THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA:Â CHAPTER 24-DREAM MAGIC
With only months from her 16th birthday, Cordelia Spellman is  plagued by nightmares.
IâLL ADMIT IT, I WAS SO BURNT OUT ON WRITING THIS STORY THAT EVEN THOUGH I STILL LOVED IT, I HAD TO STEP AWAY. IâM STILL NOT SURE IF I CAN COMMIT TO DOING MORE CHAPTERS BUT I FOUND THIS RECENTLY AND IT WAS ALMOST DONE SO I ADDED THE ENDING AND DECIDED TO POST. AS FOR THE FURTUREâŚWEâLL SEE
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GREENDALE, 4  YEARS LATERâŚ
Cordelia Spellman was still asleep when she felt a cold breeze brush against her shoulder. Without even thinking twice, she covered herself with a blanket and tried to push her body deeper within the mattress, seeking heat. Â It was only when a rough winter wind rushed right past her ear, did Cordelia open her eyes. It was then that Cordelia grew confused. She was in her own bed, alright, but she was also outside, in the snowy Greendale woods.
Where am I? Where is my room? My house? Cordelia wondered.  Oh, where are my slippers? Cordelia got up and walked around, barefoot among the snow.  She wrapped her arms around herself, Cordelia looked down to see that she was wearing a short, silk nightgown with spaghetti straps, which was odd because Cordelia didnât even own a silk nightgown. As she looked around, Cordelia felt a strange feeling of dĂŠjĂ vu. Then, all of a sudden, it hit her. The reason why this all felt so familiar was because she had done this before. She had this dream before.
âOh Hecate, not again.â Cordelia muttered, slumping against a tree.
Cordelia didnât even have to look up to see that 2 men that were lining up on each side of her, 5 feet apart. The man on the left was tall, with white hair and dressed as if he dressed like he belonged in the court of Marie Antoinette. The guys on the right was shorter, plumper, had red hair and beard, wore a bowler hat and a brown overcoat.
âCan we not do this now?â Cordelia sounded more annoyed than anything else. âI just want to wake up.â
Quicker than lighting, the old man moved so he was right in front of Cordelia, holding her tightly and roughly by the arm. This never happened before. Cordelia gasped when she realized that he had a knife in the other hand. With the other man at her back, Cordelia had nowhere to go.
âWell, if youâre so anxious, why donât you hurry up and die then?â Instructed the white-haired man. Despite what he just said, the old man was in no rush. He was smiling as he ran the cold steel of his knife over Cordeliaâs  bare skin. He also took his sweet time until he got to the crescent moon necklace.
âYour so-called goddess canât help you now!â He tore the necklace off her throat and tossed it to the ground. He then took lines of fabric off the front of her nightgown before stabbing her in the shoulder. Cordelia wasnât sure if magic would work in a dream but she was trapped. Â So Cordelia closed her eyes and muttered a few words in Latin and whoosh, she was instantly a few feet away and her captors looked almost like they were hugging.
Cordelia smiled. âHa! That should teach you to mess with a witchâs dream.â Cordelia turned and ran into what seemed like a million tree branches. The pain of the branches hitting  her body was enough to wake her up. Cordeliaâs eyes popped opened and she found herself  back where she started, right back in her bed. Only this time, Cordelia was so grateful to see her room around it. Once she had composed herself enough, Cordelia sat up. When she looked down, she was shocked. While the nightgown Cordelia was wearing was cotton and much more modest than the 1 she was wearing in the dream. However, it was slashed exactly like it was in the dream!
âWhat the-â
Cordelia jumped out of bed to check it out more closely in her full length mirror. Sure enough, there were cuts and bruises under her ruined clothes and her shoulder had bled right where she was stabbed. It was only then that Cordelia noticed that she wasnât wearing her necklace. She turned her head to see the necklace was resting on her desk, exactly where Cordelia left it every night before going to bed.
âWhat on earth is going on?â
An alarm sounded and Cordelia jumped out of her skin. Only to become annoyed to discover that it was her clock radio. Sighing, she turned it off on her way to the bathroom. Thankfully, the stab wound wasnât that deep so Cordelia was able to wash and bandaged it along with the cuts on her chest. Then she dressed in a wool pullover and simple jeans, perfect for the cold January weather. Cordelia left her room after grabbing her necklace, and headed for the kitchen, where she heard her fatherâs voice.
âSo, Zelda, are you going to be mistress of the hunt again this year?â
âWhy do you ask, Faustus? Do you want to come join me?â
Cordelia made sure she put on a happy face before entering. âGood morning, beloved parental units. Planning for Lupercalia already? Itâs still more than a month away.â
 Zelda sighed and smiled longingly at her husband. âItâs never too early to plan. Besides, Cordy, with you joining the academy next week, you will be more than welcome to join in the activities.â
Her love life, or rather her complete lack of one was not a subject Cordelia wished to discuss with her parents. Thankfully, Faustus had already bought in the morning mail.
Cordelia picked up a colorful postcard.
Look, this is from Sabrina and David. I hope theyâre enjoying their honeymoon in Greece.â
Cordeliaâs attempt to change the subject worked as Zelda smiled. âYou know, itâs funny, isnât it? Sabrinaâs 1st love was Harvey, a mortal who came from a long line of witch hunters. Then all those on/off years with Nicholas, who could have foreseen that Sabrina would have met, fall in love and marry another half-breed?â
âHecate works in mysterious ways.â Cordelia smiled as she grabbed a muffin and her backpack.
âSabrina and David arenât the only couple that should have gotten married this past year.â Faustus muttered.
Cordelia couldnât help but smile again. âOh, Dad, are you trying to push Ambrose and Prudence down the aisle again because sheâs pregnant?â
âCall me old-fashion, but I believe when a couple is expecting a child, they should get married.â
Cordelia had once made the mistake of pointing out that Faustus hadnât married Prudenceâs mother when she was expecting.    All that had gotten her was her fatherâs deadly glare and a muttering that âitâs wasnât the same thing.â So Cordelia knew better than to open that can of worms again. Cordelia put the last piece of the muffin into her mouth. âWell, I better get going. Iâm going to be late for school.â
Zelda arched her eyebrows. âAre you?â
Cordelia sighed as she turned back to the kitchen. âMother, if weâ ve discussed this once, weâve discussed it a thousand times. As much as I am excited to join the academy and I am, I also told you that I have no intention of quitting Baxter High. Besides, if Sabrina can do it, why canât I?â
âBecause Sabrina has ties to the mortal world, you donât.â Zelda pointed out.
âIâm sorry, Mom, but I disagree. I may be a full blood witch, but I have many mortal ties. My friends, this town. Things have changed since you were my age. Things have changed since Sabrina was my age.
Besides, Iâve already went over both schedules with the Baxter counselor and Aunt H. I wonât miss a thing! Besides, I still want to go hang out with my girls on any random weekend.â
âWell, you can still do that.â Zelda said.
Cordelia shook her head. âNot if we tell people that Iâm at some boarding school in Maine or whatever the official story is. No, theyâll stare at me and wonder why Iâm not enrolled at Baxter.â
Zelda opened her mouth to say something else but closed it when Faustus softly laid a hand on her arm. âCordy, are you sure you can handle the pressure of 2 schools?â
She smiled and shrugged. âIâm an overachiever, Dad. You  know that, Iâve always been.â
Without another word, Cordelia turned, walked out of the kitchen and then out of the house. Luckily, she was just in time to catch her school bus. Once she got to Baxter, she knew exactly where to find her friends. She turned off the main hall to the left and at the end of that hall, there they were. Emily, Erin and Erica were   hurled together at Erinâs locker. Cordelia had no idea how to start this conversation so when she got to her girls, she just spit it out.
âI had the dream again last night.â
Erica looked up. âWhat dream?â
âTHE  dreamâ Cordelia gestured wildly. âthe dream Iâve been having off and on for weeks now.â
Erica was the 1st to catch on. âYou mean that dream where youâre running in the snowy woods in basically nothing but a slip with those 2 creepy dudes who do nothing but stare at you?â
Cordelia nodded. âOnly theyâre not just staring anymore. 1 told me he would kill me and then he even stabbed me. Whatâs really weird is that the stab wound was still there after I woke up.â
âAre you sure you just didnât fall asleep while watching A Nightmare on Elm Street?â Emily asked.
