A deafening silence filled the bathroom as a single being sat in the bathtub. Her long hair rested against her back while the tips barley floated on the water. Her breathing was constant, but shallow as she blankly stared at her own merky reflection. Sitting in a fetal position, Ida sat lost in her own mind at everything that happened. She flinched every time her long hair touched or moved against her body. Yet she held herself closer. She slowly raised her right hand and watched as the water quickly flowed off of her exoskeleton and through the segments of her joints.
"I'm still alive?"
This was the only thought to cross her mind as she examined her arm. She noticed how her own hand trembled before she closed it. With nothing else she just placed it back against her leg and stared back at the water.
"By the Serpents..." Ida softly whisped to herself as she let a single tear drop from her eye. That single tear rolled off her face before falling into the ocean of warm water.
A single knock on the door shatter her lonely world, and brought her back to the reality she was in. Ida felt her body tensed up as she focused her four eyes on the door. She watched as the door slowly creaked open with suspense.
Without realizing it, Ida slowly raised her clawed black arm up from the water. Not sure of who or what would come through the door, she readied herself for a possible fight.
However, it was only Martha who poked her head through the door and blankly stared at the naked woman before her. Her eyes barely made contact with Ida as she looked towards the sink counter and placed a thing of clothes on it. Her eyes looked at the girl once again as she silently stared at her, before closing the door again.
As the door clicked closed, Ida dropped her head and exhaled slowly as she placed her hand back in the water. A wave of relief filled her body, before being replaced with other fears and her own dread. She let out another sigh as she laid back in the warm water to blankly look at the ceiling and focus on something else.
In Lucas's room, a long groan would leave his mouth as he used both hands to wipe his face before resting them on his forehead. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over his body as he started to kick himself over what happened.
"Damn it." He muttered to him as he shock his head. "Why did I do that? Especially in front of mom and Amay."
"And why was she there?" He thought as he remembered seeing Ida standing behind his mom.
While he dealt with that, Amay paced back and forth in Lucas room with frustration radiating off her body. Her single horn split her hair as she angerly grumbled to herself while her hands gestured as she argued with herself.
"How the hell could Lizzy say that?" Amay frustratingly muttered as she whipped around. "What the hell was she thinking? Making HER of all beings her summon!? And having her stay in the HOUSE!"
Amay angrily growled as she throw her hands down before bringing them to her head.
"How can she be so stupid? She lost her fucking mind, if she thinks that bitch is gonna stay here and attack me or hi" Amay growled as she furiously switched to her native tongue to continue her rant.
Lucas raised himself back up to hunch over the bed as he used one hand to rub his forehead. He looked up to see Amay pacing back and forth while angrily talking to herself in her own language. He raised a hand up to stop her but hesitated.
"She's mad about all of this," He told himself and decided against it. "I should probably just let her get it out of her system."
"God. Why the hell is this all happening now?" He asked shaking his head and exhaled.
"I don't know but she better have a damn good reasoning." Amay angrily told him, without realizing she was still speaking her native tongue.
Noticing the confused look on Lucas face, Amay took a sharp inhale before exhaling though her nose. Before she could say anything to him, her ears twitched as she looked towards the door as she heard footsteps approach it.
A soft knock came to the door bringing both of their attention to it. Amay folded her arms as she waited.
"Uh come in," Lucas said noticing Amay waiting for the person to come in.He didn't know exactly who it was but figured it was most likely his mom.
Barely walking through the door, Elizabeth already had a hand up and readying herself for the backlash.
"Now I know both of you are wondering why-"
"What the hell are you thinking?" Amay interrupted and started to bombard her. "This is the worst idea you had yet."
Elizabeth calmly walked in the room and closed the door to shut off the rest of the world from their conversation. She knew Amay would be very angry and valid in her frustration. So she let her pass with interrupting her explanation for them. She stood tall with her own arms folded while giving Amay her attention and a chance to vent.
"You blindly let her into the house and even made her your partner. Have you lost your mind!?" Amay continued. "You put not only me but him in danger with her around. Why would you do that? Do you have any idea how dangerous she is? You didn't even give us a chance to have our input on this. What the fuck is wrong with you? Have all these years rotten your brain?"
She frustratingly said getting close to Elizabeth to stare her down.
"Why didn't you just kill her off? If you are so worried about your "baby", why don't you do the sensible thing then." Amay said baring her fangs at Elizabeth. The fire in her eyes trying to burn though Elizabeth's cold glare as she stared back unflinching.
"And what would that be, Amay?" Elizabeth coldly challenged her former friend back as she took a step forward. She took another step forward and leaned over Amay without breaking her stare. "I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but allow me to educate you on something."
"Twice you and my son, have been attacked. Twice he has been badly injured and he nearly died. You on the other hand died this time. What do you think will happen the third time?" Elizabeth bluntly asked her as she stepped closer and watched Amay's eyes looked away for a brief moment as her words hit and sink into her.
"I don't know if you are aware of this, but both attacks happened when Martha and I were away from you and him. So how the hell do you think we feel about this? And to add icing on this fucked up cake, these attacks are getting stronger. So what the fuck would you do if you were in this situation and that was your child and friend involved?" Elizabeth asked her directly. She watched Amay go silent and bite her tongue as she tried to figure it out. "Well! Come on! Don't hold your tongue. I'm all fucking ears!"
