about that?" Dr. Saltzman asked in a shocked voice.

In the midst of Hope's sudden entrance, she failed to notice Emma sitting in the chair in front of her.

"I'll come back later Alaric." Emma started to get up.

"Wait no, stay. Please." Dr. Saltzman looked desperate.

With Dr. Saltzman's request, Emma sat back down. Dr. Saltzman then shifted his body to face the girls.

"Okay, I ask again. How do any of you know about The Merge?" This time Dr. Saltzman sounded hesitant.

"I read it. In your journal." Josie spoke up.

Realizing this wasn't the time to ask how, Dr. Saltzman racked his brain on how to handle this situation.

"You weren't going to tell them? What were you going to do? Just wait until they turned 22 and deal with it then?" Hope angrily spat out.

"No! Of course not!" Dr. Saltzman defended himself.

"Hope, I think you should let Dr. Saltzman explain." Emma tried to calm Hope down.

"Well, he sure does have a lot of explaining to do." Hope looked Dr. Saltzman down and up and crossed her arms.

"You're right. I should probably be honest with you guys." Dr. Saltzman let out a big sigh.

With Hope doing all the yelling for them Josie and Lizzie didn't say much.

"I think we should close the door." Dr. Saltzman nodded towards the door.

Josie walked over to the door to close it and walked back over but this time by Hope's side.

"I don't know how much you guys already know but this is what The Merge is." Dr. Saltzman started.

"Josie and Lizzie, you guys know you're from a coven of witches called the Gemini Coven. Within your coven, the first-born twins are always in line to be coven leaders. Unfortunately, this means the first-born twins have no choice but to Merge."

Hope and the twins attentively listened as Dr. Saltzman explained.

"Merging is when the two twins quite literally merge their mind, body, and soul to retain the magical power of coven leadership. It's conducted by a spell which both twins cast ending with the stronger twin absorbing the weaker twin." Dr. Saltzman paused.

"So, one of us is going to have to kill the other." Lizzie bluntly stated.

"To harshly put it, yes." Dr. Saltzman slowly nodded his head.

"Whichever twin that wins will absorb some of the qualities of their twin making it an embodiment of both twins just residing in one body." Dr. Saltzman painfully added.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner? We could have helped you find a loophole." Josie asked in a hurt voice.

"How exactly do you tell your two kids something like that?" Dr. Saltzman winced.