The other sisters laughed as Cordelia tipped her head and glared at her friend. âGuys, this could be serious. I need help.â
Erin got serious. âWell, what do your parents say about all this?â
 Cordelia shrugged. âI havenât told them anything yet.â
âOh? Why not?â
âBecause Iâm not even sure that there is anything to tell. I am only dreaming, after all. Besides, Iâm not even sure that âdream magicââ Cordelia used air quotes âis even a real t
hing.â
âCordy, may I remind you that you were stabbed in a dream and still had the wound after you woke up? Call me crazy but thatâ Erin lowered her voice, âsounds like magic to me.â
Cordelia remained unsure. âI donât know. Maybe, I need more information. Perhaps Iâll go visit Ambrose after school.â
Just then, Cordeliaâs phone dinged. She  shut it off quickly but not before Erica saw the message.
âWhy is our mother messaging you? And why does she want to see you later?â
âI-I donât know,â Cordelia moved a few steps away to open her locker in order to collect the right books for her first class.
Emily smiled. âYouâre such a bad lair, Cordelia Spellman. This wouldnât have to do  with our birthday being less than 3 weeks away?â
Cordelia shut her locker with a smile of her own. âYou guys have been asking me that since before the holidays. Do you really think Iâm going to  crack now?â
Emily looked back at her sisters and shrugged.  âWell, I guess sheâs got us there.â
The foursome laughed and they  started to talk of other things as they moved down the hall. While turning a corner, they crashed into a girl who was coming the other way and school books flew everywhere.
âOh, Iâm so sorry! I guess I wasnât watching were I was  going!â The other girl stressed.
âHey, no worries,â Erin assured her. âWe always forget how much room we take up when the 4 of us walk down the hall.â
As they sorted out the books, Cordelia noticed that the other girl had thick glasses, long raven hair and pale skin. It reminded her of Snow White. Cordelia watched as the new girl disappeared down the hall.
âCordy? Is
âI think Iâve seen that girl before.â
The rest of the morning was pretty routine. The girls were all  busy with homeroom and classes. Cordelia and Erin shared a lunch period, so they were together when they found that the girl that bumped into them that morning was eating alone at the next table. She seemed lonely,
o Cordelia and Erin invited her to sit with them, and the 3 got to chatting. They quickly learned that the    new girl was named Bridget Morgan, who had just moved to Greendale, with her parents, just after Christmas. She also just got a  new job as a waitress at Dr. Câs.
Cordelia smiled. âSo, thatâs where I know you from!â
Bridget seemed friendly and warm, but also shy, especially about her home life. All the girls could get out of her was that her mother was a lawyer and her father, a doctor. Anyway, by the time lunch was over, Cordelia had decided that she liked Bridget.
 The triplets usually met up with her by the back door after last period, which is exactly why Cordelia sneaked out the front. 1 secret birthday planning meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Warner later, and Cordelia transported herself to the house that Ambrose shared with Prudence. As soon as Cordelia got up on the porch, a chill went up her spine. The front door was ajar.  Cordelia moved slowly, opening the door just a little more.
âHello?â
She went in. âHello? Ambrose?â No one seemed to be home, yet why was the front door open? Something was off here.  Cordelia moved through the hallway and was half- way up the stairs before she called out again. âAmbrose!â
âHeâs not here.â
Cordelia half-turned on the stairs and saw her oldest sister smiling up at her. âPrudence,â Cordelia now felt foolish as she went down the stairs. âIâm sorry. I didnât mean to barge in here, but I found the front door open and I got worried.â
âIt is?â Â Prudence went to check and lock the door. âAmbrose must have not close it right. He rushed out to go to the academy to finish up the library inventory. You know, to take full advantage of this extra week.â
Due to many teachers still needing to correct exams and students still tired despite their recent holiday, Zelda decided to push back the start of the school term for 1 week. Today had been so chaotic that Cordelia had almost forgotten.
Suddenly, Prudence made a face, drew in a sharp breath and placed a hand on her swollen belly.
Cordelia rushed to her sisterâs side. âPru? Whatâs wrong? Is it the baby?â
âDonât worry, sister,â Prudence assured her âitâs only a kick. But thank Hecate itâs my last term.â
Itâs just then that Cordelia noticed something. âPrudence, whatâs that on your hand?â
âOh? You mean this?â Prudence held out her hand to show off her new diamond engagement ring. âAmbrose gave it to me just this morning. He said he didnât want to steal Sabrina and Davidâs thunder. Hopefully, Father will let up on his lectures now that weâre engaged.â
Cordelia shrugged. âI donât know. He was just talking about it this morning.â
âGreat,â Prudence muttered and then she put an arm around her sister. âNever mind that now. Come in, come in.â
She led Cordelia into the kitchen where the 2 sisters had a  pleasant chat over a cup of tea. Prudence  eventually asked why Cordelia was searching for Ambrose? After a brief moment of silence, Cordelia asked a question of her own.
âWhat do you know about dream magic?â
Prudence admitted that she had no knowledge on that subject and that her sister was right to seek out Ambrose. An  half hour later, Cordelia found herself at the Academy. She paused in the   main hall, taking it in. Cordelia had meant it when she told her parents that she was excited to start her classes next week. This school, after all, had so much history. Both in personal family lore and magical education. Cordelia found Ambrose in the downstairs achieve. Ambrose admitted that he knew very little about dream magic, but after a short time, Ambrose found   a thin book on the subject for his cousin.
Cordelia was not pleased to see Zander and his 4-year-old sister, Nora on her front porch. âWhat are you doing here?â Cordelia demanded of Zander when she reached him.
âIâm returning this half- breed. Iâm so over her!â
Oh Hecate, here we go again. Cordelia rolled her eyes. âEvery time you get even the slightly annoyed with your little sister, you feel the need to âreturnâ her. If I told you once, Zander, Iâve told a million times. Just because my mother was her mid-wife, does not mean that Nora belongs here!â As Cordelia stared hatefully at Zander, they could both hear skipping on the porchâs wood.
âHi, Cordelia!â Little Nora was as filled with sweetness and light as her brother with darkness and foreboding. Cordelia was  smiling as she bent down, opened her arms and swept up the toddler.
âYou see; the half-breed is happy to be with you.â
Cordelia picked up and held Nora so 1 of the toddlerâs ear rested against Cordeliaâs shoulder and placed her hand over the other ear while playing with Noraâs hair. âDonât insult your sister,â Cordelia whispered. Then she turned back to Nora. âDonât listen to your meanie of a big brother. Some of the best people I know are mortals.â
Zander snorted and rolled his eyes just as hellâs minion appeared. âMy prince, your mother said not to leave hell. She sent me to fetch you and your sister back.â
âBetter go, before the queen herself appears.â Cordelia warned  as she handed Nora to the minion.
Just as the hellish trio disappeared, Jake opened the door. âIs anything wrong, sister?â
âNothing, brother,â Cordhelia sighed. âJust another day in Greendale.â
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THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA CHAPTER 22- BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
CORDELIA FIGHTS FOR HER FRIENDS AS ZELDA FIGHTS TO KEEP LILITHâS FAMILY AWAY FROM HER OWN.
