The Curse of the Osirians

House of Venom

Layla's POV

"Okay, so I got beat by a mathlete in the election. I can't hide away in here forever, can I? I mean, it's not like my life's over or anything," Amber said the next morning as Nina and I got ready for Sarah's funeral. "I'm so sorry, Nina. Sorry, Layla!" Amber quickly said.

"It's okay," Nina told her.

"You've always got us, remember," Fabian said.

"Why don't you buy some flowers?" Amber said as she went to hand Nina some money.

"We can't take that," I said.

"They can be from all of us. Please, I'd like you to," Amber begged.

"Thank you, Amber," Nina replied as she accepted.

"Alfie, she is not. Tell him, Fabian!" Patricia exclaimed as her and Alfie strode into our room. "He reckons Joy is one of them."

"I didn't say she is, but her dad definitely is," Alfie said. Hah! I knew it.

"Whoa, whoa, wait. Rewind. What?" Asked Fabian.

"Trixie was showing me some photos on her phone," Alfie started to explain.

"And one of them is of me and Joy and her mom and dad," Patricia added.

"And it was him, the man from the cellar, Joy's dad," Alfie stated.

"I knew it," I declared as I raised my brows.

"Well, even if Joy's dad is involved, there is no way Joy would ever be!" Patricia exclaimed.

"She did back up his story," Fabian pointed out.

"Fabian, this is Joy we're talking about. Joy. You and her were really close. Remember?" Patricia said.

"Well, no, we weren't that close," Fabian stuttered as he glanced at my sister.

"You people are unbelievable!" Patricia stormed out of the room.

*****

"And so today we entrust our sister Emily to God's mercy," the Pastor was saying as we all stood in the cemetery.

"Sarah," I whispered.

"Her name was Sarah, you dummy," Nina added quietly as I elbowed her gently.

"And now we commit her body to the ground.
Earth to earth. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust," the pastor recited.

"Bye, Sarah," I said softly as we headed back inside, though I spotted Rufus standing behind a tree having watched the ceremony holding a single red rose. I frowned. After having witnessed some of his childhood memories I was even more conflicted about what to think of him.

"She would have been very touched you two came." Mrs. Mulligan said as we walked inside. I noticed Victor nearby. Oh, by the way, did you open Emily's," she started to ask.

"It was a very beautiful service. I thought it was a really beautiful service," Nina quickly cut in.

"Now, you all take a seat. I'll put the tea on," she said.

"A person mourned is a person loved, my dears," the pastor told my sister and I.

"I'm sure that's true," Nina replied. I noticed Victor wasn't in the room anymore and gestured for Nina to follow me, guessing where he had gone.

"You have something that belongs to me, I believe," we heard Victor saying to Rufus.

"Oh, the elixir. It's all gone, I'm afraid. Or very nearly. Same as your supply, I'd imagine," Rufus said.