"I...I don't know!" Amay muttered before taking a step back. Her face became red as she felt herself become small and embarrassed in front of her.
A sharp exhale left Elizabeth's mouth as she took a step back and put a hand on her head.
"Look," Elizabeth exhaled and recomposing herself. "Killing her doesn't solve anything, there's a chance another being stronger then her or even more would just replace her. Keeping her alive and sending her off to any prison, would only let her spread and confirm the rumors that he exist. Which doesn't help if we still are not sure if they are targeting you, him, or both."
This sent a chill down both Amay and Lucas back as they looked at her intensely and unsure for a moment.
"Keeping her here is not the best idea, but it gives us a start until we figure it out. She holds information that could make it easier to counter the next ones or triangulate who's sending these attacks and for what." Elizabeth expressed. "Maybe these are random coincidences. Or someone out there is trying to get back at me. I sadly don't know and can't say for certain on which it is."
"Hopefully keeping her here and under supervision will give us an answer to this growing problem." Elizabeth finally concluded with a sigh.
Amay didn't know what to say about all this. Her anger spoke volumes, but she partly understood what Elizabeth was saying. So, she just throw her hands up, walked passed Elizabeth with a slight shove, and slammed Lucas's room door behind her.
"I figured as much," Elizabeth muttered to herself as she exhaled. She rubbed her temple knowing she couldn't be mad for how she her friend reacted. "One step at a time."
She then turned her attention to her son who sat on his bed lost at what to say. She slowly approached him, before taking a seat next to him on his bed.
Neither one spoke for a moment as they looked at different things and struggled with to say to the other. They both felt the room shift from a tense anger from Amay to a cloud of doubt and uncertainty. A look of worry was painted across Elizabeth's face as she didn't know what her son was thinking at the moment.
"Are you okay.." Elizabeth asked being the first to break the ice. "I know it's not the best choice, but you understand right Lulu?"
Lucas shock his head for a moment not sure what to say about anything.
"I don't know, mom. I'm with Amay on why bring her here. But I feel like this is all my fault. If I didn't want to do this, maybe none of this would have happened to begin with. Maybe I should have let Amay kill her." Lucas confessed.
"Do you want me to do it?" Elizabeth curiously asked him. "I can-"
"Jesus. No!" Lucas quickly spoke up. He raised his hands up as he felt his frustration grow. He stopped before exhaling. "No. I just want to know if this is worth even doing. I feel like all of this is my fault. If I had said no maybe none of this would have happened to begin with. I...I..just don't understand or know anymore."
Lucas could feel tears start to come to his eye, but he quickly wiped them away as he exhaled and looked away.
"Lulu," Elizabeth let out seeing all the frustration and doubt envelope him. She just took a sigh and looked straight forward. "I know sweetheart. I never wanted you involved because I don't know what would have happened nor did I feel like I can prevent it. But fate had other ideas."
"But Lulu. I'm proud of you for handling it the best way you could." Elizabeth told him as she looked his direction. "You did something brave most wouldn't have done and still stood tall. While we aren't sure what the future holds, but I promise you-"
Elizabeth paused as she brought her son close into her warm embrace. She then placed a kiss on to his head.
"I promise you that you will not do this alone." Elizabeth finished as she cradled him a bit. "You have me, Martha and Amay that will stand by you and help you through this. Whatever consequences or action that comes, you will not face it alone."
"But mom what if I put everyone in danger with her being here?" Lucas asked her trying to hold back his tears.
"Then I will handle it. If not, your sister will." Elizabeth reassured him. "We will protect you and make sure nothing else bad will happen. We just have to work and trust each other."
Lucas just sighed and hugged his mom tightly. "And are you sure she will not be a problem and not be left alone."
"I'm sure, Lulu." Elizabeth told him. "Martha already said she will stay in her room and will not let her out of her sight."
Lucas paused for a moment before looking up at his mom. "Can...can Martha handle her. I know my sister is tough but Ida is very dangerous."
A soft giggle left Elizabeth's mouth as she ruffled her sons her. "Oh trust me. Martha will break that girl in half if she tries anything. Especially if it involves you. Remember what happened to those kids that bullied you in school?"
Through everything that happened and their emotions, a chuckle left Lucas mouth as he remembered hearing what happened to his bullies.
"Yeah. I still don't know how she didn't get expelled for beating them up. God. She barely held back on them. Plus I didn't get messed with at all afterwards." Lucas recalled as his years in high-school went by without any issues after that.
Taking another deep breath, Lucas pulled himself away as he rubbed the back of his neck and begrudgingly bit the pill. "Okay, mom. I'll follow your lead on this. Just please-"
"I'll make sure she doesn't come near you and she will not be left alone," Elizabeth agreed. She then pulled him back close to her as she wanted to hug him some more.
"Oh my grown baby. Where have all the years gone." Elizabeth said as she felt her son struggled and tried to push off of her.
"Mom. Mom please stop." Lucas asked as he tried to push away but couldn't escape her arms. He just sighed in defeat as she continued to hug him.
"We will do this as a family. No matter what, sweerheart." Elizabeth whispered to him.
"Okay mom. We will do this as a family." Lucas agreed. As he stopped trying to escape from her embrace, Lucas couldn't help but feel some doubts grown in the back of his mind about this whole situation.
"I hope."