As soon as she got her bearings, Zelda marched up to Adam and ripped the spellbook out of his hands. âHasnât Lilith ever told you that mortals shouldnât do magic. Itâs dangerous!â
Adam nodded. âShe did, in fact. But weâre in a crisis here! As I said before, Lilithâs in labor!â
Zelda was confused. âHow can that be? Lilithâs not even out of her 1st trimester. It would be too soon for a mortal, let alone a witch-like Lilith.â
âAs I understand it,â Adam said slowly, âLilith was holding a normal, run-of-the-mill council meeting this morning. I donât know when or why it happened, but Lilith and the council had a huge disagreement. That, in itself, is nothing new, but the advisors got so mad at Lilith this time that they casted a spell to advance her pregnancy and put her into labor.â
Zelda opened her mouth to speak but before she could talk, a scream of pain came from down the hall, as if to confirm Adamâs story. Speaking of Adam, without thinking, Adam grabbed Zeldaâs hand. âSee? I told you. Now, come on!â
But as Adam started to run, Zelda jerked her hand away. âIâm sorry, but Iâm still waiting to hear why this involved me? As I told Lilith herself 2 months ago, back in September, that I had no interest in becoming her midwife. Surely, the queen of hell can find her own midwife?â
âShe has 2, actually,â Adam answered. âWhich 1 shall I tell you about first? The midwife who fainted at the first sight of blood, or the one who ran out of here declaring that she would sooner die than deliver the queenâs half-breed.â
Zelda closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She really did resent this one-sided relationship she was having with Lilith. Whenever Zelda needed something, anything really, Lilith quickly reminded her that she wasnât part of hellâs court and was dismissed just as swiftly. However, if Lilith ever wanted anything from her, Zelda was expected to drop everything. Lilithâs latest spell had literately dropped her from the sky. Now even 2 minutes before, Zelda had planned to do nothing, but Lilith had known the other witchâs weakness and had told Adam to make sure to remind Zelda that their child was a half-breed. Sure enough, that was exactly what was giving Zelda pause. She knew how dangerous a witchâs delivery could be without a midwife, Hecate, it was dangerous even with a midwife. Deep down, Zelda knew that she couldnât leave Lilith in the lurch. The fact that the upcoming baby was a half-breed only deepened Zeldaâs guilt. If she walked away now, how could she ever face her beloved Sabrina again?
Zelda sighed again. âAlright, Iâll do it, Iâll deliver the child.â
Adamâs sigh was 1 of relief. âThank you, Zelda. Lilith and I sure do owe you-â
Zelda moved to leave the room but as soon as she heard Adam, she turned back. âNo!â She snapped. âI donât want to hear that! I donât want to hear words like âoweâ and âfavorâ and do you want to know why? Because every time a member of my family makes a deal from someone from down here, weâve lived to regret it. Now, Iâll deliver this baby, pro bono, and then Iâm going home, end of story. Before I get to work, Iâm going to need 2 things.â
Adam nodded. âOf course, there are fresh towels and linens are already in Lilithâs chambers.â
âThatâs good but not what I was going to ask for. I was about to tell you to send the minion to watch over to Luciferâs cell-â
âThat wonât be necessary. We just check on him this morning.â
Zelda shook her head. âThatâs not good enough. For every moment that I am here, I want Lucifer and his flesh prison watched.â
Adam nodded. âOf course. And whatâs your 2nd request?â
âGet a letter to my family, send it to the academy or my house, tell them whatâs happening here. After all, you canâ teleport someone off a moving plane and expect no one to notice.â Zelda muttered while walking away.
âHi, Sabrina.â
Sabrina looked up for the magazine she was reading while she was sitting in the tripletsâ hospital room. âCordelia? When did you all get back?â
âAbout an hour ago,â Cordelia answered. âHow are my girls?â
âTheyâre good, stable.â
Cordelia made sure to stare at the floor to make sure her cousin didnât see her frown. She knew that Sabrina was only trying to be encouraging, but Cordelia was beginning to hate the word âstable.â By now, the word stable was code for nothing had changed.
âSo, how was England?â Sabrina asked, trying to fill the silence.
âIt was good,â Cordelia answered. âIâm happy that Dad was able to make some meaningful connections and the family all seem like good, decent people.â All except Sara, a bitter Cordelia added silently.
The 2 cousins were still talking when Hilda rushed in. âGirls, you wonât believe what happened.â
âI just received this note at the academy. Apparently, Zelda is in hell to deliver Lilithâs baby?â
âSo, thatâs where Mom went!â Cordelia exclaimed. âI was just telling Sabina how Mom just disappeared right off the plane.â
Sabrina, however, was confused. âIsnât Lilith not due for months?â
Hilda shrugged. âSheâs not. I guess weâll have to wait until Zelda gets back to hear the whole story. Which is kind of why Iâm here. Since I was expecting Zelda to be home by now, I was expecting her to do evening assembly but since she canât, Iâll have to do it, which means I canât stay.â
âWell, neither can I,â Sabrina objected. âI have a patient at 6.â
âGuys,â Cordelia cut in. âIâll stay with the triplets, itâs no problem.â
âAre you sure? Mr. & Mrs. Warner just left for dinner and wonât be back for half an hour.â Sabrina explained.
âNo problem,â Cordelia assured them and sat down after watching her cousin and aunt leaving the room. âHi, guys,â Cordelia said when she was finally alone with her friends. âIâm back from England and I came right back to visit with you, just like I promised. The good news is if Sara knows whatâs good for her, she never comes to Greendale and weâll never have to see her again.â Cordelia continued to talk softly when she a soft grunt coming from the bed nearest to the door.
âEmily?â Cordelia shot out of her chair and rushed to her friendâs side, sitting on the side of the bed.
Cordelia smiled. âOh Em, Iâm so happy that youâre finally awake!â Cordelia tried to hold the other girlâs hand, but Emily pulled her hand away. âI heard it,â Emily explained in barely even a whisper. âI heard Sara call you cousin and I heard the 2 of you call each other witch.â
âI can explain everything.â
Emily shook her head. âI donât need an explanation, I just need you to go away.â
Cordelia was utterly dumbfounded. âYou can't be serious.â
âWeâll keep your secret.â Emily assured her, âJust stay away from me and my sisters.â
âAlright,â Cordelia said slowly, dazed. âIf youâre sure thatâs what you what.â
âI am,â Emily said firmly and then looked away.
Cordelia got off the bed, her legs suddenly feeling like jello. She slowly walked to the door and after a sad look behind her, left the tripletsâ hospital room. In the hall, Cordelia found a nurse to sit with the girls. Once she exited the hospital, Cordelia put her back to the brick wall and slid down to sit on the pavement. It was only then that Cordelia started to cry.
The next day was Monday. Before she even left the house that morning, Cordelia called the nursesâ station to get an update on the triplets. It was truly bittersweet news. Cordelia was thrilled to learn that all 3 triplets were awake now and were doing great. Yet Cordelia was sad because they didnât want to see her.
It was past 3 AM on Tuesday when the dark Spellman front door opened and closed. Zelda silently placed her medical bag on a side table. She took off her coat and lazily tossed her coat on the sofa as she walked through the living room. Zelda walked into her daughterâs bedroom and watched her daughter sleep for a few seconds. Then she kissed Cordeliaâs forehead and tucked her in. Zelda then climbed the stairs to the attic where she was happy to find that Jake was also peacefully asleep. Back on the 2nd floor, Zelda peeked into LJâs room and sure enough, the good doctor was asleep and nothing was amiss. Yet, Zelda still had a nagging sense of worry. So, Zelda put her finger in her mouth and drew a ring of spit on a nearby hallway mirror. With the aid of this enchanted mirror, Zelda was able to look in on Sabrina, Ambrose, and Prudence, and even Hilda and Dr. C. Everyone were asleep and all seemed well. As Zeldaâs worry subsided, exhaustion hit her with full force. So, after Zelda tiptoed into her own room, she realized that she was too tired to go searching for her nightgown in the dark. She was even too tired to spell them on her. So, after slipping out of her heels, Zelda unzipped her dress and laid down on her side of the bed in nothing but her slip. Mere moments later, Zelda could feel movement beside her and before she knew it, Faustusâs arms were around her.
âDid I wake you?â Zelda asked.
âNo.â Faustus lied before kissing her temple. So, Hilda got your note. Did hell welcome a little prince or princess tonight?â
âA princess,â Zelda answered simply, âa little girl who Lilith and Adam have decided to call Nora.â
Faustus smiled. âAs happy as I am that youâre finally home, dearest, Iâm even happier that you returned home alone.â
âSo am I,â Zelda agreed. âThat was the deal. I help Lilith complete her family and she stays far away from mine.â Zelda sighed. âI just hope she keeps her word.
Cordelia was grateful that due to Thanksgiving on Thursday, it was a short school week. Cordelia also thanked Hecate that it happened to be her year to be the Spellman family member to be in the lottery. Feasts of feasts wasnât the bloodbath it used to be. Zelda had found a way to unite the coven and celebrate Freya without any bloodshed. Cordelia was chosen as a handmaiden and the queen of the feast was a friendly girl from the coven that was easy to attend to before the 2 witches cooked a meal for the entire coven, under the supervision of Aunt Hilda, of course. Cordelia was grateful for all the activity for it kept her busy and her mind was kept off of the triplets and the fact that they didnât want to see her. Yet the holidays could last forever, so bright and early Monday morning, Cordelia found herself back at school. Yet as she dashed across the snow-dusted grass to the schoolâs front door, she noticed a group of people forming around a nearby table. The Warners were back and were holding court. Cordelia, who locked eyes with Erica, smiled and waved. It completely broke her heart when Erica simply looked away.
