Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 69

Fawn wiped her eyes, which had returned to their natural olive color, with the back of her fingers.

"I'm happy for you, Lainey. Really."

Lainey smiled.

"Why are you crying?"

Fawn shrugged.

"I don't know," she squeaked.

"Really?" Lainey asked.

"No. I just . . . I don't want to hurt anybody or let anybody down."

Lainey grimaced.

"You mean your mom?"

"Or you . . ."

Lainey's heart skipped a beat.

"Fawn . . . you wouldn't try kill Benjamin, would you?"

"Like I said, I don't want to hurt anybody."

"But? . . . There's a 'but', right?"

"Lainey, I don't know what's going to happen, okay? God this isn't what today was supposed to be about. We're supposed to be hanging out and having fun."

A few second later there was a light tremor, causing most of the cosmetics on Lainey's vanity dresser to fall.

Lainey cautiously looked at Fawn.

"Did you . . .?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Mama called it a magical surge. Sometimes when a witch's emotions are high . . . things like that happen. We have no control over what happens nor can we anticipate what happens. Forgot to mention that I'm the elemental witch of earth. Guess that explains the tremors."

Lainey stared into the palms of her hand which were resting on her lap. If Fawn was the elemental witch of earth, then the elemental witches of fire, water and wind remain.

"Which elemental do you suppose Ursula is?" she asked quietly.

Fawn rested her chin on her knuckles as she thought about Lainey's question.

"You said her eyes glowed green. That would make her the elemental witch of wind. It would also explain why that particular elemental have been MIA for so long. Ursula never died so she remained the elemental witch of wind all these years." Fawn looked at Lainey. "I still don't have full control over the mind-reading thing. Information comes in bits. Anything I miss?"

"Well . . . she was one of the original four elementals that sealed away the sorcerer Demetrius."

"The sorcerer who created the three Unforgivable Spells," Fawn said. "I've heard of him. He's the sorcerer you're supposed to be the descendant of, right?"

Lainey nodded.

"Ursula came to Sancova to get my blood to use in a ritual to . . . raise him."

The two girls stared at each other, their eyes widening. Lainey knew that Fawn was thinking the same thing she was.

"Demetrius is the Evil One of the prophecy," Fawn whispered.

"I was just thinking the sa--"

"I know. Why would Ursula want to do such a thing?"

"Ursula says she believes he is strong enough to kill primitive dead walkers without the Bone Dagger."

Fawn looked at Lainey.

"Primitive . . . I've heard that before. Something about a . . . 'Primitive Family.'"

Lainey nodded.