It was a complete freeze-out. For the next 2 and a half weeks, the triplets avoided Cordelia at every turn. This made Cordelia completely sad and lonely. Late 1 night, Zelda heard crying coming from her daughterâs room. She opened the door to see Cordelia crying on her bed, a photo album filled with pictures of her and the Warners in better times in front of her.
They donât want me, Mom.â Cordelia wailed after she looked up. âThey donât want me because Iâm a witch. I donât get it. I mean, they could be queens of the mole people and I would still want to be with them.â
âOh, honey,â Zelda rushed in to comfort her.
As Zelda put an arm around Cordelia, Sabrina passed by in the hallway and came into the room. âWhatâs wrong Cordy?â
âSheâs just upset because her friends wonât talk to her,â Zelda explained.
âThey havenât in weeks,â the child sobbed. âWhy canât they accept me as your friends accepted you, Sabrina?â
âThey didnât take it that well. Harvey really took it really hard at first, but he came around and so will the girls. Just give them time.â
Cordelia hoped Sabrina was right, but personally, she had her doubts.
A week later, Cordelia entered the cafeteria and saw the tripletsâ table. Her 1st instinct was to turn away, but something inside her made her go up to the table.
âLook, this is nuts! I know you donât want to hang out with me anymore and that fine. But this is a small town and weâre the same age, we go to the same school, weâre in the same class, weâre bound to run into each other. Can we just, you know, talk for a while.â
There was silence before Erica said, âYouâre right. Have a seat.â
Thank Hecate, Cordelia thought. It was a small victory but a victory nonetheless.
âWhereâs Sara?â Erin asked, frightened.
âGone, home to England.â
âWhat if she decides to come back?â Emily asked, sounding frightened.
âNot on my watch,â Cordelia muttered.
âWhy didnât you ever tell us that Sara was your cousin?â Erica asked, folding her arms.
âBecause I didnât know! Trust me, I found out the moment you 3 did!â
An awkward silence descended upon the table. It was Emily who spoke next.
âHave you ever thought of, you know, maybe, not being a witch?!â
âFirst, please lower your voice, and second, it doesnât work like that. Despite what books and TV tell you, you canât wake up 1 day and decide to become a witch. Magic goes through the bloodline. Youâre born a witch or youâre not. I can no sooner decide not to be a witch than you can decide not to be triplets anymore.â
Erica made a face. âAre you even human?â
There was a long silence before Cordelia spoke. âIâm not a human as you might think of 1, but Iâm very much a person.â
Emily shrugged. âSo, youâre a witch. Maybe we can still hang out if you can promise us that you will never again use magic.â
Cordelia bit her lip. âIâm sorry, but I canât promise that either. You see, my body works differently than yours. Iâm fine if I donât use magic for a few days, but the longer I go without it, I will get weaker, sick, and then I will die.â
âWell,â Erica said, her tone cold as ice âIt appears that you canât give it up and we canât hang around with a witch. My sisters and I refuse to be hurt again.â
âI donât want to hurt anyone, least of all the 3 of you.â Cordelia cried.
Yet, Erica went on. âSo, I guess our friendship is at an end.â
Cordelia sighed and nodded. âYeah, I guess so.â Cordelia stood and walked quickly out of the room, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay.
Faustus walked around his classroom, raising his voice to be heard above the final bell. âYou all have a quiz on Monday so do yourselves all a favor and be up to date on reading Ch. 4 in your history books. Have a good weekend.â
Faustus got back to his desk just as Erin, Emily, and Erica reached the door.
âWarners, may I see you for a moment?â
The triplets walked up to their teacher.
Faustus smiled at them. I just wanted to check in on whatâs going to happen tomorrow. Will your mom get off work early enough or should I pick you up?â
The triplets looked at each other. They didnât have any idea what he was talking about. âTomorrow?â
âItâs the 2nd weekend of the month. Itâs time for your monthly sleepover with Cordelia.â
The triplets looked at each other. âUm, about that,â Erica started. âThings have changed. We hate to be the ones to tell you this, Mr. Spellman, but Cordelia is a-â
Faustus cut them off with a howl of laughter. âYouâre not seriously going to confess to me that Cordelia is a witch, are you?â
âYou knew?â
âOf course I knew! The whole family are witches. Iâm a witch.â
âBut I thought that guys couldnât-â
âFor the last time, warlocks are real! I wonder if itâs too late to sue that author?â
Emily took a step forward. âWait, if youâre all witches, couldnât you find a spell or something to make us forget everything.â
Faustus nodded. âWe can certainly can do that and we discussed it but Cordy refused. She didnât want to keep it a secret from you anymore."
Guilt slammed into all 3 girls. âWhat would you have us do?â
Faustus shook his head. âItâs not my place to tell you what to do. However, I will say this. I know that true witch culture is new to you. Also, you have every right to be angry or even traumatized by all the horrible things Sara did to you. But I think it would do us all some good for you to remember that Cordelia is not Sara. Youâll always be welcome in our home, but what are you going to trust? The 2 and a half months that Sara tried to mess with all our lives or the 8 years of strong friendship you share with Cordelia. Think about it.â
âIâm going.â
Emily looked up from the book she was reading on her bed and Erica looked up from her desk to see Erin in the doorway of their room.
âGoing? Going where?â Erica asked.
âTo the Spellmanâs. Iâm going to talk to Cordelia.â
âWhat?â Emily jumped up. âWhy? We agreed that we would be safer if we stayed away from Cordelia and the other Spellmans.â
Erin shrugged. âWell, maybe we were wrong. What Mr. Spellman said yesterday about Cordelia not being Sara made sense. Plus, I know something you guys donât. I didnât tell you because I simply didnât remember when we were in the hospital and later, well, because Iâve just as frightened as you be.â
âWhat are you trying to say?â Erica wondered.
âThat night, the night of the hanging, I was the last to pass out so I saw when Cordelia ran in. She fought Sara to get to us, like really fought with her and Cordeliaâs the one who got us out of the tree that night. I talked to Mom and she said that when the Spellmans werenât in England, Cordelia was always in the hospital, watching over us. She saved our lives that night and now all she wants is to talk to us, so Iâm going.â
âAre you going to sleep there?â
Erin shrugged. âI donât know yet, I guess Iâll see how our conversation goes, but I packed a bag, just in case. Iâm choosing to trust my friendship with Cordelia. You can come with me or not. Your choice.â
Emily and Erin looked at each other before;
âErin!â
âWait!â
Cordelia just got into bed and reached for the book on the nightstand when a knock came at her door. She was thrilled that it was Warners at the door.
âHey, are we bothering you?â Erica asked.
Cordelia shook her head. âNo way. Please, please, come in!â
âHey, what are you reading? A spellbook?â
Erin gave Emily a dirty look. What a stupid question!
âNo,â Cordelia said casually putting the open novel down on her chest for the girls to see. âV.C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic.â
The triplets knew that this was Cordeliaâs favorite book. All the girls had a good laugh. It was the perfect ice-breaker. After the Warners settled in, the girls talked for hours and hours. Cordelia told her friends that Sara purposely set her up again and again, with the book, movie, play, and especially the trip to Salem. Shame flooded the triplets; they hadnât thought of that. Soon, the talk changed to true witch culture. Cordelia told them that, if you look hard enough, you could pretty much find a spell for anything. Her favorite spells were cloaking spells. Cordelia explained that due to a cloaking spell, that old grey building on the outskirts of town looked like an abandoned train station to mortals, when it really the Academy of Unseen Arts, 1 of the finest witch schools in the world. Cordelia also explained about Hecate and the witch government. Minor crimes were usually handled by the coven and its high priest or priestess. More serious crimes were brought before the council in Rome. The girls talked and talked all night until they all fell asleep. Thatâs how Zelda found them, late that night.
âSo, I just got off the phone with Mrs. Warner. The girls are officially cleared to stay the night.â Faustus said, coming to stand beside his wife.
âThen, we should tuck them in.â
Faustus helped Erin, who was dangerously close to falling off the bed, roll back to the center of the bed, beside Cordelia. Meanwhile, Zelda put a blanket over Erica, who was in an armchair facing the bed, and the 2nd blanket over Emily, who was asleep on the window seat.
âAre you sure this is wise?â Faustus asked in a whisper. âLetting the girls know that weâre witches?â
âThey only needed time to come around, darling. I truly believe that they would never betray Cordelia. After all, theyâre her best friends forever.â
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THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA CHAPTER 21-RETURN TO BLACKWOOD MANOR
THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA
CHAPTER 21-RETURN TO BLACKWOOD MANOR
NEW INFORMATION COMES TO LIGHT; BOTH ON EARTH AND IN HELL
Cousin?! The single word rang in Cordeliaâs head like a bell. Why? How? The word that had been reserved, rather affectionately, all her life just for Ambrose and Sabrina, could not possibly apply to Sara. The first person 12-year-old Cordelia considered an enemy.
âPleaseâŚplease h-help us.â Erinâs voice was strained and growing weaker. A direct result of the hanging.
Suddenly, who Sara really was and her relationship with her was the very last thing on Cordeliaâs mind. Her friends were in dire danger and right now, nothing else mattered. âItâs okay, guys. Iâll have you down in a sec.â
However, when Cordelia raised her arm, Sara grabbed her wrist. âNo, donât save them!â
âWhy?!â Cordelia demanded. âTheyâre innocent, theyâve done nothing to you!â
âTheyâre mortal! The only good mortal is a dead mortal!â
Cordelia yanked her hand free. âYouâre crazy!â She turned back to the tree.
âNo!â Sara screamed and jumped on Cordeliaâs back, knocking them both to the ground.
The 2 witches rolled around on the ground, battling for control.
âYouâre a complete psycho!â Cordelia screamed as Sara slammed her into the ground and got on top of her.
Sara got her hands around Cordeliaâs throat. âIf you donât want to watch your friends die, maybe you should die with them.â
Cordelia had just enough room and strength left to head-butt, Sara. Dazed, Sara stumbled back a little. Cordelia sat up, and then, as if acting on autopilot, made a fist and punched Sara in the face, as hard as she could. Sara, now out cold, simply fell over.
For a second, Cordelia could do nothing but stare in stunned silence. Up until today, Cordelia had never even slapped anyone, let alone punch someone so hard that they passed out. Weaken and breathing hard from the struggle, Cordelia turned her head towards the tree, raised her arm, and finally said âdown,â in Latin. The branches went back to normal and all 3 triplets fell to the ground. Cordeliaâs heart jumped into her throat. None of the triplets were moving and Cordelia feared the worst. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Erin, who lay in the middle of her sisters, moaned and turned her head toward Cordeliaâs direction.
âErin!â Cordelia cried out, both from joy and desperation. âErin, if you can hear me, please open your eyes.â
Slowly, Erin opened her eyes.
âGood, now I know weâre in a weird place right now and you must be afraid and confused about whatâs happening right now, but I need you to do something for me. I need you to take a hold of your sisters and donât let go. Can you do that for me?â
Erin gave a faint nod.
âGood.â Cordelia grabbed the triplet nearest to her, as well as Saraâs pant leg, and transported them all away.
âHecate, Iâm such an idiot.â LJ buried her head in her hands. âWhy am I so stupid?â
Zelda frowned. âMy daughter stupid? Poppycock! LJ, you are still the same woman who studied mortal and witch medicine at the same time and you began your internship before you were 30. Donât tell the others, but I consider you the genius of this family. Plus, youâre so lovable.â
âPeter doesnât think Iâm so lovable,â LJ muttered.
âBah,â Zelda dismissed as she put an arm around LJ, pulling her closer and causing the younger witch to fold her legs, put her feet up on the sofa and let her upper body hover above Zeldaâs lap. âThen the boy is nothing but a fool,â Zelda said before planting a kiss on LJâs brow.
Just as it seemed that LJ was starting to relax, her eyes bulged, she gasped and sat up. âOh no! All my stuff is at Peterâs! I sold my apartment and now I have nowhere to go!â
Zelda was, as ever, the calm mother. âWe will make arrangements to collect your things. Until you figure things out, you can stay here. Your old bedroom is just waiting for you.â
LJ sighed and let her head fall back onto the back of the sofa. âMoving in with a guy I only met 7 weeks ago.â She sighed. âYou would never make such a mistake.â
âDonât be so sure. Everyone has their own love problems. You acted too fast and I acted far, far too slow. It took me over 3 and half centuries to admit, even to myself, that I Iove your father. I lost count of the times I looked at your father and thought about how easily I could have lost him.â
LJ gently patted Zeldaâs arm. âYou would never lose Dad. He adores you. We all do.â
The mother and daughter were only able to smile at each other for a few seconds before a white light flashed and Cordelia appeared in the room with the other 4 girls. âHelp me!â Cordelia cried anxiously as she collapsed under the weight of holding the others up.
Her doctorâs instincts instantly kicked in as LJ jumped up out of her seat and went to check on the now passed-out triplets.
Zelda was right behind her. âWhat on earth happened?â
âShe happened!â Cordelia hissed as she turned her head to look at Sara, who was currently groaning and prompting herself up on her elbows.
âOh, you saved the triplets,â Sara said as if it was a bad thing. âYou Spellmans are so weak!â
âIâll deal with you later.â Cordelia used her magic to force Sara to sit in a nearby chair.
Zelda was shocked. âCordelia Spellman, do I really have to lecture you about not using magic in front of a mortal?â
âNo, Mom, you donât,â Cordelia answered. âBecause Sara is not a mortal. She admitted to me that she was a witch while she was busying hanging my 3 best friends!â
This statement just gave Zelda a million more questions, but it was LJ who spoke next.
âI think I donât like how slow these pluses are.â LJ looked up. âI think I should get the triplets to the hospital ASAP.â
Cordelia nodded. âIâll be right behind you.â She called as LJ teleported with the triplets.
âWell, if youâre all busy, I guess Iâll just show myself out.â Sara sneered and got up out of the chair.
âYOU ARENâT GOING ANYWHERE!â Cordelia thundered and forced Sara into the chair so hard it nearly fell over. âDoes Ambrose still keep rope down in the morgue?â
A still confused Zelda nodded and Cordelia ran down to get it. She started to tie Sara to the chair when-
âOw! You donât have to tie it so hard, you know.â
âI know,â Cordelia muttered with a fake smile and then pulled the ropes even tighter on her wrists and ankles. âI have to catch up with LJ and check on the triplets. Can you watch her, Mom?â
âSure.â
âThanks.â Cordelia hugged her. âI love you. Be careful, sheâs sneaky.â
Cordelia started to leave when something inside her made her turn around and ask. âMom? Do you have a 3rd sibling you never talk about? Someone other than Auntie Hilda and Uncle Edward?â
âNo.â
âI didnât think so.â Cordelia threw 1 last dirty look at Sara and then left, leaving her mother in front of the fireplace, still not completely understanding what was happening.
âHow are they?â Cordelia asked her sister as she found the hospital room where LJ was tending to the triplets.
LJ sighed. âNot very well, I afraid. I'm sorry, Cordelia, but I canât seem to get them to stable. All 3 are in comas.â
Cordelia frowned. âMy poor girls. What are you doing now?â
âIâm just magically removing the red marks from their necks. I doubt we could explain it away to their parents or the other doctors.â
âLet me help.â
As both sisters worked their magic, LJ questioned her sister about what she didnât understand. âSo, if Sara has been a witch this whole time, what does she want with mortal triplets?â
Iâm here for you, Saraâs hateful confession pulsed in Cordeliaâs ears but until she understood what exactly what meant, Cordelia would keep it to herself. âWho knows?â she said out loud. âIâm more worried about what the triplets heard when Sara and I were discussing being witches.â
âOh, Cordy.â
âWell, it all happened so fast!â
Once they had removed all the marks, the sisters came up with a convincing story to tell other people, Cordelia called Mr. & Mrs. Warner to tell them about the tripletâs condition. Unlike LJ, who left shortly after she made Erin, Emily, and Erica comfortable and got them stable, Cordelia stayed at the hospital all night with Mr. and Mrs. Warner. Because the parents last saw their daughters at the play with Sara, Cordelia felt the need to make a fake call to Sara and stated that she couldnât get in touch with her. Cordelia couldnât help but notice that the Warner parents were treating her nicer than the girls had in weeks.
1 hour past dawn, Jake drove his twin to work and while he was there, he picked up their sleepy, groggy little sister and bought her home.
Once they got home, Cordelia immediately looked into the sitting room and frowned when she didnât see Sara. She found Sara, who was still tied to the chair, was in the kitchen while the family was having breakfast. Faustus and Zelda had called in backup, for Hilda, Dr. C and Sabrina were there too. They took turns trying to get information from Sara but she was not talking. That made Cordelia furious. She marched into the kitchen, placing her hands on the armrest of Saraâs chair, bringing them face to face.
âTALK!â Cordelia demanded. âWho are you? What do you want? Where did you come from?â
The smug smile on Saraâs face was maddening. âIâve already told you who I am, cousin.â
âCousin?â The others looked at each other in confusion and talked.
âBah!â Cordelia dismissed as she drew herself up to her full height. âI donât believe you. You see, I had a lot of time to think in that waiting room with the impossible to sleep in chairs and the only sound you can hear is Mrs. Warner weeping for her children. I thought about how great a lair you are and I remember how you said how all us Spellman were weak. No, Sara, you are no cousin of mine!â
âIs your head so far up your ass that you truly believe that Spellmans are your only bloodline?â Sara asked.
Jake looked up, shocked. âAre you saying that youâre a Blackwood?â
Sara nodded. âThatâs exactly what Iâm saying.â
Cordelia, who finally calmed down enough to sit down, was still angry. âNow, I know youâre lying. Dadâs an only child.â
Sara rolled her eyes. "Just because Faustus is lord Liamâs sole legal heir does not make him an only child. Why half the village are his bastards. The oldest being my father.â
âAnd did he put you up to this?â Sabrina asked.
âHades, no.â Sara laughed bitterly. âHeâs too weak to think up such a plot. I did this on my own.â
Hilda was confused. âBut youâve been here for a few months, where do your parents think you are?â
âYou mean theyâre not always out of town on business like you told the triplets,â Cordelia muttered, crossing her arms.
âI told them that I was accepted into the Academy of the Unseen Arts.â
âBut youâre too young to attend.â Zelda pointed out.
âActually, I could go to that school, because Iâm not 12. Iâm 17.â When the glamour spell fell away, Sara looked the same, only taller.
âWait a minute!â Faustus was the first to recover. âYou said your surname was Reed. As in the wild reeds that always grow on the riverbank beside Blackwood Manor?â
Sara stared at him. âWhy, Uncle, you surprise me. This is the 1st time in the months that weâve known each other that youâve proven yourself capable of intelligent thought.â
Faustus ignored the insult because he needed more answers. âIf you were a witch the entire time, why the need to say you were Wiccan? Why suggest the play? The trip to Salem?â
Sara smirked. âOh, that was aâŚexperiment. I thought that if I put enough pressure on both you and Cordelia that you would crack and admit that you were witches. Get rid of your shame.â
Cordelia slammed the table as she stood up. âI have never been ashamed of being a witch! The only thing Iâm remotely ashamed of is being related to someone like you!â
âSo you believe me now?â
âAt this moment, I donât know what to believe,â Cordelia confessed honestly. âThe only thing I know for sure is that my 3 best friends are in the hospital because of you. So, cousin or no cousin, you can go straight to heaven!â
Shortly after Cordelia stormed off, the others went their separate ways. Thinking it would be a good idea to keep Cordelia and Sara apart, Faustus, Hilda, and Dr. C took Sara back to the bookstore for further questioning. Not that it mattered, for after a few hours' sleep and a quick sandwich for lunch, Cordelia returned to the hospital and was dismayed to learn that there was no change in the tripletsâ condition. She stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Warner all day again. Cordelia didnât want to leave when Zelda showed up at 10 PM to take her home. But all 3 adults could see that Cordelia was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. So, they coaxed her into leaving, Mrs. and Mr. Warner even promised to call if there were any changes with the triplets. Thanks to the foxglove Zelda left under her pillow, Cordelia fell right asleep. Zelda kissed her daughter and tucked her in before retreating to her own bedroom. Zelda had bought some paperwork home with her from the academy, so after changing into her nightclothes, Zelda made a makeshift desk out of her vanity table. She got so wrapped up in her work that she didnât notice the next 2 hours pass and only looked up when Faustus came in, sighed deeply, and laid across their bed. Zelda immediately went to him, knelt on the bed, and gently took Faustusâs head into her lap. She kissed his cheek before she whispered in his ear, âPenny dreadful for your thoughts, my love?â
Faustus opened his eyes and looked up at his wife. âItâs true, Zelda, itâs all true! As you know, we took Sara to the bookstore to talk-okay, to question- her for hours. The girl had an answer for everything. Then Dr. C came up with the brilliant idea to call her bluff. We gave her the phone and told her to call her father, which she did. The phone call she made was to a man called Brutus, her fatherâŚand my brother. Can you believe it, Zelda? I have a brother! And to hear him tell it, thereâs many, many more than 1.â
âAre you sure that you can trust him?â She asked cautiously.
âI asked myself that very same question,â Faustus answered, getting up and looking at his wife in the eye. âBut the more we talked, the more convinced I was. He described the village I grew up to a tee and he said things that only a Blackwood would know, even a bastard one. I also got some insight into what Sara might have wanted here. You see, the village has fallen on hard times. Months of drought have ruined a lot of crops and some people are even starving. I felt so guilty that the next thing I knew; I was agreeing to hop on a plane early tomorrow morning with Sara. It was so entirely in the heat of the moment and Iâm so sorry I didnât call and tell you about it.â
Zelda wasnât concerned with that; her mind was elsewhere. âYou say you feel guilty, why so?â
Faustus reddened. âYou see, dearest, problems like this has happened before but it has always fallen to Lord Blackwood to attend to it. Since my father is dead, Iâm technically Lord Blackwood, but in the 13 years since I took the name of Spellman, Iâm afraid Iâve not spent much time thinking of the manor or the village.â
âThatâs not surprising,â Zelda said gently. âGiven your rough history with your childhood home.â
âIndeed, and since I have no intention of taking back the Blackwood name, I decided to give the name, the manor, the fortune, and the duties to the oldest bastard of my fatherâs, which just happens to be Sarahâs father. Thatâs the whole tragedy of this whole situation. I was willing to give Sara what she wanted all along. She didnât have to torment Cordy, or whatever she did to those poor triplets. Maybe she wouldâve come at all if I wasnât a moron and forgot to check in!â Angry now, Faustus got off the bed and went to the window.
Zelda too got off the bed and joined her husband. On her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. âDidnât you once tell me that your father just mentioned that he had other children only in passing?â
Faustus sighed. âOnce or twice, I suppose.â
âAnd have you ever met any of these people face to face?â
âHecate, no!â
âJust as I suspected. As usual, my darling, youâre being too hard on yourself. Surely, no one expects you to be responsible for people you didnât even know existed.â
Faustus sighed, turned to his wife, and took her hand. âYou understand why I have to go. I canât do all this legal stuff over the phone.â
âI understand. Do you want me to go with you?â
Faustus shook his head. âI couldnât ask you to that. Feasts of feasts is almost upon us and we both know thatâs the start of your busiest season. I mean, you were working when I came in here.â
âI can change things around.â Faustus gave her a look that ensured his wife that he wouldnât be changing his mind. âOkay,â Zelda continued. âWell, the least I can do is give you a proper goodbye.â Zelda then kissed Faustus passionately and led him off to bed.
Early the next morning, before driving to the airport in nearby Riverdale, Faustus and Zelda made a fast stop by the academy. It was there, Zelda soon learned, that Sara spent the night under the watchful eyes of Prudence. Turns out that Prudence didnât like the idea of her father returning to his hometown anymore than Zelda did. With the aid of her stepmother, Prudence managed to convince her father into taking her with him. At the last moment, Ambrose decided to go too, to lend support to his uncle and girlfriend. By the time Zelda dropped the group off at the airport and went back home, it was late morning. As soon as she opened the front door, Zelda was hit by all the pleasant smells coming from the kitchen.
âMmm, sister, when did you get here?â Zelda called from the hall while taking off her coat.
However, it wasnât Hilda who was laying the food on the table. Zelda entered the kitchen and was greeted by a smiling LJ.
âHey, Mom. I thought you might be hungry after your long morning and it turns out I can cook!â
Zelda returned LJâs smile. âThis looks wonderful, thank you.â The kettle started to whistle, and Zelda turned but LJ stopped her.
âI will get the coffee. You sit down and enjoy your food.â
However, Zelda only had time for 1 bite because she heard a coffee cup smash to the floor. She looked up to see that LJ was staring at something on the kitchen island, and she was shaking.
âLJ, honey, whatâs wrong?â
LJ pointed. âWhatâs that?â
Zelda got up and went to her daughterâs side before answering. âWhy, thatâs just Cordeliaâs new class picture.â
LJ nodded. âAnd, um, who is that?â Her voice sounded odd, strained as if she was on the verge of tears.
âThatâs Nina Robinson.â
LJ looked up sharply. âThe schoolteacher who keeps trying to seduce Father away from you?!â
Puzzled, Zelda nodded. âLJ, what am I missing here? Do you know her?â
LJ swallowed her breath sharply. âWe werenât formally introduced, but this is the woman I caught Peter sleeping with 2 days ago.â
âAre you sure?â
âPositive.â
âThatâs it!â Zelda growled. âThat woman has gone too far!â Food now forgotten, Zelda turned to go.
Yet, LJ knew that look on her motherâs face. âMom, I know you going to do what you have to do, but, um, donât kill Peter.â
Zelda nodded and was gone.
20 minutes later, a furious Zelda was knocking on Peterâs front door. When there was no answer, Zelda turned to go, but then she remembered the listing she had seen in the lobby. Not only did Nina live on this very floor, but she was only 4 doors down. So, Zelda walked down and knocked on her door. At this point, Zelda was so angry, she didnât even have it in her to be surprised when Peter opened the door.
âMrs. Spellman! Um, I was going to call LJ later, I swear.â
âCan it, lover boy. Save it for someone who might actually care.â Zelda swept past him and went straight to the bedroom when Nina was naked under her sheet and was looking the other way.
She must have heard the door open for she started to speak. âYou left me alone in this bed for far too long. Come here, big boy, and make it up to me.â
Without saying a word, Zelda walked across the room and ran the back of her hand against Ninaâs bare arm.
âMmm, thatâs nice. Now, why donât- âNina turned around and gasped when she saw Zelda, who was folded her arms.
âYou really are a whore. Tell me, for I need to know, was this a random thing or payback for Faustus?â
Nina had a blank look on her face. âWho are you?â
Zelda was confused, but only for a moment. âOh, thatâs right; I spelled you the last time we met. Well, I did come to talk to you.â
Zelda snapped her fingers and it was like a light went on in Ninaâs brain as she tried to cover herself. âZelda?! What the hell are you doing here?â
âAnd weâre back to our regularly scheduled program,â Zelda muttered and looked away long enough to allow Nina to slip into a robe. âSo tell me,â Zelda continued, âdo you really care for Peter or did you do this to spite us?â
Nina raised an eyebrow. âWhoâs Peter?â
Zeldaâs jaw dropped. âYou donât even know his name?! For your information, Peter is the half-naked young man in your living room. Also, before you came along, whenever that was, he was happily dating Faustusâs daughter.â
Ninaâs eyes widened. âIf heâs sleeping with a 12-year-old, what are you doing in here, yelling at me?â
âItâs not Cordelia, your idiot!â Zelda snapped. âJust so you know, Faustus has 4 children, 3 daughters, and a boy! I love all my stepchildren as if they were my very own, but you hurt 1 of them, which means that now I must hurt you!â
âCalm down, will you? You can tell your stepdaughter that she can have her boyfriend back. He means nothing to me. Iâm just having some fun until my man comes to his senses and leaves you for me.â
âYouâre never going to give up, are you?â Zelda said slowly as if she just realizing her own statement. âYouâre never going to leave my family alone. I mean, I wiped your memory clean and youâre still bothering us.â
âI think itâs time for you to just accept that Faustus and I are destined to be together.â
The entire situation was so absurd that Zelda couldnât help but laugh. âIâm sorry but you bought up destiny and that brings up the concept of forever and you donât have that kind of time. Even when mortals die of âold ageâ it barely lasts a century. Mortals are so, soâŚâ As Zelda talked, she came closer, seized Nina by the back of the neck, and squeezed until she heard Ninaâs spine snap and watched the dead body fall to the floor, âfragile.â
It was only then that Zelda noticed there was something on the nightstand. It was the plane ticket that Zelda had ordered Nina to get when she was bewitched. Zelda picked up the ticket and magically spread some blood around Ninaâs head and left the room. Peter jumped up as soon as he saw Zelda and he opened his mouth but Zelda spoke first.
âI think your girlfriend fell in there and if I were you,â she slapped the plane ticket against his chest, âI would leave town.â
Faustus looked at his wife. âYou killed her?â The past few days had been an emotional rollercoaster for
Faustus. He had been nervous and didnât know what to expect when he, Prudence, and Ambrose arrived in England. Brutus was found at the exact address he had given to Faustus. Brutus had, of course, been very angry at his daughter, Sara, but he couldnât have been nicer to his guests. Although they had been strangers when they first met, the 2 brothers liked each other instantly. Faustus and Brutus were always together, talking about everything and anything. Brutus introduced Faustus to their other siblings, (all 687 of them!) Lord Liam had once joked that he had fathered half of the village. It was only now that Faustus realized that he wasnât joking at all. The brothers also worked well together with their business. As the oldest illegitimate child, it made sense to make Brutus the new Lord Blackwood, meaning he would be responsible for the village and its people but there were other things to consider. First, they asked the others if wanted to be recognized and which ones wanted to take the Blackwood name. They also set about trying to divide the family fortune and Brutus decided to reopen Blackwood Manor. He offered to let Faustus stay there but Faustus preferred a hotel room. What surprised Faustus the most was just how kind and gracious Brutus was. Oddly enough, it was Saraâs mother who came across as angry and entitled. Faustus told all this and more to Zelda when he called her nightly. One night, he called and said that Markus badly to meet the rest of Faustusâs family. Zelda, who wanted to join her husband in this from the very beginning was thrilled and agreed, as did Jake, who was hungering for a new adventure. LJ was happy to go anywhere that she could get her mind of Peter for a while. The only 1 who didnât want to go at all was Cordelia. For the past few days, Cordeliaâs life had revolved around the hospital. She would go and visit the triplets every morning before school and return after class, where she remained until visiting hours were over. Although LJ said that Erin, Emily, and Erica were all stable and were getting stronger every day. Yet they still in their comas. It didnât seem right to Cordelia to leave them to fly halfway around the world only to see Sara get everything she wanted. Zelda told her that this trip wasnât about Sara. Zelda explained to her daughter that they would only be gone a few days. They would attend a public signing of papers which would make some of the siblings official Blackwoods on Friday and a grand ball on Saturday to reopen the manor and celebrate family unity. On Sunday, they would fly home. It wasnât until Hilda and Sabrina both agreed to look in on the triplets that Cordelia finally agreed to go. Yet, it was midway through their Thursday flight, Cordelia had a panic attack. What if the triplets woke up and she wasnât there? Would they think she abandoned them?! Fortunately, LJ foresaw this and bought along a sleeping spell. The sleeping spell was more powerful than LJ realized, so much so that no one could wake Cordelia when they landed. Thatâs why when Faustus picked them up from the airport, he saw that while LJ and Zelda handled the bags, Jake carried his sleeping baby sister in his arms. After they settled Cordelia in her hotel room and left a note on the bedside table, the family went down to the lobby for dinner. After dinner, the kids went to a pub down the street while Faustus and Zelda when up to their room. It was here that Zelda told Faustus the whole story about Nina and Peter. Faustus wasnât upset about Ninaâs death. After all, mortals died all the time, and witches murdering them was not unusual either. If anything, Ninaâs death was more good news in Faustusâs already amazing week. But it did leave him with 1 question.
âWhy didnât you kill the boy, as well?â
Zelda shrugged. âLJ asked me not to. But I did give him the plane ticket to New York. Now, when the police found the body, who do you think they suspected? The wife of a co-worker, or 1 of her lovers who fled the state only 1 day after the murder?â
âYouâre as brilliant as you are beautiful. What else could a man possibly ask for?â
âNo one betrays our daughter and gets away with it.â Zelda declared before surrendering completely to her husbandâs kiss. They made love all night long and most of the morning. They almost missed the signing ceremony.
What am I doing here? I should have never agreed to come here. I should be at home. It was Saturday night and despite being dressed to the nines and attending the grand ball at Blackwood manor, Cordelia Spellman was in no mood to party. Out of respect for her father and his family, she had agreed to come, but Cordelia had been miserable ever since she woke up from the sleeping spell yesterday. She was still insanely worried about the Warners. Both Hilda and Sabrina had sent her numerous texts but they have yet to speak in person. In fact, Cordelia was just coming down the stairs, having tried and failed to reach her aunt and cousin, because of time zones, Cordelia wasnât even sure what time it was in Greendale. Cordelia was thirsty, so she made her way to the punch bowl. However, she barely had time to fill her cup and take a sip before:
âHello, cousin,â
Cordelia closed her eyes. 1 of her biggest worries about this trip was coming face to face with Sara. Faustus calmed his daughterâs worries by telling her that he hadnât seen Sara since the day they landed. Cordelia was pleased to hear that Markus saw fit to punish his daughter by basically putting her under house arrest for the past 5 days. Cordelia guessed correctly that Sara was only let out for the ball. âWhat in Hecateâs name do you want, Sara?â Cordelia snapped angrily.
âI wanted to talk to you. I was hoping we could start over. Let bygones be bygones.â
Wordlessly, Cordelia put her cup down, then quick as lighting, she grabbed a knife off the table and pushed her cousin out of public view. Saraâs back was against a pillar as Cordelia held the knife to her throat. âFirst of all, I need you to know that the only reason Iâm not shedding your blood all over these marble floors is out of respect for our fathers,â Cordelia whispered evenly. âSecond of all, have you gone mental, witch? You want to make peace after you made my life torture for how many months? My friends are still in the hospital because of you!â
âTheyâre just mortals!â
âTheyâre still my best friends! And I want you to remember what you did to them because if I ever catch you in Greendale ever again, I will bury you under the hanging tree. Understand?â
A shadow passed by the girls, reminding them that they were not alone. Cordelia sighed as she backed off. She rounded the corner and tossed the knife back on the table. Sara could have walked away at this point but she chose to follow Cordelia.
âYou know what? I donât understand you. All this fuss and worry about 3 mortals, while your father was the high priest who murdered half his coven.â
Cordelia was too shocked and confused to respond and thatâs how Faustus found them.
âAre you girls okay?â
âYour niece is a real piece of work, Dad. After all, youâre done all week for Sara and her family, she still sees fit to slander your name.â Cordelia finally spoke. âWell, according to her lying mouth, youâre a high priest who murdered his coven.â
Sara looked from Cordelia to Faustus and gave a short laugh. âShe doesnât know? How can she not know?! Everyone in the world knows! Youâre like a legend, but not in a good way.â
It was only then that Sara felt the floor move under her feet, like a tiny earthquake.
Meanwhile, Cordelia stared at her cousin. âYou know what? Iâm getting so sick of you!â Cordelia went forward and tried to grab Sara, who stepped backward and noticed the floor was steady again, with 1 arm while Faustus led her away by the other arm.
âCordelia, I need to talk to you.â
They ducked into a nearby room then Faustus let go of his daughterâs arm.
âLook, Dad, Iâm sorry that I lost my cool and lunged at Sara but we have to get back out there. Who knows what other lies Sara could be telling about you.â
As Cordelia spoke, Faustus got a chill up his spine when he realized that they were in his fatherâs old study. He glanced over to the fireplace to that old painting of Lord Liam and his cold, harsh, unforgiving eyes. Faustus hated that painting. If it was up to him, he would get rid of all of his fatherâs things. Yet, during the course of the week, he learned that his siblings saw Liam as the villageâs distant overseer, not the abusive parent he had been to Faustus. This room was the site of all Faustusâs childhood confessions. How fitting that it was about to witness his most important one.
âIt wasnât a lie,â Faustus whispered, his eyes filling with tears.
âWhat?â
âBefore your mother founded the Order of Hecate, I was Greendaleâs high priest, and 1 day, I poisoned some of the others.â
Cordelia shook her head. âNo, it canât be true. Youâre not the type to kill your fellow witches without remorse.â
Faustus fell to his knees in front of his daughter. âBut I do feel remorse! I think about those we lost every day and there are not enough words to express how sorry I am.â
âThen, why kill them?â
âBecause he had no control about it.â
Faustus and Cordelia both looked up to see that Zelda had joined them. After Zelda helped him back to his feet, she gave him a tender kiss on to cheek, and then led Cordelia to a nearby sofa. âWe didnât plan to tell you this way but I think itâs time you knew about the insanity curse.â
For over 2 hours, the trio talked, with Faustus and Zelda telling their daughter everything about the curse. It was near the end that Cordelia had to ask,
âWhy didnât you say ever anything to me about this?â
Faustus looked at the floor. âI was afraid, afraid that you wouldnât look at me the same way. That you wouldnât love me the same way.â
âOh, Daddy! It wasnât your fault and it wasnât as rare as you think. I mean, isnât it an actual law issued by the council that no witch or warlock canât be held accountable for their actions while under a curse?â
Zelda smiled. âItâs certainly is.â
Faustus looked at his daughter and then to his wife before declaring, âIâm the luckiest man in the universe.â
Later, Faustus was looking out of the motel window when Zelda came in after settling Cordelia in for the night in the next room.
âWhat are you looking at?â Zelda asked.
âCome here, dearest.â
Zelda took his outstretched hand and he spun her into him. Now, her back was supported by Faustusâs front and he draped an arm around her front. âOh, Faustus, itâs beautiful. The stars are so big, theyâre like diamonds and itâs like there are so close, you can touch them.â
âYes, this village has always been famous for its stars. When I was a boy, Magda and I used to wish on stars all the time.â
âOh? And what did you wish for?â
âA great many of things when I was younger, yet as I got older, it was more of a single wish. Namely, you in my arms.â
âSo, your wish was for me to be where Iâve always belonged.â
Faustusâs only reply was to cupped her chin, turning her head toward his, and kissed her passionately. They were both naked before they got to the bed, 4 feet away.
At 3 AM, Zelda tried not to wake Faustus as she got out of bed and slipped into a robe on the way to the bathroom. On her way back to bed, she heard faint crying. Zelda opened the door between her room and Cordeliaâs.
âCordy? Are you alright?â
âOh, Mom, did I wake you?â
âNo. Whatâs wrong?â Zelda sat down on the bed beside her child.
âI couldnât sleep, so I tried to call home,â Cordelia explained, âand I got to talk to Aunt Hilda and there have been no changes in the tripletsâ condition.â
âOh honey, Iâm sorry. But LJ said that all 3 are stable and should wake up really soon.â
âLJ been saying for days. Itâs been over a week. Iâm getting scared.â
âOh, baby. As far as I know, LJ is only giving them mortal medicine. How about when we get back to Greendale, we see what magic can help.â Zelda suggested.
âWe can do that?â
âIt wonât hurt to see our options. Now, try to rest. We need to be at the airport in a few hours.â
Zelda returned to her room to discover that Faustus was awake and he was worried that Cordelia was upset about the curse. She set him straight and they went back to sleep.
The next day, on the plane, Zelda took Faustusâs hand. âDarling, Iâm so proud of you. I know it wasnât easy to spend a week in your old village.â
Faustus smiled. âI learned 2 things this week. That I am so proud to be a Spellman and that my home is where you are.â Faustus smiled and kissed his wife. Yet, mid-kiss, he couldnât feel Zeldaâs lips anymore. He opened his eyes to see that she was no longer on the plane. âUm, Zelda?â
Zelda was just as confused to find herself transported to hell.
âOh, thank god that worked!â
The redhead turned to see Adam holding a heavy spellbook.
âZelda, I need your help. Lilithâs in labor.â